One week later, mum finally woke up.
This week I expended it talking with uncle Sword and sparring him. He had a great understanding of the sword art, having attained his own All Sword. He also specialized in equilibrium, especially his emotions. His more characteristic being his majestic killing intent.
It was very fruitful sparring, very different from mum's own style, always offensive using her fire to increase her power.
Just as mum had woken, she ordered both uncles, Mayi and I to reunite all in her room.
When we entered her room, she seemed completely recuperated, her usually aura at full power. She was already dressed with one of her armor, that matched her pink hair. She seemed fully prepared for a trip.
"Mum, are you fine?" I asked her worried.
Mum smiled kindly "Yes. Bai, you don't have to worry. My wounds weren't that bad, this time sleeping was more about some mental problem. I resolved it, so all good now"
Observing how mum was clothed and her air a asked "Mum, will you go on a trip"
Mum quickly approached at and hugged me tightly, she had some tears in her eyes "Yes. I will go on a trip. It would be a long one, but I need to do it. I will protect all of you" she turned to uncles "I will explain the details later" Sword and Bone nodded.
Mum turned very serious and took my left arm "Your external spirit bone is very dangerous, try to never use it in public unless it's a life or death situation. Also, try to evade any high ranked swordmaster, never trust in them. Finally, Bai, promise me. Never return to Star Dou Forest"
"It's about Hei Qi?" I asked.
Mum nodded seriously "Yes, he is extremely dangerous and will do anything to take your external spirit bone. In the future, maybe I will need to kill him, but until then, please don't go. Bai, promise me"
I very serious nodded "I promise you, mum. I won't go to Star Dou Forest"
Mum rubbed my hair smiling "Good boy, your mum's pride, grow strong" she then turned cold "Bai, in the case that the resonance, the trembling, happened again. In the case that you know that it would be impossible to face against it. You must cut your left arm, cut it and leave it behind, with this maybe they will have mercy to you"
I looked at her strangely "How could I cut my own arm? It would be like throwing away my cultivation"
"There are more important things than strength or pride, Bai. You being one for me. Keep alive at all cost" She said seriously. She then signaled at Mayi "And keep those that you love too"
Mum broke the hug kissing me at my forehead "Bye Little Bai. Take care and be happy".Her aura seemed a little sad saying this like we won't meet in a long time.
Just as I was to ask her her aura completely changed to her usually cherry one and brightly smiling said "Now, go. Accompany your little girlfriend outside, I have an important adult talk. For other places to obtain your ring, I will recommend to try luck at Sunset Forest, even if there aren't a lot of old beast because the overhunting, at least is near. If you don't find any, you could try at the Far North for one ice oriented one or to the Vast Sea for one water" she explained.
Then she pushed me and Mayi outside the room, I could only say quickly "Bye, uncle Sword, Bone. Bye, mum" before we were outside and mum shut the door closed, leaving Mayi and I outside.
"What are we doing now, Bai?" asked Mayi.
"It seems that mom is fine, even is she is hiding something I doubt that she would tell us. Let's follow her advice and try luck at Sunset Forest for my 5th ring" I said, Mayi nodded.
Leaving the mansion, a carriage was already ready for us to take us to Sunset Forest.
Sunset Forest is the spirit beast forest nearest to Heaven Duo City. It has a small size comparing to Heaven Duo Forest, but even with that, it considered big.
The major problem is there is very little older beast. Being small, without any 100.000 beasts to protect it, it has been hunted for many years. Due to this over hunt their beast number is low, so it's very difficult to find one compatible. The positive part is its fewer danger, being favored by low-level spirit masters.
I didn't expect too much from it. We will stay there trying to find some beast for 2 months. If at this time I don't find any, we will try to go to another area. We have 5 months before the finals of the Continental Tournament.
When we arrived, I could see the forest for the first time. It has big trees like fir with low vegetation apart. This one is better described by forest, not like Star Dou Forest that with its high temperature and humidity and vegetation, it seems more like a jungle.
Walking normally around the forest we received very little attacks, most of them from not even 1000 years old beast. With Mayi natural cultivation antidetection and my own technique, it seems like we are two normal humans walking.
So there's a very little number of beasts or the big majority are intelligent enough to detect that something goes wrong. To have this kind of intelligence, they should be over 10.000 years old or at least mental type, being that in one day, the older beast was 2100 years, I will decant for the option of low numbers.
The beasts were so weak that there wasn't any need to even use any skill, or anything really. Showing my rings was enough to make them unconscious. They were not even good food to Glut that refused to eat them. So to not help the overhunting and decrease their low numbers, we only defeat them, keeping their lives.
We found a cave good enough to make our camp here. So we prepared a provisional camp.
After one month, of not finding anything at all, the strongest beast being one man-faced spider of over 10.000 years, with a little effort we could win, I was at my limit of patience.
This time at the forest was expend more like a holiday than any other thing, if not for being with Mayi, I would be crazy. We decided to stop wasting our time and leave early on what was predicted.
"Mayi, let's go to our last walk here. Tomorrow we will go. What do you think will be a better place to go?" I asked Mayi.
"I hate cold and I never saw the sea" She said thoughtfully.
"So the Far North discarded. Let's go to the Vast Sea, I listened that seafood is really great. Also, it will be good to practice water fighting" I said, causing Mayi to smile and nod quickly, looking forward to the new food.
When we were about to return to our provisional camp, Mayi suddenly stopped. She clenched her hand very tightly.
"It's something wrong, Mayi?" I asked alert.
Mayi narrowed her eyes "Danger" she said seriously.
I invoked my sword and prepared for the danger. I activated my Mind Eye at his maximum of 500 meters to detect what was approaching.
At that moment, I realized that even if Mayi seems nervous and a little angry, she was not ready to fight. She didn't even activate her spirit. After 2 seconds I could detect at my range something coming very quickly at us.
Realizing what it was, I withdrew my spirit and sighed (Really, the woman instinct is truly scary, to detect her even at this distance).
I turned to the direction of the one who was approaching and wave my hand greeting. I could see approaching, a yellow light quickly coming towards us. (Fuck! She won't stop).
I opened my arm, covering them with a little of intent, preparing to stop her. When the girl like torpedo was about to crash towards me, her momentum nearly stopped, totally under her control, causing my intent to be useless.
She lightly tackled me, hugging me in the process "Long time not seeing you, Bai!" said the girl.
She had long brightly blond hair that fell until her waist. Her golden eyes shined brightly with happiness and a little of seductive glint. She was a very beautiful girl, with a perfect body, wearing a green and white dress with a green skirt, with two wings at her back that shined with the sunlight.
Mayi approached us trying to separate, but before she could, Chenxiang shined brightly disappearing of her position and appearing 5 meters away "I also missed you, Mayi. Very jealous like always" the girl teased Mayi with a smile.
"Chenxiang!" shouted Mayi angrily, glancing narrowing her eyes. Yeah, it was Bai Chenxiang.