Eternal Cultivation of Alchemy

"Yes," Alex said. "It\'s faint though, very faint. If I wasn\'t holding it, I wouldn\'t even have noticed."

Alex wondered what the reason was for the sword to have a space aura. Unable to come up with any reasonable assumptions, he stopped thinking about it.

"Even with the spirit somewhat tamed, it\'s still quite heavy," Alex said, moving the sword around. "Although, I get a feeling that this sword isn\'t very much used for fighting."

"It has the insignia of the Azure Empire, so I would assume it\'s more of a celebratory sword than an actual one used for fighting," Bai Jingshen said. "Still, we can\'t dismiss the fact that it could be a sword used for fighting."

Alex continued looking at the sword. "I don\'t think I can just ask the Dragon Emperor who this sword belongs to, can I?" he asked.

"No, I suppose you cannot," Bai Jingshen said.

"Hmm, this might be annoying then," Alex thought. "To begin with, If the emperor himself is the one who owns this sword belongs to, then… wait, what do I do then?"

"Kill him," Bai Jingshen said.

Alex gave an awkward smile. "I don\'t know if I\'m capable of such a thing just yet," he said. "I assume the Dragon Emperor would be a strong Saint Transformation figure at the very least."

"Maybe," Bai Jingshen said. "As far as I can remember, it has been nearly 10 millennia since he became the Emperor. If he is still healthy enough to rule a continent, then his strength cannot be underestimated."

Alex was a little surprised. This was the first time someone had mentioned how long ago the Dragon Emperor had taken up the crown.

"You once told me that you knew saints who lived 10 thousand years. Was that in this realm or the Immortal realms?" Alex asked.

"I was speaking about the Immortal realms," Bai Jingshen said. "There aren\'t nearly any good elixirs in this realm that can aid your longevity that much."

"Then how is the Dragon Emperor living so long?" Alex asked.

"Body Cultivation," the White Tiger said non-nonchalantly. "He has a strong body on top of having a high cultivation base. That\'s the only way for someone to live so long and remain healthy."

"I see," Alex said, understanding a little more. 

"Let\'s leave."

They walked away from the treasury that closed behind them. They walked and went back to the palace hall where Bai Jingshen\'s women were still seated.

They talked for a bit as Alex talked about what he had been doing while he was away. Alex explained what he could, Luo Beihan that there was a technique that could help them make perfect pills. 

"Wait, do you think I could learn that technique as well?" she asked.

Alex didn\'t even hesitate. "Of course," he said. "I\'m not really sure if beasts can do it or not, but you should be able to."

He brought out a talisman and handed it over to the tiger. The tiger was beyond excited to learn that her alchemy skills were going to get much better with just that one technique. After all, it was a technique belonging to the Alchemy God himself. 

He had already given a few pill recipes, but he still wanted to give them the Saint Poison Neutralizing pill so that the beast could remain safe.

In return, Bai Jingshen gave him something as well.

He placed his energy into Alex\'s body as he settled a technique in there. Alex watched in surprise and remembered the roar from so long ago that had saved him from the attack that the dead 8th Undying God\'s remaining spirit had launched on him.

"How do you do that?" Alex asked with a slightly surprised face.

"It\'s simple," Bai Jingshen said. "You just leave a bit of your energy in the other person with an intent attached to it. If your Intent is strong enough, you can do it."

"I see," Alex said. "What will this thing you left in me do?"

"It\'s a Defensive skill," Bai Jingshen said. "It should defend you from almost anything in this world, even if Immortals themselves were to descend."

"A Defensive skill, huh?" Alex thought. "What about an offensive one?"

"I can\'t," Bai Jingshen said.

"A problem with your Intent?" Alex asked.

"Hah! I wish," Bai Jingshen said. "At least that way I would have a way to change it and get better. No, the problem is with my oath. I made an oath not to harm any humans or demons in this world."

"If I were to leave an offensive Intent in you and it were to accidentally attack someone, that person would die. In that case, I would be in a lot of trouble," Bai Jingshen said.

"Ah, that makes sense," Alex said. "If there were no such clause, you would have been able to get your revenge. That\'s a shame."

"It is no shame at all," Bai Jingshen said. "I don\'t want revenge. I just want the killer to pay for it. As for revenge, I\'ll leave it to Pearl since he is more directly involved in all of this than I am."

Pearl\'s face grew resolute. "I\'ll definitely get revenge for Mother\'s death," he said. "Even if that is the last thing I do."

Bai Jingshen patted him on his head. "That shouldn\'t be the last thing you do. That should be the first of many things that will do in the future," he said.

Pearl nodded slightly.

Alex waited for the heartwarming moment to end before speaking. "I should be leaving," he said. 

"Leaving? So soon?" Bai Jingshen was surprised. 

"I think I have spent enough time already. I have many things to do as well before the people from the Eastern Continent arrive in a few months," Alex said.

"I see," Bai Jingshen said. "So you\'re going to leave without even forming a new bond with Pearl?"

"Ah!" Alex remembered. "Right, I nearly forgot."

He turned towards Pearl and asked, "Pearl, do you want to form a new bond with me?"

"Of course," Pearl said, with an almost angry look on his face that Alex even thought to ask. 

"Uhh…" he looked toward Bai Jingshen. "What do I do exactly? I only know how to make a master-servant bond. All the other times I\'ve gone through a bond of Equals has been when I\'m unconscious."

"It\'s simple," Bai Jingshen said. "Bring out a single drop of your Essence and give it to Pearl. As long as you provide your blood, Pearl can choose to bond to you on his own as an equal."

"I see," Alex said and reached out to his forehead. A small cut appeared from where a single drop of blood flew out. His forehead closed back and Alex presented the blood to Pearl.

Pearl licked the blood midair and suddenly Alex felt his spirit stir a little. His left arm itched a little while he started feeling Pearl through a new connection again.

When the large paw print returned to his body on his left bicep, the bond of Equals was completed.