33 Red Lilies (1/2)

Their running speed was faster know they don't have to follow Denis who was dragging a sac, they just need to brush past a few trees and they would be close.

Leading them was Dusk, he swung around after each branch to show the same route it used, so Stigma and Kirin had to use the trees as well.

If they go by rankingby speed, it would be Kirin taking the lead, followed by Stigma and Dusk.

It goes without saying that Kirin is the fastest due to its nature in the Thunder element and its natural figure in running.

Stigma was fast due to his soul boost to his body to catch up, without it he would be the slowest member.

Dusk on the other hand was slowing down to follow behind his master pace, that being said if he were ordered to do something like crush a skull with one hand, there would be no resistance if it increase the grip strength, as it had no limiter or a brain to tell him to go 20% or 100% in grip strength.

So if they go by overall ability, Dusk was superior than Stigma, Kirin, including Hilda.

If the limiter were to be removed and his body had more mass to use, he would be considered a weapon of mass destruction to anyones hands.

Since the beginning of the travel, Stigma had taken the chance to practice on mold his Grudge energy faster, which caused them to have two hours of travel instead of an hour.

What was surprising was how fast the recovery on his body was, since he messed up a few times his Zen energy was close to being depleted, but he recovered pretty fast in Hilda's view.

Hilda also found it strange that Stigma can recover faster than normal cultivators, as it took him about thirty minutes, while it took about an hour or two to fully recover.

”...Maybe my Zen energy was low but my molding was fast, hence I can recover fast.”

Stigma was not aware about the cause, but he was able to form his energy to his hand a lot faster.

Before it was like old play dough that was very hard to form, now it felt like he was molding a fresh dough of bread, which was smooth and elastic.

With no other explanation, Hilda accepted the analogy given, but she still advised him to rest.

While they were resting, Hilda then gave an explanation on their destination as she practiced her Possession skil on his hand.

Red Lily flowers were famous in the area as a gift for one to give to the girl they fancy and as a way of courting, it represents long life and health, so many choose it as the same way to express how they would love one another.

A country had tried to make their own flower bed using the seeds, but they wilted after their full bloom.

The country tries to preserve the flowers but to no avail, their top researchers created theories, but it lead to more mystery than answers, such attempts were to use the very soil of the mountains to use as the foundation yet it produced the same result, bringing the flower with the soil was an option but they easily dehydrate after an hour.

Their final option was to investigate the grounds and uproot it, but it would destroy their only protection from being overrunned by beasts.

No one knows as to why only these mountains have such rights to produce them, but they all agreed that the flowers are a treasure for love and protection, so no one dared destroy them.

But there are some who wish to buy them from merchants who can preserve them an use space rings as a transportation method, but such an idea was like drinking wine instead of water.[1]

Merchants from large guilds have such ability, but to buy just one that can preserve itself without wilting is a thousand gold coins for just one pot.

Merchants rarely get such items since only a handful would be willing to buy them, but it is considered a rare treasure that many still request for them.

They are a total of nine mountains with only one way, an entrance and an exit so with the slave market residing their currently, it is heavily guarded.

Red Lily Valley wasn't the original name to their destination, it was a grand land surrounded by mountains that are covered with small vegetation and some trees.

From what she can recall, a kingdom had taken a liking to the flower and started a campaign as to make the whole mountain be covered in it.

She wasn't there at the time, but she heard that the Red Lilies bloomed and covered one of the mountain tops and spread to the lower areas.

Then they started using the flower as landmark, when it would be covered all the nine mountains, hence they named it Red Lily Valley.

Her other master had been to the valley and spoke about it so she was aware of it, but was never their.

In Stigma's or Cheng Xuan's memories those flowers were large, often fragrant, and come in a wide range of colors which include white one, yellow one, orange, pink, red and purple.

He even remembered that there was a mix of white lilies with red spots.

He often seen them during weddings of his cousins, so he was expecting to see a familiar bush filled with them.

He was informed by Hilda that the flowers act as a symbol of protection, due to its ability of a natural deterrent to Heavenly Beast for their unique odor.

Humans can't smell it, but beast will react to it by showing slow movement and leave after seeing a bush of it, so many believe that the Red Lilies are a sign of protection as well.

She said that during her time, there were only seen in small batches as they were recently discovered by a kingdom.

So they made an effort to plant them all in the same area with all the mountains, so she was surprised that such a flower had turned into quite a commodity.

Stigma looked around using his skill 'Essence Reader' and he found no Heavenly Beast or human hidden near them.

Kirin who was a Heavenly Beast as well, slowed down during their run and ran beside Stigma.

It gave a whimpering tone like it wanted to stay away from the area, like it was afraid.

So he had a dilemma, he can't leave it alone in the forest or it would be hunted, and he can't try to force it since the area was covered in Red Lilies.

Now he had to renew his plans.

He had to either divide the team and meet up after his business is over with, leaving Dusk behind to watch over Kirin.

Or he can choose to find a hiding spot and leave Kirin with Dusk until then.

He can't decided, since Dusk won't do anything if it encountered a new problem he hasn't face yet, and leaving behind Kirin gave him a bad feeling.

So he decided to test something, he ordered Dusk to cover his mouth to see if he can breath, thankfully he only asked for the mouth, or he would have suffocated from lack of oxygen.

Dusk had done as it was told and covered his mouth, but it blocked any air gaps that would let oxygen be inhaled.

With a little bit of time he was able to have Dusk change its structure and and have a thin veil around his a mouth so he had it cover Kirin's mouth.

Kirin felt something coming close to its mouth so it's panicked and kept on hiding behind Stigma, it went on after ten minutes and so he ordered Dusk to stop.

”This doesn't seem to work...any ideas Hilda...”

”Hmm, it appears just leaving Kirin behind in a secluded spot.”

”...Why not make an artificial made one, if we can't find one.”

”As you wish.”

Looking around for awhile he found a good spot in a hollowed tree, just to be sure he tried to cover it up with some bushes.