A shockwave rang out, people stood, and then covered their ears for the sheer force, which launched Jinhai out of the arena's ring while also breaking one of his bones. Though Kaida didn't know which one exactly. Standing upright, she tilted her head down, looking at him, and walked over, considering she'd won. Of which, the flow of Qi went directly into his body, despite not having asked permission. It slowly reconnected his bones, shifting them softly so that the bone matter, tissue, skin, and other damaged aspects could reform.
"Wh- What are you doing!?" He spoke confused as his hand healed; it was still in pain, but he didn't just jerk it back since he knew it might cause damage.
"Just undoing some damage, I didn't mean to hit that hard." Kaida's voice was softer, not nicer, though. Still deadpan in how she spoke.
Once she was done, she got up. Yet right then, she could hear a bell, and along with the rest of the students, she thought it was some sort of class time, but seeing as people were rushing with worried looks she changed her mind, she looked over at Jinhai who quickly stood up only to hurt his hand a little by leaning against a wall.
She just gave him a thumbs up and waited a second, and then in what felt like an instant, she folded into what looked like space itself, only to reappear closer to the crowd, which was there. Following them as she saw Jinhai run and slowly catch up, she paid no mind anymore. Seeing as it wasn't on the ground, but instead on the peak where the Core Formation train was, she jumped up, landing on a branch, only to see that these people could fly.
She sighed, not wanting to do it. But seeing as it was easier, she launched herself up and turned the air under her into a solid form for her, though it still worked like air, and she continued floating up. Reaching the top, she walked over, seeing the Sect Leader, still the same, though a little worried. Which, to her, was not great. Especially since she saw Wenxu, Akari, Isaac, Fyodor, and Amaris here. Jinhai was probably somewhere back there, which she wouldn't pay much mind to.
"I assume everyone is here now? Just stay silent if you are."
Only one person spoke. "Sorry!!"
It was a girl arriving late with messy hair. Kaida found it weird, but maybe it was just her taking a bath or she was combing her hair.
After a few seconds had passed. And the Sect Leader spoke again. "It's fine. It's just that this is important. Recently, numerous temples have formed a dark miasma, causing nausea. It's best if you filter your breathing and the air."
"Also, I'll ask, be sure to keep yourself safe, the ground is shifting, and animals are moving differently from their migration pattern they usually have. But this Time it's deviating to go closer to the Empire and the Sect."
His expression was calm, yet solemn. He looked over to see Kaida already at Foundation Establishment. Yet, when he looked for a bit longer, his eyes widened somewhat, just barely enough for Kaida to notice, with her looking back and giving a single slow blink, of which he looked away before any others could see.
"...He saw that. So he's probably going to focus on me or just give me space or benefits."
"Kaida, why did you like to jump? You know you can fly, right?" A familiar voice spoke. It was Amaris.
Kaida turned and sighed, whispering. "Because I wasn't used to flying on my own in my world."
Amaris took a second to process it and was about to apologize and bend down, but Kaida only moved her hand to Amaris's head, stopping the motion.
"Also, what's the Sect Leader's name? It feels weird just saying Him." Kaida whispered to Amaris, who felt a little too much force from the hand, which Kaida was to apologize for soon.
"Oh, if we're being formal, we call him Sir Lucien."
"I see, Alright, I'll do that whenever I get the chance." Kaida shrugs after that and gives a thumbs-up to Amaris.
"Also, more of these 'temples' have appeared, which look similar to the ones that the miasma affected, but also can cause nausea." Lucien spoke, his voice calm.
"It's best if you don't go near those. Or at least test how to get past the temples. Some of you will be sent on missions for this, with a Core Formation as the leader. No people below the Foundation Establishment level are allowed, though. Those going into it will be at the Soul Condensing or the Divine Transfiguration Realm."
Kaida tilted her head, having just heard of two new realms. She'd research them later, rather than asking questions right away, assuming they were common knowledge. She looked around and saw that a few disciples were nervous, while most were on guard but also anxious.
"With that, also make sure to be on guard while inside and have someone sensing the entire area with Qi to make sure no enemies can sneak up."
Almost everyone nodded, except for the Sect Elders, who quickly went off to the West to investigate themselves as well, with only Veliona and Lucien, along with another Sect Elder or someone of high command, there as everyone was dismissed.
Kaida quickly turned to the Foundation Peak and went over there, only to stop as she saw Akari, who was at the Soul Condensing Realm, as she assumed now.
"You want to do another fight?" Akari asked sarcastically.
Kaida chuckled. "And have me miserably lose? I wouldn't mind."
She felt a sudden movement next to her, and she was about to jump to the side. Only for her to stop herself as she saw the guy from that 'orientation period' she met being the one who passed her. As if he were keeping tabs on her, Kaida took a breath and waved at Akari. "I'll be going now. I still need to finish some things. I'll leave the door open for you to come in."
Kaida continued walking with Akari, turning away and going her own direction. Kaida jumped as she sped up, flying down to the Foundation Establishment Peak and landing on the edge. She quickly rushed Qi to her leg to make it stick to the ground before she could fall. As she continued walking and moved the Qi back, she reached her home and entered from the back, where she saw a box.
"Oh, did Amaris take Bear?" Kaida looked around, seeing that Bear wasn't there, and shrugged. She was only taking care of Bear after all.
Seeing the box, she opened it, expecting it to be from Amaris, yet it was from someone vastly different, though she didn't expect it, she found it amusing. It was from Osami, who was probably informed by Amaris, that Kaida was here.
"Cute."
Kaida grabbed a single piece, partially bumpy like spikes, yet also somewhat sticky in a dark brown substance. It was chocolate. Kaida threw it into her mouth, swallowing it without chewing, and she almost had to spit it out again.
"... I used to do that."
Kaida took a bite, crushing it into smaller pieces and then swallowing it. She went over to Vael, lifting the bird up and getting water to give it inside a glass.
"Do you even need water?"
Vael just took a single sip of the water, and Kaida got her answer. She rubbed the head of the bird, which seemed to get bigger.
"How long has it been...?"
["4 Months"]
"...What-"
["Time passes differently here. 4 months is the length of half a season in this world, since it takes about 700 days to orbit around the sun, M- Kaida."]
"...32 Months?"
["Yes, also did you take the pills yet or not?"]
"Oh."
Kaida reached into her pocket, but it seemed she had none, so she took out the bag. She dropped one of them onto her hand and walked over to the kitchen, where she got water from what looked like a dispenser. Filling up a cup, she swallowed the pill and then the water to make it easier.
"Any downsides to eating that pill I got from winning?"
["Other than your internal temperature spiking to extreme levels for a minute or so, no, it wouldn't."]
"Oh... So nothing to worry about, okay."
Kaida took the second one, drinking water with it too. She looked over at Vael and saw the wings burning brighter. "Something wrong?"
Vael would nod no and finish its water. Kaida looked up, seeing if she should use the Simulation Area again, along with noticing a decent-sized bag out at her front door. Walking over to it, Kaida checked to sense if anyone was there. Lying out her Qi like a grid, she checked the internal temperature and to see if there was a Core or Foundation, seeing nothing. Kaida would've opened it and taken the bag inside.
"I feel like something bad's going to happen..."
Inside was just some more Spirit Stones she had gotten with her, which she was holding. A sudden crash nearby caught her attention as she looked to the side, and she saw Wenxu falling and landing on a tree. Although he wasn't injured, he was close to being hurt. Kaida closed the door, locking it, and left from the back, walking over to him as he got up.
"...You doing good?"
Wenxu looked over and became flustered, not in a way that suggested attraction, but in a manner a child would after getting caught in a lie.
"Well- Yes, but, Wh- I thought you were fighting- Wait, how are you fine!?"
"Because I only got hurt a little and I can heal my body." She responded deadpan to him.
Kaida heard movement as she continued to stare at Wenxu, who was getting himself together. She noticed that he was stronger than before.
"You've been getting work in, it seems." Her voice was softer now, considering she was trying to lure the person or thing that was making the noise behind her, since it continued in a pattern only a human could have when trying to sneak up.
"Well- Yeah, it's been some time, and I grew stronger by a single realm, I'm closer to Core Formation now, though, and I can feel it already." He raised his hands in happiness, with Kaida noticing the steps getting closer.
"Well, just tell me when, I need to get back to how Spirit Stones work... Also, how have you been doing, Wenxu?"
"Uh-" Wenxu blinked; he didn't think she'd ask this, and spoke as if it was a matter of fact. "Well, I've been good. I recently started talking with this girl, her name's Selene-"
Kaida's eyes darted up, looking at him with a glare, only to change back.
"Wh... Was something I said wrong?" Wenxu was confused at the glare.
"No, it's fine, I just thought of someone else when I heard the name."
Right before whoever was behind her was going to jump, she felt a change in the terrain, similar to a large animal pouncing. Kaida turned around to find a random lady. However, she had short hair, about the neck down, and held a reddish color, though darker in the tips. She looked like a child.
"Who are you-" Kaida was bewildered, not expecting this-
"Cinder!" She looked at Kaida with glee.
"...You've got to be kidding me, another person in my home-" Kaida was already done, though her voice was softer since Cinder was a kid, or at least looked like it. And she didn't want to crush her happiness, it felt cruel.
Though she found it weird that Cinder wanted a physical form, she'd test it later, but for now, she wouldn't bother with what Cinder was doing right now.