Chapter 976 - Leka

Alex and Aria leaped to the sky, heading straight to the top of the mountain. The mountain itself was the biggest one he had ever seen. Not a single peak in the Unsurpassed Blade Sect could hold a candle against this one.

The air started getting thinner and thinner. Aria was the first to experience it and covered her body with Spiritual Energy, so she could act like nothing happened.

"What? You can still—"

"I can. Trust me. I have never expected that the peak master gives this type of challenge for the mouse." She clicked her tongue. Her breath blew the cold air around her nose, but her complexion remained the same.

Alex calculated the height and furrowed his eyebrows. "This is going to be a bit hard for you. Do you want to wait on the bottom?"

"You should already know my answer, right?"

"Fine." Alex nodded before using his Pure Fire to warm her up, so she could focus on getting higher. "I feel that there is another way to reach the top."

"This is the fastest way, don't consider it. We can try it when descending." She shook her head.

After another few seconds, they finally reached the peak. It was a quite large peak, spanning over one kilometer in diameter. It wasn't a volcano, so he didn't see anything from this height.

"This is a dilemma. If I use my fire to burn the snow, it will create an avalanche to the bottom, leaving a mark for others to see." Alex furrowed his eyebrows and looked around to find an entrance.

Aria also started searching after stabilizing herself. What made her look exhausted earlier was the difference in temperature and air pressure that significantly dropped. She needed to adjust her body to match the environment, taking more energy than she thought.

After reaching here, she poured all her energy to adapt and managed to finish it within a few breaths. She then started using her Sword Eye to check the surroundings.

Alex's Spirit Eyes were also working perfectly, searching for an energy leak. He could see a Martial Monarch beast inside the peak, so he needed to find a way to enter. If he didn't find one for a period of time, he decided to enter with the Teleportation Array.

Three minutes later, Alex shouted. "Aria, here."

She turned around and flew toward him. "Alright."

Alex found a block of ice that seemed to be blocking the entrance or they could say it was an exit instead. After all, if they climbed the mountain from the inside, they would use this and jump down.

Nonetheless, Alex moved the block, and the snow fell inside, showing an entrance.

"Let's go." He looked at Aria with a nod as both of them jumped inside.

It turned out that there was quite spacious inside. The cave didn't have anything in particular, but one could find a fluctuation of Spiritual Energy here.

"Can you feel it?" Aria asked and closed her eyes, focusing her sense on the fluctuation, trying to decipher where it came from.

However, Alex already saw everything through his Spirit Eyes and pointed at a wall like how he discovered the fake wall inside the Sword Cave. "That's where it comes from."

"Why don't you let me do it? I mean, I can experience how to find it with my own senses." She pouted.

"Sorry. I just want to be faster than anyone else. Besides, I don't think we can stay for too long."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think I threw you because I didn't like your joke?" Alex asked.

"Yes?!"

Alex let out a long sigh. "Did I actually have credibility in front of you? Anyway, I have a reason. It's to avoid having the people behind us catch up. I know there is someone far behind us, heading straight to the mountain, so I believe there is someone aiming for this too…Not someone, maybe two people."

"What?!" She furrowed her eyebrows. "I see. Are you going to exit this place the same way?"

"Not really. Two weeks have given us enough time to test what kind of trial we will face if we go up normally. If the ones chasing us also have the same thought as mine and chose the easier travel, we could use the exit on the ground to escape." Alex smiled. "Don't worry. I have calculated all this."

"I am confused. You are basically doing anything while maintaining your cultivation speed. Why won't you calm down and just focus your cultivation for a bit? I mean, it will surely allow you to reach a higher realm faster, no? Even without Sword Qi, I think you don't have the problem in your fighting prowess."

"My enemy is far stronger than me," Alex said mysteriously. "Knowing that, do you think you will still come to work for me?"

"I do. This is a gamble. Rather than satisfied with only Rank 3 God, I will be aiming for God King from now on. And the only place that can let me achieve that faster than anyone is your place." She smiled. "That's why I dare to gamble it with my life on the line."

Alex looked at her face and nodded. "In that case, I will welcome you when you reach there."

"Hoho, the reception from the master itself? I am honored." She smiled before halting her steps and looking at the wall in front of her.

Alex didn't wait for her and entered inside the wall as if everything was just an illusion like the one in the Sword Cave. "They do like to create something like this, eh?"

"Haha…It indeed looks like the work of someone from the sect." Aria agreed with a chuckle.

He then raised vision up and found a hanging cage that seemed to be made of Rank 8 Metal. Inside that was a small mouse. It sensed Alex and Aria and turned around, looking at them with a sad face as if he wanted to leave.

Alex smiled and waved his hand, putting down the cage to the ground. "I have one question for you before releasing you outside. No, not a question. It's a choice."

"Squeak?!" The mouse tilted its head with confusion.

"You can sense a treasure, right? If yes, then this is the choice. Firstly, you can leave this place and never meet us again. We will make a contract that you need to find us three treasures that we find useful and go our separate ways.

"Secondly, you follow us, and we won't treat you badly. In fact, I can help you to become a Divine Beast. Well, to be honest, I have a Divine Beast in my current house, so you will have a friend. Besides, my wife is also a Divine Beast, so you can be assured that I won't treat you badly." Alex smiled. "Your choice. Which will you choose?"

Just like Heilo, the mouse could understand his words as well. After confirming that Alex was genuine with his instinct, it looked down before stretching its hand to him. "Squeak!"

Alex smiled and said, "Nice to meet you. I am looking forward to our time together."

"Squeak Squeak."

"What? You can eat treasure to boost your cultivation? That's even easier. Unless it's something that she or I need, it will go to you. How about it?" Alex nodded in agreement.

"Squeak!" The mouse raised its hand before waving it cutely.

Aria was already captivated with its cuteness and remained silent this whole time, hoping Alex to free the mouse as soon as possible.

Suddenly, Alex got a notification and read it.

[Alex. The mouse is the Spiritual Mouse. This mouse is the most sensitive mouse for treasure. I think that Ilevis didn't know the real worth of this mouse because if she were to sell this in the market or auction, it could reach as high as one hundred billion Spirit Crystals.]

"Fighting power?"

[None. But if this guy can be cultivated greatly, it can even sense any Spirit Crystal Mines underground or even the sea. Basically, it's more powerful than your Spirit Eyes. Of course, you need to cultivate it properly.]

"No wonder." Alex nodded and thought for a moment. "Well, I have never had that intention, but I should be able to ask the little mouse from time to time."

[Alright. You can do everything you want.]

If the mouse indeed could sense a Spirit Crystal Mine better than him, it was surely something amazing. After all, it was the same as having another source of income. He thought for a moment and understood that he just found a very powerful mouse.

Suddenly, a thought appeared in his mind regarding the mouse. He thought, 'If there is a Spiritual Mouse like this, there should be a monster that can sense pills, treasures, or any other things, right?'

[Yes, but they are not a mouse. This mouse is only specialized in getting the Spirit Crystal. There is a Metallica Dog, Five Colored Golden Crow, and Rainbow Peac.o.c.k. They are able to sense raw metals, treasures, and pills.]

"I see. Anyone have them yet?"

[The Blackwade Clan has Metallica Dog. If I am not wrong, the place where I originally sent Firia to compete in Alchemy had Rainbow Peac.o.c.k. I don't have other information for the other beasts.]

"That's enough." Alex nodded before looking at the mouse. "What is your name?"

"Squeak!"

"You want a name?" Alex thought for a moment before Aria suddenly appeared beside the cage and shouted. "Ragur! Your name is Ragur!"

"Squeak!" The mouse complained while pointing its finger to its stomach.

"Female mouse?" Alex understood her again.

The mouse repeatedly nodded before looking at Alex as if Aria just wronged her with that name.

Alex shook his head helplessly and smiled. "Your name shall be Leka."

"Squeak!" Leka leaped out of joy.

Aria felt dejected how she got rejected like that. This was the cutest thing she had ever seen, so she just couldn't contain herself. She tried to open the cage with her sword, but Alex stopped her, especially after seeing the terrified expression from Leka.

She completely misunderstood Aria.

"She is not going to kill you. Anyway, move a bit from the cage." Alex smiled, assuring her before placing his hand on the cage. His Pure Fire appeared and melted the cage, letting Leka out.

When it first stepped outside the cage, Aria's hands instantly caught her, and she brushed her cheek against the mouse, showing the appreciation of its cuteness.

Alex let out a sigh, wondering what she would do when she met Sherry in her small form.

Leka looked at Alex and waved her hand, asking him to save her.

He only took out a Divine Mace and smiled while transmitting his thoughts. 'She was able to see just a few months ago, so this is the first time to see a cute creature like you.'

The mouse seemed to understand him and tapped Aria to wake her up from her bliss.

Aria furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Leka for a while.

Within that time, Leka patted her forehead a few times. "Squeak!"

"You are so nice!" She brushed her cheek again.

Leka then turned back to Alex, finding him smiling.

"By the way, why do you agree to come with me?" Alex asked.

"Squeak Squeak."

"You find that my Spiritual Energy is purer than her? And because I can understand you?" Alex was amazed before replying. "Well, I am a God Rank Expert, so you must find my Divine Energy…Even though I have sealed it completely. It seems I will meet someone that can see through the seal in the future, I should be prepared for this.

"As for why I can understand you, it's because I have experienced it. I have several phoenix friends and my wife herself is a Divine Beast. That's why." Alex smiled before giving the mace to Leka.

To his surprise, Leka carried the mace without a problem and started munching it, slowly but surely.

"Squeak!" There was a star on her eyes while looking at the mace.

"Delicious? You're welcome." Alex smiled.

She then continued to eat while ignoring whatever Aria did in the meantime.