The mana hit the tree without any obstructions. All of the mana was absorbed by the tree after hitting it. The tree stayed silent and still for a while before yellow specks appeared on some of its leaves. The tree barely started withering before the leaves started turning green once again.

"I guess the vitality of a tree is too strong for your magic technique to affect it, Disciple."

After seeing that the tree was basically unharmed, Floriana Sabina turned to Rant Valo and spoke. Trees are inherently filled with vitality. They are the symbol of vitality for all living things in the world. Because trees can live for so long if no harm comes their way.

Rant Valo nodded his head in understanding. He didn't expect much from happening but seeing the leaves showing signs of withering before quickly recovering is something he has never seen.

"Wait! Master, didn't it affect you? It hit you right?"

Earlier when Rant Valo used the magic technique, Floriana Sabina was hit with it but nothing happened yet. Rant Valo was worried that since the magic technique can affect a living thing like a tree then it should have also affected Floriana Sabina.

"Hm? I don't feel any different though."

Floriana Sabina turned her head to Rant Valo. Even after so long she has not noticed anything weird happening to her. It was like the magic technique was entirely harmless to her.

"Really? What if you suddenly dry up like a dried corpse?"

Rant Valo's imagination was running wild. He saw the tree wither and for a human, it would be the equivalent of drying up like a corpse.

"Disciple, stop saying something like that!"

Floriana Sabina felt her back shiver from fear. Humans don't have as much vitality as trees and if she was truly affected then it would turn her into a walking dried corpse.

"Ah, right. I'm sorry. I was just worried."

Rant Valo immediately apologized. She was right. He was basically cursing it to happen to her by mentioning it.

"Hmph! If I turn into a walking corpse I'll make you kiss me so you'll be disgusted!"

Floriana Sabina snorted at Rant Valo. He was being too insensitive with such things as something like that could really happen. She could only think of the worst punishment she could think of right now that involves what he just said.

"K-kiss me!?"

Rant Valo was bewildered by what she just said. He couldn't help but sneak a peek at her small lips. His mind immediately imagined it. His face quickly turned red from embarrassment.

"I- I didn't say that!"

Floriana Sabina's face also turned red from embarrassment. She said something embarrassing without thinking too much into it. She immediately regretted speaking in anger.

"Grandmaster, you-!"

Veia looked at Floriana Sabina with wide eyes. She thought that Floriana Sabina would not be a rival but from the looks of it. She's also a potential rival. She couldn't help but raise her guard up around her. She must protect her master's first kiss!

"Y-you guys were just hearing things!"

Floriana Sabina clearly didn't know what to do in this situation. She didn't expect to blurt out something that embarrassing without even realizing it. Her face was turning redder and redder until she was red till her neck.

"I didn't hear anything!"

Rant Valo suddenly shouted to both of them. His face was still red but he looked at them dumbly like nothing happened.

"Yes! You didn't hear anything."

Floriana Sabina immediately went forward to support Rant Valo's words. If ever, they were just making it less awkward for each other. This way they can just tell themselves that it never really happened and they will just forget that it ever happened.

"..."

Veia was speechless at the both of them. They really did their utmost just to deny reality and to avoid being embarrassed.

"R-right, what are we doing next, Master?"

Rant Valo nervously asked Floriana Sabina. Even though he said he didn't hear anything, it was obviously a lie and her words were still replaying inside his head.

"W-wanna try it on a live fish?"

Floriana Sabina's eyes swam around before she finally thought of something. Since they already tested it on a magic technique and a living tree then the next thing would be to test it on an animal.

"Y-yes!"

Rant Valo was nervously smiling back at her. He walked towards the river and closed his eyes to concentrate.

"Wait! Disciple, are your mana reserves enough?"

Floriana Sabina couldn't help but remind Rant Valo. After all, he has already used the same magic technique several times. He still hadn't had the chance to rest yet.

"Ah, I think so?"

Rant Valo really wasn't sure. He looked at his core and still saw that there was still some mana inside it. He still hadn't exhausted most of it.

"Rest first, Disciple. I'm sure that your core doesn't have enough mana to use."

Floriana Sabina stopped Rant Valo before he could go any further. Depleting one's mana is like a death wish. Only someone crazy would do so because there is a chance of losing their cultivation and the extreme headache that followed afterward would hurt so much that you would wish you were dead.

"There are still some."

Rant Valo couldn't help but speak up. He was sure that he could cast at least one more magic technique before his core became empty.

"You're wrong, Disciple. That's likely to be your foundational mana."

Floriana Sabina shook her head. There are two types of mana inside a cultivator, usable mana and foundational mana. The usable mana is what the cultivators use to cast their magic techniques these could be replenished easily with rest. While the foundational mana is meant to keep the cultivation stage of the cultivator. If they expend their foundational mana, the cultivator would regress or most likely lose all of their cultivation.

"Foundational mana?"

Rant Valo became confused by her words once again. Whenever Floriana Sabina speaks, there would at least be one word that Rant Valo would not understand the meaning of. It was very frustrating and confusing for him.