Chapter 80 - Concepts (2/2)
But it wasn't just the residents of the spiderweb that were busy. All the Flower Sect disciples: from the various divisions' inner members to the younger generation, and even those from the outer sect, were overwhelmed by work.
The sect leader had issued an intense work order for the next three months. All sect members, regardless of their status, had to get busy and increase the production of cultivation resources and other materials. Furthermore, the sect leader used large capitals to purchase new spirit beasts and other rare materials, leading to a negative balance in the sect's accounting records. Therefore they had to rely on the money left aside for emergency occasions.
The reason for this wasn't just to increase the strength of the seven disciples of her sect who would enter the Secret Dimension. They were also preventive measures for what would happen next, thus preparing solutions for every possible future scenario.
But it wasn't just about the Flower Sect, the other big sects, as well as the middle sects and other similar powers, were showing similar actions. None of them wanted to regret not having invested enough in this opportunity and were squandering their money as if they had unlimited funds.
The minor sects also perceived the strange situation and wandering martial artists as well as ordinary citizens. Even if they knew something was boiling in the pot, they had no way of finding out. Therefore, they decided not to ask too many questions and use this opportunity. They decided to sell all their treasures due to the intense competition of the buyers or try out risky explorations in the most isolated regions of the Rainbow Island.
The situation degenerated to the point that it also involved the other neighboring islands that heard rumors of this. Those islands' sects tried, therefore, to send emissaries and spies to understand what was happening, without discovering anything.
All the people involved were big shots of the Rainbow Island; they weren't mere martial artists that an emissary or a spy could touch or threaten. Not to mention that never would they have spilled something to foreigners.
After all the preparations and sacrifices they had made, how could they have allowed the latest arrival to enter the Secret Dimension with them and steal their share of the loot?
To keep up appearances, they kindly welcomed the various emissaries and bought additional resources from them. At the same time, they eliminated one by one all the spies who had infiltrated secretly.
After losing many men, the various sects of the other islands could only give up investigating and were content to trade with the Rainbow Island. Not knowing what it was, how could they move their forces to invade another island and leave their homes unguarded at the mercy of their enemies?
Thus, in the end, the situation normalized, in a certain sense, and the crazy spending of the Rainbow Island sects persisted in all three months of waiting for the official start of the long-awaited event.
Meanwhile, Hei, Lian, Xing, and Ye had finished their elemental conversion and formed their spirit seeds within them. Between the four of them, Lian, the only one without a bloodline, formed a single spirit seed, while Hei, Xing, and Ye formed two.
With the spirit seed finally formed, Hei and Lian went to the library and began to read all the manuals techniques that used Elemental Laws.
Since the Flower Sect was specialized in the Wood Law, there weren't many manuals for their elements. However, they tried to do everything possible with what they had available. They had already benefited greatly from the resources of the sect. Asking for more would have been greedy.
Fortunately, Bao Bei was there to guide them. In her life, she had fought against many martial artists and had experienced an infinite number of different techniques on her body. Therefore, although she couldn't give precise indications, she could still provide a general direction, correcting any errors.
In that way, the three-month period ended in the end. The sect leader had given them instructions to gather the next day at dawn; this time, they wouldn't use carriages pulled by buffaloes. They would go on foot.
Moreover, since the sect leader had mobilized all the elders, she asked Hei to leave all his spirit beasts here, in case something happened to the sect. The only exceptions were Xing and Ye.
Unable to fail in his part of the agreement to protect the sect, Hei agreed. In any case, he couldn't bring Shui, and for the other spirit beasts, he didn't feel like taking them to such a dangerous place. Not to mention it wasn't possible as he had only two spirit beast bags
Thus, the evening before departure, Hei and his family organized a big party with all the spirit beasts that had settled there with them.
”I would like to thank you all for being here with my family and me.” Hei proclaimed before all the spirit beasts. ”Some have recently arrived, others have been with me since we built the spiderweb house. In any case, I want to thank all of you for your support. As I promised you, the Flower Sect is and will be your home where you can live in peace. However, since you have been given a home, you must also protect it. I don't know how much we will be away or what will happen in the future. But remember that you are companions, and together you must protect your home.”
The various spirit beasts present emitted a noisy sound. They agreed with Hei's speech, and everyone was speaking with different sentences, promising to protect the house they had received thanks to him.
With those words, Hei gave the start to the great banquet he had prepared for everyone. Although it wasn't comparable to the banquet of the king's celebration, it was better from Hei's point of view.
Here, he could be himself and not worry about the looks of others. Moreover, the company was much better, and he could play with his little sisters as much as he wanted. Even Bao Bei, who usually would have eaten aloof on occasions like these, was celebrating with everyone. Eating with humans was one thing; eating with her family and her race was another.
Shui and Mi, in particular, had become very fond of Hei, Lian, Xing, and Ye and could consider themselves family. And in fact, they were the two most disconsolate in not being able to follow Hei. Shui because he was too strong, Mi, because she was too weak.
”Don't worry, we'll be back soon, and then we'll have another adventure together. In the meantime, keep an eye on the sect and our house.” Hei consoled them as he fed them.
As he was saying, there was no reason to despair. It wasn't a definitive farewell. Even though he was about to enter a dangerous place, he had prepared himself enough for it. He also wouldn't go alone; Lian, Xing, and Ye would go with him.
His mother would also accompany them on the journey. However, she wouldn't enter inside the Secret Dimension with them but would stop, waiting outside with the big shots of the sects and families involved.
Reassured by the words of Hei, Shui and Mi uttered verses of happiness as they dived back into their food. And in that carefree atmosphere, the banquet came to an end.
Since they had to leave early at dawn, they couldn't spend the whole night at the party. Saying goodbye to the other spirit beasts, Hei entered the spiderweb with his family for the last sleep before departure. Who knows, how long would he have to wait to sleep there again?