26 Telling Cifer

While Momo wasn't so sure why she got such a kick out of watching Oji get taken off his high horse, she was rather certain that she'd regret it if he never got back on it. So she encouraged him not to give up after Grand Elder Keomi brought him down to size. It almost seemed to suit Oji to act like a prince or a king, but that didn't mean Momo or the Grand Elder should be treated like ignorant bumpkins. They were fully aware of the Crimson Sect beyond Zhou after all. It's not like he'd know all that much more than other powers at the same level.

Still, he had helped her make more than one breakthrough. She'd never admit to the second though, or would scream that it had nothing to do with him. Momo and Oji started having less and less time to spend talking and working together on Cultivation and she'd gone to Cultivating her Death form after the split. She didn't really see herself as truly cut off from the Clan, so she didn't feel any loss there which made it hard to Cultivate the Essence of Death. But after being separated from Oji for a day or two she found herself feeling the loss of their time together keenly, which let her connect deeply. That led to a rapid breakthrough by the end of the week.

Even better for Momo, the two breakthroughs she'd achieved with his help were the two that she'd already noticed she struggled with the most. The Ring of the Horses allowed her to cultivate 5 times and required her to keep them all relatively even lest the unbalance bring her crashing down. It also required that the four additional forms to her main body, which were super imposed on her spirit and could be changed between as if changing clothes, had to connect to Death, War, Famine and Tyranny due to the Essences in the Ring itself.

Momo didn't have all that much trouble with Tyranny and Famine, which connected based on fear and longing, or with her main body's Mercy, which connected via compassion. These weren't all that hard for her, as there were always people to be scared for and peace to long for as she felt deep compassion for those under her wing. But War connected to anger and passion, which Death connected to loss and grief. Not exactly something Momo found easy.

After the breakthrough with her Death form reaching Intermediate Broken Origination, Momo thought she might try to restrain Grand Elder Keomi. She just hadn't found a good time for it yet. Besides, she'd seen how well Oji was able to handle it, so Momo felt like she didn't have to rush to his rescue like she had always looked after Cifer. It was a feeling she knew she was indulging in far too much.

She was about to turn in the day after her breakthrough, talking to Grand Elder Keomi while getting ready for bed in the tent the two women shared. Momo hadn't expected the resistance she got, but did eventually manage to talk her around to giving Oji another chance. A fresh start, since he had learned his lesson and the only case that was clear cut was the one at the pool.

Then they heard Oji return to the camp. "Guess who finally got here from the Aoi Kani Clan?" He shouted, loud enough to wake the dead.

Momo bounded up in an instant, knowing the answer full well. If Keomi hadn't grabbed her shoulder just in time she'd have raced out in her sleeping garments. Blushing, Momo called back. "Cifer! I'll be out in just a minute, okay? I was about to go to sleep." Then she got changed and came out with Grand Elder Keomi.

Cifer's face was priceless when he saw the Grand Elder and Momo clearly set up in the same camp as Oji. Momo giggled. "Are you confused?"

"They... said you were exiled from the Clan?" Cifer answered. "They said that Oji tried to kill me and you stopped him. Than he tried to..." Cifer's face went red as he looked between them. "But you refused and attacked him, and the best that the Clan Leader could do was save your life by exiling you."

Momo had honestly forgotten the part of the story that led to her attacking Oji and felt her own face heat dramatically. She tried to find her words after looking at Oji's grin. She immediately wished she hadn't talked Keomi out of beating him up so freely! The moron was enjoying her embarrassment and difficulty!

Thankfully, Grand Elder Keomi saved her from trying to explain. "I believed the same when I left to escort Momo north. She informed me of that it was a misdirection, one aimed at saving the Clan and giving the best possible future to our two greatest secrets. If you'd both stayed in the Clan it would have stunted your growth early on, and would make it easy for enemies to hold the entirety of the Clan and every single member hostage to reign you in. But by being cut off you have a world of options in front of you, and can cover for each other's needs."

At that point Oji cut in. "Cultivation needs to be precise. I've seen the amount of resources Momo needs to achieve a breakthrough and it's insane. I was never very efficient either, having the worst Manifestation here. But I made Advanced Broken Origination from Initial Broken Origination on what she used to get just one of her five from Beginner to Intermediate Broken Origination. On the other hand, you advance to fast and easily. You'd probably make Initial Bottom Origination with the same amount. Which would make you the number one target of every single Sect, Clan, Religion and Family that is against whatever force lets you in to Cultivate with them."

Momo took control of the conversation back. "Which is why I had the idea of splitting our resources. If we both go into the same place that's a good step stronger than the present Aoi Kani Clan, and if we share our resources to keep our speeds more believable and understandable, than it's possible that we might be able to get by until we are strong enough to handle the pressure of any enemies attracted by your strength. Especially since they'll dismiss me."