When they returned to the main level, Luna was wrapped around Jen's waist, catching a ride back to meet them and bemoaning the loss of her cooking partner to "Some Guy with Shiny Scales."
"And here I thought I would have to physically pry you off of Solara," Cain told her with a sly wink.
"They wouldn't let me. But Jen let me be her belt for now, so it's fine, I guess. Maybe I can later when Solara isn't busy with alchemy.
"I am beginning to understand her sleeping habits a little better. When this is her natural form and behavior, it makes sense that she wants to hold someone while she sleeps." Penny told Cain with a tolerant smile.
"Yeah, her mother is the same way. If I weren't doing anything strenuous, she would just stay wrapped around my waist day and night. Even at meals, she would just lean over, or I would feed her from my plate." Cain agreed.
"You know, if you ignore the fact that the story involves an Eldritch Horror and a Snake Demon, that's actually really sweet."
"Why don't we all have a sit-down and enjoy the Dragons' hospitality for a while? Some of us have been so busy running around that we didn't have time to really look at the city." Cain suggested.
That's exactly what they did for the next three days until the last of the dragons who went to clear the surrounding areas of invaders had returned. A few of the dragons had been showing signs of combat when they returned, but none of them seemed overly concerned, so either the problem was dealt with, or it was from an upset local beast whose territory they had invaded during their search.
It was an emotional moment when Cain transformed Luna back into a human girl, and the group started packing their belongings to leave the mountain. The Dragons had come to accept Cain and Tena as two of their own, and a few days was not nearly enough time to relax, in their opinion. A year-long nap seemed much more appropriate.
"I will send a message back when I find a portal that leads me where I need to go," Cain informed the residents of the Dragon Peak, then decided to show off a little bit and transformed himself into the Golden Proto Dragon that he had used in combat so many times before, letting the rest of the group climb on his back for the flight out of the top exit.
"This is incredible. Have you always been able to do this?" Tena asked while holding her hands out to the sides and enjoying the wind.
"It's actually a skill that enhances my summoning skills. I've been able to do it since I was around your level, perhaps a little before that."
"They told me that one day I will be able to become a Dragon this size, but the skill is based on my main body's age, so my dragon form is still a hatchling." She sighed.
"You'll grow up before you know it. One of the Bronze Dragons mentioned that there are portals to a few dozen other worlds on the far side of the mountains, guarded by the Sects in the plains. Why don't we head that way, and you can practice your flying?" Cain suggested.
"That would be great. But only when everyone else is walking, because I don't fly very fast yet. I thought it would be instinctive, but only the basic motion is, and the rest takes practice and coordination." She sighed.
"Yeah, flying as an Ancient was the same way, though these transformation spells help you with coordination the way others don't."
Cain carried them out of the forest around Dragon Peak and then landed back very close to where they had started, back near the clearing where they had spent the night with the Foot Clan and Thunder Gods Sects.
They were greeted by a pair of Elders, who seemed to be expecting to see them but also very worried about something.
"Greetings from the Forbidden Treasures Sect. Might your Divine Elders be present? They had requested that I say hello the next time I was through." Cain asked.
"I am sorry, both of the Divine Elders have gone to the city of Wisdom to take a look at the finals of the Core Disciples combat competition. I am told that there are a number of skilled competitors there this year, and they didn't want to miss out.
Your divination statue is the talk of the Continent, though. It has identified no fewer than ten hidden talents among the younger generation, one of which was in a Sect unsuitable to their skills. It caused quite the sensation as the Water Sects fought over him." The Foot Clan Elder replied politely.
"I wouldn't want to keep them away from their duties to the Sect. Please let them know that we passed through on our way to the plains beyond the mountains. I will be examining the portals to other worlds there, looking for one that leads where I want to go." Cain told them, and both Elders bowed.
They also both took out small green slips and sent a message to someone, then shouted for a Disciiple to come to them and escort the Forbidden Treasures Sect through the training grounds.
"Our Disciples are on a shared mission to control the beasts, so the entire area is full of young Cultivators, and I don't want you to be mistaken as interlopers." The Thunder Gods Sect Elder explained.
"Yeah, that wouldn't end well for the Disciples." The younger man that had just arrived agreed, looking at the group with some sort of glowing rock in his hand.
The Elder noticed Cain looking at it and decided to explain. "It is an aura stone. It isn't a precision tool, but it is commonly worn as a bracelet to warn the wearer of the approach of a strong opponent. If that one glows any more brightly, he will be able to use it as a flashlight instead."
"It's not as bright as when the Divine Elder came to the Disciples Compound, but you must be fairly close, right Sect Master?" The disciple asked.
"Not too far now, I suppose. But at this point, who knows how long it will take until I take that final step?"
"One of the Immortal Elders has been stuck where you are for ten thousand years. The leap to Divinity isn't an easy one to make, and the preparations for the Tribulation take some time." The Foot Clan Elder agreed.
Cain had just assumed that everyone did like the Dragons and simply took the hits from the lightning, but it made sense that it would actually kill a human, so some sort of protection would be vital to their advancement. That did seem a bit unsporting since it was a tribulation to prove your worth, but perhaps it made it easier for dragons to advance later since they took the full brunt of the tribulation, while less durable species relied on tricks to survive.
He had heard about bottlenecks from the Cultivators in the city and just now from the Foot Clan Elder, and that wasn't a thing that the Dragons experienced, so there must be some difference that was making it easier for them to advance.
"I should warn you, don't enter the Dragon Peak area, including the forest around it, for a while. Someone stole some eggs from them, and the Divine Black Dragon is not happy with humanity. If the dragons catch any humans there, you'll likely be eaten." Cain offered as they began to walk down the road.
"I thought something was wrong. We had a few reports of travelers being attacked in the woods near the peak, but fortunately, they were all accompanied by an Immortal and managed to escape with most of their groups.
Taking eggs from the forest is nothing new. It's how many of the Dragon followers gain their companions and mounts, but entering the Peak to get them is suicidal." The Elder sighed.
"Well, it seems to be solved now, but give them some time to calm down before returning. Dragons hold a grudge for longer than you might expect."
They walked in silence for a few minutes before a group of Disciples with blades in hand jumped out into the road and then stopped in surprise, not finding what they were expecting.
"Sorry, Elder, we were sure that we sensed a beast aura, and we were going to hunt it, but the trace led us to you." The leader of the group stammered.
Cain activated one of his new spells [Nature Sense] and searched the area for a beast, finding what he was looking for with only a little effort. It was a Mythic Rank Cardinal, and it was in the branches above them, watching the Disciples with disdain.
The bird would fit into Cain's hand, so it was no shock that it was hard to pinpoint, but it was bright red, so it shouldn't be that hard to spot, especially since it wasn't hiding its aura at the moment. Perhaps it was actually trying to start a fight between the groups but didn't understand that they were on the same side.
"That's fine. You were quite close to the right spot. Keep working on your senses, and you'll be able to accurately track beasts soon enough." Cain told them, then turned his glance up to the tree where the bird was sitting.
"It's that thing again. I swear that bird is immortal. We have attacked it dozens of times, but it keeps slipping away and leading us into traps or other groups." The Disciple exclaimed in disgust, then walked away, not willing to deal with the evasive Cardinal at the moment.
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