Test the water back

Majid let Teemao train, and secretly wiped the sweat on his forehead. His eyes widened as he looked at Fiery, and loose pieces in his mind matched. He has yet another day to decide how to use his reward, and here is a powerful beast right in front of him, with a lot of data about her. He felt that a technique inspired by her style might be better than his snake or lizard techniques. He added it to the list of candidates for his reward, his list started to get out of control.

And now finally he can go back to his unfinished work, his second theory. He estimated the Xiaode meridians' daily progress to be 1 exp per thousand, while his progress was 5 exp, which wasn't good news but was to be expected, after all, he cultivates more channels than Xiaode at the same time. Now he needs to find the time it takes for his channels to start degrading and in what conditions. He went to a corner and started meditating without using Qi, he would give it some time and see.

Meanwhile, he started to think about his situation. He can't escape to other cities because of the beasts, he can't stay near his clan influence either. He was lost, all he can do was to hid and train until he understands the power dynamics in this world. The kingdom wasn't completely lawless, otherwise, it would have collapsed. But it wasn't law-abiding either, in The Fire Snake City, his clan was the law. In a bigger city though they can't run rampant. He thought once that Teemao needed a backup, but didn't realize that he needed one himself. Enrolling in the school wasn't enough, if his uncle pulled the local clan card he would be done for, he needed to attract the attention of a powerful master. So training was indeed the answer, but he needs to survive first, and for that, he needs to solve the most troubling problem, the soul detection technique.

Contemplating for some time, he started to experiment with his soul to understand its limits. He stretched his soul observing how it interact with its surroundings. It couldn't pass through any solid objects, it was like water in that sense. The void left by the objects in the soul's space is transferred to the mind. On a close range, one can focus his soul on an object, it can infiltrate deeper in small cavities, getting a detailed read. The soul has a second way of detection due to its Qi sensing characteristic. It could easily differentiate between a spiritual object like a spirit stone, a beast, and even a cultivator from things like trees, rocks, and mortals. While he got some ideas for the first problem, he couldn't think of any way for the second, so he put it at the top of the list for the reward.

Ring!

[New Quest]

Find an anti Soul Detection method.

Time limit: 5 days.

Reward: free choice, low level.

This system, why low level why, though he was frustrated as his system kept adding unsolicited limitations. It was a free choice again and without an expiration date, he nodded in satisfaction. He thought first on spending his free choice to clear this Quest, but the system warned him, the Quest would fail.

Time goes, and some results started to come out, it wasn't good though. By the second day, his meridians indeed decreased, but his body level did first. It started with his legs and his arms levels so he stopped his experiment. He was shocked, he was so excited about this, but it looks like his theory might go to the dump. It seems when the reserve of Qi finishes the body starts consuming itself, like with the nutrients.

Fiery started to hunt for food as their meat reserves depleted, Majid asked her casually to bring along spirit herbs if she stumbled upon some, but he was surprised at the amount she was able to harvest for them. Teemao was delighted, these herbs took months of his work were delivered daily to lap, and relationship with Fiery grew better because of that. But an idea started to bother him, his talk with Teemao pointed at something crucial, mortals also do the same...

"Teemao why do cultivators prefer spirit stones over medicines," Teemao rely on medicines for his cultivation, and with his expertise on them it was better to look for an accurate answer from him. The latter rolled his eyes at him.

"Isn't that obvious…"

Pills and elixirs made from low-quality herbs were inefficient as seen from the mortal's slow body tempering. And it was a waste to spend rare spiritual herbs on cultivation when spirit stones and other special sources were available. Instead, they use them for their other benefits, like tempering organs like the viscera, brain, and to help with breakthroughs. Most importantly, cultivators deemed the meridian progress as the deciding factor of leveling. While it was important to build the body, it was crucial to build the meridians to breakthrough to the next realm. Not only that, cultivator looked down on this method due to its association with mortals.

And they don't know of the Meridians side effect, Majid smirked as he thought of this, his theory wasn't for nothing, he found a blind spot. Though it could work, he gave up on his theory it would waste a lot of his time, and there was a better way. The mortals were slow not necessarily because of medicines inadequacy. Instead, they can't afford the right amount and consistency. It results in the self-destruction of the body, it was like pouring water over sand, a bottomless pit. But he was different, he has the system he can reduce the damage and find the best balance as long as he can afford the medicines. He needed to go back to his spirit source, his cultivation there was the fastest.

Days went by, Majid used the Medicines Teemao made, his cultivation progressed without a problem, so he confirmed his intuition.

Ring! Ring!

[4 hours till the free choice reward expire]

You gotta change that damn ring to something gentle, and he negotiated with the system a new voice, he was bored of that mechanical tone. He opted for a soothing female voice but hesitated as he would lose his negotiation edge, and wouldn't be able to shout and curse at the system as much as liked. But in the end, he kept it so he can be bold whoever was his opponent. Anyway, It was indeed the right thing to set this alarm if he let expire he didn't know what he would have done.

Though he was so tempted to use the reward on the fox technique, a solution for soul detection was more important. No amount of techniques could save his life in the short run. But he already started to figure out a way and with the Quest, the free choice goes for the Fox Technique. He needed another technique to hide his ties with the clan, and these foxes were special for him. Sooner or later he would need to move on, so he liked the idea of keeping a souvenir of them.

'System can you generate a technique based on Fiery's fighting style for my reward.'

[Yes it's possible]

That's good, 'What's the estimated grade, and level'

[Wait...]

[The Techniques would be above Superior Earth Grade, the system didn't have data about Sky grade]

Holy shit does this mean fiery is sky beast, no wonder I have no information about her, well beast needs time to grow strong like humans. He bowed his head in respect.

'System can you generate a wood variation of the Technique'

[It's possible but The Fire variation level would drop to Superior Earth, and wood variation would be medium level]

Sorry buddy, I did what I can. Majid shook his head as he looked at Teemao, maybe when he got his next reward he would get him the variation. 'System get me my Sky Manual'

[Congratulation, you received Fiery Fox Steps and Fiery Fox Claws manuals, Above Superior Earth Grade]

He was delighted at the unexpected surprise, he didn't know the system would get him a movement technique. After thinking for a while Majid decided to teach the Technique to Teemao. The little guy deserves to be treated with sincerity, and so he won't need to waste his second free choice.

"Teemao this is a secret technique that my father imparted to me before his death," Majid went on and on about how he trusts him, how he should keep it a secret, and how it was a sky grade. Teemao was skeptical especially when he heard the Technique's name. But when he saw how Majid trained seriously in this technique he followed as well.

Day after day passed, relying on the system, Majid found a good balance between using the medicines, cultivation using the Ape core and his training. It's been a week since they came to this cave and it was time to test the water, Majid prepared to go back.

"Anyway Teemao remember the thing I told you"

"Yes youn- Xiaode"

"I'm MaoJi remember"

"Ok youn… "

Teemao wanted to go along with him. He doesn't know whether he was still afraid of Fiery or it was camaraderie, he welcomed him nonetheless. Fiery was gonna follow the next day if they didn't return, which means the place was safe. After all, she has her cub to protect.

"But do we really need to do this," Teemao was unconvinced.

"Trust me, your life is worth more than just looks"

Teemao face, behind the branches, wore a grave scowl. Majid prepared a special uniform for the trip, one can't differentiate them from a shrub once they crouched without a keen look, their fingers were the only thing sticking out. Their robes between the brunch were like trunks with a mix of dirt and green color. Majid makes sure to remove any sign related to their clan from the clothes, just in case. Majid looked at his work, nodding his head.

It was early morning, Majid learned from his lesson. The trip takes about 2 hours, but 3 hours passed and they have yet to make it past the beast zone. With the leadership of Majid, they stopped every now and then, and they have been hidden again between the shrubs, Majid's eyes scanned the area ahead for a while.

"Let's go."

They moved between the greenery, not leaving any noticeable traces behind. Teemao understood his caution, but he was frustrated about the time-stretched inside the beast zone, only when the end of the valley showed ahead that he was relieved. they hurried their steps but right at that moment, a familiar wave swept past them. "F**k, Teemao follow me" he rushed without hesitation, that's why he took his time to scan the area in case of emergencies. They hid in between a lush area, their eyes bulged in wait. In the distance, they could see a man arrived in the place they left.

"Hmm, I'm sure it was here," the sound of a boy could be heard, "Why can't I sense it anymore."

Majid was relieved, it seems his countermeasures worked, though he succeeded the Quest, he couldn't help feel frustrated now. Back then he started from the easiest problem, to hide his shape. After he understood the soul characteristics, he had an idea, he made Teemao wear the tree costume. Since the soul was inaccurate from distance that means unlike water it can't fill the details, it was like a viscous liquid in that sense. Which means he can confuse the sense with altering his outer appearance. But to his surprise, it solved even the difficult part, since the soul was blocked at the branches limit, it can't reach his body, and neither his body's Qi aura, it wasn't the most elegant way, but it did the job for now. But another problem surfaced, he hid from the soul but the soul hid from him. While he can trick the shape detection, the soul can easily see a moving object, he wouldn't even know he was found. Since the wave came suddenly he couldn't think of a sure counter to that, and that's why he stuck out his fingers, the amount of Qi in his fingers wasn't obvious.

His smug face crumbled though and sweat beads gathered on his forehead with each step. The boy was persistent, he kept looking around until he made his way to their spot.

"Liando what are you doing" Another 2 were coming in their direction.

'Damn it was him again,' Majid was speechless, He looked at Liando, he was like a fly, didn't know how to leave someone alone. He was a chubby fly, especially his red cheeks they made his head look like a pear. He didn't look funny at all in Majid's eyes with his ridiculous long red hair. They wore the same uniform, a black robe, a silver embroidery run over the fabric, drawing divine lotuses of all kinds, with a majestic one at the back. That uniform was for the disciples of the kingdom schools, and the embroidery represented the school of the Divine Lotus City.

Majid was relieved they weren't from the clan. They were young the same age as him, about 14 years, unlike their real age. But he didn't reveal himself nonetheless You never know, they might harm but never benefit him, so why bother. He learned from his cousin that kids in this world weren't all that naive.

This little pear won't give up, he kept looking around, his head suddenly stopped in his direction, and his eyes squinted. Majid breaths stopped, and Liando's neck tilted forward before he crashed on the ground.

"Haha…"

"Liando what so funny," a gray-haired boy with an oval face followed the chubby boy and squinted his eyes, his long gray hair swayed, as he walked closer. not long after his cheeks blew, and he pointed at him.

"Haha L-L-Lanru, look at this guy haha!"

For a world where men grow their hair, Majid was surprised at first to see a girl with shoulder-length black hair, a long lock of hair waved from the back and rested on her chest. Her eyebrows tilted a bit inwardly, with gray eyes making her look calm and serious. She lost them though, as she joined their fun, though it seemed like she tried to hold herself, it seems his work was real art.

Majid wasn't bothered as this was his last line of defense, he took the silly persona seriously. It was hard to make people overestimate him, at least it was easy to be underestimated. While he was too old to care about these kids' fun, Teemao's face was a ripe fruit, red as he cursed at him in his mind.

"Greetings, honorable disciples of the Divine Lotus, this one name is Mao Ji," Majid wanted to hurry things up so they could leave.

"W-heh... what... are you doing?" the grey-haired boy finally mustered his words.

"I'm training" Majid kept observed their reactions.

"What a weakling like you doing here training, in this beast valley" the gray-haired cackled at the idea.

"I'm trying, you know... like to be one with nature" Majid goes on how the stress from being around powerful beast would make their meditation more fruitful. He knew his words were funny but these things were common sense in this world. He didn't know it would sound like some chuunibyou even in this world as the whole bunch burst into laughter. Great don't think about anything else and keep laughing.

"It's indeed dangerous here," Majid nodded his head, "so excuse us, honorable disciples, we won't take any more of your precious time," he looked at Teemao.

"Us…" the gray-haired boy's followed his sight, and so does his fellows.

"Teemao let's go" Teemao cursed back and two shrubs hoped away in no time, leaving behind silence before laughers broke loose again.