Chapter 93: Water Refinement Trial

  Emilia had naturally agreed to help the short guardian immediately. She described several locations she knew well within the dark forest, and he agreed that most of them were suitable. The most critical part would be the placement of the formation flags.

  After that, they spoke for several more hours about the foundations of feng shui, how to apply it to natural geological formations, and the best way to position those flags. Throughout the conversation, Emilia did not stop enjoying various sweets, especially her favorite lemon slices. They paired wonderfully with the warm tea. Her mind, however, remained sharp and alert the entire time; she was careful not to miss a single word.

  At one point, the guardian finally brought the pleasant conversation to an end.

  "It is time. The first of your group have already reached the next challenge. Stand at the top of the stairs and do not move."

  Emilia was surprised but stood where she was told. She held her breath and even closed her eyes.

  "At least I do not have to walk down those endless steps," she thought. At that exact moment, numerous threads made of pure mist began to wrap around her. Very quickly, they started to form the three-dimensional shape of a river fish, though this one had wings. Emilia found herself positioned right on top of the fish, firmly bound by the mist.

  While she was still wondering what was happening, the fish spread its wings and rose sharply upward before surging forward. It rapidly began to gain speed. Emilia’s eyes widened, first with confusion, then with fear, and finally with genuine excitement.

  "Whoa, I am flying!" she told herself and immediately began to look around. Before her eyes, she saw countless gardens, several enormous castles, and a giant tree with many glowing objects constantly moving around it.

  There was a strange lake that greedily swallowed light, and several giant roc birds that flew carelessly in the heights, occasionally diving down to snatch up animals from the ground far below.

  "This place is so complex... It clearly hides many more secrets than just these ten challenges. Perhaps our city only has access to a small part of it," she thought, while never ceasing to enjoy the flight.

  Soon, the fish began to descend toward an immense lake. Emilia saw numerous waterfalls coming from unknown sources plunging into the lake. The powerful mana rising from their waters glowed in thousands of colors within her magical sight. Each color was associated with a different aura, but they gradually blended and concentrated as they fell.

  Slowly and smoothly, the fish landed by the lake. Emilia hopped onto the ground and casually dusted herself off. Then the fish took flight in the opposite direction, and Emilia waved her hand at it.

  "What kind of lake is this?" she heard two of the participants talking in the adjacent hall.

  "I think it is the Lake of the Mermaids."

  "I do not remember it. It might not have been in my family's records."

  "This is where water is purified and concentrated to irrigate the entire realm. Anyone can try to reach the bottom of the lake if they possess the right magic or a strong body, and attempt to impress the Mermaid Queen."

  "Ha, I doubt anyone will have a body that strong... This water is several times heavier than ordinary water."

  "Exactly. But if you possess a key from the previous trials, you can pay to use an 'uniform water' with a stable, pure water aura."

  "And what is the point of all that?"

  "Your family book seems to have quite a few gaps. This is one of the most important and easiest trials. It serves to improve one's mana channels. And not only that, but once absorbed, this uniform water directly increases mana capacity!"

  The two continued to speak, and Emilia suddenly froze in place.

  "Increases mana capacity?! I absolutely have to pay for this," she thought.

  Emilia had earned three keys during the first trial; she had used two during the second, and now she had one key remaining.

  "And if you do not have a key, how do you get this water?"

  "Well, besides reaching the bottom, you can try to bribe the mermaids and dance with them... But that way you will receive significantly less uniform water."

  Emilia quietly moved away, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping. She headed toward the lake and immediately noticed several mermaids. They were exceptionally beautiful, with multicolored scales reflecting the light, curves shaped as if by a sculptor, and numerous ornaments in their hair.

  At that moment, two of the trial participants had somehow managed to convince the mermaids and were dancing with them in the depths. There was a strange bubble of air around their faces, allowing them to breathe.

  Emilia continued to look around and noticed countless beautiful butterflies flying near the lake. She hurried to catch a few of them—those with stronger mana—and trapped them in jars.

  Afterward, she continued to circle the lake, searching for where she could use her key.

  At one point, she saw Rumi in the distance, who paid the mermaids with an entire bag of crystals and was led into the depths to dance with them. Later, Elion appeared; he handed them a blessed cup filled with holy water. Three of the mermaids danced with him, and he reached almost to the very bottom.

  "That Elion... He clearly possesses mysterious treasures as well," Emilia admired.

  One of the youths, sponsored by the Artifact Refiners Guild, tried to swim directly toward the depths. His body was exceptionally strong and his muscles were massive. He used a strange hat that somehow filtered the water and converted it into oxygen. Emilia had seen similar artifacts before; they were often used by dockworkers for quick repairs on passing ships.

  It was a rather grueling profession, as the river was quite cold and the currents were treacherous. One never knew what monster might emerge from the depths, and investors often lost not only the workers' lives but the magical hats as well.

  Emilia noticed that the mermaids' teeth were quite sharp—they often ate raw fish and had to be capable of tearing them apart with their teeth. This gave the mermaids a coarse and barbaric look, despite their beautiful bodies and rounded forms.

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  There were many legends about how mermaids lured sailors with their songs, captivated them with magic, and then devoured their flesh. Emilia, however, had heard that nowadays the mermaids had a deal with the New Gods and did not use their magic so freely to attack passing ships.

  Soon, Emilia found herself before a small stone cave. At its entrance stood a statue of a man armed with a catching net and a sharp trident made of copper with an ash wood handle.

  The net was woven from hemp rope, and the man's clothes looked ordinary, marked with numerous patches. Beside the statue were several drawings related to the daily work of people living in seaside villages and towns: fishing and seafaring.

  On a bronze plate were ancient inscriptions, and Emilia recognized the seal of Poseidon, as well as the runes of the four winds: Zephyrus, Notus, Eurus, and Boreas. They were the sons of Astraeus (the starry sky) and Eos (the dawn).

  Emilia carefully entered the cave and found small models of seven enormous ships. Around them were inscriptions and dimensions; according to them, it turned out that every one of these ships could carry 10,000 soldiers along with their horses and even their chariots. On the highest deck sat the pagoda of each ship's general, and next to it was the slot for the seal of each key.

  Emilia spent a long time examining the ships and the thousands of figurines of soldiers and sailors made of fired clay. In one corner, she saw numerous captured river and sea creatures. Whether these were defensive or exploratory vessels, or what their mission might have been, was not mentioned anywhere.

  After circling the small hall three times and examining the various paintings and statues, Emilia finally took out the seal and placed it upon the third of the seven ships.

  Almost immediately, the hall shook slightly and the floor began to tremble. Emilia grew frightened and hopped slightly toward the exit.

  The hall was instantly bathed in a bluish-yellow light, and a section of the floor opened up to reveal the waters of the lake.

  Emilia slowed her pace and watched as a small boat slowly approached the open floor. On the boat were three mermaids, their bodies adorned with countless ornaments. They began to speak, and a voice echoed from two of the nearby statues.

  "We accept your gift, child of the earth."

  Emilia nodded carefully and slowly approached.

  "Do not be afraid. Our magic will protect you. Just relax and leave everything to us, the descendants of Achelous and Terpsichore."

  Emilia bowed respectfully and took several simple ornaments from her ring.

  "Three gifts, crafted by the riverside smiths of my city. May they serve you as a token of remembrance and gratitude. My city still remembers and honors your courage in the battles against the water dragon Syphor."

  Emilia had vague memories of an old legend that explicitly mentioned the children of Achelous and Terpsichore, though they were Sirens rather than mermaids. Perhaps these mermaids were their descendants?

  The lead mermaid nodded and silently accepted the gifts, then beckoned Emilia with a gesture. Emilia stepped onto the boat.

  The floor closed, and the boat continued toward one end of the lake.

  Along the way, the songs of countless mermaids could be heard, and they caused Emilia to relax and forget all her fears and troubles.

  She stopped worrying about her debt to Chief Nikos, the safety of her parents, little Rumi, or whether she would manage to leave this private dimension alive. She simply let go, and her aura began to synchronize imperceptibly with the songs of the mermaids. She slowly closed her eyes and drifted into a state of semi-sleep.

  Gradually, the boat reached a small floating island, consisting of a massive water lily leaf. The three mermaids waited for the right moment and began their own chant, which remained in perfect harmony with the choir of voices in Emilia's head.

  Their chants were simultaneously gentle and heavy. Every third and ninth syllable pierced deep into Emilia's body, and she began to feel their magic forming a strange barrier around her body and head.

  After about fifteen minutes, the strange ritual concluded. The mermaids carefully took hold of Emilia and dove into the depths. Countless beautiful fish immediately began to circle them, and Emilia reached out, managing to touch a few. She smiled dizzily while the three mermaids continued their chant, which sounded strange underwater.

  As they swam, Emilia began to sense the various currents within the lake. The water was by no means stagnant; it came from the falling waterfalls, swirled through the entire lake, and was sent into various gated channels. Countless mussels and sea snails helped purify the mana within the streams, and she even saw numerous pearl oysters with beautiful pearls sparkling like stars in the depths. Their magical energy caressed her senses, and Emilia mechanically activated her skill "dispel ignorance."

  Almost instantly, countless trails of mana and auras revealed themselves to her. This immediately overloaded her consciousness and even drowned out the chants of the mermaids. She quickly recovered from her dazed state, nearly moving too abruptly and risking a breach in the fine layer of magic enveloping her body.

  She managed to restrain herself, however, as the gazes of the three mermaids immediately focused on her.

  Emilia nodded to them and then slowly began to observe the energy flows. Almost instantly, she noticed a multitude of familiar patterns and whispered softly:

  "A formation... This is a natural, organic formation. Instead of glyphs in the celestial language, it uses objects from nature. The energies come from the air and water, and the channels are insulated directly with mana. They must be controlled almost constantly. Who is managing the fine lines of these formations? Or perhaps there is a master formation governing the natural one?"

  Emilia’s head turned in every direction as she tried to memorize as much of this formation as possible. She knew very well that there were countless formation masters willing to pay enormous sums and cross many boundaries just for the opportunity to study a natural formation like this.

  The most important thing was that this formation was not based on glyphs and had no mental component. Everything within it could be copied by a master capable of understanding its secrets. This made the use of natural formations unpopular for personal purposes.

  But most importantly, such formations were significantly more ancient and predated the formations of the celestial language. Their lessons and principles were very profound, and Emilia quickly began to improve her Dao of formations.

  A short while later, they reached a special spot in the lake. Emilia looked around and immediately understood that this was a place with many concentrated lines. The focus of at least eight branches from the natural cores of the organic formation met their power here. Emilia immediately felt the difference in the density of the water.

  The mermaids began their chants again, and the water around Emilia started to swirl. Thin streams of purified water from the very heart of the lake—extracted from countless crystal currents and enriched by thousands of layers of sea snails and mussels—slowly began to penetrate the protective magic around her. The water gently touched her body, and the pores of her skin greedily began to absorb it.

  Emilia followed her instincts and immediately started to absorb the water, directing it through her body. Everywhere it passed, the layers of micro-elements capable of storing mana became energized, and some of them directly increased their capacity. Emilia made a swift decision and directed the water primarily toward her internal organs to improve their function. In this way, she would significantly increase her endurance and her ability to regenerate mana and recover more quickly from physical exertion and wounds.

  The mana slowly flowed into her body, and Emilia isolated three drops, merging them with her lungs, her heart, and her stomach. These would be the organs with the highest degree of improvement. She chose the stomach so that she could better absorb the meat and herbs she consumed every day.

  The isolation of these three drops, however, was a rather long process. Three drops over three hours—one hour per drop. She felt the magic around her diminishing and her protection becoming weaker. If she stayed here much longer, she risked losing her life.

  The mermaids also sensed this; they intensified their chants and waited until Emilia finished the last of the three drops, almost immediately beginning to guide her back toward the island with the boat using their water magic.

  Emilia, who was severely exhausted from the complex process of synthesizing the drops, relaxed and spent a long time enjoying the beautiful fish around her. The return journey was slower because the mermaids who had to maintain her magic were also tired, and because of this, Emilia had time to enjoy the magic of the lake.

  Slowly and gradually they reached the island, boarded the boat, and headed back toward the cave. There, the floor opened once again, and with two leaps, Emilia found herself at the entrance. She stepped outside, chose the tree richest in energy, sat down beside it, and began a long meditation. She needed to consolidate her gains and grow accustomed to the improved functioning of her body.