Because I’m done with testing out my OPMCT, I head back to the cave. I really don’t have anything else I need out here, so I can head back. However, once I start going back, Nicten stops me. It seems he’s very desperate about this, I can see a rare change in his expression over this. Since he’s so desperate, I’ll hear him out. Turns out he was very hungry, he didn’t eat for a few days when he ran. Apparently, he also saw a giant crater filled with dead bodies. After seeing that, he threw up, which emptied his stomach of any food he had previously had. I was surprised about how he could say that without hesitating, but it seems he thought it was natural.

Also, that story about the crater seems familiar…

“Oh...” I mutter.

“Master?” Nicten looks at me, confused.

“Ah. No, it’s nothing.”

“I see.”

Yep, that was me. I’m really unsure how to feel about this; should I feel guilty, or slightly proud. I’m mixed on this subject. I feel sorry about him seeing that, but…

“Well, if you need food, we can hunt some animals on our way back.” I tell Nicten.

“Thank you, master.” Nicten puts his hand to his chest, like how a butler would.

I nod and then turn back in the direction I came from. However, it seems that the direction I came from has been made unknown to me. Yes, quite splendidly, I have become lost. You see, it’s not entirely my fault. First, this entire forest looks exactly the same. Second, I got involved with Nicten and messed up my sense of direction. Third, fuck this forest. Despite the fact that it’s not necessarily my fault, it does not change the fact that I am lost.

I have an idea though. Let’s see, Nicten came from that direction. I look in the direction he came from, seeing his footprints and how they stop behind the tree. I don’t have much footprints because I was being light-footed. No, that does not mean I’m really light, I just normally run in a way that reduces my footprint. That’s how I am, no need to judge. I turn in the opposite direction from Nicten’s footprints and head in that direction, Nicten behind me. I’m confident that this is the direction I came from. On the way, we hunt for game.

{An hour later…} -System

“Where the fuck are we?”

“I thought you knew, master?”

“No, no I certainly did not. If I did, we would’ve left by now. And have finally met up with Rucia again.”

“Rucia? Your wife? Should I call her mistress?”

“Uh… No, I just travel with her. Feel free to call her however you like.”

“I understand, master.”

“Now, where to go now...”

“Indeed.”

{Midnight…} -System

“It’s midnight.”

“Yes it is, master.”

“When did we start going back again?”

“About midday, I think?”

“… We’re never gonna get back.”

{The next day…} -System

“I… need to… sleep...”

“Master? Are you alright?”

“I need… the fluffy bed… Foam mattresses… Memory Foam… Bliss...”

“M-master…?!”

“I NEED TO SLEEP!”

{Dusk, the same day…} -System

I trudge along the dirt of the forest. I’m truly lost right now. Thankfully, we’re out of the Soul Grove, otherwise, even with my Mental Force cultivation, I would be doomed. Actually, my Mental Force cultivation is high enough to do whatever the fuck I want in that Soul Grove (minus the demon beasts), I would only succumb to the illusion because I know it would make it seem like I’m sleeping on a mattress. A real one. Like one from Earth. Aah… It sucks when I remember my past life, I get really envious.

Eh? Isn’t this the cave? Size, check. Scenery, check. Animals, check. Rucia, check. Oh, we’re here. That’s nice.

“FINALLY!!” I shout in joy.

“Master?!” Nicten was shocked at my sudden outburst.

“THE BEDS ARE WAITING!!”

“Master?! W-wait for me!”

I run into the cave, alerting Rucia. She looks up at me, a smile on her face and her eyes wet. She stretches out her arms, like she’s catching something big. I guess cultivating that long does make your body feel slightly weird and you may need to stretch, but not that much. Ignoring her, I jump straight over her head. My eyes are fixated on the bed. My pillow and blankets have not been touched since I used them last. That means all I have to do is roll in and I’m asleep. My right foot hits the ground, and I begin to land. However, since I don’t want to land, I twist my foot so I fall into a roll. At the same time, I send a burst of qi to lift up the sheets. I fall into a roll and the sheets go flying into the air. I continue my roll into the bed, losing my momentum and stopping as soon as I reach the bed. My head falls onto the pillow and the sheets cover my body softly.

Aah… Sweet bliss…

“Though he’s a nice person, he really does like to go his own way.” A female voice that belongs to Rucia.

“True, he certainly does treat people nicely. After all, in the oath to the Heavenly Dao, he swore to not treat me unjustly or give me orders I can’t carry out.” A male voice belonging to Nicten.

“I know. When we first met, he actually gave me a cultivation method for…”

“For what?”

“It-it’s embarrassing...”

“I understand. If you do not want to say it, you do not need to.”

“Thank you, Nicten.”

“It’s alright, you are a friend after all.”

“Ah, that’s right. He’s kind of mysterious as well!”

“Mysterious? Certainly, he’s strong and doesn’t talk about his strengths, but it doesn’t seem like he’s mysterious at all.”

“It’s because you haven’t known him as long as I have. He has so many things he’s good at. In fact, he manages to avoid conversation about his power in such a natural way. His cooking is supreme! I only tasted it once, yet I want more! He claims he’s self-taught, but both his swordsmanship and cooking are impossible to achieve without a teacher. There was a time where I was about to die. At the time, he wasn’t in Beyond Mortal Realm, and I was; however, when my qi was wreaking havoc inside my body, he made it calm down as though it was the easiest thing in the world! After that, he said… that he wouldn’t risk permanent injury for someone he just met...” Her voice trailed off.

“I see. He is a man to look up to indeed. With great strength and a great demeanor to go with it. I am truly glad to serve a man like that.”

“Right. He’s amazing!”

“I’m trying to sleep here.” I interrupt their moment of worship.

“A-Ardven?!”

“Master?!”

My god you two, if you’re going to turn me into an object of worship, please do it in the other room. Of course I don’t say that to them, I’d rather focus on sleep. I am deprived, and I need something to bring me back to life. Sleep is my lord and savior at the moment, so allow me to indulge.

“Just, be quieter if you want to worship me.” I tell them.

““R-right...”” They coordinate quite well.

Like-minded people hit it off quite well, don’t they? Anyway, back to sleep!