Secure the New Base

Majid opened his eyes it was dark as always, he became like ant this last few days, living underground. He checked the time it was 6 in the morning, his new body was energetic, it didn't know the joy of sleep. He felt some fluff his face as he moved around. He used his soul to see what's happening, he was left speechless. He didn't know who moved beside whom, all he know they ended up all beside each other. The little fox in his lap, then fiery, Teamoe's back was glued behind him. This is warmth magnetism, I should have just plunged between them last night. He took the chance to brush his face against the little Foxy's fur to his heart's content.

His worries generator started again, but he didn't mind, indeed he needs to think things through. Last night, he was too tired to think, but now he could already see some problems. There were some powerful cultivators outside, most likely not from his clan he didn't know of someone with that name, Liando. But they could be an involved third party like LaoJi, and they can be dangerous for other reasons so he wasn't keen on meeting them. On the other hand, there are beasts as well. If any of them make their way in, this place would be a death trap. Though he has the hidden room it wasn't suitable for training.

He thought the water was good, but that was only from the perspective of entering the cave. The water stream point directly to this place, anyone could follow it. It was still a hard question why would anyone follow the stream to its source, but it was undeniable that the cave wasn't hidden. And it couldn't be hidden like the other one because of the water source, other than drowning inside he would reveal his presence if he tried to hide it.

He has a lot to think about, yet he can't find a place to train peacefully, he needs a stable place to grow. He doesn't have resources, he can't move freely to look for them. He missed his cave and his kind ape already. Even the school started to look like a bad idea, after all, their clan was affiliated to a bigger clan in the city. His uncle was already a big shot in the clan, now that he was going to be the patriarch, if he asked them for a small favor, they would give him some face. It would be dangerous to have locals after his throat. Anyway, there were many bad scenarios he could think of. And he didn't want to give up on his lightning, he already decided to leave this damn kingdom, but he needed the power to be able to travel in the wilderness. But at this rate, might as well risk it, let's talk it out with Teemao Later.

Other than the hidden chamber, he doesn't feel good about this place. If only they could close that chamber without suffocating, he jerked from his place. Everyone left their heads after him, he didn't care about the disturbance he made, if his idea worked maybe he can buy some time in this place.

'System show my current position'

[what do you want to use as the origin]

'The tree of my first night here' it come naturally as it was already the origin in his mind.

[Your current position is 2km east, 8km nord]

'Can't you show me my altitude as well'

[Your altitude is 0.8km]

'In more details'

[Your altitude is 823m]

Yeah that's better, he looked at fiery, auntie can you take me out. He smiled bitterly, I'm a child for god's sake, I can ask for help... He shook his head as he stood before the hole and removed the firewood.

"Where are you going?" said Teemao with a yawn.

"I'm gonna check on something".

"Wait, I'm gonna come with you," he quickly scrambled over beside him.

This boy really, he celebrated inside though, he wasn't feeling good about going alone either, to each their fears. He crawled through the hole and headed outside carefully, he peeked from the entrance, and peaks welcomed him. They rose here and there from the greenery, making winding ways, the cave was hidden a little bit in a depression, where the water streamed down between the trees toward a valley. He enjoyed the beauty for a moment before he went out.

'system show me the map and overlap it with the map of the cave.'

He climbed the ridge above the cave and followed the cave's passage until he stood on top of the hidden room, fortunately in it was on the lower side of the ridge. He found the lowest part in a small depression, it was a nice place for a secret door, he was satisfied so he checked the system.

[Your attitude is 826 m]

He felt sour, it wasn't as he hoped for, but at least it was possible to dig a hole with this depth. If they could make it, this room would be a safe haven, they could isolate themselves completely from the cave. But there was still a dilemma. Rocks were already hard to dig without tools, but the real problem if they dig from outside, the noise was a problem. Dig from inside and they might dig their own grave, with the whole thing collapsing over their head.

But on the bright side, it was a muddy ground, he took a meter off before the rocks stopped him. Indeed, when he hit the rocks once he understood, he can't do it outside, and his hands weren't tough enough as he expected. That left him with the tricky part. And only fiery could do it, but he can't ask her for a risky job. He was feeling down as they make their way back inside the cave, he was ready to give up when the light of his torch lit the skeleton. he bowed his head in greeting, and an idea greeted him back. Yeah, that's it, the living must eat and drink, after all. He felt cheated when he found no loot beside the remains. He was delighted now at the unexpected benefits, I hope you won't disappoint me. He looked between the bones, his hand went for a thigh bone, he pulled it gently but the whole skeleton followed crackling around, shhh, damn it. He put some force but it won't budge, he tried for a long time to no avail.

"You shouldn't do that" Teemao wide-eyed him, just what goes on in this young master's mind. On the other hand, Majid was perspiring and his face reddened, his legs were pressing on his pelvis bone and his whole body was pulling. He planned to borrow this bone fast for a bit of time, but at this rate, he might create a vengeful spirit. I swear I will give it back just let go, the bone won't budge though. He wasn't disappointed, instead, he was delighted, it means the cultivator was indeed strong. He asked for the help of Fiery, she easily cut the tendons with her sharp fiery claws. He looked at the skull, he was tempted for a helmet, he looked at Teemao who was looking back at him.

"That would be going too far, right!" Majid noded, Teemao didn't know what to say, was this really the one who was frightened at the sight of the skeleton the last night.

Majid left the place swiftly after bowing his head to the bones, the bone's soul cursed back at him. He put the bone aside in the room and brought some rocks inside. He needed some leverage as the ceiling was about 3 meters high. Before he started though, he experimented on the rocks, he didn't apply much power and the rock broke like glass. I liked this bone, he prayed for a bountiful next life for the person. Unfortunately, there was no bone genitalia to know the gender, maybe it's they, he was ready to respect whatever gender the bones identify with. In the end, out of respect for its sexless status, he goes simply by bone. Thank you, Bone, no doubt we were family in our past life.

He tried to dig deeper on the rocks, and he brought a forearm bone and used it as a chisel. He pounded on and on until he understood the cracking mechanics. He stood under the right coordinates, and started to pound on the ceiling, he took his time digging, humming and his head nodding along. His fun stopped when a large shard fell on his head, it wasn't a big deal with his above-average toughness but it tensed him and helped him focus more on the job. He switched with Teemoa now and then. After a long 6 hours, the late afternoon graced them with its daylight. He widened the hole enough for them to pass through.

"Teemao, don't you want one of these its quite handy" Majid swung the bone, it was scratch less. he already changed his mind, he can't give it back. He needed a good weapon and this bone was just that good.

"No need!" Teemao hesitated to help him dig because of the bone in the first place.

I will make you live again, as a legendary weapon, Majid promised. he then worked on the small hole, isolating them from the cave. Only then he was relieved, now he can wait here until things cool down back at their spiritual cave, there's no need to hurry his big emigration. Before he busies himself with his own thing, he needed to help Teemao he can't let him waste his time, doing nothing.

"Teemao its time to teach you the Fire Snake Technique," Majid crossed his hands behind his back, and spread his legs acting the part.

Teemao like him trained his agility first and was training his arm strength with a low earth technique, The Rock Fist, he needed some mobility and strength to wander the forest. He was delighted with the news, he was going to train the superior fighting technique, the Fire Snake Fist. Majid was delighted as well, he liked the idea of teaching, it made him feel accomplished.

"Ok buddy, let's start"

"Yes young master"

"Enough with that young master already!" he indeed said that but inside he was tickled, it was nice on his ears, no one dislike being treated with a bit of respect. But he feared it goes to his head, he doesn't want to become what he hates the most.

"But youn... fellow disciple Xiaode, doesn't the fire snake technique needs a fire affinity," Teemao deflated when he remembered this, his element was incompatible. While his wood element was different than the earth element, the necessary element for the rock fist. it was a hard element as well, compatible with the technique.

"It's so tiring right, call me Xiaode is enough, and only when I lost my attention OK… Back to our subject, why do you think there's a difference in levels?" Majid strolled left and right, his head held high.

"Grades are defined by the usage of Qi and Elements…" Mortal Techniques are for mortals, though mortal can't use Qi directly, these techniques can help them tempers the body relying on Qi's rich medicines, Though rare, some mortal made it to the ninth level of body tempering. On the other hand, Rare Techniques are for cultivators, they use Qi inspired by normal beasts' or self-made moves. But in this grade, the attacks are element less. Earth Grade is when the techniques started to use elements, even the weakest clans must at least have a low level one to be considered. In this grade, the inspiration is drawn from elemental beasts, or custom made elemental techniques. There are sky, saint, and even divine techniques above.

"Than how about the levels in each grade…" Teemao wasn't annoyed by the questions, any boy likes to flaunt his knowledge. And indeed he was well versed, Majid was amazed at the boy's hard work, he never learned something by heart like him. Indeed if he talked himself, he would have made a joke of himself, his knowledge though deeper than Teemao, was haphazard of ideas. His back sweated, he needs to make a good point, damn it, or else his image would safer.

"The levels depend on each technique complexity and efficiency..."

"So why was the Fire Snake Fist graded as an earth technique, and why it's leveled is higher than your rock fist"

"It was graded earth as it copies an elemental beast, and the intricacies of the moves and the power of the attack are superior to The Rock Fist, thus a higher level".

"Then if we keep the moves, and change the element, does that necessarily lower its level?"

"The technique is matched with the most compatible element, thas its level should lower in the most case dependent on the compatibility!"

This boy indeed knew what he's talking about, his body perspired more and more, he avoided the daylight otherwise his sweat beads would shine his stress. He didn't think about the compatibility matter, would his wood element works.

"Thus we can't know unless we tried, and the moves are already superior to your Technique"

Majid kept avoiding eye contact with Teemao, he already tried electricity with his technique from the manual he got for his reward, And indeed it was inferior to his fire version in power. The Fire Snake Fist works best with fire, with explosive power and speed. But that doesn't necessarily make the variation inferior in his estimation, other affinities gave it other attributes. His electricity, for example, was less powerful, but it made it faster and work perfectly with the stun effect, witch in his hamble opinion was a better result, or rather a perfect combination. So he got confident again and took the chance to consolidate his scholarly image in front of the boy, explaining his view on the matter. While Teemao wood would lack in speed, it can compensate with toughness and fists recovery. The Fist Technique's level might decrease a little bit but it would be better than the rock fist, or so he hopped.

"It's the user who makes the difference, not the technique," Majid spew some nonsense to convince the boy, well he has the system, so he can help him out probably.

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In a wide country yard, 2 man wearing white robs exiting leaving behind another 2.

the purple robbed man frowned at the boy in front of him.

"What does this mean Xugao" Elder Xugi said in a calm voice, that wasn't calming at all.

"Father I swear, I pierced his heart with my own hands and was present as my lackeys buried him, there no way he's alive" Xugao said as he got on his knee, he didn't understand, there's no way it was Xiaode, it was either Laoji is playing a prank on him or it was some kind of misunderstanding.

"Do you know of any disciple in our clan with amber eyes" Xugi harrumphed at his son's excuses.

"I-i-i really-"

"I will give 3 days, bring me his head this time, don't fail again" Elder Xugi gave his back to his son.

"But"

"No buts"

Xugao looked down, his eyes bulging viscously, he should find Teemao first to understand what's happening.