Sam and Sai arrived at the tempest valley in a few hours. Sai initially felt that he has to walk slower because of Sam, but it turned out to be another way around. Although Sam wouldn't be able to beat his top speed, he is as fast as Pre-transcendent on the Harbinger.
He can vaguely see that it is not his top speed.
After reaching the tempest valley, Sam stored his harbinger and stood there with Sai.
"It is better to let the beast out," Sai said and Sam let the Raiju out.
Sai was a bit surprised when he saw the beast. There is some change which he can put his finger on. But he is sure that there is something that changed with this beast.
He took out the white fur just in case and all three of them started walking inside.
When they reached the vicinities of the central area with the most lightning, Sai said.
"Sam is here."
In fact, his words aren't necessary. What he doesn't know is that the gigantic Raiju behind the lightning is already looking at Sam after they entered the valley.
It is just too lost in that face, that it didn't talk anything. The beast is all too familiar with that face. The first person to cross this valley and enter its core without dying that too, when he is just a Nascent stage cultivator.
He has seen that youth grow into a fine young man with an excellent battle prowess.
The Raiju let his very own son form a beast contract with him. After all, there are only a few people who can tame a Raiju. That is a beast which is a manifestation of pride. They are almost as arrogant as dragons.
Even in the upper realms, not all gods could tame a Raiju. There are many instances when the beast chose to commit suicide than submit.
But this powerful beast, let its direct descendant be a contract pet with a human.
One can understand their bond.
There is only one person in the world who is the witness of their relationship and that is Sai. He doesn't know why Sam's father left his Raiju in this valley before the battle. But if they were together, he couldn't guarantee the survival of the beast faction past that day.
"Sam. You look so much like him."
Sam heard the Old voice and was shocked. He didn't expect that this beast has the ability to speak.
"Don't be surprised. Your father and I had a great relationship. He is such a great person that the heavens couldn't stand him and took him away with jealousy."
Sam didn't know how to reply. He looked at Sai and said. "Can you wait outside?"
He has somethings to say to this beast, but he couldn't say that with Sai present.
Sai nodded and was ready to leave. He was already prepared for this, but he thought that the beast would be the one to ask him to leave.
While Sam is looking at Sai's receding figure, the old beast is sniffing something and there is a frown on the beast's face.
After Sai left, Sam finally turned around and the beast said.
"You have a smell on you, that shouldn't exist in this world."
Sam smiled. His expectations are right. This beast is not from this world. It is from the upper realms. As for the smell the beast was talking about, it is the smell of Yanwu and the rest.
Only at this moment, did the Old beast look at his grandson and the frown turned into astonishment.
"Why did his bloodline become pure? What did you do?"
"Bloodline Refinement," Sam replied. This is the first thing he ever said to the beast.
"That is not possible. Bloodline refinement doesn't exist in this world. It is a higher-level technique."
"You are right. Bloodline refinement doesn't exist in this world and so does these." With that, he let out the beasts. Yanwu, Sky, Mia, and Shadow mouse appeared in front of them followed by Golden Ape.
The Old beast was shocked.
It didn't expect that he would see these beasts, he didn't understand why they are here. They are beasts that should roam in the upper layer of the heavens.
But now, he has seen them in this mortal plane.
"How?" The beast asked in astonishment.
Sam took a deep breath and said.
"I am not his son." His words shocked both the beasts.
"What do you mean? I can clearly smell his bloodline. You are his son."
Sam pursed his lips for a second and decided to come clean. He doesn't want an enemy of this level. No matter how arrogant Sam might be, he still knew his worth. With his observation, Sam can see more than what meets the eye.
If his guess is right, the beast here is trapped. Or rather imprisoned. The constant lightning is a form of suppression. But that lightning although a suppression is also helping the beast grow. It is also feeding on the lightning.
He doesn't know if the beast could move out of this valley. But if it could, the lightning would follow. Even before the beast could attack half of the empire would be destroyed just with this lightning.
"This body indeed belongs to Sam. But he died five years ago. I, which means my soul doesn't belong to this world. An entity named Ling Tian captured my soul after my previous death and placed me in this body.
I merged with Sam's memories and living his life as Sam ever since. The arts that I acquired are a result of the knowledge that the entity gave me which includes the bloodline refinement.
Currently, I am Sam and he is me."
The beast went silent. Not just that beast there are some other beasts who are listening in on the conversation.
Sam couldn't see them or sense them. But they are sensing him and scanning with the spiritual sense to see his face. All these beasts are Raijus. Initially, they have an expression of happiness and delight.
But now, they have frown because of what Sam said.
"You got a rare beast with excellent bloodline and you can even perfect the bloodline, you have every chance to take away the beast. Why did you come here and explain? I can see that these beasts and you have a special contract binding you. You would have been able to make the contract with him too and live with your life."
Sam thought for a bit and decided to go with the truth.
"I don't want to make an enemy out of Raiju. I have enough on my plate. I have enemies that are far more powerful than me and they are numerous. I am already living every day under pressure." He paused for a bit and said.
"It is beneath me to use someone's familial to my benefit. I need the beast, not as a pet or a mount. I need the beast as a friend. A companion I can rely on. For that, at least trust is the basic foundation. What is the point of lying and living? I couldn't even pretend to be the Sam which I am not for a few days."
Sam sighed after he let it all out. That is why he came here. He just felt like he didn't deserve this Raiju and decided to return it. Maybe if the beast is only in the Consummate realm, Sam would have negotiated with it.
But he lost all the hopes after seeing that the beast is talking.
Sam was ready to return. But Raiju still has something to speak.
"How are you so sure that you are not Sam?"
Sam was puzzled. He is sure because he remembered being in the past world and dying there and the rest of the following events.
The Beast grunted a bit which is almost like a chuckle.
"Sending a soul is not as simple as you think. Do you think the rules of this world will accept a soul that came from another world? Even an entity like that is able to exist it would be so strong and beyond the control of the world's natural rules. You are not of that stage yet.
As for what you thought, indeed you are not Sam from this world, at least not completely.
But the memories you got are from the soul remnants of the Sam of this world. They just didn't come here. The entity who brought you here just didn't push your soul into a body. He broke the soul of this world's Sam and escaped it from achieving samsara.
Those broken pieces merged with your soul which was forcefully brought to this world.
That mean's you are the Sam from this world as well your own person. You two are not separate people.
As for why your personality from the previous world reigned over the one belonging to this world's Sam, it is a form of his acceptance. That Sam must have desired something so much but couldn't achieve, so he decided to get it from you and disappeared.
So, never say that you are not Sam anymore. You are Sam, but not the same Sam as before. That's it."
