"The natural world is always producing mana. From weakest life mana of the smallest blade of grass to the harshest fire mana of the underground lava, everything is full of mana. Full of life. Fire, water, earth, metal, light, darkness, and wood are just the basics what are commonly used by cultivators. Ice, wood, wind and lightning are considered secondary or a level higher than the basics as they are more powerful as well as rarer to be born with. So, if you come across anymore cultivators in the future, you need to hide the fact that you can use lightning and ice magic. Otherwise, they will not try to attack you without taking in more people to do so. Not only that, they would be smart not to just send in pawns. If I can stop your lightning with ease, then they can do more. After all, I am still very weak even if I was able to handle everything to this point so far. The element of surprise is always the best upper hand no matter the situation."
"So, that's why they didn't try to attack me before." Malleus sneered thought annoyed to be belittled by Peony again, "So, they were simply pawns. How weak."
"Not only that, but cultivators are usually born able to manipulate one or even two of the elements at most. Being able to get into the first stage of power is the starting point and, for those weaker, a means for celebration. However, for those powerful, it should take less than a few days or hours to start using magic. Those elements they receive are usually within the basic stage. Those from the secondary elements are usually rare and harder to come by. Not only that, light and darkness are the biggest exceptions as no humans should be capable of manipulating these elements."
"No one? Why is that natural?" Malleus looked to her in confusion.
"Those who possess the light element are difficult to come by. They are powerful elements but those who possess them are set back by lack of physical power. They require a proper physique and training to actually utilize those abilities properly. Those who don't are sought out to be utilized in schemes and plots for the benefits of others. In most cases, they do not live long after uncovering their elemental magic." Peony explained as her frowned deepened and Malleus became surprised to discover being unable to feel those two elements aside from ice and fire, "Then, there is the dark element. That element can not be utilized by humans. In fact, the power of darkness can only be harnessed and understood by those whose species are naturally opposed by the humans. Unlike in this society, we would feel a natural rise from the word and feeling of the species or power. This rising intimidation often became the cause of numerous tragic wars in the ancient past. As a result, a barrier was created separating the species as they could not get along and often caused destruction in its wake."
"I see. That is very unfortunate." Malleus sighed shaking his head in sympathy before looking to her curiously, "But, what about your elements, Princess? Is it fire and ice?"
"My elements..." Peony shook her head with a dry smile as she began utilizing different elements with her mana to his hand, "Fire, ice, water, earth, wood, lightning, wind..."
"That's a lot!" Malleus's eyes widen in disbelief as he could even feel the feeling of gold under his finger tips, "I take it that you are not normal."
Peony nodded sadly, "I am an all elemental cultivator. I can utilize and control all elements just as I can see all of their mana. In the past, this was not a rare occurance. However, as time passed, the numbers of all elemental cultivators diminished. Now only one out of one billion cultivators are found capable of utilizing all elements. Hence, they are often sought out by others especially by those who have selfish intentions. When one is found, word will spread fast. So, the best measure is to keep it a secret to yourself or those who can and are willing to keep it a secret. Those such as the queen of Briar valley and the fairy kingdom."
"Grandmother knew of this?" Malleus looked to her with a frown, "Just what is she thinking?"
"How would I know?" Peony shook her head, "Even those capable of reading minds cannot read a mind that is already learnt how to guard it. The queen of Briar Valley is worthy of her title and lineage. Her knowledge and experience are numerous. Right now, perhaps, things are in her favor so she agreed to let things be as they are. However, this was the payment for causing the ruckus from the prison incident. After all, knowing what I can do basically gives her all the personal information she needs about me. This would put me on the spot if she decides to target me."
"I see... So, this was the price for that." Malleus frowned as he held back a sigh of dismay.
The incident a few years back was the bloodiest incident to date. However, being told that the next strongest person was just next to the kingdom and the details of what they can do is just barely enough to please the ruler of the victim kingdom. It was very likely that the queen also chose not to share this information with the rest of the nobles of the inner court out of annoyance for greater complaints. Malleus opened his mouth, "But you mentioned had said you could manipulate all elements. Why darkness?"
Peony shook her head with a frown, "It would seem that those from my mother's side was very likely descendants of those who carry the dark elements in them. According to my sources right now, everyone in my father's side are all regular human cultivators. It is rare, but it would seem I have a heavenly demonic body."
"Heavenly demonic? That is a very unusual name for a physique." Malleus looked to her in confusion.
"My father seemed to have some powerful light element on his side. one so powerful it is akin to being godly. Then, there are those from my other half who are from the dark elements from the opposing side. As a descendant, we will usually become one capable of manipulating both elements. Due to the fractured connection of the two species, this type of relationship is rare and often incredibly difficult to pull off without schemes to be involved. However, doing this has a dangerous side effect. If not properly suppressed or handled, death will become the result of the child between the two as light and dark elements cannot mix even if they share the same vessel. However, just as the humans and species who hold the dark elements are in conflict, so are the elements. If this fight for control escalates in the body, the force of the two sides clashing could harm the vessel and even put the vessel at risk of self explosion."
"So, you have found a way to suppress it?" Malleus looked to her in confusion.
"A seal was made at first to save myself a long time ago. After I started practicing magic, the seal was undone so I began taking alchemy medical drugs and created another temporary seal until I can overpower the two elements and make them listen to my will. Until then, they will just continue to fight whenever they are released from their separate seals." Peony explained, "The greater number of elements a cultivator is capable of utilizing the greater the value they are to others who heard of them. Those who want to befriend them and those who want to use them will start to gather. Only prodigies can rise up at faster speed than others who take years or decades to rise in power."
"What about yourself? As you are in this school, I suspect you are also one as well."
With a sneer, Peony laughed, "Even if you praise me, I will not stop calling you a kid! Regardless, I've been struggling to heal all of my patients and protect the school for the fools that I've been going back and forth in level of powers for the past few years, like a swing. Then, there is my condition that prevents me from recklessly rising in power. Perhaps if I did not have those, I would've had a different worry and faster pace to rise in power, but that's not what I need to worry about right now."
"That would be your poison, correct?"
Surprised, Peony looked to him with a look of confusion.
"I've been overhearing your contract familiars speak of it. You call it an illness, but was it perhaps a poison you are more vulnerable to?" Malleus stated firmly.
"They talk too much." Peony sighed and remained quiet before nodding her head, "They are correct. I don't have concrete details, but I was simply an infant back then and my parents were slaughtered to satisfy the main branch of my biological family's unease. My father was deemed a prodigy of their generation. Our family branch, my grandfather and father especially, did not get along with those from the main branch. As a result, they broke away when talk of making my mother a concubine was brought up simply due to the fact that her past was shrouded in mystery and she was found in a place full of those who could not be considered people by law, such as slaves. They feared my family would return to slaughter them for power and, therefore, took my biological family's lives before that could happen. Then, they decided to poison me with a very dangerous poison known to men. The Frozen heart."