Am I going to win this race?
That was what Laine felt his current predicament could be be described as. Either he won and made it to the array outpost and into the safe embrace of Cloudveil City, or Larissa won and, well, he didn't want to think too deeply about what that outcome entailed.
Her fury grew with every clearing he passed. Each time her shriek followed, louder and more urgent. The gap between them kept closing. It took her only ten seconds to react now.
Laine charged through the forest, the damp moss making every step treacherous. One misstep, one slip, and he'd slam into a tree. At his speed, that would mean severe injury—if not worse. She'd catch him before he could rise again.
Regrettably, he wasn't able to outrun the Trailing Talisman. It followed above him and moved with him like an extension of his body. Despite that, as long as he entered Cloudveil City, its defensive formation would annihilate the measly orb of light.
Laine slowed as he entered the second-to-last clearing. He activated his final Windwalk Talisman. The winds roared around his legs, propelling him forward.
Five seconds passed. No sound from her. Five more. Silence. His nerves frayed. She must have another trick up her sleeve.
The Windwalk Talisman had a five-minute duration. Only one minute remained when he reached the final clearing. His left hand gripped the jade slip for the array.
Almost ther—
A crackling noise thundered behind him.
He glanced back, eyes widening.
Larissa appeared in the clearing, a snow-white sword in hand. Bursts of fire shot out from her heels, propelling her forward at a speed that would catch up to Laine in several seconds.
"Do you think I'll let you…you? You!"
If she wasn't flying toward him, he imagined she'd be hopping like a bunny in fury.
Laine gritted his teeth. "How dare you make me waste this!" He pulled out another leaf-shaped talisman, this one glowing autumn orange.
A bright orange glow enveloped Laine's body as he burst forward. Fallen leaves, slick and damp, threatened to betray his footing. Yet, he never faltered, his eyes fixed on the shadowy treeline ahead, each stride fueled by a desperate urgency that defied the treacherous footing.
Larissa cried out in disbelief. "Impossible! The World's Breath Talisman vanished over 20 years ago!"
Unbeknownst to Laine, 22 years ago, many items disappeared from the cultivation world. It was as if a deific entity strolled through and took all of whatever fancied it. The World's Breath Talisman was one of the last things Laine owned to remind him of his mother. Now, it too became dust on the wind.
Whatever else Larissa shouted fell away, drowned by the storming winds around him. He had one goal: head forward unceasingly.
His body flickered, vanishing one moment, reappearing several meters ahead. The winds bent light around him.
This speed was greater than his senses could keep up with. He could only run straight, his entire world a blur as the wind that blasted his face forced him to squint.
Black Ironwood trees that blocked his path uprooted and flew aside. Behind him, the forest lay in disarray.
Luck stayed with him. He exited the forest, and the array outpost appeared ahead.
The guards at the outpost felt a powerful gust before the array lit up. No one appeared, but someone had used the array to enter Cloudveil City. Their hearts raced. Only a Sky Realm cultivator could move at such speeds.
♦ ♦ ♦
In the northern reaches of Cloudveil City stood the Myriad Fires Pavilion. Dark stone formed its exterior, with smooth walls and a sharply angled roof, giving it a fortress-like appearance. Small lanterns hung from the eaves, their soft light barely cutting through the shadows that clung to the structure.
Larissa Vale stood at the entrance, distraught. How had she failed to catch a man so much weaker than herself? She hadn't expected him to possess a World's Breath Talisman, but that didn't ease her frustration. She'd let her big sister down. The iron doors before her seemed more imposing than ever.
She stepped into a large antechamber, instantly refreshed by the cool air. Polished stone floors gleamed under dim lighting, and a fountain at the center shimmered with turquoise water. A single lotus floated, its petals glowing faintly cyan, radiating a gentle chill.
Despite the tension, Larissa inhaled deeply at the sight of the Chillheart Lotus, a rare plant that calmed both body and mind.
"Ms. Vale, you've returned. Is everything all right?" A kind voice called from the back of the chamber.
Beyond the fountain stood a desk of Black Ironwood. The voice belonged to an older man with salt-and-pepper hair, dressed in gray robes.
Larissa forced a smile. "I'm fine, Kael, thanks. Do you know where my big sister is?"
"Where else would she be?" Kael grinned.
With a knowing smile, Larissa headed down the hallway past the desk.
The hallway stretched wide, its white walls flanking multiple doors on both sides. However, Larissa paid them no mind as she headed towards the far end of the corridor. There, she spotted her destination: a pair of large obsidian doors that towered in juxtaposition with the rest of the hallway.
Intense heat struck her the moment she entered.
Located at the furthest end of the room was a colossal, serpentine structure, its form reminiscent of a dark-gray nine-headed dragon coiled in eternal slumber. This structure, the Nine-Headed Dragon Forge, was a Top-Grade Earth Artifact.
Artifacts were divided into five major grades: Common, Unique, Ethereal, Legendary, and Mythic. Each major grade was further broken down into four minor grades: Low, Mid, High, and Top.
The Myriad Fires Pavilion gained its prestige through the quality of the artifacts crafted here. Even a vast quantity of spirit stones wouldn't guarantee a commission from its owner.
Standing near a massive anvil at the center of the room was the owner in question, Valeria Stone. She wore a long-sleeved, midnight-blue gown that clung to her curvy figure. Golden patterns decorated the gown. One of them, in particular, spread across her impressive bust.
Larissa descended the stone stairs. "Big sis, I'm back."
"Perfect! Did you get the parts for the artifact?" Valeria rubbed her hands together.
"I… I didn't…" Larissa mumbled, struggling to speak.
Valeria's golden eyes narrowed. "What happened? Explain."
Larissa recounted the events in Silver Valley, head lowered. She had never failed her sister like this. Before she could wallow in her failure, Valeria's arms wrapped around her, pressing her into a soft pair of large breasts.
Valeria stood at 172cm, naturally, when she embraced Larissa, who's several inches shorter. This outcome was to be expected.
"Ah, Larissa… Why must you be so hard on yourself? How could my little sister ever fail me? The Razorback Boar King's ashes are the hardest to find, and yet you brought those back without fail. As for the razorback boar hearts, we can simply purchase those in bulk. My little sister is amazing, isn't she?"
Muffled sobs came from Larissa. Though not related by blood, the two were closer than most siblings ever could be.
After a moment, Valeria released her, looking into her teary light-blue eyes. "What would people think if they knew cold Larissa Vale was so sensitive?" Valeria teased, smiling.
Larissa jumped back like a frightened cat. "No! Please, no one can know."
"Relax. It's our secret. Now, about this man. To have a World's Breath Talisman… he's not as simple as he seems. Should I ask Senior Rowan to locate him?"
"I must be the one to find him."
Valeria smirked, returning to the anvil. "Based on what you told me yesterday, he likely lives in the Stone Hut Layer. I also heard a cloaked man sold 24 Talismans of Repulsion today." She hefted a ball-peen hammer from the anvil's side. "For a man to catch your attention like this… maybe I should look into him myself. Would you mind sharing with your big sister?" She brought the hammer down on the battleaxe artifact that had been lying there.
"Sharing your foot!" Larissa's face turned bright red as she stomped out of the room.