UNDEFEATABLE POWER OFFER

A feeling of premonition washed over Marshall, his brows tightening. "What do you want from me?"

"You finally asked!" Gi Gaia hummed delightfully as she circled Marshall, a hungry look crossing her smaragdine eyes. "Amazing!"

He instinctively backed away, unable to decide whether to be afraid or amused. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Don't worry, I won't bite you!" Gi Gaia stepped closer, scrutinizing the disciple with a concentrated frown. "I see you still have my cousin's seal..."

She scoffed, straightening her vest as she leaned back. "Man, the tower is so thoughtless! To think that they would disarm such a powerful weapon... tsk."

Marshall subtly shifted, trying to grab onto one of the sharp rocks sticking out of the column behind his back. If only he could break it off, it would have made a decent tool to cause a distraction... or self defense.

With his inconsistent spiritual flow, he had to look for alternatives to defend himself.

"If you're talking about my sealed demonic energy, they did me a favor by sealing it. Saved me a lot of suffering," Marshall remarked.

"Suffering?!" she scoffed at the opening in the ceiling. "Suffering! Hear this fool!"

Gi Gaia shook her finger in outrage, "Demonic energy would make you undefeatable! A little bit of pain is a small price to pay!"

The corner of Marshall's mouth twitched. Undefeatable? Undefeatable... He wouldn't have to rely on anyone, nor feel indebted to anyone. And he wouldn't have to run from the officials of the Chastity Tower.

"All you have to do to unlock the power is go through three stages," Gi Gaia proposed, eagerly slapping her chest, "and I'll guide you through them!"

However, even someone with zero intuition would be able to tell this woman was not entirely sane. In fact, she gave him the creeps. It felt more like a trap than a good deal. 

Rationally, how could he become undefeatable by paying the price of 'a little pain'? If the price wasn't equal to the product, there was definitely a catch. 

"No, thanks, I think I'll pass," he refused.

"Hey, boy," Gi Gaia interrupted his thoughts, her tone turning intense. The green eyes narrowed with an unreadable stare.

"Come a little closer," she beckoned.

The disciple kept his expression still, his fingers tugging at the protruding rock behind his back. "I'm fine standing right here."

"Shei Marshall, don't take me for a fool, I can hear you chipping at my column," Gi Gaia pointed out.

He froze mid-motion, his hand hovering over the rocky surface. Slowly, Marshall withdrew with a guilty chuckle. "Ah, you could? I guess I wasn't as subtle as I thought."

The disciple stepped away, dusting his hands off. Amazing, she even knew his name. Was he going to be able to leave the cavern in one piece? 

"Not one bit," she said.

Marshall shrugged, keeping a casual demeanor. "But can you blame me? Wyn's waiting on the other side, and you're not letting me leave."

"Oho, 'Wyn'?" Gi Gaia hummed, her tone mocking, "I see that you're on close terms with Lord Chioni's heir. A bit too close, don't you think?"

Marshall's brows furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

A mischievous flame bounced in her eyes. "Come on, boy, it's written all over you—your excessive concern, the way your eyes flicker when Chioni Wyn is mentioned."

She twirled a finger in front of him, chuckling, "People might confuse you two for lovers!"

He tilted his head slowly. "...Would they?" 

"Ah, no, the lovers thing might have been too far." Gi Gaia leaned in with a grin of false sympathy, "After all, Chioni Wyn doesn't even consider you a friend."

Marshall's expression fell, frustration blending inside. Considering the lack of communication from the snow deity, perhaps Gi Gaia was right. Wyn kept him at an arm's length. And it hurt.

"Isn't that right?" her voice was mocking. "Chioni Wyn doesn't think of you as an equal. Otherwise why wouldn't he tell you the truth about why Lord Chioni wants you locked up?"

"And why does Lord Chioni want me locked up?" Marshall asked, unable to help the glare. 

Why were people dangling the truth in front of him like a carrot, just to yank it away when he got too close? He was this close to developing anger issues. 

Gi Gaia tapped her nails, feigning indifference, yet the disciple could see her faint smirk as she watched his reaction from the corner of her eye.

"Hm, is knowing that important to you? Ah, too bad," she murmured with a triumphant smile. "Either way, you're free to go if you don't want the power. I won't waste my time convincing you."

So that's how it was. If he accepted Gi Gaia's deal, she would have explained what Marshall wanted to know... supposedly. But if he refused, he would've had to walk out empty-handed. 

With a feigned apathetic flick of her sleeve, she pointed towards the wall behind Marshall. "The exit is to your right. Just turn a little, and you'll see another tunnel. Feel free to leave."

"What are the three stages?" Marshall pressed, his tone flat.

Gi Gaia's smirk widened, and she clapped her hands together in delight. "Ah, now we're talking!"

"First," she began, raising one finger, "is endurance. You must withstand the raw, unbridled flow of demonic energy. It will push you to the brink of your physical endurance. To put it straight, it will hurt like hell."

Naturally, Marshall didn't like the sound of it. No sane person would've liked it. But he nodded, gesturing for her to continue. 

"Second," she continued, raising a second finger, "is mental mastery. This will require you to learn to dwelve into your deepest regrets and most painful memories."

The disciple didn't have any deep fears, nor was he the type to hold onto regrets. As long as he passed the first stage, the second one was going to be a breeze. 

"And the third?" Marshall asked.

Gi Gaia raised a third finger, her eyes gleaming with intensity. "Dominion. The final stage will require you to harness and control the demonic energy within you. It will fight you, resist you, but if you prevail, you will command it entirely."

The muscles on Marshall's face tensed as he considered it. No matter how he looked at it, his spiritual flow had been damaged. Even without finishing the third exercise of splitting the rock, it was clear that his cultivation level had been knocked down significantly.

In addition, he needed answers. However, how reliable was Gi Gaia? How could he be sure she would tell him the truth?

Marshall took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. "What do you gain from this?"

Gi Gaia's grin turned sharp. "I reclaim my lost investment. You see, when you received the blessing of my shrine, I lost my only chance to achieve the dual power. So, once you unlock it, I'll need you to do one little thing for me."

Marshall glanced around, weighing his options. She had more information, and was manipulative and cunning, but he was aware of it, so it put them on equal grounds. 

Aside from information, a part of him wanted to know what he would have been capable of if he managed to master demonic energy. 

"What's the little thing you need me to do after I unlock the power?" the disciple shot another question.

"Let's cross that bridge when we get to it," Gi Gaia waved, her teeth glinting in the dim atmosphere.