'Only one part of the dragon remained.' Tristan reflected on this in his mind.
'It seems that what happened with the fire serpent wasn't an isolated event.' Tristan concluded that he was witnessing one of the peculiarities of this world.
He searched for other tales and found similar situations. For some reason, beings of different races could undergo some kind of transformation at the moment of their deaths. And when their end came, all that remained was a part of their bodies.
Tristan tried to uncover the truth behind this phenomenon, but all he managed to find in the few minutes of his research were different theories.
Not completely satisfied with the information he had obtained, he decided to move on to another important topic: how he could use the enchantment of the seed.
He searched for the whereabouts of the dragon scale Lotho had obtained. Over the next few minutes, Tristan delved into a long story about how Lotho traveled to a dwarven kingdom to find someone capable of forging an artifact with the seed. Apparently, there was no one in his own kingdom with that skill at the time.
Tristan read about how Lotho found himself in a complicated situation when the Dwarven King tried to force him to marry one of his daughters in exchange for crafting the item. The knight had to bargain extensively to change the king's mind. In the end, he managed to get the king to agree to a new deal. A new journey began, where Lotho had to venture into the depths of the earth in search of a legendary metal that only someone with great power could survive that trip.
Time passed, and Tristan realized he had lost his focus. He read one tale after another without noticing. This reminded him of how he used to find Lotho's stories fascinating in the distant past.
He refocused on what was important and recalled what had happened to the black dragon scale. The dwarves had used it to forge a black armor, which Tristan thought didn't suit Lotho at all.
Something that caught Tristan's attention was that the artifact had two enchantments: Shadow Mantle and Calamitous Aura. This was a novelty to him; as far as he knew, artifacts could only have one ability.
He researched for a few more moments to confirm his hypothesis.
'It seems artifacts made with a Vado Seed are an exception to this rule.' He quickly recognized the incredible advantage that type of artifact could bring.
Unfortunately, it seemed he wouldn't be able to use one now.
After gaining a new understanding of the Vado Seed, Tristan returned to his main objective. From where he stood, he could already see the tallest mountain in the region—a highly noticeable landmark. It wouldn't take long before he finally discovered what awaited him at the peak.
The location he needed to reach was northwest of his current position. He could see the white mist scattered across several spots in the region.
Tristan decided to head north and then turn west, skirting the mountains to save time and avoiding areas where the mist was densest.
***
Xiao Mei was climbing a snowy mountain alongside her companions from the Flying Sword Sect when she suddenly heard a voice behind her.
It was Liang Wei. "Hmm, I think there are people coming up behind us."
He pointed to a spot farther down the mountain.
And indeed, there were. When Mei looked, she saw several figures moving through the snow dozens of meters below them, confirming what the boy had said.
"Enemies from another sect?" Wei asked.
"Seems like it." Xiao Mei replied.
Mei Lian glanced at her companions apprehensively and asked, "What should we do?"
Liang Wei and Chen Bo remained silent, their minds racing to determine the most appropriate course of action.
"What else can we do but face them and show the strength of our sect?" Mei said with a determined look.
Except for Jin and Xiao Ning, her words fired up her companions.
They waited for their enemies to approach.
Time passed, and soon they could better see the appearance of the rival group. It was a group of four, all with robust, broad builds. They were dressed in brown and orange clothing that stood out against the white landscape.
Liang Wei frowned and spoke in a nervous tone. "Looks like they're Earth cultivators."
"I've seen two of them before," Chen Bo said, pointing at the ones walking in front. "Shan Luong and Tu Zhen. Our families have done some business in the past; they're disciples of the Living Rock Sect. I know they hold significant positions in that sect."
Mei noticed her companions' expressions growing more serious.
"So what?" Mei said.
"Mei, I think we should carefully consider whether we should really confront them. Elemental disadvantages shouldn't be underestimated; the masters always warn us to be cautious about this," said Lian, one of the girls in the group.
"Our sect's status is superior to theirs, so we must act accordingly. We can't dishonor our home just because of an elemental disadvantage." Her youthful voice was firm.
"Let's warn them to leave, and if they think they can push past us and take those herbs, we'll show them they're wrong."
Soon, the other group reached them, stopping a little way off. The disciples of both sects sized each other up before anyone spoke.
"Twins? Are you the Xiao sisters from the Flying Sword Sect? I've heard of you." A tall young man with short hair and a square jaw said. He gave a brief bow that conveyed little respect and introduced himself. "My name is Shan Luong, and these are my companions from the Living Rock Sect."
The disciples behind him also gave a subtle bow.
"Looks like we're here for the same goal," Shan Luong said.
"Indeed, which is why I advise you to turn back. After all, everything atop these mountains belongs to the Flying Sword Sect," Mei said confidently.
"Really? Perhaps there are enough herbs for both groups. Couldn't we work together to overcome the challenges along the way and share the reward?" Luong proposed.
Mei's companions looked at her.
"Why share when we can have it all? Leave!" Mei said, showing no interest in an agreement. In fact, her eyes gleamed with anticipation for conflict.
"Well, I'm afraid that won't be possible." Everyone could tell from his tone that he wasn't disappointed by the failed negotiation.
Xiao Mei placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. "If you think you're bold enough to take what's ours, then I'll gladly show you how foolish you are."
"You Wind cultivators with your skinny arms will stop us from moving forward?" Shan Luong said, then laughed.
"That's as likely as the wind toppling these mountains."