"I'm perfectly fine, and thanks for your generosity. Once it's morning, we will be on our way. It's very kind of you, mister." Blood spoke, his words carrying gratitude. There was a subtle warmth in his tone as he finally decided to remove his hood, revealing his flawless face to the open air.
Ballock was taken aback by Blood's transformation. His bearing had changed immensely, replaced by what he could only describe as a perfect demeanor.
He was left speechless.
He hadn't paid attention to him earlier, when he first awoke.
The Village head, on the other hand, paled, his hand trembling at his side until he gripped the shelf to steady himself and soon regained his composure. This man was beautiful—so beautiful that he had seen no one who even came close. All others paled in comparison. What a flawless face, hidden all this time beneath a hood.
"HaHaa, you can stay however much you like." he said with a laugh.
"Thanks! But it won't be necessary. We have some important matters to attend to, and we are needed urgently." Blood declined politely.
"If you don't mind, where are you going? Perhaps we could be of help in navigating and finding a safer route." the Village head offered courteously. Even when Blood revealed his face, he didn't seem to recognize him.
"We are heading to Bland Town. We want to gain some insight into war tactics." Blood replied impassively.
"Yes, that's true. Bland Town is currently at war, but they seem to be gaining the upper hand because of an unknown group who joined them later. You should be careful. This is one of the hardest ways to gain battle experience." the Village head warned.
Blood was surprised when he heard that an unidentified group had joined the conflict. He asked the Village head for more details, and slowly many things began to make sense. Yet what puzzled him most was the timing: today marked the tenth day since the disappearance of the now popular son of Sand Scale City's ninth division commander, and only the third day since the first battle.
This puzzled both him and Ballock greatly, given that they had spent thirteen days in the Red domain. How could it now be only the tenth day? And considering their return two days ago, it meant that today was the eighth day since they had arrived at Kate's yard.
"And another thing is that you can't pass through the normal route. Although I don't know your cultivation realm, with your appearance you still can't take that route—it has been infested by a Horned Monkey tribe who, just days ago, received a newly advanced Wing Monkey. You both should steer clear of that place and instead take this route; it seems to be closer to Bland Town." The Village head spoke sternly as he drew out a map from his spatial pouch. He handed it to Blood.
Blood thanked him earnestly. He had no knowledge of what realm a Wing Monkey could belong to, and combating such a creature had never been part of their agenda. The thought alone unsettled him—it was best to avoid that place entirely.
The Village head soon left, leaving the duo alone and giving them the full room to themselves.
Ballock sighed. The information truly helped, even though they had no strategy worth mentioning. Still, the knowledge gave them clarity—it was better than wandering blindly. At least now they understood what they were stepping into.
Together, they returned to their room. They spread the map out and compared it with Kate's version. Strangely, her map had never mentioned any infestation, which made the Village head's warning all the more unsettling.
The moment they finished viewing the map, they both exchanged a few quiet words, and decided to rest once more. They lay down, letting sleep claim them for another round, waiting until the sky cleared to continue their journey.
___
The sky was clear, and the illuminating light of the rising sun dispersed the last traces of dark clouds. Soon, the night was gone, leaving the room bathed in a gentle glow.
Two figures were lying on their backs upon the soft bed when a knock echoed against the door, interrupting their sleep.
The door was answered, and the face of an old man greeted them. Ballock wiped his hand across his face, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.
"Master, it is already time. Any longer than this and you will not be able to make it in time. It's a pity you will not be able to see the opening of the battle." Master Claw said calmly.
"Oh! We will be with you in a bit." Ballock replied, while the old man nodded and left.
phew..
Ballock heaved a deep breath and went to wake Blood, but realized he was already up beneath his mattress.
After some time, they came out wearing their hoods and saw that their horses were ready. Master Claw stood very close, waiting.
"We would like to thank you once again. You've been really good to us." Blood expressed his deep thanks.
"Hehe, it's nothing." Master Claw didn't bother to refute.
"I promise this won't be our last meeting. Perhaps by then, you will recognize me, because from now on, we shall be the ones steering waves." Blood said, gesturing at Ballock beside him.
Master Claw just nodded, though he was doubtful. He did not even grasp the meaning behind those words but chose to interpret them in his own way.
"There's nothing of significance with me at present, but the next time we meet will be entirely different." Blood spoke as they boarded their horses and at once departed, this time taking a route different from the one they had come by earlier. They had to go this way if they didn't want to risk confronting a horde of monkeys.
The villagers watched until they left their sight.
"There is a strange feeling. It is as though I have lost some kind of opportunity. Yet at the same time, my mind feels completely fine with losing it." the Village head, Master Claw muttered to himself.
Those thoughts soon disappeared from his head.
___
Two horses glided through the forest of sundering trees at incredible speed. The air struck their faces, making it increasingly difficult to breathe.
According to the map they had received, their destination would be reached in five hours—thanks to the quality of the mounts they rode. The endurance of the horses was as vital as the path itself.
"What do you think of the Village head?" Blood couldn't help asking.
"Haa. He is a good man, I must say. However, his intents are clear. The village needs help, and most cultivators of higher realms who pass through do not remain in it. They prefer their tents instead." Ballock gave his thought before he added calmly,
"Although they make some profit from the Warp tree trunk they sell, that is not enough. It is clear the village is declining, and he is the only one in the entire village who has reached the Bronze realm."
"Shouldn't we have told them about the uniqueness of their Warp Trees?" Ballock asked uneasily. He felt conflicted by their previous decision. Though the choice had seemed necessary at the time, a part of him wondered if it was the right thing to do.
"As much as I'd love to, it is best we don't. I am certain that with their current predicament, they would have announced it without much thought just to draw attention. But that would be a poor decision, because they simply do not possess the power to protect the plants. The entire village would be raided to the ground." Blood answered plainly.
It was one thing to own a treasure, and it was another thing to protect it. The Warp village was barely a grade 2 settlement, and protecting a treasure so highly sought after by peak powers—especially one tied to the soul—was impossible. Their fortune could turn into disaster overnight.
An example was the Sand-scale City itself, which may be crushed under the weight of its own vulnerability.
Ballock did not refute him; instead, he nodded his head and focused on the path ahead.
[Accumulated Exp: 200]
Blood read with a pained gaze as his large pool of Exp reduced to 200 after redeeming one more skill. He felt the skill was essential for what he was about to partake in, and so he purchased the Eclipse Eater skill, priced at 35,000 Exp. The cost was steep, but the necessity outweighed the loss.
The battle wouldn't be easy! Courage alone might not be enough.