Chapter 40 Danger

Time passed for Mercury and Clover normally.

Mercury basically had all the resources he and Clover would need to Cultivate. He went around fixing and making Formations around Tenebrosity. This is on top of the money that the Grand Formation Master, Starlight, and Weaving Metal gave him. This allowed him to spend most of his free time Cultivating or spending time with Clover.

Clover on the other hand spent most of her time sparing, Cultivating, and carving. Although, she really did not ‘spend’ time Cultivating. What happened was that she realized that her normal schedule from Colorful Earth did not work in Tenebrosity. Mercury realized that her body would Cultivate while she slept while in Colorful Earth. This allowed for her near endless daily spars without her overworking herself. When Mercury suggested having Earth Qi resources around her while she slept, she never went back to Cultivating like any other person and just kept them around her while doing other things.

Cove did manage to convince River to let her stay in Weaving Metal’s school.

Mercury’s Cultivation and Clover’s Cultivation had both reached Middle Mortal Core for some time when, one day, Ivy came to his room to discuss a mission. Unknown to Mercury, this was just one day after the meeting of Grand Elders.

“I have found a Cultivator’s tomb in the Dark Earth Mountain Range. I need your help to open it.” {Ivy}

“What do you need my help for?” {Mercury}

“It is locked with a Formation.” {Ivy}

“I am not sure I should go. How about you bring a drawing of the Formation back and I will show you how to break it?” {Mercury}

“That is a possibility but that means that another person could get it before us. Even a slight increase in competition could mean less for us.” {Ivy}

“I still do not know.” {Mercury}

“What if we bring your friend along? She could use any Earth Qi resources and get more fighting experience.” {Mercury}

Clover busted down the door.

“Merc, can we?” {Clover}

“Are you sure you want to go?” {Mercury}

“Yes! I have been feeling stuffy not being able to learn enough about the areas before the test.” {Clover}

“Okay. Ivy we will go but I need to inform Weaving Metal about this.” {Mercury}

“Sure. That is for the best.” {Ivy}

After getting Weaving Metal’s permission, the group prepared and set off to Dark Earth Mountain Range. The trip was short and they arrived at the city close to it, but still requires several days walk to get there. Mercury set up formations when they needed to rest and sleep. Even with Mortal Core Cultivations they still needed sleep every few days. During the journey they talked about the Mountains and what to expect.

“Where is this tomb?” {Mercury}

“It is in a cliff side in one of the tallest mountains. The entrance is hard to get to. That is probably why no one has found it.” {Ivy}

“Why did you find it?” {Mercury}

“Oh, you know. I was chased there by some animals and I found safety there.” {Ivy}

“What are the Formations like? How did you find them?” {Mercury}

“They were just Formations. What do you want me to say?” {Ivy}

“Okay, just seeing if I could start thinking about how to break them now.” {Mercury}

(“Clover, be careful. If I tell you to run, run as fast as you can away. Okay?”) {Mercury}

(“Okay?”) {Clover}

They found themselves at the base of the mountain range and started traversing it. All the while Mercury kept his eye out for the tallest mountains and anything out of place. The area was mostly rocky with small shrubs for plants. There were many small cracks and large rocks that acted as cover and hiding stops. It was around the middle of the morning when they found a steep valley and Ivy stopped.

“Okay we are here. The entrance should be in that valley.” {Ivy}

“But ” {Clover}

“Clover, she lead us here and she knows RUN!” {Mercury}

Mercury dashed while pulling out his knife but Ivy easily dodged and kicked Mercury back. Clover started running away but was stopped by an arrow hitting the ground in front of her, forcing her to back up and take cover.

“Why?” {Mercury}

“I hate your Light side. Is there any other reason?” {Ivy}

“Because Kindling is also here.” {Mercury}

Kindling walked out from his hiding spot.

“You can call it more of a business relationship.” {Kindling}

“You really think she will let you go after you kill us?” {Mercury}

“I do not need to. I just need to follow the Family Head’s plan.” {Kindling}

“I am really glad that Felix got out of your cultish family.” {Mercury}

“SHUT UP!” {Kindling}

“But still. Ivy, Kindling, that bowmen, and anyone else who may be listening. If you fight us, you will not get out of this alive. Do you all understand?” {Mercury}

“Quite confident. Where do you get it from?” {Ivy}

“Meaningless bravado.” {Kindling}

“Well, your main mistake is trying this in a place with Earth Qi. Clover! TAKE IT OFF!” {Mercury}

Clover ripped off her Wooden suppression necklace and all the Earth Qi started rushing towards her.

“THIS FEELS GREAT!” {Clover}

“WHAT!?” {Ivy}

“THE F*CK!?” {Kindling}

“CLOVER! LEAVE THE BOWMEN TO ME!” {Mercury}

“GOT IT!” {Clover}

Clover rushed toward Ivy as Mercury pulled out his long bow. He remembered where the arrow that nearly hit Clover came from.

“I SEEK THE LIGHT!” {Mercury}

Mercury’s bow flashed as his Aura formed an arrow of Light. Mercury quickly fired his arrow and, in an instant, it arrived at its target. It decimated the area where it hit, but it still missed the bowmen but Kindling was already next to Mercury.

“YOUR BOW CAN DO THAT!?” {Kindling}

“I seek the Green.” {Mercury}

Mercury’s leg glowed green and he quickly sped to Kindling’s back.

“I seek the Red. I seek the pain of Fire!” {Mercury}

Mercury stabbed his glowing red knife into Kindling’s side.

“AHW! F*CK.” {Kindling}

Kindling turned around to attack Mercury but Mercury had already backed up and had another arrow drawn. Kindling reacted by falling to the ground, but Mercury’s arrow was not aimed at him. The arrow flew and decimated another area. This time the bowmen was greatly harmed as the result.

Mercury used his divine sense and saw that Clover was holding her own against Ivy so readied another arrow for Kindling. However, before he shot it, he turned and shot it into the sky. Where it was easily blocked.

An old man with long gray hair and black robes was floating there. Mercury thought he looked kind of familiar.

“Ivy, Bullseye, you are both disappoints.” {???}

Mercury felt the man begin to ready an attack and rushed pushed Clover out of the way. A spike of Darkness was shot at Clover. Mercury was barely able to push Clover out of the way but lost his right arm in the process.

“MERC!” {Clover}

“Maybe not too bad of a disappointment.” {???}

“CLOVER! WE NEED TO RUN!” {Mercury}

Clover did not hear Mercury as she went into a frenzy. The already depleting Earth Qi started shifting in weird ways. Clover lifted her leg ready to slam it down. Ivy, seeing what was about to happen, threw a knife towards Clover as she jumped to the side away from the edge of the valley. Kindling was not so lucky as he was still stabilizing himself when Clover’s foot hit the ground.

The area turned into a landslide. Clover was hit in the arm by Ivy’s knife but was able to maneuver down the landslide. Mercury was mostly the same and was able to keep himself stable. Kindling was buried but was not dead just yet. Ivy had just managed to get far enough away to not get caught up in it. Bullseye was too far away and the man was still hovering above them.

“Okay. Maybe you are not disappoints.” {???}

“Master! What should we do!?” {Ivy}

“Bullseye, how are your injuries?” {Master}

“Fine.” {Bullseye}

“Then you two will go after them. Finish the mission.” {Master}

“YES, SIR!” {Ivy and Bullseye}

As this was happening. Mercury and Clover were running though the valley. However, Clover started breathing heavily and Mercury realized that Ivy’s knife was still in her arm. Mercury quickly stopped them and took out the knife but realized the knife had been covered in a toxic substance.

“Clover take some healing and detoxing pills, now!” {Mercury}

Clover and Mercury both took out some pills but when Clover tried to take them, she just vomited them back up soon after. Mercury scanned and found a cave. By this point it was hard to Clover to walk so Mercury with his one arm carried her to the cave and did what he could to set up a quick Formation.

He set Clover down on the rocky floor and scanned her with his divine sense. He found that Clover’s body was fighting off the toxin the best that it could but to little success.

“Merc…” {Clover}

“Be quite. Save your strength.” {Mercury}

“I… do not think…” {Clover}

“Don’t talk like that! You will get through this!” {Mercury}

“No… I know how I feel…” {Clover}

“YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS ALIVE!” {Mercury}

“Merc…” {Clover}

“Clover… CLOVER!” {Mercury}

“…”

Mercury cried as he felt Clover’s pulse slow.

“No. NO! WORK! FOR ONCE JUST WORK!” {Mercury}

Mercury willed some of his blood into Clover’s mouth and into her body. He felt that his connection with it wane as Clover’s pulse recovered and stabilized. However, Mercury’s face was stern as Clover opened her eyes again.

“Clover… are you ” {Mercury}

Clover jumped up and started trying to attack Mercury. Her eyes became red. Her hands changed into claws. Her teeth turned into rows of fangs. She no longer spoke and could only growl. Mercury forced her back with is control over his blood, but she fought back with everything she had.

“No. no… just no.” {Mercury}

Mercury curled up in a ball next to the wall of the cave.

“WHY!? WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN!?” {Mercury}

“*Growls*” {Clover}

“Why? My mother did not go crazy. So, why? What rules do I really follow!?” {Mercury}

“*Growls*” {Clover}

Mercury heard the voices of Ivy and another person in the distance. He knew he had to do something, anything to get him and Clover out of this. He grew back his arm and pulled out the Formation holding the Lawless. He stared at it for a moment.

“Lawless. F*ck. I hope that means you make your own rules.” {Mercury}

Mercury willed his blood to go through the Formation and encase the fishy body of the Lawless. It seemed to wake up and struggle but could not do so for long. Mercury wanted to find something, anything to find out how it worked.

Then its body popped.

The world shook and cried as Mercury tried to hold back and contain the power. Mercury felt… intoxicated. The sheer power he felt at this moment was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was also ripping him apart. Like his very atoms were popping in and out of existence. But even so he still felt he needed to help Clover.

He did not really know what he was doing, only that he needed to do it to save Clover. As he got up and stumbled towards Clover, he forced her into laying down face up and encased her in a coffin of his blood. He put the hand that held the Lawless up to the coffin and spoke words long forgotten and words yet to be. Mercury blacked out.

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Thank you for reading.