Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

The relentless pursuers continued their relentless march, their footsteps echoing through the dense forest, even after Liam had lost their tracks because of Ester's diversion. It was a stroke of luck that granted him the chance to seek refuge in the damp, musty cave, where time seemed to stand still for the last 15 hours.

Ester had carefully chosen the spot where she'd left Liam, ensuring it was well-hidden and protected from any potential threats. Because of this, he remained safe from any evil creatures that may have lurked nearby.

The cave's surroundings lay still, enveloped in a serene silence akin to the moment he had regained consciousness after his prior fainting episode. Only the gentle presence of diminutive creatures from the first realm could be felt.

The frigid grip of the night loosened, allowing a subtle warmth to permeate the air. Nearby, vibrant blossoms unfurled their petals, eagerly embracing the caress of the nourishing morning sun.

Such a strip of forest exuded a tranquil aura, as if a gentle breeze of rejuvenation flowed through the air. The lush vegetation emitted a pure mana, infusing the atmosphere with an enchanting fragrance. The concentration of positive elements surpassed the usual nocturnal levels, creating an ambiance of heightened serenity.

In Twin Land, mana permeated every nook and cranny, yet its distribution was not uniform. Some areas possessed an abundance of mana, while others paled in comparison. Many factors influenced the varying levels of certain elements, including the diverse array of vegetation.

Similar to the humidity control generated by plants on Earth, plants in Twin Land absorbed mana from the subsoil and atmosphere, concentrated it around themselves, controlling their surroundings. It all happened according to the characteristics of each plant species.

Nocturnal plants would concentrate more negative elements around them at night and less during the day. Daytime plants would do the opposite.

With the freshness of the morning and the beginning of the 'work' of the surrounding plants, Liam opened his eyes and felt the good sensation of the elements of wood, water, air and earth, the main ones there.

Each element had its own feeling. Some of them caused ease and spiritual joy, while others could make you uncomfortable and cautious.

Even if one had no affinity for the water element, such a cultivator would feel refreshed near an area rich in this element. Even if they had an affinity for poisonous elements, they would feel wary when they were near that element. These were the natural sensations that the elements gave to living things.

There was no risk involved in dealing with elements unrelated to your powers. The only danger arose when attempting to absorb them during the cultivation process.

However, it was natural for the elements to not enter bodies that were unrelated to them. On the other hand, the bodies of beings capable of cultivation could effortlessly disregard anything that was not compatible with them.

Liam had been cultivating for more than half of the time he had been in this cave, so when he opened his eyes this morning while still sitting in the lotus position, he felt much better than when he woke up yesterday.

As he ignored the feel of the cold, damp earth of this cave, as well as the low level insects around him, he looked down at his stomach as he leaned back.

'I'm almost completely healed.'

He saw that his previous wound had almost healed, still feeling some discomfort, but he was in much better shape than the previous afternoon.

The pain in his head—where Ester had hit him—was gone, leaving only the pain in his stomach, about 20% of the pain he had felt when he woke up yesterday.

But while he had improved a lot with his dark regeneration the night before, his soul power level had also improved a lot.

After all the fights, injuries, and exhaustion he'd experienced in the past 48 hours, he had received the boost to leave the first step of the 8-Star level and complete 30% of his journey to the 9-Star.

As he checked his progress, he grabbed some fruit from his ring out of hunger. As he devoured a bowl with three types of fruits, something he had done twice in this cave, he realized Thal'Korr still hadn't recovered.

'Spirits can recover faster if the master is stronger than them. There's a two-star difference between him and me, so he should recover soon.'

This was another reason for cultivator to have a higher cultivation level than their Spirits. Once the Spirit and the master's cultivation were equal, the Spirit's recovery would be much slower when it was destroyed or just wounded.

In short, the master's soul was the Spirit's home, where Spirits could strengthen and recover according to the wealth of their home.

Because of this reality, a recovery that would have easily taken two or three days until a few days ago would now take only a few hours for Thal'Korr.

'Unfortunately, I don't have any interesting crystals for him to absorb after his body is formed. That damned woman...'

Liam clenched his fists as he remembered who was responsible for all that.

He only had King-grade crystals in his spatial ring, which wouldn't have much effect on an Ancestor-grade Spirit.

He looked at what he had and tried to figure out what he could do now.

In addition to the King-grade crystals, he had more than a dozen Second Class weapons, gold and silver coins, food, technique books, two recovery potions, and the Guardian Sphere. Apart from these items, everything else was of little value to him.

'The Guardian Sphere won't be able to help me for a few days. After activating it, it will take some time for it to regain its standby state, so I can't count on its help anymore.' He put the item aside.

'What is left are my two potions. I took the Survival Nectar less than a day ago, so the Life Serum won't have any effect on me for the next few hours or days. Only something of higher quality, like the Refulgent Life Elixir, can help me...'

Picking up the bottle of the elixir, Liam remembered its properties.

'The Refulgent Life Elixir is made of Phoenix Tears, Sprayed Diamond Essence, Aurum Flower Nectar, Ancient Mandrake Root, and Fountain of Youth Water.

These ingredients are classified as at least Third Class items and are very difficult to find. Together, they have a powerful regenerative effect, capable of healing even the marks that time has left on our bodies.

This potion can regenerate organs, strengthen them, and ultimately affect the soul and Spirits. By taking it, one has the chance to even remove impurities from one's body and Spirits, helping to restore and strengthen these magical pillars.'

The Refulgent Life Elixir was precious, so Liam was reluctant to use it, even more so when he was no longer injured in a worrisome way.

The effects of the elixir take between 40 seconds and 2 minutes to appear and can last up to 20 minutes after use. This means that 22 minutes after using it, the user will have felt its full effect, indicating that it is not good to use it after being spotted by enemies or being in danger. It's best to use it when you've been safe for at least that long.

Some effects of it were aimed at regenerating and rejuvenating tissues, which could promote visual improvement in those who consumed it. There was also an improvement in the user's vitality, or life expectancy, something not normally associated with such urgent procedures.

Because they did not design it for battle use, the potion in Liam's hands had more 'delayed' effects than other types of potions.

'It's a shame, but I'm going to have to waste you now.'

Liam sighed as he decided.

His situation was delicate. He was pretty sure that Ester had her eye on him, and at least one more enemy would have to act against him on this journey. The Abyss Matriarchs had not yet shown themselves to him, but he had no doubt that he would meet at least one of these women before he returned to City Thirteen.

With his Spirit unable to show off for another few hours, there was no point in waiting any longer. Even after Thal'Korr regained his body, he would be weakened. Without crystals to speed up the recovery process, it could take Liam another two days to get the Spirit back to 100%.

Two days didn't seem long, but he was in a place where his situation could change at any moment. All it would take was for a beast at the end of the second realm to appear near him and take an interest in him for him to be in trouble!

Besides the beasts, there were the enemies who wanted his head, but also possible encounters with other disciples from the cities on this side of the fjord.

He still had to complete his hunt, and for that, he needed Thal'Korr to protect him in case of an emergency.

As he take all of this into consideration, he gently uncorked the bottle of the Refulgent Life Elixir. As the seal broke, a delicate mist escaped, carrying a symphony of scents that filled the air. The sweet fragrance of honey and vanilla danced with a subtle undertone of fresh herbs, creating a captivating aroma that enveloped the entirety of the cave.

He gazed intently at the mesmerizing golden liquid. Its surface shimmering with a radiant glow, almost as if tiny specks of light were infused within.

When he inhaled deeply, the air seemed to caress his senses, instantly loosening the tension in his facial muscles.

He brought the bottle to his lips, swirling the contents around in his mouth, savoring the sensation of its thick, syrupy texture.

The elixir's taste was exquisite, a delightful combination of sweetness and a subtle herbal essence, which enveloped his mouth with a comforting, revitalizing warmth.