Kaida had already woken up, having taken about two hours to get ready, including a bath, especially since she had to take care of her hair properly. She also made food for Bear, and Vael hadn't eaten even when she left part of the meat for Vael.
"...I should probably ask Isaac what that Alaric guy meant by Soul Rooted..."
Kaida didn't eat at all; she never really needed to. She left the home again as the sun shone, feeling a little brighter, but it felt no different than before.
She also didn't have any shoes or sandals on, not once this entire time. While that seemed like she'd get hurt or diseased, she just found it better due to the Earth's Natural composition. Considering the peak was large and had many houses but still had free space, she'd look for Isaac's home.
Her eyes darted around as she scanned the area like a robot; she saw who had left from which house, along with anything she could see inside the homes from here.
Finally, she saw one home that looked vastly different, at least on the inside, due to its being painted a grey color, and she also saw Isaac sitting inside in a beanbag.
{"I wish more worlds had this level of competence..."}
She walked over slowly to take in nature, along with the grass, considering it was different from her original world. She knocked on the door, waiting for him with no show of emotion.
"Yes? What do you need, Kaida?"
"It's just a question, but I need to ask, since my parents never explained, what is that Soul Rooted thing that Alaric person talked about?" She was lying about having parents, but it flowed naturally enough, and it felt like something people wouldn't lie about.
Isaac rubbed his hair softly, looking at Kaida; he seemed somewhat drowsy. But hearing the explanation, he sighed.
"Instead of just using Qi from the surrounding area to make myself stronger, I get stronger by reinforcing my spirit, something like the indomitable human spirit that the non-cultivators talk about. Everything from my dreams and regrets and everything else which I can do with will."
{"Willpower-based Attacks, and by the name, it probably attacks the soul."}
"I see. Thank you then-"
"Also, How'd you teleport like that? You couldn't have copied his technique, right?"
Kaida stopped turning and nodded 'no.' "I didn't copy it; I folded the space like paper and poked a hole through it, but it's fragile; if I miscalculated it, then it would tear space and either make me halfway stuck or just cut in half by it. And at worse mangled." Kaida shrugged; she didn't mind the drawbacks; she was gambling the entire time.
"I hope you didn't guess if it'll work." Isaac sounded wearily worried, just to make sure she didn't think he was close friends, at least not this quickly.
"Don't worry, I didn't guess." Another lie, but it still felt too real to be seen as one unless they could detect it. "Well, that's all I really needed, I guess I'll go."
She turned away and started walking off with a wave; she didn't know what to do, but the sound of the ground shaking made her fall forward; barely catching herself, she centered the gravity of her own body to make sure she was balanced, moving back just before she fell and hit the ground.
"Who in their right mind... Oh, Akari." Kaida looked ahead to see who had caused the shaking; it was Akari, who had just landed, at least what looked like her, with her long, white hair, blue, diamond-like eyes shining like jewels, and formal clothing, though this time it was white and blue. From what Kaida could tell, Akari looked a lot stronger now.
Akari looked to the side, seeing Kaida, who, while getting stronger, was a lot slower, just barely at the third stage of Foundation Establishment, but that growth was still abnormal for people here, considering it would've taken at least a year, or two to reach the second stage.
"...You grow fast." Akari was stoic when she spoke, but that didn't mean she was emotionless; she just showed it when she truly felt that emotion.
"...Thanks." Kaida stopped using Qi to center her gravity, but the ground crater made her a little worried about whether Akari had to pay for that or something.
"Something wrong? You look worried."
"Oh, Did you mean to cause that damage?"
Akari nodded. 'No.' She looked at Kaida again, walking over and staring at her face. "...You look oddly similar to Amaris. But as soon as I think about it, I feel something changes. Are you doing something?"
Kaida was fully alert, but when she heard what she said, Kaida genuinely chuckled. "No, I don't mess with my face like that for others unless it's enemies or if it's some sort of information-gathering mission."
Akari looked skeptical but let it go; she didn't have much evidence. However, Akari also seemed off, almost bored, so with that in mind, Kaida, while typically not wanting to talk, still trusted Akari and saw her as someone closely resembling someone she knew.
"You have any free time?"
Akari looked with a brow-raising. "Yes, I do want to rest since I reached a new Realm."
Kaida tilted her head. "Well, Congratulations." She looked almost happy about it, and for a second, Akari noticed something... It's too familiar to someone who she's only seen the face of once.
"...Thank you, M- Rhea, or Kaida, I don't know. Amaris calls you Kaida, but you told me to call you Rhea." She felt somewhat happy.
"Rhea's fine for you. It's only to people I trust. Also, what Realm?" Kaida already knew Akari was at Core Formation when she fought her, so since she was in a higher realm, Akari would have something new.
"I... See, and for what Realm, I'm at Astral Formation. I was going to ask if I could take that mission on finding the two infiltrators in this Sect."
{"I doubt she'd find out I'm one of the infiltrators though I don't even wanna be a part of the Underworld; they suck."}
"Alright, follow me to my home then," Akari spoke.
Kaida nodded and ran with Akari, who was initially much faster but slowed down to allow Kaida to catch up. Even when Kaida was running at full speed, she was losing ground on Akari.
The difference in strength was evident. After a solid 15 minutes and a few jumps boosted by Qi only for Kaida, she reached the Core formation peak, which was a floating Island above the Sect; dangerous, but it was contained by the Sect Leader, so there was nothing to worry about.
"...Flashy, to say the least," Kaida spoke dryly. She saw the giant mansion, along with other mansions, probably for the other Core Formation Cultivators.
"Only houses which were here." Akari shrugged; she walked up to the back entrance, which had a literal hot tub powered by electricity.
"How do you... Get electricity up here."
"I don't know, never asked any Elders or the Sect Leader; didn't think I needed to."
Kaida found it amusing they didn't ask, but also somewhat relatable; she wouldn't ask how something like it worked if it was comfortable, at least like the Hot tub, which, to her, made her want to get to Core Formation even quicker.
"I'll be moving elsewhere soon, so I'll have my stuff packed into my pocket realm."
Kaida tilted her head, confused about what this Pocket Realm was.
"Before you ask, it's something my Mother gave me and Amaris. It can carry up to fifty tons."
Kaida just nodded along; if it was a personal gift from the family, she wouldn't pry - Kaida knew her limits. Once they got inside the house, Kaida could see her furniture.
Three beanbags, a couch that looked a lot comfier than Isaac's, three stories of buildings, and three bathrooms: one for the first floor, one for the second floor, and the last one for the third floor. Oddly, Kaida didn't see any servants.
"You don't have people working for you?"
"No. I'd rather stay alone; I prefer to handle everything myself. I've just saved up enough Spirit Stones for three more uses of the simulation, so I'll be able to fight you, but at my current level. Even if you aren't there yet."
Kaida found it amusing Akari was so adamant about beating her. But it was charming, to say the least; it reminded her of █████.
"Well, I do want to ask. Though it may seem rude... How old are you?" Kaida's voice almost switched to speaking another language, though she stopped herself for a second and began again.
"...It's not that rude, I find no harm in asking, but I'm 970, An Early age for an Astral Formation, especially since normally people reach that level between 2,000 to 5,000."
{"That's a lot older than Amaris..."}
"What about you, Rhea? How old are you?"
"You want the truthful answer or the comfortable answer?" Kaida responded without a second thought, which was rare for her.
"...Truthful." Akari sounded suspicious; she didn't know what to say.
"Six days old." Her voice spoke dryly. "Biologically. I'm not saying my actual age. That'll take too long."
"I- What." Akari looked stumped; the biological age made her feel better, considering it wasn't Chronological. But it still gave her whiplash from hearing the age.
"Alright- So, are you someone like wildly stronger having fun while weaker here?" She was disoriented. But the sound of what Kaida-No Rhea was made her thrill.
"I guess I'm having fun, but not Wildly Stronger." The second part of what she said was a lie, albeit a slightly sloppier one, but only detectable if someone was truly vigilant.
"Well- At least that's good." Akari smiled softly. "What do you do when you're, say, not just Cultivating?" She was trying to change the topic while trying to understand what Rhea said earlier.
{"Either she isn't human, or someone blessed her with an insane intellect at a young age... Or is she lying? No. She trusts me with a more personal name anyways; I doubt she would."} Akari's mind spiraled slightly, though she organized her thoughts.
"Just take care of Vael or go for Missions, I'm new here, so I'm gonna get furniture for myself." Kaida looked out and noticed Vael flying up with a bag in its mouth; as it flew inside, she took the bag and softly rubbed Vael's head as a thank you just in case it couldn't understand her words.
Akari looked over and then looked at the bag. "You finished your first mission? That one looks more full than usual."
"Don't know why, maybe because I saved those two siblings from the Mission I went to."
Akari just nodded, looking a little happier. While she didn't care much about interacting with others, except for her siblings and high-ranking individuals, if someone saved another person, even if it wasn't part of the mission, then Akari would show respect.
{"At least it rewards Good deeds."}
Kaida put the bag in her pocket while signaling for Vael to go back. Even if Vael was her 'Bird,' she was still overly cautious. Kaida turned back to Akari.
"Other than taking care of Vael or the Missions, I don't really do anything else." Kaida stopped for a second. Akari was about to respond, but Kaida spoke again, practically cutting her off. "Oh also-" Though she noticed and became quiet. "Sorry about that."
"It's fine; what were you going to say? I can wait." Akari was calm, though she found it endearing that Kaida apologized that quickly.
"Well, Bear, as you know, is Amaris's pet; she left for one of your siblings, who is older than Akari. So I'm just saying if I'm not there, or Wenxu isn't, could you look after Bear for me?"
Akari blinked and sighed. "Of course, she goes into those wedding ceremonies... Well, Sure, I can take care of him for you if you aren't there."