Fei Lei ran out of the lounge room and into his unfinished facility that would one day become his lab.
Inside, there were several large stone tables, a few colored glass beakers, copper alchemy tools he purchased from the village, and a few large cages to keep beast that he captured in.
He started to pour the materials in several fluids and started writing down all of his findings. Thanks to his enhanced vision he could get a much better look at the reactions between the acids and core dust, and make far better-estimated guesses as to what was happening to them.
However, it still wasn't enough for him to glean any useful information.
"I need a microscope," Fei Lei said as he started to grow frustrated.
Going through a couple of refinement processes, Fei Lei separated the different acids and poured them into individual trays.
Looking at the crystals at the bottom of a tray, Fei Lei noticed the one test samples that had been mixed with just water, was slowly dissolving the Mana Core remnants into the liquid.
"What are you doing?" Yan Mei said as she poked her head out from behind him.
"Right now? Getting pissed off because I don't have the proper tools. That, and the fact that there's a lack of samples to experiment with," Fei Lei said as he looked at Yan Mei.
Suddenly, like a light bulb flipping on, Fei Lei had an idea as smiled and said, "Wait here, I'll be right back."
He ran into his storeroom and pulled out around 80 Fire Type Cores, all ranging from 1 to 3-Star ratings.
As he came back he handed them all over in a large leather bag and asked, "Can you absorb these?"
Yan Mei was shocked as she said, "Yes! All of them are in perfect condition too! However, I think I'll only need around 50 to reach the solid level, and until I gain another Sigil absorbing anymore would be pointless."
She took the cores and spread them around her body in a neatly formed circle, Yan Mei then sat down in the center of the ring.
"Pay attention. Remember what I said about needing a filter to absorb ambient mana?" Yan Mei asked.
Fei Lei nodded his head in confirmation.
"I'm about to show you a Mantra," Yan Mei said as she closed her eyes and started mumbling something.
While the Mana drained from the Fire Cores and drifted to her sigil, Yan Mei chanted a Mantra that accelerated her refinement process.
Fei Lei paid close attention to, however, it was in an ancient language he didn't recognize.
It was Something that had been passed down from her family from ancient ages. It was basically a stand-alone language, altered by their descendants and given new meanings over countless years, it could be considered to be their clan's personal language.
No one but her family could understand and pronounce the Mantra properly.
The Fire Cores started to glow and react to her words as they all bunched up together and charged towards her heart.
It took a while but once all of the energy had traveled into her heart and the Sigil above her forehead started to turn into a sun-orange crystalline structure.
The Sigil glowed brightly as it officially reached the level two threshold and suddenly retreated into her body without warning.
"I did it, HAHAHA! I just turned 17 this year and I'm almost an Erudite! Take that, you old geezer!!! Papa won't have to get back first, I'll beat you up before he does!" Yan Mei shouted as she jumped around joyfully.
While Fei Lei wondered what she was talking about, he took up the Dust and stored it in a box before returning back to his lab.
Yan Mei followed him and stared at his back as she thought, "I can do this. If I stick with this guy..."
When Fei Lei entered his lab, he took a drop of his blood and placed it over a sample of the Core Dust, and even with his enhanced vision, he couldn't see anything discerning or useful.
He then used several other solutions to attempt to get some kind of reaction out of the Core Dregs, however, none of his ideas paid off.
Fei Lei then sighed and started to walk away, he figured that since he couldn't do anything more with his experiment right now, he would just continue his training per usual.
Leaving the room, Fei Lei headed back out into his courtyard with Yan Mei still following behind him.
Fei Lei turned around and held his hand up as he said, "I'm going hunting. I'll be back in a few hours."
"Um...Can I go with you?" Yan Mei asked because she wanted to see how he hunted.
Fei Lei waved his hands before he said, "No, it's too dangerous."
"Come on, I'm strong!" Yan Mei countered.
Sighing, Fei Lei looked her in the eye before he said, "The only reason I could survive so well up to today, was because I was fighting alone. If I brought you with me, I would have to look out for your well being, and I wouldn't be able to run away if I needed to. What would happen if a 4 Star or higher beast appeared?"
Yan Mei's cheeks puffed up as she shouted, "I'm not as weak as you think I am. I'll have you know that I have enough Mana to cast a few Level-3 Spells and a single Level-4 Spell. Even if things start to look bad, I can still be of use!"
Fei Lei smiled and said, "Okay, prove it to me."
He took her outside and to a large open area and raised his hand before saying, "Show me how you fight."
With a single wave of her hand, Yan Mei's Level 2 Blazing Heart Fire Sigil created a bow out of green-colored flames.
Multiple arrows then suddenly appeared beside her while she pointed and waved her finger out as if she was drawing the arrows into existence.
Smiling at Fei Lei, Yan Mei pulled out a bow from her spatial ring and drew back the string before she said, "Look out, getting hit with these will probably kill you."
Yan Mei shot a single arrow that blasted out in a blaze of green light.
Fei Lei had to admit the speed and precision of her arrow was good, Yan Mei was aiming for the tip of his ear and it wasn't a single inch off its marker.
Dodging the arrow with a smile, Fei Lei watched as it zoomed past the confident appearance on his face.
However, his facial expression changed drastically as the green arrow suddenly exploded near him in a small 5-foot sphere of pure heat.
Fei Lei didn't have time to study the attack because Yan Mei showed no mercy. Without even giving him a chance to think, she quickly drew back five arrows at the same time and let them loose.
While the 5 arrows went flying after Fei Lei, Yan Mei had already drawn back the string on the next volley, just waiting for him to dodge.
Fei Lei smiled as activated his Lion Roar Spell Matrix. His lungs quickly filled with air and created a massive sonic wave.
Back when they first met, Fei Lei extinguished Yan Mei's flames while the spell wasn't fully formed, and he only used the sheer power of his super-human body.
This was the first time he's used the Lion Roar Spell since his body's rebirth. Furthermore, since the spell's parameters were based on the lung strength of the one casting it, Fei Lei's enhanced body amplified the increased the range and volume of sound the spell originally provided.
A massive sonic wave soared out of Fei Lei's mouth as it shook the area around him and smothered the air out of her fires.
Yan Mei showed a surprised expression as the vibrations from Fei Lei's voiced caused her cloak to flap around from more than a distance of ten feet.
"Level 1 Spell, Piercing Scorch Arrow!" Yan Mei called out as the flames gathered around her and formed into an arrow.
Her spell sigil seemed to augment her spell matrix while the regular colored fire into a thin emerald green arrow floating next to her bow.
As she released her fingers from the fiery bowstring, the arrow turned into a powerful heat-ray of destruction that shot towards Fei Lei at frightening speeds.
Fei Lei summoned his Telekinetic hands to grab the flaming arrow out of the sky and watched as they were blown apart. While the beam of green-heat shot pass Fei Lei's torso and landed in the ground around ten feet away, he looked at the aftermath of the attack in shock.
Fei Lei shuddered as he observed the cavity her spell melted into the ground, the molten stone hole was around 3ft in diameter and 20ft deep.
Looking back at Yan Mei with a flabbergasted expression, Fei Lei asked, "Why didn't you use any of that power when we met?"
Yan Mei released her control over her Spell Sigil and smiled before responding, "You locked my body up and kept me from moving!"
"What's that got to do with anything? Fei Lei asked, assuming that everyone could cast by thought as he did.
Yan Mei sighed before she replied by saying, "There are three types of Mages, those that can cast with a thought, those that use bodily motions, and those that focus the Mana through a medium such as using their voice, creating a spell verse, or channeling their mana through an object such as a wand. I'm the 2nd type of caster, a motion type."
Fei Lei looked to the sky and began mulling over whether to take her along or not when he crossed his arms and reluctantly said, "Alright you can come with me, but you shouldn't interfere unless it's absolutely necessary. Your magic is powerful but it makes too much noise."
Yan Mei jumped up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him as she spoke with joy in her voice as she rattled on, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you, Fei Lei! I won't let you down! I even have quieter spells, so I can still help in some way."
Fei Lei blushed a bit and picked her up like a princess before he started to run through the air.
In his embarrassed state-of-mind, Fei Lei didn't quite understand why it was so hard for him to main eye contact with her.
He didn't know it either, but Yan Mei felt the same embarrassment once she calmed down from the emotional-high of her excitement.
While they awkwardly made their way above and across the expansive forest terrain, it took Fei Lei a few hours of searching and a couple of close encounters with some higher ranking beasts before he spotted something within their power to defeat.
Fei Lei climbed down from the sky and saw a large herd of 20 or so Red Razor Horned Deers, all of them around 2 and 3-Star.
They had long, muscular, and powerful limbs that pushed their torso to 7ft tall while their bodies' overall length was around 5ft, not counting their bushy tails.
Two long protruding gem-like ruby-colored deer horns branched off of the top of their foreheads and gleamed in the reflection of the sun as it radiated fire-type mana.
Their thick and long red-colored fur looked like a fire being set over the horizon and when they grouped together, they looked like a massive bonfire.
Coming to a stop about thirty yards away from the herd, Fei Lei landed on a thick tree branch and placed Yan Mei down before he said, "I'll draw their attention. While they're focused on me, I want you to take out the ones that I'm not targeting. If I maim or dismember any of them, end it quickly and don't let the creatures suffer longer than they have to."
"Wait, how are you going to keep their attention focused on you?" Yan Mei asked.
"With my level 0 Spell, Invoke Intent." Fei Lei jumped down and walked into the open field they were grazing in.
As soon as he activated his Sigil to amplify the projection of his alpha and beta brainwaves so that he could enhance the parameters of his next spell.
Fei Lei then cast the Invoke Intent Spell Matrix and focused on emitting nothing but bloodlust.
His body began leaking a powerful murderous intent, and when all the magical beast suddenly reacted to him, Fei Lei thought, "What do you know, you really can amplify a spell matrix with your sigil."
A distance away, Yan Mei's jaw dropped as all the animals lifted their heads and stared at Fei Lei as if he just stole their kids.
Influence by his spell, all the magical beasts were spurred on by their animal instincts. The herd began to buck wildly at the scent of death, realizing that if they didn't fight back they would all die.
Suddenly the bravest of the herd went on the attack and around a dozen of the deer creatures dashed over towards Fei Lei.
While they ran, small fires began bursting around their horns as they shot 2-foot fireballs at towards.
Activating his Level-0 boost spell, Fei Lei speedily dodged their attacks while the ground exploded behind him, Fei Lei then created his Telekinetic Hands and ran as fast as he could, taking them all head-on.
First, Fei Lei grabbed the closest two charging magical beasts and slammed their heads into each other with his telekinetic hands.
The sharp horns pierced into each other's brains as the deer's as their heads collided in a horrific crunch. The two magic beasts let out a mournful cry as they fell to the ground, dead.
Fei Lei dashed through their falling corpses and jumped up to kicked at the nearest surviving deer monster.
The tip of Fei Lei's foot knocked the creature's chin upward, snapping its neck with a loud cracking noise.
While he was still in the air, another deer dashed towards him and was seconds away from ramming his back.
Fei Lei put out his telekinetic hands to catch the Red Razor Horned Deer before it could land a hit on him and braced for impact. When all of a sudden, three Flaming Arrows shot out of the forest line and blew the head off the neck of the attacking deer-shaped magical beast.
Fei Lei smiled as he landed on the ground, he felt that with Yan Mei watching his back, this whole hunt was proving to be easier than usual.
Focusing on the targets in front of him, Fei Lei continued to wreak havoc as he pulled out his sword and began to sever the head of the closest monster with ease.
Fei Lei was already fast enough to dodge their fireballs, and now that he was close to the herd, the monsters could use their destructive magic without hurting one of their own.
"This is incredible!" Fei Lei thought as he felt almost no strain when using his Level-0 Boost spell. The strength and durability of his newly formed body were far greater than the stress limits of the Level-0 version of the spell. Fei Lei couldn't wait to test out how far his new limits could go.
While another deer charged at Fei Lei, it lowered its head and attempted to skewer him with its burning hot horns.
Fei Lei dashed under its head slid underneath its body as he pulled out and spun his greatsword around, cutting the legs off of the Magic Deer Beast before he hopped up once he reached the creature's side.
Before the creature could even hit the ground, Yan Mei shot a hole through its head with a single flaming arrow.
Not wasting any time, Fei Lei immediately jumped up and stabbed his sword through the chin of another Deer Creature, piercing into its brain.
After Fei Lei's sword shot through the Razor Horned-Deer's skull, he landed on its back while it was falling to the ground and ran across its spine before he jumped off and landed on the ground safely nearby.
Four of the deers that had some distance from Fei Lei, saw that those deers that surrounded him were dead and began to shoot out bolts of fire towards him.
Releasing his Bo-Staff from the hilt of the sword with his telekinesis while keeping the greatsword in his hand, Fei Lei surrounded the pole telekinetic energy and forced it to rotate rapidly before he launched it out with the power of his mind.
The Bo-Staff took off like a missile before it drilled and ripped through 4 of the Deer Creature's heads while Fei Lei swatted their fireballs away with the flat side of the greatsword simultaneously.
Yan Mei was shocked as she picked off 3 of her own targets with long-range shots and thought, "He used the trail of wind created by his sword swing to safely direct the flames away from his body? Can the human physique truly compete with a Magic Beasts like that?"
Fei Lei released his sword from his grasps and started to use his Telekinetic hands to control both it and the Bo-Staff while he used his bare hands to take out even more.
Yan Mei continued to study Fei Lei in awe as she volleyed a few more shots and said, "I've never seen these kinds of movements coming from a Minor Grade Mage who isn't using magic to reinforce their abilities! It's like he has the strength of three or four men!"
Although she was impressed with his ability to hunt, Yan Mei was no slouch either. Her arrows charged after their targets like they had homing beacons on them, each shot was expertly aimed as well, one hit the heart, the other through the eye, and the last taking off another head as it ripped through their neck.
Fei Lei then saw the last few running away drop as Yan Mei raised her bow and shot them down with ease.
She then came running over to Fei Lei while he started to gather and pile up their prizes.
"That was awesome! I've never had an easier time sniping down targets. Usually, they start chasing after the long-range users first. That spell of yours is really something. I've never heard of one that has the effect to project killing intent!" Yan Mei rambled out.
Fei Lei grinned at her hyped up gestures and said, "You know, you're welcome to look through my collection of Level-0-Spells?"
Yan Mei went wide-eyed as she asked, "Really?"
"Sure, but you have to share all your level 0's in return," Fei Lei said grinning.
Yan Mei crossed her arms and pouted while saying, "But those belong to my family! You'd have to marry me for my family to allow that!"
Fei Lei stared at her blankly, and as the wind blew past them in an eerie silence. it took Yan Mei some time to register what just came out of her own mouth.
Keeping her smile as she tried to play it off, Yan Mei started to fumble out some words, "I mean…What did I mean? I um…I'm not saying that I want you to marry me...I'm not looking to date anyone much less you...Wait I take that back! I meant to say was that while I'm open to seeing you as a potential partner, as far as marriage goes...wait that's not right either, not that I'm saying you're not my type..."
Fei Lei continued to stare at her with a surprised expression and watched as the blush on her face continued to lighten up her cheeks.
For a second, Fei Lei thought that Yan Mei had turned into a real tomato when he suddenly started to laugh.
With a still red face, Yan Mei frowned and angrily stomped her foot on the ground as she said, "And what is so funny?"
"You're cute when you're embarrassed!" Fei Lei said with an innocent smile on his face that would make a Troll weep tears of laughter.
Yan Mei felt like lightning had struck her as she turned around, put on her hood before pointing her finger in accusation while shouting, "Y.y.y.y.y...You can't… You can't say stuff like that! I mean, how can you say something like that with such a smooth expression?! My daddy warned me about boys like you, he said you're called players."
Fei Lei smiled, "What's a player? A person playing a game, that's the definition for it, right?" Fei Lei was being completely serious, he really didn't know about the act of courting women like as a player world.
When it came to relationships, Fei Lei only what his Teacher taught him to rely on. To be honest and upright around women, but not to let it cloud his judgment of them. His master also gave him the 'birds and the bees' talk, and boy did Fei Lei ever wish he could just make that day go away.
What his Tetra described wasn't dating advice, it was downright harassment. In response to his Teacher's so-called advice, Fei Lei just decided to not do any of the perverse and dumb things that he mentioned.
Yet chose to focus on the good advice Tetra snuck in every once and awhile.
"I just said that you were cute, how is that playing? It's just my honest opinion." Fei Lei asked looking completely clueless.
"You did it again!" Yan Mei said as she moved over towards the corpse of the magical deer monster.
Eager to change the subject, Yan Mei took a few deep breaths to try and to calm herself down, she pulled a knife out of her ring before saying, "Let's just start harvesting our reward."
Fei Lei walked up beside her then bowed as he smiled and said, "Please, let me."