Yin & Yang Pleasures of Cultivation

At the expansive, interconnected buildings of the Snow Angel district, Zara and Bella had already returned. 

Zara was the first to arrive, making it in record time. She quickly crossed several miles of distance in a massive effort to please her Master.

And as soon as she got inside the Snow Angel building, Zara quickly shuffled through to gather the special resources. Because of her Captain status, nobody questioned her intentions.

Although some Snow Angels members were a bit confused. They were thinking, didn't Captain Zara just leave for a mission a while ago? 

However, with just one look at Zara's determined expression, nobody dared to question here. Her natural proud aura somehow became even more suffocating, deterring anybody from trying to talk to her.

Not even the Senior ranked members wanted any part of the New Zara.

While Zara determinedly shuffled through the Snow Angel building, Bella had just arrived a little bit after. 

She just had to smile at Zara's eagerness at wanting to fulfill Master's goals. And thinking back on it, Zara really always eager in this way. To the ones she respects most, she always goes above and beyond.

And now Darcel is the one she respects most in the world.

Bella wryly shook her head and casually strut through the Snow Angel building. Like always, the Snow Angel interior is just as luxurious and stainless as its exterior design.

The walls here were all coated in a beautiful white coat of pain; every hallway had neatly named rooms so no confusion would ever arise. 

The Snow Angels members didn't rummage the halls much, preferring to be in a quiet space in their rooms.

As Bella made her way through the relatively quiet halls, she was stopped by several of her curious younger members. Unlike Zara, Bella's relaxed attitude always made her accessible to talk to.

Of course, the members were all cute young women, and they were asking Bella, "Captain Bella, we just saw Captain Zara rush through here; what happened?" 

"Did you all find the Silver Virgin Flower already?" 

"Wasn't that just a bit too easy?"

Bella simply smiled at the curious girls and told them, "We have not. But there's a pressing matter at hand I must discuss with Leader Melea. Run along now; I can't get distracted now."

The three younger members got even more curious. Their Captain Bella isn't really the one to get so serious about a task. Even though her stature still appears relaxed, she exuded a more professional vibe about her.

The younger members didn't bother questioning anymore as Bella continued walking after answering them, leaving them wondering just what pressing matter had come up.

Like this, Bella kept leaking just a sliver of her aura to prevent her from getting halted. She quickly navigated the Snow Angel buildings, climbing the stairs to the highest floor there.

Once on the highest floor, Bella came to a hallway that only had four rooms. 

One door stood out in particular, and she sauntered over to it. The door was in their standard pure white color but had a unique design at the top of it.

Written in cutesy pink color were the words, 'Leader Melea.' 

Considering it so distinctly contrasts with everything else, showcasing Melea's personality already, Bella had to sigh in slight admiration. 

Bella didn't bother with trying to listen or sense if anybody was in the room with Melea. Her room had a unique enchantment applied to the outside, which prohibits anyone weaker than Leader Melea from spying on her.

Still, Bella didn't bother to knock. She grabbed the door handle, swung the door open, and boldly strolled into Melea's room. 

And just like the way she wrote her name on the door, Melea's room was an intriguing design. 

There were many, far too many books just clumsily littered around her office. It was for too many for Bella to simply count off her in mind. 

Despite being a high-ranking Leader, Melea only had one shelf in her room. And it wasn't even stacked with important documents or anything of that sort. It was filled to the brim with strange and dusty old scrolls that nobody else would ever bother to read.

Given their prudish reputation, this room isn't anything that would be expected from a leader of the Snow Angels group. 

Bella casually strolled into the slightly messy room, closing the door behind her, feeling a bit confused.

Even with such a loud entrance she made, Melea still didn't react to her. 

It was when Bella finally trailed her eyes to Melea she found it why she wasn't reacting to her presence.

Melea was a beauty, though she had a more studious graceful look, mesh perfectly together with a cutesy appeal.

Her face was alluringly charming as she was quite expressive. Her eyebrows would cutely wriggle around, and her eyes would alternate between widening and squinting as she was heavily invested in her work. 

Melea had lovely short brown hair that was neatly braided and stylized to hang a bit over her shoulder so it wouldn't become distracting while she worked.

Even though she was sitting down, Bella could spot a sizable pair of breasts on Melea as she leaned forward on her desk to read. Her clothes consisted of the stainless white robe, but there were cutesy pink heart designs sporadically painted on her white robe.

Melea was heavenly engrossed in reading one long sheet of paper. 

She certainly felt someone enter into her room, but it couldn't be compared to what she was reading. 

Bella could only just barely spot what Melea was reading. And she noticed a few familiar names on it. 

Bella felt her curiosity pique a bit, and she jokingly asked, "So Leader Melea, finally found something that could keep your attention?"

Melea had finally reacted. She bounced up from Bella's question snapping her eyes from the paper to her. 

A bit of confusion nestled into Melea's eyes as she asked Bella, "Oo-oh? Bella? I thought it would be one of them….ah! Hey, what are you doing back so soon? Already got the flower?"

Before Bella responded, an idea quickly formed into her mind. That list Melea reading would be particularly useful for Master's goals. 

Even though Darcel hasn't fully explained it to them yet, Bella could already guess he's planning something big for all Mercenary groups.

She asked Melea then, "Well, about that, it's something important that won't take up too much of your time, but-" 

"Ah!" Melea quickly leaped up from her chair, a worrying expression quickly coloring her face. "Are the little girls in perilous trouble? Is Zara with them? We mus-" 

"Relax, Leader Melea. If they were in real trouble even, I would be a bit more serious." Bella calmly explained while shaking her head.

Melea simmered down, and Bella continued to say, "We just need your certain skill set for a particularly troublesome beast. Zara already got back here first, gathering some extra supplies while Lauren and Abby are keeping tabs on the beast just in case it were to move in any weird way. The detection talisman pointed that the flower was underneath that overgrown beast."

Melea pause to take in Bella's answer, and she couldn't see any faults in it. In the Wild Snow Land, Melea knows first hand that it's considerably typical to run into extraordinary Spirit Monsters that would give anyone a run for their money.

Furthermore, she was particularly willing to believe since she believed Chloe's team actually got ambushed by a powerful Spirit Monster horde. 

Melea nodded towards Bella, telling her, "Alrighty, so we're close to what we need. Let's get going then."

Before Melea could walk around her desk, Bella pointed to the sheet of paper she was reading. She asked, "Before we get going, I'm curious. What were you reading that had you just so engrossed into it?"

Melea peered back over to the paper and gave Bella a slight shrug. "It wasn't anything whimsical like I like to read. But some pretty important news on three of our greatest foes. The White Demon group seems to have gotten pretty powerful in just a few short weeks, and just days before it was reported that lots of members are suspiciously crowding around the Wild Snow Lands."

Bella thought about it and honestly didn't find the fact that the White Demon group is growing more powerful quickly that weird. 

Since their Snow Angels group, too are experiencing a quicker rate of growth ever since the World-Changing Event.

Although, them crowding around the Wild Snow Land was a bit strange to her. "So, I could already smell they're planning on being more troublesome than usual. What about the other two greatest foes?"

"The Golden Crow Circle is also acting strange. We can't even tell if they're growing more powerful quickly since they already are so powerful. But they're acting a lot more carelessly compared to any other previous years. Although, the biggest batch news comes from the Raven Mage Order."

Now Bella had more interest in hearing that group's name. Despite how strange the White Demon group and the Golden Crow Circle are acting. Bella couldn't say she was that surprised since both groups are known to be less than welcoming to anyone besides their own.

However, the Raven Mage Order is one of if not the most reclusive Mercenary group. 

It's a group all composed of powerful Mages, and wanting to spy or get intel from them without getting caught is immensely difficult.

Compared to their cultivators' Mercenary groups, the Mages have more unique and specific Magic trackers placed all around their district to detect even the slightest presence of cultivators.

Plus, even the members have various Magic tools on them that can keenly discern cultivators.

So hearing they actually got some sort of intel on them even got the usual casual Bella to pique her interest. Bella asked then, "So those high in the sky Mages finally slipped up after all these years. What's up with them?"

"Weeell….the intel I got is not entirely accurate, but it closely lines up to how they're acting. You see, there's an influx of Spirit Rank Mages coming to the City. And during the last several days, our readings picked up on powerful Spirit Artifacts auras coming from their district. They may be cooking up something that will give them an absolute edge in this year's Event."

"Sounds pretty dangerous. Any ideas on what these Spirit Artifacts could possibly be?" 

Melea paused for a moment. Despite having the means to sense other Spirit Artifacts' aura, they were still left in the dark about the Mages.

She shook her head, telling Bella, "It could be anything really. Maybe even something we have never seen before; those Mages are crafty like that. But don't fret about them too much. Leader Kyra is making rapid progress to being a ninth-level Heavenly King! If she doesn't come out during the first round of the Event, she will surely appear for the second round."

Bella's eyes lit up at that news. Though the ninth level of the Heavenly Transformation realm seemed like a far way level for her. Bella felt her Master and Mistresses won't even be stumped at that level of prowess.

Bella could still distinctly remember their tremendously powerful aura. And comparing it to someone like Melea, she felt that Darcel's group was still far superior. 

Keeping her thoughts to herself, Bella lazily nodded. "Hm. We can talk more about that later. Shall we get on our way?" 

"Ah! Right! Let's go! You can explain more about the situation as we travel." Melea already began shuffling towards her door.

A small smile formed on Bella's face. She told Melea, "Leader Melea, after today, this is going to be an amazing event for all of us." 

Melea smiled in agreement, eager to help out her little girls and get that unique flower.