CHAPTER 51: CHAPTER 51: CRITERIA FOR RANK 4 ADVANCEMENT

Ved froze, the voice was followed by a powerful aura even more powerful than the hippo’s. Then a giant golden frog appeared on top of the hippo’s head.

The frog placed it hand on the hippo and he felt a powerful will try to expel his poison out of the hippo but how could it be so easy? The frog frowned.

He didn’t even know frogs could do that, it looked a bit strange frowning. ’Did you just have a rude thought about me?’ it asked in a deep aged voice.

’ No sir I did not.’ he lied, he didn’t want to anger this old frog it gave him a very dangerous feeling, he was almost certain even if he teamed up with the hippo against it they would lose.

’ Then I must be going senile, my senses are starting to fail me, oh the suffering of time, none can escape it,none at all. Anyways, this is quite a nasty persistent thing you’ve got here.

I am talking about this poison ofcourse. I have to say, you’ve done quite a number to my little swamp, I’ve never seen one creature consume so much before.

If I couldn’t sense you soul signature I would’ve believed you had a gluttony bloodline. Anyways, tell me about the outside world.

Is the war still going on, is it as dangerous as the legends say. How large is it? Look at me getting distracted again, senile, truly I’ve gone senile.’

Ved had a strange look on his face, this old man was really.. unique. His thoughts had no direction whatsoever and he was quite a blabber mouth.

’ Anyways little one, can you show this old man some face and remove this nasty thing inside this girl’s head?’ Ved complied, while it was hard for others it took very little will for him to remove the poison.

The hippo regained it senses and glared at him with rage, he didn’t back down from the challenge. ’ Now now kids, there’s no reason to fight, let talk things out over a meal.’

’ But old man Goldi he...’ ’ Yes, we will resolve whatever differences you have like civilised beasts. Come child, follow me to my little island.’

The old frog jumped off the hippo and walked on water like it was solid ground, he looked comical walking upright with a large belly bouncing infront. Ved followed behind vigilantly. While he didn’t sense any malice from this old frog he still didn’t trust him.

But he also knew if he wanted to kill him he could and there was not much he could do about it, especially in his current state. He used every drop of poison he had on the hippo and the web, well there was not much it could do against something this powerful.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive on the tiny island. The hippo first went to check on the other hippos then came back. Ved remembered the feeling when they talked to him telepathically and he copied it.

’ Sir’ ’ Call me old man Goldi’ ’ Okay, old man Goldi, I have a few questions if you don’t mind me asking.’ ’ Go ahead, this old man would be happy to answer your questions.’

’ Thank you, first question, how are we talking? I don’t remember awakening the telepathy ability.’ old man Goldi laughed ’ While there are beasts that awaken telepathy as an innate ability this is not it.

This is will transmission, a signature ability of rank 4 which makes you having it very strange. You would need a will rivaling that of a rank 4 to be able to do it.

I would understand if your bloodline was of a much higher grade, according to my bloodline memory inheritance, those with legendary grade bloodlines can achieve will transmission as early as peak rank 3.

Even earlier for those with higher grade bloodlines but those are exceptions because their bloodlines are so high their will is much stronger.

But you are a wonder, this is truly wonderful, to think this old man can see such a wondrous being at such an age, I can finally die with peace.’

’ Old man stop exaggerating, you’re not even 2 thousand years old, you still have thousands of years ahead of you. Stop acting like an old man’

’Ah, to think I would even forget my own age, senile, truly senile.’ Ved didn’t know how to react to this strange pair. One acted like they were on death door when they still had thousands of years to live and the other was telling them not to act like an old man while calling them an old man.

’Old man Goldi.’ ’ Oh yes, I was explaining valuable things to you, forgive me I got distracted, it’s the curse of an advanced age.

Since you’ve achieved will transmission then you must’ve awakened soul sense as well.’ ’ Soul sense?’ ’ The ability to sense things around you using will, I’ve seen you use it you stupid brat.’

He ignored the rude hippo. ’ How wide is it?’ ’ Around a 10 metres radius I think’ He lied, it had a radius of about 16 metres but there was no reason for them to know that.

’ Impressive.’ Said the old man, even the hippo looked impressed. ’ You’re not very far from meeting one criterion for the advancement to rank 4.’

’ Criteria?, there are criteria.’ ’ Yes, only two, one being the simplest, accumulate enough world essence and the second being awakening and growing soul sense to atleast a 15 metres radius.

The second is much harder to achieve since it needs one to strengthen their will and actively strengthening will is hard. That means if you’ve cultivated to the peak of rank 3 and your will is not yet strong enough it will be harder to advance.

This is the reason most low grade beasts get stuck at rank 3. Then after advancing you will achieve the second level of will manipulating.

It’s known as will condensation. Your will becomes so powerful it can physically interact with the world. You gain abilities like will transmission and minor telekinesis.

But it seems you’ve already achieved that in the early rank 3 stage, it still amazes me. If I couldn’t sense your soul signature I would’ve believed you had the bloodline of gods. Ah look at me blabbering again, oh the suffering of old age, truly I’m going senile.’

Ved understood everything the old man said and he was strangely not as surprised as he expected he would be. ’ Wait minor telekinesis?’