10 Cultivating the Unwary

After a good night's soak, Xing Lei rose out of the tub, reaching for a piece of hide to wipe himself down. Glancing to Leaf Dancer she wasn't asleep, and her glittering eyes not denying that she was spying on him. Chuckling he didn't stop just wiping off the excess sludge and turned to her with a knowing grin, "Enjoying the view Leaf?"

"Not as much as I'd like but come closer Dull Scale and maybe you wont escape even my wounded self." Leaf said back huskily.

Laughing Xing Lei turned tail, shrugging into his armor and left the pouting female to actually get some rest. First he should check up on Alustriea and Fleet, particularly the former, he'd left out key details and knew she was likely still sitting in a tub of foul smelling, cold goop. Tabbing lightly on the door frame he called out, "Alustriea, everything alright?"

The elf's chattering voice came from within, "N-n-no, I-I-I'm freezing in this slop Xing Lei! Can I g-g-get out already?!"

Xing Lei laughed softly, "Sorry I forgot some of the details, yes you should have got out long ago once it stopped feeling like fire under your skin, don't mind the mess, your body expels impurities but it'll wipe off easy."

An audible sigh of relief came from within as he could hear the slurp of a body pulling from the sludge, he could well imagine that lithe body trying to get clean and let out another chuckle. Alustriea spoke out, "What's that I hear? Is that a kobold wanting to be a snow sculpture? Keep up the laughter lizard lips."

"What's that? Go help someone else? Okay, will let you clean up." Xing Lei moved away from the door fully expecting to see that tub and mess thrown his way but all he heard was a startled gasp, "You okay in there?"

"Xing Lei, what was that you had me bath in?"

"A mixture of herbs and plants, especially prepared in the correct amounts, let soaked in water that is activated when more water is added. Nothing harmful."

"Harmful? My dear saviour if the world knew you could make this potion you'd be whisked away to be some queens personal alchemist. By the gods, get in here, this is too unreal..."

Slipping inside Xing Lei found Alustriea wrapped in a hide blanket admiring her bare white arms, what flesh was visible seemed to glow with a purity that would make angels weep in jealousy. Alustriea herself was in tears as she ran her fingers over her arms, "The scars from adventuring and my abduction are gone, it's like my body is rejuvenated. Xing Lei, just what is that recipe, I want to bath in it every day...."

Xing Lei chuckled and shook his head, "Told you it was good stuff right, sadly as your body improves different mixtures are needed. This first batch is generally good for the first two ranks of body tempering, for the third it simply does nothing."

"Body tempering?"

"It's the training I do, bathing in these solutions improves my physical body faster than exercising does, you'll likely find your own strength and vitality improved, it's not just a beauty product after all."

Alustriea gaped at the kobold then looked around, reaching for the tub of rancid water she tried to lift it and found while before she couldn't budge the basin, it now had some give. "It really can make you stronger. This stuff is incredible. Is there more?"

Xing Lei chuckled but shook his head, "None at the moment, Fleet Spear used my last jug last night herself. Speaking of, like you shes probably still in her tub wishing bloody death on me. Rest assured I'll head out and gather more once I rescue her. For now be patient, it's not overly hard to make."

Alustriea nodded absently going back to checking her body again for every blemish she remembered, even the blanket start signs of slipping down so Xing Lei exited quickly before he got a gander of pale white elven buttocks. Hurrying to another hut, he didnt bother to knock but instead marched right into Fleet Spears hut, seeing the kobold huntress glaring at him he smiled and reached into the tub to help her out, laying her on her cot, he grabbed a hide cloth and began wiping her down, "Before you yell at me Fleet see how it worked for your body."

Fleet Spear glared murder at him but eventually began to inspect herself, once the lethargy of the cold wore off she was similarly astounded that slot of her hunt scars had properly healed. Even the sickly feeling from the former poison was absent. Glancing from herself to Lei she tilted her head, "Explain."

Sighing Xing Lei once again broke into the explanation of what body tempering was, what it did to her body and how much it truly cleansed her. Fleet Spear listened attentively before reaching out to snag the front of his armor, yanking him down to eye level, staring at him for a moment she leaned in and kissed him. Unlike a human kiss that focused on the lips with some tongue involvement, a kobolds kiss was mostly tongue, very warm, wet and messy. In all truth he couldn't say he disliked it, the taste of Fleet Spear was unlike anything he tasted before. Feeling her shove him back he heard her whisper hiding her ruddy blushing face, "If you have more I'll forgive you."

Laughing he slipped out before the poor female self immolated, forcing the kiss on him had obviously taken a lot of her will and he didn't want to make her sad about her choice. Chuckling as he exited the camp, he slipped into the forest to rustle up enough herbs to sate both Fleet and Alustriea, while keeping his eyes open for what he needed for his own solutions.

Back in the camp, another's morning wasn't going so well. Scattered all around his hut, tired messy females lay scattered like discarded toys, fluids of all natures stained their bodies as their chieftain ravaged their mindless bodies. All he could focus on was rutting away his stress, cursing at the Great Shaman for taking her pilgrimage these last few days, snarling his fingers tightened on the throat of the female beneath him, listening to her gasp while still lustily meeting his hips. It was so... easy... just a twist and the weak thing would be a corpse. If only Dull Scale was this throat his fingers were wrapped around. If only...

A disgusted sigh startled Gruck from his fantasies, glancing over the Great Shaman sneered at his antics, "So this is how mighty Gruck prepares for battle... emptying his loins in his pet's. Shameful. Is that new blood truly so terrifying?"

Gruck snarled and jerked his head, drawing her attention to the side, upon a stone table sat Grulls head, his lifeless eyes forced to watch his debased father. The Great Shaman sighed, walking over she stroked Grulls shallow cheek, the pallid coloring of the face didn't bother her as she leaned over and kissed the dead mouth, sliding her long tongue around the dry cavity lewdly.

Gruck cringed, the Great Shaman always unnerved him, but kissing the decapitated head of her own son? The wretched female had sunk to an all time new low. Even now the old chieftain regretted bedding this wretched thing to sire Grull, and shook with internal rage that she had also bedded their son. "If done, what do about Dull Scale, if Grull die to his hand, I will die too."

Laughing and licking her lips the Great Shaman swirled, inky black mist carried her across the room to stroke Grucks head, her other hand swept lower, the mist solidifying into a blade that took off the gasping females head below Gruck, "Then die, is why I make him mine, as you and Grull were mine. Naturally I will help you Gruck but even then I doubt it will allow you to win, so at least die with some divine be damned dignity."

Giggling the Great Shamans body twisted, aging rapidly becoming the crone like the kobold she first resembled when Dull Scale had seen her first. "Mine shall be he, as all tribe is mine. Forever this truth, unrelenting. And no Dull Scale, amusing be he, shall change it."

Unaware of the Great Shamans return Xing Lei prowled the forest picking the herbs and plants he needed for the two women's baths, as well as some for Leaf when she eventually wasn't bed ridden. Shifting and cracking his back he blinked, looking around the forest as if for the first time, considering he realized he had forgotten to do something important. Setting aside the thick bushel of plants, Xing Lie sat down and focused on his status, in all the excitement he had forgotten he had slain three strong foes, perhaps it had gained him something...

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Name: Xing Lei (Dull Scale)

Gender: Male

Race: Kobold (Variant)

Level: 9

Job: Soul Traveller Rank: Mithril

Titles: Slayer of the Forest Lord, Elven Friend

Strength: 5(+6) Dexterity: 6(+6)

Constitution: 6(+6) Intelligence: 15

Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 14(+6)

Charm: 15(+6) Luck: 10

Mana: 5/5

Condition: Healthy

Innate Abilities: Varied Voice (Supreme) Rank: Mithril, Alchemy Flame (Basic) Rank: Bronze, Inspection (Basic) Rank: Bronze

Skills: Alchemy (Basic) Rank: Bronze, Crimson Mountain Sects Body Tempering (Basic) Rank: Iron, [Sealed], [Sealed], [Sealed], [Sealed], Herbology (Basic) Rank: Iron, Cloud Dragons Spear Technique (Basic) Rank: Silver, Weapon Crafting (Basic) Rank: Iron, Kobold Swordsmanship (Basic) Rank: Bronze, Kobold Archery (Basic) Rank: Copper, Pottery (Basic) Rank: Iron, Stealth (Basic) Rank: Mithril, Kobold Axe Weilding (Basic) Rank: Copper, Elven Spellcasting (Basic) Rank: Copper

Spells: Ignite

Unspent Attribute Points: 8

Stealth - The practice of using ones environment and ones own caution to remain undetected.

Kobold Axe Weilding - You have founded the practice of how a kobold should use axes.

Elven Spellcasting - Elvish magic is a mixture of personal power, remembered words and spiritual connection. Primarily elemental based.

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Xing Lei smiled, killing the two goblin leaders and Grull had rewarded him much as the Forest Lord had, he'd gained four levels and was on the cusp of his first evolution. He had additional points to spend and his body tempering had broke through boosting his physique even further. Seeing his charm and charisma was now well over twenty each he likely expected this was what was affecting Leaf and Fleet. Though Alustriea seemed immune, likely due to him being a good two feet shorter than her and not being a mammal any more.

Quickly he upped his physical stats and stretched his muscles, feeling the power through his muscles, looking at the point value he was well above what constituted a normal kobold, in fact amongst humans he could probably beat all but the brawniest. Still the cusp of evolution weighed on his mind, would killing Gruck push him over? And what would he change into? Picking up the bushel again he darted back to camp, his legs pumping and sending him along at a speed he felt might rival some movement techniques, it was a little uncontrolled at the moment but as he darted about he slowly got more accustomed to his speed, almost laughing heartily as he out raced a startled looking wolf, who watched, slack jawed as the kobold not only over took it mid sprint as it chased a hare but also named the beasts intended meal and vanished into the woods. Howling pitifully the hungry wolf slinked off, rather ashamed a two legged had beaten it to the rabbit...

As Xing Lei sauntered into camp, a bushel of herbs under his arm and a broken necked rabbit slung over his shoulder he glanced around. Very little had happened in his absence, but he could tell the hunters and guards were worried. Slipping into the medicinal hut he claimed, he set about preparing the tempering materials, pulling over the now empty jugs and mixing the solution for the three females, if all went well Alustriea and Fleet would breakthrough to the second rank with these jugs, he prepared two for Leaf to get her more or less caught up, then he started mixing his own. By the time evening settled in he was covered in sweat, he had been forced to use his alchemist flame to prepare a few herbs of heartier stock and it left him drained.

Still he delivered the jugs to Fleet and Alustriea who both looked nervously at Xing Lei, sighing he shrugged, "The Great Shaman is back isn't she? So how much did Gruck improve?"

Fleet looked at him nervously before shaking her head, "He hasn't Zing Lee, she is claiming to back you."

Looking from Fleet to Alustriea the elf shrugged, "I only caught bits of the announcement she made, Fleet explained it as best she could but nuances were lost. Suffice to say Fleets words are accurate, the old crone is not going to defend Gruck, it will be just him versus you."

Frowning he fell into thought, looking to the two worried women he shook his head, "No sense worrying about it now, use the solution again, remember to get out once it stops irritating your bodies, there will still be some sludge but it won't be as much, first tempering always produce alot. Be sure to do it tonight, better to strengthen yourselves in case this fight turns into a trap."

Bidding good bye to them both Xing Lei retreated to his hut and was once again subjected to Leaf Dancer watching him strip and bathe, he was getting use to the situation but he feared for the young females mind, if his charm and charisma was sending her hormones into a firestorm, this constant stimulus might just turn her into the equivalent of one of Grucks mindless concubines. Glancing over, the female squirmed in her cot, her motions making it obvious to Lei what she was doing under the blanket despite the pain of her injuries, he could only shake his head and sank down into the inferno that was the next level of body tempering solution.

He remembered the first time he had done such in his last life. He had sworn and cursed at his father for sealing him inside the lava like fluid, the scalding had turned his then pink skin a raw bloody red, but this time his scales shone a bit but the warmth was actually soothing to his inhuman blood, relaxing in the tub he couldn't help glancing at his hut mate and rolled his eyes, not settling for her fingers the crazy kobold had somehow snagged his spear and was vigorously using the blunted end on her body... bad enough the point had to be cut off and replaced thus making the stability of his weapon less than perfect, but now the butt would smell of heated Leaf Dancer?

Sighing to himself, he figured he should just turn his spear into a tri folding staff and be done with it.