Errand

-OUTSKIRTS OF FROZEN LAKE SECT-

We were able to get out of the city pretty easily. With her green badge which I can tell is the symbol of being an outer disciple sect, the guards just let us past but...

Nobody told me it would be this cold! Due to my condition, being cold is like twice as worse than normal people...

"Here, take this coat. You look like you'll be frozen to death just being outside the sect. What is that old man thinking? Why would he even let out someone like you here." She threw a thick coat for me. It helped quite a bit but I feel like I'm still cold due to my condition.

"I'm sorry. This is my first time going out of the sect. I didn't know that we have this kind of climate. Achoo!" Damn it! I'm still cold!

"Yeah, It's named Frozen Lake Sect for a reason. For those who haven't been out of the sect, this climate should surprise them. Fortunately, we have good rune masters in the sect that created a defense formation array against the harsh climate." From what I have read from the books, runes are some kind of symbol within different kinds of things, from weapons to armors, or even buildings which gives them different effects. When multiple runes are used in a specific formation, a formation array can be created which can be used as a defensive or offensive spell on a larger scale.

"Why would they choose a place like this though? I mean, if you want to create a sect, would it be better with a better location?" I'm currently following her while we're walking on deep snow. I don't think we'll get any herbs on the list as there's no way a herb can live with this kind of climate.

"I heard from the elders of the sect that before, Frozen Lake wasn't the original name of the sect. A war broke out between the four sects of the Eastern Continent and the Frozen Lake Sect was hit pretty bad. They said that the old sect escaped through the harsh climates of the frozen lake and was demolished to save its people and that's why they created a new sect here as it's a good place to hide. Hundreds of years have passed, Frozen Lake Sect emerged from hiding and with our Sect Leader trained through life and death, now being the second strongest cultivator of the Eastern Continent, no other sects tried to declare war again." I never thought that we have this kind of history. So this means, we're all here because of our great sect leader.

"But... uhh... Where do you think we could get these materials? I'm quite sure it's not from here." Showing her the list that the physician gave. I hope we don't get in trouble. Not to mention, I don't think I can stay here too long or I might die here.

"Due to our sect leader's influence, we have a territory not far ahead for gathering materials so stop asking stupid questions and just follow me. I'm not used to bringing a burden like you when I gather materials so you should hurry." It's not like I wanted this too anyway.

"Sure..." It's easier said than done. My hands are freezing and my legs won't even move anymore.

"You won't survive that long here. Just take this." She gave me some kind of red pill. What is this for?

"It's a low-grade warm body pill. It should negate the coldness of your body. I didn't expect that I would waste a low-grade pill for you. You owe me this time." Wait... I shouldn't take this yet. I should use this opportunity to train. With the pain I get from this climate, this could help me breakthrough to the fourth layer of body refining realm soon.

"I'm sorry, miss. But I can't use this pill yet. You should know by now that it's impossible for me to breakthrough to the fourth layer within six months just by training alone. As you said, I'm already 18 years old yet I'm still a third layer of body refining realm. That is why the alchemy shop owner is now helping me with gathering some materials to-"

"Yeah, yeah. I don't care about who you are or what you like to do with your life but if that's what you want, then so be it. Master must have seen something from you to help you like this, even using me to help you." I feel like he's just using us to get free materials though.

"Thanks. I will pay you back... someday... I promise..." If I talk even further, I might pass out soon. I should save my energy and take all the pain. My body's getting numb too.

"Just don't die here." She sure talks like she doesn't care but I can tell that she has a good heart.

We walked for about two hours and it's getting brighter. Somehow, my body was able to adapt fast and I survived that freezing hell, though I ate the pill minutes before I made that small speech as I couldn't take the freezing climate anymore.

-FROZEN LAKE SOUTHERN FOREST TERRITORY-

The sky is clear and the grass can be seen. It looks like we've finally left the frozen lake area. We haven't met any problems throughout our journey and it seems like she knows the way pretty well. If we go further, we might be able to enter the forest. I bet there will be lots of materials inside.

"We should rest for a while. It was dreadful for me not taking the pill, thanks to your idiotic sense of training." I can tell that it's her first time not taking a pill as well but she took it like a champ. Maybe she doesn't want to take the pill as she doesn't want to show any signs of weaknesses towards me. What a prideful girl.

"How long have you been doing this? I can tell that you know your ways." Out of nowhere, she touched her ring, and light came out of the ring. Not only that, but a couple of meat also came out of it. Is that a storage ring?!

"Were you surprised about my storage ring?" It looks like I couldn't hide the surprise from my face.

"It's a pretty common item to have if you don't want to carry lots of things, you know. Though even for the cheapest storage ring like this, depending on the storage capacity, the cheapest one should be at least 800 gold or 80 contribution points in our sect." Contribution points huh... maybe it's a currency they use based on what the disciples have achieved. But... 800 gold coins... even a lifetime of my stipend, I won't be able to save that much gold since I only receive a hundred silver coins per month. /1000 silver coins = 1 gold coin/

"It's really a convenient thing to have especially for travels. I wish I could have one someday too." If I want to become an alchemist, it's one of the things I need the most so I can store lots of different kinds of materials.

"Sure, for a wealthy family, they could even have their own magical ring with a small garden inside. Unfortunately, that one is way more expensive than what I have right now. Mostly elders have it. Here, I'll let you borrow one. Make sure you give it back after this little errand of ours." She tossed me a copper ring just like what she has.

*BURN* Then out of nowhere, she ignited a bunch of twigs and created a small campfire. Did she just use the law of fire?

"Was that the law of fire? This is the first time I've seen someone use it. That was amazing!" If I have that kind of ability, I might be able to do alchemy on my own.

"Yes, it was. Unfortunately, the law of fire is pretty much hard to comprehend and it's even the easiest law to learn. I've only comprehended two percent of the law of fire. I heard that in our sect, the highest comprehension of the law of fire is at twenty percent and you know who that is." What does she-

"Wait?! Do you mean, physician Cao Yao is the one who has the highest law of fire comprehension? How about the sect leader?" Why would someone be that powerful selling materials and pills instead of being in the inner sect?! He might even be an elder if he wants to!

"Well, sect leader was able to comprehend thirty percent of the law of ice as it's that law that would help her martial arts. No one has able to even reach fifty percent but I heard there's someone in the Western Continent that was able to reach almost at fifty percent but that was hundreds of years ago. It's been that long since we had an envoy from the Western Continent." It is said that it would take months before you could reach the western continent and those who tried to travel there never returned. It's due to the sea having higher realm monsters that even our sect leader would hard to defeat. That is why no one bothered to travel there anymore.

"Well, I'm still not quite there yet to talk about laws and martial arts. Trying to break through to the fourth layer is already an impossible task for me, let alone the laws and other stuff. Still, gratitude for your teachings." I've learned a lot just by talking to her for quite a bit. I didn't want to join the inner sect before but meeting her, I've felt motivated.

"Here." Handing me a slice of well-done meat.

"Eat well. If possible, let's get days worth of materials. I can't just skip my training every single day because of the old man's errand. Don't worry, we'll have enough for your training." That reassures me.

After a heartful meal, she let me borrow a sickle for gathering herbs and other useful plants, a bugnet for different kinds of insects, and a pickaxe for ores. I heard they don't use ores for alchemy these days but the old man still wants us to gather ores so he could probably sell it...

She taught me the proper way to pick plants and catch bugs. It didn't take long before I could do it on my own and I should say, it was pretty fun unlike throwing punches and kicks over and over again.

After quite a while, we've managed to get quite a lot of materials. I heard materials are scarce around the Frozen Lake Sect but she's not just knowledgable, she also knows where and when to gather materials. She's really suited for this profession. We're getting deeper and deeper inside the forest.

"It looks like Junior Liu Sheng Kai is lost again! She even brought an assistant to rob us of our materials!" A bunch of guys has appeared wearing the same uniform as Sheng Kai. I haven't even heard their footsteps...

Judging from the badge attached to their uniform, they're also from the outer sect of Frozen Lake Sect. This guy is fierce-looking and almost the same height as me. I can tell that he's older than me. And the smug on his face though...

"What do you want this time, Senior Bo Chong Zi." Bo Family... the largest family with the highest contribution within the Frozen Lake Sect... It is said that we, from the Liu Family, should never anger them.

"Leave all the materials you've gathered or we will be having trouble here." Uhhh... another bully appeared.