The Imperial Government of this world had become known as the Chain of Solidarity to the humans, and the Bane of the Universe to the Demons. I learned this lesson in class as Boots and Heather took turns teaching me lessons on morality.
Boots, unlike my three uncles, really cherished nature like I did, and taught me the thousands of types of plants and roots in the ground. Of course, I’d never mistakenly chop down Cultivation Wood again, and would only use a piece of it for fire if I got cold.
I had to keep this a secret, though, or Apple would tell on me and Boots would beat me red and blue. Regardless, I’d made good progress on the Seven Arts of the Heavenly Body technique, and had gotten up to the twelve page! When I reached the fifteenth page, I’d already have access to the second stage of the Heavenly Body!
Unlike Copper Body, it would be called Steel Body! I always thought Copper stronger than steal, but Boots taught me about minerals too! She really knew her stuff, and I had profound insights in her every class.
We even took tests, and I always got everything right! Apple got competitive with me, and scored nearly as well as me, but I always made up for it in the bonus round! Unfortunately, I think the bandits and scholars had really distorted my opinions of Human Relations because everything Tree taught me objected to their morals.
Apparently, to tree, humans were the most evil and vile creatures on the planet. Only the few monks on Lord Mountain were good, but they’d died by a horrific volcanic accident. I didn’t dare tell her I most likely caused it due to my luck at the time, but hey, things seemed to be looking up.
Days turned to weeks as we kept learning, and Heather finally got us certified as bounty hunters. We even got to finally talk to the new Sect Head who barely left her cave. She said she’d meditate for 1000 hours trying to figure out how to save this hole in the depths of hell, and I believed she’d actually do it!
Unfortunately, when she appeared with her white gown blowing in the wind, she didn’t seem interested in opening her eyes, and just stared at me with them closed. According to Bandit Aunty, this meant war, but I held back my blade because Apple seemed generally shaky in her presence.
I had Apple’s peaching skin, and gave her a massage on her shoulders. I knew she really liked massages, so I slowly started kneeding her neck, before that lady began talking.
“You aren’t worth looking at yet. Here, choose a slip out of my hand.”
‘Don’t kill her! Don’t kill her!’ I held back my bandit rage, and picked a jade slip.
“Oh, it says we get to go to Hell’s Basement! That sounds like fun!” Apple said as she read the slip. I agreed with her. They definitely had good food at that restaurant.
“Now, stop joking around you two! I know you’re smarter than geniuses when it comes to learning material!”
“If that’s true, why does he always get 110 on his tests, and I get 109? Am I doomed to be second best?” Apple said, rubbing my hand with hers and squeezing it.
“No, dear. He’s just been around for longer.”
“I’m an ageless spirit. How is that possible?!”
“You just didn’t focus.” The Sect Leader, Gorgeous, said. “If you focus, all your dreams can come true.”
“You mean I’ll kill him one day, or marry him?” Apple patted me on the shoulders. What was marriage? I didn’t understand.
“Yes, you’ll get what you want. Now, you two, Hell’s basement houses 5 great treasures.”
The five great treasures being five universal spirits! Ten Golden Heavenly Weapons, and three rare weapons manuals that were hundreds of times better than Master the Stars! I’d never been so excited for a journey after this information, but Heather didn’t seem impressed.
In fact, he seemed absolutely terrified of Hell’s Basement, but we tied him up and took him along on our buggy bound adventure! We’d tied up to large dragon bulls to pull our chasse to the location hundreds of miles away.
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During that time, me and Apple slept in the same bed while Heather cried every night thinking we’d kill him. Of course, all I did with Apple was put my head against hers softly. It wasn’t bashing heads, but she blushed and gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek.
We’re clearly working towards bashing heads, but I had a feeling we wouldn’t truly bash heads for a long time. At the same time, a pair of gigantic wolves appeared in our way, and howled.
These wolves were called King Wolves, and were Demon Beasts. The type that ate humans and only believed in power! There were many ranks to Demon Beasts. The highest I knew off were 5th core beasts, but there were definitely 6th and 7th core beasts too!
However, these King Wolves were merely 2nd core beasts, and only had the power of 10,000 men! I’m sure I could easily defeat them, but why defeat what you could turn into a house pet?
Me and Apple agreed we’d eat one and keep the other one at our house. The Dragon Bulls ran away from us taking the poor tied up Heather towards the lake in the distance. We just had to catch it in time before something god awful happened, and we lost Heather to the Demon Beasts hunting in that lake.
Yes, Demon Beasts were everywhere in the wild, but more than a few were traumatized by Apple! It seemed from East to West she’d eaten countless mothers and fathers of these beasts, and boy did I feel proud of her!
*Roar*
The beasts seemed to scream at Apple.
“We remember you, little sprite. We’re here to murder you on behalf of our pups!”
“I’m not a sprite! How dare you!” Sprites and fairies were very different, so I understood.
“Oh, then what are you?” It laughed. “A nymph?”
“No!”
“A unicorn!”
“Not even close!”
“A tree walker!”
“I don’t know what that is!” Apple huffed and puffed. She began using a technique she’d been developing called Heavy Fire Ball, and it got bigger and bigger as I watched with pride.
“She’s cute isn’t she?” I talked to totem.
“Yup, however, isn’t it time you get on with your destiny?”
“Oh, I have a destiny?”
“Yeah, you’re supposed to find a system, and conquer this planet! You already found me, but is that enough for you?”
“I’m only eighteen still, right? Am I really meant for something greater?”
“Well, I don’t know! However, I think in Hell’s basement you’ll find out.”
“Do you know about it?” I asked as Apple one shot a wolf. Heaving just watching her fight, Tee Tee’s voice got louder.
“Hey, stop and focus! Hell’s basement is an extremely dangerous place! It’s where the Volcanic Tribe lives, and they worship Lord Mountain!”
“I’m sure they recognize you from your stint with me! They’ll definitely try and kill you kid!”
“Sounds like a fun vacation!” I gloated along, smiling as the other wolf began to submit. Now! How about we get going, shall we?” I said to Apple, and she smiled.
“Sure! However, what should we name him?”
“”Please, just kill me! I’ll never serve you!”
“Wait, aren’t we forgetting about Heather?” Our bandit had nearly bitten the dust, and the carriage had stopped right in the water, slowly dropping down underneath the sea.
“Oh right! You begin taming him while I go get him!” I responded before using my grasshopper technique. Hopping over to Heather, I saw a bunch of parasite hanging out on his body, and shacked them off before reprimanding the dragon bulls with some gentle rubs.
“You fools! You almost got Heather killed!”
“Help me! Someone help me!” Heather didn’t always like being our teacher, but we made ends meat for him, and fed him the best food we could find.
Afterwards, me and Apple got tired and slept together in the bed. Mind you, she had gotten used to using her human form now, and began wearing human underwear.
She had on a little pink striped piece that I’d gotten from a lady I passed by on the street! She seemed genuinely surprised I’d buy it off of her for one head, a rather small coin, but she immediately gave me the ones in her hands and granted them to Apple!
Of course, Heather had already gotten quiet, and we spent most of the night just holding each other, and lightly tapping heads. Today, she even kissed a little closer to my lips as we were sleeping, and I accepted it with a strong hug.
At this point, Boots had already taught me the intricacies of kissing and hugging, so I was fairly well trained. No, she didn’t actually kiss me personally, but made me kiss the trees, and hug them! She certified me a tree hugger, and even gave me a badge of a tree on it!
Everywhere I went people would immediately gasp when they saw this badge. Some would run, and some would hide. However, with Apple in my arms, and Heather all tied up snuggly, I slept like a safe lemon as our wolf cried on the periphery.
The next morning, our self driving Dragon Bulls arrived us into the domain of Hell’s Kitchen! I’d never been so happy to arrive somewhere in my life, and escorted Apple on my back as she snored soundly.
She told me she only snores when she’s happy, and she seemed to snore extremely loud last night after we kissed cheeks! Wow, I really had turned the fairy of carnage into a true noble soul!
She finally woke up as I started noticing the fire raining down all around us. We finally set Heather free since he’d been such a good guide, and found a few fallen branches to shield our heads after roping them together.
As a tree protector, I only took fallen trees, and not the growing ones! If boots saw me, she’d be proud, and would perhaps even give me a kiss! Hence, we walked towards a dug out mound of dirt, with a huge roof covering a town underneath it.
This, from what I heard, was where the first treasure was located, and thus we immediately went to go discover the secrets of this region!