Chapter 7: Leaving

Kartius was making his way to the cabin, back from the gorge. It was a journey of fifteen to twenty minutes in his top speed, but there was no reason for him to hurry, therefore he stride idly as he mused over his internal conflicts.

"Laivien", his attention shifted to the foreign presence that entered his mind. "Is everything fine? Do you need anything?"

"Only that you come visit me more often, big brother". Laivien tone was playful. Not for naught she sought her big brother, but before she could reveal her true intentions, she had to soften him.

"You know that I would if I had the strength". Kartius said, nearly apologizing. "And I don't want to be a nuisance when big brother spends time with you".

"Mmm ... you don't need to rely on Kartion. I'm sure there are other means..."

There sure were other means, treasures of him, Kartius, which he cannot misuse if even to visit his little sister. "Little sister, how about this. I'll come to visit you whenever you want after my next breakthrough. Are you pleased?"

"Huhuhu! Big brother is very considerate of his little sister". Laivien knew that she hit a sensitive spot and when to withdraw before it will explode. In addition, Kartius depended on his treasures to surpass the last gate of the Seven Stages Of Bodily Refinement and it was not only for his sake...

"Little sister, now that you extorted a promise from me, what is it that you truly want?" Kartius was no fool and definitely not a plaything for his little sister. Her and his big brother's situation was the reason for his submissive behavior. His heart ached for them. Nevertheless, now that he showed her that he is in a benevolent mood, she will get right into why she used her own treasure to reach him.

"I'll get right to the point, if big brother is so willing to comply". Laivien said.

"What is it?"

After a short pause Laivien finally opened. "I want you to send Zax to the Savage Caves".

"What!" Kartius was startled.

"All of Kartion's apprentices have been there. It's about time to send yours as well".

"Little sister, I don't know from where this is coming, regardless of what you heard and saw from my own apprentice, he is still too young and inexperienced! Besides, big brother spent treasures, which I don't have, when he sent apprentices!" Kartius retorted.

"Big brother, you should remember that not only Zax's words and action I hear and see. Yours are not hidden from me, either". Laivien shot back. "But I will not repeat what you already know as truth, only state the facts".

"And what facts are there, that makes you know better than me what's good for my Martial son?"

"First, you should know that your Martial son had broken through the fourth gate".

"He made it past the fourth gate!" Kartius was astonished. In the past year and a half his exaptation of Zax to reach the goals he set for him, sooner than three years, grew absolute. Be that as it may, he still assumed that at least half a year would pass before Zax will make another breakthrough.

"Second", Laivien ignored his reaction and kept going. "His soul's capabilities already match those of a Beginner phase Core Master. It is only because that the quality and quantity of his soul energy are in the Core Breaker level that the first cave is still good for him. If you keep delaying him until the next level, with his unique soul, the effect of the cave will lessen tremendously and the second cave will still be out of reach. Third, with regard to his bodily cultivation, he needs the herbal liquid of the plants in the Savage Caves and in great quantity, at that. Otherwise, forget him making progress!"

"The hint of dark attribute I will not even mention since there is nothing you can say to disregard what would happen if it will burst. And his body fitness level is still not sufficient". Kartius got back to his senses. "Should I recite you the dangers of the Savage Caves?!"

"No need if you already started to prepare him to deal with those dangers. For what other reason did you stop him from cultivating the soul and taught him the bodily maneuvers? Your Martial son is not a slow learner even if his advancements are not aided by the Black Core. He broke through the fourth gate at the same of partly figuring the breathing sequence and a few of the breaths. In a couple of months I am certain that he will hone it to the degree of knowing the corresponding breath of each move!" Laivien did not say anything about the dark attribute. Certainly it was a subject she could not refute.

"Knowing the breathing sequence will not progress Zax to the second phase of the bodily maneuvers exercise. If they'll chase him, he will get caught, and in the Savage Cave it will be on a whole other level of difficulty!"

Laivien was perfectly aware to whom her big brother meant by calling "They", however, her opinion stayed the same and her response even more so inflamed. "Their scouts won't attack him right away, they'll first follow him. Because they won't be able to detect his body fitness level and the Earth's Core in his dantian, they'll think that he is just a coreless boy, another human 'in our service' that practice the body refinement technique. Therefore they won't inform their elders until he will already arrive to the first Savage Cave and by then it will be too late, since none of their scouts is past the Core Master level".

"Then they'll simply leave their scouts outside of the first cave for a period of time and if Zax won't return they'll either presume that he died or will send a Core Master to check for him".

"By that time it will truly be too late". Laivien said emphatically. "If he'll learn the overall breathing sequence, it will take him a mere few months to unify all three and reach the Intermediate phase. If beforehand he will also reach the Advanced phase of his current body fitness level, even Beginner Core Masters won't be able to catch him, and anyone below the core master level, better won't dare".

"Indeed, but you said it yourself, with the current herbal liquid, forget the Intermediate phase, he won't be able to Advance to the Intermediate phase of his current body fitness level".

"That is correct, and that is why I wonder how much my big brother care for his only son".

"Don't speak in riddles, say what you-" A bit slow, but Kartius understood what his little was saying.

"My own stock..." His own treasures.

"Your puny stock, big brother". Laivien reminded him.

Kartius sighed. Due to this talk, at the moment he also swayed toward the side of a Martial father, ever so far from the side of a Martial cultivator.

Simultaneously a terrible thought aroused in his mind. Did his little sister spoke with his Martial son? One way or another, Kartius reminded to himself that speech is silver and silence is gold.

"Little Zax, it is done. In time, your Master will send you to the Savage Caves. When exactly depends on your achievements in the coming months". Laivien informed Zax.

"Will ... Will Master say or ask anything that's related to you?" Forget about the dangers of the Savage Caves, what Zax worried of the most was his Master inquiring about if he did or did not speak with Laivien.

"Rest easy, little Zax", Laivien said happily. "Your Master's temperament will be as usual and no question, answers or explanations will arise". She assured him and her presence faded from his consciousness.

To celebrate Zax's breakthrough into the experts' circle, Kartius hunted a beast which was at the Mist Master level to cook for his apprentice. Kartius cooking skills were below average compared to the common human's skills. Fortunately, he knew how to prepare the meat, and by itself it was a delicacy Zax never tasted before. Later, the two shared Zax's first cup of wine, which Zax handled better than most humans, after all, his tolerance for alcohol was an additional component that improved as his body did. Still, the taste of the alcohol was unpleasant.

"Since your body fitness level is at the same phase and level as your soul, tomorrow you will resume cultivating your soul. You will spend eight hours of the day exercising the bodily maneuvers and the rest of the time meditating, therefore you will also not get to sleep anymore, so be prepared!" Kartius said during the meal.

Zax did not ask or said anything about the Savage Caves and just listened to his Master instructions in anticipation.

And so, five more months have passed.

In those five months, Zax's days started by first soaking in the herbal liquid, which he noticed was different by its smell. The fragrance was highly concentrated, its sweetness reached the boundaries of sickening. Zax was sure that it was not the same herbal liquid he used the days before – the old him would have faint from an ounce of this fragrance, and that was no joke – but when he raised the question to his Master, "Get inside!" was his Master's miserable response.