When I exited the arena through the regular entrance, the girls were already waiting for me. Spotting my figure, Ai Tutu immediately rushed into my arms. She wasn't embarrassed at all by the people watching us, though there weren't many. The main crowd was on the stands now, since though my fight was first, it was far from the last.
At the end, as I knew, two mages at the third stage of the Medium level with Spiritual Seeds on both their elements were supposed to fight, which was a rarity on the arena. Apparently, Du Yueshen wasn't luring people just with me, which made sense. Most probably thought I'd lose quickly, and there'd be nothing much to watch.
"Mu Bai, you won! I didn't doubt you for a second! Tomorrow I'll smear my opponent just as fast as you!" Ai Tutu grinned in anticipation.
"Congratulations, I expected no less from you." Mu Nujiao warmly smiled and congratulated me.
What was up with her? After getting the reward for the won fight, she'd started showing way more emotions and stopped keeping up the mask of detachment. I definitely needed to figure this out... but later.
"Then I suggest we finally rent housing, and after celebrate our victories with a tasty dinner. Tomorrow you'll continue fighting on the arena, and I need to step out on business. Found leads on cultivation vessels for you," hugging Ai Tutu close, I explained to them.
"Eh, I don't want to part with you at all. Maybe skip those vessels? Sister Mu and I are developing fast enough already." Puffing her cheeks, Ai Tutu voiced her opinion. And to my huge shock, the ever power-hungry Mu Nujiao nodded several times in agreement.
"Girls... I plan to push you into China's national team for the world university contest in the near future, and that requires a lot of work. And haven't you forgotten that feeling of despair from the scaled demons' attack?" Sighing, I asked them, adding sternness to my voice at the end.
"Mu Bai, why are you always rushing? With our current development speed, we'll definitely qualify for the national team; we just need to get the tickets. Recalling past tournaments, all team members joined at Medium level. Considering our cultivation pace, the three of us will definitely break through to High level before recruitment starts. Are we missing something?" Surprisingly, Mu Nujiao asked me with genuine confusion in her tone. I just didn't recognize her today.
There was no choice about telling them of the future oceanic monsters' attack, the Southern Emperor's plans, or possible genocide. Of course, I wouldn't say anything. At least not now. They were still too weak to know the truth.
"So, girls. I insist on your strengthening, period. No delays due to already satisfactory growth rates. When you wanted to train with me, you promised to listen to me in everything. So listen. Tomorrow you have fights, and I'll go on business. Don't worry, I'll put my summons into you for extra safety. If anything, they can even hold back Lai Chansin long enough for you to escape with your artifact boots." I pressed with my tone, making it clear further discussion of the topic was closed.
Naturally, after that, the general cheerful mood was a bit spoiled. The girls clearly suspected I was hiding something and didn't want to tell them, but they didn't keep prying. After all, no matter how much I goofed around sometimes, I was an authority in their eyes and deserved trust. So we walked to the hotel in slightly awkward silence.
We decided on housing: two separate rooms. Ai Tutu and I in one, Mu Nujiao in the other. After that decision, I caught clear irritation on Mu Nujiao's face, but she stayed silent. I was already tired of being surprised by her changes today.
When I was about to pay as usual from my pocket, the girl interrupted and paid for her room herself. Well, I was even glad. It wasn't about the money; it was just nice to see her gradually getting used to independence.
The hotel had a restaurant on the first floor, where we safely celebrated our arena victories. By then the awkwardness had almost faded, so we had a great time. And the food was very tasty; I hadn't eaten that much in ages.
Unfortunately, that night Ai Tutu left me, flitting off to Mu Nujiao's room. As she said, they needed to gossip. Eh, left without sweets tonight, but nothing; it gave me time to think over tomorrow's plans.
What to do first? Hmm, I think check my idea with a wind element Spiritual Seed for Mu Nujiao first. Then buy the girls their own spatial rings as a Chinese New Year gift, which was coming up soon.
And after that, check the info on totem vessels. Eh, hands still drop thinking of the work volume needed to verify it all. No wonder I put this item at the end of the list. So don't want to deal with it, but unfortunately have to.
Contrary to my own plan, I went to buy spatial rings first. Just because it was the easiest thing I could do now. Eh, I just can't leave simple work for later.
The scheme was standard: borrow valuables from parallel Bo City indefinitely, sell them in another parallel world, and buy spatial rings in a third.
Nothing complicated; the scheme was long proven. True, sometimes had to clean out several Bo Cities in a row, since the city wasn't particularly rich. Need to find a more profitable feeding ground in the future.
Bought the rings like all artifacts for the girls—identical. And it wasn't me being dumb, not learning. I just really liked one ring; it suited both girls perfectly, so I bought it in two parallel worlds.
Its body was like lacquered wood, framed by small emeralds in leaf shapes. The ring itself had grooves like twigs. In general, it perfectly matched their plant element. The girls would definitely be happy with such a gift.
After finishing the simplest task, I shifted to a parallel world to one criminal with an earth element Spiritual Seed. Nothing special, simple 2.1x magic boost. Why not find a criminal with a wind element Seed? For testing my idea, any Spiritual Seed would do.
Quickly knocking out the guy with a spiritual strike, I used my talent to try separating the Spiritual Seed from his element, and it worked as expected—no discovery there. But could I bring it back to my world?
Cancel spell, and I'm already in my hotel room, with a pulsing clump of earth elemental mana in my hands. I smiled happily; finally found a way to smuggle Spiritual Seeds into this world, and as I suspected, Seeds of other classes too.
What had stopped me before? I couldn't bring things containing spirit or soul into my world—name doesn't matter. And accordingly, Seeds that had that spirit couldn't be moved by me without merging with me. But why could I carry them merged with myself?
Summoned beasts have a direct soul link and basically hold tiny pieces of my soul inside. But what about monster Seeds and souls? I basically sacrifice them to my element and stars for boosting.
Even the Heavenly Seed, which actively resists absorption, shows no signs of life after. It just boosts the element it merged with.
So I thought the spirit or soul of the Seed gets destroyed upon human absorption, leaving only an energy construct in the mage's Inner World from its elemental energy. And since I can extract them with my talent, what stops me from shipping them to my world if the souls are gone? Right, nothing!
Just need to figure if I can do the same with monster souls merged to element stars. The magic boost mechanics are a bit different there, but if it works, I'll still need long training to separate souls from stars.
That work is way more delicate than extracting cultivation or element Seed. Right analogy: chopping with an axe vs scalpel work. Both can separate part from whole, but the second requires way longer practice for precision.
But screw monster souls. Now I have a way to haul Seeds from parallel worlds to mine. And all I need is have someone absorb them first. But I don't think I'll have problems with that; world's full of idiots.
Just need to find a future big Heavenly wind element Seed for Mu Nujiao and then its earlier peak Spiritual Seed version. I already have experience.
And if that damn Commander attacks me this time, I won't run flashing heels and spilling blood; I'll take his soul if it's intact. Nice realizing you're stronger; immediately motivates further cultivation.