053: Time to Stroll
The group talked for a while until the spiritual tea was emptied. When it was time to send off the guests, Zemirah did not forget to give some gifts, mostly spiritual fruits for the Iron Armor Beast and Talismans for Simon before they left.
Simon thanked her with a helpless smile while the huge pet gave her a friendly wave, Zemirah seemed to see a huge stuff bear waving at her. It made her eyes shine with joy.
Aside from that, she also managed to get another reward from her system.
"You rest first and let's stroll around Mooran Village tomorrow. They have many specialties here, mostly dairy products such as milk and cheese. I also heard that they have a famed store here selling spiritual cheese, the kind where it has the unique spiritual art from a art cultivator." Sucere did not forget to remind her bed ridden friend who just woke up today.
A cheese from an art cultivator? Zemirah already decided to buy many of them. Though her spiritual stones were running low, she may need to sell some talismans to earn money.
She nodded with a small giggle at the younger girl who was nagging her like an old lady, "Okay, thank you again, Sucere."
Sucere finally smiled with satisfaction, "The medical cultivator will check on you tonight, don't forget to drink the medicine."
Zemirah laughed lightly at her words treating her like a little kid when she was obviously the younger one between the two.
Sucere rest on the room next door, she rented the whole courtyard when Zemirah was unconscious. Zemirah offered to pay everything since Sucere has been busy taking care of her but the girl declined, saying she did not lack spirit stones.
'Well, she's a rich kid, huh.'
Zemirah went to her room to rest, while Sucere went outside.
'Time to check rewards.'
Zemirah rubbed her smiling cheeks, her previous pale complexion was gone thanks to the spiritual tea. Though she was not yet fully healed and needed some healing techniques from a medical cultivator to avoid leaving hidden injuries.
Opening the system notifications she ignored, Zemirah started reading.
First is the bell artifact from her gift to Sucere when she woke up.
[Name]: [Silver Moon Cloud Bell] | Supreme-Quality Peak-Stage Grade 3
[Introduction]: By ringing the bell once, summon an auspicious silver cloud as a mount. The silver cloud hides the passenger from prying eyes. By ringing the bell twice, summon a silver moon to heal physical and soul injuries.
'Ohh, a cloud as a mount. Doesn't that make me the immortal I have in mind?' Zemirah imagined it and smiled.
With this artifact, she would not need to ride a public transportation and be ambushed again. The cloud is her alone and can even hide from prying eyes, it can even heal injuries. Zemirah will use it later.
She was still injured, her dantian was in pain. Not wanting to think of her painful experience, she check the following reward.
It was the stack of talisman she gave to Simon and spiritual fruits for his pet, the Iron Armor Beast.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for gifting a talisman to a friend and being rewarded with an Epic-Quality Peak-Stage Grade 1 [Nature Scent Stealth Talisman]*40.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for gifting a talisman to a friend and being rewarded with an Epic-Quality Peak-Stage Grade 1 [Nature Smile Healing Talisman]*37.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for gifting a talisman to a friend and being rewarded with an Epic-Quality Peak-Stage Grade 1 [Tree Group Trap Talisman]*49.
'Hmm? Wow, you gave so many, Sia.' I spoke happily to my system in my head. I could sell some of them and receive a good amount of spiritual stones. Though Zemirah would rather sell the lower quality ones in her stock.
[Ding! The Host did not receive a higher grade since Simon is just a friend and not yet a close friend, so the System just sent a higher quantity.]
Sia's response made her smile, it seems comforting her for receiving a low grade reward when it was a treasure itself. Though she can make them, it doesn't diminish their value.
She then proceeded to check the others.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for gifting spiritual fruits to a friend and being rewarded with an Rare-Quality Peak-Stage Grade 1 [Jade Soft Apple]*33.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for gifting spiritual fruits to a friend and being rewarded with an Rare-Quality Peak-Stage Grade 1 [Vermillion Orange]*27.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for gifting spiritual fruits to a friend and being rewarded with an Rare-Quality Peak-Stage Grade 1 [Crystal Ice Grape]*47
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for gifting spiritual fruits to a friend and being rewarded with an Rare-Quality Peak-Stage Grade 1 [Red Joy Peack]*43.
'Wow, they all look good. I should've given more basket of spiritual fruits to Lelo.' I said, remembering the adorable bear-like pet beast.
'Next time, I'll give Lelo spiritual bamboo.' The pet beast looks a lot like a panda, she wonder if they are relatives.
Collecting the rewards on my void ring, I finally have time to focus on other things. Inside the shared space in the Yin Yang Bracelet, she saw three ice blue envelope with intricate patterns, it was from her beloved Roch.
Remembering her lover, she quickly opened the letter. The first letter was short, informing her of what happened on his side while asking her to be careful on her journey. That was the day of their battle against that evil deity.
Also the time she fell unconscious.
The second letter was asking her why she did not send back a letter, asking if she was busy with something. That if she have time, please remember to quickly send back a letter.
And the last letter was full of concern, that if she did not send a letter after, he will send someone to find her.
'Phew. Fortunately, I woke up just in time.' Zemirah sighed in relief. She did not want to distract him from her because she knew he was very busy at the moment. Though not knowing all details, she knew it was related to the secret realm being contested at the Dynasty's border.
She prepared to write a letter for the man to assure him of her safety and then store in their shared space. Also, the daily gifts for Roch should not be forgotten.
"I hope I did not make him that worried," Zemirah murmured outloud to herself, feeling guilty, though what happened was not her fault.
In her letter, she told him her location, a short sentence that she encountered some bad people on the road, not daring to be detailed. Then asked for his well being.
"Hmm, that's about it. Oh, I'll ask him to buy me some specialties in Azure Oak City if he has time. I was in a rush and barely bought anything there."
Finally, seeing that the letter contains all she wanted to say, she folded it and sealed it in an ice blue envelope, similar to the ones he use. She remembered Roch's eyes from the color, making her smile. She placed the letter in the shared space, waiting for Roch to see it and give her reply.
As for her daily gift for him for today, she arranged her new rewards, the spiritual fruits in a basket for the man. For Zemirah, gifting is not always for the sake of the system reward.
Giving good things to people close to her was ingrained in her heart. The system's mechanism made her feel lucky, like it was a tailor made arrangement by the heavens.
===
On the other side, at the Azure Oak City, the man's ice blue eyes narrowed dangerously as he listened to his subordinate's report.
"My lord, the people of Aeros Empire were still not found. The last sighting of them was 2 days ago in the western part of the city."
"The side branch from the House of Voidink also arrived at dawn, bringing along students of the Divine Arts Academy."
"Suspected disciple of sects under Elemental Spirit Palace was also being monitored near the Border City."
Roch pinched the bridge of his nose, the constant news of various forces gathering for the secret realm made his head ache. The situation was becoming more complicated and the more complicated it gets, the more likely chaos will erupt and he will lost control of his plans.
Furthermore, something else worried him.
His lover, Zemirah, did not contact him for two nights as they had agreed before she left. He was wondering if he should've sent someone to protect her, yet he was powerless since his staff was quite tight at the moment.
Roch just hopes that she was alright and just forgot to contact him, otherwise, he might lost his bearing and go after her even when countless plans await for him to accomplish. His enemies was also monitoring him and his subordinates, being close to Zemirah at this sensitive time can bring her greater danger.
Just then, he felt something. The shared space on the bracelet suddenly had another item, it was the long awaited letter.
Seeing it, his eyes softened slightly, making his serious bearing more amiable. Like the winter snow melting at the coming of spring.
"Go outside and wait for my summon," Roch spoke, and the people in the room left silently despite the confusion.
He took out the envelope, the faint fragrance was her familiar sweet plum blossom smell, making him relax. The previous tiredness was gone, only the longing for the lady in her veil in his heart.
"She finally remembered me," Roch sighed in helplessness as he opened the letter.
'Letter to my Beloved Roch,
I am currently in the Mooran Village,
The transportation I rode from the Azure Oak City encountered some accident
We encountered some villains who ambushed us
Though we successfully defeated them
I am a bit injured and needed to recuperate for a day or two
Did I worry you?
I was asleep for two days so I just sent back a letter today
I am fine now and made new friends on my journey
How are you on your side?
I hope everything was well and you are safe
I'll update you everyday on time, so don't worry about me
Remember to check my letters and gifts to you
Also, I forgot to buy specialties of azure oak city
Would you mind to buy some for me when you have time?
I miss you so much and hope to see you soon safe and sound…
Your Beloved, Zemirah'
Roch smiled at the first words, her referring to him as her beloved delighted him greatly. Yet as he read the part where she was ambushed, injured that she was unconscious for two days and still needed to recuperate, his eyes darkened.
She did not detailed what happened, only saying short words like villains and ambushed, yet base on his understanding of her, Zemirah can escape unscathed from someone at Foundation Building Realm just fine.
Even when they are being pursued together, she was not injured.
'What really happened?'
He did not ask her as he could already sense her reluctance to worry him, so Roch decided to find out himself.
Whoever hurt her, he will make the enemy pay the price.
For now, he put the matter behind and read the rest of the letter.
'She made new friends, that's good.' His mood finally lightened.
Roch knew little of his lover's background, only knowing that she was not from Teal River Town for long. Though he have some guesses from her techniques, it was not confirmed.
After reading words of her concern for him, Roch decided to only write good things on his letter for her. He did not want to trouble her with the enemies who was giving him headaches. In this regards, they were both the same.
In the end, his eyes stayed at the words where she called herself his beloved Zemirah. Roch's previous unpleasant mood and unceasing headaches eased. His cold expression softened as he put back the letter on his special wood box. Inside were trinkets and letters from Zemirah.
He called for his trusted subordinate outside who also knew of the existence of his lover, "Buy some specialties of Azure Oak City, Zemirah forgot to buy them." He handed a space bag with spiritual stones from his private treasury.
Roch stayed in the study to write a reply letter and handle his remaining duties.
His status gave him great responsibilities, not allowing him to personally choose the gift for his lady.
Martin nodded and went out discreetly. Tasks related to the young master's woman was to be handled secretly, hidden from people with malicious intentions.
Fortunately, Martin has some understanding of Zemirah so he was able to handle to purchase with ease.
From snacks to spiritual items and even manage to get a Spiritual Artwork unique at the Azure Oak City's carving lineage.
–
That night when Zemirah found time to check the shared space inside the bracelet, she got herself a pleasant surprise.