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82.91% Learning To Live As A Cultivator / Chapter 267: Chapter Sixty Seven - Our journey resumes with an ambush

Chapter 267: Chapter Sixty Seven - Our journey resumes with an ambush

After resting in the cave for the remainder of the day and the night that followed, Pike was more than ready to urge his team along. Their's had definitely been a journey of mixed fortune thus far, with many trials and tribulations and with only a few random treasures found infrequently and not all worth points towards the challenge set by the Institute. Almost half-way through the challenge, he was not the only member of the team dissatisfied and they were not ready to end on such a result that while not bad, was not outstanding either.

With that in mind, the whole team began to traverse the rocky slopes framing the waterfall.

The rain had finally ended the previous evening, though the clouds remained a thick blanket within the sky. The wild foliage sticking out between rock and boulder had the fresh scent of dew and the earthy ground had a damp smell that was not unpleasant to the nose. The two martial artists and one beast tamer naturally had no difficulties climbing the steep mountain face, the mage lightly followed in their tracks, whether it be using a narrow protrusion as a step upwards or along a hidden path, as if his body was not a mass of hindering flesh but an illusion that gravity could not grasp. Leon and Roman did struggle somewhat, but whenever it became difficult, there was a hand reaching out to them, to lift them, to provide a boost of strength and reassurance.

Finally, the six/seven members of the team reached the heights of the rocky hill, tens of metres above their original position. Just as Velana had described, the waters that fed the rumbling waterfall formed a large lake of quietly moving water, much unlike the rapid rivers below. This side of the lake was quite exposed with few trees, while the other was lined with thick growth in which many eyes glinted in thin rays of sunlight and many more remained hidden. The team took shelter beneath a nearby tree with reasonably thick branches, not wanting the attention from any flocks of flying beasts that were likely to pass overhead.

The tri-coloured fox crouched in amongst the scrub grass that grew thickly in between the trees, its nose wrinkling as it sniffed at their surroundings before creeping forward. Although it and its master had not faced any trouble during the drizzly day prior, did not mean that they would not now it was drier, so it's role was to scout ahead for the team. Bending their bodies, the team followed in its wake when it was deemed safe to do so, their target another tree, this one some three times bigger than the first, with large roots which had grown upwards and outwards, exposed to the air before burying back beneath the ground. Their distance from the lake side increased.

Just as they reached the better shelter of this tree, the lake waters stirred and instinctively, Pike had his team crouch down and quieten. From the lake, six creatures emerged. At first glance, they appeared to be fish; their mouths were wide with thin lips that opened and closed as if gasping and were decorated by thin whiskers. Their spinal fins were flattened upon their scaly, muddy brown backs and their side fins pushed at the wet soil beneath them to aid their escape from the lake's edge. As more of their bodies emerged from the lake, they began to shake off excess water and as they did so, their scales seemed to transform, becoming more like feathers on a birds back.

Pike gripped his axe, his eyes reddening with the flames of bloodlust and he glanced either side of him where Troy and Velana caught the gesture and nodded in response. He then signalled to Caelus, who began to chant beneath his breath.

As the first thick shards of ice shot like arrows towards the transforming fish, Pike, Troy, Velana and the tri-coloured fox rushed out, weapons and claws drawn. The creatures squawked in surprise, sounding similar to crows and causing Leon to freeze, startled. The creature out in front, shook its fins, which began to lengthen in shape, while the two nearest the water attempted to retreat into it.

"I've never seen a Peng-Kun before," Roman mumbled as the pair watched their teammates engage the beasts. Leon glanced over at the taller man, wanting him to go into more detail. The scholar did not disappoint. "They are a type of fish that can transform into a beakless bird. They nest and lay their eggs in lakes such as this one, but hunt as birds during the day. They have sharp teeth hiding in their wide mouths and are carnivorous, they hunt in a flock and are not afraid to eat large prey while it is alive and moving as their bodies are quite slick and tough beneath the feathers, similar to their fish skin and also they heal quickly when immersed in water. When they are in the middle of transforming, that is when they are at their weakest."

That was why Pike chose this time to attack the beasts. Leon nodded in understanding as he continued to watch the battle. One of the flock had escaped into the water, another was flapping weakly to one side as the ice had penetrated its fin. The leader had managed to mostly change and was flapping its wings as it held itself aloft and used one transformed clawed leg to defend against Pike's attacks. However, it only had this leg, the other was still shaped as a fin upon its belly.

Velana and Volune fought together with movement that was so united and fluid that it was clear that they had trained for a long time together. Their target had also half-transformed, it's tail fin becoming a plumage of brown feathers and its clawed feet supporting its body as its webbed fins flapped uselessly at its side. It had no hope of hurting its opponents, but as it agile leapt about, it prolonged its life for a short while until an opening was finally found.

Of the other two, one was quickly defeated by Troy, its state too vulnerable to defend itself and the last had become a block of ice half-submerged in the lake as it had failed to escape. In the end, the battle was very one sided, though according to Roman, this would not have been the case had the Peng-Kun completed their transformation.

The Peng-Kun counted as a good opponent as far as points would be concerned; the team had proven that they understood its weakness and could use this against it. In addition, the Peng-Kun's fins were as prized as shark fins in cuisine, while its sharp, pointed teeth were valued amongst some weapon smiths. The teeth of this creature were almost as hard as diamonds and would not decay for a hundred thousand years. Ordinary fire could not burn them and they retained the Peng-Kun's regenerative qualities when washed with water.

With renewed spirit, the team pulled the five bodies from the lake, allowing the feathers and scaly hides to dry a bit before tossing them into the interdimensional bag. During this time, they kept an eye on the lake, but the sixth Peng-Kun wisely remained hidden in the depths of the water. Pike and his team would long move on before it left the safety of its hiding place.


Chapter 268: Chapter Sixty Eight - We move onward and upward

The large floating isle which was many hundreds of li long had two dominant features outside the rambling forest of thick and tall trees. One was the long, winding waterways consisting of a mix of lakes and wide rivers that curled shallowly around half the perimeter of the isle's other main landmark; a dormant volcano.  Although it was listed as dormant, did not mean that it would remain silent forever, but for now it was still. Despite being the infrequent object of plunder for many years, the volcano was still attractive a target, not just for treasures within its thick walls but it happened also to decorated by a series of hot springs fed by springs heated in the circling lava within the heart of floating isle, still molten in temperature.  The fact that this lava didn't harden and cool due to its the unique environment could be considered another matter increasing the mysteriousness of the whole realm.

One team, worn and battered from many battles, but somewhat successful in their journey so far, found a smattering of hotspring pools large enough to bathe in and decided to strip from their garments and enjoy the pleasure of the waters for a short while.  These pools were nearly two thirds up the mountain's side where greenery was much more suppressed by the dark grey of volcanic rock and a decent height above the tree line providing breathless views.  The second sun was in the distant west, while the first was a shichen or so in its wake and the azure colours of the sky were rippling with other shades.  They both would soon set beyond the horizon bringing with this a shadowy twilight and later would sink into the strange void far beneath the lowest of the floating islands existing in this landscape, swallowed up by the unexplainable darkness before being spat out in another place.  The suns did not always set in the west, nor did they always rise in the east.

Despite true night being some way off, the six bathing men found the landscape plunged into darkness and couldn't help but shudder as if this was an ill omen.  But this was a momentary illusion in their hearts, they were quick to turn their attention towards where the twin suns had vanished only to witness the shape of an earth fragment rising in the west.  They watched with indrawn breath as they realised that this was a floating isle and from its trajectory, it had risen above the orbit of their own island and would soon follow and arching path above them.  Or rather, above the lake in the north.  With deep sighs, they couldn't help but lament; the treasures found on the larger isles had been the target of farming and harvesting by fellow students during the challenges in frequent years, naturally it became harder to discover certain things.  But many islands which crossed the paths of the largest ones were not so drained of unnatural resource, thus the goal of every team was to find a way to travel to other islands in the two week period and claim what might be in hiding there.

This island would float close, just not close enough and they were some distance up the mountain and undressed.  The speed in which the other island appeared to be travelling was also fairly fast, they doubted the wisdom of rushing to meet its probable path now.  They could only bitterly watch it pass.  They were not alone in their self-pity; as a certain team leader had predicted, the volcano had been too popular for most teams to ignore.

"I c-c-c-c-c...can't d-d-do this!" Leon clung to the rope with all his might, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. 

"Sure you can," Caelus tugged his own large frame up with disgusting ease.

"I'm with Leon on this one," Roman mumbled, but didn't not reach for the hand of the youth dangling above him, laughing due to the exhilaration of their daring. 

Pike pulled himself onto the overhanging thick tree that grew mishappen out of the side of the sheer rock face, testing his balance prior to reaching for the rope curled about it.  His muscles swelled as he pulled the dangling alchemist upwards.  "What are you worried about?" He grinned as he brought the shivering youth into his arms.  "Do you doubt your own feather floating pills?"

"N-n-not th-that," Leon gripped the other's leather armour tightly, his eyes fixed upon the buckles. "I th-think I'm af-fraid of h-h-heights."  He did not gaze down to test it.

Out upon the limb and protruding rock face, the wind seemed loud, rushing through their hair and ears.  They'd had convinced themselves that they could easily make their way from one isle to the other once they'd witnessed it approaching.  Pike and Velana also had experience and hurried them quickly to the tallest tree nearby, climbing into its heights before swinging grappling hooks upwards and towards the isle passing overhead.  The hooks were enchanted to fly upwards until they reached a target and to cling to it, so long as it was secure enough. The ropes then curled around the seven bodies and would tighten to prevent falls. Accidents whilst using these enchanted tools were truly minimal, but just to be on the safe side, they'd also consumed Leon's pills.

As there had only been three Feather Floating pills, Leon and Roman took two, while the third was offered to Caelus, who turned down the offer. The secret within his body meant that he had no issues nor confidence when it came to travelling upwards and away from the ground that would most definitely break their falls. So it was given to the tri-coloured fox, which ordinarily would only rely on its owner for support. This meant Velana also felt more at ease. The others took the Feather Falling pills more to reassure Leon than anything.

With the Floating Pills magic, Leon and Roman's body lightened considerably, it was just their discomfort of other matters that became a block to them successfully climbing the ropes. Both of them happened to catch the scenery now an extremely great distance below.

Pike unfurled the rope around his and Leon's bodies to provide them enough length for a second throw. Velana, Volune and Caelus did the same where they were standing on a sizeable protrusion in the rock. Troy and Roman were some distance above their heads, the former having lucked out to grab something else higher up. It didn't take long for the others to finally join them.

Leon collapsed beside Roman, his heart still racing in his chest at a tremendous speed and his limbs still soft from the fright. Roman was hugging his knees as he calmed himself. Caelus gave them a look of scorn, but at least kept his opinion to himself as he placed his hands behind his back and looked about. The others just grinned, high from the thrill of the dangerous climb. Pike laughed, the trembling base of his voice echoing in the air.

The wind was calmer now that they were on the island's main surface and it no longer felt as if their bodies were aboard an open top sailing ship, subject to the rapidly moving vehicle. The adaption between islands was unnaturally fast, but no one dwelled upon this.

When Leon felt that he could finally open his eyes, he did so to drink in their new surroundings. They appeared to be in amongst some sort of ruins. His curiosity was naturally piqued and he rose from the sweet scented grass in which he lie to gaze that way and this. The ruins were not like those he'd seen in his past life, roman bathhouses nor medieval castles. The broken walls were made of some sort of glistening rock which was smooth to the touch and only cracked due to time and the disaster that had originally befallen it. Otherwise it was safe to say that the wall had once been made on one whole solid piece. There were thin columns of the same material stretching upwards, but they no longer reached any decent height. The floor beneath was a mix of coloured tiles, some covered by grass and foliage, others seeming to suppress the greenery around them. Vines did not trail over the walls and columns, but did drape from tree branches above their heads, hinting that the stone somehow repelled them as well as moss, which was abundant on those same trees' trunks.

"Oh, songmist m-moss," Leon said aloud and lifted himself to his feet to harvest.

Roman was by now touching the stone walls with his long, slender fingers in awe and quickly moved to find a smaller piece amongst the tiles, wanting to pry it up for his collection.

Seeing their team support already hard at work, Pike grinned and raised a finger to point towards the untouched jungle before them. "Let's see if we can't hunt something for tonight's dinner."


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