The Dangerous Fire Rune

Shi could feel his heart beating anxiously at his throat as his eyes were locked on the magnificent purple python. Gulping down as he remembered the python words he gave her a meaningful glance and then asked "Are you the one who was talking with me?".

As this situation wasn't the first time he had a weird encounter with a magical creature it was easier for him to accept that the one talking with him was none other than the python itself.

As the creature heard his question it started to get closer to his face as it answered him "indeed". The python mouth didn't even move as it wasn't speaking with her mouth and as it finished answering a thin double point tongue licked Shi's nose.

The purple python had a triangular head, its eyes were merging with her snakeskin that was made by thousands of orderly shining squares scales. As the pointed tongue touched his skin he felt that pricky sensation again, making him push his head backward "Uh.. Can you stop licking me".

The python got even more closely as it answered his plea "No. I don't really know when we gonna see each other again and It's really lonely here" it's enchanting voice sounded again making his head buzz as he was almost asking for her to lick him.

As he shakes his head he tried to change the topic "What is this place?". Because the python's body was creating walls around him, he couldn't take a look at the space, but he was definitely on a lake, and around it was full of giant trees he wanted to know where he was.

Suddenly the python started to emit a shining purple light and soon a slender elegant woman was in front of Shi. She was the most elegant woman Shi ever put his eyes on, it was completely different from the image he builds up using her voice.

The woman gave him a sweet smile that couldn't hold up to the charm in her voice then she said "Well, I will not blame you, in fact, I even feel flattered if you imagine me as a beauty that could cause the downfall of a kingdom" a happy tone could've been heard on the woman's voice as she kept talking.

"But the thing is: bewitching techniques had almost nothing to do with the body, it uses movements and senses like smell, hearing. In the end, it's all inside your head, bewitching techniques only gave these thoughts some big push forward making you fall in a trap craft by your own mind" she talked slowly like she wanted to every word be deeply carved in his mind.

"That's why I said no when you asked me to stop licking your face, also when I said your fear was futile. It's all made up by your mind" The woman finished as she touched his face.

Shi could feel the warm hands touching his face and touching her hand with his right one he could feel everything like it was real "So you telling me that all this is a product of my mind?" he asked bewildered at the thought.

"No, this place is inside your soul, and as I told you before, I am part of you, I am your martial spirit, you can say that this place is where I live" she answered.

As Shi heard her answer his eyes almost popped of his face, martial spirits were rare in the stone village but Shi noticed that probably every inner and core disciple from the sects he had interaction with, should have one.

As his father already taught him that it was only one way of connecting with the universe and that even without one he could only change his path, the problem is that in a world like his own were the martial spirit is the main method of cultivation there was almost none another way to do it.

-

Outside Shi's soul's space, Cuifen was with her eyes fixed on the glint emitted by the needle.

A drop of perspiration fell on her hand it was already day as some sunlight could be seen. Maybe it was because the small cave was tight or because it was day.

But Cuifen was feeling her body burning with the heat inside the man-made cave.

She didn't know for how many hours she was circulating the qi, but because it was her time to help him she could see how hard it was, even with Long Shin's help.

But Long Shin wasn't happy at all, even if Shi was saved with this amount of aphrodisiac inside him if the girl didn't want to help him out he is going to die as a side effect.

He needed to purify this qi inside him, but the only method available was too risky. He would teach Cuifen how to inscribe a 'fire' rune, then carving it on Shi's navel she would activate it and he would try to control everything.

The problem was that primary runes like the fire one were way too dangerous, it needed a lot of training. Long Shin fear that they would burn themselves, humans always liked to play with fire.

Sad for him, he didn't have another alternative, so using a little part of his soul power he sent a message to the young woman. "Little girl we need to change our strategy. I will teach you a rune, but her me an out, you have to be extremely careful if not both of you are going to die!" His voice sounded stern at Cuifen mind scaring her who was too focused.

A beautifully curved symbol surged on her mind, it shone in a very magnificent orange color, she felt like this symbol was calling for her and she started to forget about everything she was doing.

Long Shin already foresee that, so his chanting started to sound on her mind too bringing the young woman back to reality. As she got back to her senses she felt her mind burning almost making her lose her consciousness.

"What the…" as she felt the burning sensation spreading through her body she sucked a mouth full of cold air.

"Like I said you need to be careful. You need to use your blood to draw a fire rune on his navel and don't try to understand it, just imitate if you keep thinking about it or put too much thought on it's meaning you going to burn yourself together with him" Long Shin voice sounded on her mind.

Taking a glance at Shi's painful face she bites her thumb but before she started to draw that rune she stopped, should she really believe in a voice that suddenly surged on her head? She never thought about it, but since Long Shin's chant started playing her head became more clear.