Another short chapter heh heh.... Enjoy

Chapter 12: martial arts II

It's been 20 days or so since i started cultivating [twelve divine step] and [shadow shift] i've received a lot martial arts skills from Lupa, but this two i like the most [shadow shift] allows one to move from shadow to shadow and at the same time increase one speed up to 10 times or so by reducing one's weight and by tempering muscles with battle qi, but i also discovered what makes martial cultivator so frightening is because natural energy can be used to strengthen both mana and battle qi, by combining both natural energy and battle qi the effectiveness is increased infinitely, it depends on how much natural energy u use to power up battle qi or mana, but of course it's not without risk the more natural energy is infused the more unstable and harder it is to control.

And because i'm using it to strengthen my muscles the more natural energy i infused the greater the burden in my body in worst cases i'll be paralyzed for a couple of days, i remember the first time i tried to exceed my limit i ended up puking blood for 2 days and my whole body hurts like hell, and that's with the help of [skal] "gaia heart" without it i may have died right there, so it's dangerous yes but with the right application and control it's a terrifying weapon to have..

What i didn't know back then is combining natural energy with another type energy is next to impossible... And the ability to combine different type of energy is an ability only i can do, and this ability will allows me to stand at the top, and be called "Unrivaled"

Swish.... Swish.. A shadow blur keep dancing in the small cave and yes that's me, for the past 20 days i didn't stop training and cultivating except for eating and other bodily needs, even sleeping is replaced with meditation and cultivation, so it's no surprise my power has increased tremendously..

[Lupa]: hey zion! Just how long are we going to stay here? we been here for over 30 days and we haven't moved since then.

[Zion]: heh heh.. sorry i just can't stop cultivating it's quite addicting it's the first time ive feel this way.. Dont worry im planing on moving on in a few hours i need to search for a more powerful monster to test everything i've learned...

[Lupa]: don't get careless! (Angry look) one wrong move here and we will both die!

[Zion]: i know, i know don't be angry, i know the risk and i don't plan on dying here,

After a few hours and making all preparation it's time to head out, the first monster we encounter is a giant spider about 2 meters tall and about 4 meters wide, this is the most scariest thing i saw in my entire life, this thing activates a primal fear i didn't know i have, the spider legs are all like sickle, and razor sharp, it's very fast, if by chance we encounter this spider before i started cultivating, its game over for us, but as i am right now the spider isnt much of a challenge, it's fast but i'm faster and the spider body is quite weak 1 strike is all it took to kill it, Lupa extracted some venom from the spider, and i took the core and we move on...

Bang! Bang!

[Zion]: that's the last of them! Whew.. (Phanting) I'm going to take a rest for a awhile i'll leave the rest to you!

I groggily walk back to the camp when reach my bed i just lost consciousness...

[Lupa]: no problem!

15 days has passed since we depart from our last campsite, i've killed countless monster but there's still no sign of exit, and 2 days ago we found a nest of monster like mole, it has no eyes, it uses its whiskers to detect vibrations and locates its prey, it has sharp claws, its about a size of a puppy but its skin is covered with steel like scales, and the most annoying of all it can burrow into the ground and appear everywhere from the side of the cave from the ceilings, and then shoots like a missile with its claws extended it rotates its body like a drill and shoot like a missile, very annoying, and because of its size and number, my shadow shift skill and my concentration is really put into the test this is the hardest battle ive fought so far, by body is full of cuts and my clothes is dyed with my blood, i can't retreat because if i did Lupa will be put in danger 1 hit is all it take kill lupa, the mole is rank 3 it's not much considering my level of power but this damn critters really knows how to organize its attack, they don't attack in 1 or 2 at a time, they attack in all direction and at most 10 or so at a time, it took me 2 days to completely wipe them out and i'm exhausted both body and mind.

i don't know how many times i came close to death during that fight, but i have to say my earning during that fight is enormous my shadow shift efficiencies has greatly increase to the point that i'm using the skill unconsciously, shadow shift has integrated into my body and soul that i can use it without thinking, but greatest rewards is my mastery of twelve divine step, ive reach the the previously unreachable 4th step energy circulation, it allows me to continuously replenish my energy during battle, normally i need to do a set of movement to replenish my energy quickly this method has twice the efficiency compared to meditation but the movement if quite bizarre and difficult to do to make it effective in battle, but during that fight i manage to incorporate those set of movement in my way of fighting, and what's more i've been doing it unconsciously, and that allows me to fight for 2 Days without rest.. But it's still so taxing to the mind, so even though i still have energy my mind is on the verge of collapse, after that fight without knowing i slept for 3 days straight...

[Lupa]: Good so you're finally awake! Here i made you a new clothes with all the materials i have so far, the design is a work in progress but it's still better than your old clothes..

I looked at my clothes or what remains of my old clothes and well one word "rag" yeah it can't be considered a clothes any more, so i quickly changed into a clothes or a robe coz thats what it looks like, it's a little heavy coz its made of different monster hide but it doesn't hinder my movements so it's all good to me.

[Zion]: thanks man! How long have i been sleeping?

[Lupa]: 3 days! You've slept for 3 days straight! So how'd you feel?

[Zion]: hmmm.. I feel great looks like all my wounds are healed, not even a scar remains, i'm as smooth as a baby heh heh heh.. My body is stronger too, but i'm hungry my stomach is growling non stop without my control heh heh..

[Lupa]: well you're right on time i just finish cooking! let's eat, i have something i need to discuss with you as well.

[Zion]: cool let's go!........... Nice this is delicious can't believe you manage to cook a meal like this without any spices, looks like your cooking has level up too, (said it while grinning)

[Lupa]: ha ha ha... I'm a genius after all, ha ha ha....

[Zion]: so anyways you want to talk to me about something?

[Lupa]: (serious face) yeah about that 2 days ago while you are still sleeping i decided to scout ahead and i discovered that about 2 to 3 hours down the cave i i i found it!

[Zion]: found what?

[Lupa]: the basilisk!

[Zion]: oh that heh heh whats with scary face i thought you found some demon in the cave scared me there for a second.. Killing a rank 5 monster is like taking a candy from a baby!

[Lupa]: what? Why would you take a candy from a baby? What kind of evil person are you? To take candy from a baby what evil... (Said with an angry look)

[Zion]: huh! That's just a saying! Why are you... Nevermind what i'm trying to say is killing that basilisk is not a problem...

[Lupa]: oh Really! even though there's a nest of them with a queen leading them?

[Zion]: of course it's just a nest, heh heh nest... Huh? Did you just says a nest?......... How many do you think they are in that nest?

[Lupa]: judging from what i saw 2 days ago there's at least a hundred of them..

[Zion]: a hundred rank 5 basilisk! What the fuck! Then we have no choice we will find another way... That's overkill no matter how i look at it...

[Lupa]: well that's the problem there's no other way forward, unless you want to dig another way your self... Sigh and that's not the worst part...

[Zion]: there's more! What's worst than a hundred basilisk barring your only path outside?

[Lupa]: ................... Well it's a jump down about 20 meters.... So we can't lure it one at a time, if you jump down you'll have no choice than to fight them all at the same time...

[Zion]: HUH! Holy mother f**ker! Sigh!.... (depressed look) what the hell... We will talk about that later i'm sure we can find a way somehow i mean we always do! I mean were still alive aren't we just how many time we came close to death and still we are here! Heh heh heh.. So don't worry..

"darn it! there has to be a way, i can't show my weak side to Lupa just looking at him he's already given up! I have to encourage him otherwise he may decides to return back and just stay here forever"

[Lupa]: ok (looking depressed) here are all the core we've collected for the past few days maybe with this you'll have a better chance against the basilisk, don't worry i already decided to go with you no matter what if you died fight i'll die with you...

[Zion]: Lupa.....(gently smiling) Thanks man! But really don't worry i don't plan on dying here! Well survive and we'll get out of here together...

It took 2 days to absorbed all the cores and another 15 days to get used to my new power ups! And another 30 days to make preparation for battle....