Kind-hearted Grim Reaper

Back in the wooden hut, Ah Dai sat cross-legged in the biggest chair and addressed the man in white, "Uncle, I'll be meditating. You should also rest early too."

The white-clothed man spoke up, "Ah Dai, hold on for a moment, uncle has something to say."

Ah Dai looked blank, asking, "Uncle, what's wrong with you, why are you looking so pale? Is it because of the poison from the Saintly Water of No Second acting up again?"

The man in white shook his head and sighed, "It's not the Saintly Water's poison acting up. Ah Dai, uncle's name is Owen, remember it. The Fruit of Past Life which you ate is of great importance to me. However, it's already consumed by you now, so I hope that you would become my disciple. Since, cultivating my True Qi has twice the benefit with half the effort after consuming the Fruit of Past Life. Are you willing to leave with me? I have many aspirations to fulfill, but as you know, my abilities are now restricted by the Saintly Water of No Second. I can't accomplish those goals, hence, I hope you can inherit my mantle and help me fulfill these aspirations in the future. Are you willing?"

Ah Dai looked blank, shaking his head, "No, Uncle, I can't go with you. If I leave, my teacher will be left alone. How pitiful! It's a pity that I've already eaten the fruit and can't spit it out. How about, we go back to the fruit forest tomorrow and see if there are any left?"

Owen couldn't help but force a bitter smile, as if a Fruit of Past Life, a treasure of heaven and earth, would grow so easily, then it wouldn't be considered as precious. He hadn't expected that someone would actually refuse his offer of discipleship. This offer that many pined for! However, all hope was vested in this child in front of him. If he did not follow him, although he could live, his aspirations would forever remain unfulfilled, "Ah Dai, won't you reconsider?"

Ah Dai shook his head, "No, I don't need to reconsider, Uncle. I will absolutely not leave Master Goris. How can I abandon him when he's so kind to me?" Although he had a good impression of Owen, he would absolutely not leave his teacher because of this feeling.

Owen's face changed slightly, a thin layer of frost seeping onto his face, "Ah Dai, I ask you a question. Who, between me and your Master Goris, do you think is more powerful?"

Ah Dai was stunned for a moment, and the scene of the two men in black robes turning into mummies in the forest immediately surfaced in his mind. His body shivered involuntarily, and he said, "It seems, it seems that you are more powerful."

Owen snorted coldly, "I'll tell you frankly, my nickname of Hades is not for no reason. There's no less than a thousand people who've died at my hands. Although I cannot exert my full strength due to the fierce poison of the Saintly Water of No Second, dealing with someone like Goris, whose magic isn't that profound, I need only one move. Do you believe me?" He waved his hand and the white fighting spirit flashed and disappeared, with a piece of the chair silently chipped off.

Ah Dai got up from the chair, looking at Owen who was acting like a different person, took a few steps back and stutteringly said, "Un-, Uncle, wha-, what are you going to do?"

Owen gently touched his chest with his right hand, and said solemnly, "I won't do anything. If you don't go with me, your teacher Goris may end up like Mie Liu and Mie Shi. Ah Dai, you should think clearly, are you going to go with me, or watch your teacher Goris die?" Owen could see the importance of Goris in Ah Dai's eyes. He felt helpless to resort to threatening Ah Dai, but this child was too important to him.

Ah Dai's eyes reddened, he fell to the ground with a thud, crying, "Uncle, Uncle, please don't kill Master Goris. I beg you. Let me do whatever you want, but please don't hurt the teacher, okay?" How could pure and simple-hearted Ah Dai ever compete against "Hades" Owen?

Owen's hardened face finally softened, "Ah Dai, uncle will never hurt you and I also do not wish to kill your Master Goris. As long as you go with me, I guarantee that your Master Goris will live safely. Even though you will have to part with Goris for the time being, once you have mastered my skills, you can come back to him."

Ah Dai lowered down his head sadly. How could he willingly part with Goris? After a silence, he sobbed, "Uncle, I'll go with you, but you must promise not to hurt Master Goris, okay?"

A hint of reluctance flashed across Owen's heart. He couldn't understand how a Flame Wizard has managed to make this child so unwaveringly loyal to him. But what he didn't realize was that Ah Dai, having suffered so much since childhood, would remember any shred of kindness deeply in his heart. Owen nodded, "I always honour my words. You can rest assured. Moreover, why would you worry when you and I are together every day? However, I want to tell you beforehand that if you run away halfway, I'll directly come back here. There's no need for me to explain what would happen to your Master Goris, right?"

Ah Dai choked, "I, I will not run, Uncle, when I have finished learning what you taught, will you really let me come back?"

Owen kindly said, "Yes, as I just mentioned, I have never had the habit of lying. As for when you will meet my demands, it depends on your efforts."