Xuefeng lay on the polished, leaf-patterned floor, his breathing ragged and mind still swimming from the Queen's "gift." A thought drifted through the haze: I can't believe I survived that… Yet, paradoxically, he felt stronger than ever, as though crackling energy pulsed beneath his skin.
Your acting and your little deceptions worked out quite well, Ling purred in his mind. Not only did you enjoy yourself, but you reached the Spirit King stage. More importantly, you achieved the first level of Elemental Cultivation. Congratulations.
Xuefeng pushed up onto his elbows, regarding the half-darkened chamber with cautious relief. Elemental Cultivation? What's that supposed to mean? He hastily fastened his pants, noticing how the Queen had left him oddly clean, as if wanting no trace of their encounter to remain.
It means your dantian is equally split between your usual Black Spirit Qi and the newly integrated Lightning Qi. That balance signifies you've attained stage one of Elemental Cultivation. Ling's voice fluttered with subdued pride.
A faint grin crossed Xuefeng's face as he rose to his feet, stretching away lingering tension. So I can cultivate purely with Lightning Qi now?
Not exactly. Ling's words cooled his excitement. Unless you possess some physique akin to the Forest Elves, you must maintain a dual-flow of Qi—Spirit Qi and Lightning Qi—constantly balancing the two energies. Only once that balance is stable can you detect the Elemental Essence swirling in the air. You won't need to rely on the Lightning Cores anymore. She sounded both proud and practical in the same breath.
Xuefeng crossed the chamber, giving a final glance to the arched doorway leading out. Through the wide balcony window, he could see the Queen standing at the railing, her golden hair drifting in the orchard-sweet breeze. An almost regretful pang tugged at him—he recognized the magnitude of the power she had bestowed, saving him weeks of slow, painstaking effort.
She did me a real favor, he admitted silently. I guess I can forgive that interrogation she pulled earlier…
Use your time here wisely and cultivate as many elements as you can, Ling advised. This place is abundant in Elemental Essence, with little to none Spirit Essence. Even if you wanted to, you wouldn't be able to gather any Spirit Qi.
Without answering her, Xuefeng slipped towards the exit. As he was leaving, the Queen turned, fixing him with an unreadable gaze, as though considering something with deeper intent.
Out on the breezy terrace, the Queen exhaled a quiet sigh, her aquamarine eyes narrowing thoughtfully. His… essence was far more potent than I expected. The memory of that electrifying encounter made her lips curve in a smile. If I push him just a bit further, maybe help him reach the second stage in Elemental Cultivation—he'd maybe survive the transformation... A glimmer of satisfaction lit her eyes as she watched him vanish around the corner.
Yiren's stormy face brightened the moment Xuefeng emerged into the main corridor. She rushed forward in a swirl of white linen, throwing her arms around his waist with surprising strength. "What took you so long?" she demanded, all pout and indignation. "We've been waiting ages. I almost barged in, but Tangwei held me back—said I shouldn't disturb you two."
Xuefeng, momentarily startled by the warmth of her embrace, coughed awkwardly. "Ah… sorry. Our conversation took a little longer than I thought." He forced a faint, self-conscious laugh.
She tightened her hold, pressing her cheek into his chest. "Well, as long as you're okay." Then she frowned, drawing back. Her nose twitched as if catching a whiff of something. "But… why do you smell like Mother's perfume?" Her questioning gaze bored into him.
A chill pricked at the base of Xuefeng's spine. Great, her sense of smell is sharper than Wuying's… he lamented internally. "She, uh—helped me cultivate," he answered diplomatically. "Look." He held out his right hand, letting lines of crackling Lightning Qi dance around his fingers with a humming tension.
"Whoa!" Yiren squealed in delight, seizing his hand. Sparks flickered between their palms. Instead of scorching her, the lightning seemed to kneel to her will, gathering docilely into a white-blue orb on her palm. Xuefeng watched in disbelief as she molded it into the shape of a tiny rabbit, which hopped onto her shoulder, nuzzling at her golden hair.
"How…?" Xuefeng breathed. "Your lightning is so calm and gentle. Mine's always so wild, so violent." He stood there, faintly jealous.
She chuckled—a soft, musical sound. "If you behave nicely," she teased, booping his nose with a mischievous grin, "I'll show you my secrets. For now…" She petted the cottontail of crackling energy. "Okay, bunny, back to your master." At her word, the lightning rabbit bounded back onto Xuefeng's hand, dissolving into a subdued pulse of Lightning Qi that he guided back into his dantian.
Still reeling at her finesse, Xuefeng raked a hand through his hair. "That was… astounding," he muttered. Why am I so far behind? The flaring envy only reinforced how he'd have to learn from these elves if he wanted to master elemental control.
Yiren took his hand again—this time more gently—and tugged him toward the palace exit. "Come on, I'll give you a little tour of our city."
"You got your 'lover' and forgot all about me, hmm?" Tangwei's voice floated from behind them, tinged with mocking hurt. Crumpling an empty berry pouch, she produced another from her pocket, tossing a sweet black morsel into her mouth. "Hmph."
But Yiren paid no heed. She pressed Xuefeng along with a cheerful giggle, leading him outside. For Xuefeng, it was the first time stepping beyond the palace since regaining consciousness in Eligma. He glanced around warily, taking note of the path in case he needed a quick retreat. The palace—a grand structure within a colossal tree—was isolated from the rest of the city. A network of wide, rope-stabilized bridges stretched from trunk to trunk, forming a labyrinth high in the canopy.
As they ventured across one of the sturdy bridges, Xuefeng's stomach lurched at the dizzying drop beneath him—only wisps of cloud visible below. He forced his knees not to shake, relieved the bridge was stable and well-anchored. "How… how high are we?" he gasped, peeking down at the swirling mists.
Yiren shrugged. "A few hundred meters, I think? We never measured. We can all fly, after all."
Xuefeng blinked. "You can… fly?"
She led him to a gap in the lush canopy, pointing toward a slice of sky that framed countless black silhouettes moving among the brilliant sunshine. His heart nearly jumped into his throat as he realized they were elves—soaring from branch to branch, city to city. "You see all those shapes out there?" Yiren said, excitement dancing in her voice. "There are dozens of cities in the forest, suspended around the Parent Tree. If you want to visit another city, flying's the easiest way. We have rules though—no flight inside city limits, no flight near the Parent Tree."
Without waiting for his reply, she ran towards the city, pulling Xuefeng closely behind her.