Dai Mubai felt as if his soul had been pulled out of him. To him, those words were the ultimate humiliation. They denied everything he was, and his heart had shattered.
For the past nine or ten years, he had been a favored son of heaven, the third prince of a royal family, a man everyone envied. He was exceptionally gifted, and he even had a fiancée he had never met—well, not never. They had probably seen each other a few times. The first half of his life had been one long winning streak, the perfect example of being born into the right family.
But his whole family believed in Social Darwinism, and even a favored son of heaven could be crushed and forced to flee. Now Jodio had utterly outclassed him, too. Dai Mubai's convictions were crumbling, and he could barely hold himself together.
Yes. I'm a Loser and a wretch. The ultimate, unbeatable wretch.
"But I still hope we can be friends." Jodio slowly rose and walked behind Dai Mubai.
"Just as gods are destined to save humanity, and just as your mother is the first person you think of when you're hurt. Dai Mubai, do you want to be my friend? Are you willing to make that your goal, commit yourself to it, and pursue it bravely?" Jodio bent slightly and spoke softly beside Dai Mubai's ear.
"Why? Am I not a Loser?" Dai Mubai asked weakly.
"Yes, but there are degrees even among Losers. Do you know the difference between burnable and nonburnable trash? Between rags and fruit peels? Raise your head and look me in the eye, Dai Mubai. Do you know why I'm willing to be your friend?" Jodio asked.
"Why?" Dai Mubai lifted his head in confusion and looked at Jodio with his mismatched eyes. Jodio's eyes were distinctive: his pupils seemed fractured, yet their centers were dark red. Looking into them made Dai Mubai dizzy. Even his breathing grew slow and gentle.
"Because you have the courage to face death."
"Did you think I'd say that?" Jodio slowly walked to the window and looked at the Soul Master hurrying out of a carriage.
"It's because of your resolve," Jodio said.
"Even a moment's resolve will do. It's what I admire most: the willingness to risk everything to drag down those who stand above you. It's so beautiful that I can't help wanting to see it again and again. But it's too precious. I can hardly rely on it to draw strength." With his back turned, Jodio let out a low, sinister laugh.
"Those who have resolved themselves are forever happy, Dai Mubai. Do you have the courage to pursue your own happiness?" Jodio asked again.
"Before you brainwash me, I want to ask something. Why must someone with resolve be happy?" Dai Mubai raised his head.
"Resolve means accepting everything, including the consequences of your own words and actions. As I said, once a farmer resolves to raise his children, he has already accepted a life of poverty and toil." Jodio smiled as he answered.
"From then on, he can immerse himself in the happiness of understanding his purpose and raising them. A writer may spend twelve hours a day on a work he loves, a painter may pour his heart's blood into a masterpiece, and a Soul Master may pursue the pinnacle of power. They overlook every hardship along the way and savor the encouragement of readers, the admiration of viewers, or the freedom that power brings.
"Dai Mubai, what have you resolved to do? What are you willing to commit yourself to?"
I want...
I need...
I desire...
Countless thoughts surged through Dai Mubai's mind. At last, his resolve took shape.
"I want my loved ones—my family and my wife, my friends and brothers—to be free from the torment of killing one another and from every hardship! That's what I want!" Dai Mubai rose to his feet and shouted toward the sky as though taking an oath.
"Jodio! Please guide me!" Dai Mubai said with utter sincerity.
"Great." Jodio smiled. He turned and sat down again, his expression returning to its cold, unapproachable calm.
"Stand behind me. A guest is coming," Jodio said quietly.
"Huh? What? Oh!" Dai Mubai was confused at first, then quickly got up and hid behind the curtain with Ma Hongjun. Seeing how fast he caught on, Ma Hongjun waggled his eyebrows at him, then immediately struck Kars's pose: chin raised, hands on hips, legs crossed.
Dai Mubai could barely stand the embarrassment. Still, he recalled the pose he had seen earlier that day and, feeling mortified, struck Esidisi's stance while staring at the door.
"Sorry for the wait." The tall, thin Soul Master opposite them bent slightly and apologized to Jodio with a smile.
"No matter. An honored guest always has the right to arrive late." Jodio gestured.
"Beer, spirits, red wine, green tea, black tea. What would you like?" Jodio asked calmly from his seat.
"A glass of wine." The man smiled and nodded.
"Lord Jodio, my name is Tong Bei, and I have the Spirit Bone Compendium you're looking for. To be honest, I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw you. I never expected you to be so young..."
Tong Bei briefly gauged the fluctuations in Jodio's Soul Power, and a trace of disdain curled his lip. A mere Soul Elder. I'm a Soul Ancestor; I could subdue him with a flick of my hand. Hmph. Whether he buys it or not, he's paying today!
"How did you get in touch with my subordinates, Mr. Tong Bei? Forgive me, but I'm a cautious man. I'm wary of strangers." Jodio raised one hand in a gesture of refusal as he asked.
"I'm a merchant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, from the Heaven Dou Empire. Does that answer satisfy you, my lord?" Tong Bei produced a token whose markings were too indistinct to make out.
"So you're an honored guest from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect." Jodio gave a soft snort and settled back into a languid pose on the sofa, propping his head on one hand.
"Fifteen hundred Gold Soul Coins, Mr. Tong Bei. Do you think that's a fitting price for a book?" Jodio asked bluntly.
"But it's an illustrated guide to Spirit Bones, Lord Jodio. I don't think its worth can be measured by price, do you?" Tong Bei said with a smile.
This fellow looks like trouble, Dai Mubai signaled to Ma Hongjun with his eyes.
Obviously. If he walks out of here on his own two feet tonight, I'll be impressed, Ma Hongjun signaled back.
"When I like something, I do everything I can to get it. When I don't, I won't spare it a glance, no matter how fine it is," Jodio said.
"Nine hundred Gold Soul Coins. Let's make this the start of a friendship." Jodio picked up his teacup.
"Lord Jodio, the fifteen hundred Gold Soul Coins aren't just for the book. They also buy my silence," Tong Bei said, smiling without a change in expression.
"Do you understand the value of this illustrated guide? Do you know what sort of people usually need one? Most already possess a Spirit Bone and want to find out exactly what they've acquired," Tong Bei explained.
"Fifteen hundred Gold Soul Coins, and I won't tell anyone you bought my guide. That's fair." Tong Bei sounded utterly certain.
To be continued.
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