As Mira ruthlessly pillaged the garden, every plant she yanked out emitted a soft glow, shimmering like stardust before settling into her Infinity Garden. The effects of this place were still surreal to her. She found plants and herbs anywhere between Earth-Grade and Mystic-Grade, but the auras they released were more than anything within their own grade could produce.
While Elenei wandered further away, completely engrossed in absorbing the energies, Mira noticed a particularly enchanting flower near a crystalline pond. Its petals alternated between fiery orange and frosty blue, and in its core, a radiant pearl pulsated with light. Without hesitation, she reached for it. But the moment her fingers brushed against its stem, a surge of energy coursed through her.
She was pulled into a trance-like state. In her mind's eye, visions of cosmic events played out: galaxies forming, stars being birthed and dying, and the eternal dance of celestial bodies. Amidst these visions, a whisper echoed.
"Seeker of balance, toucher of stars, unveil the secrets, near and far."
Jolted back to reality, Mira found herself sitting by the pond's edge, the captivating flower in her hand, still glowing but now intertwined with her Qi.
"What… was that?" she whispered, slightly dazed by the experience.
Taking a deep breath, she sensed a deep connection to the flower. It wasn't just a plant; it was a key. A key to unlocking something on this island.
With renewed curiosity, she stood up, carefully placing the flower into a separate container. She didn't want to mess with it in case it really was something important.
After tossing the plant, which pulsated with an intoxicating aura, into her Storage Space, Mira's attention was immediately drawn to the shimmering pond nearby.
As she approached the edge, the water remained placid and crystal clear. Looking down, she was taken aback. The reflection she saw wasn't just her usual self.
Looking back at her was a massive icy-blue and silver fox with 9 tails and crimson-red eyes.
Confused and a little shocked, she moved her head, but when she did, the fox also moved.
'Is that… me?'
Mira blinked, half-expecting the reflection to change back to her human form, but the fox persisted.
She made a few more movements, but whatever she did, the fox mimicked. By now, she was 90% sure that the beast in the pond was her, but before she fully believed it, she had to ensure it wasn't someone playing a trick on her.
Gently, she touched the surface of the water, sending ripples across it. As the water settled, the reflection of the fox began to split, revealing two images. On one side was her human self, exactly what she looked like before she broke through to the Core Formation Realm. The second one was her current form.
Then, the surface of the water rippled again, revealing the final form.
A giant, at least several meters tall, was reflected in the water. She had nine different-colored fox tails, much like the ones she currently had. Except, instead of fur, they seemed to be made of pure energy. The rest of her body looked similar to Mira's current humanoid fox form, but she was wrapped in warlord-like armor with thousands of ice-like beasts in the background.
A crown of ice sat atop her head, with icicles forming around her every second. Blue flames rose from her skin, making the entity in the reflection seem more like a being of energy than one of flesh. Runic tattoos lined her body, pulsing with power.
Lastly, above and behind the large woman was a silhouette of a massive fox, releasing an imposing aura.
The two stared into each other's eyes, and Mira could've sworn she saw a light of intelligence in the reflection.
Then, the reflection blinked.
"..."
'What the hell?' Mira was taken aback.
However, that wasn't the end.
Suddenly, the reflection raised its hand and pointed at her. The pond rippled for a moment before an ice spear formed in the middle of the water and shot at her.
Dodging it, Mira's eyes widened, but before she could say anything, the reflection mouthed the words, "Find me."
'Find me? What does that even mean?' Mira asked herself. Unfortunately, there was nobody around to answer her questions.
'Tch.' She clicked her tongue, still a bit bewildered by what happened. 'This realm and its fucking cryptic messages.'
Collecting herself after the unexpected confrontation with her reflection, Mira's heart thumped. The mysteries of the island seemed to deepen at every turn. Intrigued by what revelations a simple pond could offer, she pondered what secrets the island still concealed.
Casting one last look at the serene water, she pushed forward, the phrase "Find me" resonating within. The surrounding ponds sparkled invitingly, each hinting at another enigma.
At the subsequent pond, Mira paused, absorbing the ambiance. A nearby violet shrub, with its star-shaped leaves, drew her gaze. Its energy resonated similarly to the magical flower she had encountered earlier. Picking it, a calming sensation enveloped her, sharpening her mind—a boon for her cultivation.
Guarding herself as she neared another pool, she peered into its still depths. Instead of her reflection, an image of the stars unfolded before her. Amid this peaceful display, a message crystallized: "Find stability in the unstable."
Every pond offered a glimpse into a facet of her being or imparted a message. Whether comforting or demanding, each experience imprinted on her soul, spurring her onward in her quest.
Harvesting a myriad of special plants besides these pools—from sunberries that ignited her Qi with warmth to moonherbs that soothed her meridians—Mira finally stood before the last water body.
It stood apart from the rest. The water was inky black, and it felt like staring into the abyss. Hesitant, she leaned over, and instead of a vision, she felt a pull. The darkness beckoned her, and for a fleeting moment, she felt the urge to dive in. But she resisted, stepping back and taking a steadying breath.
Cold sweat dripped down her face as she realized she was almost devoured by that pond.
"Haaaa…" She released a long sigh. "Why did this realm have to remind me of the abyss?"
Whenever she thought of the FLDIL, nothing good ever happened. There was no fortune in misfortune. Just a series of bad luck.
'Hopefully, it was just a coincidence.' Mira muttered.
With the pools' mysteries unveiled and her Storage Space abundant with exotic plants, Mira's gaze shifted to the enigmatic caverns scattered around.
These caverns whispered promises of knowledge interwoven with danger. From a distance, the maws of the caverns were dark and foreboding, but as she approached, the faintest hints of luminescence caught her eye.
One cavern entrance, in particular, seemed to call to her. Ethereal symbols, lost to time and memory, were faintly visible on the inner walls, pulsing rhythmically as if they held the breath of the universe within. The symbols appeared similar to the ones that existed within her.
"...Fuck." Mira unintentionally cursed. "So, it wasn't a coincidence, huh?"
She wasn't sure how to feel.
Of course, she wanted to know the origin of the black runes that were part of every aspect of her existence, but she was also concerned.
Those runes were terrifying and made her something akin to a harbinger of death. Even her own bloodline wasn't spared from their influence.
Still, she was mostly excited to finally catch a glimpse into what they really were.
Tentatively, Mira stepped towards the entrance, each footfall echoing with a weight that felt more metaphysical than physical. Inside, the air was thick with age and saturated with Qi. It tasted different—ancient, rich, and layered with tales of epochs long gone.
As she ventured deeper, the narrow entranceway opened up to reveal a vast chamber. At its heart lay a massive stone pedestal on which an ornate scroll rested. The paper was neither old nor new, as if time itself had forgotten to wear it down. The script, written in a forgotten dialect, seemed alive, writhing and shifting as she tried to read.
Lifting the scroll, Mira felt a jolt of connection. Memories not her own surged into her mind: battles waged, alliances forged, betrayals felt, and civilizations rising and falling. As quickly as they came, they retreated, leaving behind a sense of profound understanding.
It was clear that this scroll, much like the mysterious flower, held another key—perhaps even a map to the deeper intricacies of the island and her own intertwined fate.
Just as she was about to decipher the script, a low growl echoed through the chamber. Shadows crept along the walls, converging to form some kind of monster of darkness.
Clutching the scroll tightly and preparing her Qi, Mira braced herself.
Taking out her scythe, she stared up at the monster. As it continued growing, all the light in the room seemed to disappear, leaving behind only darkness.
Not wanting to allow it to get any stronger, Mira attacked.
Wielding her scythe, Mira unleashed a series of strikes, each one releasing arcs of ice that cut through the air. However, the shadows seemed to absorb her attacks, nullifying them.
"Damn," she hissed, trying to find a weakness. She attacked a few more times, each one stronger than the last, but none had any effect.
'This is going to be a bit tough.'
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