Chapter 38

A Month Goes By

 

We take a red-eye flight using Barrier-Airlines back out to the forest's edge where the Putas previously met back up with the rest of us. Then continue on almost a hundred miles, in the other direction than we had previously moved camp.

T2) 'To think a second-Tier could move so far and so quickly.'

Seer) "You're second-Tier?"

Zo Ro) 'What? Did you think I was only first-Tier because I'm still under 2 years old? Or that I was third-Tier because I was able to help in the fight against your sect's group?'

S) "If that much was only helping. ."

Once we find a good location, the ones with thumbs begin setting up camp. The two newest slaves I order to dig a latrine instead, after it becomes clear they are no good at setting up a camp. Must've had others, like that hunter, do it for them. Immediately after, I update the order that it should be downwind from the camp and also downstream from our water source, and preferrably at a distance of about 20-40 meters. City-slickers. Gotta love 'em. Like when a pirate says land-lubber. It wasn't exactly common knowledge, but lubber means someone who's useless on the ship. And land-lubber means they're still useless on land as well.

Then I take a rest for a few hours.

. . .

The next morning, I start with my pill refining. I've tried 3 times, succeeded twice. All with the Azure Lotus pill recipe. Today I make 2 batches of Bone Strengthening pills. 8 of them each. There are 9 slaves, 4 tigers and 2 foxes, that's 15 of us. That means one each, with one extra. Except that I'm holding off on the seer for now, so 2 extra per day.

After distributing them, I have all but the 3 tigresses come one at a time for a cleansing. The 2 newest slaves without any tongue protection.

The seer is well into her change, clawed and pawed. Furry and furious. Not quite as much a beastkin as the sisters, but well on the way. At the current rate, it should take another day more, or maybe two to finish. The boy is going much slower, as I wrote into the spell to take a month for full effect. It's also much more painful for him, but he can't cry out in anguish as he's still under my order to shut up from during the fight. Except for answering questions of course.

Since his version of the transformation won't give him a tail, it's high time to give him one of mine. Especially to prevent any chance of the spells wearing off. Including all the many, many ones he doesn't have yet. I may eventually halfway forgive him, but I'll never forget. . What was I talking about? Oh yeah.

{BIND MY TAIL TO THIS BEING
AND MY BLOOD TO ITS BLOOD
TO MAKE ALL MY SPELLS
CARVED IN ITS FLESH
BECOME PERMANENT}

Just like what I should have originally done with the Putas.

. . .

The day after, is almost the same. Switching out who gets a tail. Otherwise the exactly same, including the spell's phrasing. The seer's new tiger tail has finished growing out by now. But a transplant works too. So I cut it off in order to replace it with mine.

In fact her tiger features have begun overtaking her human ones. She is currently a bit past beastkin, on her way to becoming a full Beast. Her fingers are shrinking down, while four new nipples have appeared on her belly. And her physical size is noticeably higher, while her stance is noticeably lower. By the next morning she will be quadripedal, and soon after all human traits will disappear. She'll probably need all the nutrition paste I already have ready to feed her growing stature.

I really don't like having to lose a tail every time I enslave someone higher Tier than me. I'll probably stop doing so altogether. And having more ones at or lower than my Tier aren't so useful now that I already have some. So no more enslaving without a really good reason.

. . .

Then on the following day, one last (for now) spell on the pair.

{CHANGE MY TAIL'S APPEARANCE
TO MATCH THIS BODY'S TYPE}

I've decided all my wolves, and my tigress need to gain Unique Physiques like the other tigers have. But there's no hurry. So it'll have to wait until he's finished transforming. I told the other 3 human slaves to think about it, but not decide right away.

As for the other three tigresses, I didn't even bother to bring it up. They weren't happy to hear about my other idea, and that one was actually harmless in comparison.

The Putas have been using the Qi Stones I paid them at a fair rate over the last week. Each of them gained another Level over their previous strength. I told them to be sure not to cultivate TOO fast. Yeah, hypocritical I know. But their talent isn't anywhere near my own. I recommended that the 3 gain no more than one Level per month. And Kara being a full Tier higher, every other month.

That reminds me, I paw over 40 Qi Stones to each of my humans, to get them started.

Now it's time for the former young master to be given a new name. To finish his break from his former life. I decided on calling him Kujo¹playing around with google translate, the closest translation for these syllables' sounds -from chinese to english- as I could find means 'miserable, mistake/wrong'. very appropriate. also C when used for writing chinese words in english, is apparently always a soft c, like in trace. though I may be wrong about that?. Yeah, I know it reeks of plaigiarism. Tell me you wouldn't do the same, hmmm? I thought so. I still gave him freedom over his family name, so long as he changes it. He decided on Lang, which means wolf. 1¼ points for creativity.

I also told the seer to pick herself a new name. Right after her transformation finished, she chose Lauhu as her personal name, which means tiger. And Mu for her family name, which means wood, like her Unique Physique. But both together as one set/phrase apparently means tigress?. . I like it. 17 points.

The other 3 slaves asked if they need a new name as well. I told them they have no reason to, unlike all the others so far.

. . I want to finish reinforcing all of our skeletons with my pills, but a worry about something else forces me to finally ask.

Zo Ro) 'This place is not safe for us. That sect will eventually send someone to assist, or to avenge their previous expedition. So we need to discuss a good place to move to. Does anyone have a good suggestion?'

Kara) "The city we visited would be happy to host you in one of the mansions, as a promising new pill refiner."

Z) shakes my head side-to-side 'Too early to be so open.'

Hao Long) "We could try joining a different sect. Once we are under their protection, the Autumn Crescent would not dare do anything to us."

Z) '-Openly. They would have to be morons to not try to hire mercenaries to go after me in secret. And others as well, especially the new sect's rivals and enemies. No, these are good suggestions for later, but not at our current strength.'

Kujo) "The Lo-Shu forest on the other side of the Bai-Long (white dragon) Kingdom is richer in Qi."

Mu Lauhu) "Yes. And if you wish to avoid a contested area, you could hide in one of the hidden villages."

Z) 'Yes, good. Any other ideas?'

. .

Z) 'Any objections or concerns?'

Kara) "I made a vague promise about the possibility of selling more pills in the city."

Z) 'Then you'd better go back there, but not until we have some. Anything else?'

Z) . . 'Alright, we'll set off to the other forest soon after Kujo finishes up his transformation. That will be almost 4 weeks from now.'

. . .

Now that I no longer have to worry about expending my Blood Magic for a while, I can do a complete day's work each day. I start with 2 batches of Bone Strengthening pills per day, enough for one each with two left over, still disregarding the one tigress until I finish two particular projects on her, which I have not yet started on. And one of which needs her to finish the other, as well as reach Tier 5. Followed by a cleansing for all of us except Uncle's 3 girlfriends. They still don't know about it yet, though they might be suspicious. Once I'm sure I can trust them, I'll get them started.

Then after lunch, one batch each of Muscle Enhancement pills, Qi Gathering pills, Skin Beautification pills and Minor Healing pills. This minor healing monikor though, it seems that it's relative. Higher Tier healing pills have a greater effect, but in each case it depends on the person using it. For a commoner, this "Minor Healing" could solve anything less than a severed limb, including several mangled ones. But for a Tier 4 cultivator, it would barely be enough for a "flesh wound". With each higher Tier of healing pill having a greater name, and a greater effect.

It should be noted though, that the highest Tier of pill someone could safely use is one higher than their cultivation. So if a commoner tried using the Tier 2 Lesser Healing pill, he would likely explode from the excess energies being too much for his body to handle. But even if he doesn't die from it, the rampaging energies would cause more damage than that pill can heal.

After dinner I went back to cultivating. But now instead of pulling from the environment, I used the 18K²20,020 - 1000 for those two = 19,020 - 900 for these 3 = 18,120 - 120 for those 3 = 18K Qi Stones I have on paw, not including those at or higher than Grade 2. The first time of course, I used only one. To get a feel for it. A lot less taxing than trying to cast a wide net, when I already have a barrel-full to pull from. And significantly more effective too. Then 3, this already gave me more Qi than several days in the past, pulling from the environment. And it wasn't difficult to do. Next I skip to 6, and finally to 10. And at this point it is a bit difficult, but I can handle it as long as it's just occaisionally. Then 10 once more.

About three week's worth of cultivating in a single evening. Though it would probably be over eleven months for literally anyone else. Even if they had the Qi Stones themselves, it might take them a few days to accomplish this much.

The second day I use 10 each time. This is somewhat more difficult than I'm used to. Still, after just three quick rounds I reach the point of being able to raise my Level. Of course I go back to my usual practice of 9 rest stops before breaking through. Thus it takes me 5 days of relaxed cultivation to raise by one Level.

If anyone else heard me say that, they just might break down a wall with their face out of frustration.

After rising up a Level in 5 days, the next Level. . ALSO takes 5 days. And the third 6. Then the fourth takes 7. While still making 6 batches of pills daily. Among the other things that I've accomplished.

After each of us (except the one tigress) had 12 Bone Strengthening pills, the rest were saved up to go to auction.

Some of the pill refining attempts are failures. But still, my success rate is well over 90%. And all completely pure.

If anyone else heard me say that, they just might break down a wall with their face out of frustration.

Even among accomplished pill refiners, a 60% success rate is considered excellent. 80% is extraordinarily rare. And 90% is basically unheard of. If anyone is capable of such a feat, they've kept it a total secret from the whole continent so far. Not that I blame them. So, "well over 90%" would probably spark a riot. In fact the purity levels alone just might.

. . .

Anyway, we've finished out Kujo's month now. So it's time to skedaddle.

Z) 'Putas, It's time to head back to have more auction action. Take Mu Lauhu with you for protection, and remember to trade their Grade 2 Qi Stones for Grade 1. With my help, they're much more useful for these two. We'll meet up back here as quick as you reasonably can.' Along with other various types of instructions.