After resting normally for one day, we took a plane to Henchzhun. Of course, to get to Qing-Ling, we could have flown to Xi'an, but we didn't want to suffer and fight through crowds of the dead. Besides, the Qingling earth panda lives closer to Henchzhun than to Xi'an, and right now the main thing is to get all the necessary materials as quickly as possible; time is not infinite, after all. I had an idea to send Jiaxing Er to Jiaxing Xia so that she could also heal her and help her through the recovery stage, but I abandoned this idea as it was too problematic.
Jiaxing Er no longer behaved so strangely defiant and looked like an ordinary girl. I'm not sure what came over her then, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on. As for Zhou Ming, there were no changes at all. I also announced in advance that Jiaxing Er would have a month's break from all training, and also offered her to wait for us at the hotel, to which I received a sharp and categorical refusal.
Upon arrival in Henchzhun, we immediately headed to the mountains, having bought local maps. I had allocated a week for this entire journey, but due to delays, we would have to manage in just three days. We moved quite quickly, so by noon on the first day we had already reached the foot of the mountains. A little climb, and we would enter the territory where the Qingling earth pandas live.
Based on my knowledge of the original, a huge purple linden tree grows deep in the mountains, and every few years a new emperor of birds is chosen. Although, as far as I know, none of these emperors are actually emperors, at most they are high commanders. But there is one thing that interests me greatly in these mountains and which, I am sure, will make me come here again when I become stronger. Namely, the winds of Qing-Ling. Strong storms, capable of causing a lot of trouble even to high-level mages.
Where did they come from? This question bothered me even when I was reading. How did such an incredible phenomenon appear? Is nature just playing around? Are you kidding me! When was nature itself not dangerous to us? Exactly, never! Even in this world, it's strange. Another thing about these winds and storms is their chaotic appearance. Of course, this could be another argument that it's a purely natural phenomenon. But there is one big "but"! Namely, as I learned from available literature, these very winds are not connected to any natural phenomenon in the whole world!
There are two options left: the first is that these phenomena are related to the nature of this world, possibly a dark dimension. The second is that someone creates them accidentally, or at least not on a strict schedule, but whenever they feel like it. Both of these options are pure madness, but this is what I came to as a result of my research.
If the first option is more or less clear, some phenomenon from another dimension is simply projected into Qing-Ling for some reason and causes these winds. In its own world, it is natural and amenable to logical description, depends on something or is caused by something. There is nothing special about it, but considering my ability to absorb natural magical energy, it could be very interesting for me.
The second option sounds like pure heresy! No, just imagine something capable of accidentally or at its whim causing winds that kill everyone below true commanders! Of course, if they are not adapted to it. If there were such a monster, it's scary to imagine what kind of power it could possess! This is no longer just an emperor, it is something much stronger and more powerful!
For these reasons, my heart trembled with slight excitement as we climbed the mountains. I opened all my meridians, absorbing the energy around me. Of course, we walked far from the places where the winds were noticed, but I could feel their echoes even here. It was truly incredible power! Although if I weren't a wind mage myself, and also didn't have internal energy, I wouldn't have been able to feel it.
However, along with this, I had a strange feeling as if as soon as we left the safe zone, someone was watching me. It was a very strange and dangerous feeling that kept me constantly on guard and gradually drove my paranoia to unprecedented limits. It was something inexplicable, something that even I couldn't fully understand. But at the same time, I increasingly felt a desire to look here as soon as I became strong enough for it. For now, it's too early to take this risk, and if it weren't for the contract with Luo Sun, I wouldn't be here.
The first day passed without incident. Of course, unlike the forests near Lhasa, we were attacked a couple of times by servant-level monsters, but they were easily killed by us. Jiaxing Er, although she wanted to use her strength and join the fight, I strictly forbade her to do so, and when we were alone, I even threatened her with the contract. Naturally, I had no intention of resorting to its power, but this month of recovery after awakening her internal energy is very important. The better it goes, the stronger she can become. And I intend to raise her into a very strong mage; I don't need weak and useless tools.
In the evening, I sent them both to sleep, and began cultivating myself; I alone would be enough for patrol. I planned for Zhou Ming to help in killing the earth pandas; they are higher servant-level monsters, so she should easily handle one-on-one. Although she might burn everything useful, I have enough material from one panda, and the rest is for backup, so it's not a big deal, the experience is the main thing.
Immediately after starting, I noticed something strange: the energy in this place was very unusual. I had never felt anything like it before, as if I had fallen into a warm bath, and the magical energy flowed through my energy channels, pleasantly warming them. The speed of development also seemed higher to me than even in the jungles of Taihu Lake or the forests at the foot of Tian Shan. I will definitely have to return here, but now is not the time; I am too weak and unprepared. If I head into the main mountains of Qing-Ling, instead of just wandering at the foot, I could easily be killed by some random monster, and the local wind would tear me to shreds.
The night passed peacefully without any incidents, so after breakfast, we set off in search of earth pandas. Finding them was not difficult; unlike the giant pandas of the old world, these animals were far from extinction and had a huge population, almost at the tribal level! Although this was just their numbers, and it would be very difficult to find even a pack leader among them.
The earth pandas resembled giant pandas, two and a half meters tall, black and white coloration, only their element was remembered by stone gloves on all four paws. And the main feature of this species was that they could manipulate earth waves, just like beginner mages. True, in addition, they possessed tough skin and great strength in their paws.
To start, I sent Zhou Ming to fight them, while Jiaxing Er and I watched her. We managed to find a lone panda, peacefully eating leaves, gazing at the sky and apparently contemplating eternity. When Zhou Ming approached it, the panda tilted its head so that it could see us, even though we were approaching from behind! I saw boredom in its eyes! Damn, this animal is sitting and bored while we're coming to kill it! And that's quite funny! Zhou Ming began to cast a spell for a fire fist, but something went wrong. Or rather, the panda waved its paw, and an earth wave knocked her off her feet!
Jiaxing Er and I couldn't help but laugh, while the panda returned to eating leaves and contemplating eternity. It seemed indifferent to Zhou Ming. But she was not going to give up and tried again to create a star map, but it all ended the same way. Attempts to use an ice or fire wave ended with the same failure. And an attempt to use a fire dash ended with the panda hitting her back to us with a blow of its paw, leaving her with only a couple of bruises.
"Alright, I'll deal with her myself, it seems this is an unusual panda," I said, laughing at the situation. Although it was very strange, even higher servant-level beasts have decent intelligence. Maybe this panda is just a pacifist and doesn't see Zhou Ming as a threat?
"What the hell is this! Why is she treating me like this! She's like playing with me!" Zhou Ming roared and cursed, trying to break free from Jiaxing Er's smiling embrace and try to fight the panda again.
"Don't worry, brother will deal with her now," Jiaxing Er reassured her, barely suppressing her laughter.
"Hey, panda, are you sure you should behave so relaxedly and not fight a human with full strength?" I shouted, heading towards the panda.
In response, she turned her head as she did the first time and waved her paw, sending earth waves to knock me off my feet. But that wasn't the case; I stomped my foot, silencing them, instantly using a wind dash and closing in on her, preparing a lightning shock in my right hand. However, the panda wasn't sitting idly either and responded to my lunge with its own. Our fists collided, and the lightning from my hand transferred to hers, burning her and tearing her veins.
After that, the panda looked at me with a puzzled expression, but it was too late; I grabbed her hand, braced my feet on the ground, and threw her over my shoulder so that she hit her head hard. Then I drew my dagger, amplified my hand with space and wind magic, and, directing a lightning shock into her, struck the panda lying on the ground directly in the head. Her head exploded from the impact. However, before that, I managed to notice the expression on her face: slightly puzzled and completely indifferent to her own death. This seemed a bit strange to me, but I preferred not to think about it.
After taking all the necessary materials from this panda, we moved on. The rest were more ordinary and often attacked us themselves, and none of them thought to knock Zhou Ming off her feet, so she also managed to have a little fun hunting them. In total, we killed about forty pandas in one day, mostly thanks to me, of course, but Zhou Ming also helped a little. After resting for the night, we headed back to the city; the plan was completed, and all the necessary materials for creating Luo Sun's artifacts were collected.
"Brother, are we going to your master now to fulfill the order?" Jiaxing Er suddenly asked as we were walking through the city streets on our way to the airport.
"Ah, have you already collected everything you need?" Zhuo Ming also wondered. "I thought you needed more materials."
"No, we're going to one more place. There's one last monster to kill and get its resources," I said, slightly mysteriously, deciding to create a little intrigue.
"Really? But weren't the list only ice and earth armadillos, as well as the earth panda?" Jiaxing Er asked with interest and slight bewilderment.
"Yes, but that's only for one order, but I need to do something else," I said, no less mysteriously.
"Are you going to finish my swords?" Zhou Ming asked with excitement. "I've been training to fight in the kendo section, and I'm doing pretty well. And that blade you showed me is very cool."
"Yes, that blade is made from the chitin of an ice scorpion, so for a fire blade, equivalent material will be needed, so I was thinking about getting the chitin of a fire scorpion," I said, lost in thought.
"What! You're not kidding!" Zhou Ming exclaimed, greatly surprised, causing some passersby to turn around.
"But, brother, where can you find fire scorpions in China? They live mainly in deserts, don't they?" Jiaxing Er asked, puzzled and deeply thoughtful, putting a finger to her mouth.
"Are you going there!" Zhou Ming suddenly said, realizing something, her eyes widened, and she stared at me as if I were crazy. "Don't tell me I'm right!"
"Well, if you thought about the Dunhuang Fiery Plain, then you are both right and wrong," I said, smiling, which brought a suffering expression to her face. "We are indeed going there, but we won't go into the plain itself; I've studied this issue, and you can find these scorpions there without crossing the river of death, which will clearly be beyond our capabilities for now. So I am confident in the success of our mission."