Star Forming Flower

After telling them about my plans to depart I did just that. There were some goodbyes and Chen Huang hesitated a little to depart from me, but ultimately did so. It wasn't anything heartfelt and was mostly casual since it wasn't like I was never going to appear again.

They didn't kill Zhen Huo instead deciding that they would capture he. As for the man we saved, he begged and pleaded to join their group for a long time. In the end, they extremely reluctantly let him join since he could be a witness.

But there were two people who insisted on following me on my journey. One of them was quite expected, but the other didn't make much sense to me. Walking through the forest two sets of footsteps followed behind me. One of them was Yao Ya, the person whose now become my lover, and the other Rao Nuan.

I didn't think her relationship with me was really anything special enough for her to separate from the others for me, but apparently it is? I still remember that time where she randomly started coming onto me just before a mission. It was weird and I felt like it came out of nowhere since we hadn't especially done anything together.

The sound of rushing water seemed to come from ahead, something notable finally appeared so I went towards it. I know that a river isn't anything exciting, but when all I've been seeing are endless trees for 3 hours any change in scenery was a good change.

The river flowed down from a waterfall nearby. It was around 5 meters in length and the bottom was quite deep, possibly enough to reach our neck. Across the river was a cave hidden by a few trees. My first thought was to check out the cave and see if anything was inside. Then I remembered the first time we came to this world.

Once our APC convoy met a creature of this world we were immediately trashed. If not for our quick escape into the woods where we found a cave we would have been finished. The fact that we didn't encounter an animal within the cave nor did one come during our sleep was a miracle.

"Let's check out that cave maybe there's something good there." I pointed across to the cave.

"Alright!" Yao Ya said immediately

"Uh, how do you want to cross?" Rao Nuan said as she looked at the water

"We swim of course. Just make sure to go directly to the other side, don't even try to fight against the current. Wait, do you not know how to swim?"

"...no I don't, can you carry me over? I would really appreciate it!"

Before I could even think about it Yao Ya interjected, "It's okay! I can carry you over, You're a woman after all so a woman has to help you out."

"Oh I don't mind those old fashioned thoughts. It doesn't matter if it's a man or woman who brings me over." Rao Nuan said

"No I insist!" Yao Ya grabbed her arm and forced her onto her back before diving into the water.

Seeing her suddenly dive in I decided to go in as well. Once I was in the water I felt the undercurrent as it started pushing me along. Not long after I reached the other side and climbed up.

What awaited me were two drenched women, one looked a little sly and the other seemed a little embarrassed as she looked at her clothing, they were Rao Nuan and Yao Ya respectively.

"Let's check out the cave we can rest there for a while and dry our clothes after it's safe."

"En"

"Ok, luckily the main part of our robes were blue and not white."

When we made it to the entrance a light roar came from within followed by heavy sounding foot steps. We backed up a from the entrance 1 step for every step that came from the entrance. Eventually a large head emerged from the cave into the light along with it's body.

The creature was as big as an elephant with gray skin, yet head had a massive horn on it's head. It's eyes faced forward towards us as it had large flat feet. In fact it kinda looked like a rhino, but it's most distinguishing feature from one was it's fang like teeth which came out from it's mouth and it's caved in back.

"Watch out! I feel it's strength should be around that of a third stage cultivator." Yao Ya said as she analyzed the creature

"It'll be a tough battle, but I think we can beat it!" Rao Nuan said

It raised on of it's front legs and pushed some ground back a couple of times before it rushed forward with a incredible speed. By the time I realized it had moved It already cross half the distance between us.

Diving out of the way I watch as the large creature... failed miserably to stop itself. It press it's four thick limbs creating small trenches in the ground as it slid towards the river. Along the way it even took down a tree, as he slowed down and down it still wasn't enough to offset his momentum as it fell into the river.

Lucky for us it wasn't like an elephant and couldn't swim, instead it futilely tried flailing it's limbs to gain control while it was carried away by that same current we dealt with earlier.

"..."

'Huh, that wasn't that bad. What an easy boss battle, A third stage beast couldn't even swim! The only bad thing that happened to us was that we got dirty. Now for the loot!'

"Alright, let go in the cave now. Maybe it was guarding something in there." I said hopefully

"Yeah, let's check it out! Perhaps there's something we could use." Yao Ya said thoughtfully

"Will a cave really have anything good?" Rao Nuan asked curiously

As we walked in the air seemed purer in here than what was outside.

'Does this place have more abundant Qi than out there? It's a shame I'm still in the second stage of cultivation or else I would of been able to take advantage of this situation.'

The cave wasn't too deep and as we walked in the surroundings became more and more covered in plant life. Eventually we reached the end and in the middle was a flower being dramatically shined upon by some sunlight which just so happened to come in through a hole.

The flower had a dark blue color with white sparkling dots scattered on it randomly. It even glowed with a feint dark blue aura, looking like something straight out of a fantasy book.

"Brother Cheng that's a talent plant! It's called a Star Forming Flower and it can increase your talent! When I asked my master if talent could be raised she told me about talent plants and that one right there is one of the higher quality ones! Quickly, you should eat the flower!" Yao Ya said excitedly

"What really?! That's amazing!" I exclaimed

'Damn this is some good luck! Finding something like this here is extremely lucky!'

She went over and carefully cut it off towards the bottom of the stem.

"What about me? I want some of the flower too!" Rao Nuan said

"Hmm? You don't need it you're talent is already high enough, on the other hand Brother Cheng would benefit a lot from it!"

"Alright then, I won't take it, but if we find another I want it!"

"Ok the next one we find if yours then." Yao Ya said immediately

Carefully Yao Ya brought the flower to my mouth.

"Open up! It'll be good for you!"

Opening up my mouth she placed the flower in my mouth and in my excitement I closed my lips too soon. As a result her fingers were clamped between my lips for a second before I instantly realized what I did.

She didn't seem to mind though as she just smiled at me.

Chewing on the flower it didn't really have the earthy plant taste I thought it would. Instead a slightly sweet taste came from it as I chewed down on the plant. The stem's texture was like celery and the petals felt like I was chewing on thin ice which had a satisfying crunch each time I chewed it.

After I finished I brought up my hands and looked over my body to sense some kind of change. Yet nothing felt any different from before I came in the cave.

"How do you feel? Did you feel your talent increase?" Yao Ya looked over at me with hopeful eyes.

"I don't know. I don't feel like any changes occurred within me."

"Maybe it takes time to work or maybe it's already working and it's just that you won't feel anything." Yao Ya said quickly coming up with some explanation.

"Alright let's go and build a fire. I don't want to be wet anymore, who knows if we can still get colds or not." I said as I began to walk out

"Agreed, these clothes are sticking to me too much! I feel so exposed in this~" Rao Nuan said walking with me

As She said that I glanced over at her and met her eyes, instantly she smiled.

"Brother Ip~ What do you think you're looking at? Are you perhaps interested?" Rao Nuan said slyly

Suddenly Yao Ya appeared between us and leaned on my shoulder. "Brother Cheng we're lovers now aren't we? How can you look at other women? Especially when I'm here, right behind you!"

She pinched me in my abdomen before she gave me a peck on the cheek.

'What is this two pronged attack!? Damn you! I'll counter then! I'll use the knowledge of those charming protagonist characters in books!'

Reaching my hand out I grabbed her waist and pulled her closer toward me, "If you give me such a good reward every time then maybe I'll keep doing it."

"..."

'I think I fucked up, maybe saying I'll look at other women more wasn't the best way to respond.'

A moment later she leaned her head more onto my shoulder as she said, "If you like it so much then you can just ask, who says I'll say no?" Promptly afterward she raised her head to kiss my cheek again.

Realizing what we were doing I looked back to see Rao Nuan staring angerly at Yao Ya before I turned back. Thinking of that face I quickly turned to looked at Rao Nuan again only to see her smile at me like nothing was wrong.

'What as that? Was she angry or was that another trick my brain is playing on me? How is is possible that these only happen when I'm with Yao Ya?'

Once we were outside we quickly gathered up some supplies to build a fire. We all sat together as we waited for the heat to dry our clothes.