Yin & Yang Pleasures of Cultivation

"Impossible!! How can we not tract her?! We have quite literally the best tracking Spirit Artifact that'll make even the top three Provinces go crazy over!!" Mika exclaimed in utter disbelief.

Her five fox tails went stiff, and her vertical slits shined a deep blue glow. 

Though she won't ever claim to be the best of parents, Mika still wanted her daughter back and alive more than anything. On instinct, her Heavenly Sage aura chaotically storm the whole room!

Large cracks split into the icy floor, the air became overwhelmingly oppressive. Ryota snapped his head over to the raging woman and shouted at her.

"Hey! Calm the hell down! She's obviously going to explain to us why!" 

Ryota tch in his mind as he actually had to surge a bit of his Sage aura just to withstand Mika's burst of power. 

Realizing her power accidentally surged, Mika immediately calmed down. The room instantly returned back to its tranquility state.

Mika bowed her head at Nomiya, respectfully saying, "Sorry for the outburst Grandma Sage. It's just….I don't get it. It's one of the best Spirit Artifacts trackers in the whole continent.

Nomiya stood still, entirely unaffected by Mika's outburst. She didn't even have to raise a speck of her energy to resist Mika's impulsive burst of power.

In a calm voice, Nomyia told them both, "And it's useless to find Masami. Whatever happened during her disappearance massively changed her entire presence."

"So what are we supposed to do now? To cover the entire Plunged Tundra could take up to weeks, even for us! And who's to say she's even still in this Province after that mysterious disappearance." Ryota also voiced his disbeliefs 

"We're not going to do much, actually."

Nomyia's words exceedingly puzzled Mika and Ryota. "Wh-what do you mean?" They both confusedly asked at the same time.

"I only just barely managed to suppress any news of Masami's running away from home, her disappearance, and now reemergence. If any of this news were to leak, even the slightest of news, it would be a disaster for Masami. We may be the weakest faction, but the other two are always closely monitoring us. And I don't need to explain how much they want our throats, do I?"

Nomiya's explanation only raised further questions for Mika and Ryota. 

"I….dammit. You're right, Grandma Sage, but we obviously can't just sit back and do nothing!" Mika still wouldn't give up on this.

"And that's why what you two will do is send Kasai to the Mercenary Exchange Event. When he goes, you will also give him the return talisman." 

Ryota still looked a bit puzzled over her explanation, not knowing how that event connected to his daughter's reemergence. 

While Mika's eyes lit up, realizing that, "Wait….wait, ah! Did you perceive a foresight that can lead us to Masami?!" 

"All I know for sure is that something tremendous will go down at New Branch City during the Mercenary Exchange Event. And I perceive a bloodline very similar to you two being at the center there."

Mika and Ryota's faces became hopeful again. 

While they all share the same bloodline inheritance, there are still specific variations of their bloodline only immediate family members can share.

It's why some children born here all have varying amounts of fox tails.

And though Masami's inborn talent wasn't the best, both parents know she still has their variant of bloodline. Mika excitedly started to say then, 

"That's it! That's our child! So why don't we-"

"If anyone of us even tries our best to leave in secret, all of the Ancient Grand Sages will know. And if you try to mobilize your forces in any odd or subtle way, the other two factions will know."

Even for the calm Nomiya, when she saw both parents' faces become increasingly frustrated, she felt a bit of sympathy. 

So she quickly followed up with, "But do not worry. I am closely monitoring Masami's life tracker and this foresight for even the slightest of change. Although, I'm quite surprised at how tense you two are about her. Considering your less than favorable treatment about her that went on for most of her life."

"Nnng!!!" 

It was words both Mika and Ryota didn't want to hear coming from Nomiya. Compared to themselves or anybody else, Nomiya's words truly pierced deep in their hearts and minds.

Mika's fingernails dug into her skin, drawing blood, while Ryota violently gritted his teeth. 

They both know precisely well how much their own daughter much prefers her Grandmother to them. Moreover, they also know how much better Nomiya treated her compared to themselves. 

Seeing how badly affected the parents were from her words, Nomiya relented a bit.

"But I can also excuse you two a bit. Because of the Ancient Grand Sages, you two had your hands tied in numerous situations. Plus, it does appear you two are willing to change for her after all of this, so it's a reasonable start."

Mika and Ryota silently gazed at Nomiya and then at each other. 

There were thousands of conflicting thoughts affecting their minds, but neither of them had it in them to go against Nomyia's words.

Her wisdom, knowledge, and abilities are far above any of their life experiences. 

And both Mika and Ryota already lived for hundreds of years! 

"Grandmother Sage….we'll do as you say. But, may I ask why do you want Kasai to go specifically?" Ryota curiously inquired. 

Nomiya answered without a beat, telling them, "For this Mercenary Exchange event, the Koduka and Koizma faction are sending one of their best on the disciple rankings. We'll follow in line, but Kasai will be doing a specific task for us. To bring Masami back home without anyone noticing."

Mika and Ryota stayed silent once again. It is indeed true that you'll only learn of the true value of something or someone once they're truly gone. 

Both parents couldn't get their minds off of Masami ever since the World-Changing Event, and they for sure won't rest well until she's home.

Though Nomiya's face was covered by her huge robe hood, both Mika and Ryota felt her gaze pierced into their determined faces. 

They all were silent for a moment before Nomiya suddenly said then,

"By the way, you know what another foresight told me? This one was far more detailed and concise than the Mercenary Event. Do you two want to hear it?"

Mika and Ryota traded a brief glance before nodding. 

And Nomiya told them, "You two need to become a harmonious couple, or our whole Ice Nine Tail sect will never prosper."

"Wha-"

Both Mika and Ryota had questions immediately ready for Nomiya. 

But she promptly turned around and began to walk off after telling them her last foresight. Mika and Ryota were left alone in the silent room, their thoughts in a chaotic disorder.

….

Massive piles of snow were bunched up together, efficiently blocking a whole path. A path that Darcel, Aniela, and Masami were on to get back to the outside world.

The trio had just emerged from the unique blue silverish cave and promptly came face to face with snow, but it was odd-looking. 

"Ehh? Hey guys… .doesn't this snow look so similar to the one that the Scientist made when we fought?" Aniela said as the snow in front of them was in a gross-looking mesh of color. 

Some parts of the snow was gray, other parts were black, while some parts were dirt white.

Darcel thinks it over for a moment before saying, "Maybe it's a side effect of us teleporting here." He had then expanded out his Spirit Sense while talking, sensing no threats near them. "But it is at least safe over here. Who wants to do the honor of clearing the way?"

"I'll wave it away," Masami stated and actually waved her hand. 

A small spark of blue fire flashed in the middle of the dirt color mix of snow. The snow instantly melted away, revealing the bright white entrance to the trio.

The trio smirked and made their way outside. 

Once they were outside, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami were elated but also curious. Where they ended up was sure the Plunged Tundra, yet it had a significant change about it,

A gentle breeze whipped past the three, but neither Darcel, Aniela, or Masami felt the slightest of cold. 

While they know with their power now, just the Plunged Tundra's general cold wouldn't affect them much. But at the same time, they also felt as if the temperature must've slightly raised? 

It was an odd contradiction for them. They for sure sensed it was cold, yet it isn't as cold as it should be.

However, the main attracting difference came from the ground. 

The snow on the ground was in the same dirt color mix that was blocking their way before. The trio glanced up to the sky and noticed it also was in a slightly odd color tone.

Instead of it just being the usual ever-present bright sky blue, now the sky had a more dull blue like the whole sky was washed out. 

Although, the most meaningful change about the outside the trio felt was the very air around them.

When Aniela took a quick whiff of the air, her eyes popped open. "Wow! Seems like everything didn't stay static while we're gone. The air just feels so much better now!"

"And the Qi….it feels just a touch more powerful than before. How very interesting." Darcel remarked while bathing his Spirit Sense in the new vibrant Qi in the air. 

He felt like the whole world must've experienced a major breakthrough with these changes.

"Yea….this is….eh? Wait a minute…." Masami suddenly stopped basking about being in the outside world, realizing something important. 

"We may be out, but we….we don't even know where we are! Tch, and since our rings are useless won't even have a map to go off from. This muddy place just had to look the same no matter where you go."

While Masami huffed and puffed, Darcel expanded his Spirit Sense out. He quickly covered a few miles hoping for just a single sense of human life. 

And in just a few seconds, his prayers were quickly answered.

Darcel turned to Masami, who now had Aniela beside her side, calmly stroking her fox tails to calm her down. 

He wryly smiled and told the girls, "Wherever we are, it's for sure a higher level area than Mawold Town. I just picked up on a whole group of mid ranks Heavenly Kings close by. Let's go and….familiarize ourselves with the locals."

Aniela perks up in curiosity, letting go of Masami's tails and inquisitively said, "Oooh….I say there's an eighty percent chance we'll end up in a fight by how our luck works. So I'm curious to see how long human Heavenly Kings last against us."

In a much more calm state from Aniela petting her tails, Masami smirked up to say, "Try ninety percent. And there won't be much of a difference between human and beast. Though, people do give much more amusing reactions."

"Before we get on with it, make sure you two mask your presence. I want to see how far we have come in this department. And we should at least judge the situation accordingly."

Aniela and Masami dutifully nodded without any objections. 

The trio had then begun masking their presence, becoming practically unnoticeable in just a second.