Nature Empathy

The portal shimmered to life and notifications flooded on his face.

Augustus quickly scanned through the available rewards, but his heart sank as he found nothing noteworthy.

With a shrug, he picked out the items that could be of use and turned to Vera and Arielle, both of whom were still beaming with excitement.

"That was great. Congratulations on clearing your first dungeon," Augustus said, his voice filled with admiration. "We'll head back and rest now. You guys must be tired."

As they made their way out of the dungeon, a wave of satisfaction washed over them.

They had taken revenge on the goblins, and Vera and Arielle had grown stronger because of it.

With a triumphant cry of "We did it!" Vera and Arielle hugged each other tightly, and Arielle even shed a few tears, overwhelmed by the emotions of their successful venture.

Augustus didn't want to ruin the moment, so he simply congratulated them once again. "You guys did very well."

As they emerged from the dungeon, the guards were surprised to see the portal to the goblin dungeon open again so soon. A loud buzzing sound alerted them to the presence of Augustus and his companions.

As they approached, the guard asked in disbelief, "Sir, how did you get here? Did you guys come out of the dungeon?"

Augustus clarified the guard's enquiry, "Yes, we cleared the dungeon. I have the ability to teleport into the dungeon."

The guard tried to praise Augustus but ended up sounding awkward. "Ah, it's like that. That is an awesome ability. Anyway, good to know it's not a dungeon outbreak."

This caught Augustus's attention. "A dungeon outbreak?"

The guard explained that a dungeon outbreak occurs when a dungeon is not cleared within a certain amount of time, causing monsters to pour out of the portal.

To prevent destruction, they had built a stronghold around the portal, with cannons and ballistas surrounding the area to gain an advantage over the monsters that emerge out of the portal.

"But ever since the arrival of the Irregulars, dungeon outbreaks have become more frequent, as they see it as an opportunity to grow stronger," the guard explained with a worried look on his face.

"Although there have been instances where Irregulars deliberately refuse to help clear a dungeon and instead demand exorbitant fees for their services, Nolan did just that in this city."

"The Exonian formed a group to try and clear the dungeon for the sake of the city and its people, but with you here, there's no need for us to worry anymore." The guard smiled.

Augustus muttered to himself, his mind racing with the possibilities of the future. "If game-like scenarios keep occurring, we may see the birth of a new demon king," he thought ominously.

"Thank you for the information," Augustus said as he left the premises, lost in his own thoughts.

As it had been a while since they were inside the dungeon, Augustus decided to treat Vera and Arielle to a hearty meal at a nearby tavern.

Though the system kept him from feeling hunger, he was curious about the food in the area.

"Is there a good restaurant nearby?" Augustus inquired.

"We don't have any proper restaurants here. We only have taverns and bars that serve food," Vera replied. "That place over there is pretty decent, especially since Nolan destroyed the inn we stayed at previously."

Following Vera's directions, they arrived at a bustling inn filled with people enjoying their dinner.

"Look, it's the man from yesterday!" a drunk man exclaimed, noticing Augustus' rare silver hair.

"It's the one who saved us!" another man yelled.

The owner of the bar approached them and said, "It's my honor to serve the hero. There's no need to pay today; everyone can just enjoy!"

The crowd cheered, happy to see Augustus. They were guided to an empty table that had been reserved for them.

The three of them were served an ample amount of food that could easily feed five adults, a clear indication of the generosity of the people in the area.

Augustus took in the unique atmosphere of the tavern as he watched Arielle and Vera happily eat their food.

"You're only eating a little. Aren't you hungry?" Arielle asked, concerned.

"I'm not that hungry, My skill allows me to not feel hunger during my time here," Augustus explained.

"That sucks. Food tastes a lot better when you're hungry," Arielle teased him, poking fun at his inability to enjoy the meal like they could.

Augustus chuckled softly, "I know that feeling all too well."

Vera's eyes were filled with concern as she asked, "But what do you mean by your time here?"

Augustus let out a heavy sigh before answering, "I must return to my world. It's only for a while, so there's no need for you guys to worry."

Arielle interjected, her eyes pleading, "Can't you take us with you, like how you teleport us to the dungeon?"

Augustus shook his head, guilt gnawing at him. "I'm not sure if I can teleport you to my world," he confessed.

At this moment, Augustus wanted to try to summon Zhang Jian to this dimension.

Without delay, Augustus accessed his system and messaged Zhang Jian.

"Are you busy?" he asked. To his surprise, Zhang Jian replied almost immediately.

"Senior Bai! Delighted to hear from you. I'm now an inner disciple and have access to the best privileges. I haven't accepted any master, for no one is better than you," Zhang Jian wrote.

Augustus couldn't help but smile awkwardly at the message as he started to sweat. 'There's certainly someone better than me in your world,' he thought to himself.

During his time in the seclusion house, Orb had taken care of everything without Augustus even realizing it.

[2-Star, Zhang Jian]

Age: 15 years old

Cultivation: Soul Formation Realm

Affiliation: Heavenly Sword Sect

Specialty: Inner Disciple of Heavenly Sword Sect, 2-Star Sword Aura, Heavenly Sword 3rd Form

Zhang Jian is an inner disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, a prestigious sect that had produced many legendary sword cultivators over the years. He had already reached the Soul Formation and Level Two Sword Intent, which was a legendary accomplishment for someone his age.

Upon examining Zhang Jian's description, Augustus realized that he had made significant progress in cultivation and was now a 2-Star.

"You should accept a master so that you can progress faster," Augustus advised.

"I won't accept anyone weaker than you, Senior Bai," Zhang Jian stubbornly replied, as he held Augustus in high regard and respected him deeply. Augustus let out a resigned sigh.

"Do what you feel is best for you. Remember, sometimes you need to think outside the box," Augustus wrote, trying to convince him not to be stubborn.

There was a slight delay in Zhang Jian's response, but not long after, he replied, "I understand now! Thank you for the enlightenment. My Half Teacher wants to thank you for the wise words, so he wants me to send you a gift."

[Zhang Jian sent a gift]

[You have obtained Mysterious Seed]

Suddenly, a "Gourd Seed" appeared, formed in the air and dropped on his palm, gifted to him by Zhang Jian.

Not long after, another gift arrived, a white gemstone dropped on the table.

[Zhang Jian sent a gift]

[You have obtained 'White Tiger's Soul Stone]

[I hunted the White Tiger. It didn't want to die, so he decided to turn himself into a soul stone to save his own life, knowing that we wouldn't kill him if he turned into a soul stone.]

[Maybe Senior can tame the beast]

Augustus inspected the gourd seed and found that it contained Qi within it.

What puzzled him was that he could feel something beating within the seed, as if it contained a life force.

As for the soul stone, Augustus could see the White Tiger's soul sleeping inside. Arielle, who was observing the bizarre objects, couldn't help but be intrigued.

"What are those?" she asked. Augustus decided to handed over the items to Arielle as she seems curious, and as she held them, they seemed to come alive in her hands.

Arielle seems to be able to communicate with the objects.

Augustus was taken aback by the lack of boundaries between the dimensions. "Her Nature Empathy talent allows her to communicate with them," he marveled at Arielle's abilities.

"It seems your talent is working well with them," Augustus commented.

Arielle smiled, "Yes, they can talk to me.

"This is Seedy, she complained that those people stored her in a box for centuries and didn't even bother to water her."

"This is Ellie, she said that someone attacked her while she was sleeping in her cave."

Augustus nodded, "I can imagine humans doing such things without consideration."

Arielle held the items dear to her heart, "Nature is pure and innocent. They became excited when they knew that I could hear them."

Seedy interrupted, "Rell, I want some water."

Arielle obliged, dropping a few drops of water on Seedy.

The gourd seed started sprouting despite there being no soil.

Ellie then spoke up, "Rella, me too! Form a contract with me and give me a drop of your blood."

Arielle didn't hesitate, forming a contract with Ellie using the Soul Stone. The stone shone brightly, and everyone in the tavern noticed the commotion and turned their attention towards Arielle.

"What's happening over there?" someone asked.

"Don't know. It's the hero party," another replied.

Ellie emerged from the Soul Stone, and everyone panicked as they saw the tiger.

"Calm down, she's friendly," Arielle reassured them. Ellie licked Arielle's face, and Arielle was overjoyed to see Ellie being able to leave her stone.

Augustus evaluated Ellie's strength, "The tiger is at least a Nascent Soul."

"Me too! I can do something cool too," Seedy exclaimed as the seed wiggling, then vine sprouted out of the seed.

The vine was short, barely finger-sized, but Arielle still complimented Seedy, saying "Great work!" She gently petted the vine as it twirled around her fingers.

"I'll leave those two with you. I'm glad you found a use for them," Augustus said, entrusting the items to Arielle.

Arielle was happy to have found new teammates, "Meet Nina. She's a lesser spirit and will soon be a full-fledged spirit," she introduced them to the spirit that had followed her since her adulthood."

Nina's wings glittered as she flew around Ellie, who struggled to keep up with her speed. Seedy watched as Nina circled her as well, a friendly greeting from the little spirit.

Arielle provided some nourishment for her new companions, placing some food on the table. Vera asked for permission to feed Ellie, who seemed to be starving. "Yeah, she's kind of hungry," Arielle replied as she rubbed Ellie's head.

Vera quickly formed a bond with the tiger, unafraid despite her ferocity. Augustus also attempted to interact with the group, but Ellie didn't take kindly to his presence and bit him. "Grr. He smells like them," she growled, sensing the Qi from Augustus.

"He's my master, be kind to him," Arielle chided Ellie, correcting her behavior.

"If Rella said so," Ellie acquiesced, putting her guard down.

Augustus attempted to pet Ellie, but the tiger's hostility was palpable. "Yep, this cat hates me for some reason," he thought to himself.