Meeting Airmid

"You are now a member of my Familia!" Hestia said, delighted to have two members in her Familia. This time, she has not only recruited one person but two at once. It was the right choice following these two.

'Such a lean and muscular body...' she thought, rubbing the new member's skin to feel his muscles.

Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Xiao asked, "Is this... part of the ritual?"

Upon hearing this, Hestia darted out of the bed, "Ahem... Anyway, now that you have received your Falna, let's go to the pharmacy."

"Oh, alright."

'I originally wanted to make a 3-star healing pill, but it seems like I won't even have to do anything. This is easier than expected,' he thought.

Getting out of bed, and putting back his sweatshirt, he and Hestia walked out of the room.

"Congratulation on receiving your falna, Xiao!" Bell smiled. "What are you going to do now? Do you want to go to the dungeon with me?"

Before he could reply, Hestia beat him to the punch. "He won't be able to go to the dungeon until his injury is healed. Now, we are going to a healer."

"I-Injury?" Bell gasped.

"I am sorry for suggesting you this." He continued, "I hope you'll recover soon so we can explore the dungeon together!"

Before pulling Xiao and walking away, Hestia said, "This is your first time going to the dungeon so be careful, okay?"

"Sure, I will!"

Since he didn't know whether this world had the craftsmanship to make a spatial ring, Xiao pretended to put his hand in his pocket to take out a defensive treasure.

"Take this jade necklace. It will save you during a life-threatening situation."

Although the necklace looked ordinary and he doubted its capability, Bell still put the exquisite item around his neck before turning around. "Thank you, I will go now!"

When the boy had left the building, Hestia complained, "Hey, this is not fair. I also want to receive something as beautiful as that necklace!"

Seeing her childish behavior, Xiao couldn't help but shake his head helplessly. "Alright, alright."

Since she was taking care of him, he still had to repay her.

This time, he took out one of his many treasures from his main spatial ring. "Let me help you put it on."

"Eheh..."

---

A girl with long silver hair and purple eyes stood behind the counter. Beside her were many wall shelves with all kinds of potions.

As the creak of the entrance door disturbed the peaceful atmosphere of the shop, the woman was about to greet her customer when a familiar face came into view. "Goddess Hestia? What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Airmid. I would need your help. This is Xiao, a new member of my Familia. Can you take a look at his injury?"

"Sure."

"Thank you. I will remember your help in the future-"

Suddenly, a dominant aura surged from out of nowhere paralyzing Xiao on the spot with its might.

"...!"

'A cultivator?!'

The defensive treasure capable of blocking the strongest strike from a Peak-stage Golden Core that Xiao had given to Hestia was shattered immediately after it was activated.

A millisecond later, when the black blur disappeared, so were Hestia and Airmid.

What was left in the shop were cracked potions on the floor, and a wide hole caused by the mysterious thing.

'Not even a Soul Wandering could do such a thing! Was it a Nascent Soul? Ascension? Or an even higher existence?' Many questions filled his mind.

Looking around the store, everything was messy. The potions were all shattered on the floor with their liquid flowing out, a massive hole in the wall that showed how powerful the entity was.

Then, a letter on the ground picked his attention.

[ If you want to get them back, come to the Seolo Forest. And when you arrive there, use your divine sense to find their location. ]

If Xiao had to be honest, although he didn't want them to be in danger, he wouldn't risk his life for them.

The opponent was way above his league. Even the sect master who had a cultivation base of the Soul Wandering realm wouldn't stand for a second facing such a powerful enemy.

What could he, who had the strength of a Peak-stage Bone-Forging, do?

He doubted that even a Nascent Soul would stand a chance.

However, even though he couldn't defeat the opponent, he still made up his mind to go to the Seolo Forest.

After all, if the enemy wanted to harm him, they would have already murdered him instead of kidnapping Hestia and Airmid. Even if he didn't go, he wouldn't be able to hide from such a powerful cultivator, and might even offend such a big shot.

"Oh, God! What happened?!"

"This pharmacy belongs to Miss Airmid! Who dared to provoke a level 2 adventurer?"

Upon hearing the bystanders' voices, Xiao absconded from the building.

---

Far away from Orario, somewhere in the Abandoned World

An elderly man was standing on a cliff, overlooking the world.

If Xiao were there, he would recognize the Immortal aura emitted by the old man's robe.

The man's gaze was directed towards Orario as if he could see the city even from such a distance. "What a worthless puppet... I have clearly told it to maintain a low level."

"A pity that my Profound Immortal puppet was destroyed thousands of years ago, it possessed more intelligence," he muttered.

"If he succeeds the test, we will go and meet him in 10,000 years when he has grown stronger.

Otherwise, it's not worth taking the risk of breaking the Heavenly Golden Dragon barrier that is locking every cultivators in one place."