After several hours of studying, theorizing, and testing, Mira found it necessary to move on to the next step.
She focused on a new creation, a swirling mass of ice and wind that hovered above her palm. As she poured her Qi into it, she willed it to take on a more complex form, a miniature whirlwind that acted according to her thoughts.
The whirlwind spun independently of her thoughts, yet Mira could feel the connection, a subtle thread that linked it to her very essence. She experimented with directing it, guiding its path through the air with mere thoughts. The whirlwind responded in kind, but there was still a bit of latency.
Still, she was satisfied with that for now.
"It's about more than just control," Mira realized, watching the whirlwind dissipate into a mist. "I need to understand how what I create interacts with the world. In other words, I have to bridge the gap between imaginary and real."
She then turned her attention to a more ambitious project. She envisioned a flock of ice birds, each one a delicate sculpture of frost and wind. Right now, they were merely inanimate objects that looked quite good for sculptures.
However, with a wave of her hand, she brought them to life, infusing each bird with a fragment of her Qi that acted as pathways in their tiny bodies.
The birds took flight, circling around her. Mira smiled, her heart swelling with pride. She had created 'life', albeit temporary and simple, but it was a start.
'It'd be more accurate to say that I created a simple strand of code that resembled life, but that doesn't sound nearly as good.' She chuckled.
However, Mira knew that creating life was not her goal. She needed her creations to be powerful yet controllable extensions of her will.
She focused on the birds, directing them to fly higher and faster. They responded instantly, soaring into the sky, a beautiful display of her growing power.
As night fell, Mira's mind raced with ideas for integrating this newfound mastery into her techniques. She imagined the [Paragon Wings] not just as a tool for flight and speed but as a part of her very being.
With a deep breath, she summoned the [Paragon Wings]. Linking the feathers to the plethora of meridians within her, she created a link between herself and the technique while also mixing in a bit of 'creation energy' to keep it semi-permanent.
For this technique, in particular, she still wanted to keep the imaginary aspect. It'd be too difficult to find the right combinations and ratios of all the elements within the wings to make it actually real.
All she wanted was to make it so she didn't need to provide it with any Qi.
They unfurled behind her, nearly blocking out the sky above with how large they were. With one magnificent flap, she took to the skies, soaring through the air with ease. The wings responded to her every thought, turning and diving without any issues.
"Looks like I'm onto something," Mira whispered, her voice barely audible over the rush of wind. "I've found the balance. At least for this technique."
She landed gently on the ground, her [Paragon Wings] disappearing into a flurry of snowflakes.
"Now for the true test," she said, her eyes gleaming with interest. "To see how these improvements fare in real combat."
Mira created a set of [Paragon Wings] again and took flight. She extended her Soul Sense, searching for anything to fight.
However, as she flew over the sea of frozen trees, she saw a group of familiar people surrounded by auras she didn't recognize.
Some distance away, closer to the outer edge of the Thicket than where she was, Dominique, Elenei, Rhydian, Coralia, Hana, and Linnea were surrounded by a group who seemed to be hunters. They were wearing thick fur coats and were carrying more unconventional weapons like bows and arrows, nets, and other odd items, but it seemed their main weapons were spears.
They weren't all that strong, only in the Core Formation and Nascent Soul Realms, but Dominique was the only one standing while the rest were just lazing around.
Hana and Linnea looked worried but not overly concerned.
Elenei and Rhydian sensed her presence due to their connection but didn't say anything and continued to watch Dominique.
"Little girl, just hand over the Crimson Frost Lotus and we'll let you go on your way." The leader, a man with a thick set of facial hair in the Nascent Soul Realm, stepped up and said.
"Hmmmm~" Dominique hummed as she played with a frozen flower with blood-red petals. "No~!" She giggled and put the Crimson Frost Lotus in her Spatial Ring.
The man and the rest of his subordinates frowned and unleashed their auras onto the girl, threatening to force her to her knees. But they were all surprised when Dominique just stood there with the same cheeky smile on her face.
The leader scowled but didn't behave irrationally. His gaze unconsciously went toward Elenei, Rhydian, and Coralia, who seemed like they were barely watching.
What made him even more worried was that he couldn't sense their strength. Were they strong? Weak? Did they have a treasure to conceal their strength? He didn't know, and this caused him to hesitate.
'If their cultivation is really that much higher than mine that I can't sense it, we're all screwed, but if it isn't…' His eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent. His instincts told him to just walk away, but his pride and knowledge of the Crimson Frost Lotus wouldn't allow him to.
The Crimson Frost Lotus was a highly sought-after yet incredibly rare item that most if not all, major powers on the Northern Continent wanted.
It possessed the power to enhance one's Qi, particularly aiding in cultivation techniques that involve ice or blood elements. The Crimson Frost Lotus was also an essential ingredient in rare elixirs, capable of healing grievous wounds or even extending one's lifespan.
Those were just a few of its capabilities. Taken on its own could improve one's affinity, cultivation, and vitality, and there's even a rare chance of obtaining a unique physique.
There wasn't a single person on the Continent, or really, the world, who wouldn't want to have that flower. Yet, it was in the hands of a little girl who treated it like a roadside cabbage.
Just the thought of her playing with it and then destroying it all while not knowing its full capabilities had him trembling in anger.
'Dammit! What am I hesitating for?! A person's life can change because of a single moment! If I can obtain that flower, I can go from an ordinary person to someone ordinary people can only look up to!' His eyes shone with resolve as he made his decision.
"Take her down!" he shouted, his voice laced with anger and frustration.
Dominique's eyes sparkled with delight. "Finally!" she exclaimed, her tail flickering with eager anticipation. With a pounce, she leaped into the air, meeting the oncoming attackers head-on.
As the hunters charged, Dominique's grin widened. She darted among them with a speed that was impossible for someone at her level to have. With a wave of her hand, her blood-affinity abilities manifested in visible, vivid red energy that surged from her body.
Her first prey, a hunter wielding a spear, thrust it towards Dominique. But, with a swift, elegant motion, she sidestepped the attack, grabbing the spear and twisting it.
The hunter's eyes widened as his own blood betrayed him. She sucked out a stream of blood from his veins and formed a sharp blade that Dominique grabbed. Without hesitation, she slashed at him, cutting his neck open as blood pooled onto the snow. Seconds later, he fell to the ground, motionless.
Seeing an opening, another hunter launched a net towards her.
However, Dominique's reaction was instantaneous.
Her tail whipped out, slicing the net into shreds before it could ensnare her. She leaped towards the hunter, her body spinning as she delivered a powerful kick that sent him flying into a tree with a sickening crunch.
Using the blood that seeped out of his mouth, she redirected it back toward his brain and exploded it, killing him.
However, because she was preoccupied for a moment, a hunter managed to land a heavy blow with his spear, leaving a deep gash across her arm and chest.
For a moment, the wound seemed severe, but then it began to close rapidly, healing before the hunters' astonished eyes.
With a light smile, she looked into the man's eyes and clapped her hands together. A shockwave of blood-red energy exploded outward, and all the hunters that were caught in its path were sent hurtling through the air, their bodies crashing against trees and rocks.
Waving her hand, she collected all the blood from the men and turned them into solidified spears. She then clenched her fists and launched them at the fallen hunters, piercing their bodies with hundreds of spears.
After witnessing the annihilation of his subordinates, the leader could no longer contain his rage.
With a roar, he charged at Dominique and attacked. His fist connected with Dominique's chest, sending her tumbling backward as her chest caved in from the impact.
Gasping for air, she pushed herself up, her chest slowly reforming, the bones and flesh knitting back together like she was some sort of immortal creature. Then, giving the man a wink, she darted off, not daring to face him head-on.
The leader pursued her relentlessly, his attacks growing more ferocious. His eyes turned red like demons as he forgot all about the little girl's companions.
'I'll kill her! I'll kill that little girl! How dare she fool me?! How dare she conceal her strength to the Foundation Realm!' Such thoughts consumed his mind as he became even angrier over time.
Dominique struggled to evade his attacks. Not only was she weakened, but she was much weaker than him to begin with. She darted between trees, her blood abilities creating barriers and weapons to fend off the leader's relentless assault.
But the leader was not to be deterred. With a thunderous shout, he launched a technique, causing a massive surge of ice Qi to converge around Dominique, trying to trap her in an ice coffin.
Just as the coffin was about to close, Elenei stepped in.
With a casual flick of her hand, she swatted the coffin away as if it were nothing more than a bothersome fly. Her expression was calm, but her eyes held a cold, dangerous glint.
The leader's face drained of color. 'Fuck! She's strong! No, she could be even stronger, with how easily she destroyed my technique! Dammit! What's someone like her following around a little kid for?!'
He turned to flee, but Elenei, without a word, flicked her finger again. A feather shot out from inside her cloak. It pierced the leader's neck, severing his life in an instant.
"You certainly know how to entertain yourself," Elenei commented dryly, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Dominique chuckled, brushing off her clothes as she stood up. "I like to keep things interesting."
"You know that could've been dangerous, right?"
Dominique nodded, but she didn't lose her smile. "I know, but I couldn't help myself. Mother's always been able to fight against people above her cultivation. I wanted to see how far I could go–how I compared to her."
"..."
Elenei just stayed quiet as she glanced up at the sky.
"I'm sure she'd be quite proud of you if she saw you now." She whispered so quietly that Dominique couldn't hear before returning her attention to the ground.
