Staring at Jester's "smiling" face on a body that looked like a younger version of himself, Michael couldn't help but recall so of their earlier conversations from a few hours ago.
After hearing Jester describe the state of the clone in cultivation terms, Michael finally pieced together why it had turned out the way it did.
The dark elent made sense. It had been his dominant affinity since the very beginning, one that had only grown stronger the further he advanced. But the second elent... that was likely tied to his recent comprehension of water. That insight had deepened his connection to the elent, raising his affinity to an impressive level-so much so that it stood just below his dark affinity.
From the way things were shaping up, Michael suspected that if he studied the water elent further, its spirit root might evolve into a heaven-grade root. And if he pursued it to the extre, even his dark elent could reach the fabled supre grade.
The sa logic applied to his other elents. If he nurtured and refined them properly, his next clone creation could surpass this one entirely.
Michael voiced the thought aloud, suggesting to Jester that it might be better to wait for the next attempt. But because his tone was casual-more a discussion than a command-Jester was free to offer his own opinion in return.
"Master... to think not only could you create copies of your marvelous self, but you can casually grant them such treasures." His tone
dripped with sothing between admiration and hunger. "Tell truly are you sure you are not a god already?"
Michael didn't answer, his expression flat.
Jester didn't seem to mind the silence. He pressed on smoothly.
"Still, more spirit roots is not always better. Do not be deceived by the shine of quantity. In the cultivation world, there were many with multi-roots who ended as wastes-forced to abandon them because one was too low in grade, or because their cultivation speed was slowed, or simply because they lacked an art to harmonize them."
"Even among Li Yang's vast recollections, there were not many arts that used many elents at once. But there was one art, dark and water together and it could go all the way to the nascent soul stage. It was an opportunity he got from a ruin when he was still alive. And for this vessel to bear those exact roots..."
From their earlier conversations, Michael already understood that this so-called "Nascent Soul Stage" Jester referred to corresponded loosely to his own Awakener Rank 3 stage.
"If Master also wishes to give a better body in the future, then that is not a bad thought," he said, his tone almost thoughtful. "But to , this vessel feels... correct. A body with too many elental roots is not exactly perfect at tis. This one, with only two elents, carries harmony. It is not excessive, it is balanced. That is why I believe it is the perfect body for ."
Michael arched his brow slightly.
Such a bold undead.
"Perhaps it is because I'm following the path of cultivation," Jester continued, his words smooth and deliberate. "For those of us on this system, the grade of the spirit root matters more than the number."
It was then that understanding ca to Michael.
It wasn't that having many elental spirit roots was bad for Jester, but rather that the cultivation power system simply didn't require it.
If it had been a magic-based system, however, possessing more elents would have been better than relying on just one.
This wasn't a matter of which path was superior.
It was a matter of what suited the person walking it.
To Jester, having just this two spirit roots was perfect for it.
*
"Jester?"
The two won of Michael's family muttered in unison as they looked at the miniature version of Michael standing before them.
"What a weird na." Lily, after recovering from her initial surprise, was blunt as always.
"Michael, who's... what?" Aunt Mia asked uncertainly. She didn't quite know how to phrase the question. Should she say who is this? But Michael had already given a na, so perhaps what was the more accurate question.
Fortunately, Michael spared her the struggle.
"Rember, I just spoke to you about my undead, right?"
In the end, Michael gave them a roundabout explanation. He told them that due to a particular skill, one of his undead had evolved in an unexpected way.
For so reasons he couldn't quite say, he wanted it to remain here with them before he needed it.
It wasn't the complete truth, but it was enough to ease their doubts.
Michael's voice softened a fraction as he added, "Treat Jester like you would any other human. He may be one of my undead, but now he has a body of his own. For the sake of appearances, he has to blend in. If I wasn't pressed for ti, I'd have already registered him in school, but since I can't, I'll leave this matter to you, Aunt."
Aunt Mia's brows lifted slightly, surprise flickering in her expression. Then she nodded slowly, accepting the responsibility with the calm steadiness she always showed when it ca to family. Still, she asked, "Then what na should we give him?"
Michael hesitated for a brief mont. His gaze lingered on the boy's face-so similar to his own. Then he gave the answer. "Jester Norman."
At the na, Jester's lips curved faintly.
"Don't worry, Master. I'll make sure to protect your family," Jester said to Michael through their mind link.
This was the main reason Michael had brought Jester into the main world. Though the body it inhabited was still weak, "Jester" itself
wasn't weak.
Compared to the previous "security," Jester was many tis stronger.
But security wasn't the only reason. Michael also figured Jester could help fill the void in the family after his departure, while at the sa ti overseeing Lily's training as it trained itself.
After Lily successfully lit up her life seed, Michael already planned to
evolve her. If she didn't slack off, he was certain that by the new year she would reach her breaking point-and that was less than four months away.
Before then, however, he needed to test evolving so life specins first, before attempting it on his cousin.
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