Sweet Little Girl

The next day, oblivious to all the commotion among the council members within the clan, Alm and Bruno dedicated their time to absorbing the raw earth iron they had acquired in the city.

Bruno used a small handful of ore about the size of a fist, combining it with a bit of his Qi. This quick idea, conceived to delay the furious young man, resulted in something far beyond expectations. The small amount of Qi they incorporated had a surprising affinity with earth laws, multiplying the hardness and power of that ore.

Now that things were calmer, the top priority was to try to improve, even if only a little, that bestial bloodline in their bodies.

Three entire days passed, during which all the ore was absorbed with the help of the Yin and Yang Supreme Qi Collector technique. When they opened their eyes, shining in a mystical brown tone, they examined the subtle changes.

Bruno opened his fists, observing his skin and feeling the blood flow. 'It's still just a drop, but... it seems much denser, affecting our Qi and body with more power.'

'I can faintly sense the earth laws within it. It seems we now have a frightening level of mastery over this law,' commented Alm, getting excited. 'We have to put it into practice; things should be quieter outside by now.'

Bruno turned his eyes to the side of the bed and saw Ruri enveloped in a layer of Qi meditating. 'She's still very young; her body and meridians are still developing. It's much harder to advance cultivation in a conventional way.'

'Her understanding of Qi is far behind. After all, it was us who forced cultivation into her body, not her own doing,' remarked Alm, looking deeply at Ruri and analyzing like a dedicated master.

'This is the perfect moment. She's been at the peak of the first level for a day, but she's unlikely to ascend quickly. The best way to expedite understanding is under pressure. Feeling death with one wrong move creates miracles.' Alm chuckled lightly at the end.

Bruno nodded, but remembering everything that happened, he felt that something seemed off. 'The change in Innoa's attitude when he saw Ruri was very strange. He was furious, and then he just pretended.'

Alm then searched his memory for the scene and agreed with the strangeness. He looked at Ruri again and seemed to understand something. 'This planet is an average-level ascending place. The major sect must have some real knowledge about cultivation; maybe he's a cultivator specialized in manipulating pure Qi.'

Bruno then understood where Alm was going and focused on sensing the Qi in the environment; soon, everything became clear. 'Yes, within the clan where everyone was pathetic, no one could ever sense it. But her soul power is strong due to her bloodline. I heard he admired the beauty of the people from Montide, so he might have the knowledge to notice.'

'This has become quite dangerous for her now, but the clan would never give her up easily as a direct descendant of that people's bloodline,' Alm spoke calmly.

'We have to elevate our own cultivation rapidly. Earth laws are the strongest for defense. There won't be any problems if we stay in the initial region of the forest; we can protect ourselves and escape now,' Bruno analyzed seriously, but he realized that Alm was still focused on Ruri.

After a few seconds, Alm commented decisively. 'We have to train her rigorously; she has to be able to protect herself when we leave. A bit of pressure, and she'll reach the second level, then she can initiate the plan. We won't be at a loss in any way.'

Bruno was now truly surprised; Alm, who usually only thought of himself, was prioritizing someone else, even though his words seemed otherwise.

***

The next day, they left before the sun rose on the horizon, sneaking through the gate without being noticed by the guards. They didn't want to attract unnecessary attention; some allies might have contact with Innoa, which would pose a danger to Ruri.

As the sun fully illuminated the forest, they walked silently, attentive to everything around them. Ruri was especially nervous, advancing ahead under the supervision of Alm and Bruno.

Bruno spoke in a calm and low tone. "Focus on feeling everything around you. You're a long-range fighter; finding the enemy before they discover you is crucial for your survival. Your soul techniques can be deadly if they catch the enemy by surprise." 

Alm was completely focused on sensing everything in a vast area, even if it consumed a lot of their Qi. They had to be careful not to attract a beast of a level beyond what they could handle. It didn't take long for a one-meter lizard to attack from the top of a tree. Ruri didn't feel it until it attacked.

A deadly strike of venom mixed with Qi shot from the lizard's mouth. In a startle, Ruri leaped aside, forgetting even to use her Qi.

Dirt and dust rose in a small area with the impact on the ground. When the mist cleared, Ruri, with a trembling look, saw the dead lizard impaled by a stone stake and then felt a bloodthirsty gaze beside her, finding Alm and Bruno staring at her furiously.

***

The sky was orange and almost dusk; the duo had been in the forest for five days, walking silently. Ruri, who had exchanged her clothes for more casual ones, was in tatters. There was no place that wasn't covered in dirt, and her clothes had several cuts with small scratches visible. Surprisingly, there was no blood, at least not hers.

Alm and Bruno walked several meters behind. She had now broken through and reached the second level of the Qi Gathering Realm. And they had some confidence in her just by watching the surroundings carefully. Alm was particularly proud of what he was seeing.

Ruri now walked fearlessly and attentively, but in her small hands, she held a large dagger, and the blade was dripping with a fresh liquid.

Suddenly, Ruri's Qi changed subtly. Then, they saw her throw her dagger, and an explosion of Qi followed.

CRACK!!

The sound of a hard shell breaking echoed a few meters away. Ruri then ran. A few meters ahead, with a quick move within a green mass, she retrieved her dagger. Then, she leaped into a bush, stabbing, and a muffled sound was heard.

The silence lasted a few seconds. She stood up from the bush with her clothes all dirty with dust and a green liquid.

Bruno and Alm were watching everything attentively. 'Who would have thought that a soul cultivator would be more efficient in fighting head-on with a blade,' Bruno commented with a sigh.

Alm then gave a sinister laugh. 'This is better. Who would have thought that a sweet little girl would draw a blade and stab their stomach violently? Hahhahaha!'

'Don't try to turn her into a bloodthirsty killer; she has her own...' Bruno then stopped abruptly, feeling something and sent a warning message to Ruri.

She turned without hesitation and ran quickly to their side as they sneaked into a dense bush. Both concentrated to the maximum on nullifying all their presences. Their feat became even more impressive, considering the size of their body.

The sound of the night wind made the leaves rustle in a natural murmur. Then, using their sharp senses, they clearly felt something floating above their heads, above the trees. Two shadows passed silently, unaware of their presence.

Alm then spoke mentally. 'Human cultivators.'

Bruno thought seriously as Alm continued. 'The two were near the end of the Qi Gathering Realm; it shouldn't be possible for them to fly naturally. They were using powerful artifacts with wind laws. The resource consumption to keep them flying must be quite high.'

Alm then smiled maliciously. 'Perhaps they're looking for something good. Our luck seems to be quite good today.'