Module [Fusion]

Description: You can choose two or more skills to combine and produce a new skill.

You need one [Fusion Pass] that can be purchased from the store.

You have one free [Fusion Pass] each month.

Nathan was initially quite irritated with the system's upgrade. It was too concise without any further explanation. When he asked for additional clues, he was met with complete silence. This meant every combination had to be discovered through his own experimentation. Each wrong guess meant wasting a [Fusion Pass] since it yielded nothing except knowledge of a failed experiment.

An expensive failure, as one [Fusion Pass] cost 1000 credits.

This meant that to obtain a new skill, Nathan might have to spend several thousand to tens of thousands of credits if he became absorbed in this [Fusion] module.

Nevertheless, amid his frustration with the system, his mind immediately jumped to those devilish skills he despised with a burning passion.

[Bad Mouth] and [Bad Omen].

They both started with the word 'Bad,' so Nathan was convinced they belonged to the same skill family or category.

Not knowing how else to begin experimenting, when the system upgrade had completed months ago, he had selected these two.

And the result exceeded all his expectations.

You chose [Bad Mouth] and [Bad Omen] for [Fusion].

Fusing... Fusing... Fusing...

Fusing Successfully.

A new skill has been created.

You received [Bad Juju].

---

[Bad Juju]

Description: Your curses have a very small chance of materializing.

Nathan nearly jumped with joy. He had finally rid himself of the uncontrollable mouth and those useless, mind-detrimental prophecies.

More frightening was that this new skill could level up. He didn't hesitate to spend 100 credits to bring it to level 2.

For several weeks, he continuously experimented with this skill. Whenever he encountered outer or inner sect disciples, he would utter curses of varying negative intensity. From telling them their techniques would suffer mana disturbances, to execution failures, dropped items, groundless insults, or even waking up from nightmares.

None succeeded. His constant muttering of strange words at others only made disciples fear him more. Many discussed on PsiLink whether the Direct Disciple, Nathan, might be ill, possibly suffering from schizophrenia or psychological instability after the Maelivar incident. Plus, his eyes constantly locked onto his targets, making him seem no different from a madman freshly released from an asylum.

Just when he thought the system was helping him become happier, the consistent failure of [Bad Juju] only fueled his frustration.

Then in a moment of rage, he roared at Zeryn, "You're gonna slip!" and his friend indeed slipped on the slick courtyard surface. Of course, being a cultivator, Zeryn recovered quickly without suffering any embarrassment.

At that moment, Nathan began to understand the mechanism. The probability increased when he didn't try to enforce his will upon someone. His previous curses had directly challenged the free will of his targets. In subsequent attempts, he improved his success rate by adding environmental conditions. From slipping on wet floors to obstructed vision from falling leaves, or choking on water by drinking from someone else's cup.

Nathan realized with dismay that it ultimately had no significant effect.

[Bad Juju] was no different from [Bad Mouth] or [Bad Omen], existing merely to showcase the diversity of the Passive System.

Despite his dissatisfaction, he continued experimenting. He had already tested curse intensity. Next came cultivator tier levels. He targeted Tier 1 cultivators with Phases much lower than his own, focusing on self-afflicting effects rather than environmental ones.

One of the outer disciples hiccupped when Nathan mumbled while absently looking at her. At first, he thought it was a coincidence, but a notification informed him that [Bad Juju] had successfully activated.

Thus, for this skill to work effectively, he needed to adjust the curse's effect to its lowest level—mundane misfortunes and daily annoyances. The second parameter was cultivation level. Being Tier 2 himself, it was easier to affect those of lower Tiers. Against equals, successful activation was rare.

He believed that if he muttered curses a million times daily, he might eventually affect his desired target. But that would be the behavior of a deranged and idle person, something he was determined to avoid.

He had to constantly remind himself of this to resist the urge to spend credits to push [Bad Juju] to level 3. The success rate and variety of curses would likely increase, but it truly wasn't worth it.

Especially when compared to the difference [Martial Arts Mastery] brought at level 3, which had been the source of his victory against Erza Orlov.

Although rated as Omnipotential and a mana drain worse than a bottomless pit, his mana pool wasn't extraordinarily larger than others, just moderately superior. Without Darkan's guidance, he had asked other elders, and one plausible assessment was that his diet and nutritional supplements had expanded his mana pool, but it still had limits. It couldn't possibly match a Tier 2 Phase 8 like Erza.

If their exchange had continued longer, Nathan would still have lost because he had employed flashy techniques to intimidate his opponent rather than focusing on effectiveness.

Just as Zeryn had taught him, he had been bluffing.

On the day Zeryn entered the inner sect, he had received the same treatment as other disciples despite being labeled a sword genius—the only one with Sword Intent among his peers. Yet hazing remained hazing. The tradition of seniors bullying newcomers was created by the disciples themselves, with elders ignoring it, letting things unfold naturally.

As a Tier 2 Phase 1, Zeryn needed to establish his reputation and took a risk. Most importantly, he had grounds for such a gamble. Combining Sword Intent with Sharp Aspect into one powerful strike to challenge his opponent. The opponent wasn't completely defeated, but lost in that single move. In a normal fight, combat would continue until one person fell. But for a duel of honor, that was sufficient.

Since people like Zeryn were rare, this deception had never been exposed. Nathan was fortunate to be the next to successfully execute it.

His victory came from using [Martial Arts Mastery] to analyze his opponent's techniques. One constant among young cultivators was that, due to time constraints or desire for quick results, they focused on flashiness and appearances.

The Blazing Dragon from Erza's spear wasn't inherently weak—it simply had exploitable vulnerabilities. The vibrations in the projected mana flow, the lack of focus on the spear tip, and the wielder's chaotic emotional state.

Nathan used these insights to infiltrate his mana into these weak points, allowing a Tier 2 Phase 1 to withstand a Tier 2 Phase 8. The dramatic effect afterward easily crushed his opponent's ego.

As for the skill creating white swords, he'd drawn inspiration from seeing Xander trace out spears when returning from Moirath Forest. Weapon choice was merely personal preference. He could manifest anything. This was one of the basics that [Martial Arts Mastery] helped him quickly master. His energy control and efficiency had vastly improved. Without the theatrics to impress the audience, using a single sword would have been sufficient to fight for hours.

He wanted to focus more on using his innate mana. He was still exploring and stabilizing his use of the Omnipotential Aspect.

Both pleased and excited, he smiled as he approached his meeting place with Gideon.

The disciple who had entered the inner sect like him stood with his hands behind his back like a patient young elder. His curly, messy hair remained unchanged since the last time Nathan had seen him, with an oval face and pensive brown eyes on tanned skin.

Gideon turned when he sensed someone approaching. Seeing who it was, he smiled.

"Nathan. It's been a while since we last met, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, kinda busy."

"I can see. You truly are an impressive one."

"You'll get your chance to shine, too. Your ranking in the outer sect wasn't low either."

"Oh, I doubt it. According to statistics, people like me aren't rare. Multiply by seasons and years, and gradually one becomes ordinary."

"You can see and you see me," Nathan spread his arms. "Break the statistics."

"Then again," Gideon raised one finger, "an anomaly appears in one person. Meaning chaos in a system leaves no room for others. I just learn to accept where I should be."

Somehow, Nathan detected no bitterness, frustration, jealousy, or resentment in this dialogue with someone he had once defeated. In his impression, Gideon was polite, with gentle, graceful gestures. But perhaps he had misjudged the source of those demeanors.

Everyone had their past and lessons. Young people like Gideon, only 17 years old, couldn't be viewed through Nathan's worldview. Two worlds, two environments, two cultural prejudices would shape two entirely different people.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Don't you hate me after I, you know?" Nathan asked.

"After you defeated me?" Gideon completed the sentence without hesitation. "Would you believe me if I said I'm fine with it?"

"Honestly, if it were me, I wouldn't be too comfortable either. Like how Xander always holds a grudge against me."

Gideon chuckled softly and said, "But you should believe it. Winning or losing doesn't matter much to me. I tried my best and failed. That's enough. Clinging to negative emotions seems pointless, doesn't it?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you seem like an old soul?"

"Old or not, to me it's one less thing to think about," Gideon smiled.

Yet behind that, Nathan sensed a change in the wavelength of Gideon's spirit. It seemed to indicate a heaviness in mood, or some lingering emotion.

Spirit perception was truly frightening. Fortunately, he had spent considerable time learning to control it.

"From our conversation, I don't see you as someone who invites trouble," Nathan narrowed his eyes. "So why get involved with me? Aren't you afraid the seniors will make things difficult?"

Gideon remained silent, not answering immediately. His folded arms showed rhythmic tapping fingers.

"You've really lost touch," Gideon said. "All disciples have already been harassed on the day they entered the inner sect mountains. I've also been dealt with and asked for various tributes."

"Including Zahra and Xander?"

"You mean the top 4?" Gideon smirked.

"Something like that," Nathan nodded.

"They were also given trouble, but to a lesser degree."

"Why must it be this way?" Nathan frowned in displeasure. "This culture should be eliminated instead."

"Why?" Gideon questioned.

Seeing the young man's expression, Nathan sensed he genuinely didn't understand.

"Then why are you helping me?" Nathan asked, surprised.

"Because I admire you," Gideon smiled. "Your story is truly intriguing. Accompanying you seems like a one-of-a-kind experience."

"Not because you're opposing this bureaucratic system?"

Gideon laughed, holding his stomach—not loudly but prolonged, nearly to the point of tears.

"Not at all. The benefits the Seniors provide outweigh the hate. Intelligence networks, assistance in various locations, cities, villages, even criminal organizations are the missing pieces for newcomers like us. Are they hateful? Yes, I won't argue that. But would it be fair to give new disciples the resources they've painstakingly built? Change your perspective, change your viewpoint. I simply am that way."

"Simple?" Nathan widened his eyes. "You view things too maturely."

"Thank you for your compliment." Gideon tilted his head cheerfully.

"But that still doesn't answer for the consequences you must bear," Nathan said. "Aren't you concerned about your future because today you're helping me?"

"That? So that's what you meant. I don't pay much attention to that. Anyway, I don't plan to climb too high. After this mission, I probably won't be here much to struggle with you or the seniors."

Another wavelength fluctuation. A heavy concern perhaps.

"Your Aspect is Wood?" Nathan asked after trying to sense with his Spirit.

"Yes," Gideon nodded, raising an eyebrow. "How did you know? I only recently reached Tier 2, and haven't used mana or let the PsiLink forums know yet."

"Just a feeling," Nathan waved dismissively. He truly couldn't explain that it was because the wide lake with illusory stars in his core flickered green when he probed him.

"A good hunch you got there," Gideon complimented, not inquiring further. After all, during their battle, he had already revealed some of his development direction while still at Tier 1.

"Who's the third person we're waiting for?"

"Someone you know," Gideon smiled mischievously. "But before that, I have something to ask you about. You inflicted me with something during the tournament. It made me—"

Nathan sensed a gust of wind where he stood.

He sidestepped, avoiding a poke from behind.

"Tsk, truly worthy of top 64," an irritated female voice rose behind him.

"Hello, Qingfeng," Gideon raised his hand in greeting.

"Gideon." Qingfeng approached with dissatisfied eyes. "Did you really have to invite him? After inviting me?"

"Is this the reaction you expected from me?" Gideon asked Nathan. "Such dissatisfaction?"

"Who's dissatisfied?" Qingfeng put her hands on her hips, her ponytail swaying. "It's just that Lord Nathan here is too noble."

Nathan offered a small pastry on a napkin, an upgraded version of Tiramisu.

"A meeting gift," he smiled. "We never had a proper introduction."

Qingfeng's eyes brightened, her scarred hands from bow and string practice fidgeting.

"If we're going to work together," Nathan said softly, "there will be plenty more food like this. You might as well get used to it now."

With a snort, Qingfeng took the pastry and devoured it in one bite without hesitation.

The two men patiently waited for her to finish. When she licked her lips longingly, Nathan exchanged a glance with Gideon.

Bribery successful, both thought simultaneously.

"We're not done yet." Qingfeng pointed at Nathan. "You still owe me a rematch."

"Fine, fine." Nathan raised his hands in surrender. "Shall we go? And you have something to ask me, Gideon?"

"A later time for that issue," Gideon said. "For now, let's go. I'll explain the mission as we walk."

The three left the Mission Center courtyard, heading toward one of the transportation booths. The space inside automatically expanded to comfortably accommodate all three.

"The mission is fairly simple," Gideon said, sitting across from the other two as the forest scenery of Verdant Spire Sect passed by outside. "We're going to Emberwood village to investigate a mysterious incident there."

"Does it involve human casualties?" Qingfeng asked seriously.

"Unfortunately, yes." Gideon's expression grew grim. "Villagers have reported disappearances. Some body parts have been discovered. The main suspicion is that a monster is prowling nearby."

"And we need to eliminate it, restoring safety to Emberwood," Nathan said.

"Yes," Gideon replied. "That's the short version."

Qingfeng put her hand to her chin, appearing thoughtful.

"Why the delay?" she asked. "You just mentioned not one or two, but several cases. Emberwood falls under our Sect's jurisdiction. A simple request should have brought someone to investigate."

"They probably wanted to wait for me," Gideon said glumly.

"I'm wondering why you still have a mission and aren't affected by the seniors," Nathan analyzed, arms crossed.

"Because this mission specifically designates which disciple must accept it," Gideon explained. "And that's me."

Qingfeng sat up straighter.

"Is Emberwood your hometown?"

"It's my foundation," Gideon said gravely. "They're the ones who helped me get where I am today."

"You're…?" Qingfeng probed.

Nathan curled his lip, somewhat sharing the same thought with this girl. Gideon's manner of speaking and lack of the usual concern for parents had made him suspicious, but such directness was inappropriate.

Contrary to his companions' shock, Gideon waved as if it were nothing.

"Yes, I'm an orphan. Reading my profile on PsiLink would tell you immediately. Emberwood and its people raised me. Everyone there is like a father or mother to me."

"But waiting for you or specifically requesting you still seems too dangerous," Qingfeng was perceptive enough to change the subject. "Allowing the number of victims to increase that way?"

"They want to keep Gideon there for a while," Nathan said, recalling their earlier conversation. "Even after the matter is resolved, the fear remains. Having a Tier 2 Cultivator for protection is better. As for others, each additional day means more money."

Gideon snapped his fingers, confirming this.

"That's reasonable." Qingfeng still wasn't convinced. "But wouldn't it make sense to have another Tier 2 cultivator eliminate the monster, then invite Gideon back?"

Nathan blinked at the archer girl's sharpness. This clearly wasn't her first mission of this kind. This analytical ability must have been forged through serious study. Looking again at the calluses and scars on her hands, he couldn't help but imagine a girl constantly improving herself, regardless of difficulties or the damage it caused. The past six months couldn't have been easy for her.

"That's what bothers me, too," Gideon said. "Either they have a reason, or they thought they could handle it themselves. You know how it is—ordinary people don't want too much involvement with us. Especially villages like Emberwood. Unlike Maelivar or Daliphon, which are full of Cultivators, to Emberwood, we're basically not human."

"We are like gods to them," Qingfeng nodded.

"And you don't disturb gods with menial tasks," Gideon said, with a tone of irony.

Nathan was surprised by this perspective. He had been surrounded by peers of the same level. Since arriving in this world, he had been among people who could shatter boulders with their bare hands as if it were just another Tuesday. Perhaps before he could properly admire these individuals' feats, his mind had already begun pursuing this power, knowing it was attainable. He had forgotten that not everyone possessed the Above Average potential he had been assessed with on his first days. Or rather, its rarity made him proud to be considered fortunate.

They reached the outer sect area after a short while, then moved to the Sect's Transportation Station.

Emberwood was located in the southwestern region of Verdant Spire Sect, a rather desolate area consisting mostly of hills, dense forests, and a sprawling plateau. With no commercial or diplomatic routes of interest, there were no railways. Thus, Nathan's newly formed team would have to travel using one of the tools specifically for cultivators—in this case, a trained monster from the sect.

Argentius had been released into the common garden after his checkup. The beast had hidden from Nathan how burdensome using Yin-yang Eyes could be, especially when used twice in a short period. When Nathan suggested raising his Affinity to advance to Tier 3, the creature finally confessed. The beast was currently being treated by the Sect's Herbalists after Nathan paid a hefty sum. Soul-affecting wounds were truly expensive to care for.

Therefore, he couldn't use Argy for transportation. How majestic it would have been to ride a tiger, and it would have been convenient for returning to Moirath Forest.

Gideon led them to a yard where he had pre-booked an appointment. After a few minutes, a small squeak sounded from above. A Cloud Glider controlled by a beast tamer descended onto the yard.

This crane-like monster looked around curiously. Its wings with rigid, metallic-looking edges flapped up and down. Its pristine white feathers looked soft even from a distance. It proudly raised its high head with a sharp beak, spreading its nearly five-meter wingspan to display dominance.

Seeing this, Qingfeng burst out laughing, as everyone knew Cloud Gliders were among the lowest-tier mounts. Even in combat ability, they weren't particularly formidable. As an archer like her, she could dispatch one rather quickly.

Gideon exchanged a few words with the sect staff and signaled for everyone to climb onto the structure attached to the creature's back. It resembled a small hut made of wood and woven ropes. It looked rudimentary but was spacious enough for all to sit. Cloud Gliders were trained to carry such structures. With a small, intricate orb between the creature's back and the hut serving as a balancer, it would ensure minimal turbulence during travel.

Thanks to continuous training, Cloud Gliders typically didn't need pilots. They were implanted with a specialized PsiLink that included only basic commands and transmitted comprehensible signals to their brains. Through a command from Gideon, the creature tilted its head with a cry, its thin legs galloping, wings creating gusts of wind.

Before they could understand what was happening, all three had soared above the clouds, riding the winds that whistled past their ears.

Gideon pulled a lever beside him, though it gave no indication of its specific function.

Both Gideon and Qingfeng looked expectantly at Nathan.

The wealthy team member laughed, producing a Lesser Mana Stone from his spatial ring and inserting it into the hut's groove.

A thin mana barrier formed, preventing wind from entering while reducing noise.

"Thanks." Gideon scratched his head. "I used all my sect points to book the Cloud Glider."

"It's nothing." Nathan waved dismissively.

"We'll pay you back later." Qingfeng cleared her throat. "I just bought a new bow, so I'm not exactly flush with cash."

Nathan kept silent, seriously realizing how wealthy he was compared to his peers. Small bets aside, the majority came from a price he truly didn't want to pay—his Titan Bloodline.

The surface of the Cloud Glider's wing edges reflected the midday sunlight, dancing bright spots decorating the horizon. White clouds glided past them. The landscape below appeared as blue and green dots rushing by, a scene anyone would gladly admire.

After flying for over two hours, they had to let the creature land by a small stream on a hillside. The Cloud Glider drank water and caught fish. Afterward, it lay down to rest nearby.

Nathan performed a cooking show for his two new followers. Gideon and Qingfeng happily accepted this benefit. The girl's apparent hatred seemed more for show than genuine dislike of Nathan.

"I respect those who do not give up," she said with a full mouth. "When I learned you would be my next opponent, I researched you, Nathan. Although you had no notable achievements at the time, mostly just cleaning toilets or tidying up, the training room records showed your name more than almost anyone else's. That's why I didn't hold back when we faced each other."

Hearing this, Nathan smiled proudly. It seemed the old Nathan hadn't been so bad in many people's eyes.

After resting, the Cloud Glider once again took flight, carrying them deeper into the southwest. The air gradually grew colder, and the mountain ranges became more rugged. Nathan finally understood why this area lacked communication or transportation channels. Scattered below were town zones, but their scale couldn't compare to Crystalton. A winding trail like a crawling snake was visible from above, showing the route one would take to travel toward the center.

"Getting to Verdant Spire Sect is quite a journey," Gideon said. "And that's not even considering thieves, robbers, and scams."

"I thought someone would be stationed nearby to guide you," Qingfeng said.

"Not sure," Gideon replied. "The village elder insisted on bringing me there himself."

"They do care for you," Qingfeng commended.

Gideon painted a smile full of unspoken thoughts on his face.

After a five-hour flight, they reached their destination.

Emberwood village nestled in the valley between two tall mountains.

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