Chapter 2: Cloud-Stead Mountains

Each sect in the region has their own natural resource deposit; to the East, the Jade Peaks Sect has jade spirit stone mines, while to the West, the Season Wind Sect has the ever-shifting storm eye. 

For the Flowing Cloud Sect, we have the Cloud-Stead Mountains; the name of the mountains comes from it's height, where the ground reaches up towards the clouds and blocks the path of drifting clouds.

Legend has it that the Sect Founder built a moving pavilion in the expansive clouds, that was when the winding stone road was first paved.

The stationary clouds become more dense as you travel up the mountain, one has to be careful as to not get lost in the thick mist; following the stone path is the only way to walk out of the clouds.

"Be careful that you don't fall off the mountain, too. The trees up here have thin trunks and shallow roots, so they won't break your fall; you will tumble halfway down the mountain if you decide to trip over."

Pepper expertly informed, in a manner only someone who experienced a fall down the mountain can say.

Of course, that accident was because the heavy visual obscuration and not because she accidentally tripped and fell... that is what Pepper always told herself.

"The cloud makes it so that my spiritual sense can't scout further than 3 meters. I see, by purposely exploring this area, without the ability to use spiritual sense well, you can hone your natural body's combat sense."

Yansha nodded, and yes, while it is true that most cultivator rely too much on spiritual sense, his belief in Pepper's "training method" is a bit misplaced.

Mainly because Pepper never had any spiritual sense to begin with.

"Whatever makes you happy."

Pepper sighed, while holding a walking stick to carefully probe the road in front of her, she doesn't want to trip and fall again.

…

The walk in the clouds was uneventful, much to Yansha's dismay; he seemed intent on fighting a cloud beast.

"I told you, there is nothing special, nothing about me anyways" 

Pepper mumbled, while she occasionally picked up some herbs by the side of the stone path. 

The thick mist on the Cloud-Stead Mountains provide a dark growing environment rich with spiritual energy, perfect place to find Cloud Mushrooms.

"By the way, the dangerous creatures live beyond the cloud layer. Just stay within the clouds, if you don't want to get killed."

Pepper told Yansha, before continuing with a handwave: "I am going to spend some more time here picking mushrooms."

"Now that you said it, I have to go check this world beyond the cloud layer."

Yansha eagerly clenches his fist and followed the road up the mountain.

And while Pepper calls Yansha an idiot... that is true, but she also knows that the Sect Leader's son is no pushover; most of the creatures that live on the mountain are either too weak to end his life, or are too smart to risk killing a human cultivator.

"Finally some peace alone."

Pepper stretched her body, finally embracing the levity and tranquility of the environment, her red hair slightly shifting with each step.

While alone, her stride became more free, even humming a tune to herself, and she slung the herb basket over her back, before activating her Necrobound abilities.

To Pepper, her can Necrobind takes the form of a flaming cloak, Lustrum Mantle, as her mother had dubbed it back when they were alive and well.

The flaming mantle burned an energetic red, almost materializing into a physical form; the radiant glow evaporated nearby mist, making the once disorientating clouds disappear.

Pepper walked off the stone road, leaving a red feather every so often to mark the way back; the energy of the feathers made a clear path, this was how Pepper collected cloud mushrooms that grew further away from the stone road.

Since very few people actually venture this far away from the road, Pepper could quickly fill her herb basket and in no time, she traced back to the stone road, picking up her flame feathers on the way.

But she soon ran into a problem.

"I forgot, that idiot went to the upper strata. I should have asked him to give me the elixir beforehand."

Pepper frowned, she didn't want to go all the way up the mountain just to ask for that special elixir Yansha promised.

Especially, because she didn't want to put herself in danger, as she still had to take care of her brother.

"It only had been about an hour, I guess I can still maintain the necrobind."

Pepper mumbled to herself, as her body can roughly withstand two hours of using her necrobind before sustaining damage.

If it gets to that point, then she would have to take the mercury elixir to forcefully stop the flow of energy from the necrobind.

Nodding to herself, deciding to finish with haste, Pepper concentrated her red flame mantle to form into a pair of sturdy wings, propelling herself up the stone road.

…

The Cloud-Stead Peaks rises majestically against the sky, far above the clouds, the sky began to turn into an ink black. The summit, capped with frozen springs, contrasts sharply with the dark, craggy rocks below.

There were no snow, as the cloud layer was below; the mountains' steep slopes are dotted with patches of hardy vegetation clinging to life in the harsh, stagnant environment, only by the occasionally unthawed ice.

Yet, life still found a way to prosper up here, the cloud-swallowing pelican turn the cloud layer below into water with their large gizzards, lightning bamboos were able to store enough energy to shoot up from the ground by collecting the Qi in the environment, and stone snake were able to just source their food from the ground as they normally ate stone.

It's almost like an otherworldly paradise free from humans, if you don't account for the fact that breathing is more than 3 times harder up here.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning crashes into the ground, shearing the stone foundations asunder.

"Thrrrrrilll!"

An ear-piercing shriek bellowed out following the lightning, the sound originated from a twenty-meter long snake-like beast, its an adult stone snake.

The creature had a blue exterior hide, it's maw were lined with layers of flat molar teeth like a leech, and it stood on several pairs of legs, moving rapidly on the rough terrain. 

Another bolt of lightning flew by, striking at the titan's pore holes on the side of its head, but the beast was too fast and turned its head; the lightning bounced off of its blue hide.

Much to Pepper's chagrin, Yansha's voice called out to her: "Oh hey, you came after all. I'm not used to fighting non-humanoid foes, do you have any tips?"

Yansha was able to quickly dodge the stone snake's charge attacks, while Pepper is only thankful that he only manage to get the attention of the easier to deal with creatures.

"You make it sound like I know everything, first of all, I don't, okay?"

Pepper, annoyed, but still quickly got to position and shouted to Yansha: "Stone snakes usually only eat minerals, did you steal it's lunch or something?"

"Oh, does this shiny rock gem count? I saw it getting struck by lightning and thought it might be good to forge a weapon with."

Yansha recalled and pulled out a palm-sized thunder stone, the stone worm became more enraged as the gem was shown, and Yansha concluded: "I guess that was it!"

"Quickly toss it! Stone snake eat elemental stones to evolve, it should distract it while we run."

Pepper shouted, but Yansha seemed to have a different idea in mind.

"Why run? I've got enough to take it down."

Yansha said, while charging up an attack, dashing right to the side of the giant stone snake, sword in hand; a mist of energy entangled Yansha's sword, forming a cloud blade: "Nimbus Strike!"

But, before he was able to make contact, the stone snake was able to flick its head and knock Yansha straight up into the sky.