[You eat from your rations and fall asleep…]
[Day 12: As you wake up, you feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality…]
Lem was broken out of his meditation when his simulated self opened his eyes. While his simulated self had been sleeping, he had spent the entire night practicing his visualization of the mountain.
For once, he had been able to have a productive night, rather than just staring into the darkness for hours on end. It felt invigorating, not just because it was a more enjoyable experience, but also because it reduced the time being wasted during the simulation.
It was a new day.
Lem’s simulated self was hit with a strange sensation when he woke up in the open forest rather than in a thicket of bushes. The heightened feeling from the cultivation session had worn off, but he still felt particularly at ease. He rubbed his eyes and looked around.
The morning sun cast jagged, narrow shadows across the trees and forest floor.
Everything was as he had left it the previous day. Even the martial elder was sitting in the same position on the rock, his bag still slung on the ground by his feet.
Had he cultivated all night?
Lem found it hard to believe that anyone would choose to fall asleep seated upright.
He did not know if sleep ceased to be a necessity at higher cultivation levels, but it seemed likely.
Lem’s simulated self stood up, stretching his arms and legs. At the same time, he saw that the martial elder had begun to stir.
[Master Brightflame is cultivating in the same position you saw him the previous night.]
As you wonder whether he slept at all, he begins to move.]
Lem’s simulated self waited for instruction.
Were they about to set off or would the martial elder tell him to wait?
He saw Master Brightflame reach towards the ground, by his bag. A small crab was scuttling sideways through the dirt.
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As the martial elder placed his fingers beneath it, the crab naturally scuttled on top of them.
Lem watched in curiosity.
“It may seem that everything comes easier to us elders than it does to you, but there is an order to the world,” Master Brightflame said. “You should not take your intuition for granted.”
The crab scuttled between his fingers. When it reached the end of one hand, he touched his palms together, and let it continue on to his other thumb.
“I have not stepped foot outside of Lang Town for many years, nor have the other martial elders. We teach generation after generation, but we are prisoners in captivity.”
The martial elder turned his hand again to let the crab scuttle uninterrupted.
“Even when the disciples clear out the paths between the villages, they are never accompanied by elders. Do you know why this is?”
He splayed his fingers, letting the little crab dance between the crevices. At the same time, he turned to look at Lem’s simulated self.
Lem’s simulated self shook his head quickly.
“You see in the world of cultivation, everything draws attention to itself. When someone of your strength wanders around the forest, nothing powerful would deign to eat you. At most, you will come across weak beasts that are only slightly stronger than your life level.
“However, when someone like me wanders the forest, I will draw out a far more serious threat. It will still be nothing compared to the true kings of the forest, but it will be trouble nonetheless.
“Due to the hidden agreements between top powers, the towns are safe. We were close enough yesterday that there was not much danger. As we get further into the forest, expect for the danger to increase.
“I was not sure if I had made this clear, but this is the real reason why I will need full support from your instincts. You were able to survive alone in the forest for weeks, even managing to pluck the spiritual herbs from beneath the noses of the nearby beasts, which gives me great confidence in your abilities…”
The small crab continued to scuttle across his fingers. He lifted his hand, and turned it.
“We martial elders have quite long lives, and are fond of protecting them. The real reason we do not step out of the towns is not because we cannot, but because the meager reward of a spiritual fruit is not much compared to the accompanying risk.
“The only reason I even entertained the thought of cutting this deal with you was because of how potent the spiritual lily was in your description. In addition, I am quite old and weak. One could say that I am desperate to break through to the next stage, and this spiritual lily could help me tremendously. You should think about the consequences of acting against a desperate cultivator like me.”
The small crab scuttled from his thumb to his first finger.
“My point is, you should not think that I can handle all of the dangers of the forest. After all, there are innumerable beasts which I can barely defeat.
“But, if one of them attacks us, rest assured that the first casualty will be anything weak that just happens to be nearby.”
Master Brightflame suddenly squeezed his fingers together. The small crab was crushed into a paste.
He turned his gaze to Lem’s simulated self.
“Understood?”