**Read authors note first**

Back in the Walking City of the Academy, over an hour had passed as Hao Xuan continued to refine and absorb the potent energy from the Soul Cleansing Rum from that one mouthful, and it wasn't anywhere near finished.

This process would last over six hours as the pure energy continued to drench Hao Xuan's soul in thick spiritual essence, leaving him barely able to hold a conversation.

Ryfon waited beside him for over three hours before he finally ran out of all the booze he had on him.

The night was long and nowhere near its end, only getting colder by the second. Fortis, Zhurong, and Salome had returned to the cabin sometime during that time period and already gone to sleep, leaving only Ryfon and Hao Xuan beside the campfire that burned ceaselessly.

Ryfon's woeful expression only became gloomier as time passed until finally, he looked up at Hao Xuan, at which point the gloom turned into distress.

"I have to come clean about something," he said after a moment of contemplation.

Hao Xuan was surrounded by a semi-transparent blue wind that revolved around him without making a sound. His eyes were closed, making it look like he was asleep but upon hearing Ryfon's voice, he replied calmly.

"Hmm?"

Ryfon grit his teeth, "I didn't tell you the whole truth about the rum. It...is true that it heals and is good for you, but it also has a side-effect. During the period you're absorbing it, you cannot lie or hide anything. You are like an open book and will respond to any query asked of you."

The blue wind that was circulating around Hao Xuan trembled for an instant before returning to normal. He didn't even open his eyes, only letting out a deep sigh. He nodded lightly, still maintaining his posture.

"So that was it, huh? I was wondering what this thing would cost me. You gave me a priceless treasure just so you could ask me a few questions? Why?"

It would be a lie if Hao Xuan said he wasn't worried after hearing Ryfon's confession. The secret about his constitution could not be known by anyone else since he would become public enemy number one. And on this planet, there was nowhere for him to hide.

Hao Xuan had tried to break out of this 'state' he was currently in which was shown by the tremor in the wind earlier but his body wasn't listening to him anymore.

It greedily absorbed the energy without any worry and right now, there was nothing he could do to stop it, not even call out his severs that were locked away in his mind palace.

Meaning he was completely at Ryfon's mercy at the moment.

Pretending to be okay with it, he smiled graciously with eyes still closed even though he was fuming inside.

"Ask then, what do you want to know? I am also curious what could a mere commoner like me have that you would want."

Seeing Hao Xuan's smile, Ryfon felt even worse. He let out a self-deprecating chuckle and shook his head sluggishly.

"Hao Xuan, I know you're mad. It's completely natural to be, but please understand that I had no choice, I need to be sure that you're not working for him."

His voice was quivering by the end of the sentence and he couldn't even look at Hao Xuan, lowering his head once again.

Hao Xuan felt the pain in his voice that sounded like a child that was being forced to do something he didn't want to. But that wasn't enough to quench Hao Xuan's anger right now.

"Explain to me then," he said through gritted teeth, not trying to hide behind a smile, "I have done everything to help you, even lowering my head in front of your "master" and accepting his unreasonable "request". All I wanted was access to a few cultivation manuals and now somehow I have been embroiled in this bullshit that I have no control over, continuously getting deeper in. Why is it that you still cannot trust me?"

From Hao Xuan's perspective, he had been taking advantage of over and over again. First by Ryfon's master and then that mysterious visitor that wanted him to kill the Vampire prince. And after getting on the planet he found out about the Temple of War and the prison, adding another huge variable that he could not control into the situation.

Frankly speaking, he was way out of his league and he knew it. But since there was nothing he could do about it, he didn't bring it up either.

"WHY?!" he couldn't help but yell out loud.

Ryfon couldn't bear to look at Hao Xuan, only shaking his lowered head non-stop. He wasn't a bad person either but this had to be done.

He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, hating himself for being so powerless that he had to resort to such underhanded methods.

"Because of my uncle," he uttered loathfully, "He is the First General of the Elven armies and my father's sworn brother. He is the second most powerful being among all the elven tribes, just behind my father, the Elven King himself. If not for him, none of this would have ever happened!"

Hao Xuan could feel Ryfon's absolute resentment towards this man through the tone of his voice.

****

Authors Notes:

This is very important, Youtube "Most Epic Music Ever: "Sunder" by Really Slow Motion" and listen to it while reading.

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