Essence stones

As the night descended, Nameless after thinking and reviewing what he had learned went to sleep despite feeling hungry.

The minimen ate and celebrated until dawn.

...

"Nyaah, that was so tasty." Ecto moved, entering the inner part of the cave.

"You need to eat less Ecto, grandpa told me that if you keep eating so much, you will get sick!"

"Don't worry princess, I can take it, it was so tasty, didn't you like it?"

"I liked it." The princess of the mushroom minimen shyly spoke. Her mushroom cap shone with a slight purple light indicating her embarrassment.

Ecto, however, didn't notice, he was more focused on the sight in front of him.

"No wonder it was so peaceful, he was sleeping here, that bastard." Ecto smiled as he approached the sleeping Nameless.

"Ecto, what are you doing? Stop." The princess spoke softly trying not to awaken him.

Ecto silently approached him.

"Don't worry, he won't notice."

Just as Ecto spoke, Nameless opened his eyes : "What are you doing?"

Hisss

Ecto immediately jumped back before Nameless chased after him.

"Ahhh, save me!!"

Ecto could only escape in fear as Nameless couldn't bother to continue pursuing him.

Nameless wanted to go back to sleep but he was already awake.

He sat for a few moments closing his eyes, he reflected on his knowledge, on what to do today and on how to approach the problems in front of him.

As he thought, he couldn't help but sigh, he had come out with the same realisation as before, he had to return to his birthplace.

As he was thinking, dozens of minimen returned, most drunk and stumbling before they entered through the holes in the walls.

Nameless feeling curious, stood up to look through one of the holes.

A mushroom-like tree appeared through the hole, it was giant, as big as a regular tree, it looked almost like an apartment complex where each branch held a few small mushroom houses.

The giant mushroom tree had a red mushroom cap that shone with a peaceful light covering the small houses, probably protecting them from the rain or debris.

The small mushroom houses had mushroom caps with all sorts of unique colours as well as a chimney and a door.

Mushroom minimen walked to the trunk of the tree before entering what looked like an elevator which took them to their corresponding floor.

After the elevator was filled, other minimen annoyed went to various platforms on the ground that could stretch like a root taking the minimen to their home.

Through different holes, he could see numerous trees like these.

After looking, Nameless turned to move outside. On the way, he could see dozens of mushroom minimen returning to their home, some flying with their white wings and some just walking on the lagoon, some were drunk and had to be carried by other minimen.

Nameless couldn't help but be fascinated by such creatures, their customs, and environment were unique, not forgetting their small size and abilities which would be an immense help to him, he didn't forget that he had tasked the purple will to analyse the minimen but he didn't dare to offend Yugo.

He moved past the lagoon area back to the entrance, most minimen had returned to their homes, all except Yugo who stood on top of a rock beyond the entrance with a special wine bottle in his hand and an asleep Ecto near him.

"You finally woke up? You could have stayed and enjoyed the banquet haha but I don't blame you." Yugo spoke.

"Yes, I had some things to take care o-

growl

As he spoke, he was interrupted by the growling of his stomach.

"You are hungry haha, there are some leftovers if you want."

"Sigh, thanks but I don't want to feel sleepy, I need to make use of today."

"Don't worry, I removed the spices and some of the ingredients, it won't make you sleepy nor make you relax."

Yugo pointed his finger as a big bowl appeared.

"Ecto was the one who reminded me to leave you a bowl so do treat him well."

"Him? That's quite unexpected."

Nameless took the bowl before he used the wooden spoon in it to eat it.

The meal full of meat and energy was refreshing and energising.

As he drank it, his heart began to beat rapidly as he felt energy pumping through his veins.

"Sigh, finally some good food."

Nameless let out some air from the hot meal before he turned to Yugo again.

"Can we go gather beast cores now?"

"I'm not going to go with you."

"What? but you said so yesterday."

"I won't be physically going with you but I will leave you my will, it's more than enough to protect you."

As he spoke a blueish ethereal figure appeared that looked exactly like him.

"I see but how will it protect me?"

"I will leave it some anima and essence stones."

As he said so, a few animas emerged from his dantian that looked like insects before they entered the ethereal will.

The amanita muscaria-like storage anima appeared as a few white stones, glowing in ethereal colors appeared.

"What are these?"

"They are called essence stones."

Nameless looked at them, they had a rhombus shape and looked dense.

Yugo continued : "Essence stones are one the main sources of energy as well as the main currency in this world. These white essence stones that ripple in rainbow-like color are rank 5 essence stones. The 'will' will use them to fuel the animas to protect you as well as guide you."

"Wow, there was such a thing, so interesting! Can I hold one in my hand?"

"Here is a rank 3 essence stone if you want."

An essence stone appeared on top of the mushroom storage anima, it was yellow golden in color.

It moved towards Nameless as he grabbed it.

The essence stone looked magical and breathtaking, he could feel it held powerful energy.

It was smooth to the touch with no deformities or sharp points, it felt just like gold but more pure and filled with power.

Nameless looked at it for a few moments before he threw it back to Yugo : "This is a rank 3 essence stone? how valuable is it?"

"A currency is extremely valuable especially since cultivators can absorb it, it's not only a currency but also a ressource. A nation or tribe that doesn't have enough supply of essence stones is bound to collapse, entire clans and tribe can move their location to find more supply of it, sometimes the circulation of essence stones can indicate the strength of a nation or clan."

"It can be absorbed by cultivators?!"

"Yes."

"Can't I just use a rank 1 essence stone for my dantian then?"

"That won't work."

"Why?"

"First, your dantian needs vital nutrients, filling it with energy will only put more pressure on the structure of the dantian. As for the second reason, you will find out very soon."

"I see, well then, how many types of essence stones exist?"

"There exists one for all mortal ranks, here they are."

Yugo spoke before five types of essence stones appeared before Nameless.

Black carbon essence stone, Red crimson essence stone, Yellow golden essence stone, Purple violet essence stone and White rainbow essence stone.

"These are respectively the essence stones of Rank 1 to 5 as well as the colours of the Qi in the sea of the dantian at each rank."

He continued : "Rank 1 essence stone is a Black carbon essence stone, the first rank of the dantian is also characterised with black coloured qi, the sea in the dantian being carbon black in color."

"Rank 2 essence stone is a Red crimson essence stone, the sea of the dantian in the 2nd rank being crimson red in color."

"Rank 3 essence stone is a Yellow golden essence stone, the sea of the dantian in the 3rd rank being yellow golden in color."

"Rank 4 essence stone is a Purple violet essence stone, the sea of the dantian in the 4th rank being purple violet in color."

"Rank 5 essence stone is a white rainbow essence, the sea of the dantian in the 5th rank being white rainbow in color."

Nameless was speechless, the essence stone looked magical, their wide and unique variety also seemed to contain a unique profoundness that resonated with his body and mind making him ponder more about their nature.

"Can't I just use that essence stone for my body instead of getting beast cores?"

"You could but I'd advise you to use beast cores, they are more suited for a body, especially to someone like you who can shapeshift into beasts. In my opinion, beast cores are more suitable for you than essence stone."

"I understand, then let's get going."

"I will take you from here." Yugo's will spoke on his behalf with the same voice.

"Oh, so its the same as you?" Nameless spoke as he remembered the purple will explaining wills to him.

"Wills are thoughts, to make a will means making it with one's own thoughts. It is the same as me going with you. When the will comes back, It will merge back into my consciousness and I will be able to see everything that happened. This is of course as long as the will isn't destroyed."

"Interesting!"

Nameless was more and more fascinated by what wisdom path could do, if he could, he would definitely try to cultivate it in the future.

"Wait for a moment, I need the purple will back, I will be sending some messages." As Yugo spoke, the purple will emerged from his mind.

"Wait, will, can you make sure these clothes won't be torn if I shapeshift."

"I can do it." The will expressionely spoke before diving into his clothing, changing its composition into more maliable and stretchy clothing before flying out.

"It should be okay now."

"That's all, you can go with my will." Yugo spoke

Yugo's will then spoke to Nameless: "Follow me, I will be flying at a pretty high speed so you better stick to me."

Immediately the will flew in the air as Nameless followed.

As soon as he entered the forest, he immediately shapeshifted into the Keiya form using his tail and burly body to move swiftly through the lush trees.

A serene quiet enveloped the scene as soon as Nameless left.

"What do you need me for?" the purple will spoke.

"Did you receive an answer to the message I ordered you to send last time, the one about my miniman's Sacred Mirage."

"Yes, I did."

"And the answer?"

"It's in the hands of the Uraya nation."