Weird Liquid

"There's nothing here in these caves, Fiona. All we saw were the bats from earlier."

"We should head deeper, then daddy."

"You said that last time."

"There. Will. Be. Treasures!"

We've been walking in the cave system for quite a while now. The pathway leads to nowhere, just filled with darkness and rocks. No traces of spiritual essence anywhere.

"Daddy, look! There's light ahead, at the exit of the tunnel!" Fiona's eyes shone with a greedy glint. Damn, she is really a treasure hungry girl... can't say I don't like that.

"Come!" She grabbed my hand and ran.

"Wait! Shouldn't we be on the lookout for dangers and whatnot-holy smokes-"

The tunnel led to a large, circular room. Stalagmites of unique shapes and sizes decorated the area, some glowing in a myriad of colors. They reminded me of dyed icicles... beautiful... they look like gems.

"Wow," Fiona muttered, before staring at an amethyst-looking stalagmite, gleaming with brilliance.

'Is purple her favorite color? Noted.'

I glanced around the room before stopping at the ceiling. On top hung stalagmites, like a chandelier, reaching for the ground. They dripped a milky, white liquid, which they collected into a small puddle at the center of the room.

Standing on my toes, I raised my hand and touched the tip of the stalagmite where another drop of the liquid fell.

Cool to the touch, and viscous like honey... could it be edible?

"Fiona... uh, do you know what this milky liquid is?"

"No. I don't sense spiritual essence from it either, that's weird. Could there really be no treasures in this place?" Fiona replied, with a finger on her lip.

Should I try it? The Isekai protagonists always have some unexplainable but fortuitous encounters that make them overpowered... could this liquid be it for me?

No risk, no reward!

I think I've said that too much today... makes me seem stupid, like I'm gambling with my life. Huh.

"Fiona, daddy will try some of this liquid. If he dies, live well, okay? Remember to never drink or eat unknown substances."

"Daddy, wait-!"

I licked my finger.

The liquid tasted sweet, with a tinge of acidity and cold in my throat.

Eh? I looked down only to see Fiona licking my finger.

"Daddy... don't do that.... you have to stay safe..." she collapsed onto the ground, with a hand on my arm.

I ran over and hugged her frail body, with an arm on her back. "Ah, I'm sorry, Fiona. Did I scare you too much? It will be all right. The liquid helped daddy a lot. It stabilized my cultivation with just a lick... Mhmm, don't cry. Daddy won't do that next time...."

The reaction was so unusual... her trauma. Just how deep was it? She's way too attached to her father. I mean, well, I could say the same thing to myself but...

Fiona curled up like a cat against my chest and fell asleep.

It also seems like she's gone through a lot of mental strain today... from the earlier incident with the city lord?

We need to talk when she wakes up.

"Gosh, my little kitten, you're so troublesome..." I said while caressing her back.

After her breathing stabilized, I turned my attention to the milky liquid. "A hidden treasure. The once rough waves in my spiritual sea are now tranquil and peaceful, with just a drop. This will speed up our cultivation tenfold! I can add trickles of it to Fiona's food, just to further her foundation."

I reached inside Fiona's spiritual rings and pulled out two bottles of water, emptied them, and scooped up the liquid from the small puddle.

"Weird that there are no signs of life here..." I muttered while shaking the bottle. "Apart from the bats earlier, there seem to be no disturbances in the area. No footprints, no sounds. Nothing. Just darkness."

Tossing the bottle inside the spiritual ring, I took a last glance at the stalagmite formations before walking out.

'With Fiona asleep, her spiritual sense is off, and I'm too weak to fend off enemies. Stay low-key, at least until I'm stronger.'

__________

Rustle.

A man appeared behind the bushes carrying a bundle of leaves. He walked inside a cave, stopping in front of a girl laying on top of some logs.

He got down on his knees and gently kissed her forehead. "Sorry... that bed may be a bit uncomfortable. These leaves will help."

The sunlight flickered before stopping on the man's face. There was Vincent, with a loving smile as he watched the girl sleep.

He turned his head around, shielding his eyes from the sun. "Sun's setting. It's getting dark soon. I should try to find something to eat."

"I don't want to leave Fiona in this cave alone though... it's not even a cave. More like an opening in the mountains... although it's pretty well hidden deep in the forests, I can't help but worry... ah, screw it. I'll just do my exercises now. I think Fiona will wake up later and we can hunt later in the night."

"So, let's do 100 pushups first. I have stabilized my first stage of cultivation, so it should be easy..."

"Lie prone on the ground with your hands placed as wide or slightly wider than shoulder-width..."

"Keep your body straight, lower your body to the ground by bending your arms at the elbows... and raise your body up off the ground by extending your arms. Repeat."

I've always wanted my body to be healthier, so I did some research on some exercises... but I never got into it. Tired after a few breaths, and always scourging for food.... sigh, those were the days. Plus, those assassins always mentioned staying fit, being in tip-top shape for missions. Hell, I just wanted some money and not to starve. I'd never trusted those backstabbers, either.

"One. Two. Three. Seventeen. Whew. It's getting harder now... Twenty-four. Twenty-seven. Thirty!"

I wiped the sweat off my brow and took a deep breath. My cultivation doesn't seem to help... it looks like my constitution still is weak. That means I need to work harder!

"Thirty. Three. Thirty-seven! Forty!" Hai.

Two-thirds left! My arms are getting numb, but it's manageable!

"Fifty!"

"Sixty! Seven..tee... eighty! Ninety... one... three... seven..."

3 more! just 3 more! Nine...ty... ei..g.h.t!"

My body is shaking and my arm throbs. There's a burning pain in my stomach that hurts even more than the exploding dantian. Come on! Move! My eyelids were blinking at the same pace as my quick breaths. It's only pushups... only 100! 2 more left!

I dropped my body. Damn, I... I want to fall all the way.... and take a damn rest. No! Stable yourself.

Ha. ha.

Now get back up! My hands trembled as I tried to muster strength in my arms.

Why is this so hard? Every time. Every time I try to protect someone, it hurts. The girl who would get raped that night. Monster. It hurt.

The street dog that begged me for a sausage. The dirty smell from his fur. His bony frame. I gave the sausage away, and it hurt. It fucking hurt.

Pain. The pain from the beatings. The pain from the vulgarities. The pain in my heart when I saw that mother of mine.

That's right. This is nothing compared to back then.

Ninety-nine. 1 more to go.

The last one, till my first set on my journey to strength. I can do this! For Fiona!

That's right. Fiona. Her warmth. Her comfort. Her happiness brought mine. Her cuddles and her licks.

My body felt light suddenly. Ah. I looked at Fiona, who was sleeping soundly. A thin smile parted from my lips.

And with one swift motion, one hundred.

I collapsed on the floor, with an arm on my chest.

"That... was rough."