Red expected Narcha to imitate Reinhart’s example by swallowing a pill and running to the passage. Instead, she chose to walk. When she got within one hundred meters of the snake, she unsheathed her saber as if she intended to fight against the monster.

Her steps were slow but certain. She had no hesitation behind her movements, even as the pressure mounted on her. Finally, the creature stirred.

Its colossal eyes opened, staring down at Narcha. Her steps slowed down under the beast’s gaze, and Red could already see some signs of effort in her frame and movements, and she hadn’t even started climbing yet.

He looked over at Eiwin in silence.

The younger woman didn’t seem to notice him, though, with her gaze focused on her companion up ahead. Red thought better of speaking up and also looked back at Narcha.

Each one of her steps seemed heavier than the last, and Red felt the surrounding air change, accompanied by the noise of static. He looked up at the monster and saw that some strands of lightning were floating around its body. It was getting ready to strike.

Yet, it didn’t seem like it was in a hurry to follow through with it.

Narcha also noticed this. She pointed her saber up at the beast. “Listen here, you damn beast! I won’t fall here! Is that clear enough for you?!”

Although the warrior still seemed to be struggling, her voice was full of her usual confidence and anger - all directed towards this one creature that could kill her with a blink of its eyes. Both Red and Eiwin stared at the scene in shock, expecting the worst.

The lightning around the snake intensified, as if to show it understood what Narcha had said and that it was indeed offended by it. However, it didn’t strike, as the woman continued to walk forward even amidst all her taunting.

Her steps were heavy, her body bending over under the pressure, but she never once faltered. She finally reached the body of the snake, throwing her saber up before using her free hands to climb.

She was also staring back at the snake’s giant eyes the entire time. “What, you think you’re going to intimidate me just because you’re a bit bigger than normal?!”

The lightning around the snake intensified again. It still didn’t strike.

Narcha’s climb was slow-going. It was evident the pressure was doing its number on her body, but every time Red thought she was about to falter or stop, the woman looked back at the snake and threw another hurdle of insults at it from the top of her lungs. Every time she did that, it seemed to give her the bit more of strength she needed - as if her rage was fueling her to keep going.

It took her much longer than Reinhart to reach the gap. Yet, she eventually got there, disappearing from their vision without even looking back at her companions.

‘I suppose if she did look back, the snake would have killed her.”

The monster turned its head to look behind itself, its movements causing a rumbling in the valley. Red and Eiwin held their breaths, waiting for the confirmation that their companion had succeeded. It came a few minutes later as the snake return to its sleeping position.

Eiwin let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the heavens.”

Red looked at her with a frown. “I thought you were sure she was going to make it.”

She smiled. “I am confident in her abilities to pass any challenges., but it doesn’t mean I won’t worry as she braves these dangers”

The boy nodded. “I suppose that makes sense…”

He looked back at the snake. An awkward silence settled between the two of them.

Eiwin was the one to break it up. “… We need to talk.”

Red knew this was coming. “What do you want to know?”

She stared at him with worry. “You trembled every time we came across that snake. You’re still trembling now.”

The boy nodded. “It’s because of my power. It makes me sensitive to the presence of others around me, including their strength. However, it also makes me more affected by the pressure they emitted.”

This wasn’t the entire truth of the matter, but it was the best way Red could come up to describe it. His crimson sense indeed made him sensitive to the fluctuations of strong beings, but it wasn’t what was causing him to tremble - that was another foreign instinct within his body. Functionally, though, there was no difference, since both of these issues stemmed from the same source.

Eiwin frowned at his words. “I assume you can’t deactivate this power, right?”

Red shook his head. “It’s like a sense similar to my vision and hearing, but… I can’t block what I feel with it like I can block images and sounds.”

“That may not necessarily be true. If you can pinpoint exactly what you’re detecting with this power, you may be able to come up with a way to block it too. But…” she trailed off.

“This is not something are equipped to do at this moment, right?” Red completed her words.

She gave him a helpless smile. “Not only that, but even on the surface, this might prove difficult to do unless you had the help of a cultivator like Hector.”

The boy actually didn’t know if even Hector could help him, considering the source of this power was probably beyond anything the elder ever came in contact with.

Eiwin was staring at him as he contemplated to himself. Red knew what she wanted to say even without her speaking.

“You want me to stay?” he asked.

She nodded. “It would be the safest option. I’m actually certain you would have been able to cross this place too if you didn’t have these issues, but as things stand… I’m not too confident.”

Red knew Eiwin was just being polite. If he reacted similarly to this snake, as he did when he came across its tail, then he would definitely be killed. Yet, the boy hesitated.

He looked at the monster. “… But I don’t want to stay.”

Eiwin’s expression seemed seemed difficult. “I know but… If you try it, you’re going to die.”

Red nodded. “I know. Yet, does someone like me have the privilege of throwing this kind of chance aside?”

The woman didn’t respond.

Red continued. “I have a broken acupoint and poor talent. My chances of opening my Spiritual Sea are probably even lower than Narcha’s.”

Eiwin hesitated. “You still have over ten years to try that.”

“I do, but Narcha had a lot of time too, didn’t she?” the boy shook his head. “How often are these kinds of inheritance grounds discovered? How often does someone like me get a chance like this to turn his luck around?”

She was silent once more, looking at the ground.

“I haven’t forgotten about Rog either.” Red said. “We don’t know what kind of trials lay ahead, and my powers might prove vital to you and Narcha if we want to gather enough spirit stones… And if we want to get her pill.”

“… So you are intent on crossing through?” Eiwin asked.

The boy nodded. “I will leave my belongings with you in case I die. I have some talismans and pills that may be of help to you and the sect… As well as some other things.”

Red wasn’t so altruistic as to donate all his belongings to others, but as he knew his life was on the line, he thought it would be a shame if he lost all these valuables as the monster fried him alive.

“There’s no need for that.” Eiwin shook her head, looking at the boy with a resolute expression. “You can bring your things yourself once you cross.”

Red frowned. “Are you sure? I’m probably going to die.”

The woman glared at him. “Don’t say that! You’re going to live! I’ll make sure of it!”

“And how are you going to do that?”

Eiwin smiled. “I don’t know how your power works or what exactly it detects out of people. Yet, from the way you have described it and from what I’ve seen, these issues show themselves through your physical body, right?”

The boy nodded. “Yes. Headaches and trembling, mostly.”

“Then, since we can’t treat the disease, we can try treating the symptoms!”

“I thought about that, but the sensation is very strong. I don’t think any type of medication is going to work or at least still let me move around after taking it.”

Eiwin shook her head. “I’m not talking about medicine! I’m talking about a meditation technique!”

The boy was confused. “A meditation technique? Like the Vein Opening ones?”

She laughed. “Not at all. The technique I’m talking about is something we used to practice as novices back in my temple. It’s meant to enforce control and discipline over one’s own body by meditation and concentration. It helped us control our emotions and our bodies’ reactions to outside stimuli.”

“So is it a cultivation technique?”

“No, just a meditation technique. Not at all related to cultivation.”

“And you suppose that will help stop my trembling?” Red seemed skeptical.

Eiwin sighed. “I don’t know. Truth is, not everyone is suited to practicing this technique. Yet, I think it fits perfectly for someone like you and the problems you have. And besides, even if it doesn’t, what is the harm in trying?”

Red couldn’t disagree with her there. There was a problem with this plan, though.

“How long does it take to learn this technique?” he asked.

Eiwin hesitated. “Well… Technically, most disciples of my temple didn’t completely master it for their entire lives. And even those who did have different degrees of mastery, so the learning process is not something that can be quantified like with cultivation...”

“Tell me how long it takes on average to reach basic mastery, then.”

“… Six months, for most people.”

Red frowned. “… How long did it take you?”

“One month. There are people who have done it in far less time, though. Some genius of my temple mastered this over the course of a day, while some others even did it in a couple hours or less.”

“And you think I can compare to them with my talent?”

“Your talent for cultivation doesn’t matter for this. What matters is this.” she pointed at her head. “Your mental fortitude, and I have yet to meet someone at your age with a stronger mind than yours, Red. Which is why I trust it will take much less time for you to master this technique.”

Red sighed. “And I suppose if it does take longer, you’d have me stay practicing here rather than risking my life to cross it, right?”

“Indeed. Yet, isn’t this shred of hope much better than risking your life against something you know you can’t succeed?”

He nodded. “You’re right.”

Now that she had given him hope, Red would do his absolute best to make this work, rather than just going ahead with his suicidal plan. It was in his nature, and Eiwin probably knew it was going to happen as soon as she brought the idea up.

“What’s the name of this technique?” Red asked.

Eiwin smiled. “It’s called Radiant Current.”