Cultivation Through Artifacts

Khal was speechless by the sudden change of events, but shortly after a smile plastered over his face and slowly tightened his grip around his spear.

'Martial Techniques, Gifts and now Blessings. Is there anything I can't copy?'

Now Khal truly felt regret and was angry about the fact that such a Talent was sealed away from him during his time in the First Realm. Such an ability made him possess and imitate simply anything he saw after a single glance was completely out of this world.

Simply put, this Talent of his was just like the relic on his wrist and could allow him to possess as many abilities as he wishes.

[Not quite. Your Talent seems to have a very huge flaw.]

Suddenly, Nova's voice sounded in Khal's head, surprising Khal slightly.

'What do you mean by that? If you are talking about the level of mastery that I can use the abilities depending on the individual I am imitating, that's indeed a flaw but not a big one.' said Khal calmly.

[I was not talking about that, but something completely different.]

'And that is?' Khal raised a brow, his interest piqued.

[It seems, while you can keep and use abilities such as Gifts and Martial Techniques even after seeing it once, you can't do the same when it comes to one's Blessing.]

'What do you mean by that?'

[Just glance to the side and you will understand.]

Khal was confused, but still did just as Nova told him and glanced away from Darla. However, exactly when he did, his eyes widened slightly, and watched as the coldness around him began to reappear once again while the materialized ice particles started to vapor into thin air! 

Even his connection with the previously acquired ice element and Frozen Mist began to fade away just as fast as it appeared and he could do nothing about it!

'What is happening here?' Khal frowned and glanced back at Darla, only to feel as his connection with the ice element started to reappear once again.

[Your power can indeed mimic everything, but when it comes to powers that are associated with one's soul, such as Gifts from Spirits or Blessings, your Talent can imitate them only if you keep your eyes on your target constantly.]

[If you look away, your imitation will fail to function and can only copy Martial Techniques, which is only related to the body.] 

'That's... truly a huge disadvantage...' thought Khal, but the next second smiled and continued, 'Or would be if the one using it would be someone else, but luckily, I am not someone else.'

Swish!

Right after, Khal activated his Heaven's Eyes, expending his sight by hundreds of meters in an instant. Now, even if he was looking somewhere else, thanks to the image in his mind he was capable of seeing Darla, thus he could keep imitating her Blessing as if it was his!

[Well, that is also a solution.]

It was apparent Nova felt slightly surprised by Khal's solution, but decided not to say anything else except that.

"Ready for round two?" Khal asked Darla with a smile, but to his surprise, Darla simply lowered her weapon and surrendered.

"I give up. You won."

"Huh? Why?" Khal was perplexed by her decision and stood up straight.

"I know when I have to give up and it's obviously now. In truth, I just wanted to test out your strength." Darla replied nonchalantly while she undid her freezing power from the surroundings, making everyone around them sigh with relief once they felt as the temperature began to rise once again.

Seeing this sight, Khal raised a brow before the sudden realization hit him like a train.

'Oh, so that's why...'

It seemed Darla stopped fighting not because she knew he was stronger, but because she noticed the fact that many could have frozen to their death if they kept using their ice powers!

Just Darla's ice powers alone made the temperature drop below zero, then just how cold could have been when Khal imitated her Blessing? It must have been blood-freezing cold and that is why Khal couldn't help but appreciate how caring Darla was. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have noticed this problem at all and would have killed many!

"I see..." Khal mumbled quietly and after thinking for a while he made the spear vanish before he cupped his hands together and bowed.

"It was a pleasure to fight you, I have learned a lot."

Darla nodded and waved her spear around before making it vanish into thin air.

"Then as I promised, I will help you ki-"

"About that... Just forget about it." Khal quickly interrupted Darla.

"Why?" Darla raised a brow. She didn't understand why Khal was suddenly changing his mind or at least she had a guess, but she doesn't really think that would be a reason.

"There is no specific reason, I just changed my mind," Khal answered with a calm smile, and without saying anything else he turned around before walking away.

'...'

Darla stood in one place with a pondering look on her cold face and watched Khal's departing figure in silence. Only when he was twenty meters far did she move and start to follow him from behind.

Khal noticed this, but as he thought she just happened to go the same way as him, he didn't say anything at all and walked toward the city gate.

However, when he saw that Darla was truly following him, even when he walked through the city gates, he halted his steps and faced her.

"Why are you following me?"

"Who said I was following you? I am heading to Jade Horn City. It's toward this way." Darla said calmly, her face just as cold as ever.

"I see." Khal nodded and without further ado began to walk toward another direction.

However, not even after he took a few steps, he stopped and turned around, his face holding a slight frown.

"It's faster this way," Darla said without flinching.

Khal's mouth twitched slightly, but in the end, he just decided to ignore her and continued to go on with his plan.