When I got back from my meal hunting expedition, Mother was waiting for me. She looked at the pile of cores and shinies, then at me, and I didn't need her to articulate her words to know the question she would ask.
"I had a grudge to settle." I simply said, hoping that she would understand.
"Little Flame, I can understand a core, or two, or three… but thirteen? And not only that, you also got two evolved cores? Who did you have a grudge against?"
"Ehm.. an entire… species?" I looked away, my tone a tiny bit guilty.
"An entire species? Just— Little Flame, what have you done?"
"Nothing much, really…" I half stuttered, feeling Mother's anger and literally seeing it through her plumage. "I got the, ehm, "Species Destroyer" achievement, I believe."
When Mother heard that, her face fell. Not literally, but her eyes widened in surprise and she seemed too stunned to speak. She didn't stay like that for a long period of time though. Mother moved toward the cores, inspecting them.
"You eliminated… an entire species?"
"Almost, I think."
"Was it the Jade Serpents?"
I nodded.
"Good, good, good!" Mother nodded enthusiastically, giving me an approving look. "I'm sure nobody would miss those bastards. Ah, I'm so proud. Tell me everything. Mother will purify these cores for you. Their poison is too potent for you at the moment." Mother said as she sat down, beckoning me to come over.
I did as she said and sat down next to her, telling her of the events and hiding certain things. She didn't say anything, letting me talk to my heart's content. After I finished, she paused the process of purifying the cores.
"Incredible! I knew my Little Flame was strong, but to kill an evolved Jade Serpent and a Jade Serpent Lord… you've made me so proud! You must have some sort of talent. Tell Mother what level you are?"
"I am only level eight at the moment, Mother. However I have a bunch of achievements and your food has nourished me extremely well."
"Level eight? That's not too bad." She nodded approvingly. "However, that means you have outgrown this tiny section of the forest. If you want to go out, go out."
"I understand, Mother."
"Good, now tell me about your stats."
I didn't hesitate to cite Mother my stats. She was stunned for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. "Those are a little above average for your level. However I am glad to see you have such control over the system and already understand it so well. It's clear you took after me, unlike your bastard of a father."
"Father?" Right, Mother had briefly mentioned him before. I had to have had a father at some point. Or rather, I still had a father, just not present.
"Your father… You're smart enough to understand. Little Flame, I tell you, never trust men! He left me all alone after I laid the eggs, and didn't even dare to come check up on you. I shouldn't have trusted him… but oh he was so handsome…" Mother brought her wings close to her face, probably attempting to hide an invisible flush.
"Mother?"
"Oh?" She cleared her throat. "Right, back to you sweetie. I'm proud of you. And don't worry, if any trouble comes your way, I'll protect you. Mother will take care of it. Though I seriously doubt anyone would miss these parasites, you can't even eat them!"
"Oh right, Mother!" I called out, watching her start the purifying process. "I've had an encounter with… humans. Again. They were really weak though. I took care of them, but I wonder if that will bring trouble upon us?"
Her expression turned solemn. "Tell me everything."
***
Mother listened to everything I told her, reciting what that guy had said word for word. She weighed the info, and assured me that there wouldn't be any consequences.
I failed to mention to her that the girl apparently hadn't died, as I hadn't gotten any notifications, but I did find her bag and clothes.
If she manages to survive, then it's just fate.
After Mother purified all the cores, she warned me not to absorb all of them in a short amount of time. The amount of energy flowing through my body would be way too much for my flesh to handle.
However, she didn't know that I had Spiritual Cultivation, and I could almost hit the wall between the third stage and fourth stage.
To break through from the third stage of Qi Condensation to the fourth stage of Qi Condensation wasn't as easy as the first three. If the first three were considered Early stage, then the fourth was the beginning of the Middle stage.
Usually, cultivators reached their first bottleneck here, and to break through one either needed a fortunate encounter, someone to help them, or the most commonly used method, brute forcing it with an absurd amount of Qi.
Most people used pills, however if I had to guess, one core would be equivalent to one Qi Condensation pill or so. That meant that I held a small fortune that also came with other added benefits.
Seeing as Mother was out hunting and wouldn't be back for a long time, this was my best chance to advance.
I laid out the first thirteen cores before me, their existence proof of my good deed for the world, and made them all touch each other. I then began chanting the mantra for the Ghost Qi Technique.
The technique wouldn't be as effective because I used it during the day, and it was really only effective at night, but I didn't need it to absorb Yin Qi. I only needed it to lead the Qi through my meridians. The lake inside my dantian stirred to life as it rushed outward, almost filling the entire area and pushing against an invisible wall that stopped its flow.
The wall showed signs of cracking, but I knew it would not break with my current amount of Qi. It was for that reason that I laid out all the cores before me.
[Would you like to absorb the Jade Serpent Beast Core?]
"Yes."
In less than an instant, all of the cores green luster expired, dulling to a pitch black color. In that moment, I felt an immense rush of energy, strength and Qi flowing all throughout my body.
The tiny lake within my dantian gained a large influx of Qi, making it so that the entire space of my dantian filled up completely. The wall cracked further.
However, even with that, it was still not enough. I subconsciously reached toward the other two cores while at the same time reciting the mantra within my mind.
I instantly thought 'Yes' before System could ask.
This time, the influx of Qi was so large that my Qi instantly condensed. An icy aura oozed out of my dantian, making my blazing body almost freeze over. The walls creaked under the pressure of the condensed Qi, and as more and more of it rushed within, they showed signs of shattering.
So close!
The condensed lake turned frozen as it absorbed the last bit of Qi, and as I finished the final verse of the mantra, it cracked!
Both the ice and the wall.
The resulting explosion shattered the walls into dozens of little pieces that then got absorbed by the lake; as the lake turned back from frozen Yin Qi to regular Qi, I noticed it had changed, if slightly.
As it settled, it looked glossier than before, thicker and with a lot more luster to it.
The fourth stage of Qi Condensation.
It was a massive leap, going from Early stage to Middle stage, and regular people back in my hometown dreamed of achieving it.
Now I, as a phoenix chick, broke through without so much as a sweat.
And this was only the beginning. Once I gained enough strength to snatch the Qi lake from those beasts, I would soar!
Thankfully, not much had changed about my appearance, despite my fears. It seemed that the natural Yang body of a Phoenix and the Yin Qi of the Ghost Qi Technique clashed, the former cancelling the other.
However, just to be sure, I had to give myself a full body inspection. Besides the Qi lake, there were a few sources of flowing and still water nearby. Therefore, I began climbing down from the nest.
Or at least, that's what I planned, but as I spread my wings I noticed something… off about them. They weren't short, well they were short, but not as short as before. The feathers somewhat glowed with a sort of ethereal light, though it was barely noticeable.
They also grew longer, sturdier and even more beautiful. I couldn't believe it.
How long was I meditating for?
Looking up, the sky was beginning to darken.
Time truly passes fast when cultivating.
I let out a sigh and looked down, unable to see the ground.
"Little Flame!" I heard Mother call from afar, her massive wings creating a warm air current as she landed with grace. "What are you doing?" She put down a rather large Spirit Beast then walked toward me.
"Mother—" I tucked my wings and did my best to hide the ghost-like glow, which thankfully disappeared when I willed it to.
"I think I'm ready to fly!"
"Oh?" She seemed to raise an eyebrow and gave my wings a closer look. "Spread them for me."
I did as she instructed, and her expression brightened upon seeing their length. "Ineed, you've already grown so much! Oh heaven it feels like yesterday when you were trying to catch worms. Now look at you, all ready to fly."
Mother's voice turned emotional, a tiny teardrop dampened her feathers. "Alright," she took a deep breath and straightened her back. "Show me what you can do."
I nodded, turning toward the edge and… jumped.
I almost did a nose dive though, as the strong winds from my rapidly accelerating body didn't allow me to spread my wings. The ground, so distant from the top of the nest, approached me faster than I could blink. Well, I approached it, same difference.
Crap crap crap, open open open.
My mind raced with panic, and for a moment I truly believed I would splat against the earth.
However, a pair of talons gently grabbed me, slowing down my fall then lifting me back to the nest.
"Good first try." Mother nodded, though her voice held no hint of truth.
Of course it wasn't a good first try, I almost died!
"When my mother first taught us, she had much more trouble— nevermind that. You need to take off with your legs toward the ground, not with your beak. Keep your wings a little bit open, not too much, and simply prepare for flight."
Mother guided me, holding my wings where they should be and doing the right motions for me, then kicked me off the ledge.
Well, here we go!
The ground didn't approach me as fast the second time around, though it did scare me just as much.
About halfway through my descent, I remembered what motions Mother made me do, and I tried them.
I wished she'd told me that my wings would snap backwards if I opened them too fast, though.
"Alright, that was my mistake." She said, patting my wings and somehow healing them. I didn't know she could do that, but as a Phoenix, her healing passives and natural regeneration must be amazing. It makes sense then that she could heal as well.
"You didn't tell me you can heal."
She laughed softly, "It's not something that comes up often. I purchased a few healing skills. Your father… he always used to get into fights. I think you resemble him that way. Maybe a little too much, if you ask me."
I nodded, and decided to inquire a little bit more as she healed my wings. "Where's his home? Why did he have to leave us here?"
"He… had other things to attend to. If he'd stayed with us, we'd have been in more danger. I bet he didn't expect these human bastards to come hunting for me though." Her voice was filled with affection when talking about my father, despite her apparent anger. However, her tone turned as cold as ice when she mentioned the cultivators.
And I couldn't blame her.
"Enough talk about that deadbeat man. Since you can fly now, we'll go visit him. Whether he likes it or not, he'll see his daughter!"
She let go of my wings and we went toward the edge once again. "Keep your wings arched, slowly open them, and most importantly… let the wind guide you!"
I took a deep breath.
Then, without so much as a hint of hesitation, I jumped.
My free fall didn't last for long, as I spread my wings and let the wind take me. Just as Mother said, slowly opening my wings and working with the air was much easier.
The wind blew through my feathers, which straightened, letting the air glide around, giving me even more speed.
The forest grew farther and farther from me as I soared, my wings moving with instinct alone.
Despite the strong winds, I could keep my eyes open, and my vision, which had improved further, allowed me to spot anything within a few miles.
The skies were my kingdom and I was their ruler.
Mother joined me, her flying speed hundreds of times faster than mine, but she slowed herself down for my sake. The two of us soared through the sky, going farther and farther away from the nest.
Looking down, I could see a hint of a shadow formed by the sun, though it wasn't mine, but Mother's. I was so small I didn't even cast a shadow at that distance.
"You're doing great, Little Flame! Keep going. Mother is here!" She yelled, her soft voice reaching my ears without any issues.
I nodded and dove down, the rush of adrenaline keeping me calm, then I spread my wings and flew up at an even faster speed.
"Amazing! You're so talented, that's my daughter!"
I didn't reply, but the rush of blood going from my heart all throughout my body would have made my face all red if I were a human.
I closed my eyes and felt the wind flow through my feathers, gently pushing them away or sliding across. My tail, albeit shorter and less pretty than Mother's, flapped wildly about. That made me wonder how Mother's didn't do that.
However, in my excitement, I didn't realise how tiring flying could be. Fatigue quickly caught up to me, my stamina not yet up to par with my increased ambitions. Taking a look around, I spotted a lake and dove toward it. My speed gradually increased until I couldn't accelerate anymore, and as the trees and land approached I realised one crucial thing.
I didn't know how to land.
CRASH
I barely managed to pull up my wings and activate Strengthened Constitution, falling through leaves, branches and bushes before the earth kissed my face.
[HP 958/1264]
Well, that was a nasty fall…
I got up, thanking the stars my bird instincts saved me from dying like an idiot, and dragged my shameful ass toward the lake.
Mother landed next to me, placing her talon upon my body, checking for any serious injuries. "My fault, should have taught you that before."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
I stared down at the lake and, just as I'd expected, saw the body of a Phoenix. A small, still very chick-like Phoenix. Before, I'd felt a lot of animosity, so I never dared actually look at myself, but now…
I kinda liked it.
The beautiful yellow, red and orange feathers, with my tiny deadly beak and sharp talons that could turn a tree into splinters. Not to mention my wings, whose span doubled my body in length.
Mother bent down and saw her own reflection as well. In comparison, I looked like a chicken. She was tall, slender, with beautiful feathers decorating her head. They shimmered with dancing flames, flowing down like a blazing waterfall.
We sat in silence for a moment, enjoying each other's company.
Although I couldn't see my back very well, there was the beginning of a tail. Though tiny and still very stubby. I could look at Mother's, and admire how beautiful they were, sighing with envy.
With my inspection done, it was time to check out my notifications.
[Jade Serpent Beast Core absorbed with 30% efficiency.] x6
[Jade Serpent Beast Core absorbed with 55% efficiency.] x3
[Jade Serpent Beast Core absorbed with 45% efficiency.] x4
[Jaded Jade Serpent Beast Core absorbed with 50% efficiency.]
[Jade Serpent Lord Beast Core absorbed with 65% efficiency.]
[+800 Qi; +13 Strength; +30 Dexterity; +27 Perception; +10 Charisma; +10 Inteligence]
[Skill: Poison Resistance[Lesser] has ranked up to Poison Resistance[Greater].]
[Skill: Poison Blade(Novice) has been acquired.]
[Skill: Poison Fang(Novice) has been acquired.]
[Skill: Tail Whip(Novice) has been acquired.]
[Skill: Lord's Call(Novice) has been acquired.]
[Cultivation Increased! Qi Condensation III has become Qi Condensation IV!]
There were a lot of notifications. But I guess it made sense. I did a lot of things in such a short amount of time, it was inevitable. I was a little surprised I didn't get any achievement or anything of the sort, even when I broke through to the Middle stage, but I couldn't complain.
But what's this about 'Poison' skills? Is System making fun of me?
[I didn't do anything! \(˚☐˚)/]
Are you getting more animated?
Moving on, I definitely felt stronger. Much stronger than before. The extra stats from the Jade Serpent Beast Cores and the bonuses from the cultivation realm upgrade surely boosted my stats past 100!
I had to check.
"Stats!"
Stats
[Strength: 115]
[Dexterity: 103]
[Perception: 121]
[Charisma: 116]
[Intelligence: 111]
[Skill Points: 20]
It was indeed as I'd guessed, now all of my stats pushed past one hundred. What a delightful joy, I should celebrate with a feast!
***
The fish in the lake, although really low in both Qi and levels, were enough to satiate me. After cooking them with my Phoenix Fireand devouring without leaving the bones, it was time for me to leave.
The sky had darkened and the moon began to rise, and sleepiness began to take over me.
I guess I hadn't truly slept in a little while, what with the killing and all of that, I truly felt like it was time to rest.
I reached for the skies and took off toward the nest. Mother followed me, her flames glowing in the dark sky.
I managed a better landing than the last time around, though it was hard to top that, and wobbled my way over. Mother landed before me, and she grabbed me in her talons effortlessly raising me to her face.
"If only your father could see you…"
She sounded sad for a moment, but then something clicked, and she raised her head. "I know, we must go look for him! He told me once his clan lived in the south, so maybe we'd be able to find him there. Now that you can fly, it will be a piece of cake!"
"Ooooh…. Mother is so happy. Mother is truly happy, Little Flame." She hugged me once again, the warmth from her feathers giving me a deep feeling of love and care. I closed my eyes and wrapped my wings around her neck.
We stood like that for a moment, or a minute, but as the cold of the night made me shudder, Mother finally let me go. She made her way toward a corner of the nest where she'd made a tinier one. We slept there most often lately, and she kept expanding it as I grew larger every week.
She nestled there, raising her wing, waiting for me. I made my way under and she stored me away safely, heat enveloping me. She left a gap for fresh air to seep through, and we both fell asleep.
This week I will snatch that Qi Lake from these beasts and break past the Middle stage!
Mother remained unaware of my nefarious thoughts.
Chapter 21: Splurging
I snuck away from the nest when Mother left at the usual time, with a single destination in mind. The Qi Lake.
I've waited long enough. Now that I could fly, raining fire from above wasn't an impossibility. Or I could sneak around with my Stealth skill and assassinate them one by one, fly away, then rain fire from above.
Speaking of skills and assasination, I'd forgotten to look at the skills I'd gained from the Jade Serpent Beast Cores. If I recall correctly, two or three of them had something to do with poison.
"System, can you pull them up and give me their details?"
[Sure. ^_^]
[Skill: Poison Resistance[Greater](Novice)]
[Grants the user a passive resistance to poison. The duration, effectiveness and lethality of the poison gets reduced based on the user's STR and skill level.]
[Skill: Poison Blade(Novice)]
[Shoots a poisonous blade from the user's limb of choice. Effectiveness depends on the user's STR, INT and skill level.]
[Skill: Poison Fang(Novice)]
[Fills the user's fangs with poison which can then be used against an enemy. Effectiveness depends on the user's STR, INT and skill level.]
[Skill: Tail Whip(Novice)]
[Turns the user's tail into a deadly whip that can crush stone and collapse mountains. Effectiveness depends on the user's STR, DEX and skill level.]
[Skill: Lord's Call(Novice)]
[Performs a screech that buffs the speed and strength of the members of your [Team] for a short duration. Effectiveness depends on the user's CH and skill level.]
The last two skills were quite useful, especially given my high charisma stat, although now it isn't the highest anymore. The idea of creating a team had never crossed my mind, but with this skill I could definitely make something happen.
However…
I glared at the first two skills, hatred seeping from my heart all throughout my body. These filthy skills dared appear in my skill list, as if they belonged there. I wanted to scream and curse, but doing so granted me unwanted attention.
What is this shit? Do these skills not know the immensity of heaven and earth? Did the cores not realise I didn't want to see poison ever again in my life after killing so many snakes? What am I to do with these? They're taking precious space in my skill slots!
System!
[System has no function to delete or remove skills from the user's list.]
Then create one!
[...]
Did I stutter?!
[ᴵ'ᵐ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵍᵉᵗᵗᶦⁿᵍ ᵖᵃᶦᵈ ᵉⁿᵒᵘᵍʰ ᶠᵒʳ ᵗʰᶦˢ···]
What was that?
[System maintenance mode activated.]
[Awaiting response from main branch…]
[Waiting…]
[Main branch contacted. Permission granted.]
[Updating system.]
[System has been updated.]
[Would you like to remove the 'Poison' type skills?]
Yes, remove Poison Fang and Poison Blade. I called out their disgusting names, afraid that through a misunderstanding they might remove my Poison Resistance skill as well. I would like to keep that, as gaining an edge over these poison using bastards was always a good thing.
[Skills: Poison Fang and Poison Blade have been removed from the user's list.]
[Five skill points have been awarded as compensation.]
Oh? I can even get skill points? That's pretty awesome. What a good update, those main branch guys sure know how to treat a lady.
[I'm not so sure…]
[I mean— ^_^]
I see…
Ignoring System's strange behaviour, I figured it would be optimal to start planning my heist for the Qi lake. With twenty-five skill points, I could afford a lot more skills and leave ten skill points as a buffer in case anything goes wrong.
Hence, I decided on a few skills that would be nice to have for this operation. First, a movement type skill. Whether it was flying or on land, I had no way to dodge or evade attacks besides my Evasion skill. It worked, somewhat, but I didn't think it would help me much against such powerful foes.
Second, a skill that would allow me to perform some sort of quiet assassinations, so I could dwindle their numbers before fighting them head on.
And third, a skill that would serve as a protective layer, like a barrier or maybe even a one time use item. I'd completely forgotten about artifacts and treasures until I saw the bag of holding.
I looked around and found myself a pretty nice branch to lay on while I did the shopping. The view from above was pretty nice, and gave me a good enough vantage point in case any Spirit Beast decided to intrude upon my shopping.
System, can you find me skills that match this criteria?
[Of course!]
[Searching database… filtering…]
[Skill Shop]
[Aerial Dodge]
[Allows the user to dodge mid-air without the use of their physical body. The speed of the dodge depends on the user's dexterity.]
[Cost: 5 Skill Points]
[Seven Illusion Phantom Step]
[Allows the user to create illusions of themselves after dodging. This skill creates one illusion per rank up until (Master), after which further understanding is required to create the last two. The speed of the dodge depends on the user's dexterity and the realism of the illusion depends on the user's intelligence. Opponents with high perception can see through the skill.]
[Cost: 10 Skill Points]
[Myriad Qi Needle]
[Creates needles out of the user's Qi. The needles can be controlled by the user's mind, and can be imbued with elemental affinities. At the (Novice) rank, the user can create up to twelve needles, increasing by six for each rank until (Master). After (Master) the amount of needless created increases with understanding and Skill Evolution. The damage of the needles depends on the user's intelligence, and the speed of the needles depends on the user's dexterity and perception. Targets with high mental defences and powerful spirit are immune to the skill.]
[Cost: 10 Skill Points]
[Fire Step]
[Dashes in a straight line, leaving a trail of chosen fire behind. The fire cannot be extinguished and will linger for as long as the user wills it. The damage and Qi consumption depends on the user's intelligence.]
[Cost: 5 Skill Points]
[Heaven's Protection]
[Creates a barrier around the user that absorbs damage. The damage absorbed depends on the user's strength and intelligence.]
[Cost: 5 Skill Points]
[Heart Mantra]
[Gives the user the information required to chant the [Heart Mantra]. The [Heart Mantra] allows the user to create a layer of protection around their body and can be supplemented with as much Qi as the user can provide. In this case, the damage it can absorb depends on the user's Qi output and capacity, as well as strength and intelligence. The requirement for this technique to work is to chant it before using it.]
[Cost: 10 Skill Points]
[Side Step]
[Dashes in a short direction at the will of the user, granting the user a moment of invincibility. There are no stat bonuses.]
[Cost: 5 Skill Points]
[Shadow Cloak]
[Cloak yourself in darkness and become unseen. This skill's efficiency only relies on the enemy's perception. If their perception is higher than the user's perception, the skill would fail and the user would become easier to detect.]
[Cost: 5 Skill Points]
With so many good options laid out before me, I found it hard to choose. On one hand, the Seven Illusion Phantom Step was an awesome skill to have for both movement and evasion, but its cost was equally high.
Side Step, while cheap, had no other bonuses besides making me invincible for a moment. That was no doubt a broken ability to have, but it doesn't say anything about cooldown.
Most of the skills didn't mention a cooldown, and I guessed that's where the mastery level came into play.
[Correct. ^_^]
Thank you for confirming.
The Myriad Qi Needle skill also tempted me greatly, but its price was steep as well. Not to mention the last part. If I ever had to fight humans again, then I would be at a disadvantage. Cultivators naturally had stronger mental defenses and a stronger spirit than Spirit Beasts. With limited funds and time to practice, choosing the right skills for the job would be difficult.
The presence of Shadow Cloak also reminded me that my own Stealth skill was still in the (Novice) rank, which meant sneaking around would be quite difficult. I also didn't know the amount of perception they had, and the ashen colored panther seemed to be the strongest of them. Perhaps an evolved specimen.
I didn't make the foolish decision to think that they would be as weak as the serpents.
After what felt like an eternity of thinking, I decided upon three vital skills.
System, I will purchase Side Step, Myriad Qi Needle and Shadow Cloak.
[Skill: Side Step(Novice) has been acquired.]
[Skill: Myriad Qi Needle(Novice) has been acquired.]
[Skill: Shadow Cloak(Novice) has been acquired.]
My heart ached at the expenditure of Skill Points, but after purchasing these three skills I would still have a small buffer in case anything went bad. Theoretically, there shouldn't be any problems, but I would rather be safe than sorry.
Regrettably…
Should I regret it? No, Skill Points can be obtained, I only have one life. System, purchase Heaven's Protection.
[Skill: Heaven's Protection(Novice) has been acquired.]
The information about the skills flooded my brain and I immediately jumped down, itching to test them out.
"Myriad Qi Needle," I called out, and twelve tiny, transparent blue needles hovered around me. I took notice of a small tree nearby and pointed my wing toward it. The needless flew out, blurring as they sped toward the target.
I controlled them mentally and the tree got shredded to pieces in less than an instant. As did the grass and ground surrounding it. The power of the skill was truly devastating.
Against a plant.
I wanted to know what it did against living beings.
A rabbit just so happened to walk past right at that moment, and I took the opportunity to use Side Step right as it turned to run.
My vision blurred and I was upon it before it could move an inch, and I grabbed it with my talons in the same breath.
"Eeek eek eeek!" It cried without any sort of coherent speech. I guessed Universal Languagereally only works with beings smarter than a snail.
That made it even easier for me to use the rabbit as a testing frog, not that its ability to speak would have deterred me in any way.
"Let's see now, stay still damn it, I will test what happens when I hit the legs." After summoning another twelve needles, I controlled one of them and shot it through the rabbit's legs.
"Eeeeeeek!" It cried out, but I ignored it. I only wished I could muffle its cries but at that point if any beast wanted to challenge me I'd only have more test subjects.
The needle made a really tiny gap through the rabbit's leg, creating a wound that shouldn't have done more than gush out blood, but instead the entire leg simply went limp. The rabbit's other leg kicked just fine, though I couldn't feel a thing thanks to my Dragonbone Tempering skill and overall higher level.
Interesting…
I controlled another needle toward its front paw, and it also went limp after getting hit once. The same thing happened for the other two limbs, and once I dropped it, the thing could only scream in pain and fear. It could only move its head, and part of its torso.
Another needle passed through its neck, and its voice disappeared, replaced by an eerie quiet. Nothing moved anymore save for its soundless mouth and rapidly moving eyes.
I see, so the needles can affect the spirit. This rabbit is very weak, so it only took one needle to cut off its spirit flow.
I showed it some mercy by instantly killing it with a needle through the brain, then decided to cook it while I tested out the other skills.
While I wasn't as good as Mother at deskining and deboning, the fat legs had enough meat for me to be able to eat it like a chicken drumstick.
That was a dark thought, but I was a Phoenix, not a chicken. A spirit tail chicken would be pretty tasty right about now.
While the rabbit legs roasting over a small fire made using Phoenix Fire, I tested out Heaven's Protection. Upon activating it, a small, invisible barrier enveloped my body. It felt sturdy, yet flexible and I had no other way to test it except…
BAM!
A tree shook as I dashed right into it, but the barrier didn't do as much as tremble under the impact. Next, I flew straight into it, but the same result happened.
However, I noticed a small amount of Qi getting immediately depleted upon impact.
So it takes a certain amount of Qi depending on the severity? Interesting… Then—
I turned it off and tried turning it on again, but I could only do that again after ten seconds had passed.
The cooldown for Heaven's Protection must be ten seconds then. Good to know.
With those three skills tested and somewhat mastered, I devoured the rabbit legs and put out the fire, then activated Shadow Cloak.
A thin barrier of darkness enveloped me, and as I walked it didn't obstruct my view. I took note of my Qi reserves, and saw that it used about ten Qi per second to sustain itself. That meant that with my current Qi amount I could keep it up for just over four minutes.
That was… really bad.
I turned it off almost as soon as I calculated the expenditure, then began recovering my Qi.
I have almost 2400 Qi and I can't keep the technique up for more than four minutes? I thought I had good stats but damn…
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Me, the great Fa Xiaolan, having to rely on Stealth, and not only that… I didn't have enough Qi to maintain such a basic technique.
I'll rob those motherfuckers of their Qi lake and make sure this never happens again!
After recovering my Qi to full, I headed toward the lake. It was the middle of the night, but the light it gave off revealed its location like a beacon. The glowing flowers that fed off its energy also shone, which made my Stealth skill almost useless.
However, if I activated both Stealth and Shadow Cloak, I would become invisible even while travelling through sources of light.
As I walked closer, careful not to step on any god damn branches, I saw them. The five panthers slept lazily around the lake, as if they owned it.
Well, there's a new boss in town.