"We go that way," Ark said after a minute's pause. His eyes were closed, as if he was completely focused on spiritual sensations. Well, that's how it was—he must have learned the direction somehow.
"Are these plums even edible?" I couldn't help but ask. "I mean, can I just take one and eat it, right?"
My companions clearly didn't expect such a question from me. They all seemed to freeze for a moment and started examining the trees and disciples' baskets with interest.
"Come on, you've never even thought about it? Okay, I'll ask Master So later," I sighed.
"You can eat them, it's safe," Ark suddenly smiled. "If you were an ice practitioner, it would even be beneficial, but since you're on the path of fire, you'll just feel freshness."
Trusting the guy, I picked the nearest fruit. And damn you all, it was delicious! Really tasty! Like a ripe sweet plum with a menthol effect. Other disciples looked at me with shock and bewilderment, while I was picking plum after plum and putting them in my mouth.
"What? They're delicious!" I declared with a full mouth.
One by one, the disciples began to follow my example. Some spat it out, while others really appreciated it, sending a berry or two past the basket.
"Okay, frostbite, you thought of this brilliantly, but let's leave quickly," said Aina, spitting out a pit. "Lady So might scold us for wasting ingredients."
As soon as we entered the forest, Tia released hundreds of sparkling moths into the air. She, by the way, practiced not ice, but pure Qi. For the first time, I see a cultivator of this direction up close.
"Maybe we should tell each other about our abilities, since we're working together anyway?" Ark asked first. I was too distracted by studying the unfamiliar spiritual power, so I really didn't think to highlight such an important point.
"It's simple for me, I comprehend the Dao of Cold, specializing in defensive formations. Give me ten minutes, and no enemy will be able to approach us," Aina demonstrated her palms covered with a pattern of icy symbols.
"I'm a fire practitioner, as you probably all know," I chuckled. "Due to the peculiarities of my technique, I'm much stronger and faster than any cultivator of my stage. Probably at the level of the Higher meridian stage. More or less."
All three looked at me with disbelief. Well, yes, from the outside it sounded like simple boasting. But So Yun and I checked, and she confirmed. My physical parameters really reached this level. The minimum bar, of course, and I can't compare with someone who specifically cultivates physical techniques, but still. Now I could beat Ho just on brute physical strength. If he didn't have that cheating protective amulet, of course. But I have techniques too and even a reserve of fiery Qi to use them.
"That... explains why you were accepted into the Shen family," Aina nodded.
"And why they exiled you here," Tia suddenly said. "Ark, maybe you'd better tell?"
"Okay. We are Dao-partners. Tia chose the path of pure Qi and specializes in... many things," he smiled strangely. "In any case, you can rely on her combat techniques. They've never let us down. I went a different way. I comprehend two elements at once. Ice and wood. I won't be able to participate in battle, the Maple of Frozen Blood requires too much concentration, so I'm completely relying on you."
Two elements at once? Is that even possible? However, this explained the strange spectrum of power emanating from him. I wonder, can I get a second element too? Fire and ice... If we discard all the romance about the opposition of elements, it would solve most of the current problems for me. However, I can think about this later.
"I won't let you down," I nodded.
The sword hung at my waist, and my body was filled with strength. Even the pain almost didn't distract me from everyday affairs anymore. Daily meditations are doing their job. And wonderful pills, of course. I won't stop thanking So Yun for her gift.
We reached the needed place in a couple of hours. Surprisingly, not a single beast attacked us. I suspected that Lin and her ghostly butterflies had something to do with this, but the girl spent most of the journey holding hands with Ark, and prying into other practitioners' secrets was a sure way to make a mortal enemy for no reason.
"We're here," said Ark. "The Maple of Frozen Blood."
Actually, he could have said nothing at all. We stood before a huge tree covered with blood-red veins. Instead of bark, it had muddy gray ice. Very thick and strong ice, filled with a huge amount of Qi. Moreover, I felt some spiritual pressure, as from a strong practitioner. A sentient tree? I won't be surprised by anything anymore. Around the maple giant was a wasteland. Or rather, not quite—there were plants here, but small, twisted. The maple clearly didn't tolerate competitors near itself.
"Prepare your defensive techniques, Aina. Now I'll enter a meditative state and try to take control of the tree," the druid practitioner began to explain. "The Maple's bark is too strong to be cut by anything, you can only make the tree share its essence. As soon as I start, the cerberus will attack you. They live in symbiosis with the tree and don't attack now only because the Maple is trying to devour us itself."
"What-what?" I asked. Aina also listened attentively.
"This tree is a predator, it feeds on the blood and life force of its victims. Anyone who enters its territory is doomed to be drunk by its roots. Right now I'm restraining them with my spiritual power, so we're not in danger. But as soon as the tree feels threatened, it will immediately summon its guards. So Aina, start setting up the protection."
"Ready!" Aina exclaimed half an hour later. Yes, she clearly exaggerated about ten minutes.
It was curious to watch her work. Unfamiliar symbols appeared and faded in the air, replacing each other. The pattern of intricate lines gradually surrounded the tree and the area around it, cutting us off from the outside world. It's a pity that books on formations are very expensive. More than two hundred for a day's rental of a textbook with just the basics. Robbery!
"And how long have you been studying formations, if it's not a secret?" I couldn't contain my curiosity.
"It's a secret," Aina stuck her tongue out at me. "But I'll tell you, so be it. I've been studying them for twenty years now, since my arrival in the Frosty Ridge."
I looked at Aina. She looked like a young girl. Twenty years of just studying formations, huh? And the middle level of meridians? Well, I should get used to it, a practitioner's appearance says absolutely nothing about their age. And then I suddenly realized—what kind of monster from the world of cultivation was the original Kai Shen, who managed to get close to the core formation stage in less than sixteen years? Maybe that's why they hated him? Nobody likes upstarts.
"We're starting," said the druid, interrupting my thoughts. I immediately unsheathed my sword. The druid's body suddenly lit up and was covered with a cocoon of grass and roots. Given the local vegetation, this looked particularly unusual.
"Rrar!" was heard nearby. Shadows flickered among the trees. Activating acceleration, I was able to examine the creature. The monster, the size of a small horse, looked like a dog, if dogs suddenly grew bone growths. Although no. Not bone. It's the same material as the Maple's bark! Has it literally grown into these creatures? My spiritual sense literally screamed that I was right.
Lin attacked first. A swarm of butterflies rushed forward, calmly crossed the invisible barrier and disappeared inside the monster. A screech immediately hit my ears. The creature was in pain, the creature was angry, but refused to die. Instead, it suddenly rushed straight at the barrier and began to pound it with icy claws. And not without success. Ha, I even thought about getting such a modification from this Maple of Frozen Blood myself! And surely, I'm not the first such smarty-pants.
"It's time," I nodded to myself and rushed forward. The blade whistled through the air and crashed down on the creature's withers, right into the gap between the icy growths.
[+ 46 Qi]
Oh, okay. I can no longer just write this off as an influx of energy. The pain really went away with each use of the devourer technique. Could this technique, in addition to absorbing Qi, also heal spiritual injuries? There's nothing like that in the description, but this is still a celestial technique. And the way of obtaining it differed from all others. I need more data! And I know how to get them.
Another monster rushed forward. This time it wasn't alone, but in the company of two of its kin. The cerberus were covered with icy growths from head to toe. Another portion of butterflies simply couldn't break through. Tia snorted in irritation. Behind her back suddenly grew several ghostly hands, which immediately covered the cerberus and pressed them to the ground.
"Hit!" she commanded.
I didn't need to be asked twice. Three sword strikes—three new portions of Qi. And from the forest, with mad growling, new shadows were already rushing at me. I feel this day will seem long to me.