A Waste of Time-Chapter 10: Dream of Embers

"What's wrong with these siblings? Could it be that one of these plants naturally puts people in a daze when they look at it? But why am I not affected?" Daemon muttered, glancing back and forth between the brother and sister.
Snort
Jia rolled her eyes at him, exhaling a quiet sigh. Ippo, meanwhile, was already making himself useful, filling one of the new wooden bowls Ru had brought back from the village. Ru had used a bit of the money he’d found on Ao’s body to buy the iron pot and wok too. Jia’s patience—thin to begin with—was always tested by Daemon’s peculiar antics.
Unlike this boy, who somehow managed to toy with her emotions and spark her frustration at every turn, his other self was like an obedient angel in comparison.
That version helped in silence, supported them quietly—while this chatterbox only knew how to spout nonsense and obscenities.
"This Moon-Leaf Grass is the key ingredient for the Soul-Harmonization Pill," Jia began, picking up a stalk of the pale herb. "It's perfect for Cultivators below the Foundation-Establishment Realm who want to breakthrough any of the nine Sub-Realms of the Qi-Gathering Realm."
She set it down and picked up the next. "This Evil-Eye Flower is useful to Cultivators beyond the Qi-Gathering Realm. There’s even a rumor its petals can help those at the Golden-Core Realm. Swallowing a petal helps identify Heart-Demons—the mental barriers that stop Cultivators from moving smoothly between Realms or breaking through blockades. If there’s a pill recipe that uses the Evil-Eye Flower as a main or secondary-ingredient… I don’t have that information."
Jia’s eyes flicked to Daemon, who had started eating so naturally once Ippo laid out the food before him. Watching him dig in without a single word to the version of himself serving him made her jaw clench. A small vein throbbed at her temple—his casual gluttony was infuriating.
"This Yellow-Scale Fruit," she continued, tapping the strange fruit with its scaly rind, "is sought after by Body-Refiners. They’d drool if they saw one of these at any auction, anywhere in the Five Kingdoms or Four Empires. Luckily for you, it works best when paired with either Wind-Lightning Spirit Stones or Fire-Earth Spirit Stones."
She gestured to the remaining small pile. "As for the Spirit Stones themselves—these are both currency and a steady, measured source of energy. They can feed Spirit Formations, help make Talismans, power Alchemy, or boost a Cultivator’s Sub-Realm or Realm of Cultivation. They’re also used for unorthodox arts like Insect or Beast-Husbandry… or more sinister things like Witchcraft, or Demonic and Evil Ceremonies."
Daemon watched her speak, admiring the glow that lit her face when she spoke about things she loved. "Thank you for teaching me all that. You're really knowledgeable, Jia."
She hadn’t expected that from him—this rude boy who ignored the version of himself waiting on him like a loyal servant. Yet here he was, sincerely grateful and genuinely attentive. A warmth she didn’t know she’d been craving bloomed in her chest.
"I’ve decided to keep the pair of Yellow-Scale Fruits for myself," Daemon said, pushing his empty bowl aside. "And the four Spirit Stones. That leaves three Fire Element Spirit Stones, two Earth Element, and one Water Element Plus the Medicinal Herbs. I have no use for any of these right now—probably not in the near future either, thanks to my master."
He glanced at Jia and her older brother Ru—who Ippo had quickly appointed as his personal martial arts teacher. "So—what do you two recommend? Use whatever you want to strengthen yourselves, or exchange them for what you need to do so. No point hoarding them away."
Ru opened his mouth to respond, but Ippo slid a fresh bowl of rice, topped with a generous portion of meat and vegetables, in front of him—silently telling him to eat first. Daemon’s other self just shook his head at Ru, then went back to calmly serving them.
After all, he was the only “True Immortal” here. Ippo didn’t need to eat, didn’t care when he was injured—someone else would bear that injury for him. Even so, pain still annoyed him, a blemish on his holy image. A faint, fleeting scowl tugged at his usually calm face.
"Big brother’s Cultivation journey stalled because he couldn’t get the right Spirit Resource," Jia said, her voice smaller now. She wiped at her nose, embarrassed by the hint of a sniffle. "This Water Element Spirit Stone is perfect for him. His fake Spirit Roots have thirteen Water Root-Hairs, but… he’s so stupid. Even when he could afford it, he refused to buy a Water Spirit Stone—said the price was too high. But I know he was saving up to get the right Spirit Resource for me instead. That’s why, when he finally had the chance, he bought not one but two Fire Spirit Stones for me."
"Wait, what? You’re a Cultivator?" Daemon asked, frowning. He sat close enough to touch her—yet he sensed nothing special about her at all.
"Bfft."
"Humph." Jia pouted and looked away. "Not everyone’s a freak like you. I barely managed to refine a strand of Fire Qi before exhausting those two Spirit Stones—and that was less than a month ago! My natural accumulation from the surrounding environment is extremely slow because the Burning-Embers Technique I’m using is basically bottom-of-the-barrel. So unless I abandon big brother to join some Sect that might or might not nurture me—and probably keep me stuck as an Outer Disciple for years doing chores like a dignified slave… No thanks. I’d rather live on my terms."
Daemon nodded seriously, over and over. "I bet you’ll go far in your Cultivation one day."
"Why?" Ru asked, curiosity flickering in his usually still eyes.
Daemon tossed him the Water Spirit Stone. "I’m not really a Cultivator yet—but I believe a clear state of mind is more important for young Cultivators than obsessing over physical gains or the results of Qi accumulation." He then placed the three Fire Spirit Stones in Jia’s hand.
He plucked two petals from the Evil-Eye Flower and handed one to each sibling.
"Isn’t that too much?" Jia asked, voice trembling like a dream she didn’t want to wake up from.
"Is it harmful to eat the Moon-Leaf Grass directly?" Daemon ignored her question and gently patted her hand. Of course he’d do everything he could to strengthen the people loyal to him. Who knew when he’d be able to use Grunt’s Buff again?
I’ll check on that fool once I’m back from the village with Ru. I still need clothes… and decent shoes. The Axe and Ao’s Dagger should be enough for protection for now.
He watched Jia and Ru’s conflicted expressions—like they’d been ordered to sacrifice something precious.
Jia met his gaze. He waited for an answer, patient and unyielding.
Sigh.
She deflated, defeated by his stubbornness but respecting his clarity. She knew they’d get more benefit by paying an Alchemist to extract the Moon-Leaf Grass’s properties and turn them into Soul-Harmonization Pills—but with the risk of failure so high for low-ranked Alchemists, they’d lose just as much. Given their options, the loss was nearly the same.
"You two better finish your meals, then start absorbing the Spirit Stones. After that, swallow the Evil-Eye Flower petals to deal with your Heart-Demons. When you’re done, eat the Moon-Leaf Grass." Daemon’s tone left no room for argument. He could see the guilt in their eyes—wasting Spirit Resources that technically belonged to their young master—but he didn’t care. Empowering them was worth it.
"I can’t wait to see what happens next!" Ippo said cheerfully, practicing the new Basic Sword-Forms Ru had shown him. He flashed a grin so bright Daemon wanted to gag. The idiot looked like a cross between Roronoa Zoro and a monstrous clown who just loves wearing green-tights. For a second, Daemon swore his very bones groaned in protest once the grotesque picture surfaced within his imagination!
Ru finished his meal first. He rose, walked over to the creek beside their little shelter, and sat in lotus position, the Water Spirit Stone resting in his open palms. He inhaled, exhaled—steady, controlled—until his heartbeat calmed and his emotions stilled.
When Ru closed his eyes, the air around him changed. For a fleeting moment, Daemon thought he’d vanished into the stream itself.
They look like they’re one and the same,
Daemon thought.
"Yeah," Ippo agreed through their mental link. "I blinked and thought Sensei ran off with your treasure—then poof, he was right there again. Weird."
Ru’s breath slowed to a pattern—thirteen seconds drawing Water Qi in, five seconds pause, then seven seconds exhaling a thin, arrow-like breath, a faint yellow gas trailing from his lips.
The Spirit Stone grew paler and paler until—
Crack.
It crumbled to dust between his fingers, but Ru kept breathing like nothing had changed. Now he was pulling Qi directly from the creek.
Makes sense,
Daemon mused, patting Jia’s hand as she squeezed his in a white-knuckled grip.
People before Spirit Resources probably Cultivated like this too.
Ong.
Whoosh.
A sudden shockwave swept fallen leaves into the air, clearing a wide circle around Ru as he opened his eyes and lifted his hand. When he made a fist, a swirling column of water rose from the creek—then crashed down again the moment he opened it.
"Quick—eat the petal. Focus on comprehending water, refine it, consolidate it. If one petal isn’t enough, ask for another," Daemon ordered.
Ru nodded once, swallowed the petal, and settled right back into his stillness.
Trickle.
Swoosh.
The creek, once shallow and narrow, gushed suddenly wider—twice its original size—its current picking up speed fast enough to startle the three watching.
Who knows? Maybe that man’s a diamond in the rough,
Daemon thought, calm and calculating.
But the one I really want to see is Jia. She used two Fire Spirit Stones and didn’t even reach the First Stage of Qi-Gathering… either her talent is poor, or she has a deeper pool of potential waiting to surface.
Here's a link to my discord server if you want to talk - .gg/HwHHR6Hds