"Ren," Julius interrupted again. "We've established that I can detect your lies. Why don't you tell me the truth?"
There was another moment of tense silence before Ren finally sighed.
"There was a mana vein," he admitted. "A special one. That I wanted to use for my cultivation..."
"And that's when you found the hydra?"
Ren nodded slowly.
"Show me."
"What?"
The prince opened his robe, revealing dozens of small vials secured inside. "Medicine for mana poisoning. Enough to keep you safe even at that depth."
Ren's mushrooms pulsed while considering his situation...
"Well?" the prince arched an eyebrow. "Will you show me the way? Or would you prefer we continue this game of half-truths?"
Ren looked at the medicine vials, then at the prince, and finally toward the depths he knew so well.
"The vein is relatively easy to find," he began slowly.
"Perfect," Julius took out a vial and offered it to Ren. "Guide me."
