"The Verdant Riverfruit can only survive without a spirit-rich water body if the seed the tree grew from is nourished with Phoenix Heartblood," the Heavenly Pavilion said, and Arthur almost vomited whatever he had eaten.
"What did you just say?" he asked, incredulously.
'Did I say something wrong? Is Master angry with me again? But what did I do?' the Heavenly Pavilion cried, doubting its existence again. 'Are the heavens punishing me? Why do I have such a terrifying master?'
"Master, I...." It hesitated, not knowing which words of it had triggered him.
"Did you say the seeds were nourished with blood?" Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief, and he felt bile rising in his throat.
"Yes, Master. It is Phoenix Heartblood. No wonder the tree was able to grow without any spirit-rich water body nearby."
"You are not serious, are you?"
"Master?"
"I ate something that's been bathed in blood." Arthur almost wanted to force his fingers down his throat and vomit the fruit out.
The Heavenly Pavilion could not fathom why he was so agitated. But it didn't dare ask him about it, choosing to protect itself rather than to curb its curiosity.
"No wonder the fruit tasted sour. It was coated with blood." Arthur sighed, having no choice but to accept that he had eaten it.
'Anyway, I used to eat meat and fish back home.' He pacified himself with this thought.
"Heavenly Pavilion?"
"Yes, Master?"
"The Verdent Riverfruit doesn't have a spirit root, right?"
"Yes, Master."
"So, I can't bind it to me with a contract."
"No, Master."
"Without the contract, can't you grow the tree inside you?"
"I can, Master. Although I can store it in the space, it will be of no use to you, Master."
"Why do you say so?" Arthur quirked a brow in wonder.
"This Riverfruit tree will not bear fruit for the next hundred years. Even if you somehow manage to bring it into the space, it will be useless."
Arthur immediately discarded the idea of smuggling the tree inside the space. He didn't intend to waste time on things that were useless to him.
Sighing softly, he looked down at the Shadow Wolf that was staring at him with stars in its eyes. Chuckling lightly, he patted its head and noticed that it had eaten the Verdent Riverfruit completely until nothing of it was left, not even the seeds.
Compared to before, the Spirit Wolf looked more vigorous and agile.
"Did it break through again?" he asked, recalling what the Heavenly Pavilion said about the Riverfruit helping humans and cultivators differently.
"No, Master. The Shadow Wolf is yet to adapt to its new stage. So, it will take some time for it to break through," the Heavenly Pavilion explained. "But it has become stronger than before."
"That's good. That's good." He patted the beast's head again, and they returned to the den to rest for the night.
Arthur slept especially well. Perhaps he was exhausted from his long adventure and the adrenaline rush had finally worn off, rendering him completely drained, or it was the Verdent Riverfruit's powers.
The hard bed didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. He fell sound asleep the moment he lay down.
It was already morning when he opened his eyes next. The sun was shining brightly outside the den.
But inside, it was as dark as ever. The boulders outside shielded it from the sun's rays, allowing Arthur to sleep as long as he wanted.
He only woke up when he had rested well, and he left the den to freshen up. Not used to not having a toothbrush or toothpaste, he had to settle for his finger and felt incredibly weird.
Thankfully, the stream water was clear, and he didn't feel any strange breath from his mouth. Settling to fill his stomach with the Riverfruit like the previous night, he finally left the forest.
On the way, however, an idea popped into his mind and he stopped suddenly, forcing the Shadow Wolf to stop as well. It looked at him curiously, giving a look that melted his heart.
Arthur was instantly reminded of his pet dog, Oscar. Oscar, too, would stare at him in a similar fashion whenever he was hungry or confused.
"Will the cultivators recognize me if I disguise myself?" he asked the Heavenly Pavilion. It hadn't spoken a word since he woke up.
"It may not be possible, Master, for you do not have a spirit root. You will be like a normal human."
Previously, Arthur had wanted to leave the kingdom and never look back until he was powerful enough to end all the people who destroyed the Jin clan. But his thoughts changed as he left the forest.
As he stood on the path that separated the forest, he looked left and right thoughtfully.
While the path on his left led him to the kingdom that had reduced the Jin clan to nothing, the one on his right led him away from it.
Arthur narrowed his gaze before he made a decision.
But a problem lay ahead.
'How am I going to disguise myself? I don't have anything with me, he thought before he recalled the secret tunnel he had taken.
'By now, the warriors must have left. But should I take a risk?'
Arthur didn't even think twice. He was a risk taker, and if the warriors had found the secret pathway, they'd have already sent a search team behind him.
'Since there isn't anyone looking for me yet, the secret pathway is still undiscovered.'
Just when he was about to look for the pathway entrance, he stopped suddenly and stared at the Shadow Wolf licking its paws.
"Heavenly Pavilion, do I have to bring the Shadow Wolf everywhere I go?"
"If you had the spirit root, you could have summoned it anytime and anywhere you wanted, Master. Since you do not have a spirit root...."
"Since I don't have a spirit root, all the things I bind must be in proximity to me if I want to utilize their powers." Arthur finished with a grim expression.
"Yes, Master."
"So, I cannot leave the Shadow Wolf here?"
"No, Master."
"In that case," Arthur thought before saying, "Can you hide the Shadow Wolf in you?"
"Yes, Master. Everything you bind to you, be it a spirit wolf or a magical herb, I can store all of them for you."
"But you store the spirit stones as well. What if they steal them?"
"That won't happen, Master. The space is divided into two segments. There is a separate segment to store everything you bind. So, you do not have to worry about the Shadow Wolf or anything else you bind in the future consuming the spirit stones without your permission."
"That's good. That's good."
Arthur sighed in relief, delighted that he wouldn't have to abandon the Shadow Wolf for the time being. Being a cripple without a spirit root, it'd only rise suspicious if he appeared with a spirit beast.
With the Heavenly Pavilion assuring him, he shed all his worries and retraced the route to the secret pathway while the Shadow Wolf followed him silently.