Chapter 6- Adventure Into The Mine

Rancer’s POV

It has been a month since the start of the training. I have reached 2 stars 2 stripes and have yet to reach near the peak of 2 stars. Jesyln meanwhile is one of the highest potential one. She has cultivated all the way to the middle leveled Novice realm. With that, every children starts to regard Jeslyn as the big sister. Jeslyn of course takes the role too seriously. I can still remember that one time when I have caught on my way through my act of stealing some fruits from one of the farmer, I turn around a couple of time to make sure no one is there. After checking that no one is around, sneakily but with haste, I jump and climb the tree. After ten seconds, I can see my goal. The glossy red fruit is within my eyesight and this has caused me to drool as I remember the heavenly taste of that fruit. I must get one myself. Upon centimeters left, a pebble hit my hand. Oh, no! I have been caught. Thinking quickly, I just roll myself and pretend to be awoke from my sleep. I pretend yawning and then look at this person who have caught me. Jeslyn. This is a big trouble because if it were the villagers, they will just turn one eye as they know I am the grandson of Grandpa Dugo so long I do not commit a serious mistake but if it was Jeysln, I will literally land on a hot-pot. “Oh, it is you, Jeslyn. What are you doing here?” I ask nonchalantly. “Rancer, I clearly see that you are trying to steal,” says Jeslyn. “What are you talking about? Clearly I am sleeping just now. Maybe, when I am dreaming, my arms move on its own,” I try to justify myself. Sadly, I have been caught red-handed when Jeslyn says that she clearly sees that my eyelids are wide open and my eyes are clearly fixated at the fruit. There is no choice left, it is time to use plan number two. I go down back on the ground and moving my hand to rub on my head. Pretending to be as innocent as possible, I laugh, HEE HEE!!! As a result, I get smacked on the head and dragged by the ear.

Time peacefully flies for a year. During this whole year, I have reach 2 stars 4 stripes while Jeslyn has reach the low-level of Intermediate realm. Uncle Chouno’s cultivation level is so profound for he has made an entry to the True realm. Uncle Chouno is trying his best to assimilate with the villagers but most of the time he will gaze at the sky. I bet he is missing his wife. I learn the most basic sword technique which is the quick draw. The quick draw skill takes about 2 months for me to comprehend the essence of it. However, I am far from mastering the skill of quick draw. The next technique incorporates the essence of quick draw. Using quick draw, I slash the air as hard and as fast as possible to form a crescent of air. However, further mastery of the skill will make the user to use this skill anyway and does not need to start off from the quick draw stance anymore. So, that was what those two human cultivators use. Jeslyn also trains her swordsmanship under Grandpa Dugo. Once in a while, we will spare together using the wooden sword. There certainly a sense of thrill and competition to train with someone around your level but a higher potential. One day, she will be stronger than me and I know it is coming soon. Probably, that will be next year.

Obviously, the life the villagers are pretty much the same. Although they still cultivate, they still use some time of theirs to grow crops to sustain their lives. However, as they breakthrough each sea-level, their time spent in managing their crops per day decreases. This is mainly due to the removal of impurities that have helped the villagers in improving their stamina, speed as well as strength. It is one day when one of the villagers discover a mine. A mine. What does it mean? A sign of prosperity and also a sign of civilization. A part of the villagers head towards the mine as this will determine the future prospect of the village. A bountiful source or vein of metal will mean that the village can be further develop and there will be traders. With traders, means more communication with the world. The group is led by Grandpa Dugo which made me and Jeslyn to tag along.

Upon closing in the mine, we can see the soil is reddish-brown in colour. A sign of rusted iron which also mean a sign of huge iron vein with other possible metal. Just as we reach at the entrance of the mine, two beasts are guarding the entrance. What is a beast? According to Grandpa Dugo, beasts are animals that fail their awakening and transition from being an animal to a magical beast. Phew, I am starting to think that I am pretty lucky to survive the transition. As a result of falling, these beasts cannot control the chi and the chi has cause severe damage to the brain. Therefore, the beasts are rather savage and highly driven by impulse. Looking at the savagery of the beasts, Jeslyn shrieks back and subconsciously hide behind my back. This is probably due to her previous trauma with the savage bandits that has killed her mother. I take my hand and run her head. I then say, “Do not worry, I will protect you. Just stand behind me.” She nods slightly. Like a hero in a shining armour, I stand proudly in front of the ‘princess’. One of the beasts runs towards me probably due to its instinct, capable of telling it that I am much stronger than the rest. A potential danger for the beast and have to be eliminated as fast as possible.

I signal Jeslyn to step back a bit. With one hand on the sheath and another on the hilt, I am ready. Just as it jumps to pounce onto me, I instantaneously burst forward and then abruptly stops. With the right position, I do a quick draw and then slash across the beast’s stomach as the stomach is one of the weakest part of the body. The fight ends quickly as the blow is severe enough. Finishing the deed, I head back to see Jeslyn but I can see the frightened face in Jeslyn and she appears that she is trying to warn me. I turn around to see what can be terribly wrong. I turn and the half-dead beast charges at me and entrusting his nails of its paw to kill me. As for me, I just do not the sufficient time to react. The next instant, a crescent of air at least ten times larger than mine cuts of the paw of the beast. Knowing my mistake, I hastily pierce the beast with my sword through its eyes towards the skull. It drops dead but I remain on guard but nothing happen. I guess it is dead.

I then look at Grandpa Dugo’s direction and the beast is long dead. It is pretty much guessable that Grandpa Dugo was the one who save me in the nick of time. We enter the mine only to notice that it is more of a cave. The cave is without much resistance. As we progress deeper and finally reach the end of the cave. The tunnel of the expected end appears to give out a glow. It is indeed magical but the amazement of the place is stopped by chirp of a bird. However, this bird seems to display a presence of a magical beast. “Stop! This is the guardian beast of the cave. I will talk to it,” says Grandpa Dugo. Grandpa Dugo then waves his hand and starts to talk but no one can hear the conversation. After a while, Grandpa Dugo seems to put his finger to the bird’s head. The barrier is removed and the next moment the bird flies towards Jeslyn. It pecks lightly onto her hand and a sign is formed. “Congratulations, Jeslyn, you have bonded with this magical bird. Treat it well. As for this tree, I will transfer it to the village,” says Grandpa Dugo.

Grandpa Dugo’s POV

After the incident with Jeslyn’s unique body, I constantly keep her monitored. It is when I am teaching my grandson, Jeslyn says that she wants to learn swordsmanship and what better opportunity is there. I happily accept it. Finally, someone who can instil some competitiveness in my grandson. When Jeslyn has safely consolidate her entry into Intermediate realm, I seal the extra five meridians for now. When she is strong enough, I will come back again and undo the seal for her. After all, there will be suspicions in the experts when they know about her cultivation speed. It has been some time until someone notices me that the have found a mine possibly containing ores. This is indeed an opportunity for the project to step up into the next phase.

My grandson and Jeslyn want to tag along and why not? This can be good experience to put things into real-time situation. As we approach the mine, we saw the two beasts. The beast is not much of a challenge. My grandson did fairly well just that I forgot to teach him that dealing an enemy is best to kill it rather than leaving it half-dead. This is especially true for such a situation. I will let him feel the sense of crisis and this mistake will be deeply ingrained into his mind. Just as the nails are upon centimetres left, I just use the slice the air with the sword and the rest is done by my grandson.

When we reach the end of the cave, judging by the green light and the iron ore situation, I know what that thing is already. The Iron Lava Tree. This tree is divided into two stages. The first stage is that the tree is like any normal tree. However, this tree will gather chi from the surrounding and accumulate into the tree. The tree then need to absorb the chi for ten years to gain the affinity to earth and fire elements. With the affinity, the tree roots will produce molten lava. When the molten lava cools down, the iron ore will form. The second stage is of the Iron Lava Tree is that it will emit this reddish light for a month signalling that the first stage is to be over. After that month, the Iron Lava Tree is incapable of producing any metal but its value will still not run out. Now, the Iron Lava Tree is bearing fruits for a millennium before wilting. The fruits of course have a slight chance in becoming a seedling of the Iron Lava Tree. However, most people will not do that. They will use the fruit for alchemy. The fruit of the Iron Lava Tree is the main ingredient for two pills called the blood clotting pill and blood regenerative pill which. With this tree, turning the village into a city will be a piece of cake. Luckily, this kind of tree is uncommon but all sects and kingdom is bound to have at least one and an occurrence of another tree like this will not draw any attention of any experts. Unless something terrible or misfortune truly happen.

I then look at hat pitiful weak bird. I lay an enchantment which prevent conversation to be known. I ask, “What are doing here?” “Elder, I am waiting for the first fruit of the Iron Lava Tree,” the magical bird says weakly as it knows that the person in front of it is too strong. I am thinking and I finally know why this magical bird needs this first fruit. It is trying to awaken its dormant bloodline. “I will consent it if you bind with that girl,” I say and that girl refers to Jeslyn. “Elder, you do know the effects of binding right. There is no way I can do it,” says the bird. “Well if it’s a normal human cultivator, I might not ask you but this human has a unique body. What’s more is that I will give you some cultivation techniques,” I say. When a magical beast bind with the human, it will lose all its freedom and can never betray the human. However, there comes a benefit as well, the magical beast will gain a partial amount of latent talent on cultivation of the human it has bonded. The bird’s eye show a trace of surprise and then impatiently agrees to it. I step forward and share some cultivation technique to it. “I hope you will protect her well and do not tell her about the unique body or trouble will find you instead,” I give my warning. Seeing everything is done. It is time to carry out phase two although it is earlier than expected.