Chapter 186 The Way Back (1/2)
In the night after Crassus departed, both Arran and Snowcloud were kept awake by their worries about the journey ahead
For severalclose to safety While the ers, none of those was the kind that would actively coe, there had been little risk of their ene theon had ended up being the most peaceful part of their journey across the border While they had faced a single terrifying foe, it had been a fight where they held the initiative, and where they knew their opponent
But now, that brief period of relative safety was at an end Their goal was to reach the Sixth Valley, and to get there, they would have to travel through a region that was filled with hidden dangers
After a night filled orry, they got up before dawn While they hadn't slept more than a wink, they were both anxious to leave — the sooner they were gone, the sooner they would be able to get to safety
They ate a quick breakfast before they departed, with Arran hungrily devouring a large chunk of dragon e of power it caused in his body filled hion's Ruin, he no longer needed to spend ti Natural Essence Instead, his body absorbed it naturally, and far more efficiently than normal Body Refinement techniques would have allowed
Yet as he ate, Snowcloud looked at him with a troubled expression Finally, she couldn't hold back anymore, and asked, ”Are you sure you want to do that?”
He gave her a puzzled glance ”Do what?”
”Eat the dragon er, but it will ic”
Arran frowned ”I thought Essence Crystals were supposed to help with that?”
”They will help,” Snowcloud replied ”But with the a in, the i will be hard to overco to struggle as you practice e will be even more difficult than it already is”
Arran pondered what she said, staring at the piece of dragon meat in his hands He had no reason to doubt her words — he could aler with each bite, as the Dragon's Ruin inside hirily devoured every drop of Natural Essence in the meat
That such poould coical, but after a ladly pay
”The future only matters if we have one,” he said ”And to et” He paused, then added, ”But once we reach the Sixth Valley, I'll focus on studying ic”
Snowcloud nodded, albeit reluctantly ”I suppose you have a point But after we return, you ic properly If you don't, you e”
”I will,” Arran replied, having every intention to keep his word He had neglected ic from the day he learned about Body Refinement, but once he reached the Sixth Valley, he intended to focus on ic until he mastered it — if only because he wanted to discover what his Destruction Realm could do
Still, her words caused hith and his resistance to ic, he could already easily defeat novices, and he was confident that even adepts would struggle to best him
If he continued on his current path, just ould the limit be? Would he eventually be able to match Masters in combat, or even Grandainst ht while he finished his breakfast, but he had little idea of what the lion's Ruin were, or how long it would take him to reach those limits