Finally, Jie came to a stop. The rivulets of sweat from the oppressive heat of the monster's attacks had frozen against her skin and she shivered from the cold. She spared a moment to inspect her back as best she could. The skin there was crispy and tender even after consuming multiple healing pills but it wasn't as bad as Jie had feared.
She let out a relieved sigh, happy simply to be alive, and consumed another healing pill.
That was too close... she thought as she sat behind a boulder, her tail coiled around her for warmth as she shivered. Jie's breath steamed in the air as she, at last, took a moment to recover from her ordeal.
Her meridians ached from cycling lightning step to the extent she had, but a smile spread across her face as she thought about the insight she'd gained with the skill.
Electrified afterimages should be interesting to use... she thought.
The Crimson Valley was dangerous and terrifying, but she was glad of the boost to her cultivation and fighting prowess... even if she still didn't know why she couldn't break through into the Elementalist rank...
She hadn't seen any sign of her friends, but then she'd been focused on trying not to die. Hopefully, they'd got out okay. She didn't want to head anywhere near the lake just yet, but perhaps it would be best if she did.
"--said it was this way," said a voice that Jie recognized as Chen Huo's.
Jie pulled her aura in tight and veiled it as best she could as she retreated more behind the boulder, using it and the surrounding snow to hide herself from sight.
Chen Huo and his group raced past the other side of the boulder, their words carrying far in the now-silent forest.
"What beast made these tracks?" asked Chen Ai.
"I don't know but keep an eye out. They look fresh. If we encounter it, we'll take its core as a trophy. But don't get distracted," Chen Huo said.
"Yes, brother," Chen Ai said.
They kept going and only when they were far away, did Jie come out from behind the boulder.
She wasn't entirely sure why. It felt absurd to hide from them when she was confident that she could've taken on all four of them at the same time, even shivering with cold as she was.
She frowned.
Maybe I should've roughed them up a bit first... but is that the kind of person I am? They'd certainly deserve it... ugh... I wish I could talk to Ming. He always knows what to say...
Thinking of him made her bones ache with how much she missed that arrogant snake... but she reminded herself that she would find a way to cure him and then they would have thousands of years. An eternity really, to talk about anything and everything.
She retraced her steps back to the lake. She didn't feel comfortable randomly assaulting people, even Chen Huo and Chen Ai who surely deserved it. But, she figured that if that monster was nearby, it might attack them and give her some warning. Besides, she needed to search the lake shore for her friends.
She moved quietly and kept her aura veiled so she didn't alert any other students or more importantly, any other monsters that wanted to eat her.
This Crimson Valley Treasure Hunt is intense... Jie thought.
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***
She made it to the lake shore but stayed a good distance away from the lake itself and began circling around. She didn't use lightning step, and instead focused on cultivating as she walked to replenish her qi. It wasn't as fast as when she gave it her full attention, but it was something. Her back was healed now, thanks to the pills she'd consumed. Yet, despite that, the ghost of a feeling remained, reminding her how close to death she'd come.
It didn't take long before Jie saw figures heading her way, also giving the border of the lake a wide berth. As they approached, she saw it was Pan Tian, Ithilix, and Xue.
Jie let out a relieved sigh as a weight slipped from her shoulders at seeing they were okay.
"Don't you ever do that again!" Pan Tian said as she ran over to Jie and wrapped her in a huge hug as she lifted Jie off the ground, her arms squeezing Jie's sensitive sides.
"Gills!" Jie protested.
"Oh right," Pan Tian said and set Jie back down, "You scared us!"
"I couldn't let you guys get eaten," Jie said, "though I'd really rather not do that again."
"This one would prefer it if you did not, Princess. It was most frightening. This one feared for your life," Ithilix said.
Xue meowed and pressed his nose into Jie's hand. Jie stroked his head.
"I'm freezing," Jie said, "please tell me the dungeon is somewhere warmer? And when does this water breathing pill wear off?"
"It lasts for several more hours," Pan Tian said, "I wasn't sure how long we would be. But the dungeon entrance is warmer. Or it was last year anyway. I have a cloak if you need one?"
***
They resumed their travels, with Pan Tian leading the way to the dungeon entrance now that they had all three plaques completed. Jie kept the fur-lined cloak Pan Tian had lent to her wrapped tight around her body with her tail curled under it as best she could manage. They dried off as they ran, with the fireblood pills and Pan Tian's cloaks helping to keep them warm as they traveled over the snow.
Though, Jie's feet were freezing and she missed wearing shoes. She couldn't wait for the pill to wear off so she could strip out of the water suit, dry off, and at last, don some dry clothes.
Still, they made good time.
***
As Pan Tian promised, it warmed up as they traveled. Snow gave way to a wasteland of orange dirt and gravel as they approached a mountain range that rose up at a sheer ninety-degree angle.
Pan Tian led them along the base of the mountain range until they found a crevice. A narrow canyon really, with the mountains rising up on either side. Pan Tian led them into the slot canyon. Sunlight filtered down from above in rays of light as dust drifted down from somewhere above.
The canyon walls were smooth and wavy in shape. Almost like some great sculptor had begun to turn the sides of the mountain into vases, but gave up partway through. The stone itself was of a myriad of hues. Mostly reds and with glittering gems like rubies that sparkled in the light. A faint metallic scent clung to the air.
"Are these stones valuable?" Jie asked.
"I'm not sure," Pan Tian said, "I don't know how to properly gather them anyway."
"Can't we just break some of the rock off and stick the whole thing in our storage rings?" Jie asked.
"It still melts," Pan Tian said.
"Melts?" Jie asked.
"It's blood," Pan Tian said, "do you know how to gather them, Ithilix?"
"This one is unsure. This one has never gathered blood crystals before," Ithilix said.
"This place is a little creepy sometimes," Jie muttered.
They continued their journey through the canyon, along the winding path.
***
The canyon was deathly quiet, and the air was hot and stuffy. Quickly turning oppressive, like an oven. And the deeper they went, the more Jie got the feeling that there was something just on the edge of her senses. Then, she began to hear whispering, echoing voices.
"Is this the way?" asked one.
"Yes, we're almost there," said a second.
"Do you think we're first?" asked another.
Countless other conversations echoed through the winding canyon. Many of them sounded like children talking about going to the dungeon and the whole thing made the hairs on Jie's body stand on end. It didn't help that the shadows around them lengthened as the day moved deeper into the afternoon and less light made it into the canyon.
"Ignore the voices," Pan Tian said, "they're only echoes."
"I thought we'd be first," Jie said.
"I think we still are. The echoes are from other years," Pan Tian said.
Jie opened her mouth to ask how that could even be possible, but asking that on a magical alien planet seemed just a bit too ridiculous for her. She closed her mouth, shrugged, and continued on.
Shortly after they entered the canyon, Jie and her friends shifted back from their aquatic forms and were finally able to change clothes. Jie found that she missed her tail for some reason and it felt strange to be back in her normal body again. Her aquatic form had also been larger, and she found she missed being a bit taller. It made her feel older.
As they traveled, the metallic scent in the air grew stronger.