《Nine Paths of Asura》


 1 Lineir

    The day started out so very ordinary. A clear blue sky gave no hint at the auspicious adventure to come. A small youth walked carefully along the broken steps of an old city. Every winding path in the old city could be a challenge to an unfamiliar explorer. However, to this youth''s knowing step it was the same as walking a brand new road. His steps were both sure and steady.


    Tap Tap


    Like a cat on a high rise, he had no fear of falling into the many holes which could easily break the legs of horses. He was so familiar with the path that he clambered boldly through, though others would be scared of taking even a single wrong turn for fear of possibly meeting a terrible end to a suddenly collapsing building or crumbling stairway! He made his living every day by sneaking into these forgotten ruins and picking out pretty scraps to sell for a living. Sometimes he was lucky and he found enough to sell for a week''s worth of food or more. Other times he was forced to rely on his older sister to avoid starving.


    Toc Toc Toc


    He walked steadily as he reminisced. One time he had gone hungry for so long that he fell ill and couldn''t get up again to keep searching for food. That time his sister had found him a hearty oatmeal and medicine though he knew that she had left work with but a few coppers. She couldn''t have made enough from the inn she worked at as a waitress to afford costly traditional medicines. He never asked where she got the medicine. He was afraid of hearing things he didn''t want to hear. From that day on he vowed to never let himself get so hungry that he couldn''t take care of himself.


    "Damn I''m hungry" Lineir said as he reminisced about the past.


    In order to avoid a similar fate Lineir often reached into the upper class''s pockets. His favorite was the crowd which gathered before the execution stand. Nobody, noble or guard, paid attention to their purses when the guillotine came down. The silk-pants were easy pickings for someone who had a mind to help himself to coin rather than an eyeful of blood. Of course, such gains came with risk as well. One mistake and it would be his head on display. Today though would turn out to be a very different affair.


    Thing''s had been looking up recently, Lineir''s sister had been promised another year of work, the inn which she worked at was doing a brisk trade in Brackenrock City and she was guaranteed work until trading caravans were forced away by the winds of fortune again. That meant the boy always had bread on the table and sometimes even meat, though he preferred to stockpile rice whenever there was extra. If he had his way he was never going to be without food again.


    Sometimes, he wondered what would happen if he had enough food to last him and his sister a lifetime. But then he dismissed this idea. It was useless to dream. His usually sure feet had almost caught on an upturned cobblestone and he needed his mind on the task at hand. This time he was looking for a new stash to search. He had dug out all his old stashes, they had ceased to yield anything but dust. Now he was doing the dangerous work of scouting out a new place to dig and search for valuables. This was the most important part of the job. Soon he''d be wandering outside of familiar territory and every step would be a potential hazard. If he didn''t find a good spot then all his efforts for the next few weeks would be a waste as he dug up trash.


    Presently, the landscape changed. Tombstone after tombstone appeared, chipped and smashed, but the majority were still standing, a testament that the living still cared about the dead. He had reached a place he had never dared to venture before. It was at the edge of the old city, the mass burial of millions of citizens. The tombstones cropping up here were but the beginning of a vast expanse of land which now belonged solely to the dead. It was a well known fact that inside lurked hideous undead and worse... constructs of old magic gone horribly wrong. These intertwined combinations of flesh and magic which could not be touched by ordinary steel were the nightmares of every child in Brackenrock City.


    Only the strongest experts of the city, the White Horizon Sect''s disciples could hope to combat these unholy beings, and even the elders of the White Horizon Sect did not dare venture into the old city anymore for fear of provoking the undead horde''s advance. As long as the new city was left alone, the leaders of the White Horizon Sect were content to destroy the occasional wandering undead that made it to the city walls and leave the old city to the dead. Linier however, had no fear of ghost stories.


    He had been observing the old city for years, and he knew that the outskirts had no undead for they had long since wandered away or been annihilated by passing experts. During the day, when he could see farther than an undead''s rotted eyes, Lineir had absolute confidence that he could make his escape if he saw one and he had not in years. So far out from the city walls, other pickers dared not go. To Lineir, however, this meant one thing and one thing only...profit... and food. And so he took his first step into the Deadland.


    Around him were decrepit bones, but never complete skeletons, instead always shattered pieces. Any whole skeletons on the surface above would not have the calming magical runes of tombstones to keep it in check. Such skeletons would long since become hungry undead and wandered away. What was left on the surface was simply the leftover pieces of the many bodies here. A hand there, a thigh bone, some fingers. In the past, city lore had it that a great battle had occurred here. All the major sects in the continent had fought and paid a bloody price. For nothing.


    The White Horizon Sect which remained after this great battle was nothing but a branch sect of these great sects. Compared to the great sects it was nothing, and it was only allowed here because the major sects had decided that it was impossible to gain anything of value from the Deadzone. It was considered taboo to talk about the tragedy which befell the major sects, but his sister had told him the story which she overheard one time in her bar.


    "Lineir, we are not locals, but since we will be staying here, it would be good for us to know the things anyone around here knows. Do you know why the great sects once fought here, and why the new city was formed far away from the old with high enchanted walls?" Lineir naturally shook his head, at the time, he hadn''t been old enough to find his own coin.


    "Well don''t talk about this casually or the guards will beat you. Once, a huge tear opened in the sky above the old city. From it, heavenly cries filled the air, and a great battle took place with swords of lightning and spears of fire. When it ended, the whole sky was alight with flames and below the old city was rent into pieces, our mortal mortar could not survive the strikes of such powerful beings. Even runed walls were shorn through as easily as a sea storm sweeps away a thatched house. What came down were celestial treasures, things which the gods hold dear. The great sects immediately seized control of the area and spent ten years searching. In this time, they found many world shaking treasures, and their fame became consolidated below the Heavens. To this day, some of their most famed items come from the battleground. But after ten years, they were forced to stop searching. No matter how they tried, they could go no deeper. Even their greatest experts at the peak of cultivation below the Heavens dared not tread another step. Why? Because the unburied bodies of those millions who had been crushed under the heavens began to rise by the thousand as undead. While initially, they were weak and the experts of the great sects could annihilate them at will, soon they began to join together as if something was controlling them. Eventually, they became hordes of undead.


    Unable to advance further into this undead sea, and terrified that whatever power was massing these undead would one day send them outside, the great sects formed the new city and created Brackenrock Cities famous light attributed runed walls to hold back any undead which traversed the old city and tried to come out. Few came, and eventually they stopped coming altogether. So now the only sect which still bothers to keep watch is the White Horizon sect which is but a branch of the main sect. So remember, never go into the deadzone! For in there are things which nobody under the Heavens dares to trifle with."


    At the time, Lineir had happily agreed with this statement. But soon the time had come for him to make enough to feed his own growing body, and it all led up to this moment. He had just entered the deadzone, gravestones standing silently watching him. It was growing just a bit dark, the sun preparing to give way to moon. In that moment, something moved. Lineir did not even bother freezing as a less experienced person might have. He knew there was only one thing that could live here, and that was something not living. Undead! Without even looking, he turned and desperately sprinted.


    "Damn my fortune, to think that an undead would actually still be lingering here! I''ve just entered the deadzone what are the odds when I haven''t seen any from the outside for years!" He shouted at himself in his head, feeling regret mixed with anger that he hadn''t obeyed his sister''s warning. Dashing straight back, he knew that his chances of surviving weren''t bad.


    Somebody without experience would have tried to wait and see what creature was stirring from its sleep. This would have allowed the undead time to get close and after that anyone''s limbs would freeze in fear and they might panic and try to hide. But this wasn''t a good way to deal with the undead. By running straight away, the undead would definitely find Lineir. But most undead were lower level undead, singular corpses brought back to life. As long as it wasn''t a higher level undead which usually only appeared deep inside the Deadzone, Lineir could run away and the rotting legs of the undead wouldn''t be able to even catch a single piece of his clothes!


    Feeling confident in his decision, he accelerated linearly, confident that the best way to avoid whatever was behind him was to outrun it.


    "As long as it''s really a lower level undead it shouldn''t have the ability to attract others!" he thought. Right then, a ghastly dragging moan filled the air, filled with hunger. It ended in a slithering hiss.


    KAAAAAAAHHHHHHSSSSSS


    "Damn! I must have been a terrible person in my past life to have such terrible luck! to think that it''s really an undead of a high enough tier to even have working lungs! I''m done for if it attracts other undead!" Behind him, the one moan became many as answering undead joined the chase.


    "This is ridiculous, there should only be a few undead in the outer zone but there has to be a whole horde behind me!" Lineir started going as fast as he could, frantically trying to put distance between him and certain death, when he realized that this would be a terrible mistake. He slowed and began to jog, trying to calm his racing heart.


    "If I sprint all out, I''ll never last till the gates and the horde will certainly devour me. But if I keep my calm and never look back, I already have quite the lead on them. It should be enough to jog until I reach the gates and then the White Horizon Sect''s guards will be able to summon experts to deal with this situation!" Beads of sweat poured down Lineir''s forehead, anyone that wasn''t a master of cultivation and thus couldn''t fly to safety would feel the same. What was behind him was too terrifying. One wrong step, one overturned stone, and a small trip and fall could very well lead him straight to the Hells. Suddenly, Lineir felt pressure as a piece of his clothes was grasped. Somehow that first undead was right behind him, wailing away! The city gates were in sight, he began shouting,


    "Guards, guards, summon the Sect! Or we will all die here, undead at the walls! Start shutting the gates!!!" Lineir could feel the undead hand on his back, holding a strip of cloth on his back. He pretended it was his sister''s hand guiding him, that it was nothing and sprinted all the faster, determined to outrun it and tear himself free! The gates came up and archers leveled their bows at him. "Please don''t shoot until I get free! I''m a citizen of the city, guards wait please!"

 2 A Nobody Becomes a Somebody But Nobody Knows Him

    The sight of Lineir and the undead on him was almost comical if it wasn''t for the horde following. Like an adult chasing after a small child, there was a three meter high skeleton stretching out a tattered hand onto Lineir''s shirt. Lineir, fleeing, was slowly gaining distance taking three steps to every one of the giant skeleton''s but he was hampered as his shirt refused to stretch any further and was dragged back. As it seemed like he would be unable to escape the undead''s grasp, finally, the cloth gave out and ripped completely off and Lineir was free!


    Twang! Thunk!


    He immediately dived for the floor as arrow after arrow whistled overhead. The guards hadn''t bothered to wait for Lineir to be free. If his clothes hadn''t been so worn then he definitely would be spikier than a porcupine right now! Fortunately, as it was instead the skeleton above had been hit by arrow after arrow, each head etched with enchanted steel burning into the rotting flesh and turning it to dust.


    Lineir could not help but breath a sigh of relief, when the towering figure behind him, though filled with great holes, began to slowly lumber forward. It was an undead of such a high level that even weakened by runic arrows, it would continue to march forward. Lineir hastily scrambled up and ran, rapidly putting distance between himself and the terrifying juggernaut behind him. The gate had shut out the horde behind him, and they were beating on the runic wrought arcs, and they couldn''t break through, but the original higher level skeleton was already through the gates! The guards panicked and continued to fire arrows,


    "Undead in the city!"


    They cried over and over. Knowing that he was hardly a combatant, Lineir made his escape, leaving the situation behind him to the guards and whoever heard their cries. As he hurried to the small little apartment he shared with his sister, which conveniently close to the outskirts of the city, he saw three white robed figures flying above. With a start he realized that these were experts of the White Horizon Sect who were rarely seen outside the inner cities where they meditated in seclusion. They had actually roused themselves for a situation that Lineir had caused!


    Lineir immediately ducked into an alleyway. If he was discovered to be responsible for such a troubling matter, it would be a disaster! A nobody like Lineir would pay for his transgressions with his life! Whether he mean''t to do such a thing or not didn''t matter. After they passed overhead, he quickly darted out taking random turns so that anyone watching could not possibly know which direction he came from. Quickly, he was absorbed into the confused crowd as just another bystander. Like a drop of water in the wide ocean, he was impossible to find, and none of the bigger fish or sharks would take notice of him. Successfully having escaped from disaster, he realized that he had forgotten something important! The ripped clothing on his back! An intrepid observer might note that the skeleton at the gate had torn the back of his clothes and be able to trace his steps in the city. With a quick yank the shirt in question was quickly removed and balled up into his pocket.


    "That should cover my tracks for now. I''d better be careful, nobody can know that it was I who caused such a ruckus, not even my sister or a nobody like me with no status will be done for."


    At his run down house, whose whole expanse couldn''t even compare to the lowliest of inn rooms, Lineir stashed away his ruined shirt and changed into a new one to await his sister''s return from the bar. At exactly three hours after sunset, she arrived, exhausted and harried but with a beautiful smile that she always had.


    Lineir was used to this late arrival, what with her status as an unmarried and uncultivated girl, she was unable to argue with any of the conditions at her workplace. To be frank, it was already quite generous that she got home before the moon reached its peak. As a serving girl at a bar, the owners of the inn didn''t want her skin to be bad and her eyes to be like a raccoon''s, and let her back early. Otherwise, it would be likely that Lineir wouldn''t see her at all before he slept.


    "Little brother Lineir, have you heard the news? Something exciting is happening in our Brackenrock City!" Lineir sighed inwardly as he heard his sister''s exclamation. He already knew what the news was going to be about, and he was already feeling uncomfortable thinking about the ants nest he had kicked. With a suppressed shudder, he faced his one and only sister and smiled,


    "Big sister Yiu, I have heard the news, but only rumors. I suspect that as a maid, you''d know more." His sister''s pretty face, which was as attractive as some of the nobles smiled back at him.


    "Little brother, let me tell you a story I heard repeated many times today. Some young man wandered deep into the Deadzone and actually pulled out a higher level undead! It had a whole horde of undead following it, though fortunately they were locked outside the city walls, but one of the undead actually got into the city! It was so powerful that three White Horizon Sect members were sent to suppress it when the runed arrows failed to bring it down!" At this moment, Lineir''s face was developing into a distinctly red tone like an overripe peach. His sister mistook that for excitement though, "Amazing right?!" Lineir could do nothing but nod helplessly.


    "What about this young man who led the undead here, is there anything about him?" His sister frowned slightly, annoyed that Lineir didn''t appear to be as excited as she was,


    "No, who cares about him, they say he almost got eaten alive, but nobody knows where he disappeared to, when it was over, he was nowhere to be seen." Lineir grew more and more queasy with every sentence, his guilty mind losing control of his stomach. His sister paused for a moment to take a breath, but then continued, "Do you know what''s even crazier?" Not waiting for an answer she continued out in one breath, "The three White Horizon Sect members were actually killed by that higher undead at the gates! Afterwards, the entire sect went out and forcefully exterminated the enemy at the gate, even the elders came out! This is why I always told you to stay away from the Deadzone and old city, nothing good comes from that place. I wouldn''t want to be the perpetrator of all this when he is found out. At the very least he will be hung, and most likely his whole clan exterminated as well!" With a chopping motion mimed at her neck, Yiu illustrated the point before panting and bringing out dinner, a few rolls of bread from the inn. Turning pale, Lineir pretended to chew a few bites before excusing himself and soundlessly concealing his retches outside.


    "I''m so screwed, and to make matters worse, I may have dragged my one and only sister into this as well, what in the nine Hells do I do?!!!"

 3 Without A Means to Avoid An End

    Lineir spent all night tossing and turning, trying to find a solution, but could come up with nothing. There was only one logical ending to him being discovered and that was his end! To make matters worse, he felt sicker and sicker as the night went on. On his back, he had discovered where his clothes had made contact with the horrid undead five glowing spots had begun to appear where the fingers had grazed him. These spots spread overnight into a interconnected tangle of swollen veins which itched terribly. Throwing his thickest most obscuring shirt on, he walked out and headed to a different gate. He dared not return to the scene of the crime, but he needed to find a new spot to search for valuables, his sister couldn''t support them both on her own. With a huff, he hurried by the gate which had additional men this time. They called out to him,


    "Take care of yourself traveler, there''s been undead round this parts!" but paid him little heed, people exited the gates all the time from any place, they had little stake in it. Lineir however, was sighing endlessly, unable to catch the slightest break. All his usual spots were indeed mined out, and he once again found himself nearing the tombstones of the Deadzone.


    "What are the odds of there being more undead? The White Horizon''s Sect ought to have exterminated them all. Still... do I count myself as a lucky man?" Working himself up to it, he stepped ever closer to the first headstone, unable to cross that line. As he neared the edge, he sighed once again and turned back, "It''s not worth my life, only a fool would risk his life for this! I''d be better off pickpocketing, at least I would die cleanly and be buried properly!" At that moment, his back ignited in flaming pain, and Lineir folded over onto the ground gasping. It felt like something was trying to dig its way out of his back. A sickening squelch sounded as from his back, a blackish-purple spider erupted from the blackened area on his back and plopped to the ground. It was swollen and engorged with a glowing red orb on its back, filled with Lineir''s blood.


    The blackish-purple spider quickly scuttled away into the Deadzone, and all faded to silence. Lineir bleeding with a hand-sized portion of flesh missing from his back, laid there and fought for breath. Eventually he was about to try to stand when he heard the sound he most dreaded for the second time in his life.


    KAAAAAAHSSSSSSSssssss


    The call of a higher undead! Lineir scrambled up to no avail. His weakened body didn''t have an ounce of strength left and refused to obey his commands. He could do nothing but flail about like a turtle on its back, unable to right itself. Soon, he heard footsteps nearing and then felt grasping hands on his legs, as they were lifted up and he began to move! He was being dragged away by the undead, deeper into the Deadzone! Tales of undead hordes consuming men, making them one of them, flooded his mind. Nobody knew whether those eaten by the undead were still conscious, trapped forever in a cycle of rot and decay.


    Lineir viciously fought to get away, he clawed at the ground and tried to kick free but the undead didn''t care in the least. With a last feeble kick, Lineir passed out as his bloodloss and exertion caught up to him. As he drifted off, he thought to himself, "At least now nobody will know it was me that got the White Horizon Sect involved. My sister at least will be safe, though she will never know what happened to me."

 4 The Deadzone

    Thump,


    Lineir never expected to wake up again. But the heavens had different plans for him. His head thumped into the ground and the jarring shock pulled him back to wakefulness. Alert again, he slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was still being dragged but he was far deeper into the Deadzone than anyone in living memory had ever been. The bony hands on his ankles were still pulling with the same force as before. As a matter of fact, they felt even stronger, as if closer to the center of the Deadzone, they were energized by the aura of death. Around him were scattered bones of every sort, and all was covered in a black substance which resembled dried blood. It was as if he was on a giant scab in the land.


    Thump


    Presently, his head smacked against the ground again and his ears rang from the impact. Shocked, Lineir let out a stifled cry, he frantically glanced at the undead carrying him, another huge skeleton which was remarkably well preserved. It didn''t seem to care in the least that he was still alive and kept dragging him forward like one might pull a sack of meat along the ground. Lineir was surprised that he couldn''t see any other undead in this place. There should be millions of bodies here, but all he saw were scattered bones and that half dry black gel which covered everything.


    Smack..... Thump!!


    The land beneath his head rhythmically jumped up and down every couple of minutes as if some giant beast was stomping on the ground and Linear immediately paled to the utmost as he imagined what massive undead could be causing this. Perhaps one of the legendary constructs of hundreds of thousands of undead come together, a Bone Lord, or a Grim Herald. But Lineir felt there was something wrong with this idea. The ground was literally rising and falling so hard it hurt his head when it fell. There was a distinct rhythm to it and whatever it was, it was just too big, beyond anything he could think of. To make matters worse, he was definitely getting closer, his head smacking more and more often. Eventually, he came to a stop and his leg was dropped.


    Ahhhhhh


    Lineir uttered a grateful groan as his aching leg was finally released. Looking around, he dared not make any sudden moves, but saw that his surroundings were scarier than any he had ever encountered before. A rising mound of corpses stretched out in front of him, higher than the walls of Brackenrock City. Every few seconds, it would pulse, a wave of movement passing through the whole mass. The whole thing was black and filled with that black scab-like substance. The skeleton that had been dragging him appeared to bow to the mass and then it kneeled and fell apart into pieces. The black liquid on the ground rippled and the pieces were carried away on this black tide into the mass in front. It continued until it was indistinguishable from any other part of the mass. At that moment, Lineir felt his whole body rise, the black substance beginning to ripple and propel him towards that black mass.


    Thump


    With that rhythmic pulse, Lineir realized what it was in front of him. Bony corpses squished together into a coherent mass and given shape, what was in front of him was no mere undead construct! It was an undead heart bigger than a city made of hundreds of thousands of rotting corpses and he was about to be pulled in! At that moment however, a red light intruded into his view a few meters away. The spider which had torn itself from his back and gotten him in this predicament was beckoning with a leg, its back no longer swollen with his blood but a smooth empty sack. Lineir thought it over. The strange spider had already taken his blood, but the undead heart pulling the black tide in would certainly be his end. He began to weakly stroke parallel to the pulsating black tide of gel, trying to make his way to the spider which was floating on top of the black substance like a water bug. As he arrived, the spider grabbed onto his hand with its legs and then ran up onto his back and dug its fangs in again!


    "You leech! I''m about to die and you can''t even let me go into the afterlife while I still have blood in me!"

 5 Redline

    Lineir felt his lifeblood draining away for the second time this day and grew enraged. How much crap did he have to put up with? He was already a nobody who was going to die with only his sister to mourn him. His arms bent back at the elbow trying to grasp at his back and rip the fangs out but the strange parasitic spider was latched on tight and at such an unnatural angle he was helpless. Eventually his heartbeat grew so slow that he felt like he was close to passing out again. However, as he was about to close his eyes the wrenching suction in his veins stopped.


    "Finally full are you? Maybe you can screw off so I can die in peace? I hope I come back as an undead just so I can squeeze my blood out of you!" The spider didn''t seem to care in the least at his shouts and actually retracted its fangs and made off, it''s back once again bulbous and red with Lineir''s blood. It scuttled off on top of the carpet of black blood as if it was a water bug, and Lineir was once again taken by the flow of the pulsating tide towards the great undead heart. With no blood or strength left in him, Lineir couldn''t even flounder and rapidly neared the pulsing mass of undead. At the end of his patience, he screamed out, "Take me already! Stop toying with me and finish me off!"


    At that moment however, as he was mere inches away from the undead hands reaching out from the massive heart to seize him, Lineir felt a spike of pain once again in his back and his body stopped moving, drifting in the black substance as a pulsing heartbeat swept the waters. He just barely managed to turn his head and see from an odd angle that he had been impaled through his shoulder by a finger wide red spear. It appeared to be made of... blood! A red line like a fishing hook led back away from the undead heart into the distance, and attached to it was the spider floating on the black tide. It began to wriggle its legs as if spinning silk, and Lineir was slowly dragged back towards it. He sighed inwardly, "This thing really refuses to let me go, well go ahead, you can''t squeeze much more out of me before I''m dead."


    But when he reached the spider, for once it didn''t bite into him. It wrapped its front legs around him, and clutching him tightly, began to swiftly run away with the blood red fishing line, pulling him ever further from the undead heart. "This line is made of my blood... it saved me from being devoured, but where is it taking me? Perhaps it seeks to bring me to its lair as a snack for later!" He snickered, slightly delusional from blood loss, "I will definitely be dead soon, then I will be a terrible snack!"


    Lineir must have closed his eyes sometime while being winched away, and he drifted in his mind, rather resigned to his fate. No matter how much he wanted to survive, with this much blood loss nobody would survive for long. At that time though, a confident voice filled his mind,


    "Kid, I''ve been stuck in here too long, I want to go out and have some fun again. But you''re going to have to get up for that. Wake up, I''ve already returned your blood to you." A gasping Lineir surged up, and then fell back down, his back flaring up with pain from too much abuse. He was much more clear headed than he had any right to be, and actually capable of moving again. Somehow, he was alive and recovered. The spider from before was no longer on his back but walking away, its back conspicuously empty of blood. He was in a huge pit, above he could see the dark night sky and stars twinkling mischievously, uncaring to Lineir''s struggles.


    The black substance appeared to be pooling at the edges of the pit but couldn''t get in, flowing around and around endlessly, but an invisible barrier kept it out. In the pit was only one other thing, a thin straight black sword embedded into the ground which was even darker than that black substance outside. No runes were visible on the surface, but lines of yellow would arc around the black blade like lightning in a night storm. The spider went up to the sword and impaled itself on the blade, collapsing in on itself until it miraculously became a metallic hilt with its fangs twisting round and round the smooth handle.


    Lineir didn''t feel any particular pull towards the sword, but it was the only thing in the pit, and there was no way he was getting out of the sloping cavernous walls. He knew that whatever had drawn him here had only one purpose in mind. Steeling himself, he rose slowly and placed his hand on the handle and drew it out of the ground. Inch by inch the beautiful blade rose out of the ground, and as it did the invisible barrier around the edges of the pit ceased to function and the black substance came in. As it did Lineir heard an immense grumble in his mind, "Could you be any slower?"

 6 True Power

    "I''ve been waiting for you to wake up for so long, sleepyhead. Are you a man? What do you need so much beauty sleep for?!" Lineir was speechless, the voice in his head was bouncing around his skull and was enough to make anyone want to clap their palms to their head.


    But since it was all in his head he didn''t even have that option! He looked at the blade in his hand closely and became immensely excited despite his fatigue.


    "You wouldn''t happen to be one of the legendary immortal blades would you? Have I struck it rich? Will I finally be able to become a hero and never worry about food again?" The voice in his head grew incredibly annoyed at his youthful thoughts,


    "Me? An immortal blade? Don''t be ridiculous. There''s little time for your questions. That undead blood is pouring in here, and the undead heart will know where I am after all this time. It''s almost done refining the souls of the old city. When that happens, not just you, but the whole new city will likely perish. Choose now, follow my instructions and save the world or die here asking pointless questions!"


    Lineir hesitated, it could be a trick after all. This voice might deny that it was an immortal sword but Lineir knew that only immortal swords could speak out with true human-like speech. Furthermore, it appeared like the blood sucking spider was actually the minion of this strange sword. However, his blood had apparently been returned to him. He even felt refreshed now and the wound on his back had sealed as if it was never there.


    The voice started taking a softer tone but still reeked of arrogance,


    "Ok, I see that you are the kind that doesn''t rush things. But there''s really no time. How about this, I promise to answer any one question of yours truthfully, and then you follow my instructions. Afterwards, I will tell you exactly what you want to know in full!"


    Lineir paused, the black liquid pooling up to his ankles. Soon the pit would fill with this undead blood and he would drown if he didn''t leave anyways. He asked the question that first came to mind and felt most important,


    "Can I trust you?" The voice chuckled,


    "Trust is a fine thing, but it is fine to know that I won''t kill you right now, that undead heart over there though, that definitely will if it is allowed to return to life! So listen to me and run out of this pit now. If you can make it to the undead heart, I have synthesized enough power from your blood to stop it from resurrecting. Go, unless you don''t value your own life or anyone in the entire city!"


    Lineir was sold, his sister''s life was at risk as well! Immediately he realized that he was out of choices and began to sprint up the sides of the pit.Climbing up the side of the pit was far more difficult than it might seem. The black liquid made everything slippery and holding the sword in one hand, Lineir could only scrabble at the ground with two legs and one free hand. Sometimes he would jam the sword into the side of the pit walls and use it as a cane.


    "Hurry, every second you delay, it gets stronger. Can''t you hear its heartbeat? If the interval between each beat increases to the speed of a normal heart, even I can''t stop what is coming!" The voice in his head was urging him on calmly.


    Lineir felt frustration coursing through him as he slipped yet again and received a face-full of black muck.


    "Can''t you do something about this? If you''re so amazing, then help me through this!" He yelled out. The voice sighed,


    "Look, I could help you through this, but I can only possess your body for a short time before your blood will be corrupted and die. If I do it now, then when we get to the undead heart you will already be a dead man walking and I won''t have enough time to seal the heart before you drop dead! Just get me there as fast as possible and I will take care of the rest. Don''t worry about tiring yourself out, once you''re there I will take over!"


    Lineir pressed onwards relentlessly trying to batter his way free of the endless blood and mud. The voice of the sword shouted bizarre encouragement to him all the way.


    "Oh quite good, I didn''t think you would get up past that spot so easily" and, "Oh, if you keep smashing my blade in so hard, we''ll get there in no time".


    "HAAAAWWWWHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"


    With a tremendous cry, Lineir arrived at the top of the pit and stepped on the street level of the deadzone. In the distance the giant undead heart, bigger than a city, was beating faster than ever causing ripples to spread out endlessly through the disgusting black liquid. With every heartbeat, more black liquid would pulse out of the rotting heart,shooting straight up into the sky in a pillar of blood, and fall down like rain. Soon the whole town would be drowned in black blood. Looking back, Lineir saw the pit he had been in was almost completely filled, in another ten minutes or so he would have been sucked in and submerged.


    "Kid, stop looking back, you''re still not close enough, get me right next to that sucker, as a matter of fact, throw yourself at it. Only then will I be able to take over and end this. Run like your life depends on it. If you don''t get there fast enough, I won''t hesitate to use all your life force to seal this thing!" Hearing this Lineir bolted. While he ran towards the undead heart the voice of the sword in his mind explained to him things which Lineir wanted to know,


    "I was once an existence which could touch the Heavens and travel the dimensions. However, many years ago in another world, my body was destroyed by my enemies. To those who have reached true enlightenment in the way of the sword though, our fleshly bodies'' death means little. My soul in this sword sought to flee through a tear in the dimensions and recover my strength here. Little did I know that somehow my enemies seeking to devour my soul''s power were nearby. They were alerted as I tore through the planes in desperate flight and they followed me here. When I battled them, it was with but a phantom body as there was no time to recover and manifest a new physical form. During that fight, I came to realize that without a true physical body, there was no way to win without some sacrifices. I seized upon my only option and used all my remaining power to seal the tear to cut off enemy reinforcements and trap myself here on this plane, killing my enemies as I did so. However, I was too weak afterwards to properly devour their souls and ensure that they were truly gone. While they were not capable of surviving within their sword''s as I am, they had another method to endure! They slowly used dark sorcery to refine the mortal souls of the cities'' dead. When I realized that they had survived, I attached my spider technique to the wandering undead around here hoping to steal someone''s blood essence and use it to revive myself. While it''s a technique which I am not very proficient in, I hoped somebody with powerful blood might be stupid enough to be caught by the undead and I could be revived. After all this time, you came, and I used your blood to bring you to me. Unfortunately, you came a bit late and they are almost done reviving themselves in the center of that undead heart. I have only your life force to work with, which while unusually powerful is no match compared to their power. They have millions of souls to devour. If they finish refining them, they can immediately be reborn in their true fleshly bodies and it''s all over. Before that happens you must get me as close as you can to the undead heart, throw yourself upon it, and then try to hold on to your sanity!"


    Like a madman Lineir dashed towards the heart which could have engulfed a city. Having reached its base the sword''s voice triumphantly crowed,


    "Excellent work young man, I''ll take it from here. Watch closely, you won''t see this kind of power again on this continent." Lineir''s limbs suddenly moved of their own volition, a black haze surrounding him as all the hair on his body began to stand up. With a wrench Lineir''s back snapped as his chest was brought up without any urging from him.


    "OWWWWWW" He groaned.


    "Sorry, don''t you work out? Your pectorals are so light!" The voice apologetically teased him.


    "I''m lucky to eat twice a day, you try putting on weight with that diet!" Lineir answered in his mind before cutting off as he fell into a sort of trance. The black haze around him condensed and suddenly he found himself shooting up and away from the ground! He had taken a great leap propelling him hundreds of meters into the air, till he found himself halfway up the length of the city-sized black heart!


    "Your blood is excellent kid, I got up to this height in one jump and I don''t even think I had to permanently damage your life force!"


    With a vicarious cackle there was a boom as his feet kicked off of the black haze condensed in mid air like a platform and he found himself accelerated up and above the black heart and its pulsing rain of undead blood. Lineir in his trancelike state had no say in it as his knees bent and he tilted forward to face the heart below.


    "Well, I only have enough blood energy for one strike, and the real target is inside all that undead crap. Looks like I''ll have to hold back the sword for the final strike and break into the center of the heart with something else...


    Sorry kiddo, only way, try to stay sane! It''d be a shame if you lost your mind after all this!"


    A final kick off the black haze filled air and Lineir felt himself plummeting face first into the undead heart! What was this person thinking? Surely the sword would be brought forth so at least if they were going to enter this festering corpse pile it would open a path. Then he remembered that the sword would be held back for the final blow. He plunged in with his forehead ramming into corpse after festering corpse at breakneck speeds.The black haze covered his forehead so he didn''t directly touch the undead, but it was still horrifying to be moving through hundreds of meters of congealed flesh and bone with his forehead as the drill!


    Occasionally gaps in the solid matter would appear and he would be submerged in the black liquid as if he was really entering a heart of corpses and these were blood-filled veins and arteries winding about. The whole heart shook every few seconds with a pulse as it came ever closer to resurrection! Suddenly, he broke through a final layer of rotting flesh and in front of him were 54 perfect bodies floating in a pool of undead blood in the center of the corpse heart.


    "Excellent, we made it. They haven''t completed their rebirth yet. After this strike, I will drain your body of all spare life force and try to escape, you will lose consciousness quickly and you can only pray that I get your body out to safety or else you will be lost in this pile of dead flesh forever. Before that, watch closely. This technique once broke the Heavens and defied the gods. If you see it, even if you die, you will at least die having seen true power!"


    Final words having been spoken, the sword behind his back swung forwards and a crushing crescent of black haze solidified and rushed down like a tsunami. Whatever it touched appeared to be absorbed into it as if it was never there. It reached the perfect bodies below and they were instantly obliterated, but the blow didn''t stop there. It continued down expanding the further it got! The entire lower half of the heart was simply gone. A huge current rippled and suddenly Lineir wasn''t inside of the undead heart anymore, he was floating in the air as the rotting matter surrounding him was blasted away.


    Booom! Pac pac pac pac pac pac pac pac pac pac


    The explosion was as if a meteor had slammed down from the Heavens and tattered pieces of decimated flesh rained down for kilometers!


    The black haze around him quickly pulsed and he kicked off one last time into the distance. In a matter of moments he flew clean out of the deadzone and into the old city, with the walls in the distance. As he was about to hit the ground, a heavy fog coated his mind, complete exhaustion gripped him, and he immediately passed out.

 7 So Valuable You Canst Sell

    A smug and irritating voice boasted,


    "Your blood is strong, but you are weak kiddo. Luckily for you, I maximized the efficiency of every technique I used. Since every movement was perfectly executed, your body was comparatively, quite safe in my hands. The energy was directed outwards and you avoided the brunt of it. That being said, while there was almost no energy focused towards you, the amount of strain caused by simple gravitational forces and the inertial force from moving so fast definitely stopped your heart and tore most of your meridians, to say nothing of your muscles and bone structure. I had to sacrifice the last of my stored power to keep you alive. You paid a heavy price. But know this, while when you wake, you will experience excruciating pain, your longevity and overall body constitution have both greatly improved. I modified a few things and your meridians have been...tweaked... suffice to say, my forbidden techniques are truly awesome!"


    Lineir didn''t like the sound of this at all,


    "Excruciating pain... couldn''t you have healed me a bit more?" For that matter, this voice appeared to be an expert who had once survived losing physical form. If such a person was warning him of "excruciating pain" he didn''t think he wanted to wake up again. "Can I just sleep it off?" The voice scoffed, and for a second, he thought he caught a flickering image of its owner in his mind.


    "Sleep it off? If you don''t wake up in the next thirty seconds, you''re dead. I couldn''t do anything even if I wanted to, I spent all my energy modifying your meridians over the last hour, and let me tell you it was a job. I can''t exactly call it my greatest work, mediocre ingredients are simply unsuitable for creating a masterpiece, but a master can create greatness from nothing." Lineir was irate,


    "You call yourself a master, what kind of master grinds the stone to dust before carving out a sculpture? You may not care, but that''s my body that was almost buried there! I almost went insane when you used my face to enter the undead heart! Truly, you gave my face no face at all!" Lineir was outraged, the sight had truly been disgusting. He was almost certain that for his next nine lives he would have karma exceeding even the great Buddha himself after such an ordeal. The voice chided him as if he was a child, changing the subject,


    "Now, now, I had to do what needed to be done, its for your own good really, would you have preferred it if everyone had died? Speaking of which, since you didn''t die, how would you like to be my disciple. You''ve seen true power now, I''ve never known a man that could resist after a taste." The voice sounded almost seductive now. Lineir shuddered, he had just seen far too many rotting tongues and other ..."organs" in the undead heart.


    "**** off pervert, I know you''re an immortal sword which can pierce the heavens, when I get to the city I''m selling you off to the highest bidder and I''ll never go hungry again!" The voice was silent for a second, and then exploded indignantly,


    "What the hell, are you without ears? No I''m in your head that''s impossible, you definitely heard me, are you without a brain?!! I just offered you a chance to become so powerful you wouldn''t even need to eat unless you wanted to, the only hunger a man should have when he hears this is a burning in his britches and he should immediately accept with eyes like the full moon!"


    For a second Lineir thought he saw a flash of a figure again, but it was gone far too quickly for him to make out.


    "And again! I am not an immortal sword, I am a soul in a sword, and even if I was a sword, I am hardly a mere immortal sword! F****ing peasants. You''d think after seeing my power which can''t be seen in this whole continent you''d get a little respect around here!" Lineir however was not backing down,


    "You think your special? Excellent! I can sell you for more! Lotss more, let me wake up so I can write this down, ''more special than an immortal sword, definitely worth at least a fortune, possibly two!''" With a grunt he wrenched open his eyes and stared wildly as in front of him were the city walls with possibly every face in the city standing on top. Each of those faces was looking directly at the outer city and him in it. White robed figures floated in the sky and were rapidly advancing towards the deadzone in which Lineir was on the fringe of.


    "We know you''re out there young man, and that you have found a great treasure, hand it over and we''ll let you live. Refuse or run and you will die wishing you had!" They called out in great sonorous voices.


    Lineir could almost see a smirking pair of lips in his imagination whispering, "So, what was that about selling me? Also, that excruciating pain I talked about will hit you as soon as the last of my Qi finishes clearing up your meridians. I suggest you run before that happens unless you want to start off the torture early for those old men."

 8 Burning Wish Pt.1

    "So, what was that about selling me? Also, that excruciating pain I talked about will hit you as soon as the last of my Qi finishes clearing up your meridians. I suggest you run before that happens unless you want to help start the torture early for those old men."


    Like a shot, Lineir was running before the words finished echoing in his head. He wasn''t completely sure, but he felt significantly faster than he was normally, perhaps this had something to do with the mysterious Qi in his meridians. Either way, he was nowhere near the god-surpassing speed that the voice possessing his body had drawn out. However, he was at least 30% faster than before, and while the White Horizon Sect people flying towards him could avoid obstacles on the ground, they honestly were not flying that fast. They would definitely catch him in a straight race, but he could get out of view before they got closer. Lineir ducked into the broken tombstones and crushed buildings of the deadzone and hoped to find a good hiding place.


    "Kiddo, finding a normal place to hide won''t do. When the pain hits you, your body will face incomparable pain. Will you have the willpower to hold yourself in check and not make a single sound? I doubt it. Go find the pit where you found me. There should still be a pool of that undead blood there. I will make sure you can breath, though you''ll have to find a way to keep your body from floating back up. But at least you will be hidden there." The mysterious voice urged him.


    The White Horizon Sect members were getting a little too close Lineir made his own choices and dropped into a building on the side. The voice was angered by his refusal to listen to its advice,


    "What are you doing? That pool of blood is the only place you will be able to flail about unnoticed, you can''t think you can hide in this building forever? Soon enough they''ll find you!"


    Lineir however didn''t even bother answering. Soon enough, the voices of the sect drifted by.


    "Where is this kid, he was quite fast, he must be only a little bit further ahead. Keep searching! We definitely must find out the reason for that eruption of energy earlier. Surely he discovered some treasure here which would make us worthy of gaining face, maybe even to rejoin with the great sects again!" With that, the voices quickly passed over Lineir''s position.


    "You''ve got guts kid. I''ll admit, you might achieve mediocrity as a man one day. If the Qi in your veins had finished circling your Second Heart before they passed overyou definitely would have been discovered, but it is true that I forgot that your speed is so inferior as a mortal. You probably could not have made it to the pool in time, it was a good gamble to let them pass by. Hurry and go before they realize their mistake and double back."


    Smiling, Lineir made his way to the pool filled with black liquid and stood there for a second. There was nothing to weigh himself down, his body would float back up in the liquid. In that moment though, Lineir calmly assessed his situation and smiled.


    "Make sure I can breath!" and jogged back from the edge.


    "Why are you still facing the pit, I told you, you need to find something to counterbalance your weight first! Do you want the sects to find you floating *** up and spank you?"


    With a great huff, he began running,


    "No time for that, just make sure I can breath. By the way, I have to admit, you really are more than just a regular immortal sword, you''re quite heavy!"


    "At this time you still joke, never mind that, are you suggesting I''m fat!" An outraged voice thundered through his mind. Lineir smirked,


    "No, among swords I quite like your thinness, but great one, you forget, you yourself would make a great weight!" and so speaking he lunged into air and as he came down into the center of the filthy black pool stabbing himself in the fleshy part of his left calf where there were no vital parts. Bogged down by the sword he sunk as a stone would into the lake and waited for the pain to come.

 9 The Nine Paths And Perfect Harmony

    "You dare to use the great me as you would a brick? I ought to let you drown and become one with this festering pool! I applaud your audacity however... though I should really punish you. It''s fine, you''ll suffer enough on your own anyways." The voice became a little insidiously sadistic towards the end and so saying, the handle of the sword once again expanded and crawled up his leg as a great spider. In a horrifying scene which nobody could see, it jammed its fangs into Lineir''s mouth and extended a red line from its abdomen to the surface of the pool like some sort of strange alien. Wrapping its legs around his face, Lineir received a steady stream of air. Little of the air would have gone in however, if the spider wasn''t forcefully pumping air in and out. Lineir was too busy writhing in pain to be bothered with something so simple as breathing.


    "Listen to me Kiddo, the pain you are feeling is inevitable. It is the result of all the changes I have created in your body, and you must endure it! I''m sorry but there is nothing I can do for you, even if you pass out this pain is so severe your mind will still suffer in your dreams. The number of forbidden techniques and transformations I have started within you are enough for any ''expert'' in this continent to salivate and wish to tear your body apart to read like a scroll. None of them were mean''t for those who have not yet at least touched immortality, and one of them is even an unnamed technique which is supposed to have originally been a teaching from the Nine Paths of Asura. If you survive this, you will one day have the ability to touch both the Heavens and Hells. Survive!"


    Lineir was wracked in such terrible pain that he would not remember this but a faint few last words trickled through,


    "I haven''t seen blood like yours in any plane, please survive, or I won''t have any chance...." Pain after pain shot through his body, Lineir didn''t stay conscious for long. Unfortunately the voice was right, and he was unable to avoid pain even in the unconscious corners of his mind. He dreamed a vicious dream where he was tormented by pain and couldn''t wake himself no matter how he tried. In it he was lying on his belly and in front of him was his sister, a hundred swords in her bloody body. As usual she was smiling,


    "Hello brother, didn''t I tell you not to go into the deadzone, because of you, I was killed. Disobedient children need to be punished!" With that she pulled out a sword dripping black blood from one arm with the other... and stabbed him in his left calf.


    "Don''t you ever consider your family!" Another sword came, stabbing his other leg. Then his arm. Then his other arm. His chest. Every part of him was pierced through ninety-nine times and yet he could not cry as she had stabbed him through the eyes. With every stab, her smile had stretched a little until it wasn''t a smile anymore, it was a grimace of horrid suffering. Lineir was terrified and cried out,


    "Please sister, I never mean''t for any of this, I just wanted us to be happy together, to protect you when I took away our father and mother. Please you can cut me as much as you want to appease your anger, your little brother deserves this!" with that, he grabbed the last sword in her chest, pulled it out and pierced his own.


    "Ahhhhhh, just don''t doubt me, that''s all I ask, I only wanted the best!" With that, though his eyes were pierced through, he knew that she was smiling again. Presently though, he realized the pain was gone.Also gone was his sister, in front of him was a girl, no a small woman, who was far surpassing her in every way. She was the definition of a Chinese beauty with long black hair to the waist, and a figure which neither man nor woman could not help but to admire or envy. The contrast between her jet black hair and her fair skin was like that of pure yin and yang, striking yet perfectly in balance, and the contours of her body were as flowing and natural as a waterfall which innately rises and falls down upon the ground it hollowed out. A viewer would feel as if he was gazing upon such a waterfall, at first from a distance he is shocked to see such a great and magnificent power of nature, but as he approaches, he no longer notices this because he appreciates the fineness and closeness of such a perfect harmony between earth, land, and sky. As the rain falls, it gathers, and flows down, before being born again, a cycle which has no end, and is perfect. It sounds crazy, but this is what Lineir''s eyes were treated to.

 10 Sheer Willpower

    "Good job staying sane. While you couldn''t have died with me here, it would have done you little good to survive if you didn''t have the will power to keep your mind afterwards. To do so, your bloodline wouldn''t have helped, you could only rely on a truly insane animalistic drive to stay alive and keep going. I take back what I have said, while mediocre in body, you are a monster in the mind. To have lived in such a pitiful and small stage your whole life has been a waste. Come, I will take you as my disciple, and bring you to a place where you belong, where every enemy you meet will have the same mettle, and you will be able to strive to achieve ascension with every breath!" This beauty''s lips moved and nobody could keep from intently listening to each word. However, while in theory, her beauty was perfect, Lineir couldn''t help bursting out in laughter. This engrossing figure, that bewitching body, and enchanting hair, it was all overshadowed by the fact that she was absolutely and utterly, a shorty! The idea of following someone so small to go battle the Heavens was just too funny!


    Her face flushed terribly red upon hearing his laugh, and she moved as if to slap him before checking herself.


    "Hmph, kid, maybe you think something''s funny, but might I remind that I am the only reason you are alive? Do you find something off about my claims after seeing my true power, which I might add, was only a mere fraction of what I am capable of in my original body?!!!"


    Lineir controlled himself with great effort, the spell of the beauty broken by the moment,


    "Of course, of course, you are quite powerful, great one, simply say it and this lowly one will be sure to reach the highest of shelves for you and will climb above the corpses of everyone to reach the heavens you no longer can!" The beauty failed to hear his sarcasm took this the wrong way,


    "No need to make such promises, my current.... state is only temporary, when I regain my body I will be able to once again fly above all and overlook the filth below me. Now wake up, and be careful, the White Horizon Sect will still be on the lookout for you. You cannot do anything if you die here."


    In the pool, Linear''s body which had been submerged like a drowned corpse for some time opened its eyes as if he was undead. He yanked out the sword from his leg which was weighing him down, and holding it in hand, began awkwardly swimming up to the surface. When he reached the top, the spider pumping air in his mouth was coughed out and it quickly reformed into the hilt of the sword in his hand. Lineir clambered out of the pit, a black-crimson covered figure looking like a demon which had risen from the spawning pools of hell. He flopped over and began hacking.


    "What the bloody hell are you made out of, that spider tastes like ****" Instantly, as his coughs rang around the surroundings a hundred white robed figures flickered over the rooftops and floating on immortal swords, quickly leveled their blades at him. Lineir was surrounded by what appeared to be the entire White Horizons Sect. A figure with embroidered badges on his chest approached,


    "I knew you couldn''t have gotten far. To hide in such a filthy place though, I would never have expected that. I am impressed by your willpower. Nevertheless, young man, I don''t need to know anything about you. Rather, you should know something about me. I am getting old, my longevity is coming to an end. In my lifetime, I have often delighted in many things, most particularly.... my knowledge of the flesh is great. If you would like to experience this, you can not listen to my demands and I will take what I want from you. However, never let it be said that the White Horizons Sect doesn''t care about face. In light of your impressive tenacity, give me that sword, and tell me everything about what happened here, and I will let you go. But be warned, at your age, I had killed many more times than you have lied. I will know if you are being untruthful and I am not a patient person. Speak, what will you choose!"


    Hearing this White Horizon Sect member''s speech, Lineir knew that he was in a bad spot. Would the White Horizons Sect really let him go, even if he said anything? More likely they would take him after learning what they wanted to know and interrogate him to make sure he wasn''t lying. In addition, they would probably silence him to make sure he didn''t tell anyone else about what happened here. The voice of the sword spoke in his mind then,


    "Kid, I''m sorry that the Heavens really give you no face at all, you must have insulted Buddha in your last life. I''m afraid you''re done for this time. I cannot get you out of this one, I used the last of my energy to change your body and heal your leg from that stunt you pulled earlier. You gambled well, but you lost, it''s fine if you tell them everything about me, they may torture you a little less if you cooperate. I really did look forward to raising such a promising young disciple but I got ahead of myself." With that, the voice was silent as if already mourning Lineir''s death.


    However, there was a look on Lineir''s face. It was imperceptible, only those with great experience could make out such a subtle thing, but it was unmistakably the look of stubbornness. Sheer willpower that no one his age should possess. In his mind he said,


    "A sword as powerful as yourself, you can change shape right? Change into my blood when the time comes." With a sigh, he spoke aloud,


    "I would rather die than tell you a single helpful word! Cooperate? Are you kidding me? I''ll tell you something, this sword which you see is a treasure which is tied to my life force! It was my blood which revived it, and it is now linked to my soul. When I die, it will disappear without something to sustain it. You had better hope we do not meet in the Hells, or else when we meet I will be your senior and give you the same treatment you gave me!" With that, he swung his hand, holding the black blade, ferociously up and into his own heart, piercing it through.


    " Kid, you idiot! I don''t have the power to heal this, you''re definitely a dead man this time!" An anguished voice, now with distinctly feminine tones was trembling. Lineir however was smiling, sheer willpower holding his face into a victorious smirk.


    "Shut up and change into my blood and enter my veins. They won''t realize what happened and you can wait for another who might climb the Heavens with you. I''m sorry you used all your power to save me and now I''m wasting my life, but at least they won''t discover you and use you for the great sects. If you can, try to find my sister when you regain your body, tell her Lineir sent you and don''t let her go hungry ever again...."


    "You...leaving me with no choice." with that the iridescent black blade seemed to disappear as it transformed into black blood and hid inside Lineir''s veins. Lineir however, slowly toppled to the ground.

 11 Pillarfall and Unexpected Chance

    In a room carved out of the wall of a cliff, which hangs above the clouds, there is a screen made of mist. On it are fantastic portrayals of events in a city, a town, and all manner of life. The ocean, the dessert, and even the moon flash by, perhaps a good portion of the world will be shown in time. However, the screen crackles out, all-seeing magic dispersed as the center is stabbed by cold metal.


    A black sword penetrated a maid''s silken chemise and opened a hole in her heart, thrusting her body through the rapidly fading screen of mist shattering its stunning vistas. The room is plunged from animated life into darkness. As the woman dies, she painfully smiles, enjoying the thought that her death was always part of the plan.


    "You know the Mistress will never let you go, not after what you''ve done here!" With a weak moan she slides down, to stare feebly at the ceiling, the smile fading, blood spent.


    A white-robed man takes back his sword from her chest and laughs without a hint of real mirth, crimson stains slowly dyeing his front a spreading red.


    "Let me go? As if I care about punishment! When I''m done with this world, there won''t be anyone left to hold a hand higher than mine. The Mistress of Fate has always taught that she controlled everything, but tell me, after all these years, why is it that you lie here dying, and I stand here delivering your eulogy? Why is it that the lands, which you oversaw, are free of your cursed influence now? Man need not be born in chains at all. All that needs to be is your end! I will not be stopped by Gods, nor Goddesses, and certainly not by men or women. I will show you all what the true order looks like, and it is in no way so random as to allow the Mistress of Fate free rein. It has been done before, and I mean to do it again. To set man on the proper path!"


    The woman died with a few whispers, perhaps the man didn''t even catch them all.


    "If we were to cut our ties...perhaps we would be immortal..." Her smile faded into the mask of death.


    "You wish to follow in his footsteps, but you don''t even know the beginning of his intent. You will see, when you meet the Mistress, remember what I told you and remember that I am laughing in the next life. You remember the words of The Unbound One. But do you remember how his dream ended? The destruction of an eons old age and the loss of millions of souls."


    The man tried to retort to her words but spoke too late to have the last word, she was already dead,


    "I''m sorry. But so long as the Heavens do not fall, nobody will see past the sky. Nobody that is, except dreamers. This is my dream. As for Madraeyal... Madraeyal is not dead."


    He walked out, whether he truly had regrets or not, there was no one to say. As he walked out, the cavern began to collapse, towering spires and age old architecture falling indiscriminately. The entire cliff shook, the tip falling into itself to be nothing but broken dreams. However, while there was no one left in the room, the screen of mist which had been shattered displayed one last broken image. Somewhere between the cracks in the shattered mist, a small province is shown, and in this province miraculous things are happening. An old man with kind hands stumbles upon a crying child clutching the bloody hands of dead parents. Perhaps the old man takes the child in, the screen flashes mercilessly onward. A bright eyed youth enters the service of an army, perhaps he is successful. A princess is locked in her castle, perhaps she escapes. Some man finds true love, perhaps he is successful in keeping it. Each scene comes faster than the last, and the screen is spent at the end, unable to show more as the rocks pile down. The cliff, in reality a pillar holding up the Heavens is broken and no more, and yet nobody below notices.


    Lineir was definitely dead. Even those who had achieved immortality and did not age would not consider a sword to the heart a trivial injury. That being said, where was Buddha? He should be free of suffering and desire and reach enlightenment. Instead, there was the incomparably perfect owner of that voice in front of him, and she was staring blankly at him in his innermost mind.


    "So if I''m dead, does that mean you''re Buddha? If I had known Buddha was so beautiful, I would have killed myself long ago," Lineir mumbled.


    "Who''s your Buddha? I''m to be addressed as master, or great one! Also, what ARE you doing here, you should definitely be dead."


    Huh? So this wasn''t the doing of the sword. How was he still here?


    "Well, I''m sure the reaper will come to claim your soul soon anyway and drag it to hell, so I suppose you might as well know my name, maybe it''ll gain you some favor with the demon gods. I''m called Fung-Mei by those who are worthy."


    "Excellent, Mei-Mei, my name is called Lineir and I''ll be in your care." The face of an angel frowned at his casual nickname, but then quickly smiled again unexpectedly.


    "Call me whatever you want, the reapers coming for you, look, you''re definitely dead." An image was projected in front of his mental form.


    "I never would have believed he''d actually have the guts to kill himself just to spite us. What did we ever do to him? Does anyone even know his name" The image showed Lineir''s body from above, it was crumpled on the ground and the white robed figures were prodding him with their swords. One searched him looking for the sword which had vanished after carving a hole in his heart.


    "Looks like he was telling the truth, there is nothing on his body, not even a penny, let alone any treasures, that sword is gone. We''ve wasted our time here. Throw his body into that pool of undead filth, that way he can more peacefully rest with the trash where he belongs. He wanted to hide from us? Well he can stay there forever. We tell the Great Sects nothing understood? If they know what happened here they''ll come back and overturn our city stone by stone. We must find out what happened before then. There is always something to gain from miraculous events such as this, but only if we discover the truth first!" With that, Lineir''s body was unceremoniously tossed back into the pool of black liquid and the members of the sect flew off back to the city for the night.


    "See the size of that hole in your chest? Impressive, you really put your all into it, how you''re still here is beyond me. Maybe you''re a ghost in the sword!" The beauty in front of him seemed rather happy at the thought, despite how she feigned a graceful atmosphere, she must have been quite lonely alone all these years. Lineir was unbelieving though, "Something''s definitely wrong here, I can''t be dead... ahh jeez look at that black liquid getting inside of the hole, that''s definitely going to be infected."


    "I''m telling you, you''re dead, nobody short of the immortal level could survive what you just did, look even the White Horizon Sect thinks you''re dead. Just accept that you''re stuck here in the sword with me and we will wait until somebody worthy comes along just like you did in a few decades." Lineir panicked then,


    "I can''t be dead, what will happen to my sister! For that matter, there were so many things I wanted to do in life, once I sold you, I was going to be rich, and live happily ever after!" He was naturally, not able to accept that he was dead despite the evidence in front of him. The two began bickering naturally, to be honest, Lineir had given up hope. His body was definitely dead and not only was his heart not beating, it might not even be there anymore it had been completely destroyed by his suicidal actions. There wasn''t much else to do but argue, it distracted from being dead. Unbeknownst to both of them however, the image Mei had summoned was still projecting, and something very interesting was happening. As undead blood slowly seeped into Lineir''s crushed heart, it began to take solid form. Strand after strand of liquid weaved around inside of his body and soon it took a shape. This shape was something the two would recognize if they could see it but they were too busy bickering. It was the undead heart! A small miniature version had formed in Lineir''s chest cavity and after it did, the cavity slowly closed, a black scab covering the cut.


    As they were arguing, suddenly Lineir''s mental form winked out and the beauty was left alone,


    "Hey, where''d you go? Did the reaper finally take you?"


    Lineir opened his eyes and stared around. He was surrounded by black liquid and yet he didn''t feel particularly bad. As a matter of fact, for a dead man, he felt pretty amazing. He immediately reached down and grabbed his chest looking for the hole. With shock he found a black scab where the hole had been and gasped. Or tried to, there was no air in his lungs. Flipping himself upward, he took a huge breath of air, floating on top of the blood pool. A few short strokes and he found himself climbing out of the filthy pit for the third time in two days.


    "Mei, what the hell is going on, I was dead! Yet now I''m here... and this..." pointing at the hole in his chest now just a dark black patch.


    "I don''t know either, kiddo, this is a first even for me. I''ve seen a lot of things, but I was sure you were dead." Lineir continued to feel his chest, and then froze,


    "I don''t have a pulse! What is going on! Could I be.... undead?"


    "That''s impossible, you had no heart, there is no way you would rise as the undead no matter how much death Qi is here... unless... no! Those old bastards dare chase even this far!?" Mei who was currently fused into Lineir''s blood found it a simple matter to see what was going on his heart region.


    " HAHAHAHAHA, those old bastards really overestimated themselves this time, this shouldn''t be possible, but apparently it is. The undead heart we slew before was created by those old bastards who chased me through the heavens. I thought I destroyed them, but who would have thought that some of the undead filth actually still retained a free will! When your freshly dead body was flung into the pool, it must have entered you then and immediately built a new heart. However, this heart is not beating because it''s of an undead nature, if this continues your mind will die and you will become a mindless undead just like any other.


    Fortunately, I am with you. I am skilled in the arts of manipulating darkness. It should be a simple matter for me to gain control of this thing from within you. This''ll only take a moment." A second later Lineir felt a huge pain in his chest as if an electrical current was running through him, and a second later a mighty thump in his chest so loud he could actually hear it came out. Then again, and again, until it was inaudible.


    "Got it on the first try! I''m just too good, I''m not even a healer and I brought somebody back from the dead...!" Lineir was jubilant as well,


    "So does this mean I''ll be okay?" Mei took a moment before answering excitedly,


    "Better than ok, there''s no way your body would have survived without a working heart for so long if I hadn''t already worked on it and used so many forbidden techniques. However, since I managed to take control of this new heart, I am now part of it, I can even manipulate your heart, look!" Lineir staggered as suddenly his returned heartbeat faltered and missed a step.


    "Ow!"


    "Sorry, my mistake, but the point is that your new heart is quite durable, there''s an unusual amount of death Qi in it. Given time, I might even find a way to harness this energy... but for now, just know that you have been given a second chance at life. Don''t waste it this time, remember, the White Horizon Sect absolutely cannot know your alive, they won''t be fooled again." Lineir sighed. His life just kept getting more and more difficult. But then he smiled.


    "You''re forgetting something Mei-Mei, my gambit worked again, you have to admit, your disciple has promise Mei-Mei."


    "SHUT UP THERE''S NO WAY YOU COULD HAVE KNOWN!!!"

 12 The Bone Scythes Appear

    An irate Mei was trying to persuade Lineir to see reason,


    "Disciple, look here, the White Horizon Sect is still on high alert, trying to sneak back into the city is folly. You would do well to leave off and take the road. Give me a few years and you can come back and make that city yours for all I care, just don''t waste all the energy I have spent pouring Qi into your meridians on something so trivial as a family trip!"


    However, Lineir was not convinced,


    "I''m sorry master, but I need to at least show my sister that I am alive. She must be worried sick, and she''ll no doubt cause quite the ruckus looking for me. The White Horizon Sect may even catch wind of this and suspect that she may be related to me! I must tell her what has occurred before I can leave this city. Hence, I beg of you, help me enter the city!" He begged.


    Mei grudgingly agreed realizing that this youth who had often disobeyed her would not bend in the slightest in this matter.


    "Fine, I''ll help you get in. However, you absolutely must go straight in and out. No matter what she says, we must leave immediately. Word of this will not stay contained in this little city no matter how the elders of the White Horizon Sect might try. The Greater Sects of this continent should have ears and eyes willingly reporting to them everywhere. Tell your sister some semblance of what happened, leave out most of it, she doesn''t need to know and it will only endanger her, and then let us be on our way!"


    Like a creeping panther, Lineir crawled on his belly out the old city.


    "I have to keep following the wall until I get to the Eastern Gate, if I come in from the Western Gate, questions will be raised and I might be suspected of having come from the deadzone. Master, do you have any idea how I can get in without my face being recognized by the guards? I might be suspected dead, but I''m sure after all I''ve done that a young man such as myself will be suspiciously regarded by any guard no matter which gate I come in."


    "Kiddo, your master may have lost a lot of precious energy... as a matter of fact a FORTUNE OF ENERGY FOR YOUR SAKE... but some uncultivated guards are less than nothing to me. Small fry will be small fry, just approach the gate quietly without raising suspicion, and then relax and let me do the rest." Mei''s voice suddenly got extremely wicked pricking Lineir''s suspicions.


    "Mei mei... you weren''t planning on doing anything... fatal to those guards were you? They''re just drafted to serve the White Horizon Sect, they have no choice in the matter. They might even be somebody I know!"


    Lineir quickly inquired, he, after all that had happened, was still just a youth.


    "Of course I was planning on killing them. How else are we supposed to get in! If you have a problem with your master''s methods, get in yourself then!" Mei had not a trace of guilt in her words. Lineir sighed, this was going to be tricky. His clothes were covered in filth and smelled wretched. Furthermore, he dared not cover his face with his shirt, which would expose the wicked black scar across his chest. Finally, he settled on a plan.


    "There''s no other way, seeing my sister is more important than my dignity!" He quickly stripped off his pants and covered his face. With that, he was ready and headed to the gates clad below in only his underwear. Lineir found himself slowly walking by the guards in only his underpants, for all the world looking like some poor sop who had had far too much to drink and fallen many times as drunks do. The guards, as well as Mei were snickering endlessly.


    "Kiddo, I have to admit, your ingenuity knows no bounds. But your master questions your taste. Perhaps I shouldn''t be empowering somebody of such a vulgar nature at such a young age. I fear what would happen when you grow up." The guards as well were holding their sides in laughter.


    "Drink a little too much last night and get on the wrong side of someone? Perhaps you ran afoul of some robbers? You are quite bold to come waltzing in here with your pants on your head. Be careful in the city, some old man might take a liking to you in that attire!" With that, Lineir almost made it in to the city. Of course, the path is rarely so straight and level.


    "Wait, young man, you look a little young to be drinking. Come here and let me see your face for a second." Lineir''s heart began to beat faster. He had been so close. Bathump, Bathump....


    "Look, do you want to humiliate me when I''m down on my luck? Just let me go home and change, my wife will be looking for me." Lineir hoped the casual mention of a wife would help make him appear older. Mei, despite the situation was still laughing endlessly,


    "My, my, don''t get caught for underage drinking! That would be terrible, your family will be so ashamed!" She stopped laughing however when suddenly the guard whipped out his sword from it''s sheath and leveled it at Lineir''s throat.


    "No, I don''t think you''re quite old enough to have a wife yet. As a matter of fact, you look remarkably similar to another youth I saw a few days ago. Somebody who brought the dead hammering on the city gates and caused quite a bit of trouble. There''s even a reward out for this person. You wouldn''t happen to have come from the deadzone would you?"


    With that, he took a slow step closer. Lineir''s heart began to beat even faster, each thump feeling like it would hammer out of his chest. He had never had this sort of feeling before the events of last night. In the past he had always kept his cool but right now he couldn''t seem to control himself.


    "Master, you''re controlling this undead heart of mine right? Could you slow it down a little? I''m getting a little shaky here, it''s kind of hard to lie like this." Mei however was stumped.


    "It''s not me kiddo, this heart is acting up to your fear. I can''t slow it down without stopping it, and you don''t want that. You''ll just have to bear it. Hold strong and find a way out or let me take over like you should have from the beginning, you''re still too soft, at your age I killed without hesitation."


    Badump, Badump, BADA, BADA, BADA, BADA


    His heart was completely out of control. As the guard reached him, his sword a few feet from Lineir''s throat Lineir turned and faced him. "Pull your pants from your face kid. If you''re innocent, you can be on your way after I get a good look. What the hell is that crap on you anyway, it almost looks like... blood..." The pants slipped off of Lineir''s face then and the guard''s eyes widened as his sword came ever closer.


    BADA, BADA, BADA, BADUMP, BADUMP


    Heart going crazy Lineir shouted,


    "Mei-Mei, don''t kill them!"


    At that moment however, something strange happened. As the guard''s sword came to his throat, Lineir''s eyes followed the wicked steel''s arcing path, the world seeming to slow down. He leaned backwards, and the sword passed over his head by inches, yet at the crawling speed the sword was moving in Lineir''s eyes, those inches might as well have been miles. A huge wrenching pain came from his chest, and then his arms felt like they were being ripped out of their sockets. an enormous curving sickle of bone shot out from his right elbow, following his forearm before ending a good six inches past his fingertips. His hands outstretched and waving in the wind from dodging the guard''s attack, the bony attachment immediately sliced through the guard''s throat. At that moment, another guard behind yelled out in astonishment and rushed at Lineir. To him, this guard might as well have been walking. As the guard''s sword came towards him, a second bone sickle erupted from his left elbow and his arm outstretched automatically towards the rapidly approaching man''s chest so that the guard impaled himself on the sickle, face twisted in shock.


    "You... you....!"


    Lineir, speechless, immediately ran off into the city terrified of what had just occurred.


    "Master! I told you not to kill them!" Mei said slowly,


    "Foolish kid, I was going to... but you killed them before I could do anything..."

 13 Parting, Promise, and The Path

    The first thing Lineir did was sprint home. The bone scythes on his arm terrified him to no end. They were inside of him, but he didn''t control them! They just popped out without him meaning to draw them. The expressions on the guard''s faces. Utter shock and disbelief as they were killed! Lineir couldn''t get them out of his head. He ran and ran with only the desire to reach somewhere safe from accusing eyes.


    "Disciple! Your path is too linear, you need to take a few side routes at least! If you head directly to your house, it will be too easy to trace your steps! What happened was not your fault, and I would have put those men down anyway! Calm down or those blades in your arm will keep coming out and give the game away!" Mei frantically urged Lineir to at least have some forethought. For once, Lineir listened, and he quickly ducked down several side alleys, taking an indirect route to his house. Once there, he realized he had long since lost his key after the events of the last couple days. He grew more and more panicked as nobody answered the door despite his furious knocking.


    "Where is she! I need to know if she''s okay!"


    "Kid, this sister of yours, she probably has a job right? It''s still early in the evening, she''s probably working." Lineir realized he had been unreasonable and thought it over.


    "You''re right, she''s probably at the bar, even with me missing she has to keep working or else she wouldn''t be able to eat! Let''s go!" Lineir finally calmed down a little, and the bone scythes on his arms which had been oscillating in and out of his elbows slowly slid back under his skin with an uncomfortable smoothness.


    "Kid, you need to change first, I''m sure there''s another way into your house, it''s hardly the height of security. Look at yourself, if you brought yourself to a bar right now you''d be letting the whole city know you''re the killer!"


    The word killer echoed throughout Lineir''s mind over and over. He quickly and without complaint went around the back and climbed up the side of the apartment. Entering his compartment through the broken window, he changed and headed back out, looking haggard and smelling of unknown substances, but at least visually less suspicious.


    A quick jog and he arrived at his sister''s inn, the Green Goose Nest. Walking in, he immediately saw his sister busily serving drinks at the bar. When she turned and saw him, her pinched brows straightened and curled into a huge smile,


    "Little Brother, you''re okay! Manager, my brother who has been missing finally turned up, can I take a moment? The manager, a heavy-browed woman eyed Lineir and nodded.


    "Make it quick, drinks don''t serve themselves!" With that she headed with Lineir around the back.


    "Little brother, where have you been this whole time? Why do you smell like filth, good god, is that blood? Are you hurt?!!!" ignoring the fact that Lineir smelled atrocious she immediately began patting him all over looking for the source of the blood.


    "Sister, just listen for a second okay? I''m not hurt, I just need to say some things." His sister''s worried expression only grew deeper, "What happened?"


    "Look, I''ve been outside the city, and some things happened. I can''t tell you much, but look, we''ve only had each other ever since he left. I can''t say much, but I need to leave, and I don''t think I will be able to come back for a very long time." With that, Yiu''s face grew pale,


    "What are you saying little brother, we''ve always been together, is it the money? Don''t worry, I can feed you even if you can''t find anything outside the city, you don''t need to worry yourself about that!"


    "No sister, it''s not the money. This is serious, you have to listen closely, I need to go. I offended some big people, and you absolutely must not allow anyone to know I was gone. It would be better to pretend that you didn''t have a brother from now on. Both our lives depend on it!" Lineir was crafty, he avoided saying anything which would really give Yiu a sense of what was going on, while simultaneously implying that if she said anything, not only she, but he would be in trouble. Yiu might endanger herself, but she would never put Lineir in danger.


    "Just remember that I''ll be back one day, and when that time comes, we will never be hungry again, and tell no one! I''m sorry!!" With that he turned, breaking out of her grasp and ran off as she called his name.


    "****, I''m such a bad brother, but it''s for her own good. Leaving her alone like that, nothing had better happen to her while I''m gone!"


    Mei had no snide comments to say,


    "You did the right thing, right now there''s only one thing for you to do, and that''s get out of this city as fast as possible. If they haven''t discovered the bodies yet, then they will soon. When that happens, security will be tightened and you will be in deep trouble. If you can get out before then, you should be able to disappear with no one the wiser. If your sister is smart, she''ll follow your advice, as painful as it might be, and she''ll be fine. The best thing you can for her is to go!"


    Though Lineir''s heart was beating fast, and he feared those dreadful blades would come sliding out of his flesh, his passage was uneventful through the gates. The guards were actually extremely distracted,


    "I heard that the guards at the Eastern gate were murdered! I can''t believe something like that would happen in our small Brackenrock City. Truly, between this and the undead I wonder what will become of our city?"


    They were staring off at the Eastern gate as if trying to see what was there. Lost in a small group of wagons and men Lineir quickly progressed through the Western gate and was on his way out. From there, he had to make a choice.


    "Mei-Mei, where should I go? The path splits in three here, which direction do you think is best?" There was a sign. The leftmost branch said, "Adriassia City" the middle, "Beltearas City", and the right, "Deltoir Fords and Dracherus City"


    Mei was no help however,


    "Kid, the world is vast, and might I remind you that I don''t come from around here? I know of little here, and I''ll leave the navigating to you. However, if you want my opinion, I would avoid cities for now. You''re too conspicuous and cities are poor places to cultivate for the poor. You want to get strong and be able to return for your sister right? In a city there are far too many people sucking up and blocking the natural Qi. Only the rich can afford the cultivation resources in cities. A rat like you is much better off in the wilderness. I have an extensive knowledge of how to survive alone. I promise that if you follow my instructions, you won''t die in all likelihood, and you''ll grow strong faster."


    "Alright master, I hope you aren''t just saying empty words as I will stake my life on them. I have heard that there is a great wilderness which can be accessed near Dracherus City. We''ll head along that route!" So saying, he headed off to the right. Little did Lineir know though...that this would be the beginning of an epic journey!

 14 Coincidence

    The path was more or less straight with a few small bends that corrected themselves within a few hundred meters. A glorious midday sun shined down on Lineir''s black hair like heaven''s blessing, filling him with warmth and renewed desire to continue on his path. As he went, he would periodically close his eyes for a straight stretch of road and meditate, attempting to probe the inner workings of his body. As Mei said,


    "When you have mastered meditation, you will be able to fully control your body. While these bone blades of yours'' are very strange, I''m almost one hundred percent certain that you can control them with practice. It seems to me, that when your heart gets excited, they come out, but I imagine they are a side effect of the undead heart in you and some of the more volatile forbidden techniques I used to mold your body. Only with practice and a steady mind will you be able to fully overcome this. Until then, you should avoid getting too close to people. If you become threatened, you may unconsciously attack them, whether you want to or not. Additionally, these blades of yours are very strong and contain a portion of the death Qi in your heart. Even if you catch yourself at the last moment and prevent a fatal blow, the resulting transfer of Qi will likely be poison to even some cultivators, let alone those who walk the path of mortals. Stay strong and quickly learn to control yourself. When you do, you will have gained a powerful weapon which you can rely on, rather than a liability!"


    While Mei made this sound like an eventuality, the task was far from easy. While Lineir tried to control his heart rate and look inside himself for the source of the death Qi, the blades would often slide out randomly, and once when he tripped after having his eye''s closed for too long, the adrenaline rush made the blades come all the way out and he almost fell on his own sickles. However, Lineir was merciless on himself. After the killing of the guards he had become fearful of what his body was capable of. Had he been in more control, perhaps there would not have been a need to kill the guards which were only following orders. Mei insisted that he had not done anything wrong but regardless Lineir didn''t want to ever lose control again like that.


    Persevering, after three lonely days and nights on the path, Lineir lost his fear of being followed and gained a modicum of control over these strange weapons of his. Now, at least, he was capable of sheathing and drawing them at will. However, Mei, sensing Lineir''s satisfaction quickly took him down a notch yelling in his mind suddenly and unexpectedly. Lineir, surprised immediately jumped and the blades slid out again.


    "What was that for!"


    "Don''t grow so satisfied with such basic control. You''re still a threat to anyone around you. It looks like these blades are still automatically reacting to anything which is close to you. If you were near a person, even if they weren''t the ones causing you danger, those blades would attack them first. Only when you can stay calm under any and all pressure will you have mastered yourself and be ready to be near people."


    Lineir, could only agree after seeing this demonstration, and resolved himself to meditate some more. As such, his progress was very slow, even though he could walk faster than most uncultivated people now since his body empowered after being touched by so many forbidden techniques. However, on the fourth night, something unexpected happened. Travelers came on the dusty road, a small group of five people on a wagon from behind Lineir. They hailed him when their wagon got close.


    "Greetings friend, why are you walking alone? Don''t you know that it is unsafe to travel without a group? There is safety in numbers and this way at least if you meet a group of bandits or even a magical beast, you may have a chance of surviving. Come, somebody as young as you shouldn''t be traveling alone, join us up here and enjoy a leisurely ride."


    Lineir frowned slightly before covering it up with a quick smile.


    "Kiddo, you shouldn''t go with them, based on how they came from behind they may have come from Brackenrock city also. If you travel with them they may find you suspicious and guess that you are the troublemaker!" Lineir however had different ideas and hopped onto the wagon with nary a second thought!


    "Thank you elder brother, it is truly dangerous to travel alone, I am most glad for your offer, every night I sleep cold and afraid for my life!" So saying, he was introduced to the five and settled in. Mei however was outraged,


    "Why did you agree, you''re not even going to Dracherus city, they will find it exceedingly odd when you don''t enter the city!"


    "It''s okay Mei-Mei, they would have found it more odd if I didn''t take up this excellent chance. Furthermore, if I travel in a group, I am less suspicious to anyone else on the road. As long as I keep calm and avoid saying anything odd, I should be able to travel more safely and comfortably at the same time." Mei was silent for a moment, resigned she simply said,


    "Look, I don''t have a problem with this decision, but remember kid, you''re still not completely in control of those scythes of yours, if something happens, you must remember to stay calm and avoid showing those things. Not only would that alert everyone to something strange, you may even hurt someone innocent in doing so. While I don''t care, I''m sure you''d feel guilty and this would impact your training. Pretend to be a sleepyhead and meditate as much as you can!"


    Thus, Lineir kept his head down and avoided associating too much with his fellow travelers. Fortunately, this was relatively common, and they didn''t feel offended. Indeed, it would have probably been weirder if Lineir had been oddly social, as he did not hide his lack of desire to socialize they were actually reassured that he was just some random person who mean''t them no harm. In that way, he continued, spending long periods of time with a strip of cloth over his eyes meditating and trying to control his breathing.


    After a few days, he felt a change as his whole being suddenly felt hot. His heart rate also increased, but at this point he wasn''t too worried about such a minor thing, his control was too great to be bothered by that. Instead, he wondered what was going on, his body was excited, as if anticipating something instinctively, yet he himself had no idea what had triggered the reaction.


    "Mei-Mei, what did I have for breakfast? Something must have been bad, my body feels weird."


    "Excellent kid, so you''ve noticed huh? What you''re feeling is the beginning of your inner elements forming in your veins. Now that you''ve begun to meditate so much, your body has naturally begun to absorb elemental energy and you are becoming attuned to the Heavens and Hell. This obviously would be impossible with only a few days of cultivation at your age normally, however with all the forbidden techniques imbued in your body and my guidance, how could you not begin to enter the path of immortals? Sooner or later, you will be tested by your elements, and should you pass, which you will with me around, your body will be allowed the right to form an elemental core and you will officially have taken the first step towards cultivation. Come, continue meditating, the faster you reach this first step, the safer you will be."


    Lineir shrugged and kept meditating, though he felt peakish, he wasn''t sick but actually becoming more powerful! Who would stop here?


    "Hey kid, you okay, you''ve been quiet a long time." A hand roughly shook Lineir''s shoulder and brought him out of his meditative state. Oddly enough, he almost felt like he had felt the touch coming before it came. It seemed like the more he meditated, and the greater control he gained over himself, the more attuned he became to even small changes in his environment. As he pulled the cloth on his eyes back, he squinted as he found himself looking directly at the setting evening sun,


    "Sorry, I''m always tired. Where are we?"


    The man who had invited Lineir aboard didn''t mind, he had grown used to this. The other travelers paid them no mind at all, their group was not very close and mostly traveling together for safety.


    "We''ve almost reached Deltoir Fords, as planned we should make it before nightfall and be safely at the Nine Heart''s Inn." Lineir nodded his head in thanks, but then felt a little panic. He didn''t have any money! The man seeing his look immediately guessed what was bothering him.


    "I''m gonna say you don''t have much in the way of money huh? Don''t worry, you can stay in the stables with the horse even without paying. It''ll be warmer and safer than outside and you can come with us in the morning, I assume you''re going to Dracherus City." Lineir nodded, it was more or less his goal.


    "Alright, that''s it right up head, just in time, the sun''s almost gone. I''ll arrange things with the owner, you go in with the others and enjoy a meal on me, such a young man needs to eat to grow strong!" Shaking his head in dismay at Lineir''s skinny frame, he quickly disembarked and strode towards the inn. Lineir looked at the other travelers who looked at him with varying expressions of disinterest.


    "Can''t say no to a free meal..."


    Inside the Nine Heart''s Inn, it was much cleaner than the inn his sister Yiu had worked at. This was probably because it was just in a small village and didn''t receive all the rough and dirty crowd which attended the inns in cities. Nicely aged oak boards lined the floors and walls, and a cheerful fire burned in the corner casting the room in a bright glow. The inn was only about half full, and the owner had no qualms with Lineir staying in the stables, it was a common arrangement. When the food came out, everyone at their table wolfed it down quickly, they hadn''t eaten in quite a few hours and the hot food was far better than the hard biscuits and wild meat they had been eating on the road. The neighboring table however, had more ale in them then on the table and was wildly discussing the latest news. Lineir paled at the topic of their discussion, though he had been somewhat expecting it.


    "Would you believe it? Two guards murdered at the same time in Brackenrock city, and nobody knows who the murderer was!"

 15 Unspeakable Elemen

    "You know what the scariest part is? Have you ever heard of the deadzone? It''s basically a big graveyard after the great battle in the heavens decimated the old city. A little while before the guards were murdered, several members of the White Horizon Sect died at a different gate! And they died from undead from the deadzone, lured over by some foolish man." The man''s companion was incredulous,


    "Impossible, the members of the White Horizon Sect, while only a branch family of the greater sects, are still cultivators. To suggest that a few undead could hurt them is preposterous. They''d have to be middle ranked undead at the very least!" The original spreader of the rumor, clearly intoxicated boasted out to the whole inn,


    "It was a higher undead! And I heard from my cousin that when the sect caught the man who had caused the incident, they not only killed him, but they actually killed him in the deadzone!" The man''s companion''s eyes narrowed,


    "So what? Why is this a big deal? Of course that would happen to anyone stupid enough to do such a thing and get caught." Lineir was face palming on the inside, hearing what had happened from the perspective of an outsider, what he had done did sound really stupid.


    "Well, obviously the deadzone is filled with undead. When they killed him there, he would have died with a grudge! What if he resurrected as a hungry ghost and killed those guards, and is even now, lurking in the city waiting to take revenge on the Sect!" The man at this point was yelling so loud that people were openly glaring at him. The manager quickly walked over, but before he could do anything the man had already collapsed face down onto the table. His companion apologetically tipped a few extra coins and bought a round of drinks for the rest of the inn before carrying off his friend to his room. Lineir''s patron, noticed that he was very pale,


    "You''re not actually scared young man? It''s just some drunk with ghost stories. Happens all the time, you should just focus on eating more, you''ve barely touched your plate. Once you put on a few pounds you''ll be a real man and you won''t worry about these wild stories! Look, I''ve got great news, you don''t have to sleep out in the stables. The owner here knows me well, and has agreed that since his inn is only half full, you can have a room on the house. Just be sure to spread the word of the Nine Heart Inn''s generosity okay? You''ll be safe in there, I''ll be in the next room over and no ghosties are gonna get you." Lineir sighed, unable to explain the real reason why he was scared to the well meaning man.


    Mei, had also noticed Lineir''s discomfort,


    "Relax kiddo, nobodies going to connect that story with you. It was just a coincidence, go to your room and meditate if you''re so worried." Lineir, realizing that there was little to be gained by socializing, quickly finished his food and excused himself. Entering his complimentary room, a small affair, but cozy with clean sheets and a window overlooking the stables, he couldn''t complain. Immediately, he locked his room and sat on the bed to meditate. Looking deep inside himself, he immediately grew hot again as natural energies trickled in as if they were waiting for him.


    "Keep it up kiddo, a lil more and you should be tested by the elements. Ignore everything else and focus only on seeing what''s inside of you!"


    Gradually, Lineir began to peirce the veil of darkness which he normally saw when he closed his eyes. Deep inside of him, he almost saw, but more felt, it was hard to explain, a little movement. It was just a gentle tug, like the touch of a child, but it led him deeper inside himself. At that moment, energy burst into him, first shocking yellow currents, then a deep all encompassing dark black, and finally a crimson red which shone even amongst the black. The energy entered through his pores and began to circulate all throughout his veins.


    "Excellent, excellent, the test has arrived, you must stay calm, and envision the energy. Can you see it? Take it, and feel it, now that it has entered you, you must make it yours. Is there more than one color?" Lineir was too focused on the task at hand to answer, but Mei seemed to pick up on a positive cue from him,


    "Good, good, that means you have more than one element. Elements can be gained later on, but that takes time, and the ones you first receive will usually be your greatest strengths. It is a great advantage to have more than one."


    Lineir looked deep inside himself and could practically feel the energies movements, it moved as if it wanted to be controlled, the reason it was circulating so wildly everywhere was because it was searching for direction, someone to take it over. With a mental tug, he guided the surging yellow energy to his internal center, where that childlike tugging motion was. Instantly, when the energy and that slight motion met, the yellow was sucked in and the gentle tug became a strong hungry pull. Lineir felt a growing crackling power inside him as the energy was stored and bent to his will. He was connected, and it was part of him, as much a part of him as an arm or leg. He was master and it was willing to serve him.


    "Excellent, you''ve managed to pass the test and connect with one of these energies. Now try another!"


    This time Lineir tried the black one. Once again, it seemed to want to be directed, but at first Lineir couldn''t quite feel it, he couldn''t see it completely. When he focused on it more, gradually it too began to be guided to the tug in his internal center, which had become more of a strong pull. When the two touched, it was immediately sucked in as the yellow had and Lineir was bonded with it.


    Finally, he tried the red. However, this time, it was different. The red refused to be guided into his center no matter how hard he tried. Mei called out impatient,


    "What''s going on Kiddo, you should have been done by now. By my estimates you should have two done now, is the third giving you trouble?"


    Lineir tried one last time to grasp a feeling of the red but it evaded him, and continued to frustratingly remain diffuse in his veins, stubbornly refusing to enter his center.


    "I can''t get the last one to enter my center, I can''t feel it at all!"


    "That''s okay kiddo, sometimes this happens, it will come eventually, be it a day, a year, or a century, if you live long enough. Tell me what were the colors of the elements which you got? I can tell you more if I know." Lineir described the vivid yellow and deep black.


    "As I expected, since I am fused in your veins, you are naturally inclined towards my main elements. The yellow is the devastating power of elemental lightning! As for the black, it is the strange and variable power of darkness! However, what is the color of the third, if I''m not mistaken this third color should represent your original attribute, and be unrelated to me. Lineir replied truthfully,


    "It was red. A crimson red which pervaded everything." Mei was silent for a long, long time. "Hello? Mei-Mei, did you fall asleep? Do you even sleep?" Lineir questioned. Finally, after some time Mei asked with a serious voice,


    "Disciple, you are telling the truth right, you''re not color blind and telling me random stories? You saw red?" Lineir irate replied, "What reason would I have to tell stories, of course I know what is in my own veins, though I cannot guide this energy to my heart. What element is this?" Mei, hearing this refused to answer,


    "Interesting.... I can''t tell you until you master this energy and gain control of it. Until then, just train diligently in my elements." Lineir felt something was suspicious,


    "Is there something wrong with red? Why are you so offhand all of a sudden. You only needed to know the colors of the others, don''t tell me a great expert such as yourself has no explanation, master?" Mei was obstinate though,


    "Just trust your master and don''t speak of it again until you fuse with it. Now, see if you can feel the inside of your center again. Having passed the first test, you should now have the most crucial part of any cultivator, the Second Inner Heart. Or in your case, I guess the third heart, since you already lost your first heart and gained a second undead heart." Lineir felt this joke was obviously covering something up, but he let it go. There was no point prodding her, he might as well just wait to fuse with the red energy.


    At that moment there was a great crashing noise and the floor was violently shaken. Glancing through the window Lineir saw that the stable was aflame! A call from the hallway came,


    "Guests, fire! The stable is on fire! Help put it out quickly! Before it spreads!" Immediately doors banged open as guests raced out to answer the call. Lineir staring out his window noticed a dark shape furtively bound away from the stables. A furious knocking on his door came along with the voice of the patron,


    "Young man, quick, come help, the owner of the inn needs our help to put out a fire!" Lineir sprung up, he could hardy ignore the debt owed to the owner. With a quick dash, he was still dressed, he was out the door and joining the line of people forming to carry water to the fire.

 16 Burning_____

    Title withheld until the end to avoid spoilers.


    Also, this chapter is retribution for the most unfortunate grievance against nature I may or may not have accidentally committed last night.


    Lineir quickly joined his spot in the fire-line, passing buckets to squelch out the fire. The stable had lit up like a giant candle with all the hay inside and was burning steadily. Even so with so many strong mercenaries and determined managers it was quickly put out. While many of the members of the line were hungover not a single bucket was dropped and a minimum of sloshing ensued. It was unspoken rule that everyone helped put out fires, as fires were a quick spreading affair in such a small town where the most common building material was timber. It helped that a lot of the horses had shied away to one side of the stable and if the fire wasn''t put out it would have begun to threaten these expensive animals. Even before the first tinges of dawn seeped into the sky, the fire was little more than a steaming heap of hay.


    "Thank you so much for your help customers, please go inside and refresh yourselves, breakfast will be free for all who participated in saving our livelihoods!"


    With that, the line dispersed and everyone tottered back to their rooms to clean up. Lineir however, unnoticed crept away in a different direction. That dark figure he had seen last night had almost seemed to smolder in the night. He was sure that whatever it was it had been responsible for the fire. Using his increased speed, he quickly separated from the crowd, and located the path of the culprit.


    On the ground, were little black flecks of burnt grass. They came in patches and were separated by a distance of two to three meters. Obviously, they were tracks, and whatever had made them must have been leaping incredibly far with each bounding step to have left such a gap between each step. The odd thing was however, the flecks were tiny, either the culprit was ridiculously small, or it was so fast its feet barely sunk into the ground when it landed. Lineir shuddered at the thought of something that fast. However, he was intensely curious, and Mei hadn''t said anything against it so he continued to follow the tracks. He had entered the nearby woods, and the tree trunks were still widely spaced out at the fringes of the forest. With a start, he realized the burning tracks had disappeared. Had the culprit climbed up a tree?


    "If the tracks ended here and the culprit climbed up a tree... that would mean it''s right above me!" Instantly Lineir''s head shot upwards as Mei screeched in alarm.


    Nothing was above him, just empty branches.


    "Kiddo, I sense a great concentration of Qi flickering below you!" Looking down, Lineir saw that behind the tree, was a large hole, a meter across, completely blackened as if scoured by fire. As he approached he grew tense. He allowed his bony blades to slide out to their fullest. There was no one to see them here and it would be best to be prepared for anything. Staring deep into the blackness of the hole, he noticed a glowing orb.


    "What the heck is that?" It started to grow in size, and Lineir realized with a start that it was coming closer. Backing up, he fell over as the orb grew and grew and became an orange ball of fire which blasted out of the hole and passed over his head, the heat singing his eyebrows as it went.


    "Da **** is that a rabbit?"


    Indeed, the thing which had passed over Lineir could be described as such. It was in fact, a burning bunny with flaming fur. It was only about two palm sizes in length, but the flames on its body stretched out another good three palms and it had sprung from the hole past Lineir and then some in one glorious bound. As it stared into his eyes, Lineir realized it only had one orange eye which seemed to swirl with molten heat. The other eye was tightly squeezed shut and the flaming aura around it failed to extend over this eye. Quivering one last time, it sprinted off into the forest at a furious pace which Lineir couldn''t hope to match.


    "Kiddo, I''ve seen a lot of things, but I''ve never seen such a cute bunny! You absolutely have to come back when you are stronger and catch it!"


    Afterwards, Lineir didn''t say anything when he returned to the inn, and everyone was too sleepy from the events of the night to bother noticing that he came from outside. Sharing in a hearty free breakfast he truly felt quite blessed,


    "A free room, and two free meals, my luck is quite good!" In the morning there were only a few hardcore drunks who would drink. Thus there was no loud incidents like last night and Lineir was able to happily have a care-free meal. Afterwards, the five travelers and Lineir bade the inn owner goodbye, with Lineir thanking him profusely for the hospitality. He didn''t bring up the flaming rabbit however. There was nothing to be done about that anyway, even if the owner did know, only a cultivator could take care of such a creature. After paying, the head of the wagon quickly checked with everyone and decided to head out immediately for Dracherus City.


    "Alright kid, I know you''re going to want to sleep the rest of the way, at your age I always wanted to nap as well, it''ll be another four days before we come upon the city, I''ll call you out for meal times."


    Little did the wagon leader know that in fact Lineir hadn''t slept at all these last days! Instead of sleeping, he had actually been meditating furiously, and he no longer needed sleep to maintain his mental state. The only time he needed to sleep would be when extremely exhausted, or if his body needed to recuperate after suffering a grievous injury. Otherwise, meditation was far better for his long term cultivation!


    "Kiddo, you remember my attack on the undead heart right? That attack was an imitation of my ultimate technique which utilizes the horrifying weight of darkness combined with the suddenness of lightning''s accumulation. At the time, I only had some darkness Qi which I had slowly been accumulating, there was no way for me to gather substantial lightning without a body. Indeed, the only reason I could gather darkness Qi was because I was leeching off of those in the undead heart. Since death Qi shares a similarity to darkness, I was able to quietly steal some for my own purposes. But make no mistake, while that fake attack of mine may have looked powerful, it is nowhere near as impressive as the true attack with both elements combined! You must carefully cultivate both the lightning and darkness elements inside of you. It''s not enough to simply absorb the energy, you must always seek greater understanding and control of the shape, form, and nature of these things. That way you will be able to use higher level techniques which cannot be formed just by throwing energy at the enemy!"


    Mei stressed the importance of not cultivating unconsciously. That was a trap which many amateur cultivators fell into. While their power base might rise quickly, if they didn''t also spend time trying to understand how to properly control this power it would be useless when they tried to apply it in battle.


    "In these four days, you won''t be able to practice externalizing your power, this wagon is too public. We''ll have to wait until you leave this group for that. However, you can still meditate, gather more energy, and practice circulating the energy throughout your body. Additionally, you have many forbidden techniques, an undead heart, and those bone scythes in your body. I am not sure how these will react to the circulation of energy, and this is the perfect time to get a feel for it. Use the time well, this group is fairly safe, you should be able to practice without fear of being eaten or robbed."


    Lineir unceasingly meditated, practiced circulating the lightning and darkness style energy, and occasionally tried to guide the mysterious and unruly red energy in his veins to his core. He only stopped for meals but otherwise placed a cloth strip over his eyes and laid back viewing his Second Heart and internal Qi paths. The Second Heart greedily sucked in energy from the surroundings, and Lineir had begun to notice a slight rotation, as if it was becoming a whirlpool. When he mentioned this to Mei, she was excited.


    "Good, good, as expected from my pupil, you have begun to reach the Early Storm Stage of cultivation. In essence, the Second Heart which forms the core of your inner self and is the place for your meridians and Qi paths to meet, has begun to spin slightly! This is important, you must try to always increase this spin. In doing so, the Qi in your center will be sucked inwards more and more. When this happens, it will grow exceedingly dense. The more dense it gets, the more pure it will be and the stronger effects it will display when you use it in battle. Furthermore, power attracts power. Like gravity, the more energy you have, the faster energy will be pulled in. This is why powerful experts can use powerful techniques and not tire. They have so much dense energy that they absorb far more energy than beginners and replenish it much faster. Thus, you have to increase the spin, the faster it spins, the more attractive you power will be, the more dense it will get, and the stronger the pull will get in an endless cycle. This is the basis for all standard cultivation."


    Fate, however, could hardly allow Lineir such an easy time to cultivate. There was a soft whoomph and Lineir, despite having his eyes covered, could see, or rather feel, that an arrow had shot into the wagon.


    "That was a warning shot, stop the wagon and come out with your hands up or we will kill you before taking what we want!"


    Chapter 16-Burning Bunny


    Please do comment if you have any suggestions!

 17 Everyday Choices

    Lineir felt the wagon grind to a halt. In a flash he had his hood removed from his eyes and was rapidly casting his gaze about, trying to find the culprits. All the members of the wagon turned to the head, the de facto leader and actual owner of the wagon. In the life of a traveler life or death decisions such as these were in fact everyday choices which had to be made. Only someone both lucky and wise could hope to survive in the long run. As the most experienced of the group, this man was naturally the one best suited to make the choice and every member gave his respect in the form of natural deference.


    "Amateurs. They want to take the horse alive. They can''t be one of the more established bandit groups. Shield your heads, we ride!"


    He lashed the horse and ducked beneath the sides of the wagon as every man immediately covered themselves. Naturally, now that the choice had been made, they were in it till the finish, the bandits would hardly show mercy at this point.


    "I told you we should have killed the horse first! Everyone, after them, take down that horse and board the wagon, there''s only six of them!" The same voice called out and the whole group quickly emerged from the forest, a dozen men rapidly pursuing. None were mounted, however the path had begun to enter a winding section and the horse with the heavy wagon was unable to change directions quickly. The men fell behind, but not very fast. From their rapidly approaching hands arrow after arrow was fired. However, this only proved their incompetence. Firing an arrow while running is a futile task and none even came close to the wagon.


    "See young man, I told you sticking with us was a good idea, if you had been alone on foot, you would have been robbed blind!" The middle aged leader chuckled as he clapped Lineir in the back. As this slap hit Lineir the older man stiffened, his face displaying shock. A dark jagged-headed arrow had penetrated straight through his chest, the tip coming out and spraying dark red drops on Lineir''s face.


    The man''s eyes, light fading, suddenly widened and he grabbed Lineir dragging him down and covering him with his own body. Thump after thump was heard. A few grunts and occasionally the body on top would jolt as new arrows would rain down. When it was over, Lineir staring around could see that the rest of the wagon was dead, the other travelers having nothing but their arms to try to pitifully cover their heads. Amazingly, the man above whispered to him one last time. His willpower was truly ferocious.


    "Sorry, this is all I can do for you, maybe if you hadn''t been traveling with us this wouldn''t have happened. Get away quickly, they''re after the treasure in our holds, not you...if you get the chance, tell the king of Dracherus what happened here. Warn him... that the time of end nears..."


    Before he could finish, his whispers dropped to nonsense and his head similarly thudded into Lineir''s skinny chest. Immediately, Lineir''s bone scythes sprang free of his flesh, his heart pounding sickeningly. They pierced the man''s body who had shielded him as if thirsty and they wanted to drink. The body was actually lifted off of Lineir slightly, and he tossed it away gently so that it slid off the blades with the rest of the dead crew, all skewered with countless black arrows. A dangerous look filled Lineir''s eyes and it almost felt like the air crackled around him and the light blackened.


    "Mei... you''re right, I am far too soft. I give you my permission to kill whoever did this in any way you wish. Make them suffer!"


    "Kiddo, I''m glad you''ve finally started seeing some sense. But think again. Did you count the number of hits? I did, there were 30 arrows fired in the span of 5 seconds. No mortal can pull off that kind of speed, whoever did it was definitely an unusual cultivator who specializes in speed and long range techniques. While I estimate that the barrage occurred from the left, the chances of us catching up to him are slim to none. At least not before you''re covered in arrows. At this stage in cultivation, you are at an inherent disadvantage against this type! I suggest you abandon the wagon and run, your life is far more important than any treasure and these men are already all dead!"


    Lineir''s rage cooled and his heart rate stabilized to a steady


    Thump..Thump..Thump..


    Like a raging tide overflowing the Yellow River''s banks, he was over the wagon side and gone. Instantly, arrow after arrow came at him, but he had an impression of danger every time, and even without looking back his arms would swing back and deflect the arrows with the bony scythes. Since he was running away from the archer at blinding speed, the arrows were only 3/4rths as fast as if they were coming at him standing still, relatively speaking. Had he been going towards the archer instead, they would have been far too fast to deflect. As it was, he was clearly getting away, each arrow came from further and further away. This archer was clearly no fool, he didn''t try to run and shoot at the same time.


    "Kid, you''re still too young. Tell me, what did you leave behind that would have been of great use here?" Lineir was stumped,


    "The treasure? I don''t even know what it is, and if it''s gold or something it''s probably too heavy to carry." Mei took this time as a lesson,


    "No kiddo, the most important thing in that wagon was the bodies! If you had taken one as a shield, with your new found strength, your escape would have been easy. The dead are dead, a body is just a body, use them. They are part of your environment, and when you one day have to fight in the midst of armies, this lesson will be invaluable. As it is, these bone scythes are really too convenient, and your reflexes are superb, better than they should be. You should not be able to escape completely unscathed. No matter, just take this as a lesson. If you were more powerful you could have avenged your friends promptly and this whole matter would be ended. You need more power."


    Lineir took Mei''s words to heart. The dead were dead, it was just that at the time he hadn''t even considered such a possibility. Not only was the option repulsive, it also was not something he could have done before he began cultivating. There was no way he could have simultaneously carried a body and ran at any great speed. He sighed, he truly was too weak and foolish, had Mei not been here, he would have rushed the archer in a blind rage. With the arrows coming towards him, and his own body moving at high speed dodging or blocking would have been nigh impossible. Foolish, he needed to keep a calm head in any situation.


    "Kid, just keep running for a little while, and then go find a hidden place to cultivate. Whoever shot those arrows must have found what they were looking for by now, they should have no interest in chasing a nobody like you. Furthermore, the threat of you, laying in ambush should deter a long range fighter from pursuing you. You should be safe to settle down now and pursue cultivation. Remember, our goal was never the city, even if that person were to chase you, they would expect you to head to Dracherus. Instead, angle yourself to the wilderness entrance. They will never expect that." Lineir felt he owed the man who had saved his life though,


    "What about that man''s last words though, he asked me to warn Dracherus if I had the chance, shouldn''t I head there first?" Mei was obstinate however,


    "No, you''re still far too weak. Such a trip wouldn''t profit you now. The dead are dead, and the treasure is long gone. It''s far too late to call for help now. Furthermore, if they are pursuing you, you would be playing right into their hands. You can come back when you''re stronger and finish that last request. You need more power first!"

 18 Donst Know Why She Never Came

    Please follow my account if you want news about my latest stories, as always I have more planned.


    Lineir did his best to drive the events of the last day out of his mind. However, he had learned useful lessons, and was harder than ever before. His resolve had toughened, and he knew that if he was threatened again, he would hardly hesitate to use force. The cost of hesitating... was innocent lives and Lineir''s own life! The world is full of both the hungry living which must eat each other to survive, and the hungry dead which hope to consume everything and regain their humanity. In such a cruel world, the only thing to do is to fight! Grow strong...fight...grow stronger...eat...consume...and survive! This philosophy which Lineir would previously have not been able to aspire to, was now his key.


    Through following this path, he would find his own power and those he cared about would never have to leave his side, never be hungry. This was his Third Heart! The first was his own physical undead heart. The second was the center of his cultivation and the nexus of the lines of power in his body, the Qi paths and meridians. The third however, could be said to be the most important. It was the center of his willpower and drive. Upon realizing these things, Lineir, seated in a grassy grove under an uprooted tree, immediately felt a sense of purpose and peace.


    While his path was one of warring, in knowing that he walked a path, he did not feel lost anymore. There was solidarity in this, and immediately his countenance changed. If there was anyone to witness this, it would have looked strange.


    His bearing straightened, and if before he could have been said to be a rat, now he was hardly that. His confidence in the restrained power in him, his path, and his teacher were now shown in him. Instead of a rat, it would be more accurate to say that he was a feral cat now, lean, savage, and willing to kill to survive. While it was still obvious he didn''t have the bearing of nobility, no one who looked closely could deny that his aura was an ordinary one. This was a man who did not just hide, he waited, he was no longer simply prey. Mei, sensing these changes, clapped in his head,


    "You found your path! Congratulations disciple, this forms the Third Heart of cultivation. Now that you know your way, you will not hesitate to act. Furthermore, the spin in your second heart will naturally increase as the elements recognize your drive and seek to appease your will. This will define who you are for the rest of your time, be it a day or eternity! Might I ask disciple, Lineir, what is your path?" Lineir answered concisely, his path was part of him and with this understanding he only felt the need to speak a few words,


    "I walk the path of consumption, growth, and survival! I am as the cat, untamed and unrestrained." Mei was very satisfied with this,


    "Excellent, an excellent path to follow. As master to disciple, I wish you to walk long and hard until you reach the end, whether it be to follow another path, or the grave, satiated by your steps." With that, Lineir got up and simply continued walking. The sun was down, and it was time to go. One of the first changes which Lineir had to grow accustomed to before entering the wilderness, was that he was to travel at night now. While normally, near villages, people feared the night, in the wilderness, the night was shelter from the larger more dangerous magical beasts. The beasts at night were those specialized at night hunting, and they tended to be smaller and less ferocious, although ambushes could still be deadly to an unwary or unlucky traveler. Additionally, there was an increased danger from undead at night. While magical beasts had no more lost love for undead than humans, there were numerous unburied bodies and unsealed graves. This made the location ripe for undead and at night they were at their strongest and most active.


    Another change which Lineir had to get used to, was finding water. In the wilderness, there were no easily marked wells or man made reservoirs. Every time he needed to drink, he had to find a stream or river, and thus he had to stay near water sources at all times. This however, increased the danger significantly. Many magical beasts also congregated near water sources and they were not happy to share. Stealth and a very selective approach were key to survival here in the wilderness. The deeper he went, the more careful he had to be. To eat, drink, or simply rest was a constant challenge.


    Mei had extensive knowledge about this. She constantly showed him plants which would assist him, wound cleansers and monster repellents. Without her, he probably would have starved, the number of wild monsters which he could hunt was pitifully few. However, today he was going after something special. It was crucial that this hunt was successful, he had been going after this beast for many days. What was he hunting that was so crucial? Even though he wasn''t even in the true wilderness, magical beasts were beginning to appear with startling consistency, what could he hunt in such a savage and wild place with his power? The answer was....a herbivore!


    The most important thing is water. However, Lineir had no way to hold it, he could only drink his fill and leave. This kept him bound to the meandering ways of the rivers and streams. In order to truly wander the wilderness, and be able to stay away from the waterways, which were dangerous places deeper in, he needed to have some way to store water. Mei, was well aware of this,


    "See that beast over there? That''s a baby Salty Three Horned Goat. It''s parents shouldn''t be far. If you can track them down and slay them, the adults have a hard organ inside which makes for an excellent water container. You''ll have to follow the baby however. The adults don''t come near the river often, they are capable of going many days without drinking. Luckily for you, the baby does not have this luxury and you get a chance. Go and scare the child. It''ll go running to its parents quickly and you''ll have a chance at them!"


    After hearing Mei, Lineir dived out of the underbrush and immediately the baby Salty Three Horned Goat was running without even looking at its pursuer. Such was its nature as a herbivore. Lineir kept pace, occasionally revealing himself whenever the goat slowed down. Mei, warned him to stop after a while,


    "See how it runs faster now? It''s almost near its parents. It must be feeling like its almost reached salvation. Be careful now, when you see an adult, you must strike quickly and kill it before it can understand what''s going on. If both adults are waiting for you, I fear this hunt will be a waste of time. One, you should be able to handle, but two at the same time will be a bit much. Stay alert, the babies calling out!"


    Gruuuuuaaar!


    A plaintive huffing grunt came out and from the surroundings came two much louder grunts. However, one was clearly closer than the other.


    "Excellent, they''re separated. You''ll only have a moment. You must take out the first one before the second arrives. The adult will rush you immediately on sight with its great curling horns. Don''t try to dodge to the left or right, it will be expecting that. Go above it and go for the throat if you can. Be careful, if you jump too high, you might avoid danger but you''ll be unable to deliver a killing blow and the other one will arrive!"


    It was exactly as Mei said. The adult arrived, a male by Mei''s estimation with great curling horns a meter in length each. The goat took one look at Lineir and rushed him head on. Lineir waited carefully, arms loose, and at the last second relaxed, jumped up and as he sailed over the bony scythes extended from their hidden positions in his arms and sliced deep behind the goat''s protective horns. A definite killing blow, the head was almost chopped halfway through. It was interesting to note that Lineir had almost no real form or technique in this blow. It was purely a blow of reflexes and strength aided by the almost psychic killing intent of the bony scythes. They extended so naturally it was as if they were Lineir''s own claws.


    The baby Salty Three Horned Goat, frozen in fear, bolted towards the sound of the other grunt, terrified of this monstrous creature which had slain its father.


    "No time to rest kiddo, the mother will soon be here, and it won''t stick around for long. While it poses no threat to you alone, as soon as it sees you took out its mate, it''ll make a break for it. You should slay it as well. It will be good to have a spare water sack, and it''s a sale-able item." So saying, Lineir crept back behind the tree branches and waited.


    And waited.... and waited. The mother never came.


    "How odd, the mother should usually at least check to see what''s going on. Your luck is already quite good, harvest the skin and meat and grab the water holding organ, I''ll guide you.You should leave quickly, there''s nothing more to be gained here. Soon bigger wild animals or magical beasts will arrive and it would be best to fill this canteen and get going before they catch on to the scent of a fresh kill. So strange though that the mother never came..."

 19 Devastation

    Lineir hurriedly completed the messy affair of cleaning up the body, occasionally Mei would point out a bad cut or this and that, but in the end he obtained many cuts of meat and skin and the all important water organ. It was a strange, slightly shiny black color, hard as rock and once Lineir opened it up, a perfect canteen. He got up and began to look for a water source to break it in. As he was making his way through the forest though, he came upon something shocking. There was a clearing. This clearing was definitely not natural, the trees were cracked open as if a huge gale had swept through, but only in this place. For a good thirty meters, only the largest trees could even hope to stay in place as broken stumps. A huge bloody smear was splattered on the ground as if some god had spilled a giant bucket of crimson paint on the ground. Immediately, Lineir froze and hid, terrified of whatever had this kind of terrible destructive capability.


    "Interesting, most interesting. From what I can see here, this is all that remains of the other mother Three Horned Salty Goat and its child. If you look over there, you can see the blood is actually split into two separate pools, there''s a little gap. This diffuse pattern...my best guess is that whatever attacked here is at least at the level of an immortal. To put it in comparison, you''re at the first step of cultivation, and can still just barely be classified as a mortal cultivator, this being is so far above you that it probably wouldn''t even consider you a threat if it stood still and closed its eyes. Go around this place, and tread softly. I am infused in your blood, and I have no desire to become part of some magical beast''s lunch."


    Mei advised extreme caution, and Lineir did not hesitate to offer the same opinion. He edged around, avoiding the clearing as if it was certain death. To be fair, if the beast was still around, appearing in front of it was almost certainly akin to offering it a snack.


    "I don''t understand though, such devastation! Yet I see no tracks, only those blood splatters. Whatever caused this must have been quite large, it should have left tracks!" Lineir shivered. This was truly strange to him. However, Mei offered another opinion,


    "It''s fine, just because something has great power does not mean it has to be large. A strong enough demon rat could tear the heavens and only be a few meters long. Indeed, this devastation could even be caused by a person, though it seems unlikely that a person would create such a mess over a Three Horned Salty Goat. Size does not equal power once you leave the path of mortals!"


    After that, Lineir revised his opinion. Indeed, it made sense that whatever caused this might not have been very large. He had heard that the White Horizon Sect''s ultimate attacks could destroy city walls, and they were just as large as any normal human. Indeed, he himself, possessed by Mei, had wrought far greater destruction. This was just another thing he would have to get used to if he were to walk the path of cultivation.


    Eventually, Lineir loosened up, and he felt it safe to continue cultivating. To do so, he first found some secluded place, inside of a tree for instance, or in its branches, and then closed his eyes. Mei would watch out for any danger, she was capable of seeing his surroundings, and he felt reasonably assured that he would not end up eaten without at least knowing what killed him. His mastery of both his lightning and darkness aspects was slow, but satisfying. There is nothing so satisfying after all, as knowing oneself, and these elements were exactly that, parts of his own being. It was like discovering you had wings, while you might know they are there, without practice you could hardly instantly fly.


    Now that he was on his own, he could freely practice externalizing his power. With time, he could create a glowing spark in his left hand, and in his right a slight dark haze would shift into existence with some concentration. While the spark wouldn''t do much more than give someone a bit of a shock, and the haze only had enough weight to cause his hand to dip imperceptibly, it was progress. He still dared not attack anything but the occasional herbivore, some goats and cows, however. Until he could create a small bolt of lightning, or condense a solid mass of darkness, any attacks he did would probably lack the necessary attacking power to penetrate the solid hides of even a 1st tier predatory magical beast. He would simply be feeding the magical beast, not himself.


    Another week passed, and now Mei decided that the time was right for Lineir to begin practicing his first real external techniques, that is....attacks! While his mastery of externalizing his elements was still rudimentary, she reasoned,


    "You need to be able to have the physical foundation to go along with your cultivation. While you are unusually strong, and extremely fast for your level, you have no combat sense. By practicing the movements now, even before fully externalizing your energy, you will be able to seamlessly meld your form and energy into a flawless technique. That is, you must learn the art of the sword!"


    Thus, she began to instruct Lineir on the art of the sword. Day by day, instead of walking, he would lunge every step. This is more exhausting than you''d think, putting all your energy to use every muscle to its fullest and step as quickly as possible quickly strains a body that has no foundation. Lineir, having never been trained before, ached terribly from being forced to use muscles which he had never even known existed. To further compound the issue, while he was doing this, he was to simultaneously swing his arms with the bone scythes out.


    "While I have never seen this particular weapon appear, I am versed in several arts which use blades attached to the arms and wrists. Have no fear, you will not lack a teacher here. Additionally...hold your hands together...train with this as well!" From the base of the bony scythes, where they poked out from his elbows, crimson dark liquid oozed out. It ran down his arms and coalesced into the same straight edged, thin dark sword which he had first seen in the cave. Everything down to even the oddly surging black lightning trapped in the surface of the blade, to the strange hilt was recreated perfectly.


    "While being used as a training weapon by an amateur is beneath me, I''ll have to let it go. It''s time you learned how to use a real sword and not just those bony scythes." Begrudgingly she permitted him,


    "Alright... go at it, swing me around and get used to my heft, we''ll start from the very beginning."


    In time, Lineir quickly grew much stronger from this heavy practice. While the bony scythes on his arms were incredibly lightweight, they still made him rather top heavy. Add in a sword, and he had trouble just holding his arms out in front of him without toppling forwards.


    All this strain meant that his lower half and his core had to catch up or he would be walking bent over dragging Mei on the ground. He shuddered to think what would happen if that happened. With her temper, she might just stop his heart or something. Not even daring to let the tip of the blade drop an inch, how could Lineir not quickly develop the body and muscle of a swordsman? Of course, this was only a few weeks practice, and common sense would suggest that it wouldn''t have much of an effect at all. However, this would be in the world of mortals. While Lineir was still mortal, his undead heart and reshaped body would recover from almost all its aches and exertions with one night of meditation! Indeed, the next day he would start practicing even stronger than the day before, rather than having his performance degraded. This rate of improvement was well, simply impossible for the average person.


    Furthermore, who can say that they truly practice with all their heart. Only a few could keep up that kind of focus. However, Lineir walked a path which forced him to give his all in this regard. Anything related to his survival, he would pursue with the abandon and savagery of a wild animal. No matter how heavy his breath, and how hard his heart pounded, he would continue. He did not even fear dropping dead from overexertion, because even if that was possible, Mei would no doubt restart his heart just to berate him for dropping her on the ground.


    In this way, Lineir went from a total amateur, to someone who would at least not embarrass themselves just from swinging a sword. Lastly, to add further difficulty, Lineir would have to try to externalize his elemental energies with every swing or step. This was extremely difficult. While it only affected his mental state and cultivation base, that is his Second Heart, to attempt this while learning the way of the sword, was truly a difficult task. Only the most hard working or insane cultivators from great families would try this. It required a teacher who could teach both at the same time, and generally nobody would try this because it caused such a strain on the body and mind. But Lineir''s body recovered so quickly that this was possible for him.


    At some point, Lineir had long since lost track of the exact date, Mei informed him that it was time for him to gain some combat experience.


    "You''ve been training enough, and you can actually form some small semblance of an external attack. With your level, it should be capable of piercing a tier one predator magical beast. Kiddo, head to the river, I''ll pick something suitable for your first real kill!"

 20 Fishing For Carp

    The verdant green banks of the river were lined with many different magical beasts. These beasts oftentimes fought with each other, but would congregate into different areas based on strength. There were areas of higher level magical beasts, as well as areas of lower level ones. It was precisely one of these lower level ones which Lineir was looking for at the moment. With the sun filtering in gently through the leafy boughs, he quietly slipped about the edge of the shrubbery, avoiding open ground. While not all magical beasts were hostile to humans, the overwhelming majority of them would forsake their differences with each other to target him. Thus showing himself carelessly in the open was akin to suicide. Only a fool or a great expert walks into a group of enemies by himself. Lineir was neither.


    "Mmm no, the Eight Throated Water Lilies over there are a favorite place of the legendary False Water Serpents. That area over there is teeming with Dappled Buffaloes, the herd would trample you without a second thought, besides they aren''t predators. That pride of Green Speckled Lions is nice, but the odds of catching a straggler are slim, and the adults are 2nd tier magical beasts, too dangerous at your level. Keep walking, we''ll find something eventually, surely there must be some pathetic area with some sick or crippled animals you can hunt!"


    Mei was ruthless in judging Lineir''s strength. While some might think this would tamp down his spirit, Mei only had the best in mind. Death was but one wrong step away at any time in the wilderness. Although it would be more accurate to say Mei more or less had Lineir''s best interests in mind...


    "This disciple of mine has a strong ego. Stepping on it every once in a while is also good...Quick, over there, a perfect match for you!" Lineir felt a slight tug from the sword in his hand, as if it was pulling his arm and not the other way around.


    "What... the hell... is that?" Lineir said. Mei wasn''t laughing, but he was pretty sure that she was holding it in,


    "That, is a Scaly Segmented One-Inch Worm. It''s named this because while its total length exceeds four meters, its brain is on average about one inch long. Of course, it has several of them, located at different parts of its body, so if you fail to destroy it completely, it will regrow quite quickly. However, while it has very low attack power, and its defensive behavior can be said to be so-so as it will just sit there and wait for you, it has quite the hard carapace. Thus, killing it and harvesting the magical core inside will be very beneficial to you. Also, it technically counts as a predator! It has been known to eat those Three Horned Goats, and at least has some slight combative instincts. Despite its appearance, it will put up more than enough of a fight for someone as weak as yourself!" Mei finished describing it while chanting,


    "An animal almost at the peak of 1st tier magical beasts, truly a suitable match for my disciple."


    Lineir was very skeptical. The thing Mei had referred to was currently sticking, half out, half in, the river bank and couldn''t look further from the peak of anything but weakness. Yes, it had some scales which looked kind of hard, but it was really just a six inch thick length of grey worm. At a distance, it could be mistaken for a particularly thick coil of steel cable coming out of the ground. Unable to think of any reason to be cautious, Lineir burst out from the forest and rushed it,


    "Such a thing can''t possibly be very strong, Mei is definitely playing a joke on me this time." Not even bothering to use his sword, Lineir let his deadly bone scythes slide out and complained,


    "It''s not even moving... does it have a death wish or is it just too stupid with all its brains spread out across its body..." Using his hard earned training, Lineir dealt a fairly concise blow about a meter down the exposed portion. His hope was that if he severed the head, at least he thought it was the head, it was really hard to tell, the thing would go down. CLANG, with a bone shaking vibration, Lineir made a great expression of pain as the bony scythes cut in about an inch, then crunched to a halt. The worm itself wasn''t even shaken enough to move a centimeter.


    "Argh, that really hurt, its shell is damn hard. Also, it''s so close to the ground that hitting it with any sort of power is really difficult," Lineir complained.


    Mei, was laughing endlessly,


    "Of course its hard, this thing is at the peak of the 1st tier magical beasts in terms of resilience. That blow you gave it will take a second to even register with the main brain!" Lineir thought it over for a moment. That was truly astonishing, he had hit it in the neck and it would still take a second for it realize he had hit it?


    "Isn''t a second too long?" At that moment, from below, there was a crunching noise and a hideous mouthful of ivory teeth, a good meter wide, erupted from the ground.


    "Did I mention? You attacked its butt, the head was underground. Good luck, the armor plating is twice as thick around the head!" Still laughing, Mei stopped talking and watched Lineir fight. It wasn''t an easy fight. After initially jumping back when the head burst out of the ground, he had immediately hefted the sword she was in, which was incredibly sharp. However, no matter how sharp a blade is, only with good technique will a student grow to have solid foundations. Mei actually blunted the edge of the blade, this was for Lineir''s future development. If he had an invincibly sharp sword right now, he would be tempted to swing with little form and later on against opponents with real defensive capabilities, he would die without leaving a scratch. Lineir retracted his bone blades so he could fully utilize the advantages of a single blade. They weren''t going to help against such a tough scaled opponent. The worm actually rushed out of the ground meter by meter and lunged at Lineir, with the intent of burying its teeth in him.


    SSSSSSSAAAAA!!!


    From it''s mouth a disgusting hiss of putrid air wheezed out. In this first exchange, Lineir quickly evaded the attack as the worm''s speed was really only so-so. But when he tried to slice the real neck, he could only cut about three quarters of the way through the scales. It quickly rushed by and plunged into the dirt. Fortunately, the worm was so long that before it could get its whole length into the safety of the earth, Lineir actually got in another hit at its tail portion, hitting it where he had originally hit with his bone scythes, and severing the last meter of it. The worm was silent for a moment underground, but eventually burst out again behind Lineir shrieking in pain and jerking violently.


    SSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!


    Despite its wound, it was too stupid to change tactics and blindly lunged at him again. The same result happened, though Lineir could only barely clip its shortened tail this time. He pleaded,


    "This is too slow, I can''t keep hacking at it this way, I''ll only be able to lop off a bit of tail at this rate! Mei-Mei, how do I fight this thing!" Mei sighed, realizing that a little help was in order or they''d be here all day.


    "Think about it, you''ve swung much harder when you weren''t under pressure. Relax your muscles, when it lunges at you, stay firm and dodge just barely so that you stay close enough to strike it with power. You''re too scared of getting hit, only someone who is willing to lose his own life can grow strong. If you are able to stay calm in the face of death, only then will you be relaxed enough to deliver a full force blow. Additionally, those last two attacks didn''t externalize any elemental power. Concentrate and try to infuse your attack with some lightning or darkness. The worm should easily go down then."


    Thinking it over, Lineir paused and allowed the worm to draw near. As the hundreds of viciously sharp hand-sized teeth closed in on his head, he twisted to the side without moving his feet and delivered a thunderous blow in the space of a second. A moment before it hit, a dark aura shivered around the blade emanated from his right hand, and the weight behind the blow greatly increased. Additionally, a single solitary yellow spark danced onto the blade from his left hand. This time when it hit, the blade traveled all the way through one side of the steely plates, through the flesh in the middle, only stopping as Lineir shocked by his power, didn''t follow through with the stroke but instead jerkily ended the blow in astonishment,


    "What strength, I feel like I could have gone out the other side!"Lineir was shocked and Mei was equally surprised as she explained,


    "That''s not really that impressive, the element of darkness allows for great weight to be placed behind blows, as darkness is supreme in regards to density. However, what is really surprising, is that you actually used a bit of elemental lightning as well! It wasn''t enough, but as you''ll notice, the worm isn''t moving! Despite the fact that you only actually destroyed the main brain, the shock must have disrupted its nervous system and it is unable to revive! While I doubt you could kill even a mortal human with this yet, having two elements at the same time in your first fight against a predator shows that you have promise. Quickly now, retrieve the core of the worm and let us be off. This worm is only bait in the wilderness for stronger beasts."


    The process of retrieving the core was rather messy. While his blade had traveled clean into it, he had to first widen the gash into an actual hole, and that meant cracking it open further. After three more strikes, he managed to get a reasonably sized hole going and was reaching in the gooey grey flesh to grab the core. It was as you might expect, rather disgusting. However, the alternative was to go in from the unarmored mouth...and he wasn''t going to willingly put his hand in all those teeth. As his hand seized the core, his gaze turned to the gushing river next to him, unconsciously getting ready to wash all the gunk off of him.


    A scenic view greeted him, a nice wide expanse of blue, broken by a lonely lily, and far off a waterfall tinkled, the water was really just too perfect in the midday sun. Mei too enjoyed the view,


    "Say disciple, doesn''t this sight just make you appreciate life? You need to properly enjoy these things while you''re alive. While the pursuit of power is one thing, remember that there are other things worth living for." She sighed. At that moment Lineir pulled out the core with a sickening squelch.


    "Aiya, I''ve ruined the moment. Let us take a moment to enjoy. Say isn''t that drifting lily lovely?"

 21 Catching a Shark

    Lineir quickly stored the core in a pocket, and headed down to the river to wash his hands. Once there, he quickly dunked his head underneath and waved his arms about letting the water scrub them clean. This quickly filled the water with grey scraps of fleshy worm meat as Lineir emerged and walked back, scrubbing his eyes with the back of his hands and smiling. It was great to be clean and the monster core would certainly help his cultivation, at least according to Mei. The energy inside could increase the rate of absorption temporarily saturating his meridians and his veins. In doing so he could either absorb it slowly and completely to permanently help his cultivation speed or he could use it as last ditch source of energy when he was in a pinch. Doing so would waste the core, but it might save his life, and unless you''re undead, you must be alive to cultivate!


    The harmony of the blue water, drifting lily, and shining sand of the far shore could not be more beautiful.


    Truly like a painting, Lineir thought. Lineir was actually reminded somewhat of the feeling he got when he looked at Mei back when he first met her in his mind. At that moment, Lineir scrubbed his eyes. Then again. While he did this, Mei exhorted the majesty of such a fine day,


    "Absolutely perfect, even in my world, this moment of rare peace is like finding sapphires in the ocean. Disciple...why are you rubbing your eyes, are you blinded by such beauty?" Lineir however, was very confused. Something was wrong with this perfect harmony of nature in front of him. He couldn''t quite put his finger on it, but it definitely was throwing him off. Finally, he figured it out.


    "Say Mei-Mei, you don''t think the movement of that lily is a little strange? The current is rushing towards the west, where the waterfall is. However, isn''t that lily in fact, not moving with the current at all but insteads heading towards us?" Mei was silent, she in fact had not considered this, it was very strange indeed.


    "That is indeed strange, I can''t believe I didn''t notice this, the vista in front was really just too good, like gazing at the Far Shore. Now that you mention it though...I feel like I remember something.." At that moment, the lily accelerated, now it couldn''t even be said to be drifting. It was without a doubt moving completely perpendicular to the current, and coming straight for Lineir. Mei began to ponder,


    "How strange... that should be impossible, unless this is some sort of special lily, but I don''t think so. Actually, it seems to be an ordinary Eight Throated Water Lily, it is odd that it is by itself, they usually appear in groups unless some great current manages to shift them apart...!!" Mei alarmed cut off her own sentence.


    Lineir began to back away as the lily came at him even faster. Mei started shrieking in his head, "run. Run. RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN!!!!!!!!"


    About thirty meters away, the lily came to an abrupt halt. A dark shadow seemed to fall over the water around it, but there were no clouds in the sky. At that moment, the dark shadow became more and more solid and with a huge splash a great plume of water shot up in the air and a giant purple serpent''s head snaked up, neck stretching out and up and up, and came to look down at Lineir. The visible portion of the beast was at least 50 meters long.


    "A False Water Serpent ..., a peak fifth tier magical beast. Disciple I''m sorry, I should have payed more attention, but your luck is truly broken. Fate itself must have decided that it is time for you to reincarnate. I fear running now will do you no good." Mei''s voice was soft in contrition. This was mostly her fault, she should have known better than to let her disciple clean himself in the river covered in worm guts. He was practically offering himself up as a free meal.


    Lineir refused to give up, he turned and vigorously tried to reach the safety of the trees. However, he was at the banks of the river, and that short stretch might as well have been the divide between heaven and hell. The False Water Serpent rushed through the water with incomprehensible speed, it was as if a ship was riding a tidal wave, the long neck cutting the smooth surface like a prow. Instantly the head lunged up, stretching out of the water, casting a shadow over Lineir.


    SSSSSSHHHHAAAA!!!


    He looked up and hastily dodged back as it crashed down in front of him, a great expanse of scaly purple covering his escape path on the right. As he tried to switch to the left, the immense head, many times the size of his entire body slithered through the sand and grass on his left. In front of him was a massive coil of the great serpent about five meters in diameter. The head rearing up behind him stared down and hissed. He was surrounded. This hiss was tremendously loud and horrifying. Not only did Lineir''s hairs stand up all over his body, but they vibrated from the power of it. Lineir hacked fruitlessly at the scaly coils surrounding him, but to no avail, they were just too big. Mei apologized endlessly,


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!" Like the descent of night, shadows billowed everywhere on the ground as the mouth covered the sky and fell upon Lineir who surrounded by the coils, had nowhere to run.

 22 Survive

    Lineir staring straight up into the horrifying ring of teeth actually didn''t even try to escape. In fact he actually dodged back into the center of the shadow in the split second before the mouth crashed into the ground. As the dust settled, the False Water Serpent raised its head in a smug fashion jaws clamped tightly together. It began to slither its upper body back into the water, but soon began to writhe in annoyance! Anyone watching would be utterly confused as to what it was doing, it looked like it was shaking its head in frustration!


    Shua Shua Shua


    Lineir''s bone scythes were out and he flailed around with them continuously in the mouth, random sporadic bursts of alternating darkness or lightning emitted on the edges, cutting into the tissue or shocking it. When the teeth had come down, Lineir had actually jumped up into the mouth to avoid being chomped! Inside, he had stabbed his sword into the side of the mouth, and had begun to violently slash around while holdingonto the flat of the blade with his knees to avoid falling into the throat of the beast. With every strike, handfuls of caustic hot blood would gush out into his face stinging his eyes and he was pretty much drowning in noxious saliva. But he refused to die!


    "I will not be made a meal, I am the survivor, I am the hunter, I am the consumer!" So saying, his bone scythes looking like fanged claws reaped great havoc on the inside of the mouth. However, this was just a trivial inconvenience to such a large beast. Indeed, while its mouth was relatively weak in terms of defenses, even Lineir''s heaviest darkness imbued slashes barely left a half foot deep cut, to say nothing of the lightning sparks which didn''t even make it feel a tingle. But Lineir would not quit. He was sick of being someone else''s lunch.


    "Kiddo, while I admire your spirit, there''s no hope in cutting up the mouth, once it enters the water, you will drown regardless of whether or not it can swallow you!" Mei was despondent. She had rather grown accustomed to Lineir, and could be said to genuinely consider him as her one and only disciple. To lose him so soon before he could spread his wings and claws and ascend to the sky was too cruel. Simple mistakes in life could cause such great problems.


    As if to emphasize how hopeless the situation was, the saliva in the water increased and Lineir was swung about to the point where he thought his head would explode and he would be flung off his sword into the dark belly of the beast. Still, he madly swung, one arm after the other slashing anything he could reach. He was now covered in red blood, baptized in fiery acidic spittle. Soon after, Mei''s prediction came true and the mouth began to flood with water as the serpent entered the river. The water level rose slowly, the False Serpent didn''t want to open its jaws completely, lest Lineir escape through its teeth. It made Lineir''s escape simply impossible.


    The water began to almost reach Lineir, and covered in so much slippery liquid, his knees could hold on no more and he slid off the sword towards the gullet of the beast. With superb reflexes, he grabbed the handle of the sword, still incomparably sharp and embedded into the mouth, and hung on for dear life. Taking one hand off, he viciously continued to slash, causing the False Water Serpent no small toothache. Furious, it began to roll as it swam, and the water inside its mouth swirled around buffeting Lineir''s bruised and burned body. This did not deter Lineir, even as Mei cried,


    "I''m sorry, I''ll make sure to stop your heart and not let you die in agony to the acid in the belly."


    The sword, actually slid out of the side of the mouth on one of those stomach turning rolls, and was awash with Lineir in the mouth. A great suction arose from the back, but he never gave up. Powerfully, he furiously managed to half swim, half kick his way to another section of the mouth, closer to the dark aperture of the throat, stabbed the sword in again, and began sawing away again, this fresh section yielding more and more blood. At this point, the water inside the mouth had turned a vile red.


    The False Water Serpent at this point was simply astonished. Never before had anything ever had the tenacity to survive for this long in its mouth. Between beast and man, both of which the False Water Serpent had consumed countless amounts of, it had never known such stubbornness and tenacity and sheer willpower for survival as it found in this small youth today! However, the wounds it suffered, while painful, were barely scratches to it, and it decided to finally end this affair.


    First it dove deep down to the river bed. Then it powerfully swam up using meter after meter of coiled muscle, opening its mouth on the ascent and allowing water to flood in at an insane rate to knock Lineir into its throat. There was absolutely no hope of escape. The serpent burst into the sky with its jaws wide open, leaping high up in a curving spiral, a spectacular sight in between the sandy shores, a rising serpent framed behind a glaring midday sun, and then snapped its jaws shut and swallowed.


    Instantly as the False Water Serpent had ascended, Lineir was scoured clean off the walls of its throat. However, his tenacity was such, that he actually held onto the sword as it was yanked from the flesh and he tumbled around wildly in the mouth filled with whirling water. Around and around he went, and he sighed to himself and Mei,


    "Perhaps my path really does end here...there is nothing more I can do to resist." So saying, he stopped struggling futilely to right himself and sank down as the water, which was actually soothing his burned skin, was flushed down. The mouth and throat rippled in one giant gulp. Into the dark opening of the throat Lineir was shuttled and he sighed,


    "Don''t stop my heart Mei, even if I beg for it as I am consumed. Even if I can survive for one more moment, that is my path." Then he was gone, the sword still clutched tightly in his hands.

 23 The Cracking of the Second Pillar

    Somewhere far away from Lineir''s adventures, another pillar crumbled. Of the One Hundred and Four Pillars which held the world together, only one hundred and two remained. Many magical beasts, and even some of the more perceptive mystics and eccentric hermits felt a strange twinge deep in their Second Hearts and cores. The natural order had become disturbed and was roiling up. They didn''t know what this meant, but the strange feeling brought a tear to their eyes.


    "You broke the Second. I''m amazed you got this far... but I don''t have any words for you this time. When you go to kill my sisters, remember that my curse is upon you, as is the curse of my first sister. Everything you do is part of the plan, your wicked intentions are simply souring your karma. The Mistress of Fate ascertains all things, and you are still part of her plan."


    This second maiden was the same as the first as she cursed the white robed man, proud and unwavering in her belief of the order of Fate. She too lay there bleeding as the first, as the misty screens behind went wild, displaying scene after scene which should not be. In the final one, a boy in the belly of a beast flying above a beautiful river showed before the screen winked out. The white robed figure, stained in even more crimson than the first, was expressionlessly standing over her body.


    "The Mistress can only hold sway over what she can see. But as the pillars fall and the time of end nears, will she still be able to control us all? I don''t think so." He walked out with no fanfare, he had long since grown used to these things. Great cracks rent the entire pillar as ever larger chunks began to shake and tremble and fall. Heaps of rocks crashed down, and it was as if the time of end had already drawn near to this place. All things come to an end, and this pillar which had stood for eternity had finally been subjected to the workings of time.


    Rumble...Rumble....Rumble...


    Falling fragments of the heavenly pillar graced the air and tumbled down to the world of mortals below. However, as they fell, they broke and skittered across an invisible barrier dividing the Heavens and earth. So they would stay until the Great Seal of Fate was unable to maintain their weight.


    Scitter, scitter, scrabble, scrabble


    Peice after peice of fallen pillar rained down and began to gather in piles on this invisible barrier. Below, in the world of mortals, for a second, the light of the heavens dimmed, but this was only for an imperceptible moment to most. To a chosen few however... this moment might as well have been eternity. Great figures which had slumbered for eons felt this flicker, and in the lack of the light of the Heavens, stirred. This was their time to awaken, and they were so very, very hungry...


    In the darkness of the belly of the serpent, Lineir floated, painfully half aware of his surroundings. The acidic stomach juices would slowly digest him eventually. He didn''t have any energy left to resist. While he didn''t know it, the False Water Serpent had begun to fall back down to the river, its spectacular jump exhausted. However, at the height of its arcing flight path, it had blocked out the midday sun from below. As it fell though, for an instant, the bright rays of the sun were distorted and they dimmed though the serpent had long since past the peak of its flight.


    This meant little to Lineir though, who enveloped in a lightless place suffered unimaginable pain as his skin was stripped off. He would not give though and beg Mei to stop his heart, this was his path. The path of surviving till the last moment possible, until nothing could survive anymore, and then some.


    "Disciple, I cannot bear to see this, soon, the bareness of your muscles will be visible, and then your bones. Let me end your pain!" Mei cried out, helplessly, she felt no small pain at the hideousness of Lineir''s skin slowly dissolving. This was a terrible death to watch even for someone as experienced as her. At least in a fair fight between cultivators, most duels would end quickly as one was instantly destroyed. This slow painful way to go was just too much. Lineir could only answer in his mind, his lungs were filled with spent air and water, he hadn''t taken a breath since entering the pool of acid.


    "Mei-Mei! Don''t you dare let me die prematurely, if you respect your disciple at all, Mei-Mei!" At that moment, Lineir felt a great tug in his Second Heart. The attractive force increased ten fold, no a hundred fold, no a thousand! The red colored element in his body surged and began to swirl into his center at his words. However.....


    His statement shocked Mei, but simultaneously something even more shocking occurred. From outside, a booming deep thunderous noise, like the cracklings of an entire storm''s worth of lightning at once came.


    GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    With a huge cracking noise, Lineir smashed to the bottom of the belly, the great swirling vortex inside of him stopped as he was violently cracked against the inner belly. The red elemental energy receded back into his veins as the pull went, and on his burning eyelids, a light fell. From whence he came, the neck of the beast, the glaring light of the just setting sun was seeping in, an entire chunk of armored flesh had been punched through as one might stab through a bottle to leave a gaping hole in the neck.

 24 Final Hear

    The streaming torrent of light which came in became a raging tide. With a world shaking metallic and fleshy tearing noise, the entire head of the False Water Serpent was torn off as more and more holes were punched. A deep sonorous booming could be heard every few seconds as tremendous amounts of air were displaced.


    Whoomph, Whoomph, Whoomph


    The serpents decapitated body had been punctured in so many places that the stomach juices inside had leaked out into empty air. It was clear that rather than falling back down into the lake, something had caught the beast in midair and torn it apart. As the stomach juices drained out from no less than ten separate holes, Lineir fainted on the fleshy sides of the rapidly emptying stomach. He quickly found himself in that mental space with the incredibly beautiful Mei.


    "Wake up, wake up! This is not the time to be sleeping! You need to wake up before you''re eaten along with the serpent, then you''ll be in the same position as before!" Mei rushed forward and frantically began to shake Lineir. However, he simply stood there and said,


    "I don''t think I can... no matter how I try I''m still here. Until I recover some strength, I think I''m stuck in here." So saying, he sat down on the colorless floor and waited. Mei hesitated for a moment, and realizing that there was nothing for it, sat down with him. Lineir cast his mind about for some topic, he hadn''t been back here since his first meeting, and while he heard Mei''s voice in his head all the time, it was quite different face to face with such a beauty. He had to keep reminding himself,


    "Incomparably powerful...will stop my heart... I''m her disciple." Eventually, he thought,


    "So I remember you said you aren''t an immortal sword. But everything I''ve heard of tells me that you must be. What exactly are you?" Lineir quickly blurted out. This was an excellent time to learn more about Mei, provided he didn''t get digested or eaten while he was learning. Mei responded freely,


    "On your continent, you call every strong sword an immortal sword. However, this is not the case. In reality, there is far more to the path of cultivation than the broken fragments left here. To answer your question, I am a spirit in a sword. You could say I am the sword, but I''m really just using it as a home to help me stay tethered to this plane. As for the sword I''m in, I had better explain to you how swords of power are classified." She shifted a little closer, Lineir however was too engrossed in this explanation to care anymore.


    "Immortal swords, are the lowest category of swords. Indeed, when a cultivator begins to reach the first stages of real cultivation, a step which you are very close to reaching, provided you don''t die before you wake up, his or her sword can be classified as an immortal sword. Why is this? This is because through channeling his or her energy into a sword, it will naturally begin to become refined and gain a connection with the Heavens and Hell itself. This transformation creates a sort of link between the sword and its user. The user can almost control the sword as if it is part of them. But that is just the beginning of the way of the sword. True users of the way of the sword will actually store in their sword large portions of their own power. There are numerous advantages to this which you will learn about later when you reach this stage. This is why the lost swords of fallen warriors are so treasured and revered by cultivators. If they are found, and the cultivator can bind them to their will, the power inside will become theirs and one can rapidly become far stronger than they should be simply from the sword they carry." Lineir nodded thoughtfully. This made sense, but it still didn''t explain his question,


    "So what are you?"


    Mei sighed,


    "Patience, I was getting to that. As I said, immortal swords are but the first step, before true power is even infused into the blade. Beyond that step...are Deathblades. These swords have been infused with the power of a cultivator who has completely stepped out of the realm of mortality. That is to say, someone who has become so powerful as to defy the Heavens and live forever, not aging unless they choose to. True immortals. Don''t get me wrong, while I say that these are immortals, that is only in the sense that they will not die of natural causes, they can still be killed by injury, or strong maladies. However...the path of immortality is not something to be walked by the weak or weak-willed. Up till this point, the main source of acquiring energy has been meditation and natural absorption. But there is a reason these swords are called Deathblades. Can you guess?" Lineir frowned. He had a feeling he already knew what Mei was going to say.


    "The fastest way to progress past the immortal sword stage and reach immortality is to absorb the cultivation of others. That is...to slaughter and slaughter and claim other''s Second Hearts. Thus...the immortal swords become weapons of countless murders and gain the name Deathblade when the user leaves behind his last shred of mortality. This is one of the the true paths of cultivation and it is rent with the blood and dying shivers of others. If you manage to survive this stage there is more though. Eventually, when a sword has been imbued with enough power, remember that frequently among those who truly walk the sword a good deal of their power is stored in the sword, it can be said to have gained the title of Final Heart. That is to say, so much power has accumulated in the blade that it has gained the ability to absorb power on its own. Remember, power attracts power, the reason your Second Heart can attract the energy of the elements is because of the laws laid down by the Heavens and Fates, but if a large enough mass of power were to gather together, the attractive force would be so great as to become self sustaining. Few have ever reached this stage, through slaughter, or meditation, but those who achieve the stage of the Final Heart have escaped the bounds of the laws laid down by Fate and have power to change worlds on a whim. That is... I did, until my body died. That is what you hold in your unworthy hands disciple. A Final Heart, my Final Heart."

 25 The Unbound One

    Lineir was shocked for a moment. He had not realized exactly of how much significance this sword was to Mei. It was equivalent to him holding part of her vast cultivation base in his hand. As a matter of fact, with her body gone, it was her entire cultivation base, literally her Final Heart. While he was shocked though, Mei went on,


    "But disciple, there is one more stage. An existence so strong that even Fate itself was once forced to bow down and bend for. Would you like to know about...The Unbound One?" Mei''s voice dropped low and she leaned infinitely closer. As such a great beauty came closer, Lineir was unfazed this time, his focus drawn by the movement of her lips. Those who truly seek the path of cultivation would be unfazed by simple things as mortal attraction. He was much more interested in what she had to say.


    "The Unbound One? I''ve never heard of such a thing. What is it? Who is it?" He wasn''t really sure which question he was asking. Such a being didn''t sound human anymore. Perhaps it never had been. Mei''s answer was clear on a few things, but clearly her knowledge was not complete.


    "The Unbound One, is a being with such power that instead of keeping his cultivation base inside of the body, or the sword, it is completely separate from both. His cultivation base has attracted so much power that it is like a black hole, constantly absorbing all energy around him. Thus, it is actually not even necessarily located on his body, it could be anywhere. That is to say... he can survive without an actual physical presence. I know this because I learned from him myself. Or so I think." Mei''s words were said slowly, with great care. She clearly didn''t want to make any mistakes in her wording. Lineir was puzzled,


    "What do you mean, you met him? He''s human?" His questions were unending, this Unbound One was extremely mysterious. He couldn''t understand how someone could survive without a physical presence. Mei tried to explain,


    "Well you see, it would be more accurate to say I learned from his teachings. Long ago, while I was still far more powerful than you now, I wasn''t that strong compared to others in my plane. However, I chanced upon a strange sword in my travels. I couldn''t tell whether this sword had fallen from the Heavens or had surfaced from Hell, but I can say that the devastation surrounding it when it appeared was absolute. Your body is holding the same sword I''m speaking of. Inside the twisted dark lightning of the sword, in the hands of one powerful enough, it is possible to sense terrible runes that are near impossible to comprehend. Given great fortune, and a number of coincidences, I managed to do just that. My ultimate technique, the The Twin Path of Lightning and Darkness, which you have seen a small demonstration of, is but a copy of one of the techniques I was able to understand from these runes. But this was the world of cultivation, and every power comes with a price. When the world learned of this technique, cultivators the world over swarmed at me as if Fate itself had turned on me. You know the rest of that story."


    Lineir sighed. The world of cultivation vicious. Even an expert such as Mei, armed with an ultimate technique, had been unable to hold out against the vastness of it. Compared to himself, who wasn''t even an ant to a fragment of her soul, it really felt too huge. Mei wasn''t done though,


    "There''s one more thing you should know however... I''m not telling you about The Unbound One as a fun story. While I learned several techniques of a slightly lesser scale than the Twin Path of Lightning and Darkness, these are all higher order ultimate attacking techniques. But I learned something else. If the world had known I had this, they would surely still be scouring random world after random world hoping to find this. That is, the final forbidden inner technique which I spent almost all the energy I had carefully saved for years on. The Nine Paths of Asura. The ultimate inner technique which I placed in you!" Mei''s voice had gradually risen throughout this. In fact, by the end she actually sounded a little angry. Clearly, the amount of energy she had spent on Lineir was no small matter. There was one question Lineir had to ask though,


    "But I''m still so weak! What are you talking about? Wouldn''t I be able to tell if there was such a powerful technique in me?" Mei''s voice calmed down a little. Lineir was not to blame for this, and she hadn''t had a choice at the time. While she feigned indifference, who knows how long it would have taken before she was discovered again that time.


    "Well disciple, I only used this technique, and the other prerequisite forbidden techniques on you at the time because I had no choice. To be truthful, while I know what to do for the technique, I honestly don''t know what it does!! The only thing I knew was that while you were on the verge of death, remaking your body with these techniques would save your life which flickered like a candle. How to train this technique, the limits of its power, if there are any, almost everything but the name, The Nine Paths of Asura, I do not know. As a matter of fact, from what little I do know, besides granting your body some small benefits initially, and making you capable of surviving the heavy blood loss at the time, you may not even gain any noticeable effects later on if you do not meet the prerequisites for this. My efforts may all have been wasted wuwu..."


    So saying, Mei looked like she was going to cry. Seeing his beautiful teacher who was always composed, or at least angry, look like this, Lineir panicked. He didn''t know what to do, and in the end, his gut feeling took over, seeing the incredibly short Mei in such a situation, he leaned over and gently patted her on the top of her head. Instantly, she froze, and Lineir did too as he got a premonition of death, as if the scythe of a reaper was hanging right in front of his neck.

 26 Strange Noises

    The soft almost crying noise cut out immediately at his touch. Lineir was paralyzed like a tiny mouse was when looking into the eyes of a cat. He kept very still as if Mei could pounce at any time. His hand still on her head, Mei''s eyes slowly came up from the ground and stared viciously into his. The intent was clear, and Lineir knew that his end was near.


    "YOU DARE!!!!!!!!!"


    Mei''s small hands were reaching up with alarming speed towards his neck when Lineir''s eyes opened and he found himself gagging on lingering stomach acid as his torn body flailed about in the stomach of the False Water Serpent.


    "Owwww...I''m alive. There''s even light in the belly of the False Water Serpent, what the hell happened!" So saying, he also chuckled, it was a good thing he woke up or he might have died.


    "I''m probably the only person ever to be glad to wake up inside the stomach of a water serpent." Painfully, he stood up on the squishy belly tissue.


    Squeltch Squeltch


    "This is freaking disgusting!" Lineir complained. He half expected Mei to call him out for complaining, but she was definitely mad at him and his thoughts were the only ones in his head.


    "Come on, I was only trying to comfort you, it was an instinct! Mei-Mei you should be glad to have such a caring disciple, don''t be angry." It was useless though, all he got was silence. When he examined himself miraculously his burns were almost all healed. He shrugged and made his way to one of the gleaming streams of light in the wall of the stomach. Whatever had happened, it had definitely killed the False Water Serpent, not only was the head ripped clean off, leaving a large gaping hole at the top of the stomach where the neck should be, the whole body had been ripped apart with terrifying slash marks going all the way through the skin which was at least a meter thick. With a shudder, Lineir hopped out of the hole where the neck used to be onto a stony floor. The body of the serpent was too torn up, it could collapse at any moment and he doubted he''d survive that, forbidden techniques or not.


    Tacka Tacka


    The rocky floors were a soothing cold on his burned feet as they slapped on the hard surface. His clothes had been completely eaten away by acid in some places, it was amazing that he hadn''t been digested.


    "If my clothes are like this... then how tough is my body to have survived and to have actually healed once the stomach acids had drained out? What happened... I remember a roar... and then getting smacked around. I swore for a moment the red elemental energy was finally fusing. I must have imagined it..." He quickly circulated the energy in his Second Heart and ascertained that indeed, the only energies inside were clearly lightning and darkness.


    "Where am I?"


    In front of him the setting sun was shining and he realized he was on the precipice of a sheer cliff. The place he had come was a vast cavernous cave high the sky in which the headless body of the False Water Serpent lay, the incoming light illuminating terrifying wounds all along its length. Mei still refused to say anything and Lineir panicked for a moment. The sword! Where was the sword which was Mei''s Final Heart. He frantically looked around and finally a familiar irate and tart voice came into his mind,


    "Oh, finally looking for me? You won''t be able to find me, I already turned back into liquid form and am currently inside your heart again. Until you''ve properly trained yourself you can keep your hands off of me!" She lapsed back into silence and Lineir sighed.


    "This is definitely not my fault! I told you it was a reaction!!"


    Stomping his way back to the corpse, he tried to figure out what could have caused all this to happen. The serpent had leapt out of the lake, that much was clear. It was falling after Lineir had entered the belly of the beast, but before it landed, it stopped. Something must have caught it in midair. For something to have caught it however, it must have been massive. Furthermore, it must have been able to fly. Lineir froze,


    "Those goats...we never found any tracks. Whatever killed them was either really small... or it killed them from the sky!" He whipped his head from the corpse lying in the cave back outside to the bright sky and scanned the horizon furiously. Whatever had done this could be flying out there right now. Suddenly, a loud noise came from behind the corpse of the False Water Serpent.


    SSSSShhhhhssssssss....


    Lineir almost jumped off the edge of the cliff before he realized that whatever had done this couldn''t possibly fit behind the corpse. The cave was too small.


    "There''s no way... it''s just the wind. I need to find a way out of here before whatever did this comes back for the night!"


    SSSSShhhhhssssssss....


    The long dragging hiss came again! Lineir became a statue as he listened intently, trying to figure it out.


    "Whatever it is can''t be that large... there''s no room" He started taking small steps, quietly making his way around the corpse. Eventually, he found his way around and saw... Nothing! There was nothing behind the corpse. But where the hell was the sound coming from then?


    SSSSShhhhhssssssss....


    Lineir paled. The sound had come from behind him. Whirling around, his bone scythes came out to find... just the scaly hide of the dead False Water Serpent, riddled with gaping holes.


    "There''s nothing here, the False Water Serpent is clearly dead. What is making that noise!" Frustrated, he delivered a thunderous kick to the dead serpent''s hide.


    "This is your fault!" he shouted aloud.


    "Why''d you have to try and eat me huh? I was just trying to hunt a first tier magical beast and you had to go and eat me alive! That hurt!" He slashed the hide with his scythes, but it was to little effect, even dead the scales were hard as rock.


    CLANG! The bone blades bounced off, but they made a loud noise. At the same time, the hissing came again only to cut off abruptly.


    SSSSShhhhhssssssss....hhhaaaaah!??


    Lineir unable to tell where the noise was coming from backed up from the corpse and crouched next to the wall, ready for anything. Strange popping noises appeared, and the corpse began to shift and wriggle as if something was inside it.


    "Mei, please help me out, I could really use a sword right now!" As Lineir entered legitimate danger, black liquid quickly flowed out in small streams and the sword appeared once again in his hands.


    "I hope whatever it is eats you!" No advice came from Mei, though it was clear from her actions that she wasn''t angry enough to let him fight weaponless. Lineir however already had his own plan of action. Inching on tip toe, he made his way with utmost care around the corpse. If he could just get to the entrance of the cave, he might be able to climb out! While it was a steep and sheer cliff, with his bone scythes to stab into the rock, let alone Mei''s sword, and his increased endurance, he felt with reasonable confidence that he wouldn''t fall to his death.


    "Even if I fall... it''s still better than getting eaten right?"


    As he had almost made it past the corpse, he had just reached the gaping hole where the neckhad been torn off, the corpse suddenly rippled violently from a great force.


    SQUELCH, SQUELCH, BOOM!

 27 Talon

    GRAAAAWWRR!!


    Lineir terrified made to flee from the noise but froze as a strange rippling growl echoed throughout the chamber.


    "Grawr?"


    Standing on two legs was a noble looking girl of average height with long red hair and a solid red gown so long she was practically stepping on it. Looking closely, there was actually a spot of white on the back of the dress.


    "That dress couldn''t have been white originally... that would mean the whole thing is bathed in...blood?" Lineir wasn''t a fool. As unbelievable as it was, the hunk of raw meat in her left hand was clearly torn from the super tough False Water Serpent''s corpse. She had been eating the thing from the inside out! Mei realized this at the same time and gave up her fake aggrieved silence,


    "Hurry and run, that girl is not what she seems!" Lineir began to sprint for the entrance again, but he knew that wasn''t an escape option now that he''d been discovered,


    "What do you want me to do, jump off and fly? There''s no way I can climb down faster than a snail''s pace without falling!"


    However, he ran anyways because he had no choice, and it was better to do something than to stand around and become another blood stain on her gown. He didn''t make it far. From his back came five flaring spots of pain as something small smacked into his back and he was shoved onto his elbows, the bone scythes slithering out to brace his body. Trying to prop himself up on the sharp blades, he turned to see what was behind him, only to catch a glimpse of swirling red fabric and a foot with five talons pressed down on him with ungodly strength. Cheek against the hard ground he could only helplessly look back and slowly retract his bone scythes as Mei quietly also returned to liquid form and seeped back into his veins.


    "Hi! I mean you no harm, as you can see, I was just leaving!" He was rather proud of the fact that his voice only trembled slightly while saying this. The girl with her taloned foot on his back only pressed down harder and unable to breath, he shut up.


    "Were you trying to assassinate me? If you were, you''re a poor assassin, you woke me up!" The girl showed absolutely no fear of Lineir, and after deciding for a moment, actually took her foot off his back.


    "What clan do you belong to? I don''t recognize those strange claws on your arm."


    She tapped his elbow with a talon, Lineir noticed that they were incredibly sharp, and actually gave him a little cut from which drops of blood seeped just by poking him. Not daring to get up, he replied,


    "I have no clan, I happened to be inside the belly of that False Water Serpent when it was plucked from the sky. Speaking of which, where are we, whatever did that must have been incredibly strong, we should leave this cave immediately!" The girl simply laughed at Lineir though,


    "Oh, is that where you came from? As incredible a story as that is, you''re too weak to be an assassin. Don''t worry, I won''t eat you, I only eat magical beasts, cultivators aren''t very tasty. You''ll have to get out of here on your own though, I''m not interested in whether or not you slip and fall. Off you go, and remember, if anyone comes and finds me here, you''ll be the first one I hunt down and rip apart. I have your scent now..." She bent over and sniffed the back of Lineir''s head, making goosebumps appear everywhere and then went back to the False Water Serpent''s corpse. Turning from Lineir, seemingly uncaringly, she launched a thunderous kick with her clawed foot and punched right through the scales. Upon pulling it back, a hunk of bloody meat was trapped between and she retrieved it with her hands and began eating it raw. She had literally no fear of turning her back to Lineir at all. He was below her presence. Mei quickly urged the dumbstruck Lineir to hurry up,


    "Come on, get climbing before she changes her mind! Whatever she is, she is far beyond your power, be thankful she isn''t hungry enough to bother with you!" Immediately Lineir scrambled over the edge, trying to ignore the three hundred meter drop to the green forest below. Stabbing his elbow blades into the edges of a crack in the rock, he began the long and painful process of finding a way down the sheer cliff. While at first, it was tough going, he soon got used to using the bone blades, which were extremely hard and sharp as picks to assist him on his way down. As he went, he discussed with Mei.


    "What was that Mei, she was way too small to have made all those holes in the False Water Dragon''s body, but she was definitely eating it!" Mei wasn''t sure,


    "Clearly somebody powerful, to be able to cut through a peak 5th tier magical beast with a talon, she must be somebody with an incredible background. In fact, I suspect she may not be human, but a magical beast assuming human form! Only tenth tier and above magical beasts can do this. I have never been so glad to have such a weak and puny disciple! She never even considered you a threat and thus you lived. I cannot tell if Fate itself is taunting me like this, truly an odd coincidence for you to meet such a being and survive in the wilderness." Lineir was awed, he hadn''t known that magical beasts could assume human form.


    "Really, magical beasts can actually change into human form? That''s incredible, but I don''t know. I couldn''t tell anything about her at all." Mei''s tone was condescending,


    "Your world is too small. What you have to understand is that humanity is but a small portion of the many powerful beings in the universe. Indeed, in my world, powerful magical beasts were as common as raindrops in a hurricane, and there was practically no distinction between human and beast experts. I do find it odd though, what a strange place for a powerful being to hang out. I wonder what her true form is?" Eventually, Lineir took one last swing with his aching arms, and managed to drop down to solid ground. At that moment he felt an odd sensation, as if raindrops were falling, though the setting sun was nestled in a clear sky, devoid of clouds.


    "Say Mei, is it raining?" Looking at his arms, he tried to figure out what was on them. Presently, another sensation came to him, and he flinched as he looked at the crimson liquid, which had splashed down and splattered on his hand. "Blood?"

 28 The Beast Inside

    "GRAAAAAWWRRRR!!!!"


    The terrifying roar which shook Lineir''s bones came from the very cave he had just left. The sun was at the tipping point when the light clung to the edge of the horizon as one might hang from a cliff. Large splatters of falling red rain signified that some terrible event was happening up above. As he watched, experts soared in on flying swords, alighted on the cliff, and rushed into the cave. They came three or four at a time, and without fail rushed in. By now there must have been a dozen. Angry roars and shouts sounded out, and it was clear that death was at hand.


    "Graaaawwwwrrrrr!!!"


    "Surround it!"


    "Watch the claws!"


    "F*** the tail, mind the tail!!"


    This time, as the roar rang out, another dozen or so cultivators rode in, all wearing a distinctly purple robe. The cliff began to shake, and the bloody rain came even more frequently. Lineir began to jog away. This was clearly a battle far beyond him right now, and he had no desire to implicate himself. As a matter of fact...


    "**** if that girl survives this battle, she might think I led those people there!"


    He sped up, still looking over his shoulder, the sounds of battle suggesting it was far from over. Then... a dozen new cultivators flew in, also in purple robes, bringing the total count to over three dozen! There was a pause, and some indistinct words were said. The torn purple clothed bodies of several experts were tossed unceremoniously out of the cave mouth, and thunderous steps were heard.


    Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump


    It was clear that something massive was coming out, despite being at least a hundred meters from the base of the cave, Lineir could feel the ground shaking beneath his feet. From the entrance burst out a red colored shadow as the sun tipped beyond the horizon. He found himself shaking as he realized what it was. With wings like vast sails and talons which were the size of a fully grown man, a crimson bloody dragon burst out from the entrance roaring as cultivators were sent flying from its headlong rush. Immediately, Lineir threw himself into some thick underbrush and prayed that he wouldn''t be noticed.


    "She was a ******* dragon!!!"


    Mei was also shaken,


    "That''s no ordinary dragon. To take human form, as I said, probably a tenth tier or higher magical beast! But she seemed too human... I believe she''s not so simple. Looking at her body I didn''t see many wounds, indeed, those most of those pools of blood were definitely from those invading cultivators! You''d best hope you don''t run into her again, she may assume that you led them here, the timing was just too perfect. To take on over three dozen cultivators single-handedly and escape, she can only be called a monster!" Lineir was still in a bush, trying to avoid popping up. Through the leaves, he counted less than two dozen cultivators exiting the cave, clearly the price had been high, and yet their target had gotten away! He definitely didn''t want anything to do with them. Fortunately, they shot off in all directions, searching for the red dragon which had already flown far off into the distance with its incomparably swift wings.


    "Those fools, relying on immortal swords to fly, compared to a creature of magic with natural wings, how can they hope to catch up? Let''s go disciple, I think it''s time for you to leave the wilderness for a while and pay a visit to a city. I''m sure that your infamy has died down a little, and you need to sell some of the materials you''ve gained for some things which can only be obtained from others. Besides, with these developments, it would be good to blend in for a while and lose yourself amongst others. Not only have you attracted the unwelcome attention of an expert, but spending too much time in the wilderness can have adverse effects on your psyche. Some have been known to lose themselves and become more beast than man..."

 29 A Way In

    Darkness had truly fallen. The twinges of red sunlight in the sky had slipped below the event horizon leaving only the night. From this point out, Lineir trekked carefully, though he was actually cultivating. Mei was subconsciously guiding his body, he simply followed as he gleaned ever deeper insights into his inner self and searched to settle his cultivation base. It quickly became apparent that inside of him, compared to how he had been before undergoing a journey through the False Water God''s stomach, his Second Heart had grown. The darkness and lightning aspects were deeper and richer in color, a flash of thick midnight black darkness and a delicate strand of devilish lightning. Additionally the spinning tug which spindled his Qi into his core was growing ever stronger. Lineir had grown far more attuned to himself as well. He could almost feel the base energy particles which permeated the air being drawn to him.


    His six sense was even sharper than before. Twice, he suddenly felt rather than saw some threat just beyond the trees, and quickly turned the other way. The world left an imprint on his senses which he could feel more intimately and as instinctively as the strongest touch. Even Mei was astounded,


    "How did you know to avoid the Three Tailed Howling Wolf Pack? Their killing intent was well disguised, and their physical camouflage was without flaw." Lineir simply chuckled under his breath as he passed by the hidden beasts.


    "I''m not sure, but I can feel their killing intent as easily as I hear your voice, I was hoping you could explain it to me master." Mei was speechless, it was unheard of even in her lands for someone so young and weak in cultivation to be so attuned to killing intent. She could only speculate,


    "I haven''t heard of this before, I think... it may have something to do with the Nine Paths of Asura. I suspect that this may be one of the hidden benefits of this technique. Be happy, if this really is something to do with this, that means that you fit the requirements to gain some benefits. Perhaps the labors of my cultivation wasn''t wasted on you after all!" Clearly, Mei was still sore about losing out on all her accumulated energy that time, and she really hoped that Lineir could fulfill her expectations.


    In time, Lineir stealthily managed to follow several minor tributaries to the major rivers. He quickly found himself at the same river shores which he had been plucked from earlier. From here, he gained his bearings. He set out on a new course.


    "It''s time to go to Dracherus. I have some debts to settle."


    A few days passed by without incident. During which, Lineir hunted a few weak first tier beasts for their cores and materials, but mostly continued in as straight a line as possible out of the wilderness. By now, his reputation ought to have faded, and he shouldn''t have to worry about pursuers from Brackenrock City or those bandits. As he neared the city, he more frequently began to encounter other travelers. He gave them a wild berth as with his sharp senses and Mei''s vigilant watch over him he could easily choose whether or not to meet another traveler before they actually came into sight. For now, until he knew more, he deemed it prudent to avoid all contact.


    A middle sized city appeared with high walls that would take a giant to step over or a dragon to fly over. There were many travelers entering and exiting the city and the architecture was very solid. For Lineir, it felt about the same as Brackenrock City had been, though much larger. He immediately felt both at home and at ease entering an urban area once again.


    "Ahhh, it''s been a while..."


    At the gates, Lineir tensed, ready to be called out if someone recognized him, but Dracherus was a far larger city than Brackenrock, and the traffic flow was far too wide for individuals to be casually monitored one by one. He easily entered the city with the rest of the travelers, and even didn''t have to pay a fee. This city had a special system unlike most where merchants would have to pay taxes to the treasury based on how much they sold. This was in contrast to most cities which simply charged a flat tariff for entering. While the city missed out on travelers who were only passing through and did not buy anything, it gained more taxes from the merchant''s side as when they sold more, the city gained more. Thus more customers would enter the city since there was no fee, and more sales were potentially made leading to more revenue. Of course, this was just the reasoning of this particular city. Most adhered to a standard entrance fee, and it could be said that this was a bit unusual. For Lineir though, entering the city without anyone getting a good look at his face was quite nice.


    Having entered from the side of the city which bordered the wilderness entrance, markets were the first thing to catch the eye. Merchants and vendors of all sorts lined the streets and shouted out orders or tried to sell survival goods. The first wanted to purchase raw materials that mercenaries and adventurers brought in at cheap prices for export, and the latter was generally hoping to resupply those leaving the city to go and hunt.


    In ragged half burned clothes he quickly searched for somewhere to sell his loot. At the moment, he was penniless and could only hope to sell some magical beast materials so he might be able to buy some new cloths.


    "Buying the hides and claws of Two Tailed Marsh Foxes, sixty coppers a hide!"


    "Selling red elixirs of life and black elixirs of death, don''t leave the city without restocking, prices negotiable!"


    And so on the orders went, it was clear that this market was incredibly varied, and was the largest for general goods as it was closest to the wilderness. Lineir walked around and quickly found people who were looking for what he had, which was at this point mostly smaller internal parts of magical beasts, similar to the handy canteen he had made from the goat he had killed.


    Unfortunately, his violent affair with the False Water Serpent had destroyed his clothing and most of his loot had been lost. Luckily, the most valuable loot was small rather than large. For instance some of the teeth from the worm he had slain actually managed to gain him a silver a piece! This was equal to many hides that were much larger, and it became apparent that tiered magical beast materials sold for much higher amounts than more mundane goods.


    Immediately, Lineir used a silver to purchase a new set of clothes to replace his rags, several merchants had been yelling at him to try out their outfits this whole time, and he was glad to finally get a change. Having sold what little he had, he quickly left the market and tried to find a place to stay for the night.


    "SIX SILVERS!" Lineir''s cry in his mind made Mei laugh,


    "I told you, cities are places for those with money. For someone like you, they are simply a good way to empty your wallet. You better pay though, this is the sixth inn you''ve tried, and you''re not likely to get any cheaper than this. The food looks like a child prepared it. Tut tut" At that moment, a child ran out from the kitchen, balancing three plates and Mei stopped speaking. This place was so cheap they were employing child labor! The inn owner simply stared at Lineir as if to say,


    "What?" Letting younger children work in this service industry could be considered a good thing. Lineir himself knew this, as his sister had been working to support him and herself for a long time, but still... the child in front couldn''t have been more than five years old, this was pushing it. Lineir quickly shook his head and handed him the coins, leaving him with precious little to show for his life and death experience in the wilderness.


    "Sigh, I guess the true value of spending time in the wilderness is the experience and gains in cultivation. I''m certainly not going to become rich like this..."


    After a bath Lineir could finally say he felt human again. He went down and hung out by himself in a corner of the tavern room. His goal was to find out more about this city and its officials. He still owed a debt to the kind middle aged man who had shielded him with his own body. Lineir was determined to repay his kindness this time around. He needed to find a way to talk to the royal family. After he had spent half the night though, he was frustrated and could only shrug.


    "All night, I''ve been listening but I can''t think of a way to meet the royal family! I don''t even have more than ten silvers on me so I couldn''t even bribe my way into the royal court." However, at that moment, one of the tables near the door caught his attention. The speakers were two gruff men, with weathered faces beaten by the elements into old age,


    "Ahhhhh the ale in this place hits the spot. Taste''s worse than your wife''s cooking! But it''s three times as cheap!" A loud smack resounded as the other man landed one in the speaker''s gut.


    "AKKKHHH That hurt mate, you better be saving that for the tournament, I hear the king himself will be attending, he''ll make you a knight with that kind of strength."

 30 No Longer So Soft...

    Would really appreciate it if any Fellow Daoists who enjoy this story would follow, vote, or comment. Lemme know your thoughts, good, bad, what you''d like to see more of. Is the format viewer friendly? What can be improved on the original chapters? Much luv-Mt Alternity


    Lineir''s ears were perked up like a cat''s, finally an opportunity.


    "Hrmph, you''d better hope you don''t draw me as your opponent, I won''t hold back!" The men both went back upstairs early, leaving half their tankards of ale untouched. Clearly, they actually wanted to have an early night. Lineir sighed. To think, after all night, that was the end of his free information.


    "Cities really are money sinks!" He walked up to the counter and addressed the bartender,


    "So about those two fellows who just left." The bartender smirked as he glanced over at the table Lineir was indicating and the unfinished ale and scraps. He had a patchy mottled face, and was the owner of the inn who had taken Lineir''s coin earlier.


    "Leftovers go to my hogs kid. Don''t care if you''re starving, you gotta buy your own food."


    Lineir quickly realized that the man thought he was begging for scraps. Insulted he made his actual purpose known,


    "I''m not interested in your pig''s food. Look, I want to know more about what they were talking about, a tournament? It sounds like something worth watching." The innkeeper smiled. He knew an opportunity when he saw one, and this kind of thing happened on a frequent basis. He pursed his lips and tapped on the counter. Lineir, expecting this by now, he had quickly learned that nothing was free in the city, slid over a copper. The innskeeper smiled wider and tapped three more times.


    "Damnit I gave in too quick, he knows I''m interested." He slid over three more and said,


    "Alright, I''m sure anyone could tell me about this. Tell me what you know already or I''ll ask someone else." The bartender swept the coppers under the counter into a pocket somewhere and began to speak,


    "Yea kid, it''s kind of obvious your new. Anyone on the street could tell you about the royal tournament, its been posted for months now. Word to the wise, best to ask around first before you come to an information dealer. Regular people don''t charge for gossip. But hey, more for me." Lineir signaled to get on with it.


    "All right, the king of Dracherus has proclaimed a great tournament which just so happens to begin tomorrow. The winner will receive a nice sack of gold, recognition, and a fourth tier magical beast''s core. In fact, anyone who shows themselves well may be eligible for knighthood from the king himself, or various other nobles attending, and may join the private forces of said sponser. Anyone on the street could tell you this. But kid, since you paid me, and I wouldn''t want you to feel cheated, let me tell you a little something else. Between us information brokers, that fourth tier magical beast core, while any fourth tier magical beast core is an item most of us ordinary people couldn''t touch, this particular one ain''t normal. Word is, it actually is a core from a Three Headed Hydra! The Three Headed Hydra is a mythical class beast, and thus the core''s value is actually equal to a low fifth tier core. The value of such an item is priceless. Its rarity is such that only a fool would accept gold for it. But there''s more...which I could tell you for a price." The bartender rapped on the counter once more. Lineir, questioningly took out a single copper. The bartender smiled and shook his head. He rapped again. Mei quickly told Lineir to pay up,


    "This man clearly knows something good, whatever the price is, pay it, it''s only money, information on a mythical class beast core is far more important at your level. This could be a huge opportunity for you!" Sighing endlessly Lineir slid one of his last few silver coins to the man. Instantly it too was under the table and the bartender was clearing his throat.


    "Thank you, glad to see someone who appreciates good information. The tournament kiddo, if you were thinking of entering, don''t deny it I can see it in your eyes, is rigged. A little kid like you wouldn''t have been able to get past the prelims initially, but, even if by some miracle, your opponents got diarrhea and all left, you might as well give up now. This tournament is in fact a hand-off! The king of Dracherus has been harassed of late by various powers, don''t ask me why I don''t know what they''d want with this city. In order to deal with this, the king has agreed to align himself with the Nero Sect. As such, the winner of the tournament will receive this core, and in fact, the king will present his daughter for marriage to seal the alliance. This tournament is really a public display so that the inner disciples of the Nero Sect can compete to see who will gain the core and marry into royalty. Each inner disciple has assess to martial arts and cultivation methods which a commoner like you can''t even dream of. Save yourself the time and buy a seat in the stands instead of entering, at least you''ll get to see something good instead of spending the day knocked out by some cultivator''s spiritual pressure."


    Lineir thanked the bartender for the information and walked away.


    "If you ever need any more information, just come back here, I''m the best dealer around kid. Your silver is safe with me hehehe." Lineir simply shrugged, while he had felt great pain inside, the urge to cough up blood at the loss of his precious silver had passed. The information he had gotten was truly more valuable. Mei was ecstatic,


    "Kiddo, this is excellent. You absolutely must enter this tournament, even if you lose you will only have gained valuable experience in fighting cultivators. These inner disciples may seem intimidating to ordinary men like that bartender, but I would estimate that this Nero Sect''s disciples absolutely cannot compare to you who has the great me to teach you. While you should not underestimate them, they have had a lifetime of training, your methods aren''t ordinary like theirs and you can make up for talent and time with unorthodox techniques. It would be good to shake up this place a little, you''ve spent too much time away from civilization. And if you were to win this mythical beast core, I''ll teach you something good as well. Work hard and try not to embarrass me as your teacher."


    Lineir quickly headed out to find the tournament registration. Fortunately, it was quite easy, everyone knew that the tournament was to be held at the city training grounds, and in fact, Lineir saw several posters leading the way. Had he been paying attention, rather than rushing to find lodging and change his clothes, he probably would have noticed them earlier.


    "Register here, pay the entrance fee and receive your number and you''re good to go kid, enjoy the tournament!" The pale faced soldier took one look at Lineir and snickered, he was clearly expecting Lineir to get beat up. Lineir, paled terribly, and the soldier taking this as fear, actually burst out laughing,


    "Relax, killing in this tournament is forbidden, and unless some sect cultivator accidentally doesn''t control his force, you won''t die, though you may not be able to walk for some time hahaha!" Little did he know that Lineir, after his time in the wilderness didn''t fear these spoiled inner sect cultivators at all. Rather,


    "God**** an entrance fee? Do I need to sell myself on the streets to some old man just to enter this tournament. At this rate, I''m so hungry I probably wouldn''t even care, the pain in my stomach is all I can think about!" In the end, Lineir handed in his last silver to the soldier as his stomach grumbled and registered.


    "Now I have to win...that sack of gold is ****** mine!"


    After spending the night cultivating, Lineir got up incredibly irritated. He hadn''t had enough money for a meal after all these expenses, and elemental energy might keep him from starving to death, but his stomach didn''t really care. It kept groaning all the same. He quickly headed down, and while the bartender wasn''t looking snagged a plate of leftovers at an empty table on the way out.


    "He took me for all I had...it''s only reasonable that I can at least get something in return. **** his pigs." Quickly snarfing down the disgusting half eaten loaf of bread, Lineir made his way to the tournament, as he went though, he was shoved aside to the ground. If he wasn''t so distracted by hunger at the moment, he never would have taken the hit, but as it was, he had been intensely avoiding some mysterious liquid on the bread and had lost track of his surroundings.


    "Clear the way peasant! The Nero Sect is coming." Unbelievably, some random guy on the street had shoved him down into the muddy sewage stained street. He wasn''t even a retainer of the Nero Sect, he clearly was just looking to curry favor! Pasting on a sickly sweet grin, the man turned to the grand carriage passing by,


    "My lords of the Nero Sect, I''ve helped clear the way of the regular scum so that you might go unimpeded!" A couple of coppers shot out of the driver''s gloved hands, and the man quickly bowed and ran in front to knock aside more people, forgetting all about Lineir in the dirt.


    "That **** I just bought these clothes yesterday, they''re my only pair!" The old Lineir, the rat of the deadzone wouldn''t have dared do anything. He was too small, and too weak and malnourished to do so. But this Lineir was a cultivator, and he wasn''t so weak anymore. Also...he wasn''t nice. Up ahead, there was an elderly couple in the road. The carriage showed no signs of stopping, and the man was running up clearly intending to shove them out of the way. Disgusted, Lineir instantly arrived behind the man. To any regular person watching it would appear that a great splash of mud came and Lineir suddenly went from behind thirty feet, to at the man''s back in the blink of an eye. With a finger, he prodded the unsuspecting man in the back. Instantly, he tensed up and froze with a face full of pain as a shocking current ran through his body. Lineir put a hand on his back and whispered,


    "Here, you want to be an underling for those Nero Sect disciples, then let me help you get underneath them!" With a swift push, Lineir was already walking away as the elderly couple, dumbfounded, stared at the man who was shoved under the carriage about to run them over.


    CRACK!


    "What the hell was that? I thought we had men to help us clear the road!" The driver stepped down and saw that the wagon''s two front wheels had cracked after rolling on top of the legs of the man in question. He was lying in the mud with a purple face, unable to scream as all his muscles were locked up for some reason. The elderly couple quickly ran away, and Lineir, looking over his shoulder, blended into the crowd which had stopped to watch the spectacle. Mei laughed,


    "Disciple, you''ve grown." Lineir simply smiled.


    "If someone shoves me down...I''ll make it so they can''t ever get up again." Together the laughing master and smiling Lineir went to the tournament, a chill passing through every person they passed by.


    Inside the waiting grounds, Lineir, who was sitting with his hood up to disguise himself, quickly found himself surrounded by a number of mercenaries and soldiers hoping to make their fortune. Lineir paid them no mind, the strongest were barely classifiable as cultivators, and most were just weaklings. Most sensible mercenaries knew that the tourney was rigged and that only cultivators of strong sects would have any chance of winning. They would rather sit in the stands and watch than risk injury and their livelihoods. Lineir had his eyes almost slit shut, but Mei was analyzing the situation in his head.


    "The auras of those cultivators over there aren''t bad. But they won''t win, those purple robed cultivators are at a far higher level. Over there, those yellow robed guys are strange. While their overall power is a bit lower, I wouldn''t put it past them to have some strange methods. They may actually be more threatening than the rest... Oh, the main characters have arrived. Be sure to take a good look at them disciple, as the villain in this pageant it''s your job to steal the princess and the treasure from under them! I expect nothing less from my only disciple!" Lineir was pressed into the wall by bodies as all the gruff and scarred men backed away from the entering black robed Nero Sect members. They were late, and clearly not happy about it, and Lineir secretly smirked at the ground as he observed the results of his work. The administrator began to explain the rules.


    "Alright, now that all competitors have arrived, I will explain how matches will be chosen and decided, as well as the rules. First of all, no killing! Anyone who kills their opponent intentionally will have to answer to the king of Dracherus and the royal court will be in attendance to prosecute you immediately!" Lineir chuckled,


    "What a joke, this whole tournament is just a sham so the king can ally with the Nero Sect, of course he won''t take any action even if the Nero sect ''accidentally'' does away with anyone. They will be able to fight with killing moves, but everyone else will have to hold back for fear of killing someone with too strong a blow." Mei quickly replied,


    "Of course the rules are favoring the strong and empowered, the weak don''t get to decide such things. Quiet, there''s more."


    The announcer continued,


    "All matches will be randomly selected by ballot, but the initial preliminaries will be held in block matches so as to expedite the tournament. To ensure that nobody is forced to fight their brother, no two sect members form the same sect can be in the same block in the preliminaries. You were given a number before the tournament began, report to block A if you are from 1-100, B if you are from 101-200, C if you are from 201-300 and so on. Only ten members from each block may progress if they are left standing after 10 minutes. Anyone who leaves the arena circle is disqualified. If there is less than 10 members left standing after ten minutes, then only those left will advance. Find your block!"


    Lineir quickly hurried to his block. He had the number 231, and thus was reporting to block B. In this block, there was a cultivator from the purple, yellow, and the black robed Nero Sect! In addition, there were other robed figures who could only be cultivators from lesser sects. This block was full of threats. Quietly, Lineir backed away as people formed around and went to the C block, where there was almost exclusively ordinary soldiers. In fact, there was nobody wearing a robe in this sect, to an outsider, since Lineir was wearing muddy street clothes, this block was full of chump change. Mei was yelling in Lineir''s ear,


    "What are you doing, are you scared of those inner sect cultivators? Sure you might get your *** kicked but they probably won''t kill you, why did you come to this C block, your number is 231, you''ll get disqualified for being in the wrong block." Lineir raised a glowing finger and pointed at one of the unsuspecting soldiers with their backs to him. Mei gave a little gasp as she realized his intent.


    "Oh... you have matured soft disciple, you''ve truly understood that the strong eat the weak."


    Lineir prodded the soldier in the back and unbeknownst to everyone who was staring at the commentator, quickly snagged the numbered badge from his hand and replaced it with the 231. The man, clearly not a cultivator was knocked unconscious almost instantly and laid on the ground without complaint.


    "Now I''m 352... he won''t mind, I would have knocked him out of the prelims anyway. I''m saving him the trouble of a trip to the hospital." The commentator shouted out at that moment,


    "BEGIN!" Instantly fighting broke out as soldiers turned on each other and began to brawl for a spot in the top ten.


    Lineir didn''t overly exert himself in this block match. There were only some regular soldiers and mercenaries who couldn''t even have been introduced to real cultivation. In fact, if Lineir wanted to, with his ability to sense killing intent, he could probably have closed his eyes and simply swayed and evaded his way into the top ten. But he wanted to speed up the process. As men came towards him, he would slap his palms into their chests after dodging their shots, and as they took the hits while off balance, they would be blasted backwards several meters outside of the arena. In this manner, Lineir made his way to the center of the arena, where the fighting was thickest, without even using a weapon. Once he reached there, he would use the enemies to his advantage, something which Mei had drilled into him in the wilderness.


    "Use everything to your advantage, enemy hands and feet can become your hands and feet, as well as their weapons if you pay attention." Soon, surrounding Lineir was a good two meters of empty space as soldiers realized that anyone who went near was swiftly dispatched and put on the ground. However, with one minute left, something strange happened. Every man fighting around Lineir was swept out of the arena by a ferocious gust of wind and in front of him was a cowled figure of average height. In a moment, that cowled figure was going to rush him, but the commentator shouted out!


    "Time''s up, top ten or those still standing advance from the prelims!" The robed figure stopped attacking him and backed off with a whisper,


    "I know what you did, I know who you are, don''t even think that I will let you go!"

 31 Trial By Nigh

    Lineir looked around. Besides his block, which only had him and the cowled figure, the other blocks also had relatively few people left. None of them actually had the full ten contestants still standing. Instead the block with the most people left was actually block B. Inside, the yellow, purple, and black robed sect cultivators were all standing, as well as two red robed cultivators. All of them were arrayed against each other, except the two red robed cultivators which had somehow managed to be in the same block despite the ruling against having two members in the same sect in one block. In total, counting all the blocks, there were thirteen people left, and all of them were openly cultivators from important sects except Lineir and the cowled figure. There were four black robed Nero Sect members, three purple robed sect members, two yellow robed sect members, and then the two red robed sect members. The commentator stated the rules for the next event.


    "Alright, in this portion of the tournament, we will do a king of the hill event. Anyone who wishes to go up and display their prowess can do so in 1 on 1 combat with a challenger. However, be warned, once up, you cannot leave unless you forfeit. At the end, once every challenger is done, the final man standing wins! Who wants to go first?" The Nero Sect members motioned and one of their own stepped up quickly. Whispers quickly filled the stadium.


    "That''s inner sect disciple Geradine of the Nero Sect! He''s succeeded in condensing his Second Heart recently! While not a favorite to win, he should be able to beat off these other sects for a long time!" The purple robed sect quickly sent up their own member, a big hulking man at least two and a half meters tall.


    "The Mard Sect sent out Blujeon, he too is said to have recently succeeded in forming his Second Heart, and his physical strength is quite good!" The whispers were more subdued in this case, the Mard Sect was clearly not as famous as the Nero Sect.


    "Alright challengers, ascend to the arena and.... begin!" Both members rushed each other, the larger Blujeon looking overwhelmingly more scary. However, when they clashed, with a flash of black light, Blujeon was thrown ten meters out of the arena by a sweeping kick. Looking closely, it was possible to see that the skin on Geradine''s leg had blackened veins which bulged with a dark weight.


    "The winner is Geradine! Who will challenge him for control of the arena?" For a few seconds nobody moved. Lineir analyzed the situation,


    "Interesting, obviously nobody from the Nero Sect will try to knock out their own member now. However, nobody else wants to go up either. Even if they knock out Geradine, they are stuck up there for the duration of the tournament. They would have to win against every opponent in order to be the final man. It is better to wait until most challengers have already been defeated before challenging yourself. Of course... if you are only interested in showing off at the beginning and don''t intend to win at all, then that''s another matter." Exactly as he said, the second purple robed figure stood.


    "I challenge!"


    This second member of the Mard Sect was also hulking huge, and was clearly more imposing then the first. His face was impassive as stone, and it was clear that he practiced some body cultivation technique as his muscles were sharp and angular like a riven boulder. As he ascended, the Nero Sect cultivator Geradine paled and quickly backed off.


    "I forfeit!" Instantly the crowd erupted into whispers, but before they could grow too loud, they were silenced as a second Nero Sect cultivator stood up.


    "I will go."


    "I don''t believe it, Geradine actually backed off, but in his place, Lu of the Nero Sect came up! Compared to Geradine, he is miles ahead, he has been an inner sect disciple for a year now, and he succeeded in condensing his Second Heart half a year ago. He definitely knows some techniques. This Mard Sect cultivator is screwed!"


    However, when they fought, surprisingly, the battle did not end quickly. Lu and this second Mard Sect cultivator clashed and neither was pushed back, each kick resonated against the other cultivator''s with equal force, as if two mountains were fighting. Sharp cracks rang out across the arena and the audience clapped and cheered for both. Lu''s face frowned. Dark veins began to bulge over both his legs, and they quickly swelled up in size. A sudden kick and the Mard Sect cultivator was finally blown back a step. In a flash, sensing weakness, he rushed him again. It was as if the mountain was finally coming down, a dazzling variety of snapping kicks and the Mard cultivator was pushed to the edge of the arena. Lu''s face smiled as he went to deliver the final blow, heavy dark veins looking unstoppable. But at that moment, the Mard cultivator also finally cracked a smile. Reaching forward with massive hands, he grasped the kick, his arms shining in refractive light and twisted. Caught off guard by this sudden display of speed, Lu was immediately thrown off balance and was sent skittering out of the arena.


    "Your Nero Sect''s fancy techniques might be stronger than our Mard Sect''s, but we at least teach our disciples how to win a fight," The Mard Sect Cultivator growled triumphantly!


    The crowd went wild, the Mard Sect had held their cards until the last moment when their backs were against the wall, then won in an instant! The Nero Sect cultivators gnashed their teeth and it could be seen that Lu, who was relatively uninjured, was ashamed as the other cultivators looked down at him coldly. Clearly, he could have won, had he not grown overconfident and fallen for the Mard cultivator''s trap. Immediately, the second to last Nero Sect cultivator ascended the stage. However, then things got strange.


    "The Mard Sect forfeits the tournament, our point has been demonstrated." So saying, all three Mard Sect members left. The crowd was confused.


    "How strange, why did they leave? Sure, the Nero Sect is strong, but they defeated one, even if it was by trickery, why quit here?" But Lineir was not fooled,


    "This Mard clan has no methods, that whole display was just to impress the king and the royals and gain face. The Nero Sect is clearly more powerful, and now that they are on their guard, the Mard Sect stands no chance. They''d rather leave while ahead, a smart move. But that means the true tournament starts now. The lions are done fighting, now the tigers lying in wait will spring up. It''s not time yet for me to go though, there''s still far too many challengers." This time, a yellow robed cultivator entered the arena.


    "What sect is this, I don''t know them."


    "Indeed, I don''t know them either."


    "I suspect one of the isolation sects of the desert, but I''ve never seen them either"


    The crowd didn''t know what to make of this, but the commentator announced the beginning of the fight anyway, and the Nero Sect disciple and this yellow robed cultivator began to go at it. Right away, it could be seen that this yellow robed cultivator had some strange methods. Every time they clashed, the Nero Sect disciple was diverted. A light blue glow would fill the hands of the yellow robed cultivator and it was as if the Nero Sect''s blows slid right off.


    "Mei, what are those strange methods, it is as if the Nero Sect disciple can''t even get his blows to have any power on this man."


    "Disciple, it''s obviously an elemental water type art which focuses on redirecting power. Water has an extremely strong defensive property most times, but there is a limit to that. If you haven''t noticed, the Nero Sect has yet to activate that strange dark veined technique. Yet the yellow robed cultivator is already using his methods just to block normal attacks. This match is already decided by pure power."


    Sure enough, eventually the last Nero Sect disciple watching motioned to the one fighting, and instantly his hands began to bulge with black veins and his punches became heavy. The yellow robed cultivator took one hit from them and backed off more and more.


    "Smart, the yellow robed cultivator is playing on the mind of the Nero disciple. By backing off, the Nero Sect disciple will unconsciously think about how his fellow disciple was tricked earlier and will become too cautious. This may give the yellow robed cultivator some time to breath. But the power is difference is too great. There is no way the Nero Sect disciple will lose this." Mei was adamant in the gap between powers, and she was right. The Nero Sect disciple hesitated for a moment as the other cultivator backed away but quickly rushed him and shoved him out of the arena.


    "Heh, no unknown sect is going to beat the Nero Sect. I don''t even know why they try, they probably just want to earn some recognition from the king!" The crowd all seemed to be along these lines. The Nero Sect disciple motioned to the last yellow robed cultivator, who took a moment, but then shook his head and walked out of the arena.


    "Haha, he conceded as well, after the pitiful display of his other disciple, it''s no wonder!" Jeers and derision accompanied him, but he didn''t seem to care. Finally, the Nero Sect disciple turned to the two red robed cultivators which seemed to be the biggest threat. The only other ones left were Lineir and the cowled figure, but they weren''t wearing cultivator robes, and thus were not even in the Nero Sect''s eyes. The red robed cultivators made to ascend the stage. However, then something strange happened. As they passed Lineir with their hooded faces, they froze. They stared closely at Lineir from under their red hoods and whispered to each other. After a few moments of muttering they walked out of the arena as well. Lineir was baffled,


    "What the hell? Do I know them? They didn''t even announce that they forfeited, they just left. What is up with this tournament!" Mei calmed him down,


    "Relax kiddo, life is strange, right now worry about the tournament. Now it''s just the two Nero Sect cultivators and that cowled figure. It''s about time for you to enter the stage." As Lineir was about to open his mouth and announce his decision however, the cowled figure stepped up and challenged. However, he didn''t even say anything, simply walked into the arena and faced the other challenger. The Nero Sect disciple looked contemptuously at the cowled figure.


    "Are you even a cultivator? What sect wears those rags. No matter, I''m not interested in seeing your face. Let''s go!" He immediately rushed the cowled figure. However, at that moment, something shocking happened. With a punch so fast Lineir could barely see it, the Nero Sect cultivator was blasted out of the arena into a wall under the spectators. He weakly hung there stuck in the cracked rock and coughed out stream after stream of blood. The other Nero Sect cultivator was dumbfounded.


    "Who the hell dares to mess with my Nero Sect!"


    As always, please do comment if you have any thoughts at all

 32 Noble

    This sudden unexpected result shocked the crowd into silence. In the higher boxes of the arena, the royals and even the king of Dracherus himself leaned in. They were clearly extremely interested in this result. One noble in particular, seated next to the king, shouted out,


    "Impossible! No member of the junior generation could have done that to a disciple of my Nero Sect! This competitor must be some elder in disguise, seize him and show me his face!"


    Instantly, several elders of the Nero Sect began to stream down through the air at high speed. However, elders of other sects, who were enjoying the show, quickly flew up and blocked them.


    "Elders of the Nero Sect, it is not in the tournament rules that competitors must show their faces, and the only rule was that disciples cannot be killed! As you can see, your disciple is still alive and with the right doctor, will no doubt make a full recovery"


    They pointed to the disciple still lodged in the wall spitting stream after stream of blood out. The faces of the Nero Sect elders reddened and their anger reached the Heavens but they couldn''t deny that to intervene with the tournament was not justified.


    "We elders of the Marde and Desert Tribe suggest you go back to your seats and stop disrupting this tournament!" Gnashing their teeth, the elders had no choice but to return empty-handed, though they stared daggers at the cowled figure who stood innocently on the arena. The commentator glanced nervously at the king, unsure of what to do, but the other Nero Sect disciple had already ascended to the stage.


    "You ****ing freak! I don''t know what special items or trick you used, but you had better not dare use it again in front of me, Narsier! All the elders of my Nero Sect are now watching closely, don''t even think you can get away with it again under their eyes!" Instantly, the Nero Sect''s legs and fists turned black and bulged with veins. The crowd quietly started to whisper again.


    "Amazing, Narsier is said to have condensed his Second Heart a full year ago! His mastery over the darkness element truly exceeds his brothers by leaps and bounds, and though this cowled man is strong, there is no way he dares to use any trickery now that everyone is watching!" Approving shouts rang out and suddenly the tournament was back in full swing. Dashing in, Narsier began to unleash the dizzying flurry of high speed, high impact attacks. Whenever he missed and hit the ground, his kicks would gouge huge holes and his fists would make loud pops with displaced air, even when there was no impact. The cowled figure backed away and blocked, displaying incredible defense. There was no attempt at attack at all. The crowd roared ever louder and the faces of the Nero Sect elders were gradually beginning to grin again. They began to signal to Narsier. Unbeknownst to everyone else, this signal mean''t that they had given him permission to kill this competitor! They would handle the backlash. Narsier, noticing, quickly intensified his attacks. However, Lineir noticed something strange.


    This whole time, the cowled figure appeared to have been staring at Narsier while evading. Lineir was directly behind Narsier, but when Narsier shifted to the side, the cowled figure''s gaze did not move to follow Narsier. Rather it remained fixed ahead under the dark hood, staring directly at Lineir! An intense shiver ran through Lineir and in a split second, he was chilled as he noticed a slender finger slip out from the sleeve and point to him... beckoning. With the other hand, while still looking at Lineir, the cowled figure shot out a fist which flowed like the wind and Narsier was blasted into the wall, even harder than the first disciple had been. He didn''t even spit out streams of blood, he could only limply hang there and let it dribble out of the sides of his mouth as if his mouth itself was crying red.


    The crowd was once again stunned into silence. Nobody moved, even the Nero Sect elders were silent. They couldn''t understand that their strongest inner disciple, who was the favorite to win this tournament, and the mythical core, and would become the centerpiece of their alliance with the royal house, would be eliminated so easily. The commentator was staring at the king, but the king was frowning, as was the noble who had shouted out earlier. The king motioned to go on, and so the commentator pointed at Lineir,


    "Alright, you are the last challenger! The one to win this fight takes the tournament, ascend now!" Lineir looked up as the cowled figure still just stood there innocently. The Nero Sect elders waited with clenched teeth... they would settle this after the tournament, it was too public right now. Mei encouraged Lineir,


    "Kiddo, don''t worry, this cowled figure is strange indeed, but he did not kill anyone. The risk is worth the reward, remember I''ll give you something good if you can win the core. Go!" Lineir slowly ascended, but he felt intense unease. That person had been interested in Lineir since the beginning, and he couldn''t help but feel a familiar presence which terrified him. Shrugging, he headed up and took a stance,


    "I don''t know what I did to offend you, but let our fists do the talking!" Like lightning, he rushed in at incredible speed to test the waters. The cowled figure for the first time moved in to attack.


    "Don''t lie to me!" Before Lineir could do anything, with unfathomable speed, a thin hand reached out and clenched his throat, plucking him out of the air. As it happened, Lineir unconsciously reacted and flailed an elbow out. The cowled figure immediately tightened the hold on Lineir''s neck, and jerked to the side to avoid the blow. The edge caught the trailing hood however, and it slid down to reveal a face. The noble face peered under Lineir''s hood and sniffed.


    "I told you I knew your scent!"


    At the same time, the king, nobles, and crowd all erupted into a frenzy. "What the hell is the princess doing in the tournament!"

 33 The Real Winner

    Lineir hung in the air, his toes desperately trying to touch the ground. It was an incredibly uncomfortable position to say the least.


    "**** it''s that dragon lady! She doesn''t care about how I got into a different block, she thinks I told those sect assassins where to find her!" Lineir panicked.


    Mei carefully instructed Lineir,


    "Don''t bother moving. I told you that girl is many times stronger than you. As a member of the dragon race she isn''t someone you can handle head on! Find some way to convince her it wasn''t your fault!" However, no matter how Lineir tried, he couldn''t cough out a word, her grasp on his throat was simply too strong. His face purpled and the world began to spin.


    "Kiddo, I''m going to slow down your heart rate. This undead heart of yours is under my control, and I can very convincingly bring you to the brink of death. Provided you stay absolutely still and learn some acting skills, even she should not be able to tell that you are faking!" Gradually, Lineir''s struggles became less and less. He let his eyes stop glaring frantically and hung limply like a dead fish. The girl stared at him deeply for a few seconds, but she could feel that there was no pulse on his throat. With one last shake, she tossed him aside and proclaimed,


    "I refuse to marry anyone, least of all the Nero Sect, their disciples are unworthy and I do not recognize them!" She pointed directly at the king as she spoke, and then leaped from the ground. From her back, scaly red wings unfolded and she soared away at frightening speed. Immediately, Nero Sect elders took off after her,


    "That girl! Going so far as to hurt our disciples to avoid a legal agreement between her elders, she''s really gone too far this time! She needs to be punished, all elders, bring her back!" A dozen black robed elders shot out after her, and the crowd cowered as the air whirled viciously from their passage. It was a few minutes before anyone dared speak. However, once the first whispers broke out, others followed.


    "It''s true, the daughter of the king of Dracherus is one of the imperial dragon line!"


    "She denied the Nero Sect, no wonder, if they got close to her, they would have access to the dragon bloodline!"


    "I wonder what the king is thinking, letting the Nero Sect close to such a precious heir."


    "I doubt he had much of a choice, they probably pressured him into it!"


    "But wait... who wins the tournament now?"


    Everyone was looking around, but the princess had clearly left the arena, and the Nero Sect disciples were both unable to free themselves from the wall.


    "Wait... that man is still alive!" Gasps came out as Lineir got his hands under himself and stood. Brushing off the dust from himself, and adjusting his hood, he choked out as clearly and confidently as he could,


    "I''m the last man standing, I demand my compensation now!" He looked directly at the commentator, and then they both looked towards the king who was standing, staring after the direction his daughter and the Nero Sect had flown off to, trembling. Looking down, in a distracted manner, he simply stated,


    "What?"


    Lineir sighed, "This is gonna be tricky, I need to gamble and bluff my way out. Knowing the temperament of this Nero Sect, they will insist that this tournament is void after this, and if I don''t get out of here soon, they''ll come after me. But that core... it''s worth the risk!"


    He boldly announced even louder,


    "The core and the gold, I require them, I am the winner, is there anyone else in the arena with me?"


    The king looked and indeed there was absolutely no one but Lineir still standing. He shakily looked around, but there were no Nero Sect elders left, they had all gone chasing after his daughter. The rewards were supposed to seal the alliance with the Nero Sect, but he had promised them to the winner of the tournament, and suspicious gazes were being mounted by the expectant audience.


    "Alright, alright, present the man his rewards, he is the winner" The king distractedly said and walked out of the balcony. He muttered to himself,


    "Now what, my daughter was supposed to be married to the winner of the tournament, but she''s gone and ruined my relationship with the sect. I''m going to have to find some other way to pay them now..." After he left, in a few moments, the commentator was handed the core and a large bag of gold, and presented it to Lineir.


    "Esteemed competitor, you''ve emerged victorious after... many trials.... could we see your face and know the name of our champion?" Lineir took the gold and core, and turned his back. He calmly walked out of the arena with a stride befitting an emperor. "Careful... careful... this is the key moment, I need to pull this off or I''m gonna be hunted down for these treasures." He answered in the most confident self assured voice he could,


    "My face is..." His voice barely squeaked out in front of the silent arena, nobody could hear.


    "****... bluffing is really hard."


    Mei sighed, "Kiddo... I got you" Instantly, a direct strong and utterly tyrannical voice expressionlessly boomed out from the arena. It''s entire tone bespoke weariness and boredom.


    "My face is beyond all of you, you don''t have such face as to see it. However as for my name... you can remember me as Chains!" The arena nervously tittered for a moment before erupting into cheers. While a lot weren''t exactly sure what they were clapping for, there was a winner, and they dared not offend such a domineering presence. Lineir walked out of the arena. Immediately, he sprinted for the hills, exploding through the city with every step.


    "Got to get far away now, if I can just get out of the city, I could be anybody, nobody saw my face, and only that girl who''s being chased knows what I look like. Cya Dracherus, you''ve been good to me!" As Lineir left, he left behind a message with the guard at the gate. It simply read,


    "The time of end nears. Beware." Lineir didn''t care whether or not the royal family heeded his warning. He had paid his debt to the wagon owner. Now it was time to leave before someone called his bluff!

 34 The First Path

    "Man, my luck is terrible, every time I meet some sect in any city, I end up running. I miss the wilderness!" Lineir gasped. He was flying through the streets, trying to make his way out of Dracherus City. Compared to the him in Brackenrock City, he was practically a different species. Houses shot by his eyes incredibly fast but didn''t blur out of vision. Instead his eyes could make out little details as he passed by as if he was a bird soaring through the skies. Mei was laughing, she really enjoyed the trick they''d played,


    "I''m sure that with the Nero Sect elders off on a crazy dragon chase, nobody else in that arena will dare chase an expert with such a domineering aura. Keep running, but stop once we get to the gates and flip up your hood. The guards will never expect that some youth was actually the crazy expert who dared disrupt an important bargain between the Nero Sect and the king."


    "Say Mei, who''s voice was that anyway, that didn''t sound anything like you." Lineir was leisurely chatting in his mind despite huffing for breath, he was in an incredible mood, the weight of the gold and mythical core tucked into the back of his clothes just made him want to smile. He''d never dreamed of having this kind of wealth in his entire life.


    "Oh that voice? When I found the sword containing Madraeyal''s teachings, that voice appeared when deciphering the runes. It''s possible that it''s the voice of Madraeyal himself. While only my best imitation, I''m sure its enough to scare those fools ****less." Lineir came to the gate, and joined the small stream of people leaving the city, flipping his hood off and revealing his young boyish face. The guards didn''t even give him a second look, a youth passing through the gates looking for adventure was hardly worth noting. After he passed, blending into the people leaving the city, he sighed and smiled.


    "Safe!"


    "Alright disciple, go find a quiet place away from these people. I promised you something good with this core, and I will keep my word!" Lineir slowly branched off from the mainstream travelers on the road. He carefully headed in the opposite direction of the wilderness, to the other side of the city and hid in the woods.


    "Better not risk going near that particular section of wilderness, that dragon girl seemed to live there, she might think to look for me there."


    Mei started to explain as Linier sat down in a training position in the hollow of a tree,


    "Alright disciple, that core you have is only fourth tier. In my plane that wouldn''t even be worth chump change to an expert like myself. However, it''s not from an ordinary beast. Not even a peak fourth tier beast could match a mythical beast core. It is in essence, a rarity in a class of its own. A mythical beast is a legendary spirit which has reincarnated throughout the ages. Thus this Three Headed Hydra core can be compared to the cores of other mythical beasts such as the phoenix, holy mountain bear, and even lesser dragons. Mythical beasts such as these, go through a cycle of rebirth in accordance with the will of the Heavens and Buddha. In each reincarnation, their power level will change. This Three Headed Hydra core is extremely weak for a mythical beast core at only fourth tier. That''s the only way it could be caught here on this plane. In my plane, anything so weak has long since been hunted or reincarnated eons ago. Even the most ordinary mythical core is at least above tenth tier magical beast level. However, the fact that this core is so weak is actually a great blessing for you, that means you can absorb it and the Three Headed Hydra''s mystical power of reincarnation and its spirit will become yours. As you grow stronger, so too will this power, until one day, if you reach the heights of power, you will be able to call upon the spirit of a Nine Headed Hydra or beyond. Now listen closely, no mistakes, you only have this one chance!"


    For three days and three nights Lineir carefully cultivated with the originally melon sized core sitting in his lap. As time passed, golden mist slowly flowed in a spiraling stream through his nostrils and entered him. Carefully, he began to spin it into his Second Heart. Little by little, as it entered, his Second Heart increased in speed from its normally mellow tug. By the second day, it had become a tidal force and a second spiraling stream of golden mist spilled out from the core which had shrunk to the size of a plum. At the end of the second night, the golden mist began to stream in of its own accord, like water pulled through a tube, following itself into Lineir. A third stream formed so that three twisting flows of golden mist flowed in. At the end of the third day, the core had shrunk to the size of a cherry.


    "Eat the core!" Lineir popped the core into his mouth immediately at Mei''s urging.


    "No don''t chew you idiot, swallow it whole!" With a horribly large gulp, it went down and Lineir found himself sitting straight up. After a few tense moments,


    "So... is something supposed to happen?"


    Mei answered lightly.


    "Yea... you were supposed to start screaming. You sure you don''t feel indescribable pain or something?"


    Lineir carefully assessed himself again.


    "Nope nothing."


    "Maybe you''re just an M...."


    As Lineir opened his mouth to deny Mei, he retched as an invasive presence fled from his throat.


    "BLAARRRGGH!" A crimson snake''s head several finger lengths thick spilled out from his mouth, meter after meter shooting out. Lineir tried to grasp it but the scaly thing was too slippery and it escaped. As the last meter left his mouth, he suddenly felt strange, as if the world had flip flopped upside down. In his Second Heart, he could feel that the spinning tug, had actually reversed and switched directions! Now it was spinning in reverse! A dark red energy which made the crimson snake appear light and colorful coalesced from Lineir''s gaping mouth and formed a terrifying clawed hand. This hand was a meter long and seized the snake and dragged it back down Lineir''s throat before disappearing. Lineir clamped his hand over his mouth, terrified that something even more horrifying would come out next.


    "Owww... well that did hurt. Was THAT normal?" Mei wasn''t laughing however,


    "That... was not supposed to happen."


    Suddenly Lineir''s vision went red, and on his eyes demonic characters made of blood wrote themselves. It was as if the world had turned into hell and was filled with only blood. The characters formed words and Lineir could almost hear a raging voice read.


    "The Heavens'' will is held above mortals, but by what right? Need mortals listen to words they do not understand? Does this one dare walk the path to defy Heavens'' will and Fate herself? The first path of the Nine Paths opens to you Asura! Do you dare to deny your destiny and walk it?"


    Lineir didn''t know what else to say. However, suddenly, the blood red haze on his eyes formed images on his eyes. Every injustice he had ever suffered flashed by, he remembered the way he had to bow under the strong when he was weak. That those who had been gifted more than him from birth were held above him. He realized that he was bound in the chains of fate since his very birth!


    With a voice full of silent anger he declared,


    "I will walk the path." The characters stopped violently forming in his eyes and the world gradually returned to normal. Before they completely faded away, the characters reformed once again, and Lineir swore he could just barely hear a distinct murmur,


    "You don''t understand now. But none who walk the first path have. The first path is the beginning... walk the path of...."

 35 Slow Walk

    Blood red characters rapidly crystallized before his eyes before instantly shattering. The world was left vibrantly colored... yet feeling empty and mundane.


    "Madness...."


    And that was it. Lineir shakily stood up, mentally exhausted, but physically fine. The sealing of the mythical Three Headed Hydra core into his body had been completed... albeit in a way he hoped to never experience again.


    "Mei, did you see those characters? What did they mean? When I saw them, I felt... different." Lineir began to walk again, he had been here too long, and he was still too close to the city. Mei answered slowly,


    "I haven''t ever seen such a thing happen before, but I did see those characters just now, what you see, I can see. They must be related to the Nine Paths of Asura, but I''m afraid that understanding will have to come from yourself. However, I can say for sure that you have successfully absorbed the mythical core. The Three Headed Hydra''s spirit and abilities are one with you now. Take your time walking, I''m not particularly worried about you running into a lone Nero Sect cultivator. As a matter of fact...I''m looking forward to it. After years of lost training, what you''ve been lacking most is raw power. But by absorbing a 4th tier mythical beast core''s attributes, you are now far more dangerous than before. Walk slow and learn more about the changes in yourself. I''m confident that even if somehow, your path and some cultivator''s paths collide, against the cultivators of this backwater Nero Sect, you will at least be able to escape with your life. Its actually quite funny, they might not know this, but by using the methods I''ve taught you to draw out the maximum amount of energy from the core, and the power of the mythical beast itself, you could be said to be the lion which is stalked by the rabbit. They may believe they are hunting you... but they are the hunted now."


    Lineir at first did not believe Mei but as he walked, he was astonished to discover that inside his Second Heart, great changes had come about. The spin had increased greatly, now he could truly feel a substantial influx of energy from the environment. Nascent energy which was ambiently in the atmosphere was being drawn in by this whirling suction, and inside of him, it felt like a dark and stormy cloud was whirling about spinning lightning amidst the night.


    "See kiddo, since you are cultivating according to my methods, as a hybrid lightning and darkness user, you could be said to be at the Late Rising Storm stage now. That core has propelled you straight past the middle, and compared to regular cultivators from lowly sects such as the Nero Sect, you need not even put disciples in your eyes. In fact, their elders are not even in your eyes, only their patriarchs and ancestors could be considered a match for you in one on one combat. Of course, this comes with caveats. This only applies to these backwater sects with no real backing. Greater sects of this land should have methods and materials to create far more dangerous disciples, and their elders will still be far more dangerous than you. This Dracherus City is simply too small a backstop to host such large and dangerous sects. Furthermore, you must be careful to avoid large groups. Until you ascend to the next realm, you will still be susceptible to large groups. Facing them head on would be inadvisable."


    Lineir immediately gulped,


    "Mei, are you seriously saying I can fight a patriarch! I can''t even fly, all those elders can fly, clearly they are far more powerful than I am!" He began to pump his arms and walk faster. "I''m stronger than before, but I''m still no match for an elder!"


    Mei laughed endlessly, the sound was quite charming when it was made with no malice,


    "No silly disciple, you can fight against these weak patriarchs and even ancestors in one on one combat. The reason you cannot fly while these crappy elders can is twofold. First, my method does not naturally allow you to gain flight at this time. It focuses on the spin of your internal elemental energies, and your future development. A storm must first gather into being before it can traverse the land!" Mei''s voice sounded longing, almost nostalgic.


    "Secondly, all these lower sect members cheat to appear more formidable to commoners. Their immortal swords are no doubt linked to their patriarchs or ancestors cultivation caves if they have any. By doing so, they can borrow a small amount of power and fly at low altitudes. Make no mistake however, they themselves are weak. You can fight them one on one without any threat. Indeed, even a small group of elders won''t have enough power to really do anything to you. I''ll tell you a secret. In these sects, most of them are cheats and swindlers! Their patriarchs are rejects of a greater sect or some fool who gained a bit of power through some treasure or underhanded method somehow. They promise power to their disciples with some paltry cultivation methods or what not, but they are really raising them as one would raise cattle!" Now Mei''s voice sounded condescending, it positively dripped with revulsion for these ''cheats''.


    "Once these disciples become "elder" class, they hand them an immortal sword, and say, look, you can fly! In reality, they have simply reached the minimum power the swindling patriarch or ancestor cares about. While they lend out a tiny bit of power to let elders fly, they constantly absorb bits of these cattle''s cultivation base to further their own! The Second Hearts of these lower sects elders are forever doomed to be leeched on and ruined at the critical point in their development! Only in the greater sects is it likely that it is in fact a real reputable sect which actually cares about raising powerful new generations to gain face and honor. That is why you have nothing to fear from these hollow emptied out lower sects! Their elders are simply starving sheep being harvested at all times, only their patriarchs and ancestors can be said to have any skill whatsoever!"


    Lineir was so astonished he stopped walking. The great cultivation sects of the land were scams? How could this be? He used to dream of being a cultivator in one of those and gaining endless prestige and power. To realize that so many people were being fooled into thinking they had it all was truly a wake up call.


    "Hey... I feel like I understand something..." A mysterious and hidden feeling welled up in Lineir, and his vision vaguely turned slightly red. The feeling was rebellious and disapproving. It wanted change, it did not accept the world, and Lineir felt like he agreed with it. At that moment, an unfamiliar voice called out,


    "YOU! What''s your business!"

 36 First Walk of Madness

    One of my favorite early chapters. I feel it''s one of the most memorable. As always, please feel free to let me know if you have any thoughts!


    Floating above Lineir in the treetops was precisely one of those lower sect elders that Mei was talking about. He was wearing the black robes of the Nero Sect and hovering atop a two meter long immortal sword as wide as a man. When Lineir showed no reaction he called again in an imposing tone of authority,


    "Kid, where did you come from? Did you see a hooded figure go this way? I''m looking for an old man coming from the city of Dracherus, he may have been flying or on foot, and the Nero Sect will pay greatly for any information on him. Have you seen anyone matching this description?" The man had a very arrogant manor, while his words may not have been that imposing, showing that he wasn''t of very high birth, his manner and the fact that he expected all of his questions to be answered without question revealed his true nature as a Nero Sect disciple. Lineir still didn''t answer. A bubbling force was welling up inside him, as if a gushing red spout of blood was bursting through his burning veins. Mei was trying to get Lineir''s attention,


    "Kiddo, answer him, the Nero Sect is looking for you. He has no idea who you are. Unless you want to alert his suspicions and have to fight the entire sect then say something!" But Lineir was still standing there frozen. The man floating above finally got suspicious. While Lineir didn''t fit the profile, and he never imagined that he was the same man who had dominated the arena with such a terrifying aura, he figured that this youth knew something and was reluctant to say it.


    "Do you know such a man? Come on, the Nero Sect will definitely reward you handsomely. Just come with me now..." He swooped down on his flying sword, and made to grab Lineir. Immediately, as he swooped down, Lineir''s eyes which had been squeezed tightly shut this whole time snapped open.


    "Fight the entire sect you say, Master? That sounds like an excellent idea!"


    *SHICK*


    From Lineir''s elbows came his bone scythes and his eyes slitted like that of a feral animals. A murderous dark aura came from him, and before the man on the flying sword could react, Lineir was whirling about, completely bypassing the outstretched arm and it was as if the reaper''s very own scythe had risen from hell itself to tear out his soul through his throat. The man didn''t even have time to shout before dropping dead, his sputtering blood streaming out to water the dirt. Mei wryly said,


    "Well, I didn''t say you should fight the whole sect, but at least you see how easy it is to deal with these hollow elders. As I said though, you are still technically in the same realm of power as them. It''s good that you killed him quickly, if he were to actually call out and assemble with more of them, it could get dangerous fast. One ant alone can be squished, but an army is far more difficult to exterminate." Lineir was taking slow deep breaths, but his heart rate was spiking to no end.


    A slow character formed its way across his eyes in blood.


    "To guide you on the first path, I leave behind one who knows."


    In a gentle, almost girly elegant scrawl, the same character from before came as the world transitioned completely to red,


    "Madness"


    From Lineir''s mouth, came laughing words which he didn''t exactly want to speak... yet neither did he attempt to stop. They echoed through the empty night sky.


    "Come out enemies, Madness greets the world again!"


    Instantly the clear sky and stars were joined by three dark robed elders of the Nero Sect.


    "Who is it that so boldly calls out his enemies!" As they came, they spotted the crumbled black robes of the first elder, soaked with blood.


    "YOU...! I''LL HAVE YOU PAY NINEFOLD FOR YOUR SINS!" They rushed together at Lineir who stood without a care in the world. However, this only brought them closer to their deaths. With a snarling leap five meters straight up, Lineir was level with the first elder''s throat. Wordlessly, he cut it open with a backhanded whirl of his bone scythes which started him into a graceful spin of death. Still ascending from his leap, past the corpse which had begun to fall to the ground Lineir spun up and cut another throat with his other arm. The world whirled by and to his eyes which could now see so much more than before, it was as if the stars were swimming amidst dark rivers of flowing blood. The third elder stopped, unable to comprehend what he had just seen. In his entire life, he had never seen an elder of the Nero Sect die, let alone two to some youth. It had all happened so fast he couldn''t believe it. As Lineir fell down back to the ground, this third elder began to fly backwards, wetness between his legs. Lineir was simply staring up at him as he revolved around and around in the air. His face would face him, then his back, then his face, as if he was a coin flipping in the air.


    Heads... tails... heads.... tails... with every revolution, his face became less and less human, more and more demonic, his eyes glowed unnaturally bright, yellow, black, red. The character came again across his eyes.


    "Madness"


    As he was about to slam into the ground, and the third elder was just about to reach the tree tops, some ten meters away, Lineir''s face flipped up one last time. An unspeakably evil snake head rushed out of his throat and shot up, snapping into the third elder''s chest as if it was paper. From it was ripped out his heart and with it, the center of his cultivation, the Second Heart. A terrific gout of blood came out and the third elder''s body also began to sink out of the sky, heartless. The snake, which had come out in an instant, retreated back inside Lineir''s mouth by the time he had spun about to face the ground, and his limbs automatically snapped out to hit the ground, landing as a cat might, upright and undamaged. Around him rained down three bodies, two throats slit and one savaged beyond repair.

 37 Second Walk Of Madness-Acceleration

    "Disciple, control yourself! While I have no qualms with the killing of your enemies, there was no need to call out and challenge them." Mei was irate. Lineir could be considered to have done many unnecessary actions in this slaughter.


    "I didn''t teach you to be so wasteful!" However, Lineir, was breathing heavily, more from mental shock than physical exertion. To be honest, his prior actions, while incredibly fast, had been so gracefully contained, he wasn''t even really fighting himself.


    "I''m sorry, Mei, something just told me that I should do so, that I could do so. No, not something, someone. It was like somebody subconsciously guided me, and I felt perfectly comfortable following. You saw the characters, this Nine Paths truly has some strange methods. Forgive me, consciously I feel a bit queasy at slaughtering these elders of the Nero Sect for no reason, unconsciously though they were enemies, I just felt so comfortable." Lineir contritely said. While at the time, he had been caught up in the feeling and had simply let this presence take control of him, after it was over he didn''t like the idea that he had gone out of his way to murder people. While he was no longer so soft as to shirk necessary bloodshed, this was simply overkill.


    Mei was satisfied with this answer, she suspected that something was off with Lineir, while he had done nothing his body was incapable of, his ruthlessness and downright grace in killing was uncharacteristic. he was simply too inexperienced to pull something off in such a spectacular fashion, even if he wanted to.


    "Well alright, to be fair, your actions have rather quickly eliminated the elders of the Nero Sect, which one day we may have needed to fight anyway. Your actions could be said to be cutting off the legs of a lion today, so that you might kill it tomorrow. We''ll leave it at this. Besides, now you know what you are capable of. This strange happening may actually turn out to be very useful and greatly increase your battle power. Wait..." She stopped talking for a second as if inspecting something.


    "Disciple, you''ve actually grown somewhat more powerful after this fight. Your undead heart is absorbing the Second Heart of that elder. If I''m not mistaken, this snake of yours is the main head of the hydra spirit. You have gained the hydra''s most simple ability of devouring the cultivation bases of anything and everything it consumes. While not unheard of in cultivators, this is an unusual and rare ability. Most cultivators must cultivate or use forbidden techniques to absorb the elemental energies in the Second Hearts of others, but it looks like you can actually consume them directly through this snake. How disturbing... it''s as if you yourself are a beast."


    Lineir closely examined himself internally. It was as Mei said. With his spiritual senses, he could ascertain that in his Second Heart, elemental energy was being fed in slowly piece by piece. The energy was actually quite considerable. Mei was still talking,


    "It looks like the energy from this elder is comparable to a tier two monster core. Not bad. Actually, I take back what I said before disciple. Fight as much as you want. If you eat more hearts, it will be much easier compared to hunting magical beasts which are naturally tougher than cultivators. This would be one step closer to becoming powerful."


    Lineir who had slowly been greening slightly, felt like he had eaten something bad at this point. But he had to admit, Mei had a point. While he could hunt magical beasts, if such an opportunity presented itself, he could not deny free power. He walked over to the two corpses on the ground with slit throats and willed the snake to appear with the intent to devour their Second Hearts as well.


    "I''m sorry, but for my path and growth, I must do this."


    Nothing happened. No snake, no red in his eyes, no whispers in his mind.


    "Huh?" He opened his mouth as wide as it would go and stuck out his tongue. Nothing. Not even a hiss.


    "Maybe it has to be a living cultivator? Or maybe you can only absorb so much cultivation at once." Mei was quick to offer explanations with her experience.


    "Whatever, you''ve already gained a lot from this. Don''t bother looting the bodies. With such a backwater sect, I doubt these people even have gold on them. They use the threat of their status and reputation to buy things. Let''s go."


    Lineir turned to walk, when a glint of light caught the corner of his eye. Refracted moonlight... off of a blade!


    "Bastard, you dare incur the wrath of the entire Nero Sect!"


    Instantly, the familiar red haze descended over his eyes and his bone scythes came out. Without turning, he swayed to the side and knocked away the immortal sword streaking towards his throat with a bone scythe. Now he could feel the hungry presence inside him. It was definitely still hungry and rather than trying to get it to come out, it was as if he had to fight to keep it in.


    "Well... I wasn''t going to actively seek trouble, but since such a good meal has presented itself to me..." He finally turned round and stared with slitted crimson eyes at the ambushers behind him.


    "Come!"

 38 Reaper

    Behind him from about thirty meters in the trees, six black robed cultivators came shooting out on flying swords, though one was running on foot, he had just launched the surprise attack on Lineir with his flying sword.


    "Disciple, this is why we should have kept going. You gave up the element of surprise by lingering so long in one place. While I''ll admit, this is a fast way to attract your enemies, it''s a dangerous methodology to get into. If too many come, or someone truly powerful shows up one day, what would you do?" Mei was simply pointing out the shortcomings in Lineir''s choices. However, it could be said that these weak elders of the Nero Sect were definitely being cheated. With their Second Hearts being sucked away their entire lives, how could they possibly compare to someone who''s power was wholly his own, with a body filled with forbidden techniques?


    Lineir''s first response was to immediately rush towards the six elders. He entered the midst of the five on flying swords before they could react. Once again, it was as if someone was guiding his hand. This wasn''t like Mei who in the past had actually taken complete control over him, this was simply a suggestion, like a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. It was as if someone with incredible experience and battle sense was showing him the way. A bone scythe to the throat, and Lineir had slain the leading elder. This time, Mei formed her sword in Lineir''s right hand. With the extra reach it afforded, and Lineir''s incredibly strong footwork, combined with the guidance of the unknown entity which accompanied the madness character in his eyes, he simply stepped over and slashed straight through a second elder, who did not even remain in one piece but toppled over in two. The first two elders were close to the ground, but the last three on flying swords had finally realized that something was off. They tried to back off and fly up, but the sky was not a refuge.


    As lightning flies up from the ground to smite the heavens, Lineir leaped from the ground. For the first time, he summoned the hazy power of darkness to wrap around his leg and increase his power. Additionally, a bit of static electricity flickered around and the speed of his leap was increased greatly. By combining the two, speed and power became explosiveness. This explosiveness caused his jump to far outstrip the slow flying speed of the immortal swords.


    WHOOOSH


    Just as before, Lineir had dispatched the three immortals, landing while blood and bone rained down from the sky. This time however, the enemies had been far higher up, and they hadn''t even had a chance to react. To an ordinary onlooker it would like Lineir had jumped once and then landed, and the cultivators had just suddenly started spurting blood. However, to the cultivated eyes of the sixth elder who did not have a flying sword, it was like watching a reaper ascend from hell to drag down the souls of sinners. He could just barely make out the fact that Lineir had jumped once from the ground, instantly found himself level with the first cultivator and dug out his throat. Then he had kicked off of that same cultivator in midiar, ascended to the second higher in the air, and cut out his throat with another bone scythe. Lastly, he had pushed off this second cultivator, and spinning, delivered a backhanded blow with his sword which ripped the highest cultivator into two bloody pieces framed before the shining moon which seemed to be crying red tears now. To complete the horror, Lineir had kicked apart those two bloody halves to accelerate his descent to the ground. To the cultivator on the ground, the body of his comrade disappeared as it passed out of the moon''s light and Lineir suddenly landed directly in front of him.


    Indescribably terror! That is what this man felt looking at the crimson stained figure in front of him. What he was looking at could only be called madness! It was just too terrifying, and the elder didn''t even try to run. His heart began to pump incredibly fast and his legs refused to budge an inch, instead freezing in place. A flash and the man was no more, a great hole punched in his chest where his beating heart had lain. Lineir sighed.


    "It seems you were right Mei, this snake of mine is only usable in a real live fight. Furthermore there''s a limit to how much it can consume at a time. For now, it''s quite full digesting the elemental energies contained with two Sacred Hearts." He walked off further away from Dracherus City. He had had his fill of the Nero Sect. Mei however brought up a question.


    "Uh disciple, what about that kind man''s message. You only left a note, there''s no guaruntee it will make it to the king. What will you do about that?" Lineir thought it over for a moment. In fact, while he had originally went to Dracherus for the express purpose of carrying out the man''s last will, he had forgotten about it after the life changing events which he had experienced of late.


    "I''m sorry old man, I tried to help, but your king is simply too untrustworthy, he tried to sell off his own daughter for gain. If he reads the note than that is his fate, if not, then that too is his fate. But rest easy in hell, I''ll find those bandits and take them to hell to apologize to you in person." He turned around and cut back. He had planned on heading directly away from Dracherus and entering the wilderness.


    "A short detour to honor a friend won''t hurt. Besides, Mei, didn''t you say you wanted a bunny?"


    The journey was swift, Lineir did not dawdle and cultivate on the way, he would rather get out of Nero Sect territory. However, the Second Heart''s which his hydra spirit had devoured continued to be digested, and he felt himself grow stronger with each passing hour. The speed was incredibly fast, he could feel his Second Heart gaining density far faster than it ever had before. At this fast speed, he quickly found himself at the site of the ambush before. No traces of the slaughter remained, the wagon was long gone and even the corpses had been removed. Falling leaves had long since obscured the ground and the rain had long since scoured the mud underneath clean of blood. This would have detoured any average tracker, the time frame was simply too long. However, Lineir was a cultivator, and Mei was incredibly experienced.


    "Disciple, while I do not specialize in tracking, it would be a disgrace if I could not at least point you in the right direction. Those corpses were hidden somewhere. They must have been dragged somewhere. Blood spilled less than a thousand years ago cannot be hidden from me!" Lineir waited for her to do something.


    "Idiot! Stab me into the ground, what, do you think I can do this sitting in your hands?" Lineir snickered and hurriedly buried the sword in the ground. Then he waited. And waited. "Find them yet?" Mei simply told him to hush,


    "Shut up, I need to focus. Without a body this is a pain. Actually, lend me some of your cultivation!" Lineir laid his hands on the blade, and Mei slightly cut his palm to siphon off a bit of blood. Then they waited some more.


    "Done yet?"


    Lineir was exasperated. It had been a good hour with him standing there doing nothing. Finally Mei answered,


    "Well disciple... I found something."


    "What is it master, which way did they go?"


    "Well to be exact... I didn''t find any traces of blood."


    "What? So your saying you didn''t find anything at all! I''ve been standing around all day for nothing!"


    Mei sighed.


    "Ok, I didn''t find anything, but that doesn''t mean we know nothing. There''s only one way they managed to dispose of the corpses without leaving any traces of blood. Something highly unusual must have happened here for that. There must have been a spacial ring involved!"


    With a gasp, Lineir exploded, "A spacial ring? Like one in the legends? The treasure which can store a thousand other treasures in a thousandth the space?"


    "Well that depends on the grade, but yes disciple, that very type of ring. How curious, I wouldn''t expect the king of most of the small cities around here to have one, let alone a group of bandits. Something is fishy here. Whoever was backing this ambush was extremely powerful considering the area. As a matter of fact... the only group around here with that kind of clout is the Nero Sect... and the only one with the wealth to afford a special ring is... the patriarch!"


    "**** I''m going to have to fight this man aren''t I?" Lineir was irate. Life was just too ridiculous, it was as if fate itself was out to get him. He had sworn revenge, but fighting a patriarch was a little much. He would be surrounded by countless elders, and he had leeched off of all their cultivation bases. One on one, Mei had said Lineir stood a chance, but against the whole sect?


    "Wait just a moment disciple, this might not be so impossible as you think." Mei was quite calm at the moment. She was considering Lineir''s options, and had already decided on a course of action.


    "Not impossible? Do you realize how many of those guys there are? I might be able to take small groups, but I heard the Nero Sect has over fifty elders not even including the ten I killed, at least half of which will be guarding the patriarch at any time."


    "Well disciple, I would have agreed with you before. However, you gained this devour ability, and these strange madness. Your combat potential has risen at a rate even I could not have foreseen. At the moment, your Second Heart has already reached the peak of the first stage. Soon you will break through and ascend to the Gathering Storm Stage. When this happens, you will gain the power of the second realm of my cultivation technique and access to power, which is not only far greater quantitatively, but superior qualitatively. At that moment, it won''t matter how many trash elders the patriarch of the Nero Sect surrounds himself with. You will be able to walk in and end him as if it was a one on one. There is just one problem with this however."


    Lineir was excited. The idea of walking through a sea of enemies, uncontested was a dream which most could only hope to have on the best of nights. Lineir could actually experience this himself. Who wouldn''t want this kind of power especially at such a young age?


    "Alright master what is the problem?"


    Mei sighed,


    "The Gathering Storm Stage is the next step in cultivation. However, in order to reach it, you must build up an imbalance. Storms begin to form when the imbalance in the atmosphere reaches a critical point. Inside of you, you already have an excellent spin in your Second Heart. But you lack the raw power needed to ascend. Only by pushing your cultivation past the limit will you break through and cause a great enough imbalance within yourself to ascend the realms. Fortunately, I have thought of a solution for this. Well, there are two. One, train in the wilderness for a few months until you collect enough beast cores to break through. This will take a while, and there''s always the risk of running into that dragon girl who has a grudge against you. Two, and I''m afraid this is the only real option. Those fifty elders of the Nero Sect. Hunt them all down and devour their cores one by one. When you have consumed enough, you will naturally break through. Of course, that''s if you can stomach the slaughter of all these elders. But remember, this can be said to be cutting off the legs of the lion before hunting it tomorrow. You will need to fight most of these elders anyway to reach the patriarch. Taking them out early will only bring you benefits in the future. Decide, will you take an ordinary path of training, or will you enter the path of a reaper."


    Lineir didn''t even hesitate for more than an instant. His enemies were enemies, and if he had a reason to kill them, he would. It was as simple as that. His conscious had almost gotten him killed before. Thus he had long ago chosen to let it die. Words like mercy and lenience were simply synonyms for regret and death in the dictionary of a cultivator. His Third Heart, his way, was to survive and to survive, you must eat!

 39 The Waiting Game

    Over the next couple weeks the elders of the Nero Sect were brutally murdered one by one, two by two, and even three by three. Soon, every elder adventuring outside of the main sect headquarters had been slaughtered or had retreated to the inner sect sanctum. In this time, Lineir grew far more powerful...and experienced.


    While individually his gains from absorbing the bloody hearts of cultivators could not be compared to the mythical fourth tier core he had fused with, when all was said and done, he had destroyed half the foundation of the Nero Sect. Unlike before, he also planned out the attacks. Methodically he would pick off an elder while he was separated and then let the rest of the group go. Then he would bide his time digesting until the hydra spirit inside of him grew hungry again. Then he would return and take another, and another. Only after a full twenty eight elders had been devoured did the Nero Sect finally realize they had been hunted by a terrifying figure in the dark, and called all their elders to hide. By this time, Mei had explained more about how her cultivation techniques worked and exactly where Lineir stood.


    Simply put, there was the Rising Storm Stage to begin with. At the beginning of this stage, a disciple would form his Second Heart. As the practitioner grows more powerful, drawing upon the power of the elements grows easier and easier. Then at the peak of the Rising Storm Stage, where Lineir was now, the whirlpool inside would cease to be simple ambient energy and condense into a thick stormy cloud cell. From here, Lineir would have stepped into another realm of power, the Gathering Storm Stage. Beyond this there was the Raging Storm stage, where the energy would actually condense to form rain, then the Dark Lightning Stage, and finally the Endless Thunder Stage.


    Beyond this, even Mei was unaware of exactly where to take her technique, though she had some ideas which she would tell Lineir when he grew strong enough to understand them. These stages were different from standard cultivation techniques. It was extremely difficult to compare different cultivation bases together based on their stage, because many followed different processes. For instance, the cultivation techniques of the Nero Sect and other backwater sects such as that were completely incomparable to Mei''s. The techniques were essentially shortcuts, forming Second Hearts as quickly as possible in the hopes of funneling the energy to a patriarch. They were capped in development and could not even be mentioned in the same breath.


    "So in order to classify most cultivators, we go by the standard magical beast system. It is a much more accurate measure to say what tier of magical beast you can kill or be compared to than to talk of your cultivation technique which may vary wildly. You yourself, can be compared to a fourth tier magical beast now, after fusing with the mythical core. Indeed, this level of battle power is strong even for my cultivation technique. You have simply too many strange abilities which make you far more dangerous than the average cultivator. While in terms of sheer power you cannot be matched with fifth tier beasts, against cultivators, you are like a terrifying nightmare which can conjure hidden claws and talons from the darkness to rend your foes to pieces. However, even a nightmare becomes weak in the light of day when people are together. Always remember that only unparalleled experts have the luxury of walking alone in the light. You, must always walk in the shadows."


    Mei was confident in her assessment of Lineir''s abilities. He truly was an enemy which nobody of the same level would want to meet in a one on one fight. Bone scythes as built in weapons, a hidden snake assassination technique which could devour Second Hearts, the analytical ability granted from madness which could cause him to fight as if he was possessed, and Mei herself, an incomparably sharp sword. His future potential was endless with her guidance.


    "But master, I am still one step away from the Gathering Storm Stage. However, all the elders of the Nero Sect have hidden with their patriarch. I don''t dare go and fight them all at once until I enter the Gathering Storm Stage. But I have no ways to quickly gather cultivation. I can sense a breakthrough, but I can feel that I need more power to do so. Should I just kill wild magical beasts and harvest their cores until I go? How long will that take."


    Mei was skeptical.


    "No, while you yourself are comparably strong to a magical beast, at your level, it is difficult to kill most beasts which would be beneficial to you. They are rarer and many are simply too large for you to easily harm. While they might not be able to kill you, you similarly, cannot kill them. Take that False Water Serpent for instance. While your speed now would make you extremely difficult to catch on land for it, you lack the necessary power to deal large amounts of damage to it, and in the water you lack the speed to battle it completely. This would be what you would expect in many cases. I suggest you set up camp outside the Nero Sect. Eventually someone will be careless and wander outside. Then it will be easy for you to deal with them. In the meantime, you can practice cultivating, and the pressure will build on the Nero Sect."


    So it was as Mei said. Lineir hid outside of the Nero Sect''s camp, and cultivated everyday. One elder wandered too far outside once, and Lineir immediately ended his life. However, he was the only one and all attempts to contact the outside world ceased after that.


    "Ugh, they refuse to leave, but I am just a step away from the Gathering Storm Stage. Can it really be that I need to wait here until I break through just from regular cultivation?" Lineir griped about the lack of progress. He was so close, he could feel the energy inside him at the tipping point.


    "What are the Nero Sect waiting for anyway? They cannot hold out forever, eventually their patriarch will have to attempt to break free. Yet they continue to wait..."


    It was strange, the cultivation of those pathetic elders was so low that Lineir wasn''t worried about them whatsoever. They would never break through to the next stage in their entire lives, especially with the Patriarch of the Nero Sect siphoning off their cultivation. However, the Patriarch was a different matter. Could it be that he was going to make a breakthrough? If he did, that would be disastrous, while Lineir didn''t fear him one on one now, if he was to gain in power, combined with the surviving elders, Lineir absolutely would have no choice but to run away.


    In the cultivation cave of the Nero Sect.


    "Excellent elders of the Sect, continue cultivating! The stronger you are, the stronger the Nero Sect becomes, I myself am but a step away from a breakthrough. At that time, we will all break out together and exterminate this man who dares to keep us here!" The Patriarch of the Nero Sect roused his elders. They had no idea that he was using them to gain cultivation. His own cultivation efforts hardly mattered, as long as they cultivated, he gained! At that moment, elemental energy streamed around him, fusing into him faster and faster.


    "I''m breaking through! Continue cultivating disciples, when I finish we will leave!"


    Outside the sect, Lineir felt a large amount of elemental energy gathering.


    "Shoot, could it be that the Patriarch of the Nero Sect really has broken through?"

 40 Ascending the Pillar

    "Bloody Hells, how large is this pillar!" Lineir had been nonstop trying to ascend the base for a month now. Progress however... was slow at best. Lineir doubted that he had even made it more than five percent of the way up the visible portion of the pillar. Why was this? There were several reasons. The first was that the pillar was incomparably huge. It literally stretched past the clouds. However, that wasn''t all. If it just went straight up, the journey would be long, but not impossibly so. The problem lay in that the pillar was not a straight climb up! It spiraled around itself as a spring might, ring after great ring, up into the Heavens. Thus the true length one needed to climb was far greater than it would be if the pillar went straight up. Almost triple the distance! This sheer distance would take even strong powers of the land like patriarchs an enormously long amount of time to traverse.


    While the distances involved in climbing the pillar were immense, just ascending it was child''s play. Since it spiraled around, the top was in fact a wide walkable path so one could walk up it. But throughout this, traps and constructs abounded, and had to be avoided. Sometimes backtracking was necessary as golems and shifting mechanisms, which were far beyond Lineir''s power, appeared. Worse still, Lineir had a nagging suspicion that the pillar had not revealed all of its perils yet. There was something off. The atmosphere didn''t feel right. It was as if the higher Lineir went, the worse the invisible feeling of dread got.


    "Mei do you sense something odd about this pillar? I feel strange, like a great pressure is bearing down on me."


    Mei suggested,


    "Don''t worry, disciple, the oxygen level is probably decreasing. While it might be uncomfortable, your cultivation is strong enough to withstand worse. Endure!"


    However, despite Mei''s consolation, Lineir still felt off. This pillar was far too massive and mysterious. Who created such a thing, and why? The gods? Did he dare try to reach the top, even if he could? There were many stories of mortals who had tried to step above to the Heavens. Most had not ended well. At that moment however, a terrifying creature came in to view on the path ahead. Strange whirling noises came as unknown gears grinded underneath a silver metallic skin. It stood only one and a half meters tall, but was incomparably thick with wide limbs a meter around, and a body two meters wide.


    "Shoot a golem! The path behind me took me five hours to pass. Mei, I''m going to try to test this one''s strength, going back and finding another way around will take too long!" With that, Lineir rushed in with his fists and launched a vicious elbow, all the while keeping a close eye on the golem. He was waiting for it to make a suspicious move. As he approached, the whirring noise grew louder, but the golem simply stood still.


    "Perhaps its rusted and cannot move? Everything here seems old. No, I must be cautious, whoever built this had an incredible grasp of the workings of metal. I cannot underestimate this golem." As his elbow had almost reached the skin, he allowed his bone scythes to slide out, a lethal blade suddenly thrusting directly at the golem''s silver head.


    At the base of the pillar, the leaders of the great sects had all sent out scouts and were currently trying to avoid conflict with each other while securing as much information about the pillar as possible. In the Fiery Haze Sect, A red-yellow clothed scout was reporting back to the Patriarch.


    "Patriarch Goldive, the pillar is safe to ascend, there doesn''t appear to be any formations or enchantments which prevent entry whatsoever. However, several traps have been discovered, most of which have already been activated. Obviously the other sects have also sent scouts and have triggered some of the traps. However, it is impossible to determine when these traps were triggered. While no major great sects were in the area when the pillar formed, it cannot be guaranteed that some wandering eccentrics or rogue cultivators have not already entered the pillar. It is simply impossible to know. Thus I suggest that we, the Fiery Haze Sect, immediately enter the pillar. This way, we will not be too late to fight for any benefits or treasures which might appear on such a godly site." Done with his report, the scout saluted and stood there awaiting the Patriarch''s orders. At the same time, various other great sects were having similar conversations. They answered as Goldive did,


    "We ascend the pillar immediately! All sect members, prepare yourselves to contest this site!" The scout saluted again, and made to leave, but Patriarch Goldive stopped him.


    "I can see your hesitancy, speak, what is it?"


    The scout took a moment before answering.


    "It''s nothing esteemed Patriarch, it''s just, I feel there is something odd about the pillar. When I was on it, I felt a pressure. There were no signs of any formations, or restrictive barriers, but I cannot shake the feeling that a great weight is bearing down upon me. But I''m sure it''s just me."


    Goldive stared at the scout with a stone face for a bit. Then he ordered him out,


    "Yes... no matter what we ascend now!"


    Lineir''s bone scythe slashed with great depth and speed at the golem''s metallic forehead. Perfect timing, the reach, power, and timing were all perfect! However, to Lineir''s astonishment, his bone scythe slid along and left but a fragile white scratch in the silvery metal. Whatever it was, it was harder and more smooth than stone. Lineir immediately backed off as the golem began to whir even louder than before and steam began to come out. It started taking slow steps towards him as he retreated.


    "Shoot, despite putting most of my force into that, it barely left a scratch. There is no way I can cut through with my bone scythes, and I dare not test my fists against such a hard material. Mei, lend me a hand, please?" Instantly, droplets of black liquid poured from the base of his bone scythes down his forearms and formed the familiar yet still inexplicably strange black sword.


    "For your future development, I won''t allow this blade''s edge to be too keen, disciple. If you cannot cut down this golem with this level of sharpness and your own power, you''ll have to turn back." Mei carefully reminded Lineir. It would be bad for him in the future if he simply swung carelessly and recklessly because his blade was sharper than others.


    "Understood!" With a roar, Lineir rushed towards the golem which was now going at him faster than before, a slow run with its incredibly thick legs. The arms remained dead at its side, unused for balance as a normal human would.


    "HAAAH!" Blade shining down with the weight of darkness, Lineir swung down and smashed at the same spot on the forehead. However, this time the golem reacted quite quickly. Before Lineir got close, it closed an arm over its head and blocked with a half meter wide forearm. The blade slammed down and sunk into metal deeply this time. The sword, though blunted by Mei, was still incomparably sharp and whatever this silvery metal was, it could not match the black blade''s bite. However, the forearm was super thick, and despite Lineir swinging at full force, he could barely get the blade an inch into the forehead once he had sliced through the arm. His blade lodged in the golem''s forehead, the golem''s other arm, which was thicker than his skull, began to swing towards him! If Lineir took a hit from that, he doubted he would escape with his bones intact. Lineir cried out!


    "Surge!"


    From the blade embedded in the forehead of the golem, a raging electric current came, spreading along the entire body. Yellow sparks spread across the metallic surface, and with a great hiss, steam came out as the golem ground to a halt and stopped, Lineir''s blade lodged in the surface. The hulking golem''s arm stopped but inches away from Lineir and he sighed in relief.


    "I''m glad that worked. Or else that golem definitely would have broken a few ribs. This is troubling, this golem is significantly bigger than the one we saw yesterday, it would seem the farther we go up, the bigger and stronger they will get. I was just barely able to beat this one, I had better not fight another one head on. Fortunately, I have the rare element of lightning from you Mei."


    Mei agreed,


    "Yes, you are indeed lucky to have this element. Among cultivators it is prized for while difficult to train, if you happen to have the even more rare cultivation techniques for it, it is capable of directly attacking nervous systems and bypassing defenses. That is before it is even cultivated to the ultimate level, where the user can actually slice through anything and everything with concentrated lightning. In this entire plane, none should have access to the kind of instruction I am giving you in this regard, and you should be the only one to pull off this kind of stunt on this golem. Of course, others could just overpower it with pure power, but still, if you play your cards right, for your power level you will be able to defeat opponents such as this even if they have more raw power than you."


    Lineir rolled his eyes. While what she had said was true, Mei had a tendency to be immensely smug when her elemental mastery was mentioned. He had long since given up on commentating. Wrenching the sword out of the golem, he began to search around, looking for weak points and anything he could gain from the wreck.


    "This is...."

 41 Cheating!

    When Lineir peered into the gaping rent he had cut into the golem, he saw countless mechanical gears motionlessly stuck together. At the very inside of the forehead there was a glowing circular object.


    "Is this, a magical beast core?"


    Curious, Lineir reached inside and yanked it out. Smoothly, with very little resistance, a golden gear appeared, similar to what one might find in a clock. The object was unexpectedly heavy and Lineir''s hand actually sank a little after hefting it. The size of a plum, it radiated gently looking somewhat like a child''s depiction of the sun with a cheerful golden glow.


    "Disciple, that is no beast core. Or rather, it''s hardly a single one.... What you''re holding appears to be a collection of magical cores. That is to say, that core contains several low level cores fused together! While it''s unfortunate that your devour ability can only consume living hearts, you can at least cultivate using this core in the traditional way. If you passively absorb energy from this core as you go, you will sharply increase your rate of absorption of elemental energies. I''d rate this core as being on par with a fifth tier magical beast, the energy is that pure!" Mei ecstatically shouted out. Then unbeknownst to Lineir she fell silent, embarrassed and said to herself.


    "I can''t believe I''m getting excited over a fifth tier core. What a joke, when my body was here, such a core wouldn''t even be enough to be jewelry...."


    Lineir was happily cultivating away as he walked. It could be said that he really gained from this event. While he could not instantly gain from this strange core as he would if he were to consume living cultivators, just passively training with such a pure core was extremely beneficial. As a matter of fact...


    Rumble!


    From the sky, arced in a massive bolt of lightning, which blasted Lineir. However, as soon as he had heard the Heaven''s thundering, he had immediately dropped down to the ground. Mei instantly summoned the black sword into Lineir''s hands,


    "You''re breaking through, you know what to do!"


    Lineir kneeled low and slammed the blade into the ground. Then he covered his head and neck with his arms, the bone scythes snicking out protectively.


    BANG!


    A metallic reverberating explosion rang out as the lightning forcibly struck the sword, cloudy currents of electricity arcing around, several stray bolts striking his bone scythes which hissed as they resisted the energy. Then it was quiet. Lineir''s ringing ears made the quiet feel like silence.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! It worked, Mei-Mei you''re a genius!" Lineir began laughing madly. "It''s a shame that Nero Sect was already crushed by the pillar, or I could go and crush them myself now!" Mei too was laughing,


    "What did I tell you Disciple, am I not amazing? Normally that tribulation lightning would have been a true trial to face, the Heavens do not take kindly to one who uses elemental lightning especially with my technique. To cultivate as a mortal in the weapon of the gods, is truly offensive to the heavens. However, by allowing the heaven defying aura of this sword to emanate for a moment, the tribulation lightning was naturally diverted! It came down seeking a mere Gathering Storm cultivator, but instead sensed a terrifying presence, which can break fate itself. A remnant of Madraeyal! Naturally, which one do you think the tribulation lightning would try to exterminate, a mere fledgeling cultivator, or something touched by The Fatebreaker? Of course it went for the sword, and you only had to deal with some slight shocks!"


    Both master and disciple were cackling, and Lineir was actually rolling on the burnt ground. If anyone was there watching, it would have looked utterly ridiculous. However, it was justified. What Lineir had done, was to actually cheat the Heavens. As a practitioner of the lightning element, which was in fact one of the chosen weapons of the gods, tribulation lightning naturally sought to exterminate him. But what he had done could really be said to have cheated the Heavens! He had completely avoided the main blow and simply funneled it to the ground. If the gods were watching, Lineir imagined that even they would be shaking a fist at him right now. At that thought, he stopped rolling around and quickly grabbed Mei''s sword.


    "Alright, time to go, before the Heaven''s notice they missed."


    Onwards he went up the pillar. He actually advanced with the golem''s core in his mouth, slowly absorbing energy as he walked. This golem''s core had really brought him great benefits, allowing him to finally break through realms and enter the next stage of cultivation. If he didn''t need the energy so bad, he would have popped out what was left of it and carried it as a good luck charm.


    "Alas, being a poor cultivator is truly difficult, I must use every tool available." So saying, he drew out more energy and slowly reduced the size of the core some more. Presently, he stopped as another golem came out.


    "Good gods, what the hell were the makers of this place thinking?!?!" Despite perhaps finally breaking past the first five percent of the portion of the pillar under the clouds, Lineir sighed endlessly. The golem in front of him was twice as big as the last, with arms like tree trunks and a body which could not even be entertained as human sized.


    "Disciple, I advise you turn around, that thing, no doubt contains a powerful core which would skyrocket the speed of your cultivation. But fighting that thing, the shockwaves from it''s stomp alone are probably enough to make the ground rumble. There is no way you''re going to be able to penetrate into the thick forehead to deliver a critical strike. Leave!"


    Lineir had no objections. Mei was completely correct in her assessment. Even with Mei''s help, Lineir had barely managed to cut past the forearms of the last golem into the forehead to unleash his powerful current. It was extremely unlikely that a current delivered to anywhere else would be close enough to the important inner workings to stop the golem as before. Even though he had just broken through to another realm, Lineir had no confidence in beating something with this much armor. He turned around and made to go back, then froze again.


    "Mei, are my eye''s playing tricks on me, there''s another one!" Indeed, in front of Lineir was another golem, which was steadily walking closer to him. This one was a darker color than the first, an obsidian color. It gave off a terrifying feeling, and was slowly walking towards Lineir. He instinctively turned around and faced the first golem which was the same metallic color as the ones before.


    "Alright kiddo, by the looks of it, things are going to get tricky now. The golems here, are far tougher, and they appear to be following specific routes rather than just standing around. That obsidian colored one behind you gives me a bad feeling. Besides, you''d be going backwards anyways, your best choice is to fight the one in front of you. I don''t know how to beat it, but maybe you can find a way past."


    Lineir looked over his shoulder, terrified that any second now, the obsidian one would come close enough to sense him and would lock its arms by its sides and start running at him. He hesitantly took a step forward, then after steeling himself, launched himself at the silver colored golem in front. As he neared, the golem snapped up, its eyeless metal face staring directly at him. It reached out a hand which could encircle Lineir''s entire body and Lineir stamped the ground, shifting his trajectory around the fist.


    "FAST! This one is way faster than the first, even though it''s so much bigger!" Spinning around, Lineir didn''t even try to cut the arm with his bone scythes, he tried to run past the golem. Instantly the golem hopped at an insane speed for its size and Lineir found his way blocked again.


    "Damnit, I can''t get around, its simply too big, I have to fight." He looked at the refractive shiny black surface of Mei''s sword to see behind him without actually turning. The obsidian golem behind him was mindlessly trudging in another direction. Lineir sighed,


    "At least I won''t have to fight two of these things... damnit!"


    WRRRRAAAANG


    The golem took another swing shaking the air. This one was simply too fast and aggressive, not only was it bigger, it was in essence, smarter than the last.


    "There''s no way to get past, and taking it out with one hit is not an option. There''s no way out unless..."


    As it swung at him again, Lineir just barely dodged by a hair''s breath. As he spun by, he lashed out viciously with his sword, and summoned the power of the Gathering Storm Stage for the first time.


    "Surge!"


    From his sword, which was just whispering along the hard thick arm, a monstrous electric current came and dancing sparks ran along the arm. The golem tried to pull back its arm, but could only stiffly hold it by its side as it hung there, stunned.


    "Success, I might not be able to get it in one shot, but I can at least take it apart one piece at a time!"


    Before the golem could swing again Lineir had danced by and slashed the other arm.


    "Surge!" Now the golem was simply an armless thing with no defenses. It still mindlessly blocked Lineir''s way, but as he ran up and launched a two handed penetrating stab like a miner might use a pickaxe at its head, the golem simply whirred and did nothing. The sword pierced into the silvery defenseless forehead, and Lineir finally attempted to directly confront the strength of the metal. Summoning the weight of darkness, Lineir plunged the sword deep inside, and panting unleashed the current directly into the center of the head,


    "Surge!!"


    The golem stopped all movement, slowly tipping over.


    "Awesome! The power of the Gathering Storm Stage is amazing. I feel like I can fly, my body is completely under my control. I could even take down this monstrous golem given enough time!" With a furtive glance around, Lineir began the difficult process of widening the penetrating wound he had made to get to the core inside. Whatever was inside must surely be of great value to power something so large. After several minutes of work, the core was revealed and removed.


    "Disciple, you''ve hit the jackpot. This core is equal to a sixth tier core! If you could devour this directly, you''d advance to the middle of the Gathering Storm Stage right now! Hurry up and finish absorbing that fifth tier golem core in your mouth, this candy is much sweeter!" Naturally, Lineir should finish the lower tier core first. Higher tier cores were incredibly valuable, but their value was in the purity. Lower tier cores were less useful the higher up in cultivation you were as they weren''t pure enough for cultivators at that point. Thus you needed to benefit from them as much as possible in the beginning if you did not have access to many top grade cores. To absorb a higher tier core before a lower tier was simply wasteful at this level.


    "Master, this is amazing, I''ve benefited so much from this tower, even if the gods themselves placed heavenly treasures at the top, if this pillar were to disappear into thin air right now, I would still be satisfied with my gains."


    Down below however, the greater sects were singing a different tune then Lineir. They had just entered the pillar and were battling it out madly with hundreds of golems!


    "Patriarch Goldive, there''s too many, we have to retreat, they just keep coming!" Frantically, various elders urged him to call back the sect. Patriarch Goldive was striking the golems viciously, blasting them apart with his Three Flames Fists, but for every one he killed there were two more to take the first''s place, and they were getting bigger!


    "I don''t understand, why are there so many, this pillar is guarded so heavily! We must fight on though, we absolutely cannot allow any of the other great sects a chance to profit form this place, I am sure there are absolutely heavenly treasures at the top!"


    On and on they slaughtered, but they made no progress, the number of golems was seemingly endless. The other great sects were having the same thing happen to them elsewhere on the vast pillar. Simply put, it was a massacre! While they slew hundreds of golems, countless core disciples died, and even the Patriarchs were growing tired. The number of golems was just too many!


    But why the descrepency? Lineir managed to ascend without nearly so much trouble? Unknown to both Lineir and the great sects, taking a group into this pillar was almost impossible! Firstly, taking a large group would naturally attract more attention. More traps would be triggered, and large groups would run into more golems. Neither Lineir nor the great sects knew that killing the golems in fact, attracted more golems! By slaughtering so many, the greater sects were only sealing their own fate! But why was Lineir able to kill two without being swarmed with golems? The answer lay in his method! By stunning the golems and destroying their inner mechanisms with electricity, he inadvertently avoided the natural alert mechanism which triggered when a golem was destroyed. Thus he continued relatively unmolested!


    Patriarch Goldive had had enough. He had lost several strong disciples, they had been pulled down by several golems at once, and sheer numbers were slowly whittling down his sect.


    "Enough! I will continue forward with the ten main elders of the sect alone! Everyone else, retreat from the pillar!" Running forward, the elders and Patriarch blew past the golems with superior speed.


    "I don''t care who or what stands in my way, the one who stands on top of this Sky Pillar will be me!"

 42 Daring to Play With Lightning

    Back up on the pillar, Lineir was blissfully unaware of the great sects slowly ascending the pillar. Most of them had also followed Patriarch Goldive''s examples and given up on bringing the full might of their followers with them. On this pillar... only personal strength mattered, groups would be at a disadvantage!


    "Master, is it not odd, there have been no golems or traps for a long while. I almost feel as if I am lost in time, ascending the stairway to the Heavens! Perhaps I really died back there and am now just walking away from the earth?" Lineir mused vaguely as he continued up. His eyes drifted to the sides of the pillar where an awe inspiring view awaited. Clear blue for miles and a light white veil of clouds which seemed like an ocean in the sky, frothing bubbles gently swirling on top.


    "Dead your grandmother, take it from one who''s come close, you''re definitely not." Mei irately said. She was clearly not amused at being reminded of her state.


    "Sorry, sorry! I''ll keep cultivating for now." Eventually, the fifth tier core ran out and Lineir popped in the sixth tier. It barely fit. He had to cram his jaw open. Moaning, he grumbled,


    "My god that was uncomfortable, it felt like my jaw was going to snap!"


    Mei had no sympathy at all,


    "Please, kiddo, what do you think we have to do to cultivate tenth tier cores, some of the larger ones are as big as watermelons!" Lineir''s eyes grew round at the thought of getting one of those in.


    "Do you actually dislocate the jaw or something?" he said absentmindedly.


    "No you idiot, at that level you just absorb it with your hands... "


    A piercing roar growled its way through the skies.


    GRAAAAAAAAAWWWRRR!


    Lineir shuddered,


    "that sounded almost like... wait... no way... it can''t be!"


    GRAAAAAAAAAWRRRR!!!!


    He paled,


    "It is her isn''t it..." Mei could only agree,


    "Yes... that dragon girl, she''s definitely around. Now don''t you wish it was still quiet?"


    Lineir sighed, fate itself was definitely broken, if he was to meet that crazy dragon girl, who was apparently a princess on this mad pillar to the heavens.


    "Tell me Mei, if I come across her again, what''s my plan?"


    Mei mentally shrugged,


    "She''s only dragonkin I think. Not as powerful as I first thought, definitely not tenth tier, maybe ninth at best. More likely, based on the evidence I''d say she was seventh or eighth tier. Still enough to easily beat you however. In dragonform she''s just too large for somebody of your level to take care of. You need to master the art of authority before you can take on large opponents. Your only hope if she comes is to hide quickly, and then run away when she''s not looking. Keep ascending, there''s no use worrying about something that could come at any time. From the sound of it, she''s not as high up as you."


    Lineir sighed.


    "The art of authority, when will I be strong enough to master that?" The art of authority was what Mei called the ability to distribute force. Essentially, if you cut into something, even if your blade was sharp enough, you can only cause so much damage. Take the False Water Serpent for example. No matter how sharp Lineir''s blade might be, he could only deal so much damage because the cuts he caused were but a fraction of its total size! However, a master with authority was different. A single cut from them could project the force of a cut far beyond the length of the actual blade. Where Lineir would leave a scratch, the master might completely cut clean through a large enemy. That was why size was not necessarily a good thing at the higher levels. No matter how much girth you had, a master would simply consider that a larger target.


    "Damnit it''s been a while, that''s a lot of golems. And Heavens... they just keep getting bigger!"


    These golems were indeed numerous, a good ten were patrolling randomly in front of Lineir, and there was no clear cut way through without attracting attention. Furthermore, they were enormous, a full half bigger than the already enormous golems before. Additionally... two of them were obsidian instead of silver. Lineir mentally plotted a path around those. They made a shiver run down his spine as something told him to stay away.


    "Alright, I think I see a way through!" Weaving side to side, Lineir carefully rushed around the rocky ground. From his experiences so far, as long as he didn''t get too close, the golems didn''t notice him, but he didn''t want to take any chances. While they might not have any visible eyes, that was no guarantee they wouldn''t be able to see or hear him. Staying low, he carefully made his way through when a golem suddenly changed route,


    "Bloody hells, it blocked off my path!" Turning around in circles, Lineir had only moments to decide where to go. If he stayed too long, one of the golems he had avoided before would wander to him. If he chose the wrong path, he could be cut off and surrounded. Around and around he spun twice, and then burst out running again,


    "Shoot, the only way that has any chance of success is near that obsidian golem!" He was running by when to his horror, the obsidian golem triggered on him and began to run, swiftly closing the distance.


    "I got too close... Mei what do I do!" Lineir was at a loss, this was not part of the plan at all!


    "Kiddo, you only got one choice, you have to beat it. Try to take it out one limb at a time!" Lineir tried his strategy of taking it apart piece by piece. Dodging the massive fist which came, he once again ran his blade along the forearm and let the current come,


    "Surge!"


    However, a chill ran down his spine as the arm, did not stop, little sparks fizzled around the obsidian skin, and then it came crashing into him.


    "Resistance to electricity!"


    Lineir, as he was about to be turned into paste, felt his vision turn red for the first time in ages. The power of madness had come!


    "I didn''t think this power worked unless I was fighting a living enemy... but apparently if my life is in danger it will." The fist seemed to slow down and Lineir quickly jumped forward. When the fist collided, the fact that Lineir was moving away from it lessened the impact somewhat, and he was sent flying towards the path of another golem. In the crimson red haze, Lineir coughed out blood as his squished organs complained, but still had time to think,


    "I can''t allow another golem to lock onto me!" He swung his sword down, digging into the ground. Immediately the drag slingshotted his body down, and he further dug in with his bone scythes, sliding several meters in the ground. Staring past his bloody reflection in the black blade, he sighed in relief,


    "It didn''t lock onto me!" But his relief was short lived. The first obsidian golem was quickly charging at him. On its face, sparks danced and a hole formed. Like a mouth, it pointed straight at him, a crackling noise and blinding glow formed.


    Mei cried out,


    "Disciple, block it!"


    BAAAANG!


    A jumping arc of electricity shot out from its mouth and was channeled into Mei''s blade which seemed to absorb it. Lineir was speechless,


    "That was... tribulation lightning?"


    Mei was suddenly furious, in Lineir''s head she was yelling,


    "To dare play with lightning in front of me! You''re asking for death construct! Disciple, hold it off a second, this thing is pissing me off!"


    In his hands, the black blade which had stayed cool even when struck by tribulation lightning before, and when the golem had hit it with that strange pseudo tribulation lightning now, began to heat up. Lineir leaped up to avoid a fist and found himself standing on top of the golems forearms which had naturally folded on top of itself to protect its head.


    "Excellent Kiddo, get me higher any way you can... this golem has dug all their graves! You just need to get me higher!"


    The golem flung out both its arms, and Lineir kicked off at the same time, borrowing the force to propel himself up and up into the sky. The light actually dimmed a little as the height of his jump brought him closer to the bottom of the next layer of the pillar, blocking out the sun from the open sides.


    "Not high enough, just a little more!" Lineir was basically out of options, and panicked as his flight reached its height. His heart rate spiked and his vision turned red again, looking down he stared right into the mouth of the obsidian golem below.


    "GO!"


    From his own mouth, the devouring hydra spirit came out, insanely long, and shot into the golem''s open mouth below, seizing the core inside and ripping it out. The force as it struck the golem propelled Lineir just a little higher into the air.


    "Excellent kiddo, now I got them all!"


    A humming noise and tingling came as every hair on Lineir''s body stood up. From his black sword, ten lightning bolts surged and smashed down onto the golems below. The lightning was clearly the absorbed tribulation lightning, but it came out far faster than before, seemingly spun into thin strands of dense death. They burned their way through the golems below, even the other untouched obsidian golem, and every single golem slumped down inert.


    "Don''t ever use lightning against me!"


    Mei triumphantly cried out as Lineir came down, absorbing the fall which would have shattered any regular man''s bones by merely bending his knees.


    "That was awesome master! Now I can collect all their cores!"


    However, before he could, a piercing roar came from off the open side of the pillar and out of the clear blue sky,


    GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAWRRR !

 43 The Raging Storm Comes

    Grawwwwwrrrr!


    From off the side of the pillar came a spine-chilling roar and a vicious whistling noise as the wind was cut through at insane speeds. Lineir frantically ran to the body of the destroyed obsidian golem.


    "I must collect all these cores and hide! That crazy dragon lady is coming again!" He rushed to open up the obsidian metal skull. Crazily hacking in a way that would make swordsmen cry and miners proud, he thrust the blade over and over only to cry out in frustration,


    "Impossible, I can''t even make more than a few scratches on this stuff, it''s too hard!"


    GRAAAAAAAWWWRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    Lineir had to resist the urge to drop Mei and clap his hands to his ears.


    "Come on, just let me get the ordinary ones at least!" he sprinted towards the nearest silver colored golem and began to butcher it. In terms of hardness, it was no worse than the smaller golems lower on the pillar, but it was much much thicker! To get his arm in there, he could only carve out a bigger hole to wedge his whole shoulder inside or he wouldn''t be able to reach.


    "Just a little more...." Suddenly, he spotted the core inside. As his hand was about to close in on it, a horrible feeling engulfed him, the feeling of being hunted! The glowing core suddenly seemed to shine incredibly bright. As a matter of fact, everything else had fallen dark, instantly wreathed in an obscuring shadow. Lineir''s head was snapped back as massive talons curled around his body and he was lifted into the sky, his fingers uselessly trying to curl around the glowing core that had been left inside the body of the golem.


    "That core was as big as an apple damnit!" However, he quickly paled and turned around to stare into the slitted red eyes of the creature carrying him. As expected, it was a vast familiar dragon. However, as he looked, the claws carrying him shook as suddenly the flight became precarious. Tumbling around wildly, the dragon roared so loud that Lineir felt his ears popping, and then careened down from the sky into the pillar again.


    GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWRRR!!


    Flung about wildly, somehow Lineir was not crushed as man and dragon crashed back to the rocky pillar path, and Lineir indignantly thought,


    "Why''d you have to go and pick me up if you were just going to put me down again!"


    The dragon lay there trembling, belly up, clutching Lineir in its claws, it brought him to its eyes which were rapidly turning green and shrinking,


    "What is wrong with this place, TELL ME OR I''LL eat... you...." A moment later, it shrunk into the same noble looking girl, wearing a bloody red robe. Lineir wrinkled his nose. Close up, the smell was atrocious, it brought up terrible memories of the bile and blood inside the False Water Serpent. She had both her hands wrapped around him and Lineir instinctively reared back, frantic to escape her grasp. Eventually, he wriggled his way free, and he realized that she was unconscious.


    "Now what... she pulled me over to a different section of this level of the pillar. God knows where all those delicious cores went.." At that moment however, the startled Lineir remembered something.


    "I definitely consumed the core of one of those obsidian golems directly. Such a strong golem such a core was at least six tier... possibly higher..." He quickly looked inside himself and paled.


    "NOT GOOD! Mei help!" Inside of him, writhing turbulent energies were spiraling about, and his Second Heart was rapidly enlarging. Mei was speculatively analyzing his internal meridians.


    "Hmmmm I think you ate a seventh tier core. This devour ability is terrifying to let you directly consume that and absorb the energy in one go. Furthermore, you just finished that sixth tier in your mouth. I think you''re breaking through realms again. Better get ready, the tribulation lightning is going to be beyond imagination. Breaking through two realms this quickly, while training in my lightning techniques... even with the sword as a conductor, just the scattered lightning may very well be enough to kill!" At that moment, the noble blood covered girl on the ground woke up and lunged for Lineir,


    "You!!!!!!!"


    Lineir tossed the sword directly in her path, and crouched down again, shielding his head and neck with bone scythes.


    KAAAAAAAAAANG


    A massive bolt of tribulation lightning shot down and blasted the sword, with the girl practically on top of it! The surging lightning wreathed the area around in thick lightning, and Lineir''s forearms shook and the hair on them was singed away to leave an acrid smell of ozone and flesh. When it was over, Lineir peered over his bone scythes... the black blade was there, seemingly fine, if anything it looked illustrious and the dancing streaks of lightning inside seemed more lively and many. Around the sword though, the ground was completely blackened and charred for ten meters, and the girl was laid-out on the ground, smoldering. Tentatively, Lineir asked Mei,


    "Is she dead?" Then he walked over and picked up his sword, prodding her with it. Mei analyzed for a moment,


    "Mmm, it depends on exactly how strong she is, and most importantly, her resistance to lightning. She was in human form as well, that would probably lower her chances of surviving. The sword took almost all the direct impact however, Heaven''s wrath is truly drawn to the sword. Her behavior before the tribulation was quite strange however. Something is clearly bothering her, I wonder why she bothered to fly all the way up here, is she seeking treasure? Hard to say, but you should get going kiddo. Dead or not, there''s no benefit to being near her." As he was walking away, he couldn''t resist one last prod.


    "ACHHOOOO!" A vicious sneeze roared from the previously prone girl, and she began heaving deep breathes.


    "Definitely not dead!" Lineir sprinted away as fast as he could, and ran and ran. No way was he going to deal with that crazy girl when she woke up. She seemed to blame everything on him, his luck was truly terrible. As he ran, he marveled at the speed he could obtain. By kicking off the ground, he could propel himself many meters forward like a gazelle, and he practically floated across the air. He soon left the girl behind.


    "With any luck... She''ll wake up with amnesia and forget all about me..."


    Lineir was not hopeful however, recently, it seemed like nothing in life was so easy as that. At least, however, The Raging Storm Stage made him feel like he truly was a storm! Floating across the land, capable of wandering like the wind! The freedom of speed, one of the primal feelings which everyone can appreciate, was beyond enjoyable. To have crossed entire realms in such a short time, the sudden change in his body''s capabilities made him feel as if he had been reborn as something greater.


    "This feeling, Mei, I don''t even care if I cannot fly, this speed, each of my jumps makes me feel so free!" Lineir remarked on the greatness of this change, and Mei laughed sadly,


    "Yes disciple, to have directly crossed a realm like that, I can imagine the difference must be like Heaven and Earth to you. I wish I could go back to the days when I wandered the worlds searching for power and accomplishment." Mei''s voice was like dripping rain, liquid and heavy with the changes wrought by time. Lineir quietly slowed down a little now that he was fairly certain he wasn''t being followed. As he was about to say something to change the atmosphere, Mei spoke first,


    "Kiddo, I think you need to learn a real technique. It''s time I taught you a killing move!" Lineir, shocked by this change of pace, could only agree happily. Mei had been drilling him in the basics for so long, to finally say that she was going to teach him a technique was an acknowledgement of his prowess!


    "What kind of move master? Will I be able to blow through enemies with one blow like that ultimate technique of yours?" Lineir excitedly asked, Mei''s ultimate blow had left a deep impression on him, and no wonder, it had destroyed an undead construct which could have ended the world in one blow!


    "No, no, no, your getting ahead of yourself kiddo. That kind of blow is something which took me many years to train in. You may have grown a little stronger, but a kitten is still a kitten, you cannot simply wish to have claws. No, actually, I promise that this move will have terrifying destructive power which will allow you to take down both large foes and groups of enemies at once, but there is a catch." Mei hurriedly stated the last bit before Lineir could interrupt,


    "Tell me disciple, when you took down those golems, were they not far larger and stronger than you?" Lineir nodded his head.


    "However, you took them apart piece by piece. This technique will be like that, you will exploit the enemy with multiple small blows, and then finish the fight with one grand strike, chaining the damage together!" Lineir noticed a contrast between this statement and the one before however,


    "But Mei, didn''t you say that I''d be able to take down a large foe, as well as groups of enemies with this technique? If I am chaining together a bunch of small moves to do a large strike, while that would certainly work well on a single foe, how does that work for groups?" To this, Mei simply laughed and said,


    "Think about it kiddo, haven''t I always told you that if you pay attention, the enemies'' swords and bodies can become your swords and bodies? If you properly manipulate, as if they are one single enemy, how is that any different than fighting a single larger foe? Of course, this technique will require incredible control. I am specifically choosing to teach you this because your analytical abilities while under that madness state are too terrifying. It is as if you already know where their weak points are. Combining that analysis with my technique will allow the power to multiply and grow tenfold. Now do exactly as I say." Lineir excitedly waited for Mei''s instruction, would she have him channel his energy, teach him some mystical combo, or way to imbue his sword with elemental might? The actual answer however quickly made his face fell,


    "Walk. In order to train this technique you''re going to need to walk a lot. You''ll have to train it while we journey up this pillar. Now begin here..."


    With a crestfallen expression Lineir began to trudge up the pillar once more.

 44 Learning to Walk

    Mei''s instruction was incredibly ruthless and unyielding. Despite the motions being variable based on circumstance, and unique to each situation, she specifically instructed on key points mercilessly. Over and over he was made to practice certain patterns and certain ways to prevent these patterns from being noticed. It was a pattern... but without form, a formless pattern!


    "Never let an opponent figure out what you want to do, before you do it. Any sort of pattern must be erased! Similarly, a complete lack of a pattern is naturally a pattern this too must be avoided! Only then will you truly achieve formlessness and move in such a way that no one can predict your path. This will allow you freedom, the most possible safe moves! If your enemy is wary and doesn''t know what you will do, he will hesitate and your options will increase. Only then can you maximize your options and walk in the midst of many despite being just one."


    On and on Mei lectured, and Lineir listened carefully. The degree of difficulty of this kind of training was not like the basic stroke and footwork training of before. Before, it was enough to build muscle, and through repetition gain some semblance of the correct movement.


    "Kiddo, what will you do when your enemies turn the battlefield into an ocean of fire and magma, where every step is a possible path to the hells? How can you be ready to deal with such an extreme situation if you have never encountered such a thing before? The answer is, you must have the feeling! By building up the feeling of how to move, even in unfamiliar situations, you will intuitively know what to do. You have an advantage here, your madness ability naturally gives you a critical edge, but you cannot simply rely on this innate ability. You must also have experience, now move faster, feel more!"


    And so on Mei forced Lineir to walk in strange and unfamiliar ways, to go out of his path randomly, and to sometimes repeat the same movement unnaturally several times, all for the sake of creating form without motion. Lineir asked once, as a joke, when this training would be complete, and Mei simply retorted,


    "It''s always as complete as you want it to be. If you feel like you are unpredictable, that your opponents could not possibly fathom your movements, then you are free to stop. However, if you think there is even a fraction of a percent of a chance that they could eventually predict where you will go and how you will get there, then you can only analyze more, and increase your sense of feeling. Even when you walk in a straight line, I want you to be analyzing how you could make the enemy think you are not!"


    Presently, Lineir ended up entering another field of golems. They were only about a quarter larger than the last ones, it seemed the rate of growth was slowing, but instead there were significantly more obsidian ones! There were now four obsidian ones, and five silver ones! Additionally, there was one blue golem which Lineir had never seen before! Wary of the new enemies, Lineir approached slowly, carefully staying out of their range.


    "Mmm, Mei is it worth fighting them? At my new level, I feel much less threatened. However, those four obsidian golems are pretty annoying being resistant to electricity, and as for the blue one, I have no idea. But if one seventh tier core could advance me a realm, even if these golems all also only contained seventh tier cores I would still gain greatly correct?" Lineir was excited. The idea of breaking through realms so quickly was simply unfair to the Heavens and all the other regular practitioners who spent their lives cultivating.


    "Disciple, let me clear your head right now. While you may have easily crossed the Gathering Storm Stage, the Raging Storm Stage is different. The Gathering Storm Stage has very little actual technical difference from the Rising Storm Stage. The only real difference is the power level of the cultivator. However, now that you have entered the Raging Storm Stage, not only will your requirements for elemental energy to break through grow greatly, the technical requirements will vastly increase! Simply put, not only would seventh tier cores not greatly increase your level, they would not do much at all if you do not raise the level of internal spin in your Second Heart! You actually cannot devour too many cores, you will in fact be better off spitting out the cores if you need to use the Three Headed Hydra''s devour ability. Otherwise, if you do not have sufficient spin in your Second Heart, the extra energy will cause your inner elements to go out of control and go wild, tearing itself apart! You will lose all your cultivation, and possibly become a cripple. Thus I can only warn you once again, do not think you can simply keep skipping realms without properly cultivating!"


    Mei was adamant on this. While there were some special techniques which could traverse realms consistently and at great speed, the devour ability was not one of them. All it provided was an instant absorption of power, if used in excess, without a proper foundation it was not only worthless, it was detrimental! However, Mei did not stop Lineir from fighting the golems.


    "Actually kiddo, go for it. The number of cores you will require to completely traverse this realm is insanely high, even if you were to consume seventh tier or higher cores. So it''s fine if you eat a few now. Besides, you need to condense some rain in your Second Heart, that is the hallmark of the Raging Storm Stage, and a major advantage. Also, this is a fine opportunity to test your ability to avoid predictive movements. These golems act very much on instinct and themselves are quite predictable. Thus they are the perfect opponent to figure out how to outwit. Wander amongst them and destroy them without getting caught!"


    Immediately, Lineir charged in, he already knew how these golems thought, the only thing left was to see if his body could outwit them! Weaving in and out, Lineir moved at an incredibly high speed. He essentially abandoned stealth for speed, yet he did not completely go all out. Rather, it was like he was opening himself, if something wanted to come, it could, but it would not stop Lineir! Dipping in and out, he actually made it more than three fourths of the way through undetected, when finally the routes of the golems made them impossible to avoid. However, Lineir had planned for this, the two to discover him were two of the ordinary silvery golems! As they locked on to him, he charged straight between them, and whirled in a circle while still sliding forward with every step.


    Shua!


    Tap Tap


    Clang! Clang!


    His sword cut both their legs, and instantly they froze as lightning locked them down.


    "Surge!" He straightened from his wild spin and continued to half walk, half run his way through. After making it through to the other side, he complained,


    "Darn it Mei, these guys aren''t even enough to pose a real threat to me, I can''t enter the madness state and devour their cores!" Mei, however, quickly gave Lineir another task,


    "You dare act as if you''ve accomplished something, go through this golem field ten more times first! You are still way too predictable!"


    Down below amidst the lower levels, the various Patriarchs of the greater sects were all having extreme troubles going up the Pillar.


    "What is this restrictive formation, so powerful, it feels as if my Second Heart weighs a thousand pounds!" The Patriarchs and elders were not flying, instead they were walking like ordinary mortals, and they sluggishly fought golems, attracting more and more. They didn''t look much better at this point than their disciples they had left behind.


    "The higher we go, the worse it gets, the oppressive aura here is as if the Heaven''s themselves were pressing down on us!"


    Patriarch Goldive had had enough. He was fed up with this slow progress.


    "Enough, every sect must have come to the same conclusion, we must use our Sect Treasures to advance, all elders, activate your hidden treasures, we will be the ones to the top!"


    Instantly, the glows of hundreds of artifacts were lit up all across the lower levels of the pillars, and the speed of Patriarch Goldive and the elders greatly increased. Running past the golems rather than fighting them, they kept going up at a frightening speed. However, this speed came at great cost to all the great sects which were relying on treasures to advance. To use the last resorts of their sects, if they didn''t gain something in return then their sects would have truly lost out this time.


    Back up a few levels where Lineir was, he was almost about ten percent of the way up the visible portion. His speed had greatly increased after entering the Rising Storm Stage, and he was now fast enough to stun golems and evade them! In this way, his progress was simply incomparably fast to before, the work of weeks of backtracking now took days! A fraction of the time for the same distance! He was beginning to feel that things were going smoothly. In the back of his mind though, he still couldn''t shake a feeling of pressure. But he certainly did not feel as pressured as the elders below, rather he positively flew around, madly dashing from point to point following Mei''s specific instructions. He had been doing this for a long time now, and his mind had begun to think in strange ways. If anyone were to see him, they would be confused. His motions were very efficient, he covered distances with minimal effort, yet he would sometimes take odd paths which no one would expect at the strangest times. It would baffle even the most experienced fighters. He was becoming unpredictable.


    Lineir had just finished navigating a huge field of over fifty golems! Not a single one had locked on to him, and he had walked through them as one might walk through a field of tall grass. His passage was indistinguishable from the passage of the wind, it was very hard to make out any discernible pattern in his actions. He simply walked. However, as he let a breath slip out, and was about to continue on his way, a noise which made him start for the first time in days came.


    GRAAAAAAAAAAWWRRrrrrrrrrrr!!!.....


    The shriek of that dragon was much weaker than before, and not very close, but he still paled and quickly ran away.


    "She''s still following me! Give me a break, I didn''t do anything!"

 45 Strange Happenings

    After the cry had long since faded into the distance, Lineir relaxed and Mei began to instruct him again


    "Alright, you can be said to have learned the basics of movement. The rest is practice." Mei said after Lineir wandered through another group of golems.


    "Your feeling is quite good, but these are inanimate enemies, they lack true intelligence. You will see that fighting people is tougher. But you have the feeling, that is the important part, with that, you can walk anywhere with enough time. Now it''s time for me to teach you the technique you will be using."


    Lineir burst out at this statement,


    "Wait, you''re telling me that all that wasn''t even the actual technique? What was that all for then!" Mei simply chuckled,


    "Of course that wasn''t the actual technique, what part of that looked like it did damage to you? No, I was simply teaching you how to walk. But don''t worry, the actual technique is easy, the most important fundamental for any swordsman is footwork, you must get to the enemy to fight them. Now that you know, I can teach you what strike to use. First of all, gather the darkness element inside of the sword, as much as you can. Focus on the image of volume, you want as much as possible!"


    Lineir mumbled as he concentrated,


    "Volume... volume... ok, this is as much as I can hold!"


    Lineir gathered a large amount of darkness inside the blade, it began to seem to suck the light out of the surrounding atmosphere. Mei then commanded,


    "Good, not a bad amount for your first go, now in the center of this darkness, gather as much of the lightning element as possible. However, the image you need to focus on is not volume, but density! You are aiming for maximum density, the lightning energy must be compressed to the smallest possible! Do not let go of the darkness element, you must hold it and simultaneously form the lightning inside!"


    Lineir began to sweat and his arms shook as his veins bulged. The amount of concentration this took was immense. As he was about to be unable to hold it anymore, Mei cried out,


    "Slash the ground, release control of the energy and run away!"


    Lineir hesitated a moment then did as she said, he slashed the ground, simultaneously releasing the pent up darkness and lightning energies inside, and then bounded away.


    "Watch closely kiddo!" Lineir turned over his shoulder and looked. At the spot he slashed in the ground, a shallow cut was made in the rock. For a second, there was nothing, and then with a loud kang noise, a bolt of lightning surged from the ground to his sword. In doing so, the resulting explosion increased the size of the damage to the ground threefold!


    "Heavens, what was that, lightning jumped from the spot I hit to the sword! And there was a delay?"


    Mei smugly answered,


    "Yes disciple, but this is still incomplete, this first stroke was imperfect and wasteful. You must refine this technique more. When you are done, you will be able to slaughter both vast armies and the largest of foes with the same move!"


    Lineir began to train this technique whenever he could muster the energy. If he ran into a group of golems, he would use them as practice dummies and then consume their cores to return to full strength! It was an incredibly wasteful practice, but since Lineir did not want to advance the level of his cultivation too quickly anyways, it was perfect. Even the largest of golems posed little threat to Lineir now. Of course, he was getting worried. The number of obsidian golems was growing. About half of any group was composed of them now, and he couldn''t stun them, only avoid them. Furthermore, he was worried about the blue golem he had seen. He still didn''t know what it did, and while he hadn''t seen any more yet, he was sure they would show up. His strategy was simple, take out the silver golems, and ignore the obsidian golems, then continue on his way. The obsidian golems were simply too large for him to take on without stunning them. Even his devour ability could not penetrate the armor around their core anymore.


    In this way, Lineir traversed all the way up the first 10% of the pillar. From here, the pillar sharply elevated a bit and then curled around. In essence, it was the second level! However, while Lineir was the first to reach the second level, his time alone was soon to come to an end. A few days after going up, multi colored robed figures of every color began to shoot by above him! The Patriarchs and elders of each sect had arrived! They shot by, enveloped by the Qi auras of various forbidden artifacts and techniques. Several of the elders were literally burning their cultivation bases to ascend the pillar faster! It was a mad race to the top, and they didn''t pay any attention to Lineir below, they were too busy watching each other. Every couple hours, another group would fly by, and Lineir would stop for a moment to watch. After a day or two, no more came, and Lineir was alone again for a little bit. But then the thing he had been dreading happened,


    GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWR


    He cursed and stopped practicing his technique. Immediately accelerating to full speed, he went and hid below a craggy overpass.


    "She''s still following me?! Sigh, I definitely cannot let her see me this time. With my luck she''ll smell me anyway though..." From the sky, the overbearing gliding shadow swept by and then was gone. It was much darker than last time, evidently she was flying much lower than before.


    "Huh? She didn''t notice me. I''m safe?" He cautiously poked his head out, wary for some trick. Perhaps she was simply circling around and was preparing to ambush him when his guard was down! However, he thought it over and got out and started walking again. Soon he was cultivating again and practicing his technique on nearby rocks and trees.


    "Hrmph, she''s definitely powerful enough to catch me, element of surprise or not, what possible incentive would she have to ambush me, to scare me out of my wits?" Cracks of lightning emanated from his passage, and his path contained the left behind detritus of burnt targets.


    Carefully, he made his way, and then something strange happened. The pillar, which had been rock solid the entire time, began to shake.


    "An earthquake? To affect something this large, it must be a strong one." The shaking quickly began to pass, and Lineir thought little more of it. However, a few hours later, it began again, and lasted longer.


    "Mei, what is this, I''m worried, is this pillar earthquake proof?" Lineir anxiously asked, but Mei simply told him to keep going.


    "Relax kiddo, this pillar is clearly beyond the makings of mortals. Anything short of a Heavenlly disaster will not affect it. Furthermore, where are you going to go, it''s a long way down!" Lineir took a look over the side, and swallowed. Indeed, it was incredibly far down. The green earth below blurred together at this distant, and individual features couldn''t be made out. In the distance, even mountains looked small.


    "I hope you''re right..." As Lineir walked however, he thought something was off.


    "No golems... I wonder what''s going on here. Perhaps the sects ahead dealt with it." However, Lineir knew in his heart that that was unlikely. The sect leaders were all flying extremely fast, they would definitely ignore the golems on the ground. But why then were they missing?

 46 The Sects Predicamen

    Lineir paused after conducting another rendition of this devastating technique.


    "Come on kiddo, one more, while I must admit you''ve improved a lot, and I am not entirely loathe to calling your technique by the same name as mine, you should never stop cultivating!"


    Mei commanded Lineir to keep going, she allowed no rest unless it was necessary. However, Lineir simply cocked his head and asked,


    "Wait, shhh.... did you hear that?" Both master and disciple were quiet for a moment, and the sounds of battle floated to them, along with faint screams.


    "Hmmm, kiddo, that''s pretty far off, but I think it''s definitely related to those sect members who flew by. I suggest you hurry over and take a look while they''re distracted."


    Lineir hustled and quickly came up on the scene of a great battle. The air was filled with screams and the rusty smell of blood released by metal. As far as he could see, golems swarmed! Metallic corpses littered the ground like trash, and the sect members of which there were hundreds, elders and Patriarchs all, were releasing torrents of terrifying secret arts into the masses of golems. However, hordes of obsidian golems were launching crackling beams of lightning in return which struck on weakened shields, frequently breaking through, and the poor cultivators would drop dead twitching and smoking. It was as if Heaven''s tribulation was being brought to battle against the sects.


    As their lines weakened, swarms of regular golems, each as large as a house, would march in, clambering over each other sometimes, and smash the cultivators below into the air. From a few blue golems spread amongst the teeming silver and obsidian, giant plumes of water would shoot up and splash out to rain on the cultivators. The beams of lightning would then fire and follow these plumes, splitting into webs of smaller lightning strands which would wipe out entire groups of tired elders. The patriarchs were frantically screaming to each other, while they had originally been racing each other to reach the top first, they were facing a far more dangerous common enemy now,


    "Why can''t we fly! Our cultivation bases are suppressed so much on this level, I can''t even use the Twin Yin Yang Swords to fly anymore!" One patriarch screamed out, waving his black and white swords around. Another replied equally in horror,


    "It''s no use, my Three Taloned Dragon Spear is equally suppressed, the Heaven''s themselves disapprove of our intrusion! We must retreat, but how?!!" The two Patriarchs were hit by a huge strand of lightning and blasted into the air, their elders next to them were soon crushed by looming silver golems without their support.


    "Our sects are finished, the illustrious greater sects which rule the continent will disappear here today if we do not find a way out!" They continued to back up, Lineir watching several kilometers away, felt his madness come on at the sight of so much slaughter. The number of high level cultivators dying in front of his eyes was incredible. In the history of the continent, such a massacre had not happened in generations. But the times had changed, and now the greater sects, once untouchable, would know defeat here today! Suddenly, from above, a massive shriek roared out,


    GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWRRR!!!!!


    The dragon rushed in and all the sects pointed,


    "Look, look, if we can simply ride that dragon, we will be saved, somehow that dragon is still flying despite the suppression of the Pillar! Bring it down and we Patriarchs at least will be able to fly on its back and escape!" At these words, the various other sect members went mad! They all ceased fire on the golems and unrelentingly unleashed a torrent of attacks at the dragon. Uncoordinated, and all hoping to be saved, they did not restrain themselves attacked and blasted her out of the sky! However, far more than a few attacks came, the forces of all the greater sects attacked at once! When the combined masses of energy hit, it appeared as if the dragon was literally vaporized, it simply disappeared!


    "You fools, you all attacked at once and annihilated it! Screw it, there''s no way for all of us to survive this, everyone break ranks and try to retreat individually! if we can reach the first floor, we should stop being suppressed and be able to fly out of here! I don''t care about ascension anymore, my life is more important!"


    The greater sects abandoned all sense of decorum and turned and fled on foot. Many were trampled as golems, unimpeded, trampled them, and even some weak Patriarchs on the front lines were simply stepped on and crushed. Lineir, was atop a tall tree, and watched as the various dignified members of the greater sects ran by below him. When the golems came, one large one knocked down Lineir''s tree in the passing but he simply leaped off to the side, and then proceeded to weave in between the horde of golems. While these golems were larger than any he had seen before, they were not any harder to avoid. Furthermore, they had spread out in the chase, and the passing horde was thus easy to go between for someone of Lineir''s skill. He dodged between the golems that went after the easily noticeable sect leaders which were fleeing without any trace of stealth. Soon he found himself in the open field. With a sense of apprehension, he thought he had seen something before the sects had fled, he began to start collecting cores!


    "God**** so many cores, I could start my own sect after this gain, there''s enough cores here to feed an army!"

 47 Heavenly Grind

    Lineir stared at the battlefield littered with corpses and ruined constructs. The bodies were full of cores and various sect treasures! He began to collect the spoils but soon found his hands full. Staring desolately at the countless prizes lying in front of him, he began to sigh, ready to begin sorting so as to take only the best of what he could carry.


    "Kiddo, relax, I can sense something good about a quarter on the way in. On that Patriarch''s body over there. Go over and search him first!"


    Lineir ran over, dropping what was in his hands and quickly searched the body.


    "On his finger, that ring, take it! It''s a spacial ring!" Lineir sighed in wonder, Mei was absolutely correct. As soon as he touched it, he could feel that the ring was not ordinary. It seemed to have a weighty presence to it, like it took up more space than it really did.


    "Go ahead, drip some blood on it, the Patriarch won''t be needing it, see what''s inside!" Mei urged Lineir, and he quickly obeyed.


    Inside were several treasures, though most were nowhere near as high quality as the ones on the ground outside. Everyone had brought out their strongest treasures in hopes of saving their lives in this final battle. On the ground, some top notch treasures were there, though most had been crushed or burned through extreme use during the battle.


    "Kiddo, there are five more rings lying around. Gather them up, then begin looking for treasures. You don''t have enough space for much, just gather up the cores, and any top notch treasures which aren''t ruined. I''m afraid you won''t find many, everyone used forbidden arts and sacrificed their cultivation and items before they died. What''s left are likely just shells. At the end, Mei''s words were true, and there wasn''t really anything good left over in treasures. However, the number of cores was enormous, and took up much of the space in the spacial rings. Each of the cores was uniform, and all were of the same rank. 257 eighth tier cores. Lineir was practically salivating at the thought of them, though they were not of much use to his cultivation until he improved his techniques more. Just one eighth tier core could move a kingdom. 257 was a number which no greater sect could hope to match, and even the entire forces of all the sects on the continent would have trouble producing so many. This wasn''t even necessarily a problem of power, even if there were people to hunt high level magical beasts, ones that strong were in terrible places which most didn''t dare enter, and they were tricky to find and catch. At that level, most beasts had begun to gain intelligence and were crafty. Once they sensed something was off, they would not come out and thus catching a large number was impossible. A treasure trove of 257... Lineir could be said to be holding the greatest single collection of high level monster cores in the continent at the moment. Only some insanely powerful forces which remained out of the public eye might have some comparable stockpiles, but they rarely surfaced, focusing on closed door cultivation. Lineir was in essence... rich! Stinking rich!


    Of the treasures he looked through, almost all were burnt out or uninteresting. It could be said that the greater sects really went all out before they died. Life saving treasures, damaging treasures, soul depleting treasures, everything under the sun was used to try to battle the golems or escape. However, he did manage to pick out a few lesser talismans inside the spacial rings, and there was a cracked phoenix crest which held a strange aura that Mei insisted he keep. Almost everything else was weapons, and broken as they were, Lineir had no interest in them. They took up too much space and he already had a far better weapon. Pondering what to do now, a great shaking came and the ground swept out from under his feet.


    Rumble, rumble, rumble, crack, crack, crack.


    Lineir fell over as the entire pillar seemed to shift and turn.


    "What is happening! Mei, I thought you said that this pillar could survive a disaster of the Heavens!'' Lineir was rolled sideways as the pillar moved faster than his body could keep up.


    "Kiddo, I said it would survive anything short of a disaster of the Heavens. Take a look at the sky. Looks like a disaster is coming!" It was indeed, as Mei said. When Lineir glanced up, the cloudy veil above was swirling about in a great vortex of divine wind. Inside, the blue sky was riven into shards by white cracks of blinding light. He rolled on the pillar as it shifted and realized that the pillar was moving in time with the vortex. It was as if the sky was a huge ocean, and the pillar was stirring it up. In minutes, the pillar finished shifting, and the rumbling stopped, though the horrific cracking noises continued.


    "By the nine Hells...what is this!" Lineir tried to get a grasp as to what was going on. He had rolled towards the outside of the pillar, which means it had shifted inwards on itself. Finding himself near the edge and open sky, he looked over and gasped.


    "The gods...they''ve gone mad." Above, the sky was cracking so much that it was like shattered glass, a mirror smashed to pieces. Mei suddenly cried out,


    "The pillar, look down!" Lineir looked down, and experienced a sense of vertigo as well as an even greater shock.


    "Impossible!" The entire pillar had curved in itself. What had once been extremely wide concentric rings, were now narrow and thin, banded about. From behind him, in the middle of the rings, what had once been open space between the rings was now a solid cylinder, piercing the Heavens. It was as if the pillar had turned into a giant screw, and he was standing in the grooves. Suddenly from above, a great breaking noise came.


    "It''s breaking apart?" Lineir questioningly stood there for a second, and then as the true implication of what was happening came to him, the red haze of madness came as he realized he was in mortal danger. The uppermost section above the clouds had literally exploded, shattered chunks of rock blasting out across the land. Lineir felt the cracking noises increase as section after section exploded, working its way down. The top 10% of the pillar was simply gone!


    "Disciple, we need to go, now!" Mei told Lineir, but in doing so, she asked the unspoken question between the two of them... how? There was no way they could back down to the first level and out the way they came. Similarly, they were high above the ground, so high that to fall from here would simply be a good way to appreciate the view before plummeting straight to the Hells. How could they escape?


    CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK


    Another 10% gone, Lineir craned his neck up and observed for anything, anything at all that might let him find a way out of this. It was a hopeless situation, these events were far bigger than mortals, it was like an ant trying to avoid the steps of giants, it could watch all it liked, but once below the foot, it could only be crushed. Still, Lineir''s path was to survive, any way possible! In madness, time slowed down and he observed, the grooved rings exploding outward first, and then the pillar within, cracks seaming down the smooth rock, crumbling away. Rocks rained by in slow motion, and Lineir was forced to dodge a few which had not been blasted far enough out from the pillar.


    "I will not die! I refuse to die just because the Heaven''s do not give me a way!" Lineir was shouting out in frustration, huge chunks of rock, actually just small pieces of the grooves above were splashing down next to him, and he would dodge them and continue to observe the explosion which was still coming. Now the top 70% of the pillar was gone. Lineir howled madly, screaming his rage out.


    "Not yet, not yet, this is not fair, this is unfair, this is not justice, this is injustice, this is not right, it is just inane right! Why should my end be decided by ones who do not know me!" As he spoke, his words grew more and more twisted, and at the end, his face turned from anger to a rictus of madness. Red characters seeped up and wrote themselves before his eyes, they rolled about and scripture came.


    "The Heaven''s give themselves the right. To allow this is to accept the chains of fate. Chains placed on birth, undeserved! Chains placed on us, unfair! Chains placed on anyone, insane! That is madness, it is forced on us when we are yet unable to understand words! Resist, fight back, find your freedom! You are almost there, see what madness truly is!"


    The raging red words flowed back into the haze and Lineir''s vision slowed even more as the red haze became even darker. Now the rocks were falling as slow as feathers, he was removed from time, observing, making ready for his move. 50% of the pillar gone, soon he on the first 10% would face destruction. There was no way out. But he could not die. He would not die! Madness flowed in his heart, and the red blood in his chest boiled and frothed with overlapping waves. He felt as if all this emotion was spilling out from him, infinitely fast, expanding like the creation of a new universe, unimagineably fast, though outside the world was so, so slow.


    "40% of the pillar left, and I''m on the first 10%. Time''s running out. Where is it, what is the way out, I do not believe the Heaven''s cannot be denied!"


    The boiling his veins reached critical, and he felt himself withdrawing in, the outside world slowing to an absolute crawl. In his mind, he saw himself walking a dark path, filled with the unseen, no the unseeable! It was darker than black, a maze of nothingness in which he walked, and he could not see anything. However, with every step, he could hear a matching step to his, in lockstep, it followed. Infinitely, he walked, and infinitely the footsteps followed him.


    "Do you see yet?"


    He kept walking. Forever and ever he walked, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, ever the steps ringing behind him, stalking him, behind him, BEING with him. He could never shake them.


    "Kiddo, 30% of the pillar is left, you''ve only got 20% left to make your move, move it!" Mei''s voice intruded, but was overshadowed by the infinite whisper,


    "Do you see yet??"


    Steps following, he could not outrun them, they just followed! What was it? What was following him in this maze of nothingness. What horrible monstrosity had trapped him in this cage of darkness so that it might stalk him without being seen?


    "20% kiddo, now or never!!! Don''t give up on me!"


    "Do you see yet???"


    Lineir stopped walking. The steps stopped. A second after he did. He turned. Darkness. He turned again. And again. And again. And again.


    "I don''t see anything!"


    A deep chuckling and then,


    "Of course you don''t."


    A light flicked on. Lineir looked around, walls surrounded him, reflecting infinite versions of him. Mirrors of himself everywhere, yet as he took a step, he saw only himself and his shadow.


    Step...Step...Step...


    His shadow was the only thing following him. Nothing else.


    "DO YOU SEE YET!"


    Lineir stared and saw nothing but his shadow. Then he sighed. Of course that was it. What was always with him. Impossible to catch, side by side with him at all times, at his back, in front, no matter how you turn, it will always be there. In the darkness it follows, it waits with you, and it steps behind you. In the light, when the truth is shown from outside, only then can you see it, following.


    "I see it!"


    "Good. Inside you, always with you, from the moment you exist, the chains of fate were placed on you, you created it. Madness, the unspoken. It is the subservience, the acceptance inside you which agrees to the laws made by others. Made by those who said they had the right. Who made themselves the right. Made you believe... YOU WERE WRONG!"


    Lineir''s eyes snapped open as he felt his blood settle in his heart. The crimson tide surged, but this time, it surged with him, carrying him back into the outside world. Huge chunks of rock flew down, and he realized that death was almost upon him. The unknowing judgement of the Heavens, that unfair, unintentional disaster, was almost upon him!


    "KIDDDO!" Mei shrieked in despair. Time was up.


    Lineir saw the pattern, he saw the hole in the Heaven''s plans. His despair lifted and freedom descended. He was not going to bow down and be crushed today. Turning away from the edge, he ran in. Past the broken looted bodies of golems and men, past the battlefield, he ran as he had never ran before. The full power of his cultivation came to bear and the spin of his Raging Storm Second Heart whirled at full speed. He ran for the newly created solid cylinder, the inner pillar! However, as he went, a weight suddenly sprang onto his back, and he fell, face plowing into the rocks, bloodied.


    "Can''t fly! But if I''m going to die, You''re coming with me!" The dragon girl! She was clinging to Lineir''s back. As she said those words, her eyes closed, and her arms tightened in a death grip around Lineir''s neck. He shook, but she didn''t budge, even unconscious her strength was immense! Lineir thought it over for a split second. She must have transformed into human form after suffering the combined attack of the sects. But that didn''t matter now. What mattered was getting to the inner pillar.


    "I will not die. The Heaven''s can place any amount of weight on me. The only thing I will ever say is not enough!" He got up, and began running, the Dragon girl tightly wrapped on his back. Face and forearms streaming blood, he left a dripping trail on the path behind him. But he did not stop! As the grooved ring on the level above shattered and exploded above, white light from the splitting sky shined down onto him.


    "Not yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    His vision wreathed in red, he stared ahead at the inner pillar, coming ever closer. Above, the inner pillar of the upper level also broke, cracking down. Behind him, the ground started to shatter as the grooved ring broke off from the outside in. The crumbling ground came ever closer, but Lineir kept running, the girl on his back locked to him, a shared fate.


    "Kiddo, what''s the plan here, the outer ring is already crumbling, and so too will this inner pillar, you''re going to fall, how will you slow yourself down!" Lineir kept running without answering. Finally, he reached the end, vision pulsing.


    "Made it." He said. Then he whispered the words which would deny fate, deny sense, deny death!


    "Mei, I''m not going to slow us down. You will!"


    So saying, he slammed the black sword, which could deny the Heaven''s with a will which did deny the Heavens, into the central inner pillar. Mei, seeing this, sharpened the blade to maximum, and it easily slid into the rock. The outer ring collapsed and Lineir''s legs dangled in the air as the only thing which supported him was this blade stuck into the inner pillar which was beginning to crack. The blade, sharp enough to cut dimensions, began to slide through the rock as if it was water, and Lineir began to fall down the pillar. Moments after he passed, the path of his passing would shatter as the pillar crumbled and below the grooved outer rings would crack and crumble instants before he passed by. There he went, man defying the Heavens with a girl on his back and a sword in the pillar, grinding the pillar of the Heavens.


    Down, down, down, the blade slowed his descent ever so slightly, and he dropped out of the sky, a man riding disaster. His arm muscles burned from holding onto the black blade which was slowing him down and keeping him from falling faster and faster to his death. Mei yelled out,


    "Too fast, don''t let go!" as she decreased the sharpness of the blade, the resistance increased slightly and the sky and land began to merge back into a single picture as the fall slowed. Lineir laughed and laughed endlessly as the wind rushed by. This was madness! This was to defy the Heavens! This was to fall from the Heavens! But it was so, so very fun!

 48 Cultivation Confusion

    The wind whistling by, the blood burning in his arms, his whole body shaking from that one point which was stopping him from falling freely in the sky, this was life! To live was to hold on and endure, to die was to let go and plummet to his death. Lineir smiled and held on.


    "Hold on tight kiddo, not that I''d let you go, this pillars breaking up faster that we can fall! Eventually it will overtake us! We can only hope that we get close enough to the ground before it does!" Mei warned, as if Lineir had any intention of letting go. Lineir looked up, the cracks were rapidly approaching, the pillar, once massive, had crumbled and exploded into an uncountable barrage of stones and boulders. It was almost upon him! The area he had just sliced through to slow himself down would break a few moments later as the Pillar self destructed! Lineir cried,


    "Mei, go faster, we''re going to be overtaken!" However, Mei could only say helplessly,


    "If we went any faster, you would be going too fast and you''d die hitting the ground anyway. This is as fast as we go!" The crackling noise of millions of stones shattering began to whisper in Lineir''s ears, even through the sound of the wind. He looked up and paled, the area he was grinding through was already riven with cracks.


    "Not good!" Lineir braced himself, and sighed a little. They definitely were not going to make it, it seemed. A moment later, he was free falling, his blade stopped grinding against anything as the solid pillar fractured and crumbled. The rocks blasted by, and he saw one huge rock heading towards him. He slashed out with the black sword, slicing it in two, but still the two halves came at him. Curling up, he prepared to be smacked, sucking in his breath.


    "OOOMPHF"


    Lineir''s breath washed out as something solid slammed into him from an unexpected direction. He had been braced to receive the impact with his arms and legs, but he was seemingly pushed in the back rapidly, towards the incoming boulder. In an instant however, right before he was going to hit, a line of pain hit his neck and he was pulled away. He twisted his head back and saw a pair of crimson red wings, pulling him into the sky. He began shivering.


    "Ohhhhh.... she''s awake. Maybe she''ll have some ounce of common sense this time and realize I''m not her enemy. Else I fear my death will be more painful than if I''d simply fallen out of the sky." Slowly, he looked back with a timid expression at the girl who''s wings seemed to sprout from her back. He said calmly as she flapped away from the explosion,


    "Big sister dragon, your junior would really appreciate it if you would just fly a little lower now that you''ve cleared the pillar, and let him off. Anywhere is fine, remember that you definitely would have died if your junior had not given you face and let you ride his back down the pillar." Lineir''s voice quavered a little. What he was saying could be classified as a half truth. It was true that she almost certainly would have died if she had fallen full speed down the pillar while unconscious. As for the bit about giving her face, Lineir simply hadn''t been able to dislodge her death grip on his neck...


    The girl didn''t reply, but instead squeezed on his neck even harder, cutting off his air, while flapping faster. Lineir, unable to reply even if he wanted to, could only hang there helplessly as she soared away.


    A few hours later, Lineir was unceremoniously dumped on a cave floor. He was high above the land, but thankfully could still make out little features in the ground with his excellent eyesight. The dragon girl, turned and looked at him for a moment, staring into his wide eyes with slitted eyes,


    "Stay here!" Then she turned and jumped out the entrance, flying away.


    "Phew," She at least, doesn''t plan on killing me immediately. Looking around, he saw that this cliff was extremely high up. With his level of cultivation, he could certainly make it down, but he didn''t dare try to leave for fear she would come back midway down. He sat, and began to cultivate instead, pulling out a massive core.


    "257 cores. Whatever, this is actually an excellent safe spot for cultivating, it''s time to break through some levels!" So saying, he absorbed the essence inside.


    "Mei, how many of these cores do you think I can handle right now?" Lineir asked after he was done. While his Second Heart felt a bit full, it definitely was not in any danger, the spin was still very strong.


    "Well disciple, it looks like you''ve managed to raise your technical proficiency a lot by practicing that technique so much. I''d say you can take 10-15 of those cores in one go, but you''d better hold off after that. Go absorb them and let me see how it goes, remember I can observe your internals." Lineir quickly began to cultivate and see how it went. Soon, ten of the large cores disappeared just like that, and Lineir said,


    "Hmmm, Mei, how does it look? To be honest, I feel fine." Mei took a look and was astonished,


    "Kiddo, are you sure you absorbed them properly, you should be incredibly full of energy right now, yet your Second Heart is only partially full. Even if the hydra spirit inside you is absorbing a little, you should still be packed to the brim. Where is the energy going?"


    Lineir examined himself internally, but could only verify what Mei had said, his Second Heart was definitely not full. Lineir was about to absorb another core, just to see what would happen, when he felt a terrifying glare at his back. He looked over as the dragon girl, wings gone now, stepped over from the cave entrance,


    "What''s that you got there... it looks tasty!"

 49 The True Reasoning of the Greater Sects

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    Lineir quickly sucked the core back into one of his spacial rings.


    "Just a snack!" He blurted out. She stared at him disbelieving, and prodded him with a taloned foot.


    "Whatever, I just ate anyways. So, what clan do you belong to and how come you managed to get through all those golems? The greater sects couldn''t get through, but you did..." Her look was getting intense. Clearly, he wasn''t going to be able to fudge his way through this one.


    "I''m just an average cultivator who happened to have an interest in the pillar. I wanted to see if there were any heavenly treasures at the top, or something interesting. Who would have known it would shatter unexpectedly like that!" Lineir sighed, it really was too crazy, he felt detached. Such a massive construct, to have broken down so fast, and with Lineir on it, was truly unbelievable. The girl narrowed her eyes, and Lineir hastily tried to convince her,


    "No really! I don''t belong to any clan of note, I simply was looking for gains, and happened to find a way to get past the golems! Speaking of which, how did you get past? The greater sects all said that they were restricted from flying!" This time he went on the offensive and she seemed to believe him,


    "I don''t know why I could fly either, though it certainly wasn''t easy. My cultivation has been sealed for quite a while now, but on the pillar, I felt an oppressive force far worse than the seal. Had I continued much further up the pillar, I doubt I would have been able to keep going. Damn the greater sects though, to attack me out of the blue, truly despicable people!"


    She snorted and stamped a little. Lineir shuddered as the taloned foot, which was previously on his back, smashed a divot into the solid rock of the cave wall. Quickly, he kept the attention on her,


    "Wait, sealed, your cultivation was sealed even before you got on the pillar?" He said innocently. She took a moment to think about it, then answered,


    "Hmph, I originally thought you were working with the ones who sold me out and sealed me, but your empty questions are too na?ve to be a spy. Yes, I was sealed by some powerful group before I entered the pillar. In fact, I went there because it was a good place to hide. Also, I felt the seal weaken slightly in front of Heaven''s might. Little did I know that the pillar would prove far more threatening than the problem which I was trying to solve in the first place. However, to clarify, you were really climbing the pillar just for heavenly treasures? Or just to check it out?"


    Lineir didn''t know why she was asking this, but she stayed silent, clearly expecting some sort of answer. He nodded, he had been telling the truth. When he nodded, she began to laugh extremely loud, doubling over in mirth. Lineir could only look on perplexed.


    "What? Wasn''t that why everyone else was climbing the pillar?"


    She only laughed harder at that.


    "Ahahahahahah climbing the pillar just to check it out, heavenly treasures at the top, I can''t believe you''d risk your life for just that! You''re more foolish than those silly cultivators who think they gain benefits from joining a sect where the Patriarch just leeches off their gains."


    Lineir''s face grew redder and redder. But he dared not say anything, the girl in front of him was simply too terrifying.


    "Ok, ok, I''m just laughing that you were crazy, or stupid enough to traverse a Pillar of the Heavens for some treasure, or to enjoy the view! Let me tell you what the pillar is really about and why the greater sect Patriarchs are so adamant to be the first to climb them." She cleared her throat and wiped the tears from her eyes,


    "The pillars are almost certainly constructs of the gods. Men cannot make such structures. However, the idea that they hold heavenly treasures at the top is simply what the greater sects tell fools as a cover story. In reality, there is a much stronger incentive to climb the pillars. To put it simply, according to legend, if you can ascend high enough to pierce the Heavens, you can directly become immortal! By breaking the veil, you leave the domain of mortals behind and immediately ascend. That''s why the greater sects Patriarchs were willing to waste their lives and core disciples in this venture! Treasures are well and fine, but ascension is a motivator which can move anyone on earth!"


    Lineir was dumbstruck. Now it all made sense. To have attracted the attention of so many greater sects, the peak of the pillar must have been extraordinary. But immortality, direct ascension, that was an allure which could not be denied. Men would die by the dozens for such an opportunity.


    "Hahaha, to think, the pillar I was traveling for adventure and treasure, was really the path to immortality, the world is truly a strange place!"


    Smiling with the dragon girl, this time Lineir and her both chuckled together. A hunk of meat appeared in the girl''s hands.


    "She has a spacial ring huh?" Lineir wasn''t really surprised, she seemed powerful enough, she tossed the meat to him, and said,


    "Alright, I know what you had earlier was definitely not food, I could smell it wasn''t, but don''t worry, I''m not interested in your treasures. Take the food, consider it my thanks for letting me more leisurely descend the pillar." Smugly, she licked a taloned fingernail and sat down and began to eat. Lineir snorted,


    "Descend more leisurely, you definitely would have died if you hadn''t tried to take me down with you!" He kept the words to himself and Mei however, shoving a chunk of meat in his mouth. Ravenous, he ate the entire hunk in minutes, and sat back with a full belly.


    "Oh man, that was delicious, it was way too hard to find food on that pillar!" Totally relaxed for once, he closed his eyes. As he did, he felt a deep desire to sleep descend on him.


    "Ahhh, in this cave far above the sky, what have I to fear, I can finally sleep soundly!" His eyes drooped with weight, and he couldn''t keep them open. However, as they finally closed, he saw with muted panic that the girl was standing over him and bringing a talon down on his arm. He couldn''t move though, and could only fall deeper and deeper into the darkness.


    "Don''t worry... this will hurt less if you''re sleeping..."

 50 Time of Need

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    In a place between Heaven and Earth, not so far as the land of Immortals, yet not a place of mortals either, two middle aged men spoke fervently beside the stagnant rays of twilight.


    "The third pillar of Heaven has fallen, and the foundation of its continent is broken. As it was decreed in Heavenly bylaw, this continent is now adrift! The seal has been broken long before the end of time, and the Demon Lords have already begun to rouse from their slumber. As the watchers, we must hold until the heroes of this generation can realize the time!"


    One white haired man told the other who had completely black hair. The black haired man responded equally urgently,


    "I don''t understand, how is it that this generation''s heroes are not already informed! What has happened? They need to know!"


    But the white haired man simply shook his head,


    "We cannot influence this generation directly, we can only hold on until they realize themselves. It is unfortunate that the seal has been broken so early, the culprit is obvious, and we can only hold for as long as possible. This is unavoidable, to break the rules of Fate itself, unforeseen effects are to be expected. We will hold until this generation understands!"


    The black haired man sighed at these words, they were not something he wanted to hear. If only... he could directly intervene! But the laws of Fate itself were clear,


    "So it will have to be. However... how long must we hold for? You know that our time as the last time of need''s ancestors is limited. I fear since we have been released this early, we will not last until the end!" The white haired man also sighed,


    "How could we hold our head''s high when we fade away if we could not at least buy our juniors some time! It''s time, summon the rest, we will do battle until we are no more!" The black haired man nodded and then asked as he turned away,


    "Senior, but what side do we stand on? If mankind were to battle the Heaven''s, would we stand against the gods? Or if they allow the intervention of Heaven, will we side against the demons? What if they choose neither, will we be the only ones to stand with them?" Sounding lost, he began to walk away, but the white haired man''s words brought a short smile to his lips and he renewed his steps with vigor.


    "We will stand with them, whatever path they choose, as we are tasked by Fate itself. Even if they should choose no side at all, we will stand with them, one and forever. To have face is to face every enemy our people choose, Heaven, Hell, or Fate, it does not matter, we are the only one who will always stand by this generation!"


    And so, in the coming twilight, the two middle aged men walked out and began to battle against the rising forces of the Hells as the Heaven''s watched above.


    Lineir woke with a start, and reflexively clutched the back of his left shoulder blade. He felt a strange taloned pattern, the skin there, was permanently changed, as if he had been branded. To have marked his body though, and for it to not heal, meant that it was a wound filled with power. Mei immediately picked up on this,


    "Disciple, I was watching, and that dragon girl has definitely implanted a large amount of elemental energy into this strange scar. Otherwise, your body could definitely heal many life threatening injuries, let alone this flesh wound. However, she definitely did not do this with the intent to kill, so do not worry, while you should still be careful, I believe her attitude toward you has changed."


    Lineir did not feel particularly reassured here. Several times now, he had hoped that she would just leave him alone, only to be surprised time and time again. Raising himself to a sitting position with his hands, he looked around, and noticed the culprit of this strange scar was peacefully snoozing a few feet off in the cave. As he shifted,a slight noise came, and a ray of twilight danced on her eyes which immediately snapped open.


    "Ah, you''re awake, impressive, it took a ton of energy to overpower your bodies natural defenses. Be thankful I am generous and fed you some of the flesh of the Drowsy Otter, else that would have hurt a lot more!" She vehemently stated, before walking over and yanking down the back of Lineir''s robe to see the state of the wound.


    "Excellent, its taken, you''re a lucky man, to be binded to me!" She walked away and began to eat some more meat which she conjured from thin air via spacial ring.


    Lineir quickly tugged his robe back up, and asked, trying to look over his shoulder to see the mark,


    "What is it, what did you do to me? Why did you drug me!" The girl sniffed and said haughtily,


    "Oh, you don''t know? I binded you, as is my right as dragonkin. It''s a great honor, the Nero Sect and various other powers behind them greatly wanted this, but for life, I can only bind one, and it''s you now, so they''re not a problem. Besides, I haven''t seen them in months. As for the meat, isn''t it obvious? I had to burn that into you! Would you rather I did that while you were awake?" Calmly, she chewed and took another great bite of the mystery meat. Lineir''s face was growing more and more crazed with every word however.


    "Binded? What does that even mean, why would anyone want to be binded by you! Also, isn''t it against common sense to do something like this without first asking the other party for consent!" Outraged, he furiously stared at the girl, only to see her completely ignoring his venom.


    "Well you see, dragonkin, as descendants of dragons, select only one person to bind with for life. You''re strong and you helped me a little in getting off that pillar. You should be honored, since I felt the desire to bind you, you''re now mine! The greater sects were all clamoring for this honor, but they were too weak, and the old men were ugly, disgusting!" She wrinkled her face in disgust and chewed harder. Lineir could only gape at her complete disregard of his will. She... was claiming him like property or cattle!


    "Don''t worry, the binding just means that your mine and I can find you wherever you are! I can even sense when you''re in danger and fly over if I feel like it, think about it, I''ll keep you safe, as mine, I won''t ever let anyone else have you!" Lineir was doing his best to unclench his muscles.


    "Master.... what do I do! She can find me whenever she wants! When she gets angry again and decides to murder me, there''s no way I can escape!" He appealed to Mei for advice, but she simply started laughing.


    "Kiddo, don''t worry. You could be said to have gained here. What''s a little lost manhood, when you''ve been picked by royalty and dragonkin. She will definitely protect you as her one and only chosen one. Think about it, she can at least help you survive until you grow stronger!" Lineir shook his head, he felt like howling. How could he possibly think this was a good thing, he had almost been killed by her several times already! In fact, that one time, she basically had killed him, his heart rate was so slow!


    "Fate itself is broken! Truly broken, how can my life get any worse!" Lineir cried out mentally, and cursed. At that moment, the ground beneath him shifted and vibrated twisting beneath his feet. The girl also shifted, so it wasn''t just in his head,


    "What now, is this cave going to collapse as well!"

 51 Continental Drif

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    From below, an incredibly deep moaning grumble came. It sounded as if some great beast, larger than any leviathan buried under the earth, was rolling over and singing a mournful funeral dirge. Lineir''s entire body felt as if it was vibrating and all the bones in his body were grinding together.


    "ACK, what is this!" Beside him, the girl was also rolling about, and she was scratching herself.


    "It itches!" Lineir, whose face was screwed up by the intensely uncomfortable sensation, saw outside the cave, something strange was happening. He could see a large patch of starry sky and in it the stars appeared to be moving slightly, just barely shifting.


    "What, how can all the stars suddenly decide to move!" He shouted and tried to jump to his feet. However, the ground shook and he quickly found himself on his elbows and knees again. Looking outside, he stared for a long time before Mei declared,


    "Kiddo... the stars aren''t moving at all. It''s you that''s moving. Look outside."


    Lineir inched carefully towards the cave entrance, making sure to keep some space from the edge, he had no desire to fall off from a sudden shift in the earth. All around, trees were swaying, leaves falling, and magical beasts were chittering madly. Clearly, they too felt the strange deep grinding hum.


    "Kiddo... I think your continent has begun to move! If everything around you is traveling with you, but the stars appear to be moving, the only answer is that this continent''s foundations have been shaken loose, the whole landmass is now floating freely in the ocean!"


    Abruptly, the shaking stopped, but above, it felt like the stars were just barely wobbling. Even with his extraordinary eyesight as a cultivator, he wasn''t too sure, but it was as if they were swaying, sashaying across the sky. Mei surmised,


    "I believe, somehow, this continent has slid off its foundation, and begun to drift freely, as you can see the stars appear to move, that must be because your continent is floating atop the currents. Where it is going though... I do not know. For an entire continent to move, even the gods would not lightly do such a thing. This plane... something is happening here."


    BANG


    From behind, the girl who had been rolling around on the floor, smashed a taloned foot into the rock wall.


    "Argh! It itches so bad, what''s wrong with this continent!"


    Before Lineir''s astounded eyes, glowing blue rings of solid light spread all around her body and then shrunk in. Within moments, there was a blinding blue flash, and then she was gone, the crushed rocks the only sign of her presence remaining.


    "What?" Lineir scrubbed his eyes, and looked all around the cave.


    "Gone? Just like that?"


    In the dusty twilight, as the bloody mists of cut throats fell over the fabled battlefields, the white haired man called out,


    "I know you''re there Dahn, before the demons move again, let''s talk." In front of him, an indistinct figure shrouded in purple mist formed.


    "Still unwilling to show your face, huh? You know my allegiance is not necessarily with the Heavens. I''ve no desire to give them any face at all." The white haired man said, but the figure, Dahn, still remained hazy, purple motes swirling around him unendingly.


    "You know I''m not interested in letting any side know I''m still around. I''m just here to watch and enjoy the comings of the end. What do you want?"


    His voice was light and annoyed, it gave off the impression of somebody easily angered. The white haired man wasn''t put off by his tone however,


    "Dahn, I cannot...we cannot do anything to help mortals directly as of yet. The third pillar was broken far too soon. Indeed, that continent is actually already beginning to sail! I fear, it will be too late if we hesitate. Dahn, I know you don''t want them to know you''re alive, but I ask you as the only one left still free, guide them!"


    He lowered his head to the indistinct purple figure, who stood there unmoving, no expression visible behind the purple haze.


    "You... I would give you face, you know, just for the old days. But I can''t let them know I''m alive! I have no desire to war with any of them right now, they''ve grown far too volatile! I cannot help the mortals!" The white haired man smiled however, and replied,


    "Relax Dahn, I''m not asking you to directly intervene, just guide them. There''s no need for you to even display your powers, I''m sure you can hide yourself just as well over there as you can here, the Heavens need know nothing." The purple motes still swirled innecently, but the figure bowed his head a little, thinking.


    "No need to show myself...fine. When the time of end comes however, whether they are capable or not is up to them, I take no responsibility!"


    The white haired man simply nodded and smiled hearing what he wanted to hear. A moment later, the indistinct figure seemed to fade away, and he was standing there alone again. The black haired man came up from behind.


    "Can we trust him, really? Do you even know who he really is under that illusion of his?" With a troubled voice he asked. The white haired man however was still chuckling,


    "Know who he really is? Illusion? No, no, his disguise is no illusion, that is actual Qi he''s using to hide himself. There''s no need for him to lie, He might not want to be drawn into the conflict just yet, but if he did.... he wouldn''t fear any one side. Be thankful he is honorable and willing to give me face. With us bound here, he is the only one who may be able to shape the coming conflict favorably."


    The black haired man gaped,


    "That was Qi, and he condenses it externally all the time like that? I couldn''t feel any of it escaping. How strong is his control...?"


    Walking away, the white haired man waved,


    "Come, we have hope, with his personality, while he says he will only guide, I''m certain he will be tempted at some point or another to intervene more directly. It''s simply a matter of when he finds somebody he likes. The scum stirs again, it''s time to do our part."


    A massive tribladed halberd appeared in his hands, its menacing visage stirring the fighting spirit of all who saw it.


    "Come! Old heroes should ensure the junior generation can grow strong before they die!"

 52 Death Jungle

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    Lineir clambered down the cliff, which was actually far higher than the one he had climbed down before. He sighed, while he had looked high and low, and in every nook and cranny of the cave, the dragon girl was gone. However, the strange brand on his shoulder remained, and he could feel it there, constantly reminding him of her words... she could find him, whenever...wherever. At the moment though, he was free.


    Making his way down a rock face so steep that it would be suicide for all but the most expert mortal climbers, however, he easily found paths. His strength was such that if he wanted to, he could simply barehanded reach into the stone and carve out a handhold with his fingers. Such was the advantage of his newfound strength. After his escapades on the pillar, he was many times stronger than before. To be honest, he wasn''t even sure how strong he was,


    "I wonder... if i simply jumped from here... would it even be dangerous?" He stared down at the dizzying drop before him. The length of which, even a fraction would have easily killed him before.


    "I''d better not risk dying just to find out. I''ll just climb down the regular way." Laughing at how ridiculous this train of thought was, he went down with renewed vigor. At the bottom, large amounts of greenery greeted him, however... something was off. Lineir paused and looked around.


    "Mmmm... this place feels wrong." Mei agreed,


    "Kiddo, I''m sensing a slightly higher amount of death Qi than normal in this place. Yet this place would appear to be a wilderness home to magical beasts, there should be no reason for so much death Qi to simply be hanging around. Be cautious, we don''t know exactly where that dragonkin dropped you off. While you might be strong, if this is the wrong kind of place, your strength will be insignificant. Remember, you''ve only just begun to master the art of authority, large magical beasts and constructs will still pose a major threat to you, especially if there is more than one!"


    "Understood!" Lineir silently answered mentally, and then began to creep forward. He kept his center of mass extremely low, back hunched and knees bent, scurrying silently through the brush. Darting from tree to tree, he advanced at a rapid speed while still maintaining a high amount of stealth. His goal was not only to cover ground while staying stealthy, but also to make himself a hard target if he was discovered. This was a key point which Mei had stressed in training.


    "Disciple, what is more important? Stealth or speed?" She had asked him once.


    "Well, speed is more important in open battle, where as stealth is key when you cannot engage the enemy directly correct?" Lineir answered.


    "Correct, but when in unfamiliar territory, as cultivators, there is another aspect to consider! That is, spiritual detection!" Mei hammered this point home.


    "In enemy territory, while it may be tempting to creep forward at the slowest possible speeds, that is simply hoping the enemy will not find you! This is passive, and not a good option unless you are forced into it. Think about it, while the slow snail may not be noticed, if it is, it is simply a target! It can do nothing but die if it is seen! However, neither is blazing speed a complete option, obviously at high speeds, traps and other pitfalls will become a serious threat, to say nothing of the worst possibility, running into an enemy which is faster than you, then you are definitely dead." Lineir nodded, this all made sense to him.


    "So kiddo, remember, most of the time, your default option is to continue with stealth, but maintaining a high speed! This way, if you are detected, you are still difficult to hit! This is preferable to either of the extremes. But remember to lean towards speed. Full stealth is passive, in life, those who make the greatest gains must be aggressive, cautious, but undoubtably aggressive! That way, if you encounter someone who is extremely skilled in detection, at least you still have a chance when found. Only in the case of entering the territory of one who is unquestionably untouchable at your level should you commit to pure stealth. Obviously, at that point you have no choice, if discovered, no amount of running will save you." This logic had served Lineir well on the pillar, and now he applied it to use. Since he did not know what kind of enemies he faced, he moved cautiously, but kept a fast pace.


    "STOP!" Mei''s voice exploded into Lineir''s mind as he immediately braked, legs locking at the knees to dig into the dirt. He sensed something incredibly wrong, and had begun to stop at the same time as Mei''s mental shout.


    "What is it? I can feel this place is wrong." Crouching down, Lineir was like a cat preparing to pounce or leap away to safety. Every sense was probing the surroundings, he could hear the jungle''s noises, trickling water nearby, smell the rotting vegetation in the air, and his eyes unfocused to scan the largest possible area for movement. Relying on his peripherals, he tried to spot movement.


    "Kiddo, the death Qi has been steadily getting stronger. I can almost taste it in the air. It''s getting stronger even when you''re not moving, something''s coming, hide!" Mei''s voice softened even though it was in Lineir''s head, as if she was also next to him. Lineir straightened his legs, instantly leaping up and sideways onto the trunk of a nearby tree, alighted sideways and leaped off the trunk into the branches of another nearby tree. Hidden amongst the rustling leaves, he stared down waiting.


    "Any moment now... the death Qi is getting even stronger!" Lineir tensed, and braced for action. If discovered, he was prepared to run at a moments notice.


    A rustle came, and soft footsteps sounded on the loamy root covered ground. Lineir was like a coiled spring now, his eyes flicking instantly to the movement in his peripherals while his body stayed stock still.


    "What is that doing here?"


    Below him, walking over the place Lineir had just been, was an undead. It was clothed in ragged rotting robes which were brown with dirt, and was more or less a skeleton with a few chunks of black flesh sitting in it''s center. For the most part, it was a skeleton, standing almost two meters tall. In its hands was a large blunt cudgel like heavy sword. It was not an artistic weapon, more of a meat cleaver than a sword. It hesitated over the small trenches in the ground which Lineir had dug when he had suddenly braked. Bending over, with its rags drifting sightly in the wind, it sniffed the ground like some sort of unholy dog. Then it raised its head and stared directly at Lineir''s hiding spot in the trees.


    "No way... it can smell me!?!!!"

 53 Rumble In The Jungle

    Don''t forget to vote and comment fellow Daoists!


    "Undead can''t smell at such a low level kiddo, it should just be a coincidence!" Mei advised Lineir, but she sounded skeptical,


    "Why is it looking this way though...?"


    As he watched, the undead seemed to raise its head and soundlessly sniff again, before looking away. Lineir relaxed a little.


    "Just a coincidence... what?!!!"


    Before his eye''s the undead seemed to track in an unnaturally smooth motion at the tree he was in, before turning up 90 degrees again and staring directly at Lineir, who hadn''t made a sound.


    "What was it looking at... unless...!" He shivered as a chill ran down his spine. He looked at where the skeleton had been looking before and resisted the urge to break out into a run. The skeleton hadn''t made a move yet but its actions were enough to scare him already.


    "It looked exactly at the spot where I jumped off the last tree, it knows I''m here!" Lineir was intensely disturbed. While he was much stronger than before, when he had been helpless against even the weakest undead, this ones actions were simply too strange! Who had ever heard of an undead that could smell and track where he had been like a bloodhound! This was too much. Before his horrified eyes, the skeleton who''s eyes seemed to lock on directly into his, and it raised its free hand and pointed directly at him, the index finger seemed to pronounce an ungodly weight, far beyond the actions of a mere construct of rotting flesh. There was something behind its empty eye sockets, something far more terrifying which guided its hand. Lineir slowly let his bone scythes ease out. Suddenly...an explosion of movement!


    CHA CHA!


    The skeleton went from standing still to running full out at Lineir''s location with its huge sword in an instant. Its feet slammed into the ground and it soundlessly raised its head and seemed to be issuing a silent howl! Even though there was no noise, no air, Lineir''s every hair stood up, this thing was not stupid, it was intelligent, like a rabid animal. His undead heart throbbed slightly along with his bone scythes, a slight ache passing through as if they were resonating with this silent howl. He was unable to dodge in time, he had vastly underestimated its speed! Stuck in the tree, it was as Mei said, he was simply a target.


    "**** fine, a fight is what you want, a fight is what you''ll get!"


    Crossing his arms, he blocked the blow with his bone scythes. The heavy sword carried an incredible weight on it, far more than Lineir was comfortable with. Fortunately however, before Lineir''s cultivation, he still only felt threatened, but not overwhelmed. The blade was caught between his bone scythes, and he shifted one arm so the force was channeled down to his left side, then suddenly, his empty right hand materialized the black sword, and struck out, a trap which any normal human would have trouble reacting to after being put off balance by his parry.


    The undead was indeed no exception, seemingly staggering to the side, and the black blade swept through with the power of darkness and smashed its rib cage from the side, easily shattering it into pieces. Calm, now that the threat had been eliminated, Lineir immediately jumped back a few meters, and observed.


    "Kiddo! The death Qi is not decreasing!" Mei''s warning came as Lineir frowned, his sixth sense seeming to feel danger.


    Before his eyes, the shattered fragments of blackened rotting bone and meat shook, and then began to rejoin. The upper body quickly reformed as the hands, bound by faint hazy strands of death Qi crawled back to the body and reinserted themselves.


    "Hmph, you think you can reform right in front of me!" Lineir''s eyes turned cold. Like he would let a downed enemy recover without dealing the finishing blow. He leapt forward, just barely leaving the ground, but with such strength and speed that he covered the meters between them before landing, and as he passed over the skeleton, he slashed downwards with a bizzare spark of bluish-yellow lightning passing between his blade and the reforming undead.


    "Reverse Lightning Slash!"


    The undead body was shattered into bits by his darkness infused sword again, but this time, before the pieces were blown apart, small strands of lightning surged between them and criss-crossed like sown thread creating a web.


    "Lightning Rebound!"


    Chi Chi Chi


    As Lineir landed past, he turned and watched as the strands of lightning snapped and the pieces exploded. The smell of burnt rot filled the air.


    "If you want to come back to life, you had better come back as a ghost because there is no corpse for you now, undead!" Lineir smiled, that was the first time he had gotten to test his new move on something besides a golem. It was extremely effective against undead apparently, he was quite satisfied with the results.


    "Nice work kiddo, the death Qi in the immediate vicinityhas dissipated, but the environment still has a whole lot more than it should. I doubt this is the only strange thing in this jungle, I''d suggest getting out of here before something else notices." Lineir hopped into a nearby tree.


    "Yea... no more traveling on the ground, that thing seemed to be able to follow where I''ve been, I think it would be safer to travel in the treetops." Quickly, he began to jump from tree to tree.


    Unbeknownst to Lineir, a few minutes after he left, behind him, another skeleton, carrying a mace, came upon the scene of his fight. Pausing over where the first skeleton had been destroyed, it sniffed, and then pointed a finger into the air through the dense tree coverage. Raising its head in a soundless growl, it ran forward... it was pointing directly at Lineir!

 54 Field of 100 Steps

    On another world, somewhere far, far, away two men fought a private battle unwatched by mortal eyes.


    "You... how can you be? Are you one of the elder gods? This power cannot be wielded by those chained with mortality!" A shout rang out from a man whose clothes were in tatters, floating in the air. He looked as one might after shivering in the path of a hurricane, battered, soaked in not water but blood, and desolate. He was awed by a power which he could not comprehend.


    The other man, immovable, standing atop a mountain peak, spoke for the first time,


    "An elder god? You insult me, an old god, let alone the elder gods could not rend Heaven and Earth to nothingness. I am not so weak." This immovable man raised his blade and closed his eyes. A terrifying feeling flowed up from the battered man''s insides. It was as if the very fabric of reality was moving, his guts squirmed as gravity had begun to rise up and rebel against the chains of its nature.


    "You should leave. This place is already empty. Those who will die, will die. I do not desire to kill one who follows the old rules of battle. You have honor, if you flee now, you will survive this ending." So saying, he raised the blade ever higher, and the feeling of impending doom came ever stronger. The defeated man felt his guts trying to escape from his body. However, he did not move.


    "I will not move. I will witness this ending. For so long I have wandered, cultivated, and reached for the pinnacle. But having seen you now, I have no desire to fight anymore, I wish only to experience this power one last time. This power which I will never achieve. Let me die having known it with my own body!" The battered man raised his sword as well, leveling it with the immovable man''s, a shivering sliver of steel against a blade which held the impending doom of Fate itself.


    "I hope you do not mind if I test your strike with one of my own!" He shouted out and slashed forward, visible whirling ripples slicing through the air.


    The immovable man opened his eyes slightly and sighed,


    "You know, I was once mortal too. This height, this pinnacle, you were not so deep in the abyss as to never climb out and reach it. But if dying here is your wish, then I can only grant it."


    He closed his eyes again, unwilling to watch the destruction of another world, and lowered his blade. It seemed to fall neither fast nor slow, but when it did, stopping at the mountain peak below, a horrendous crackling came as the world was torn asunder. As if a divine bolt of frozen lightning, the sword''s passage blasted the clouds apart, first splitting them in two, then casting the split halves into ever smaller pieces which were further blasted away in writhing circles. The land below was shattered and became a chasm which traversed the entire world. From inside, molten fire glowed before being sloshed aside as the hideous blow rent deeper into the planet. The other battered man''s attack hadn''t even given the slightest pause to this terrifying blow, and he had simply vanished, gone with the shifting clouds, ash on the wind.


    SHUA!


    Finally, the Heaven''s aura tried to fill in from above, to fill the sundered land and to hold together the falling planet, but upon seeing the divine Qi fall, the immovable man simply snorted and whipped his sword around to slice the air behind him. A dark translucent tear appeared into which he stepped and disappeared. As the tear closed, the Heaven''s aura failed to close the mortal wound and the planet imploded from existence. With one blow... it was simply gone, and not even the Heaven''s intervention could stop it.


    Lineir bounded through the treetops with a speed which would make monkey''s wide eyed. His agility was seemingly limitless, and with his vastly enhanced senses, it was a simply matter to weave between branches. At the speed he was going, few things should be able to see him, let alone catch him as the dense cover of the leaves would keep him sheltered. He couldn''t shake a nagging feeling of dread however... This unease kept pace with him as he went, and he constantly looked over his shoulder to see nothing but dark spots in the trees.


    "It''s nothing..." Everytime, there was nothing there, but his instincts kept screaming, and his undead heart, began to pound faster and faster. This feeling, was simply fear. Something inside of him told him that he was being followed, and as time went on, the feeling only got worse and worse.


    "Kiddo, what''s got you so spooked, calm down, you''re wasting energy going to fast. Pace yourself." Mei admonished Lineir, the wasting of energy always got on her nerves. Lineir could only slow down and apologize, though he continued to glance over his shoulders,


    "Sorry Mei-Mei, I''ve just got this feeling, I think you can tell, my heart just won''t stop beating." At this, Mei laughed and joked,


    "Oh, should I stop it then?" For a second, Lineir''s heart stuttered, and he stumbled. He yelped angrily, but smiled, he felt marginally better now,


    "When do you think we''ll get out of this jungle master?" Lineir had been traversing the treetops nonstop for hours now, his cultivation allowed him this, but it was still a little tiring, especially with the mental strain of looking over his shoulder all the time.


    "I''m not sure, you may not remember, but when that dragonkin was flying us onto the cliff, we had a pretty good view of the size of this wilderness. As far as I could tell, this wilderness keeps going quite a ways, we''re really in the middle of nowhere." Mei remarked. Suddenly, screams filled the air, and the howling rasp of the ungrateful dead tore at Lineir''s ears.


    "HOLD DAMNIT HOLD! These things will follow us forever, we''re too tired to make it to the city, we have to hold here!" A deep but panicked voice sounded.


    Lineir stopped as he alighted on a branch and observed a peculiar situation ahead. A strange three way standoff came to view. In front of him, was a ragged line of tottering undead soldiers, all howling and running forward. Further ahead, to the left of these undead, was a squadron of human soldiers, the sergeant was desperately yelling at them to hold their ground, though shaking hands and legs betrayed their desire to flee. To the right, was a group of magical beasts, which were slowly backing away as well. Between the humans and the beasts were several bodies, evidently they had been fighting, when the undead had appeared. Now... the humans and beasts were frozen as the undead fearlessly encroached.


    "Raaaawr..." With a soft growl, the leader of the magical beasts, turned and fled, the rest following as well.


    The humans however, tired and battered without the toughness and endurance of the magical beasts, could only sit tight. Should they try to run, in the jungle, the undead which did not know how to be tired, would surely catch up. They had to make a last stand here. As the men tightened their hold on their shields and swords, and were readying themselves to receive the unholy enemies, a shadow flickered from behind.


    Flicker


    It danced between the undead, weaving in and out so fast that the undead could only snarl in confusion. Streaks of lightning Qi flowed around, and a crackling web formed. This shadow was Lineir, and he was engaging in an elaborate waltz amongst the undead. Fortunately, these undead were definitely a grade lower, smaller, slower, and weaker, than the ones he had encountered earlier, deeper in the forest. They were unable to track his blindingly fast movements, and as he flitted from one to another, they would often swing at empty air, or hit each other. Finally, Lineir deemed he had hit enough. The soldiers in front, had frozen as the undead mob had suddenly caved in on itself, its advance halting as individual undead appeared to turn and fight amongst themselves.


    "This should do it."


    Each of his attacks from earlier had been a miniature version of the Reverse Lightning Slash. Now... the charges were set and it was time to detonate! The dancing web of lightning swirled around brightly atop the mob of undead.


    "Storm! Lightning Rebound, Field of 100 Steps!"


    CHIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    A massive metallic nose rang out as lightning seemed to strike everywhere at once. The undead were blasted to pieces and cooked as the glowing web folded in on itself, convulsed, and then exploded!


    In the aftermath of the devastation, Lineir walked out and strode in front of the dumbfounded sergeant and the squad of soldiers. They gaped, and then began to cheer. However, Lineir leaped over them and began to run.


    "Come on, before more come!"

 55 The Skeletal Shaman

    "Follow me."


    The soldiers only hesitated for a moment, before mobilizing as the sergeant quickly began to follow Lineir. This was a testament to their solid training and fundamentals in teamwork, as well as their leader''s charisma and skills. Lineir cast a glance back over his shoulder and sucked in his breath. A nightmarish unholy scene was taking place.


    Where the undead mob had been, was now a darkened patch of smoking ash and singed grass. The fragmented pieces could not even be called bones anymore, and did not make the slightest attempt to piece themselves together as Lineir''s strongest technique had utterly devastated them beyond any hope of reformation. However, a hulking undead skeleton carrying a long black mace had appeared. It raised its mace high above its wicked skull and uttered a gutteral and throaty growl which should never be heard under the heavens. When it did, shivers crept up every man''s spine, and the squadron halted slightly as they all stared back at the revolting presence they felt from behind.


    Klack Klack Klack


    Various pieces of bones began to meld together from the ashen pile, some from as far as 10 meters away would rise up and clump together. Anything that hadn''t been completely burnt to grey ashes melded together and a huge three meter monstrosity appeared... a giant skeleton with a huge bone heavy sword. Lineir sucked in a breath and immediately yelled out,


    "Go! Go!"


    He turned and sprinted knowing that the enemy behind possessed methods which were inhumane. He whispered to Mei,


    "I was sure I destroyed that heavy sword wielding skeleton, but that one just now was clearly the same, and even bigger than before! Mei, do you know what''s happening in this place?"


    Mei cautiously speculated,


    "This is not unheard of with higher level undead. That one you saw with the mace, I suspect it is a shaman type of undead, and can actually resurrect the spirits of other undead. I fear fighting in this jungle is useless, the number of undead here seems to be high, you are not powerful enough to casually turn all your enemies to ash, unless you can, they will simply keep coming. I can only say run. Abandon these soldiers if you must, remember, while these undead individually are not overwhelmingly strong, they will NEVER stop!"


    Out of the corner of Lineir''s eye, he saw a new line of undead appear behind the mace carrying shamanistic skeleton. Then another behind that, and another. The giant heavy sword wielding skeleton below was standing fully upright now, and it was pointing the flat crude blade at his back preparing to charge. The trees obscured his view, but he knew the horde was behind them. The men were panting, and the sergeant''s breath was coming out in huge gasps as he realized that this mysterious young man in front of them was not confident in handling the threat. He could only hope to incite his men to ever greater speeds,


    "Run! Anyone who falls behind will be left behind!" The sergeant cried out.


    Lineir slowed his pace down to the speed of the soldiers, he could easily escape, but perhaps it was his past experiences fleeing undead before he became a cultivator, perhaps it was because he still was a bit soft, he did not abandon them, though it would be simplicity itself to do so. Ahead, the way was clear of undead, and the trees were growing a bit thinner, but behind, the trampling uncaring footsteps came from those who not only did not care for nature, but actively defied her. Lineir thought of a way to perhaps help their situation.


    "Master, it is not true that the undead have some aversion to fire?" He hopefully enquired


    "Kiddo, it is wrong to say they are averse, but more than it is one of the things which harms them significantly. They do not fear it, though it will burn them and make it difficult for them to regenerate. They will run through it unthinkingly if the powers behind them will it. Don''t think that you can use a little fire to scare off that many undead." Mei warned Lineir, but he had already heard what he needed to know.


    "Hmph, scare them off, they''d just come back later, no, I intend to finish them completely!"


    He dragged his sword on the ground, leaping left before bounding to the right, yelling to the soldiers to keep on as he drew a line in the dirt, dividing the fleeing soldiers from the howling undead. As the moans filled his ears, he chased them out with a yell,


    "Reverse Lightning Slash!"


    Chi-Chi-Chi-BANG!


    Instantly, a line of white lightning seared through the cut he had made in the ground, which then turned into a blazing explosion that shot burning dirt and plant matter high into the sky as he let the lightning Qi he had implanted run wild in the dry leaves and rotten jungle.


    "Surge! Lightning Rebound!"


    From the dividing line, a roaring fire welled walling off the tide of undead. A moments hesitation rippled through the horde as they came upon the fiery wall, but then the shaman skeleton raised its mace and the heavy sword skeleton simply stepped through. Instantly the horde lost all traces of hesitation and pushed on through. While the shaman and huge heavy sword skeleton were unaffected by the flames, the small ones all immediately blazed as the ghastly flesh inside was lit up.


    Lineir triumphantly crowed,


    "Hmph, all we have to do is avoid them for a while longer and they''ll burn away into ash on their own now!"


    His face paled as the men tired and started to fall behind.


    "I really hope they do before these guys collapse though...else I fear not only will these men have to face the fear of being eaten, but also of being burned alive!"

 56 City by the Sea

    Shua Shua Shua!


    The once terrifying lines of undead slowly became more horrific, yet pathetic. Their once fearsome howls slowly became gruesome gurgles as the fleshy rotting meat boiled away under flame. As the flames burned ever stronger, the bones were charred and eventually the skeletons tottered and fell, flaming wrecks which had too little mass to support themselves. The bones, unsupported by flesh, and slowly weakening under flame, keeled in on themselves and toppled.


    Clack Clack


    Waves of undead fell nearly in unison, and at the end, only a few undead which had avoided the flames as well as the great hulking sword skeleton and the mysterious shaman remained, hands outstretched pointing at the men and Lineir. They gradually slowed their charge into a creeping walk, surrounded by the glowing embers of fallen dead. They stared without eyes and mouthed soundless howls without movement, yet every man could hear them mentally. Then they stopped, and knelt. Lineir yelled out and the sergeant quickly followed suit,


    "Let''s go, I''m unfamiliar with this area, can you lead me sergeant?"


    At a brisk pace, but far slower than their all out retreat, they made haste to escape this place. Only when they came to a deep ravine with a wooden bridge did they relax. After crossing, they cut the bridge, and made for the safety of the trees, confident that no matter what restless souls came from behind, they would not be able to follow for some time. The sergeant turned to Lineir and introduced himself,


    "My lord, I''m Sergeant Narfiz of Lightholme, can I enquire as to my lord''s esteemed name?" He was respectful and courteous, but not overly so, as a man of battle, a debt had been forged when Lineir saved his life, and perhaps even more importantly, all of his men. But in this line of business, such debts came and went everyday. Regardless, he would treat any cultivator with respect, but Lineir had shown power which only the Greater Sects had. Debt or not, giving such high ranking members of society face was common course. Realistically, the Greater Sects couldn''t output anywhere near the kind of destruction Lineir had. While the inner sect members, chosen members, and hidden members might have comparable or higher cultivation bases, Lineir''s masterful use of dual darkness and lightning was at a fine level which they could not hope to match. Under Mei''s tutelege, Lineir was not simply strong... he was... refined. Such is the nature of true power, the largest hunks of iron can not cut nearly so well as a well forged steel blade. Lineir quickly thought of an alias, he preferred not to use his real name, and he also could not use the name Chains, for fear of attracting unwanted attention.


    "You may call me Lord Light, Sergeant Narfiz, may I ask where Lightholme is in relation to other places, I have been away from worldly matters for a long time in secluded training, and it is only by chance that I left the wilderness."Lineir desperately wanted to know where he was, of all his questions, this was the most pressing. All his goals revolved around heading back to the area near Dracherus City.


    "Ahh my lord, I''m afraid the best I can do is tell you that we are near the ocean, Lightholme is nestled next to the water, and it is through the sea trade which we gain a lot of our revenue, as well as caravans to distribute the goods we get by water inland. There are several cities nearby, but unless you tell me something a bit more specific, that''s the best I can do." The sergeant did his best to explain, and Lineir nodded. In reality the rank and file soldiers of cities rarely went far from their places of birth. Indeed, Lineir himself would not have traveled far had it not been for the fact that fate appeared to be broken when it regarded his destiny. He cast about his mind, and inquired carefully of a nearby city. He didn''t want anyone to know where he was from, in case he could somehow be linked, even by the smallest of coincidences.


    "Tell me, would you happen to know of Adriassa City?" The sergeant''s eyes lit up. Lineir had mentioned a city relatively close to his home and Dracherus City to avoid any chance of being discovered.


    "My lord, I have indeed heard of Adriassa City, in fact, they are one of our greatest trading partners. There is a caravan which delivers goods there year round. However..." He trailed off until Lineir met his eyes questioningly.


    "Well, we''ve cut off trade with other cities, because of the undead! Of late, Lightholme has been greatly pressed by undead. While the holy order stands firm at the city walls, they refuse to leave to clear out the infestation for fear that any weakening of city defenses would be too dangerous. They''d rather hold tight and hope the infection disappears, or by some chance, someone takes care of the problem. As you''ve seen, the undead are everywhere around Lightholme, and the holy aura of our city only serves to aggravate them. They are growing more and more bold, and few dare to leave the city walls anymore. We foot soldiers were sent out to try to harvest some wild beasts, but in reality, I fear the higher ups were simply testing to see whether we would come back, six squads have vanished this last month!"


    At this moment, Lineir and the squadron came out from the wilderness, upon a small hill, and caught glimpse of a magnificent city in the distance. High domed buildings occasionally crested over expansively thick walls. Various holy crosses were studded on top of several holy structures, smelted from mercurial silver. This was Lightholme, a holy city constructed by the holy order to defend their God''s will on earth. Such a city, nestled with the ocean at its back and high walls at its front, was near impossible to breach with an army. The temptation to hide from the undead was clear... with walls so high that giants would trip over them, what incentive was there for them to leave the city? Mei surmised this all to Lineir with a glance, but she worriedly also remarked,


    "The ocean is truly a good redoubt to have at your back, but when walls fall, only those with ships will find it a way out. I fear the rest would simply realize they have willingly built their homes inside an unescapable cage..." Lineir''s eyes colored red and the crimson words came, as a burning sensation stirred in his shoulders, back, and feet.


    The Hells are bound below us onto the earth, our eyes travel up the well of air into the Heavens. But this does not mean that our limit is of earth nor sky. Look beyond the narrow sky above the towering well. From the bottom where you may only see a sliver of freedom you cannot understand, break free of your chains and walk where you may, fly where you will, and live where you want!

 57 Slumbering City

    Don''t forget to vote!


    The fiery itch did not subside for several breaths, and Lineir sighed as a strange feeling of nostalgia crept up inside him. The city by the sea, Lightholme, was so beautiful surrounded by the shady blues of the water, but as the crimson red welled up inside his eyes, violent and horrid purples, violets, and maroons welled up. The world seemed to be enshrouded in the murderous aura of slaughter and death to come and to be. Mei whispered in his mind and Lineir gave a start as he was pulled out of the bloody world of slaughter,


    "Kiddo, it looks like having some real battle experience with your new techniques is paying off. Your cultivation base is showing signs of not only stabilizing, but coalescing another level, your Second Heart is certainly soon to break through to the next stage soon. Keep it up!" She said. Lineir, now feeling thoroughly heated up after the Path''s of Asura''s words, asked the sergeant to enter the city.


    "Bring me into Lightholme Sergeant Narfiz."


    Deep in the city, far in the center of an architectural wonder, there is a great domed building, in the middle of which lies an eye, an oculus, through which light gathers and illuminates a wondrous scene. The sleeping angel of Lightholme. In a room which spiraled about endlessly in airy white marble, a magnificent white figure lay suspended yet stable in the air. Feathered wings were surrounded in chains which bound it into the ceiling and twisting banisters, yet the opulent white room was not prison for this being. It had a greatness which made one think that it was simply sleeping. Not chained, not restrained, but supported by the world as it slumbered peacefully. Something which is not to be disturbed, on and on the great white angel slept. Alone and uncaring, basking in the radiance of its own peace. Suddenly, a raging black portal whirled into existence at the entrance to the room. The angel, without opening its eyes, lifted its head imperceptibly to meet this portal.


    "Laightner, are you still sleeping? My patience is growing thin, the pact is to be enforced, and the price must be paid, but my forces will reach your city soon. Wake up and renounce your ownership, and I will let your people escape this city before my forces come. If you do not acquiesce here, I''m afraid there will be no other chance." A dark haired raven-winged angel stepped out of the black portal and addressed the sleeping one in chains. Other than lifting its head a crack, the sleeping angel in chains did not reply.


    "Fine, I have no wish to sow more karma against me with needless slaughter, the Heaven''s are always watching, but no one will argue against me if I take what is mine by might here today. It is only right, as justified by Heaven''s ways. My forces are on the move, the people of this city will soon find that they are not protected under your radiant light... but damned under your pathetic reluctance to leave. Sleep on foolish angel of old!"


    The dark haired raven-winged angel stepped back, backwards into the portal, never turning around, his eyes were fixed on the still slumbering brilliant figure in chains ahead. After the portal whirled to a close, sucked into its own blackness, the sleeping angel''s lips curled up and out. A gentle smile, the smile of a grandfather, a mother, a father, and a son, flitted across its face. Whispering with its eyes closed, it seemed to say in its sleep,


    "Oh this darkness I see, what a black heart you have. But fear not children of mine, the phoenix answers my call from far away, and deep below, the other comes. Lightholme will not dim before the last night, for there are no shadows permitted in my city." Peacefully, the angel stopped stirring, and fell back into an endless slumber.


    Lineir wandered around the city, awestruck by its construction. The buildings were all constructed in a circular manner, seeming to spiral around in an infinite pattern like gears in some heavenly clock. No shadows cept those cast by people existed, the buildings were all brightly lit with lanterns below every crack. His eyes were sucked into each deep fold, and then swirled into another one, as the buildings seemed to meld into each other, this whole city seemed to be without end. Finally, after a long while of staring around, the squad captain laughed and invited Lineir to stay the night,


    "Haha, my lord, don''t worry, everyone has this reaction on their first visit to Lightholme. But may I ask, do you want to spend the night with us? I''m sure we can ask for one of the officer''s quarters to be prepared for you, Lightholme has many such open offices of late..." He trailed off darkly, but smiled, it would unsightly and a loss of face to show despair in front of such an esteemed guest.


    "No need Sergeant."


    Lineir thought about it for a minute, and then declined. While he hated to spend money, he was now a fairly wealthy person, the numerous spacial objects on him contained wealth which meant staying at an inn was the least of his problems. Plus, he preferred not to associate with the city authorities just yet, his past experiences left him with a deeply ingrained caution against the ruling class and nobility.


    "Well, if that''s it then milord, I can only say thank you, and that you are always welcome with my squadron, I hope we meet again!" Trudging off, the sergeant and his weary soldiers saluted and then headed off to the barracks.


    Lineir quietly explored the city, keeping his head low. After his time spent on the Pillar, he had no idea what his reputation was like, it was altogether possible that while he didn''t think he had been noticed, someone had seen him sneaking by after that great battle with the golems. If that was true, then awkward questions might be asked, and the fact that he had survived without the backing of any great Sect would naturally beg the question... how? People''s curiosity and greed knew no bounds, and he had no such desire to answer any of those questions. Thus he kept a low profile and made out like any other traveler, concealing the fact that he contained many treasures and cores which would make king''s drool and sect Patriarch''s eyes grow round with desire.


    "Kiddo, there''s something off about this city, I''m sensing a great presence deep inside that building over there, look how it towers over all the rest." Lineir felt his eyes pulled by an uncontrollable urge come to a rest on a dome which was as perfect as it was huge. Such quality, its roundness must have been painstakingly planned and carved by the greatest of sculptors of an age.


    "Whoever''s inside... is powerful, far more powerful than this sleepy little city would suggest. Do not aggravate this presence, I suspect it is the true ruling force in this city, the holy radiance which is irritating the undead we saw is only so strong as it is because of this presence." Suddenly, a deep sonorous horn blew, and bells resounded across the entire city. Men began to squawk, and Lineir saw the sergeant and his squadron suddenly running back, away from the inner city barracks, towards the walls. He called out,


    "Sergeant, what''s happening?" The sergeant smiled grimly and stated,


    "I''m glad you''re here milord, while I can''t ask you to help, it''s comforting to have an expert at our side in these dark times. These horns signal that our city is under attack, but to be by so many... I know of only one situation where that might happen. When the city is under siege by innumerable enemy forces! With our backs to the water, and our walls so high, we have held off countless enemy assaults before. However, there is only one group of enemies big enough to siege us right now in this area... the undead. We are under siege from the undead!" He began to run to the wall again.


    "Come with us if you want to see, we''re heading to the walls now! Don''t worry, while the city might look sleepy, we will wake for this threat. The Holy Order''s Paladins cannot ignore this threat at our door now, they will be forced to take action. Our city is the most holy city imaginable, our priests and paladins have trained since birth to fight the dark. For the undead to attack us... is either incredibly foolish... or ambitious. Come on and see what we''re up against!"


    Almost everyone was fleeing in the opposite direction, so for a while the flow was against them. However, as a military party, the crowd made way, children carrying precious toys, parents carrying them, and making haste to flee to the other side of the city. There, they would be farthest from the walls, and possibly have the hope of escaping by water. Of course... most didn''t own boats. They could only hope to find a ride with someone else or wait out the siege.


    Mei quietly whispered as they fought against the tide,


    "Kiddo... you know how I said this place was a cage? Look at them go... However..."


    "Master, I think you were right, there''s no way out, most of these poor citizens don''t own boats, and have no sailing experience. They are trapped inside a cage which they thought was simply a home."


    "That''s what I thought kiddo... but that presence I sensed... powerful, far too powerful, the holy aura was evidence of Heaven''s interest. Perhaps this city is in fact not a cage which is designed to keep things out... but in fact a cage to keep someone inside..."

 58 Caged City!

    Give me your stones and I shall give you chapters...(eventually)


    "Fiends...to arms!"


    "Man the gates!"


    "Summon the Holy Order!"


    Across the walls, the rallying cries of commanding officers mixed with the wary cries of stalwart soldiers. Lineir ascended the last step of the stairs to the top of the ramparts and stared over the edge. The sight at first confused him. He saw some undead. Indeed, a lesser city or town might find such a threat menacing simply due to the strangeness of such an occurrence. It was quite unusual for such a large group of undead to come at once. Lineir was reminded of home in Brackenrock City.


    There, he had accidentally brought a small group of undead crashing against the walls of the city. It had taken a large number of guards and cultivators alike to slay the threat that time. However, Brackenrock City could not be compared to Lightholme. This city was many times the size of a backwater like Brackenrock, To be fair, Brackenrock shouldn''t even be called a city, if it was located anywhere else, it would merely be a large town with high walls. Furthermore, Lightholme was a holy city, a bastion of paladins skilled in the sword and priests skilled in supplementary magic. All of these cultivators used the holy element so it was fair to say that should a group of undead like the one which had attacked Brackenrock appeared at Lightholme''s gates, the alarms would barely have had time to sound before the undead would be eliminated, blasted away by light elemental defenses.


    "Master, where are the undead, I see a few on the plains ahead, but such a small number, Lightholme should hardly flinch at that right?" Lineir mused aloud. Mei however warned him to be on guard,


    "Kiddo, you have a real knack for finding fate changing events, wherever you tread, destiny is broken! I''m sensing a thick line of undead approaching, and that''s just the frontline, behind those trees there, there is an army of undead large enough to bury this city in sheer death many times over! Careful! Anyone left in this city after this assault will have to choose between drowning in the ocean or a sea of corpses!" Immediately after Mei''s warning, sergeant Narfiz responded as well,


    "Lord Light, you are right, such a small number of undead would hardly rouse Lightholme''s men so. Beyond the plains, in that forest, our scouts report undead of all sorts. A bloody scourge is sweeping that land... such blasphemy... cannot be allowed to stand...! I hope the cities gates are opened so that the holy order might finally get off their ***** and enter into open battle! I''ve seen too many die to these things, it''s time to show them that we are Lightholme, God''s will on earth!" His eye''s were shining fervently, surrounded by high walls, and seeing such few undead in front, morale was running high. Soon, along the wall, a man dressed in shining white armor plate etched with runic crosses on every inch addressed the men, his voice booming across the wall.


    "Paladins! Priests! Men! This city is God''s will on earth! The walls stand tall, Lightholme will never fall!" Soon the chant was echoing across the city.


    "THE WALLS STAND TALL, LIGHTHOLME WILL NEVER FALL!" As the soldiers chanted, a massive white light seemed to gleam as their Qi contributed to a massive shining holy incantation which the priests were laying. From behind, the priests joined in the chant, and every man on the wall was imbued with a portion of raging holy energy. Sergeant Narfiz stopped chanting for a second and then alone, yelled out his own words,


    "Open the gates!" At first, he was alone, but soon the soldiers of his squad took notice and joined him.


    "Open the gates!" Then the whole platoon.


    "Open the gates!" Then the whole left side of the walls.


    "Open the GATES!" Then the entire fortress.


    "OPEN THE GATES!"


    "Stop them!!!" Mei screamed in Lineir''s ear. Lineir confused asked,


    "Why? They have to fight eventually mmm?"


    "No kiddo! I can sense a presence drawing near... someone powerful, at least as powerful as the one locked in the city, perhaps even more so! The number of undead must be because of this presence, there are too many, this cities'' only hope is to hide behind the walls and defend the siege from the ramparts, opening the gates and engaging on the plains would simply be inviting an unstoppable tide of undead in! You must stop them to buy time, and then flee, find a way out of this city, perhaps a boat or some other way out, this city is already damned!!!" Mei was incomparably frantic, normally she would sound slightly tired, or bored, as if this world was mundane, but clearly the threat this time was outside of her expectations and had shocked her greatly.


    "But how... Nobody will hear a thing, maybe I can convince sergeant Narfiz to help." He turned to the sergeant who''s eyes had turned red as the huge gleaming white gates adorned with thousands of lanterns began to creak open.


    "Sergeant, I can sense an incomparably large number of undead coming. You must close the gates, there are far too many!" However, Narfiz didn''t even change expression, he seemed lost in some sort of bloodlust.


    "**** I knew it, none of them will listen. That gate is huge, there''s no way I can stop it from opening. Perhaps I should simply flee and make way for the ocean now?" Lineir panickedly thought as the walls yawned ever wider. Soon, they would be halfway open, and already soldiers were gathering below, preparing to exit enmasse once the gates were completely open.


    "Too late! Kiddo, these guys are all linked by a holy spell, nothing you say will affect them, they will march to their doom, it''s time to go!" Mei advised Lineir to flee, but then a strange thing happened.


    "Shut the gates. Man the walls, fighting on the plains is prohibited by order of Lightholme!" The words echoed directly into the minds of everyone in the city, Lineir included. Suddenly, the gates began to close and slammed shut, the men came back to their senses and returned to their posts on the wall, and order was restored. Not a moment too soon, across the plains, great swarms of undead appeared, enough to blacken the fields and make it seem as if ghastly night had come early as a dark fog rose in their wake. This was... an undead legion!


    Skeletal soldiers with rotten bones and smiles dripping unknown black liquids hefted all manner of worn weapons in defiance of death. Towering above them, constructs similar to the massive heavy sword wielding skeleton trudged, each step sinking several centimeters into dirt. Behind, shaman skeletons dressed in primitive animal furs hefted staves and maces casting unholy necromancy, death Qi pouring out in pulsating waves. All frequently pointed their fingers forward toward the fortress ahead.


    At the walls, every soldier felt a chill run across their spines as thousands of skeletons seemed to point directly at them. Then, the sound came... A horrible moan seemed to seep in through their ears, insinuating itself into their minds. The dying screams of the damned! Lungless, the last words of the undead still managed to cross the distance in the form of a mental whisper.


    "Come.. Kill. Come. Kill..Come. Kill..Come... Live not... Join US!!!


    Lineir grimaced as the death Qi imbued message reached him. Truly something which would terrify any army, the combined screams seemed to echo endlessly, an undying threat to all things living. The commander, seeing that his soldiers were losing morale, judged it time to begin the battle.


    "Archers, fire at will! Priests, imbue holy arrows! Paladins, begin preparing to use judgement! Soldiers, prepare to engage traps!"


    Shua Shua Shua Shua


    Across the wall, a gleaming storm of silver arrows caressed the sky in such numbers that streams of arrows appeared as thick as bolts of lightning, arcing across the planes to smite the undead. Normally, in human combat, archers would fire in waves, hoping to inspire mass chaos amongst the ranks and demoralize the enemy. However.. the undead cared little for psychological tactics. Thus each archer would simply try to fire as many arrows as possible, there was no point to firing together. Naturally, as soldiers of a holy city, they understood this and whipped out arrows until their fingers bled and the skin tore ragged. From behind, the priests casted spells for mental acuity and focus, and farsight, and the arrows launched began to glow with holy Qi.


    Hiss... Hiss... Hiss.. Hiss..


    Wherever the arrows hit, it was as if acid rain had struck. Rotten bones gave way under masses of holy silver, and flesh boiled into charred fluttering strips of ash. Sergeant Narfiz and the other soldiers cheered, each undead down would be one less to climb the walls and fight them in the bloodbath to come. Even a few of the larger heavy weapon wielding undead went down under the hail of hundreds of arrows. They would crash down like silver porcupines and crush the smaller skeletons below.


    "Paladins Judgement!"


    Across the plains, silver arrays formed, complex inscriptions of light intertwining as the paladins raised runic weapons to the sky and chanted. Together, they pointed their weapons at the battlefield and beams of light blasted out, smiting the undead who made through the hail of blessed arrows. Not a single undead from that wave made it to the walls, only black craters were left on the ground. Cheering rang out across the battlements once again as the might of Lightholme seemed to burn away the dark.


    "Hmph, whoever commanded these fools to shut the gates knows what their doing. It must be the one caged in this city... I wonder what connection that one has with this city to bother dealing with the affairs of mortals. Regardless, that presence was powerful, even restrained. You''ve been given a chance now, you should try to flee." Mei seemed very interested in the identity of this presence, but stressed that fleeing was the first priority.


    "Very well, I''ll ask about ways out of the city." Lineir turned to the sergeant.


    "Sergeant Narfiz, do you think there''s any way out of the city, perhaps some boats left?" Narfiz frowned, turning away from the battle where he had been cheering at the sight of the burning undead.


    "Lord Light, you desire to leave?" He wasn''t happy that an expert such as Lineir wanted to leave, but he realized that Lineir had no stake in this battle. He could hardly request his assistance much as he might wish to.


    "Well... while I believe this battle is in our favor, if you want to leave, the docks are in the opposite direction, you can''t miss them. However... I fear that the last ship carrying our young and women left half an hour ago. Last I heard, every boat has been requisitioned for their evacuation, and there are still many civilians who were unable to find a way out at the docks. I''m sorry, I wish you didn''t have to be engaged in Lightholme''s conflict, but the undead are everyones problem, so I can only say, the walls stand tall, Lightholme will never fall."


    "Kiddo... don''t be fooled. This city will fall unless that caged presence intervenes, and then there is the matter of the equally powerful presence outside the city behind this undead army. Mortals fool themselves into believing that their creations are forever, but in reality, things built by mortals can only fade to dust as their makers do. I''m afraid finding a way out is not an option now however, your only hope is that that caged presence is willing to help out!" Lineir felt his heart tremble a little as he understood his situation. He had wandered into a cage from which the front door was barred by undead, and the back by the unyielding ocean. He sighed. Across the wall, a ripple of fear seemed to eat into the ranks.


    "How... how many are there!"

 59 The_________

    "Ho....Ho...How many are there????!!!!!!!!!"


    Even the violent fervor inspired by group holy magic was useless against the endless tides of undead which pulsated unendingly from the distant trees. The burnt field below the walls, full of scattered bones, was soon filled with multiples more very much animated skeletons. Archers continued to fire, fingers burning, and several bowstrings snapped under the strain as arrows were poured down to the plains.


    Twang! Twang! Twang!


    Pucha! Pucha! Klang!


    It was pointless however, for every arrow that hit and caused an undead to stumble or totter over, two more would push up from behind. Then four. Then eight. These kinds of overwhelming numbers were not only strategically devastating, but destructive to morale. Across the line, gazes once burning for battle dulled and were replaced by a glossy eyed look of hopelessness. Under this pressure...the faiths of Lightholme''s defenders was unable to hold. This early stage of the battle was not even physical, the undead had yet to scale the walls, but mental. If their morale broke here, it would be over in a flash. The undead would ascend the walls unmolested, and when they came, the defenders would simply be crushed underfoot. Only if they could continue to hold back and delay, slow the stream of undead to the top, might the battle continue for some time longer. However, a long battle was not in their favor. The undead do not tire, they do not flinch at losses, and they do not contemplate retreat.


    The human defenders on the other hand... archer''s once nimble fingers become clumsy and slow, occasionally slipping slightly with each shot, not that it mattered, the amount of undead below meant virtually any shot was a hit. The paladins above were forced to slow down their chants for the use of Judgement as their minds seemed to lose track of the words caught in a thick fog of despair. As each wave of undead drew ever closer, the regular soldiers of Lightholme began to grimly mutter and make strange faces. This devastating mental domination was precisely the advantage to necromancy. With their mind''s unsettled, and their hand''s unsteady, the flow of the battle slowly slips away before the undead even get close.


    "Kiddo, now you see right? As I said, this position is untenable, this city is in deep trouble. Avoid any major Qi usage, while the chances are slim, provided you are in top condition, even if the city falls, there is still a way out for you..." Mei grimly advised Lineir to conserve his energy.


    "Master... I don''t have wings, there''s no way out unless... No! You can''t be serious?" Lineir flinched a little as he realized what Mei was suggesting as his "escape".


    "Yes disciple, that is exactly what I expect from you. To be frank, the undead below, while difficult to eliminate, are individually fairly weak, and possess minimal intelligence. If you truly had to, you could wade through their rotting ranks and possibly escape untouched with the movement skills I''ve taught you." Mei was cold and frank about this plan. She didn''t sound particularly confident, but she absolutely considered it a viable final resort.


    "But still... so many... no matter how much I''ve trained..." Lineir was imagining an endless walk, dead bodies hoping to drag him to hell every step. The strain on his mind would be enormous as one mistake and he would find himself alone and helpless in one of the most terrible situations he could imagine.


    "Of course kiddo, it is true, while you have grown a little stronger, you are still nowhere near the stage where you can wade through armies intact, but... I expect you to try! If you have to. Who knows, with your destiny anything is possible. Keep your eyes and ears open, and feel the world move around you. Opportunity is almost always there, it is simply a matter of seizing it."


    Clack! Clack! Thump! Rattle!


    "They''ve reached the walls!" Suddenly, the raging tides of flesh smacked against the wall, and above, the defenders felt vibrations as even the thick stone was gently moved.


    "Engage traps!" The head commander of the paladins in blessed silver white armor screamed out, and suddenly, defenders were pouring streams of liquid down the walls. Below, the ranks of the undead rippled as the liquid hit and dismantled the dark Qi holding their bones together.


    "Smart. See that kiddo, somebody has been planning ahead. Those buckets of holy water will not only deal direct damage to the undead now, but will delay their ascent by coating the walls. Eventually however... the undead will not be climbing the walls so much as the corpses of their fallen. When that happens, these walls will simply be a dam, holding back the waters until they break and surge across this city. I''m quite curious. That presence still hasn''t done anything after sending that message. What is it waiting for?" Mei analyzed the battle, imparting useful tips and pointing out key details. While Lineir lived a nomadic cultivator''s life at the moment, the finer intricacies of group battle would certainly not hurt him. Suddenly a booming insidious dark voice covered the entire city.


    "Lightholme! The City of Light, will meet the dark tonight! As those serving a useless master, be sure to bring your grievances to him in the Hells!" A massive turbulent whirlpool of black death Qi opened up in the plains. Below, the undead armor hoisted their weapons high and saluted their creator and only master. From this doorway of darkness, a resplendent figure clad in ebony gilded bone hung in their air, long unfurling wings seeming to drift in defiance of life. From these rich dark purple wings, strands of death Qi spiraled around endlessly, leaving trails of torrid power, as if his simply presence was in defiance of nature. This was no ordinary cultivator. This was one who had left the bounds of mortality long ago. A true cultivator, an immortal! This death angel raised a hand, and from below, countless undead which had disintegrated under the valiant efforts of the defenders reformed from ground dust and broken pieces to raise their weapons once more.


    Shua! Shua! Shua! Clack Clack!


    "What an amateur, letting his Qi trail behind him all day, its a wonder he managed to cultivate to Immortality. Actually, he was probably born with it, spoiled brats angels always are." Mei disdained this immortal angel, even as she warned Lineir,


    "Spoiled or not, his level is not something you can fight right now, and I don''t have the energy to deal with this. Leave! Quietly sneak back down to the streets, this siege will not last now that an immortal has shown. Funny, I didn''t think this plane had any such figures, Heaven''s ways generally do not permit true angels to descend to mortal planes... His Qi''s building, get down!" Mei shouted out, and Lineir dropped to the deck, while drawing as much Qi as possible to form a barrier around himself. His hairs all stood on end as a horrifying surge of death Qi blasted from the angel''s finger and burrowed into the gates of Lightholme. For a second, interlocked glyphs painted below gleamed and seemed to repel the beam of energy, but with a snort, the angel flicked a second finger and the beam pierced straight through and traveled up and down the gates.


    Zzzzzzzz Boom!


    At the end, a massive explosion appeared and the gates blew wide open. Defenders on the inside and undead on the outside alike were blown to pieces, so for a moment there was a brief lull, but then the undead massed and were surging in!


    Mei sighed,


    "Kiddo, I''m sorry but it looks like you''re going to have to go with plan B... prepare to escape through the undead!"


    Lineir, carefully poking his head up, stared at the surge of undead engaging in melee battle below, could only grimace.


    "An immortal...what is this luck of mine, come on!" He made ready to jump below and try to make his escape when once again, the mysterious voice entered his skull mentally,


    "Lightholme! Those who still stand with me are valiant indeed. Thank you. Deliverance is near!" The soldiers below straightened and fought with fanatical fervor as this holy voice thanked them.


    " The walls stand tall, Lightholme will never fall!" A great chant came across, and suddenly the undead were being held back, and then slowly pushed out of the city as the forces below rallied and fought in unison.


    "Impressive, with just a few words, to inspire such faith, this presence must be powerful. The way those soldiers are fighting without a care for their lives, it''s as if they''re the undead." Lineir was actually a little amazed by the tenacity of these ordinary men fighting below. Suddenly, holy Judgements began to fall as the paladins rallied with this momentum. Soon, the undead in the city were locked into a stalemate with the defenders just inside the gates.


    "Hmph, a temporary reprieve, while the undead can''t attack in numbers yet since the opening is so small, there are countless reinforcements waiting outside. This is a hopeless battle unless that presence decides to do more than utter a few words." Mei knew that no matter how emboldened the soldiers were, simple numbers would show that this battle could not be won by men alone.


    "Laightner, come now, you still wish to spin lies of hope to your men? Don''t they realize that they are hardly going to leave this city alive? I gave you a chance to surrender this city and spare their pathetic lives, but you insisted on ignoring me. Now they can die, join my undead, and serve under a master worthy of their respect!" The dark angel raised a fearsome blade filled with Death Qi and began to chant an unholy spell.


    "Say goodbye to these walls you''re so proud of mortals!"


    "Off the walls kiddo, he means to destroy them all to let the undead in!" Mei shrieked a warning, but Lineir, who had been trying to leave the walls for some time, could only sigh. All around him were frantic men, and below, a mass of undead in a giant melee.


    "Plan B it is" With his vision pulsing with the redness of madness, he prepared to leap off the battlements into the mass of undead below. Behind, the booming voice of the angel roared out,


    "Laightner! I''m coming for you!" The sword came down, and a wave of death Qi sped towards the walls, Lineir jumped off, as behind the world seemed to end.


    Ch 59 The Fall of the Wall

 60 The Phoenix and Tortoise

    As the death Qi was about to hit the walls, Lineir leaped and prayed that he wouldn''t land in too many undead. Red waves of madness streaked across his vision and time slowed as he coldly analyzed that he was going to land in a clump of five undead doing battle with a group of regular soldiers. His bone blades came out, and he prepared to deal with them all, when the death Qi hit the walls behind him and they exploded inward, runic enchantments failing to hold up under this full power immortal blow!


    Boom! Rumble Rumble Rumble Pa! Pa! Pa!


    All around, what parts of the wall hadn''t simply evaporated under the power rained down as massive chunks of shrapnel, destroying men and dead alike. Lineir, calmly observed the pieces falling and twisted in the air to avoid them before alighting on top of one as it fell unto the undead he had been planning on landing in.


    Crunch!


    The rock did his work for him, and Lineir stayed on top as it crushed his foes, ignoring the frantic battle around him to stare out the fallen walls at the immortal angel of darkness.


    "Ready to come out and play Laightner? Had enough, or should I destroy the foundation of your holy city as well!" Laughing manically, the angel raised his sword and began to gather darkness for another blow.


    "Answer me!" He raised his hand for another finishing blow, and when there was no response, laughed,


    "Fine, this city is finished!" Down came the sword and the mad waves of death Qi, though this time there were no walls to shield the inhabitants of Lightholme from the blow. Lineir hurriedly looked for cover, despairing his luck to be caught up in this struggle so soon after the events at the pillar.


    FFFhhhhhaaaaa!


    At that moment however, a blazing blur of vermillion streaked by from the ocean, and slammed into the angel, as simultaneously, a thick wall of translucent purple fog rose up and shielded the city in a bubble. The waves of death Qi spread harmlessly against the walls and dissipated, and the hordes of undead outside could only hammer helplessly against this barrier. Inside, the remaining paladins, priests, and soldiers soon got the situation under control, fighting evenly with the undead now that there were no more undead reinforcements streaming into the city. Lineir backed away from the front lines and carefully observed the events overhead. With his Madness ability, he could make out the figures fighting in the distance.


    In front of the city, a huge purple tortoise had appeared, and from it''s shell, on which an indescribably mystical formation was naturally etched, purple fog rose which blocked out the undead. in the skies, a blazing yellow-red haired female had appeared and was doing battle with the angel. Her fiery red sword would clash with his dark blade and sparks would fly down below lighting entire cohorts of undead on fire, as raging wisps of death Qi would fall and skeletons would rise up from the ashes. From this female cultivator''s back, came beautiful wings of pure vermillion flame, the sight of which was like watching the last rays of the setting sun cross the horizon. However, as this female cultivator exchanged blows with the dark angel, the death Qi grew thicker and thicker, and fewer and fewer sparks appeared as the angel seemed to gain the upper hand.


    "Hahaha, Phoenix and Tortoise, did you come to die with your old friend? While the pact might not permit me to harm him while this city still stands, you are hardly covered by the Heaven''s ways! But where are your companions? No matter, stay right there tortoise, when I have finished with her, you''re next!" The angel was extremely excited, he had been waiting so long without response from his foe, now to finally be able to fight against an actual opponent, he was actually delighted.


    "You, fiend, to prey on mortals and steal their bodies to make such a vile army, we two divine beasts can hardly look away while holding our heads high!" The female cultivator addressed as phoenix suddenly flared up into an orange inferno, her wings expanding and her body encapsulated in fire. Wreathed in flame, she transformed into a true phoenix, leaving behind her human form, her sword expanding into a gleaming beak of fire.


    "Burn in hell!"


    From the beak of the phoenix swirled a massive orb of molten fire Qi which blasted out in a condensed hooked line. Lineir could see with his Madness ability, that this attack was not only incredibly potent, but profound, in that it condensed the energy into a compact curved line, seemingly passing around the dark angel''s sword and penetrating directly into his bone armor chest-plate. The dark angel fell back dozens of meters in the air, and below, swathes of undead seemed to grow disorientated, pieces of them falling apart as their master lost his grip over their tortured souls.


    "Kiddo, that was a pretty nice attack combining the laws of both space and fire, you should remember the technique, it will help your own understanding greatly. It''s a shame that angel has a higher cultivation base then the phoenix. I fear neither the she, nor the tortoise, will be able to handle this threat alone. See how he''s tumbling? That''s bad, if the shot had penetrated his chest-plate, it would have gone straight through and he wouldn''t have been blown back like that. A nice try though." Mei sighed.


    "Damnit, who is this Laightner that he keeps screaming for, I wish he''d come out and fight already so that I can leave this city in peace." Lineir was a little angry, he had long since connected two and two and associated Laightner with the mysterious voice and presence in the center of the city. As far as he was concerned, he was being roped into someone else''s fight. Above, the dark angel righted himself and smiled wickedly.


    "Hahahaha, that was a great attack, the Phoenix Clan''s attacks are always so profound. However, it''s a shame, no matter how long you spend honing your technique, without true strength, you cannot have true power! The power of angels far surpasses your pitiful divine beast''s cultivation! Taste the strength of Heaven for yourself!" The death Qi in his sword spiraled around as he sped through the air and delivered a thunderous blow towards the exhausted phoenix. At the last second however...


    PUCHA!


    Drops of blood and flickering flame dripped down from the skies.


    "Go! You can rein..." The tortoise from below had leapt up and taken the blow for the phoenix, which had reverted into a beautiful red haired woman. The purple haze which had been obstructing the undead fell as the sword imbued with death Qi pierced the tortoises'' shell and continued on to slash a vicious wound into the phoenix''s'' chest. The tortoise, sagged and exploded into a blast of purple Qi, shoving the wounded woman towards the city and pushing the angel back. Just like that, the tortoise was gone. The mysterious voice rang out once more,


    "Oh you black sheep, to kill my friends, you will pay. Enjoy your empty victory today, but one day, horned goat, the dragon and tiger will come for you if you bleat so loud!"


    Ting! Ting! Ting!


    A tinkling noise came as uncountable chains broke. From the center of the city, an incomparably glorious pillar of light shot up, and inside, Lineir just barely made the image of a sleeping angel.


    "Laightner you dare run! You show your true colors! Very well, I''ll take your city and the souls of all inside as compensation for your cowardice! Enjoy little mortals, you see now the folly of following Laightner!" The dark angel leaned back and angrily waved his hands, urging the undead onward to the city. Inside, Lineir''s eye''s paled.


    "How the heck am I supposed to sneak out with an immortal watching! If I go out and start slaughtering undead, he''s bound to take notice!"


    "Sorry kiddo, looks like you''re out of luck. I was hoping this Laightner would defend his city, but angels are never trustworthy. Make for the ocean, just stay away from that angel for as long as you can." Mei was worried now. Her last resort wouldn''t work now. She could only hope for a miracle. As Lineir turned, he was suddenly smacked in the back, and sent sprawling under a heavy hot weight.


    "What the...?!!" Lineir turned and lifted himself up as a beautiful female body slid off of him. Weak flames seemed to lick around a terrible gash in her pristine chest.


    "The phoenix? She''s alive?" Lineir was about to finally dislodge himself from under her, when her eye''s snapped open and a glowing flame streaked across her brow like a crown.


    "Mei, what''s happening!" Lineir frantically tried to back away, but the woman had somehow in an instant, locked her legs around him and begun to burn. In seconds, her body began to fade away, replaced by whirling pieces of orange ash. From below, her feet, legs, body and arms all disappeared into the flames. Before her head disappeared, she leaned in and delivered a blazing hot kiss onto Lineir''s lips before disappearing altogether. Dumbfounded, Lineir could only stand there and receive this flaming touch in shock. In his mouth, sizzling specks of ash sent a torrent of warm fire Qi into his body, quickly surging into his Second Heart. There, the darkness and lightning seemed to welcome the specks of ash and merge with them, a roaring flame began to build.


    ROARRR!!


    The burning feeling in his shoulder blades from earlier sped up, as the familiar madness transformed the visage, not into a flaming landscape of destruction. Flames wreathed his eyes, and his shoulder blade itched like they would combust into ashes as well. A boiling desire to destroy spread in his blood, and he felt ready to do something... His eye''s snapped up in a murderous rage at the angel lazily waving on his undead army in the sky. He felt the desire to kill this angel!


    Suddenly the dark angel, enjoying his victory above, felt an intense murderous desire, in direct defiance of the Heavens. Below, he saw a mere mortal, staring up at him from the ruined, abandoned city, and sneered. A mere human dared to challenge an immortal? He laughed at the thought, and returned to urging his troops on, a little embarrassed to have even lowered his gaze.


    Lineir, terrified, was tensing every muscle, and holding himself rigidly upright as his neck seemed to move beyond his control. A smooth but angry female voice came into his head.


    "Mortal boy, it seems you have some ability, to be capable of serving as a vessel for my reincarnation! I regret having to use your body as fuel, you will have to blame that one up there for forcing me to take such drastic measures!" Suddenly, flames seemed to sear through Lineir''s entire being. As the flames spread to one of his shoulders, suddenly they met resistance and he heard a familiar petulant voice,


    "Who the hell dare''s touch my mate!" However, the words quickly cut off as the flames spread even deeper into his being. Then, as they burned away everything of his in pure fire, the flames tried to leave his body and condense. However....


    "You have an excellent body young mortal, most would have burned up long ago, excellent fuel for my rebirth!" The phoenix crowed in his mind, only for a sudden shriek and a squawk of dismay to appear.


    "You... what are you... you were a practitioner! How are you so powerful!" From deep inside his Second Heart, a raging pull came. The spinning vortex of darkness, lightning, and the mysterious turbulent red, grabbed the orange flames which were trying to leave with Lineir''s life force, and forcefully intertwined with them, yanking them back inside and weaving them into his cultivation base instead!


    "You think you can contain a divine beast! Without an outlet for my flame, no human below the level of immortal can hold me and not be burnt!" A furious female voice raged endlessly, and the flames spinning in his core expanded, only to be drawn to Lineir''s back. From his shoulder blades, glowing orange wings binded by chains of lightning and darkness appeared. Mei suddenly chuckled,


    "Phoenixes can reincarnate, this one must have thought to have used you, an unsuspecting mortal, as food for its rebirth. However... the eagle grabbed onto the worm only to realize the worm was a snake! She can only blame her own destiny as her cultivation and ancestral techniques are absorbed by your Second Heart!"

 61 Ancestral Fusion

    A power stone a day keeps the chapter blues away!


    The swirling energy fused deep inside of Lineir''s Second Heart, and he felt his cultivation break through to the next level. As it did, he felt... more connected with the world. He could sense the way the world seemed to bind itself together, its delicate intricacies and the elaborate relationships between things which made cause and effect. It was like he had been living in a fuzzy cloud his whole life, but now the haze was fading away, to leave clear sky which had been there all along. The only difference was now he could see it.


    The brilliant flaring wings on his back soon caught the attention of the angel who had been pointedly staring at the heavens.


    "Phoenix! You''ve renounced your honor and chosen to use a mortal body to be reborn huh? So much for your justice! No matter, you should have fled when you had the chance, I''ve already tasted your most powerful techniques, the end result will be the same!" The angel hurriedly drew his sword and began drawing out waves of death Qi once again. Lineir sighed,


    "This wretched Phoenix, she might have helped my cultivation, and given me some ancestral techniques, but now I have to fight an immortal?" Lineir might be a little stronger, but it was clear that the destructive power of immortals was still beyond him. There was simply no way to contend against those whose might could collapse entire city walls!


    "Kiddo... don''t curse her just yet, the Phoenix Clan has some pretty potent techniques, and there may yet be a way out for you, can''t you sense all that raging fire Qi?" Mei was excited, the amount of fire Qi was significant. Lineir examined the inside of his Second Heart, which seemed to have turned into a spinning molten ball of flame. There, he found a dense fire Qi which he could not control.


    "It''s indeed as you say, Mei, there is a ton of fire Qi, but I can''t control it! Shoot, that angel is about to attack, what should I do?" Lineir knew trying to reason with the angel would not work. Even if he could somehow convince the angel that he was not the phoenix, why would the angel let him go? He was going to destroy the city in any case.


    "Ugh, I don''t use fire techniques in general, so all the ones I know are too complicated to explain to you. However, there may be another way. Those ancestral techniques, through them you should naturally be able to control this flame Qi, which is definitely immortal level. See if you can understand them!"


    Lineir nudged around in his mind, prodding. Soon, split fractions of a second later, he found a layer of thought which was not his, yet was intricately being absorbed. When he focused his attention on this layer of thought, it was as if he could feel the repetitions of countless generations of phoenix practitioners. Each movement had been passed on through the bloodline till it reached this phoenix, and now that he had absorbed her essence, the bloodline was naturally under his control!


    "Yes! I''ve found it, but none of these techniques are powerful enough to help us escape! She already used her most powerful move earlier, this is all pointless." Lineir despaired, while he could sense how to use this incredibly dense flame Qi, he knew from these ancestral memories that the power of each move would be insufficient to penetrate the angel''s bone armor. Especially if he, as a mortal, was using them. Even with the right Qi, his body wasn''t sufficiently powerful to fully draw out the potential of these potent techniques. Suddenly, he heard the phoenix''s voice, a voice as angry as a starving flame,


    "Mortal boy! I don''t know how you managed to take control of my bloodline, but if you swear to use what I tell you against that Death Angel, I will tell you of a move even more powerful than those you''ve absorbed!" It was evident that the phoenix felt intense hatred for the angel, and even if it meant helping the one who had absorbed her, she was willing to go down with him! Lineir initially felt distrustful, but staring at the horrifying wave of Death Qi trailing from the angel''s sword, clearly about to come crashing down, he cast aside his distrust.


    "I swear! Quick, tell me!" He yelled out loud.


    "Very well, you saw my primary technique is a beak attack earlier right? That''s in my ancestral memories, the strongest penetrating technique of the Phoenix Clan, Lancing Curve, furthermore, there is a leg technique, Flame Kick. I have been working for years to fuse these techniques. I will imbue my knowledge to you, while incomplete, if you can utilize a portion of the combined power of this technique, then you may be able to take him by surprise because the destructive potential of this technique is many times its parts. Learn fast, he''s coming!"


    Instantly, as the Phoenix''s words were spoken, Lineir felt a profound amount of information flow into him regarding this technique. However, it was clear that it was incomplete. Mei, inside his Second Heart, observed this technique.


    "This is good! But it''s too incomplete... use it with the footwork I taught you! My footwork techniques far exceed any of these techniques in complexity and level, you should be able to bridge the gap in comprehension with it!"


    Mei could only suggest this insane course of action. While what she said was theoretically possible, the waves of death Qi were already pouring out of the angel''s sword towards the city. This entire conversation had happened in moments, and Lineir would have to bridge the gap in comprehension in an instant. Furthermore, there was only enough flame Qi in his core for one shot. If he messed it up, even a little, there wouldn''t be enough to try again. Lineir''s eye''s snapped up to the encroaching waves of Qi. Then he looked beyond to the angel and smiled. The wings on his back flickered, and he disappeared!


    The angel had just finished his swing, and was gleefully anticipating the destruction of more of his hated enemies'' city,


    "Ah, to be able to kill your opponent twice, phoenixes do have their good points! Hahaha"


    A second later though, his mouth dropped as he felt a presence at his back. There was no killing intent, but he felt the shadow of death for the first time in his years as an Immortal. He immediately turned his neck to see a human boy at his back, wings of red flame blazing, and a pitch black sword of night leveled at him. He sneered, despite his initial shock,


    "Come on, Phoenix, don''t try to fool me, I know you don''t have enough strength after resurrecting to harm me!"


    However, Lineir didn''t even bother correcting him. His left leg alighted in flame and he spun to swing it out in a vicious frontal roundhouse, a long talon of flame stretching out to give the impression of a Phoenixes'' kick passing through the air. The angel hurriedly sensed a terrifying heat dropped down, dodging below. however, with his back turned, Lineir continued the momentum of the spin to launch out a back kick with his right leg, another line of flame scything across the sky to form a terrifying X of fire. The angel, having already moved down, could only dodge slightly, and he felt the flames licking across his arms as they passed by. Lineir muttered,


    "The claws grip the prey... and then the beak plucks out their heart!" The momentum of his back kick added on to his roundhouse spin, and he brought his right arm across his back while facing away from the opponent to launch a massive slice right at the lower half of the x. The angel, having already moved to dodge the first two kicks, could only receive this flaming sword cut with his body.


    "Blast Cross Kick!"


    Lineir, having delivered this final blow with his back facing the enemy, turned to observe the results of this never before seen fusion technique.


    This technique, crossed two kicks, one a roundhouse swipe, and the other, a fierce curved back kick, to create an X trapping the opponent between two lines of flame. The final blow was then delivered with a beak, or in Lineir''s case, a sword, and would deal massive damage using the spin of the two kicks to add momentum and strike the "grasped" target. It really was a Phoenix technique, as if his kicks were talons holding the prey still as his beak came to pierce the flesh.


    Lineir had combined the scattered hints he was given by the phoenix, with Mei''s footwork perfectly, fusing two separate Phoenix clan techniques, and an unfathomably deep footwork into one new technique.


    Boom Boom Boom Booooom!


    The angel tried to receive the blow with his sword, but was too slow after launching his waves of death Qi technique, and took the hit dead on with his chest plate. The flaming sword cut, seemed to cut into him, then exploded into an endless blaze of flame which shook the skies. Red fire roses blossomed across the sky, a bouquet of deadly flowers which expanded and then retracted creating huge booms. Each was bigger than the last, and finally a heart-shaking explosion rang out as all the previous ones retracted into one final display of destruction. From the explosion, the angel emerged, ashen, and smoking, his armor rent to pieces, and a huge charred scar still glowing in his chest. Even as an immortal, while he would not die from this alone, this was a serious wound! Lineir met his pained gaze with red eyes glowing with madness. The angel began to back away, as a dark portal appeared behind him.


    "You''re not the Phoenix! Mortal, who the hell are you! Damn you, Heaven will not allow you to defy its ways for long! Fool! You have slighted Heaven!" He dropped back into the portal and vanished with it. Lineir slumped in the air and descended.


    "Glad that''s over."


    Then the Phoenix spoke to him again,


    "Thank you for fulfilling your oath, but the undead will keep coming so long as he''s alive." Lineir looked down and started. It was as she said, down below thousands of undead were pouring into the city, which had been utterly blown apart by the waves of death Qi. Lineir quickly realized the dense fire Qi which had fueled his insanely powerful attack on an immortal angel was all but gone. His own cultivation base would not be enough to sustain flight for more than a short span of time, and the fiery wings on his back dimmed slightly as the energy feeding it started coming from his own far lesser Qi. He stared down below at the masses of undead and sighed,


    "Plan B it is I guess...."

 62 Lord Ligh

    Lineir was trying to decide what to do. Should he make for the overrun city, or head out directly through the undead? His face turned ashen as he viewed the status of the city. For a second he hesitated, then he smiled.


    "Mei, you''re part of me right? So if I were to let go of you, you could simply dissipate and reform even if i don''t retrieve you personally?"


    As he spoke, he began to fly over the burning nightmare of a city. There was literally nothing left of the once famed walls which had guarded the city for so many years. The Death Angel had blasted them clean away, and on the streets, soldiers, paladins, and priests mingled with ordinary citizens at the edge of the water, looking for a way out now that their God had deserted them. The situation looked hopeless, but humans will always fight at their most tenacious when their backs are against a wall. Lineir, however, saw a very different sight from up high. In the distance, beyond the horizon, a fleet of ships filled with banners of other holy cities was sailing at terrific speed, with cultivators holding bags of wind Qi to the sails to increase their speed.


    However, they were too far off. By the time they made it, there would nothing left but a drowned city, filled with those whose last breath was a choking mass of undead flesh, or those who would rather chose to fill their lungs with the gentler sea.


    "Kiddo, you''re right. The price to reform won''t be cheap of course, it certainly isn''t efficient to ever do such a thing, but yes, I will be able to reform, for a portion of energy. Why do you ask? You wouldn''t be planning on..." Mei''s voice trailed off as she seemed to remember something. Lineir quickly began to cut along the coast, losing altitude the entire time. He smirked as he looked into the mirror like black blade in his hand, a priceless legendary weapon which was a legacy of one who defied the Heavens. Then he threw it directly into the swarms of undead. Mei shrieked


    "KIDDO!!!!! I''ll get you back for this!!!!!"


    "Sorry Mei-Mei, but I can''t let a whole city die when hope is so near!" He turned and kept flying along the coast away from the city.


    "I''m sorry people of Lightholme, but this is all I can do by myself! Even if the Heaven''s have abandoned you, I can at least try to give you a chance..."


    SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOO!! BOOM!!!


    From the skies, suddenly a mysterious black blade fell down with terrifying speed, blasting an entire group of undead into pieces. In the middle of where the city walls used to stand tall, it stuck into the ground. Lineir, flying away as fast as possible, heard Mei''s voice,


    "Idiot, if you go that far away, it won''t hit me. Slow down!"


    He slowed down, and hovered, below the undead were thinner, he had flown over the worst of the horde, which stretched for several leagues. The overwhelmed defenders, were fighting on their last breath. Priests long since out of mana, women, and children had joined in on the fight, throwing rocks, and at times, even forced into heart wrenching close combat. This city, once so proud, was driven to its knees, and gasping for air as the tides of darkness rolled over it.


    "There''s too many!"


    "We''re so close but we''ll never make it!"


    "Lord of Lightholme, deliver us!"


    Behind, they had seen the ships, but had long since given up. Though they could see that the cultivators on the ships were frantically coming at all speed, they just weren''t going to make it. Suddenly, a small boy picking up rocks to throw at the horde, saw a sight which caused him to stare in confusion. He nudged a girl doing the same next to him, and she too dropped the rocks she was holding and stared. Soon, all the children were staring, and some of the adults, too tired to fight anymore. As they lay there weakly, they stared at something they could not understand. Stretching up towards the sky, was a black line. This black line kept growing and growing, ten meters, thirty meters, fifty, one hundred! It extended into the sky which had grown dark and stormy. This black line was precisely Mei''s sword, growing longer and longer.


    Boom!


    An explosion rang out which shocked everyone present, the rumbling boom made everyone jump, several paladins lost their grip on their weapons, they were so startled. In an instant, a savage bolt of white lightning sprang down and touched the black line. Tribulation lightning! The energy ran across the length, and into the ground.


    BRRRRRAAAAAANG!!!


    A metallic noise of electricity striking ground came, and a dust cloud plumed up as the hit instantly destroyed hundreds of undead at once. The clouds seemed to gather over the line, and again and again it happened!


    BRRRAAaaaaaaang!!


    Lightning would strike and the undead below were vaporized. The tides of undead thinned as this black line turned into a pillar of hope!


    "Ugh not enough, guess I''ll have to take one for these mortals, they don''t know how lucky they are that my disciple is so charitable." Mei sighed internally, but she was only feigning it. While she didn''t really care about the life and death of those not associated with her, she was still a little inclined to help. Seemingly of its own accord, the black pillar fell over, hundreds of meters long, it created a line which the undead could not pass, on either side the raging ocean blocked off access.


    Behind, the inhabitants of Lightholme groaned, this pillar which had seemed to be fending off the undead had fallen! However, a second later, another bolt of Tribulation lightning fell, and cheers rang out as the lightning channeled horizontally across the ground.


    KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!


    Instead of simply causing a single explosion below, lightning ran across the giant sword horizontally as it lay on the ground, and a line of destruction seared through, creating a wall of electricity which burned everything nearby. Every time a bolt of lightning would hit, it would flare up and eradicate all undead crossing it, cutting off Lightholme from the horde! The defenders inside suddenly saw hope as the tide of undead seemed to peter out without reinforcements. But would the lightning keep coming, and would the pillar hold for long enough? For several minutes, lightning continued to fall, and the bluish wall of electricity incinerated undead. The defenders could only fight on against the undead which had already passed, and glance back nervously at the ships which were speeding towards the port. The children all clenched their fingers, and bit their lips, and their parents were no better.


    Those fighting could only keep praying the wall held. Suddenly, the lightning stopped falling, and the wall disappeared, as well as the black metallic line which had held off the horde! The defenders could only bite their cheek until blood ran and heft their weapons one last time, parents gripped their children... if the undead broke through, they would rather enter the ocean''s embrace then see their children become undead!


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Fireballs fell into the ranks of the undead from the defender''s backs, and fiery arrows lit with tar. The first of the ships had arrived! Cultivators leaped off to defend what remained of the city. One, dressed in glowing robes of purple roared out orders,


    "On the ships! Children and women first! Defensive arrays up! Damnit, hurry up, can''t you see these people are exhausted, evacuate the city now! Go, go! I don''t care if you have to throw them on the ships, there''s too many to hold!" Soon, the rest of the fleet arrived, and massive defensive arrays were launching fireballs into the horde, wreaking havoc. Fresh paladins poured off and the commander began directing Judgements, cutting into the undead and pushing them back. When he saw that every last citizen left was on the ships, he made a motion, and they fell back. The ships pushed off and launched out with the evening tide, and he and the paladins leaped back on.


    "I don''t know what expert kindly held off those undead, but thank the God''s he did, to think the holiest city of Lightholme would fall, this day is a dark one indeed. Let''s go! Lightholme is no more! Back to Farlit City, we need to bring news of this calamity immediately!"


    The ships sped away, but every man, woman, and child looking back would forever remember the image of the once glorious city of Light, smoking, its proud, tall walls fallen, and its streets lined with undead, grimly staring directly at the survivors. Lines of fingers like the stalks of a hideous field of weeds in a rotten marsh pointed in their direction, seemingly singling out every person as a target of their hate. However, the crowd felt warmth instead of despair. Though the clear blue sky was no longer mingling with a single dark storm cloud, the people remembered that when the Heaven''s had turned away, someone had sent down a black sword, no a pillar to bring salvation. One by one, fueled by stories from a certain squadron and sergeant who claimed to know this expert, the people began to worship a new god. The Lord Light!

 63 Homecoming

    Lineir''s Qi ran out right around when the undead truly began to thin out. If before they had been a thick river, now they were little more than a thin stream trickling down. In fact, Lineir had actually seen some undead grow disorientated and begin to disperse. A few had outright fallen into pieces and scattered on the wind, especially the larger ones. It would seem the mysterious death angel had achieved his aims and no longer had any use for his disposable army now that Lightholme had fallen. After dispatching a few wanton undead, Lineir actually found a moment of peace. He quickly used a darkness enforced kick to smash a hole into the ground.


    Krack!


    Sinking down, he settled down to cultivate and stabilize his Second Heart which had been wildly blazing during his flight. Random flares of fire Qi would occur from time to time, and his darkness and lightning elements would suddenly appear in intertwined links to chain in these eruptions. The Phoenix had been completely quiet after releasing that final technique to Lineir, and he wasn''t sure if she would wake again. Regardless, he was fine if she didn''t, he wasn''t keen on fighting for supremacy over his own body with another powerful divine being, he had enough trouble controlling the Madness and he could only thank the heavens that his master at least was on his side.


    In this makeshift cultivation cave, Lineir spent several days meditating to restore his exhausted Qi and try to grasp the method for controlling the raging fire Qi. He began to absorb some of the cores he had obtained on the mountain again, and his Second Heart greedily sucked in the exceedingly pure golem energy.


    "Kiddo, you''re energy is now at the middle stage of the Raging Storm Stage, and you can begin to cultivate from cores again. Be careful, you''ve been marked by so many different legacies and there are so many elements involved in your cultivation that if you do not properly control their conflicts, you will naturally be torn apart!"


    As Lineir''s energy returned, he came to realize just how much more powerful he had become. It could be said that qualitatively his power had only risen up partway through the Raging Storm Stage, but he could feel that the spinning storm cloud in his Second Heart was now far larger and teeming with Qi of all sorts. A sudden flash of insight appeared inside his mind. A painting of what was to be appeared, a massive storming hurricane unleashed terrifying lightning below, yet this lightning did not simply flash, it thundered through in a condensed manner as the shadow of the cloud, covered in darkness, sealed in the lightning''s terrifying outbursts and focused them into burning streams of light.


    Hong Hong Braaaaaaaang!


    These streams seemed to set an endless Qi sea below alight as if it was oil channeling great flames whose heat stoked the clouds above to ever greater power! All of these Qi''s were perfectly balanced in this portrait, and Lineir could feel an overarching force guiding this all. This force was slowly feeding off this perfect combination of disorder, each Qi violently raging without completely destroying each other and growing ever stronger! Soon it would break free! Lineir shivered as the entire portrait flashed with a ghastly crimson red aura which permeated every section as if it was within the particles.


    Startled, Lineir stopped meditating and opened his eyes to find that several days had passed, and his cultivation was stable. In his Second Heart, there was even a small coal like ember which was feeding off a chain of lightning and darkness wrapped around it. This was the beginning of the portrait he had seen! With a roar, he awakened and spread his wings, his bone scythes came out and he exploded from the ground like a chick breaking free from an egg. Suddenly, as he ascended into the sky with burning wings of flame, a humorous voice called out from behind him in the sky,


    "Oops, I was just watching, I didn''t expect you to wake up so soon."


    Lineir whirled around, his bone scythes instantly at the ready to do battle. He had been completely unable to sense this humorous voice''s owner at all. The current Lineir was different from before. His bone scythes had become more elegant and refined, and had begun to take on a black sheen reminiscent of Mei''s sword. It was evident that her presence as part of his undead heart had some interesting effects on their development. As compared to before, they had grown in, and actually had less reach than before. However, they essentially followed the curvature of his forearm and as such protected them like armor. The burning wings on his back gave him a magnificent aura like the divine phoenix. Lastly, while it was impossible to tell even for those who possessed a cultivator''s eyesight, minute sparks of lightning danced in Linier''s eyes, and a red haze permeated the white''s of his eyes as darkness danced around the pupil. All this led to Lineir''s appearance being much changed from before. To be honest, he looked slightly evil, it was evident that his path was stained with the slaughter of a true cultivator, and that he was no stranger to killing anymore. This was not a person to approach lightly. However, this person behind Lineir had clearly taken all this in and still declared his presence. He was either an idiot or powerful enough not to care who he addressed.


    "Kiddo, watch out, this one is not ordinary, I cannot detect any Qi being emitted from his person. His control is extraordinarily fine for somebody in a mortal realm. Somebody like that is not to be trifled with."


    Mei instantly recognized that the person Lineir had met had none of the aura of an expert, and thus must precisely not be someone ordinary. This kind of control was definitely not normal for this plane, even the immortal death angel did not have anywhere near such extraordinary control as to emit no Qi. Lineir took a close look at exactly who he was dealing with, but could only blink his eyes in surprise.


    The person in front of him was initially hazy, but as he noticed Lineir looking at him, he exclaimed,


    "Oops, I forgot where I was, I don''t need to worry particularly about Heaven''s gaze here." Soon, his appearance solidified and turned into an even stranger picture. What emerged was a fairly tall man clothed entirely in purple robes from head to toe. However, the strange thing about him was that he was simply slack in every respect. There was absolutely no tension in his body whatsoever, it was as if he was not truly standing, but being held up. His body shifted in odd ways, and it looked almost as if he was but a puppet, held up by some unforeseeable steel cable.


    "You''re doing nicely kiddo, I really like that touch back at Lightholme, nothing like gathering a little faith early, just be careful, that was just the beginning, you can expect more of those heavenly idiots to wander around now that we are adrift. Well, I can''t talk, have fun. and good luck!"


    Just like that, the figure became hazy again, and disappeared completely. Mei sighed,


    "If I''m not mistaken kiddo, that guy is definitely an expert of this realm. Be thankful he didn''t have ill intentions. Time to go, you still need to find your way home!"


    Lineir sighed as well as he looked around at the endless forest. He had a rough idea of where he was, and it was not going to be easy finding his way back.


    "En.... I have a promise to fill, family to find, and a debt of blood to be repaid." His eye''s glinted darkly and the lightning inside pulsed insidiously at the last words, his bone scythes seemed to ominously shine with the red of split blood, and a whispering hiss rang out as the sinister presence of hydra filled the air.


    "Those old fools from Brackenrock City tried to steal from me what was mine. I will show them what it is to take from me. I will take my sister to a place where there is no hunger. I will show them what it is to really be a cultivator. I will take her away from that hell. I will show them what it is to leave one alive who walks The Nine Paths of Asura!"


    End to Book One.

 64 Whisper on the Wind

    In an old world as the pillars shatter, an immortal sagged against the air, hands bereft of any crutch or shoulder.


    He stood there unmoving and mute as if he had turned to stone. However, his mind was anything but firm, inside turbulent oceans raged and molten tides of fury and disbelief overturned his most trusted beliefs. He felt his faith shatter that day. Nine brothers and sisters had once walked together moving oceans and adventuring under the heavens with abandon. However, today, eight brothers and sisters continued to walk together in the light and one brother was left by the wayside. As he stared at the backs of those he once called friends he came to realize that he couldn''t call them friends now. With his mind filled with silent alternating screams of rage and despair he turned and walked a darker path.


    His steps were slow and filled with a sense of ponderousness. Each breath felt as if he was pushing against the world itself and it was as heavy as a mountain on his chest.


    "Where do I go now? I have nothing left." He wanted to break down and cry, but he knew it would do no good. As lightning began to crackle and rain came, tears stealthily mixed in amongst them, unseen and unheard. Heaven''s wrath poured from the skies as if trying to wipe out his miserable existence from the earth. He chuckled instead of sobbing and forced a slight but terrible grin to his face. This was his path and he could do nothing but walk, such was destiny. Terrible thoughts came to mind.


    "What if I did this differently...what if I had just... what if I was not who I am..." Such doubts, such regrets, and endlessly tears tasting of terror slipped out unwanted like their creator. For an indeterminate amount of time he wandered in the dark and cold and wet and sometimes he even became lost in time. He''d dwell in his darkest thoughts and suddenly he''d be in the light again, traveling the world and slaying all demons outside and within with those he could call friends without a doubt. Then he''d scream inside as he knew he was lying to himself and he just wanted to yell,


    "HELP ME!!" but the only one who''d listen had long since walked away, together...WITHOUT HIM! His steps faltered at times, breaking down as he contemplated just lying down and giving up, but he kept walking just for something to do. If he stopped...his thoughts overran his being and he became no one. Just leftovers and he dwelt on how he had stopped in time as others moved on. No, it was better to walk, it gave him the illusion that he was moving in time again. Plod, plod, plod. When the dirt compressed beneath, his feet sank in deep, the rain had long since loosened up the soil and he found that it was no longer a trick of his mind, each step WAS harder! But he kept walking. Who knows how many days and nights he walked, it all felt the same beneath the endless rain, and he had long since surpassed the point where he needed to eat and drink as mortals to survive.


    There was no indication how long he had gone, and suddenly, as his thoughts endlessly circled and accumulated into a massive dark cloud inside, a bolt of lightning lit the world around him in endless fire and the crackling heat seared through him as the ground below gave way.


    BOOOOOOOOM!!!


    Down, down, down he finally fell and walked no more. In despair, he felt a horrifying feeling as he realized he didn''t know where he was. Falling forever, the light of the lightning passed and he saw that he had wandered to the edge of a towering cliff and the edge had been rent by the blast, and he along with it, tumbled away into the vast deep ocean below.


    Plop!


    The water crashed into him, and sucked him in without a trace, the dark sea holding him close and tight like the friends he thought he used to have. As he sank, he mused for the hundredth time,


    "Did I really have these friends? Were they real or did I dream them? Perhaps I just made them up and I''ve been walking alone this whole time. After all, if they were really friends would they have left me? How long has it been?"


    Down. Down.. Down... Down...


    Into the black depths he went, deeper and deeper until the darkness, even worse than the lightless existence above, was all he saw. He raged hopelessly as his breath slowly dragged out, his body, weakened from hopelessly wandering finally began to give. The pressure surrounded him and he felt his heartbeat slam against his temples. With every pulsing beat, he felt a frantic desire to live but it was beaten down in despair as he remembered that there was no one above who would miss him when he was gone. He kept sinking and the pressure increased, millions of tons of water crushing his body and mind. As he was almost gone, he let out that terrible grin one last time and chuckled a few pathetic last bubbles out.


    Glub Glub Glub


    A flash of overpowering hatred overtook him. Forged of regret, despair, and hopelessness, but not any of these things, this was hatred. Sheer venom and terrible desire.


    "If only..." Then a flash of brilliant red came across the backs of his closed eyes and they snapped open to catch a glimpse of something...else. The bright underworld of the deep was lit for the first time in who knows how long. A bloody black and red lightning bolt from the world above surged through the water illuminating an underwater city abandoned since ancient times, lost beneath the waves. Below him, a crimson sword engraved with dragons gleamed as the strange colored lightning raced down from the Heavens into this lost world. He sank down above the sword and the red lightning smashed through him into the sword flooding the world with red. His will was overpowering as he was erased from the world,


    "If only I could try again!"


    Lineir had been wandering the lands for a long time. From desolate desserts to verdant forests, he continued evermore towards home. Using rough approximations and the stars, his cultivator''s memory turned the knowledge he gained from his time in Lightholme to a direction. A direction which meandered towards Brackenrock city. As he went, his cultivation base stabilized as he fought for his life against the various beasts of the land. Most were unable to really challenge him, but they gave him a chance to hone his skills and get used to his new strength. He took care to avoid most of the larger beasts which might pose a threat. While he could probably handle the majority of them, dragons and fish swim in the same waters and Lineir was well aware that one unfortunate encounter with such a being could very well end his life.


    Lineir was most terrified actually of dragons. While some specific land behemoths or water serpents might pose a threat to him in a head on fight, he could take to the air for a short while to evade them with his fire Qi wings. These phoenix wings gave him an extreme edge which he normally would not possess at his stage of cultivation. He was simply much faster than most cultivator with their flying swords and could fly much higher. That combined with Mei''s footwork techniques gave him the confidence to roam the wild mostly without fear. After not feeling any apprehension for a month or two, Lineir suddenly felt a tremor shake his soul.


    rrrruuuumble...


    It was as if his whole being was rattling, no resonating with something ahead of him. Whatever it was, it was far, but this incredibly deep tremor could reach him still. It did not take Lineir long to realize that it was in fact his undead heart which was resonating with this tremor. As he was about to ask what was going on,


    "Deathblade!" Mei''s voice rang in Lineir''s ears with the force of all her soul. Lineir almost staggered at the force.


    "Sorry, it''s been a long time since I''ve felt the touch of a Deathblade. To encounter something that powerful in a mortal realm like this is suspicious. Very suspicious. No mortal realm should have a Deathblade." Mei sighed longingly. She recalled the feeling of a blade in hand, an untouchable expert traversing the Heavens, and nostalgia welled up in her heart.


    "I would know this feeling anywhere, somewhere on this plane, a Deathblade has appeared...the question is... who owns it and why would they come here?" Mei was curious but extremely cautious.


    "Disciple, a Deathblade''s energy vastly surpasses anything on this plane. I leave the choice up to you. While I doubt anyone on this entire continent could sense a Deathblade''s coming except for me, unless the owner wishes to become a hidden expert, the appearance of a Deathblade will no doubt bring surging waves across this shallow land. At your level, a Deathblade is a terrifying existence which you cannot hope to fathom. At the same time, the upheaval such a Deathblade brings will send countless opportunities to those who are lucky enough to catch them. It''s your choice whether or not to continue forward."


    Lineir did not think for long,


    "This Deathblade is ahead of us correct?" He asked and Mei replied,


    "Yes."


    "Then we go. I am heading to Brackenrock city, Deathblade or not. If we are fated to meet, then we are fated to meet, if not, then I can only continue on my path." His resolve was unshakeable, and Lineir boldly continued on his way though the tremors in his heart only grew stronger as he continued. However, while his undead heart might shake, his Third Heart, his path to survival and his way of perceiving the Dao felt nothing. Live or die Lineir was willing to walk his path. While he feared the end, it would be pointless to stop walking from fear alone. Such a fate, to walk without purpose was the same as dying anyway.


    "A whisper on the wind..." A faint murmur slipped into Lineir''s ears from afar. He instantly paused on the path, cocking his ears and swiveling his head like an owl. Mei seemed confused,


    "Kiddo, why did you stop? You can''t possibly be tired already, you''re a cultivator!"


    It came again, the voice streaming across his ears like a freezing line of ice cold water,


    "I can mend..." And Lineir felt shock as he realized Mei could not hear this voice. This was truly strange, as a general rule, Mei had far sharper senses than Lineir as she had access to not only his senses, but had an immense ability to sense Qi based on her previous cultivation.


    "What''s wrong kiddo, there''s nothing there?" The next words were louder, and far more terrifying, Lineir could only imagine that the speaker was in unimaginable pain as the voice was clearly tainted by insanity.


    "It burns... he-he-hahahaha!"


    Lineir''s gaze snapped towards the distance and he shuddered. Despite the fact that he had been tempered by many experiences in his travels he could tell that the owner of this voice was unfathomably more experienced than he was, and possessed a massive killing intent. Not just killing intent though, this man, surely a cultivator of some sort, walked a path shod with blood. He realized as he stared at the empty air, that the voice was coming directly from where Mei had said the Deathblade had appeared, and when he told Mei, she became silent for a long while. The two, master and disciple, sword and man, continued on their way in silence, with every step, Lineir felt a foreboding feeling grow in his mind and body. A faint pressure tickled his heart and he had the feeling that this time, he would not leave the battles ahead unscathed.

 65 Meis First Sect Rule

    Lineir entered a strange valley. With his sharp cultivator''s eyes he saw that as far as he could see, there were strange round stones, easily the size of his old ghetto apartment in Brackenrock City. They were all unusually round, and most were partially buried in the ground so only the tops were sticking out. As he stepped on one it had a weird sensation, clearly hard stone, but it almost felt like it had some give. He shook his head and kept walking only to see a figure off in the distance. A second later, his jaw dropped.


    A huge man appeared off in the distance, his body was reminiscent of some of the meatheads who only practiced strength training and did manual labor all day. Such people often neglected their inner strength and would never truly ascend the path of cultivation. However, he was dressed in multiple layers of rich and luxuriant fur, with golden yellow and bright red stripes throughout forming a pattern. To say he was a figure was an understatement, he WAS a character! Anyone who had the audacity to wear such striking clothes could only have an accompanying personality to be sure!


    "HA!!!!!"


    Far away, a massive cloud of dust plumed up as the man chopped the ground with his bare hand! A round stone slightly bigger than Lineir''s old hovel of a home popped up into the air as if it were as light and movable as air. Into the sky ten, twenty meters it soared, then down onto the fur clothed giant''s mouth!


    KANG!! CRUNCH!


    With a gruesome grinding noise, a portion of the round stone was sheared off into the man''s mouth. With a smack, the rest of the stone was held up in one huge hand the size of Lineir''s head, and then disappeared, presumably into an interspacial ring.


    "What a ferocious bite!" Lineir exclaimed, and Mei didn''t have any response which in of itself was telling of the shockingness of this.


    "What kind of cultivation method allows one to swallow stone??" The huge man then continued to walk a few steps and repeat the process on another stone, even bigger than the last! As Lineir gaped, the man turned and looked directly into Lineir''s eyes.


    "Young man! Are you too here to enjoy the Valley of Stone Mushrooms?" His voice boomed into Lineir''s ears like the trumpeting of some primal animal and Lineir had to resist the urge to instinctively clap his hands to them. He approached the man at a non-hurried pace, now that it was obvious he had noticed him. Size does not necessarily mean power in the world of cultivators, Lineir was cautious but not wary of this man. As he neared, he winced as the giant man took another gaping bite of fresh stone.


    "Delicious isn''t it? Only at this time of the year can one truly enjoy a ripe Stone Mushroom! Ahahaha" The man stared deeply at eye level and Lineir got the impression that this man was not one for deception. Smiling, he gestured and pointed at a nearby stone.


    "I''ll leave you this one young man, it''s just ripened to perfect maturity, hoho!" His guffawing left a naturally good impression on Lineir and it was with some regret that he informed the man that he wasn''t here to share in this strange behavior,


    "Senior, I''m sorry, but I''m not here for these...mushrooms... I just happened to be passing through, pray tell, exactly what is this valley?" Lineir looked somewhat skeptically at what the giant man had called mushrooms. He had to admit... there was some resemblance...a little at least...


    "WHAT!!!!! You don''t know of the Valley of Stone Mushrooms?!! Young man, how far have you come to not know of this place?!" The giant''s eyes widened for a moment giving him the appearance of a startled elephant.


    "Well, to answer your question young man, this, as you can see is a place of Stone Mushrooms. While most consider it a tourism place at this point, it is still quite famous, if only as a curiosity around these parts." He smiled and chopped another mushroom spraying dust into Lineir''s face.


    CHOMP!


    With a mouthful of rock he said,


    "However, to me, this place is a testing ground for men! True men have come here from the ages to pit themselves against the earth! If your will is true and your mettle is strong, then honing yourself here is an excellent way to train your mind and teeth!" His grin grew wider and he hefted the rock a little to prove his point. Lineir at this point was having misgivings about approaching the man and was beginning to feel a slight itch in his spine as he felt the urge to back away.


    "Come young man! I sense you''re a cultivator of some strength! Try yourself on a Stone Mushroom if you''re a real man!" The man pointed to the "mature" mushroom he had pointed out before and smiled even wider as if he was offering Lineir the greatest of delicacies. Lineir instinctively flicked his eyes to the "mushroom" and with a conciliatory smile gave some excuses,


    "Many thanks elder brother for offering this fine...errr.. mushroom, but I''m afraid my cultivation strictly forbids the consumption of stone. Sect rules you understand. But rest assured, if I could I would." Lineir put on his best grimace and sighed inside as he heard Mei dying of laughter internally.


    "AHahahaha disciple! You''re usually a good deceiver, what was THAT?!!! Sect rules ahahahah!" The man looked at Lineir''s stone faced smile and seemed to find nothing amiss after a moment.


    "Ahhh tis a true shame young man, I think based on the smell of blood on you that you are a real man indeed. A pity, a pity for sure. But I can nay argue with your sect rules. If you ever change your mind, come back and I''ll tell you how to find the best, most ripe mushrooms!" The giant man waved and Lineir clasped hands and bowed and continued on his way. Inside he shrunk a little as Mei was still laughing.


    "Come on, Master, when was the last time you had to turn down a "ripe" stone mushroom." Mei of course, only laughed harder,


    "I think I''ll make this a rule, in case I ever get another disciple. Sect rule #1. Never eat stones!"

 66 Danger in the Stone Sky!

    Lineir walked deeper into the Valley of Stone Mushrooms and soon lost himself amidst the fields of stone. Every time his feet directly touched one, he would shudder slightly at the firmness which was definitely stone and his teeth would ache. Slowly, the valley took on an upwards incline and began to slope up gently. In the distance, wisps of morning fog rolled off of a spectacular sight. Rows of ascending stone mushrooms pushed out of the ground, and rose up on stone stalks 100s of meters long into the sky. Their rounded caps were hundreds of meters wide, and they formed a dense canopy which rose off the ground like a forest!


    "Heavens! These mushrooms are ascending to the Heavens! The ones before must have only been spores, these ones are fully grown!" Even Mei was startled by the imposing size of the mushrooms ahead. Lineir however quickly realized an interesting quandary. The mushrooms where he was standing in the valley were starting to increase in size. Soon, they would be taller than he could easily climb. If in the distance, they were massive, there would essentially be a split between the tops of the mushrooms and the ground! Like heaven and earth, the tops of the mushrooms were so large as to form a sort of level surface which one could walk on, up on high in the sky! Alternatively, Lineir could travel on the ground underneath. Eventually, he started ascending the mushroom caps which had begun to reach the size of large buildings. His reasoning was that if he changed his mind, and decided he would rather be at ground level he could always descend the stalks by stabbing Mei into them and grinding his way down, in much the same way he did the Pillar. If he had instead chosen to stay at ground level, going up would be much more difficult than going down.


    Over time, Lineir walking on the top of the mushroom caps, quickly began to leave ground level. While the ground sloped upward at an alarming rate, the mushrooms increased in height at an even faster rate, 10, 20 times faster! After some time, Lineir mostly just saw mist through the gaps in the caps, with only the occasional spot of green when the wind gusted particularly hard to part the stalks below. Then a terrible omen of danger flashed through him.


    "Evade!" Mei quickly sent out a warning, and Lineir smashed a kick into the ground which blasted him sideways from his original position.


    Weng!


    A slight whisper of sound, like the noise silk makes as it slips from the hand to the floor, but magnified ten times came to the ear. It was loud enough to hear, but at the same time, nothing appeared to have happened and Lineir stared hard at where he had been standing. No overt changes had appeared, the spot he had been standing on looked exactly the same.


    "Huh... I definitely felt a sense of danger just now... and that noise... so soft yet sharp...the only thing I could compare it to would be...hmmmm" Lineir glanced once more at his previous position and gingerly walked over, staying alert.


    "Mei, doesn''t that sound just now remind you of something?" Mei could only agree and simply murmured,


    "Indeed disciple, so familiar to the ear..." She trailed off evidently deep in thought as Lineir came closer and closer to his previous spot which still appeared unchanged. As Lineir stopped and scrutinized, he thought he saw a miniscule black line...it ran through where he had been standing and continued perpendicular to where he was standing along the mushroom cap when...


    PENG!


    Suddenly the mushroom cap Lineir was standing on split into two pieces along the black line which grew into a giant gap. Lineir recalled where he had heard the sound before at the same time as Mei, they both gasped out, one mentally and one physically as they tumbled into the open air,


    "A sword cut!"


    DAN---GGG!


    A great screeching noise came as Lineir leapt off the rapidly falling halved mushroom and stabbed Mei into a nearby stalk, halting his fall. He hung there by the blade and looked down as from above, a vast swath of mushroom caps in a straight line were falling in front of him. It was as if they were sliced by the invisible blade of some strange god!


    "By the Heavens... to cut so many stone mushrooms with one blow, what force, I don''t even want to know what will happen if I''m hit by whatever that was!" Lineir felt a touch of fear inside at the thought of what had almost occurred. Regardless of any legacies he had, of the amount of internal Qi he had protecting him, the amount of force concentrated into one of those cuts would not be pleasant to experience firsthand. While true Qi was the energy of the Heavens and the Cosmos, physical force was still one of the most basic laws of the universe, and that level of force was more than enough to challenge Lineir at his cultivation level, true Qi or not. Mei suddenly spoke but Lineir sensed something falling towards him from above and didn''t have time to pay attention,


    "No...disciple, that was not the sound of a sword cut..."


    Drip...Drip...


    Lineir''s enhanced cultivators reflexes were extraordinary, and he used a miraculous acrobatic ability to twist himself around Mei''s sword as he sensed something dripping down from the sky. Unsure of whether or not it might be toxic or a threat, he twined himself around the blade and jammed it into the side of the mushroom stalk. Then he looked above as more and more strange liquid fell. Like a golden rain, it showered down from the cloven caps of stone mushrooms above, and disappeared down below into the fog. All around, it appeared to be raining golden drops of syrup.


    "This is...honey?!!!" Lineir stuck out his tongue at the realization and sure enough, from the split caps of the mushrooms above came the sweetest drops of golden honey. As the sweetness hit his brain, so too came Mei''s warning,


    "THAT WAS NO SWORD, DESCEND, GET DOWN NOW! GO! GO! GO!" Instantly all the hair on his body stood up as a lightning bolt of pure reaction came. He felt the same reaction to danger he had felt before...except this time instead of coming from one direction it was all around him!

 67 And So the Stone Sky Falls

    Speaking of stones...don''t forget to vote!


    Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng!


    A terrifying cacophony of sound came as the stone surface of mushrooms caps above Lineir disintegrated into fragmented madness!


    KACHA! PENG!


    Everywhere, monstrous lines of pure cutting force destroyed the mushroom caps and exploded the stalks into showers of golden honey which deluged Lineir as they fell. The omidirectional ominous feeling of danger reached it''s pinnacle as the shattering of the caps descended to include the stalks and approached Lineir! Instantly he planted his legs on the stalk and ripped Mei out tumbling into freefall!


    Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng!


    From all sides he felt the sensation of coming death and he twisted and turned in the air like a cat to face the indestructible blade as a shield to such threats.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Invisible forces which would have ripped his body to shreds slammed into the blade, and Lineir felt horrifying impacts of...


    "Air pressure?" he thought, as his bone scythes instantly extended to protect his arms, and his legs began to glow orange with the light of fire Qi. Mei screamed in his ear,


    "Faster! Faster! Not good enough!" And Lineir felt the number of hits increase as the stalks around him disintegrated even faster, keeping pace with his fall and almost overtaking him!


    Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng! Weng! Weng!Weng! Weng!


    "Too slow!!!!!"


    His eye''s narrowed and he decided to gamble, rotating using the force of the impacts in free fall to face directly towards the ground.


    WHOOSH!


    His fire Qi wings spread open and he shot downwards like a flaming meteor! Surpassing the zone of destruction, he pointed Mei''s blade to the ground and stabbed madly at the ground hoping to clear a hole in the ground to cushion his landing and to hide from the hell which had formed behind him.


    "Lightning Slash! Lightning Slash! Reverse Lightning Slash! Field of Lightning!"


    He twisted in the air at the last second before impact and launched his most powerful kick as well so that all his abilities would strike as he landed.


    "Blast Cross Kick!"


    BOOOOOOOOOOM!


    Lineir''s sight fell dark as a terrifying impact shuddered through him.


    When he came to, he smelled burnt earth and honey and croaked out as rivulets of sweet honey fell into his mouth,


    "Did we make it?" He heard a cold snort as Mei remarked,


    "Kiddo, I don''t know if you are the most unlucky bastard for encountering these situations, of if the Heavens truly favor you as you survive every time."


    Lineir didn''t hear any more of that terrifying sound, and the explosions had stopped. He himself was in a surprisingly shallow smoking pit formed by his abilities maybe a few meters deep. He frowned,


    "That''s odd... why did my abilities only form such a small hole...I''m not overestimating myself..." Mei cut in quickly,


    "Hah! Take a look around, your abilities did exactly as you expected, it is the land around you that has changed!"


    Quickly, Lineir clambered out of his hole, and didn''t understand at first. Then he gasped. All around he saw gradually sloping walls of earth and honey, it was as if an incomprehensibly giant bowl from the heavens had scooped out the side of the mountain and taken it with it! Just gone! However deep Lineir''s powers had burrowed into the ground, whatever devastating power had done this had almost caught up to him while also taking out half a mountain at the same time!


    "What power have I offended this time...." Lineir muttered under his breath only to hear Mei''s voice dripping with sarcasm,


    "Little disciple, you don''t seriously think YOU were the reason a Rank 1 Celestial Beast descended right? Don''t be ridiculous, Fate itself must be broken for you to be present at so many strange events. What you just witnessed was the descent of the Rank 1 Celestial Beast, Celestial Honey Hummingbird! It is famed for traveling across dimensions to find honey and it must have been attracted here by the honey contained in these mushrooms. The passing beats of its wings from leagues away are capable of creating the destruction you saw above, creating a sound reminiscent of the sharpest blades which can cut silk draped upon them, and if it ever had the intent of destruction, its beak can pierce the veil between worlds! Count yourself fortunate to have witnessed its abilities and survived!"


    Before Lineir had time to process the scale of this beast, a vast shaking came and he fell face-first into the rivulets of honey flowing back down into his hole. As his face was about to be submerged in the golden pool of honey coagulating at the bottom, he saw a glowing purple light. Then he plunged down into the honey puddle and somehow sunk through, breaking through some sort of surface like a skin. His hands desperately flailed trying to claw some purchase but to no avail, the honey simply submerged him completely and he slowly continued to sink amidst the dim purple light.

 68 The Nine Doors

    Plop!


    For a terrifying second, Lineir was surrounded by nothing but golden purple glowing honey, then he seemed to pass through a solid layer of deep purple rock. Vaguely, he caught sight of what appeared to be mystical runes swirling in the dark depths out of sight. Then he emerged on the other side into thin air, freefalling again!


    Whoosh, Tap


    He quickly righted himself, wiping honey off his nose with a hand at the same time and after a short fall, alighted on the floor of this strange underground place. His eye''s quickly scanned for threats, but while he felt a terrifying imposing air about the place, he did not yet feel any killing intent. While sweeping the room, the first thing he noticed was purple. He was in a chamber, a small box made of an unknown purple rock. It was clearly not natural as the walls were flat and he was essentially inside of a boxlike room about six by six meters. Everywhere the light of purple runes glowed dimly, and etched into the walls was endless scripts of some forgotten language. There didn''t appear to be anything special about this room, however, at the end was an opening about twice as tall as Lineir, and he felt a slight tug towards it. Looking up to where he had fallen from, he did not notice anything unusual, the ceiling was perfect and whole, not a crack in sight. Evidently, he had literally just sunk straight through it like it was water. Yet, it was clearly solid now. He shot a slice of darkness infused Qi up just to test it and it didn''t even tremble in the least. There was clearly only one way out of this room, and it was straight ahead into the hallway.


    "Come on kiddo, it''s clear the maker of this place, whoever it was,expected people to enter from the surface, and planned for you to go this way. Be careful, but take heart.. if whoever made this place wanted you dead, you would probably already be so."


    Mei wryly commented. Of course, her assumption was based on the idea that someone was meant to enter from the outside the way Lineir had. It was very possible that Lineir had randomly fallen through a broken array of some sort. If that was so, then unless he took care, any traps laid out in this place could be terrifyingly powerful. In some resting places or treasure holds of powerful cultivators, there were traps which could even kill unwary Immortals! However, Mei didn''t mention this to Lineir, she didn''t want to subconsciously influence his mental state with fear. Besides, she was sure Lineir could feel that this was no ordinary place...


    Dash Dash Dash!!


    Lineir burst out in a zig zagging z pattern, flitting around like a butterfly, but when nothing attacked, he stopped and marveled at the sight before him. A massive expanse continued endlessly into darkness, high arching walls illuminated by purple runes stretched seemingly unto infinity. This temple was... huge... it was the size of a mountain!


    "But how can this be...? The mountain outside was half obliterated by the descent of the Celestial Honeybird, how can something this large be here...?" It was true, outside, he had clearly witnessed half the mountain disintegrated, there was no way a temple this large could fit and not be seen from the outside in what was left. Puzzled, Lineir examined the complex runic etchings, but could not make heads or tales of them. There was clearly some sort of pattern, but the symbols just seemed to...flow along the walls, like purple water swirls.


    "Kiddo, I think this place is no simple structure. Oftentimes, experts with a mastery of spacial laws will create spacial spaces which can be used for housing themselves, and of course, treasures. This place could be as simple as some expert''s vacation home, his mansion, or even a tomb, but tread carefully and disturb as little as possible, you cannot afford to trigger any traps or offend the master of this place!" Mei''s warning was clear, this place was not to be trifled with!


    Lineir walked carefully, but as far as he could ascertain with both his sixth sense and his mortal senses, there was no imminent danger. The room was vast, and empty, the walls appeared to be straight, but upon closer inspection they seemed to slant ever so slightly up to some unseen point far above. In Lineir''s mind, the room took on a roughly pyramidal shape, though it was so massive that he could not see the ceiling or end in the dim light of the runes, even with his keen eyesight. On and on he walked endlessly. Slowly, a side entrance appeared, and as he neared, it turned from a blurry dark spot in the distance to a massive gaping door on which the wrought runes which layered the walls appeared to be twined about as if chains. However, these runes were different, instead of having a slightly cheerful and mystical aura of light, these chains of runes were far darker, the purple almost fading to a horrifying black. They seemed...not just worn, but spent and almost....diseased. The door, larger than most castle''s entrances, was still, who knows how long it had stood and what terrors lay behind it for the runes laid by an expert to have withered to such a degree. Suddenly Mei''s voice rang out,


    "Don''t touch that! There''s a massive force of decay at work here. Something ancient lies behind that door, the power of Time is strong enough to spin away your lifeforce and turn you to dust in an instant!"


    Hastily, Lineir backed away quickly. While he wasn''t going to touch it, the thought of him turning into a pile of dust flitted through his mind.


    "Alright master, I''m going."


    He took one last look then continued to walk down the path. After an indeterminate amount of time in the darkness, another door came into view. It was similarly vast, rising far up like a gate to the Heavens... or Hells. The runes on this one were also much darker than the ones on the walls, but this time, they seemed blurry, and they faded in and out like Lineir''s eyes had suddenly become unfocused. It was almost like they were not a fixed distance away, sometimes near, sometimes far. However, they were definitely not moving...


    BOOOOM!!!


    A deep grating crack shattered the eerie silence of Lineir''s lonely steps.


    RUUUUMBBBBLLEEEE!!


    The entire structure began to shake and all of a sudden a fantastic show of lights illuminated the world as the runes on the temple came to life! The once sleeping purple runes suddenly flared up in response to the shaking and rippled as unknown impacts came from wide. As Lineir raised his astonished eye''s, the impossibly high walls pulsed and purple light flashes reverberated throughout as the runes chained together and resisted the assault.


    Ting! Ting! Ting!


    Everywhere mystical lights exploded, and it was as if the room had suddenly been lit up by the bio-luminescent creatures of the deep. Only instead of living organisms, these were runes, dancing and cavorting in such a way that they may as well have been alive! Soon, the rumbling passed, and the deep grating which Lineir could feel even in his joints came to an end. Cautiously, Lineir swept the room, and discovered it changed! With the passage of whatever strange happening had caused the rumbling, the runes had ceased to pulse and ripple, but they had remained active and lit. Their bright light now illuminated far more of the room in fluorescent purple and Lineir could see the true vastness of the room. Suddenly, Lineir realized that the room was not a box as he had assumed, but actually more of a circle! Far off in the distance, he could see that all around him were those strange massive doors, a total of nine! High above, like sky to earth, untold amounts of runes flew across the ceiling no unlike clouds in the mortal realms. Slowly circling, Lineir wondered exactly what the purpose of this room was.

 69 The 1001st Chosen Cup of Heaven

    "The locked door is the only one open to you!" A deep rumbling voice descended from up on high like the commandment of a god. It''s authority was absolute and for a second it felt like all the world paused in time to hear its command.


    "Open the door, walk the path, escape Fate itself! The Akashic Scroll is written upon by Fate, but why not you, yourself!"


    Suddenly every door in the room surrounding Lineir whirled into a seething hole of violet blackness. The chains composed of runes were sucked in as if a great wind was hungrily drawing them towards an unknown destination and Lineir had the feeling that if not for these chains everything in the room would be sucked in, stone, rock, air, even light! The only door which had not turned into a terrifying black hole was the one in front of him. The chains were rattling as if some terrible being inside wanted to break free. A horrible noise raised all the hairs on Lineir''s body that weren''t already standing straight up. It was a miserable scream which tore the fluttering air as a sword might slice the wings off a butterfly. A piercing howl accompanied it. Then another, and another! Soon a monstrous orchestra of screams which carried the laments of every possible kind of human emotion echoed across the room like some wind chamber.


    "OPEN THE DOOR OR BECOME ONE OF THE LOST!" The voice commanded one last time and for a moment there was utter silence as time froze. Lineir stared ahead at the fluttering chains and heard the screams of what felt like all human kind ripple across his flesh.


    "I have to open that?? SH*T!" But he lost no time to materialize Mei in his hand and swing with all his might. Streams of lightning and darkness Qi followed the slash and sliced across the chains. However, the door barely even trembled.


    "Break damn you!"


    Lineir slashed and cut as viciously as he had ever had, but to no avail. The terrifying noises only grew louder and his skin vibrated intensely as a feeling of crisis only grew. Impending doom was coming...and the only way to escape was through this door! The power of Madness swelled up within him more intensely than it had in a long time. In this desperate time, when man fought against something beyond his understanding, Madness is sure to arise!


    Boom! Booom!! BOOOOOOM!!!


    With each blow the sound of explosions increased as each blow came faster, more precise, and layered upon each other like a web! Lineir felt his reflexes stretch beyond anything he had ever felt before as his red tinted vision turned the already hellish landscape into a true vista worthy of the Nine Hells! Looking at the chains, they began to vibrate intensely, and slight nicks appeared where he slashed, though at best, they could only be called superficial flaws in the runic links. The voice appeared to talk faster and louder, almost as if it was showing some excitement.


    "OPEN THE DOOR AND DEFY FATE!"


    Now the chains were shaking beyond intensely. They shook around and flexed as if some mad beast was entangled within and was struggling to break free. Lineir''s hands were rimmed with blood as no matter how tough they were, the blows he had been dealing were layered with Madness. Finally, he swung one last time with all his might and charges of darkness and lightning spanned the whole length of the door, every chain vibrating in sync.


    "Break!"


    KACHA!


    As the vibrations reached the peak, a terrifying humming seemed to drown out the desolate screams behind and the chains shattered into runes which bled away in a brilliant flash! The door seemed to be sucked open from behind of its own accord and Lineir was pulled into a gaping stretch of deep darkness. Away....away...away... the lingering authority of a voice long gone trailed him into the void,


    "Go forth and write your name on the Akashic Scroll one day....for you will be Fate''s mistake..."


    As Lineir tumbled through the void endlessly, his mind was washed clean of the desolate screams from the nine doors. The darkness of the void seemed to permeate his soul, and he felt fragments of the shattered chains slowly meld into his skin. The twin powers of lightning and darkness residing within him grew stronger, and even his fire Qi was strengthened to a lesser extent. Deep down inside his Third Heart however, he felt more than that...other powers fighting over these scraps of power from an older being. They might have slept before...but now...enticed by these strands of higher power, they awoke!


    In a cave on a far away realm floating in space, a wizened man in ceremonial blue robes sat cross-legged in the lotus position. A short but stout cane of some dark wood protruded from his left hand, and on his right, was balanced an ornate ceramic tea cup emblazoned with twin rising dragons ascending towards a falling crimson red sun. Though he was deep in this mystical cave, the lighting was not bad, as a thousand candles merrily burned away as if warding off the night. It gave off the appearance of the last light before the night, a deep burning sunset which stretched through the darkening horizons forever.


    Above these 1000 candles floated a 1000 smaller teacups also emblazoned with the same twin rising dragons looking to swallow the sun. The flames licked the bottoms of the cups, but no tea boiled, the water was ever so still as they floated steadily revolving in place. Suddenly, a candle at the back of the crowd, previously unlit, flared to life! A cup appeared from deep in the cave and floated above to match. The dragons on the cup were black and yellow unlike the others, and yet had crimson eyes which gleamed with an indecipherable intent. Instantly the old man shot up, his unparalleled peaceful demeanor changing to one of utmost imperialism. With the authority of one who at his back stands the Heavens, he shouted out and the still ponds of the 1000 teacup instantly rippled with terrifying force.


    "Who DARES to add a new cup to the 1000 Chosen Cups of Heaven under my watch!" He rapped his cane on the ground and tapped his feet instantly disappearing and reappearing next to the new cup. Staring inside, he shouted again,


    "Come on then! You will have to deal with this one who stands with Heaven, show yourself!" He raised his cane as if it was a sword and made as if to strike,


    "Present yourself and beg for mercy or I will shatter this participant''s karma without delay!" Still, there was no motion, and looking around, the old man''s eye''s darkened.


    "You leave me no choice then!" He struck down at the cup!


    WHOOSH!!


    As the cane was about to shear into the rim of the cup and shatter the frail looking porcelain, a horrifying wave of darkness expanded out from the cup like a raging tornado. Instantly, every single other teacup in the room started to boil! Including the cup in the old man''s own right hand! He stared in horror as his own personal cup became scalding hot and he tightly clenched onto it but to no avail, with a horrifying crash and the smell of burnt skin, it slipped from his grasp and cracked on the ground. Suddenly every single candle in the cave besides the new candle and cup wreathed in darkness went out. The cave was plunged into unyielding night and only this single candle lit the night alone as the twin dragons on the cup seemed to reflect an inordinate amount of light from this one candle and the red eye''s seemed to glow with a cruel and arrogant air.


    Scrabble scrabble


    The old man fell onto his backside and scrabbled with his legs weakly to retreat, his cane forgotten as he slapped furiously at the ground, burnt hand and all, in a desperate bid to get away from those eyes. Finally, after what seemed a lifetime though it was only seconds, the old man who had lived to see galaxies rise and fall heaved a sigh of relieve as the terrifying black and yellow dragon''s red eye''s dimmed. Whatever consciousness had been present had left. He immediately clambered to his knees and began to kowtow to the cup as the other 1000 candles flickered to life. For nine days and nine nights he continued to kowtow until he was sure the presence had stopped paying attention. All along he wailed a mantra as if praying for mercy though from what God it could not be said as he was a proud administrator of Heaven.


    "Please! Your lordship! This one had eye''s but could not see Mt. Tai. Mercy from your lordship this humble servant begs! Had this one known that this cup was one of yours, I would never have dared strike! This one will be entered into the 1000 Chosen Cups of Heaven immediately! Please...!"

 70 Young Master Please!

    Whoosh!


    After an indeterminate amount of time tumbling in the void Lineir suddenly felt the folds of darkness seem to bend. Instantly a brilliant flash of light came and he slammed into hard earth.


    "Where am I?" He murmured though he didn''t expect Mei to know. Looking around, behind him there was a majestic forest. Ahead, an imposing and huge mountain shot into the clouds, seeming to seek to loft in the Heavens themselves. It was no place that Lineir had ever seen before.


    "Kiddo, that expert has definitely sent you somewhere strange this time. However, I think I know why. From the sound of it, by breaking through the door, you gained the right to be acknowledged by his will. As such, I suspect this is some form of trial for you. Should you succeed, the rewards from such a senior are no doubt otherworldly compared to your small world. However, should you fail, I doubt that senior will intervene. You had best be careful, the tests of the elder generation are not something meant for those without legacies and heritages. If you are not careful, and even if you are, there is always the possibility of instantaneous death with a misstep!" Mei''s timely warning as always was taken extremely seriously by Lineir, but regardless, he had to continue on.


    Soon, as a brilliant Sun rose in the sky, Lineir''s sharp cultivator eyes picked up a line of people in the distance. They were crowded and queued up patiently like a flock of mortals might wait for entry to a scholarly exam, but they were obviously no mere mortals. Everywhere one looked, eccentricities abounded and jade smooth skin and lustrous perfect complexions swam with the impatience of those who did not usually have to wait. These were men and women of power from throughout the universe, cultivators and Chosen of places unknown. Suddenly a ringing voice swept the plateau on which this line of Chosen gathered.


    "CHOSEN OF HEAVEN! The test begins one day from now. Enter the gate and pursue your goals within the 1000 Chosen Cups Trial! Whatever fortune you may seize is yours to take. But remember that while we of the elder generation may be watching, we will not casually intervene even if you are on the brink of death! With risk comes reward, your destiny is determined by Fate itself!"


    The voice boomed out and faded away as the line of Chosen unruly began to sprint forwards. As he watched, Lineir saw through them all pass through a giant golden gate. A mystical enchantment whirled in-between the golden arches and as each cultivator entered, they would disappear through some space time enchantment. As the last Chosen entered, suddenly an elderly man came down and tried to close the gate. He swept out his arms casually and in a majestic manner, crossed them. The gates trembled, but the whirling space time enchantment continued to glow and spin inside.


    "Hmph! Trying to hide huh? After all the resources your sect spent to enter you into the Trial, and yet you are too cowardly to accept your own good fortune? No matter, keep hiding and see how this one punishes you, all entrants are listed on the administrator''s scroll, and the entrant''s location as well, it is pointless to hide!"


    His eye''s quickly scanned the scroll before growing narrower and narrower and widening in shock at the end.


    "Huh? Every one of the 1000 Chosen have entered the Trial. Then why is the space time enchantment not shutting down, why can''t I close this gate!" He crossed his arms furiously over and over again his sleeves flashing only to grow increasingly furious as the gate refused to even tremble. Suddenly, something seemed to occur to him, and he activated a martial technique. His eye''s glowed violet and his head swiveled around to stare directly at Lineir despite being several miles off.


    "YOU! I don''t know how you managed to confound the administrator''s scroll, but I''ll be sure to beat it out of you while you face your punishment! HIDE FROM THIS!" He instantly appeared next to Lineir and raised an arm to deliver a truly terrifying blow. Lineir felt a terrible sense of impending doom and furiously tried to retreat but the blow came too fast. He rushed backward with Mei screaming every warning imaginable!


    "SHI--------!!!!" As a terrifying palm slap with the authority of Heaven''s might came slamming down an inch away from Lineir''s face, suddenly an even more powerful aura appeared from above!


    "STOP!!"


    BOOOOOOM


    The elderly man''s hand was but a mere centimeter away from Lineir''s nose when a huge shockwave hurtled from the heavens and the elderly man was smashed by an invisible force straight down into the ground. He crashed horrifically into the ground and vomited several mouthfuls of blood before his head lolled and he stopped moving, unconscious or dead. Lineir, dumbfounded by his sudden salvation looked up to find his savior. A majestic man even more elderly and administrative looking came down. He carried a wooden cane in one hand, and in another a teacup which had clearly been hastily repaired with a horrifying crack down the middle. He emanated a grand and majestic aura of the Heavens and Mei quickly urged Lineir to thank this senior lest he be offended. However, before Lineir could utter a word, he was left speechless as the elder reached forward....and began to pat him all over!


    "You''re ok right young master??? Not hurt anywhere?? Here have some healing pills! This one is so sorry young master, this one must apologize for my underling''s rudeness, this one hopes young master won''t take it in stride. Suffice to say, he will be punished, the strictest of punishments, this one will personally administer the lashes! Young master can rest assured he will never make such a mistake again. As a matter of fact, calling him this one''s underling would be a bit of an overstatement... no a grand misunderstanding! I have nothing to do with him! I could care less if you pronounced the death penalty! This one will personally order him stripped down, lashed, and beheaded if you so desire!"


    This majestic elder who had easily cut down the administrator of the trials in a single blow went down on his knees and began kowtowing furiously offering a handful of golden pills to Lineir. Lineir, completely dumbfounded simply stood there, for once completely out of words. In his mind, Mei didn''t know whether to laugh or cry and was beginning to make noises which sounded suspiciously like a mixture of laughter and choking. The elder, seeing Lineir''s confused silence seemed to confuse it with disapproval.


    "Ah! This one is foolish indeed, of course the Three Heaven''s Healing Pill is unworthy of even gracing your lordship''s presence. Here, this one knows it''s hardly befitting of your status, but I happen to have encountered these life saving miracle pills, the Five Phoenix Rebirth Pills in a fortuitous encounter in my youth. This one humbly requests your lordship give him face and accept this elder''s offering, even if it might be trash in your lordship''s eyes." The elder immediately cast away the golden pills he had been offering and pulled several pills stamped with the emblem of a phoenix ascending the Heavens. Lineir, recovering his senses felt a pang of loss as the priceless pills were cast off incredibly far with a casual toss, beyond the horizon, but started when the elder desperately pressed the even more illustrious and grand Five Phoenix Rebirth Pills into his hand.


    "Come, come, this one will punish that foolish assistant once your lordship has been off, I cannot believe someone unable to recognize your grand presence was actually allowed to become an administrator of the trials under my watch! You must understand, I don''t personally oversee the appointment of lesser officials, who would have known they let in such riffraff these days! You can rest assured young master that I will personally be sure to find those culpable and they will be punished as strictly as possible...no more strictly than the Heaven''s mandate, you can be sure of this! Ah, excellent, the gate is still open, perfect, you''re not late at all, thank the Heavens, this one would truly have no face if you were late to the trials because of something so silly as this. Off you go!" He patted Lineir on the shoulders and pasted a massive painfully stretched grin on his face before giving Lineir a push which catapulted him into the gate''s space time enchantment. Right before Lineir passed through the gate he swore he heard a relieved sigh from behind and the sounds of a sound thrashing beginning.

 71 Shady Youth

    For the second time Lineir found himself traveling through space time. When he landed this time however it was much more gentle. Touching down gracefully, he quickly surveyed his surroundings. Evidently he had not traveled far, as surrounding him was still the same type of scenery he had seen before, a wide forest as far as the eye could see. He hadn''t even taken a step however when he felt a slight amount of killing intent and his sixth sense tingled. He immediately side stepped and whipped around to see the perpetrator.


    Kacha!


    The ground in front of Lineir was sliced into thin pieces not unlike that time against the Celestial Hummingbird. However, the slash this time, rather than parting the ground as far as the eye could see, barely cut through more than a few feet. Lineir''s eyes lit up with a dangerous red glint. Either this attack had not been serious, or the attacker was just weak. He immediately executed a movement technique and appeared to teleport behind the enemy.


    "Hmph, where did that bastard go? I don''t recognize him at all, he''s definitely one of the other Chosen in disguise. If he needs to hide himself he must be weak!" Lineir peered at a hunched figure mumbling in front of him. The figure was a male cultivator with the appearance of a shady youth. Currently, this shady youth was clutching his sword and looking around frantically to see where Lineir had gone without realizing that the enemy he sought was in fact, right behind him...


    "Where am I? Also, don''t move." Lineir extended a ghastly bone scythe and reached around the youth''s neck. The slightest movement on either of their parts would at best slit the youth''s throat, and if Lineir so chose, the entire head would come off to ensure the death of this cultivator.


    "Ah good sir, I mean''t no offense-" The shady youth immediately began to grovel but before he could even utter the whole sentence Lineir pressed pulled his elbow in a little resulting in the bony scythe cutting a line of blood into the youth''s throat.


    "Cut the crap. Answer my questions and don''t waste my time with needless words." Lineir didn''t enjoy hearing begging and he had better things to do than listen to this fool. Immediately the youth''s eyes began to bulge as he tried to answer the question but using as few words as possible.


    "Ah...yes...I''m sorry... this is the Forest Arena of the Trial of a 1000 Chosen Cups. As I''m sure you''re aware, the 1000 Chosen will battle it out here and proceed deeper to the Mountains and River''s Canyon. In there the Hidden Heaven''s...." The youth stopped unsure if he was using too many words but Lineir''s ears immediately perked up after hearing the words Hidden Heaven.


    "The 1000 Chosen Cups Trial is an expedition into an ancient heavenly testing ground. It is administrated by the Heavens and the head administrator is Lord Cao Sun, the Lordmaster of Tea. He personally administers the rewards and is also the head Alchemist of the Major Serras Sect. The Top 100 in the trials will receive an Immortal Core Forging Pill! Top 50 will receive 5 such pills. Top 10 will receive 10! And as for the number one participant, he will receive a minor pill personally forged by Lord Cao Sun!"


    The shady youth''s eyes shone with a fervent light. If his desire for these pills was any greater it would probably manifest as a Dao! Lineir however was thinking of the pill he had received from the head administrator earlier. If this youth knew Lineir had received a pill the Lordmaster of Tea himself considered good fortune, he would probably immediately pass out from shock.


    "Additionally, while the 1000 Chosen are indeed fighting for the chance to gain these pills, that is not the only thing they seek. Those who dare to venture deep enough into the ancient heavenly testing grounds will eventually come across treasures which were left by Heaven for the younger generation. Of course, only the strongest Chosen of major planets and sects would dare attempt that. After all, not only is the arena itself fraught with dangers, but other cultivators are all eyeing the rewards. Anyone who enters the deeper areas will have to have the qualifications and strength to keep what they find or else they will simply be searching for good fortune for others."


    The shady youth made it clear that he had no intentions of entering the deeper areas. Lineir however was contemplating what he should do.


    "Very well, explain the dangers of this area a bit more for me. Also, tell me what you know about the Chosen of major planets and sects. Oh and give me your space ring. Then I''ll let you go."


    Lineir had no need to kill this youth. His power level was incredibly weak. The only reason this youth had entered was because his planet could not even be considered a minor planet and he had essentially been offered up as a placeholder. That was why he had been hanging out at the fringes of the ancient testing grounds hoping to rob some other weaklings. After questioning him thoroughly, Lineir let him go and immediately started heading deeper into the testing grounds.


    "Hmmmm, I''m not sure exactly how strong I rank against the Chosen of other planets. According to that youth, there is an age limit in restriction. I am actually a few years younger than the limit. The top Chosen of other planets will not only have vast resources and cultivation techniques, but will also have a few years more time cultivating than me. Not to mention that they started cultivation from birth. I wouldn''t want to openly confront anyone until I get a better idea what the cultivation levels are like here. Fortunately, if there is one thing I''m confident of, it''s my ability to conceal myself."


    Mei''s training in movement and concealment meant that Lineir''s ability to move unseen and undetected was often enough to avoid detection from the elder generation. Mei assured him that unless these juniors possessed some sort of unusual detection technique or treasure, they would never be able to find Lineir if he moved carefully. Indeed, even if they possessed extremely powerful detection skills, Lineir could probably evade them if he was careful to mask his killing intent.


    "Hehehe."


    Lineir''s cold face didn''t change expression but his eyes took on an imperceptible pleased tone.


    "According to that shady youth, all of the major chosen are already deep into the trial. Anyone left in the forest... is definitely a weakling!"


    Lineir had examined the spacial ring of the shady youth, and while he was poor and had apparently had already been robbed at the beginning of the trial, there were several pills and minor artifacts which Lineir had never seen before, having never been in a sect. While Lineir had obtained absolutely insane wealth in the form of high level cores from the golems in the Heavenlly Pillar, his native planet simply did not have the background to create any higher level pills or treasures for him to spend his wealth. Not to mention what few higher level sects Lineir had interacted with, he had made enemies of in the process of obtaining his wealth. He kept his eyes open for other cultivators who still lingered in the forest like the shady youth as he went deeper. It was time to see what the pill forging techniques and treasures of other planets were like...

 72 A Touch of Death

    Plink! Plink! Plink!


    The sound of various pills, treasures, and other space rings quickly filled Lineir''s space ring at a terrifying rate. He was literally sprinting deeper into the trials while grabbing treasures as if they were grapes on a vine. Mei''s concealment techniques made him into something of a ghost to the weaklings fighting outside.


    "These retainers are so weak. Any Chosen who hasn''t gone deeper at this point is also weak! I may as well use this chance to upgrade my inventory." Lineir''s thoughts ran along these lines. He had heard everything from that first youth. While there were only 1000 Chosen in the entire trial, each of them had been allowed to bring several retainers depending on their status. The retainers had to be within the same age bracket as the chosen however. Furthermore, it was unlikely for the retainers to be particularly powerful as anyone with near the same level of power as the Chosen would be a Chosen themselves and would not settle to serve another usually. Except for a few of the higher level planets and sects, the retainers were actually just here as helping hands for the Chosen. Additionally, they served another purpose! Pack mules! As long as a Chosen guarded a particular area, his retainers could search the entire area much more quickly than one person alone. In that way they could grab and carry more treasures. Indeed, several higher level Chosen had entered deeper into the forest and left their retainers to search the outer areas for any scant treasures. They were counting on the fact that their retainers were on the same level as lower level Chosen and all the higher level Chosen would not waste their time on the treasures outside. Unfortunately, they did not count on Lineir entering the arena late...


    Plink! Plink! Plink!


    "You bastard! What planet are you from! My Heaven''s Fist Sect will not let you off---"


    "Scum! How could a Chosen such as you dare to rob the retainers in the outer forest! Wait till I inform my master----"


    "Return the treasures at once and I''ll tell my Empire not to destroy yours----"


    Each and every retainer which Lineir robbed spouted out incredible lines such as these. However, Lineir was already long gone by the time the last word had been uttered. He had to make up lost ground, and while he was interested in seeing if there happened to be any real treasure in these retainers and weak Chosen''s hands, he was only stealing from those who happened to be in his path. A very wide path...


    "I can only hope it does not break. For if the Chosen of that man is killed in a mere Trial then his rage will surmount the Heavens and raise the Hells. Even if he is dead, his Echo does not fear the wrath of the Heavens. That man...no amount of influence with the Heavens would stop him from taking this one''s life!" He shuddered and resumed staring at the 1001st Cup, the other 1000 Chosen Cups long forgotten.


    "Please don''t break!"


    In the clear water of the tea cup was a projection of Lineir, shuttling through the forest at great speed. As he picked up treasure after treasure and was cursed by retainer and Chosen alike, the Head Administrator watched with bated breath. If at any moment he looked to be in real danger, the Head Administrator''s own personal tea cup swirled with a mystical whirlpool ready to teleport him to Lineir''s side at any moment.


    "I must not let him die!"


    As he stared at the cup with all his might, suddenly the room darkened and the cheerful light passed away into a deathly stillness. To freeze time for a mortal was a simple matter for those blessed by the Heavens to live uncountable years. However...to freeze time for a Head Administrator who had existed for countless years? That was something which only the strongest of Heavenly powers would consider. In fact, unless one of those Heavenly powers was specialized in the Dao of Time and Space and personally came to do battle, the Head Administrator could probably still resist from a distance! However, in the face of this presence, a mere thought from who knows how far away, the Head Administrator, one who had existed for eons and had the authority to command an entire plane of existence...was locked away unable to move a finger. His terror right now exceeded the Heavens and his heart which had ordered the destruction of worlds both major and minor was pounding as if being tenderized under the pressure. He desperately projected mentally,


    "My Lordship! Your disciple is fine! This one apologizes from the bottom of his heart for a minor delay in his introduction to the Trials!" He wished he could move his mouth but could only pray for mercy in his mind. The same voice which had spoken to him prior shattered its way into the Head Administrator''s mind.


    "Do not intervene no matter the situation. This Trial...will be administered by ME!!" The voice vanished as soon as it came, and instantly the Head Administrator fell over into a sloppy kowtow covered in sweat. The portal which he had been holding ready in his personal teacup immediately dissipated and he continued to stare at Lineir''s cup anxiously. A thought occurred to him, one which covered him in even more sweat!


    "I didn''t detect any usage of the Dao or anything just now. It''s possible that that one has such mastery that he can simply hide the elements of the Dao from me...but why would he bother? My Timelock Cloak which can resist the attack of even a master of the Dao of Space and Time didn''t even trigger, I doubt that he actually used the Dao just now. But if he didn''t use the Dao to freeze time...then that means his mental presence alone was enough to...!"


    He gasped and clutched Lineir''s cup as if it was his own child. Then he immediately let it go as his shaking hands distorted the image. There he remained in a sort of strange kowtow his arms spread around this 1001st Cup but not daring to touch. His own personal cup and stave were left forgotten on the ground.


    "Damn, I guess I''ve gone too deep now and it''s time for the real Trial to begin."


    Lineir had not encountered a retainer or Chosen for a good while now, and was meandering stealthily through the trees. As he got deeper however, the scenery had begun to change and the temperature had risen to more closely resemble a jungle and it had grown incredibly humid. After a time, it even began to rain. However, Lineir quickly realized that this was no ordinary rain. It was infused with Death Qi and was corrosive to cultivators. If a mortal without the protective Qi of a cultivator stepped in here their skin would slough off almost instantly and all that would be left would be a few bones sinking into the mud below. Clearly, this rain was some sort of demarcating line indicating that the next arena was not for weaklings. Now it was obvious why there were no longer any retainers or weaker Chosen. Anyone who entered here without the required strength would meet a horrifying end.


    Lineir initially resisted it by revolving his Qi throughout his Second Heart. His Lightning element Qi could easily cleanse the impure Death Qi from the water, his Darkness Qi could create a barrier through which the Death Qi could not pass, and he could even use Fire Qi to burn away the rain itself, but soon Mei told him to stop.


    "Kiddo, relax, this rain is meant to sort out the weaklings. While your caution is admirable, you should take this time to temper your body and mind. Allow the rain to hit your skin and let the Death Qi seep into you. But only the smallest amount is to pass through your skin! You must revolve your Lightning and Flame Qi constantly to eradicate any stronger tentacles of Death Qi and only allow the smallest of tendrils to follow your meridians. Enforce your meridians with your Darkness Qi and guide the Death Qi to your Second Heart. Ever since we were transported here, I have sensed a new presence growing in your Undead Heart. It is not the enemies which once hid in your Undead Heart, I have long since purged their presence from you, this is something else. As such, it would be wise of you to learn how to deal with the presence of Death Qi in your body and how to control it. Feeling the touch of Death and standing firm against it is something which all cultivators must learn sooner or later. Regardless, Death and Madness are closely related. Understanding more of Death will help you control your Madness I should think. Retract your defenses and let Death touch you!

 73 The Hanged Man pt1

    Each drop of rain plopped down upon unprotected skin with a sizzling hiss. The noise was gruesome to say the least. Like bacon frying upon a flat stone. However, Lineir''s body was too tough to simply degrade so easily. Soon he became proficient at separating the Death Qi from the water and drawing it into his meridians. The sizzling noises died down and simple sounded like ordinary rain.


    Plop Plop Plop


    "Ahhh!"


    Even for a cultivator whose body was as tempered as Lineir was, the process was exceedingly painful. To make it worse, he had to continue walking through the rain to go deeper into the Trials. To endure while sitting still and meditating is one thing. However, to continue to advance and be vigilant to hidden traps and enemies was another thing entirely. The process was at least twice as difficult.


    "This rain really stings. However, I can vaguely sense the mysteries of Death Qi hidden in this rain. It will take me some time to isolate and understand it but once I do..."


    Lineir wasn''t entirely sure what benefits he would gain from this training but Mei''s reasoning was clear. In the pursuit of the highest peaks of power, control was paramount. Oftentimes those who trained without the benefits of a master neglected this incredibly important point and trained simply to achieve maximum possible strength. Eventually, if they were lucky they received some minor injury when their cultivation overtook their control. However, the unlucky received major injuries and became cripples, or even imploded. In order for a drop of water to become a river and reach the ocean, it must first find the right path, it cannot simply blindly plow through hills and rocks. It was this very image of a raindrop flowing through the rocks and dirt which Lineir visualized at Mei''s request. His skin was rock and his flesh dirt and the rain had to be filtered and purified until only the essence of Death Qi could enter his meridians and flow to his Second Heart. Gradually he felt his understanding of Death Qi grow.


    "I see, it was like that..."


    The insight he gained was related to the flow of water. Many mortals who had yet to step upon the path of immortality saw death as an absolute. However, Lineir was beginning to realize that death was actually something far more intricate than a simple end. As far as he could see Death Qi was actually a form of remnant energy left behind when a being''s life force was extinguished. However, as to its exact nature, whether this energy was generated by the death of a being, or if it was some sort of byproduct of the netherworld which passed through the boundary when the soul fled, he could only guess. However, he could see that some aspect of death was similar to the flow of water. Never ending it merely passed from one form to another. He continued to meditate on this matter while advancing for several days.


    Shriek!


    Splat...gurgle...


    It''s half eradicated body was practically disintegrated from the force of the blow and quickly sank beneath the swamp mud. Paying the vivid hate filled eyes no mind, Lineir immediately readjusted his mental state. Over the last couple days he had run across several of these bats.


    "Stop! Pick up that corpse!" Mei shrieked in Lineir''s head from nowhere and instantly broke his mental state. He practically dropped her in his haste to scoop through the acid filled mud. Fumbling with the corpse he angrily demanded.


    "What? It''s just an Acid Bat, the materials are worthle-...." He stared as a hint of gold crossed his view. Instantly he tore apart the flesh with his hands and found a golden pill in his hands.


    "Is this...what I think it is?!!" In his hand was exactly the Three Heaven''s Pill which the Head Administrator had casually tossed aside while trying to appease Lineir. While it was definitely not as valuable as the Five Phoenix''s Rebirth Pill which he had gotten instead, they were still pills made by someone of immense strength. Lineir wasn''t entirely sure about the identity of the man who had saved his life inexplicably, but he had some suspicions.


    "The pills must have been flung through the teleportation portal and ended up scattered in this swamp. Quickly, slay some more bats, the other chosen probably did not bother lingering in this Death Qi filled area as you have and passed it looking for treasures in the inner levels. I can sense that there''s more, hurry!" Mei urged Lineir frantically. Such high level pills were the equivalent of a second life and could be used for numerous purposes or even simply used as wealth if one was in a hurry. Like that, Lineir immediately began to hunt the bats.


    While Lineir was hunting pills in the swamp, elsewhere some of the retainers he had robbed had begun to gather.


    "This is outrageous! That bastard dared to rob us so that we will have to report to the young lords empty-handed!"


    "Ridiculous, that fool is truly only looking for short term gains while ignoring the larger picture, when he reaches the inner sanctums of the trial he is dead for sure!"


    "Quickly, does anyone still have their bag of holding? Quickly contact your masters and inform them of this idiot''s crimes!" Soon enough some of the retainers who Lineir had not encountered began to send in messages to their masters informing them of their losses. Quickly, through word of mouth everyone knew of this mysterious robber who had blatantly robbed almost every single family and clan in the 1000 Chosen Cups Trial!


    "Wei Song! One of the underlings is saying that someone actually dared to steal from us in the outer levels! Here''s a memory crystal with his appearance!"


    CRACK!


    A medium sized youth who was clothed in a dazzling blue robe inscribed with magical runes which flashed like white lightning sneered as a blurry image of Lineir burst from a small jade talisman.


    "Hmph, if anyone sees him, kill him. He doesn''t have the backing of a family. To rob from the Song clan is to steal from death!"


    Crack!


    "Hmph to rob the Fei clan, this man has gall stretching to the Heavens and Hells! Who does he think he is, an Asura? Kill!!" Similarly, a great ape of a man holding a towering battleaxe sneered elsewhere on a winding plain.


    Crack!


    "Dares to rob us?"


    Crack!


    "What foolishness is this, kill on sight!" With every crack, another picture of Lineir appeared in the hands of another Chosen.


    Crack!


    Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!


    Everywhere memory crystals were cracked and the Head Administrator stared into his swirling tea leaves where he could only watch in horror as kill commands were issued left and right.


    "What the hell is this is, has the disciple of that madman actually offended every family, sect, and clan in the entire Trial??!! I swear to the Heavens if those idiots actually manage to hurt that boy then my life is forfeit! If I survive this I will visit their fathers and have them be beaten for a hundred years!"

 74 The Sightless Plains

    "Based on the answer of that youth I interrogated this must be the Sightless Plains. The final battles for this trial will begin here!"


    Lineir''s eyes gleamed in anticipation of the danger and challenge. Unlike most who pursued the Dao, Lineir''s views differed from the traditional path. Most when pursuing the Dao sought perfection, and thus by extension would pursue the hardest most difficult path in their cultivation to match their Third Heart''s philosophy. However, Lineir''s path was simply survival. To grow strong, one must be alive, and thus Lineir would not unnecessarily seek out hardships without proven benefits. It would remain to be seen whether or not one can truly reach the peak with such an attitude.


    "There''s something strange about this grass... it''s blocking my ability to sense killing intent..."


    Lineir frowned as he realized that the Sightless Plains were indeed a strange and bizarre area of the trials. The tall grass naturally inhibited ones divine senses and obscured detection techniques. Lineir actually had a rather weak divine sense considering his comprehensive battle power. He had spent his time focusing on cultivating his physical abilities and augmenting them with the elements of darkness and lightning. This naturally gave him some ability to sense things using the classical ability of divine sense, to see without one''s eyes, but he was a bit lacking. This was partially because of his late start to cultivation. Simply put, he was not as finely attuned to these things as those who had cultivated from birth, and he had not had the time to bother cultivating divine sense techniques. However, despite the fact that his ability to sense others was practically nil, Lineir''s lips curled up into a slight snicker.


    "Hahaha kiddo, you really hit the jackpot this time. While you might not be able to sense anything, that doesn''t really matter as your divine sense is so weak all the time anyways. However, this grass is hardly enough to block MY divine senses. Additionally, while you may not have the ability to see everything in the area, your natural ability to detect danger is inherently high. I will be your eyes and should any danger come which I cannot see, you should at least have a chance to evade at the last second!" Mei chortled slightly putting on the airs of an old master. It was a baffling combination with her youthful girl''s voice though Lineir had long since gotten used to it.


    Lineir silently disappeared into the tall waving grass of the Sightless Plains. He was only mildly interested in the prize for winning such a competition. Considering the rather unorthodox method he had entered the Trials he was doubtful he could even claim the prizes if he came in first. However, he was sure of one thing. The many Chosen in the Trials would definitely have plenty of magical artifacts and relics. In such a situation where he could see them coming but they couldn''t see him he would have to be an idiot not to gain some benefits!


    Clang! Clang! KACHA!


    Two swords clashed and sparked as swathes of the tall divine sense blocking grass were scythed away by the ensuing ripples of violent Sword Qi.


    "Die! Anyone who messes with the Song clan will know only death!" The medium sized youth in dazzling blue wizard robes, Wei Song, clashed swords with another hooded black robed youth.


    "Lin De, you vastly overestimate yourself to dare fight me!" The youth in blue robes cried out as he locked swords with one hand and in his other a swirling blue staff appeared. The ancient symbols carved into the wood seemed to sizzle with arcane might and he quickly chanted an incantation. Immediately a blue crystal atop the staff lit up and suddenly the youth''s sword glowed blue and sheared right through the blade of the other youth.


    "DIE!!"


    Upon his sword breaking, the youth wearing black revealed an expression of horror and immediately vaulted back. His sword destroyed he instantly disappeared into the tall grass. The blue robed youth launched several balls of arcane fire into the grass but the grass stubbornly resisted his efforts and refused to alight. Snorting Wei Song called out,


    "Lin De! A coward like you should just cower until the day you die! When we next meet I shall be sure to break more than your sword!" He clenched his fist and the arcane symbols on his robes flashed brightly before fading away.


    "Pathetic. Is this all the Trials has to offer?"


    The hooded black robed youth whose sword broke sprinted through the dense grass taking no note of his route.


    "Shit that Song bastard is stronger than I thought. To actually break my family heirloom, an earth step treasure in half... the rumors must be true. He truly walks the path of a Spellsword. I''d best avoid him. I''ll have to find a new sword in the meantime or if I encounter anyone else my only option is to flee in this grass. I, Lin De refuse to believe my path in this Chosen Trial ends here!"


    SCHIIIING!


    A dark light flashed through the air and Lin De''s face twisted to reveal a look of utter horror even more intent than when he had seen his sword destroyed. His head turned to the side and toppled off his body as a few specks of blood spurted from his severed neck. Lineir glanced at the face as he quickly grabbed Lin De''s bag of holding. His strike from the darkness a moment ago infused with the weight of Darkness and the searing ability of Lightning had not only instantly decapitated the foe before he could react but had also simultaneously cauterized the wound.


    "Hmph, your mastery of Lightning is clearly still lacking. The wound is not even close to fully cauterized. You''d best practice, your opponents in the future will not be simply dispatched by mere physical force." Mei admonished Lineir as he observed the wound. He shrugged and pocketed the bag of holding while vanishing back into the grass. He would have plenty of time to practice his technique upon these unsuspecting chosen...

 75 The Hanged Man Pt.2

    I Don''t Want To Die Again: The Strongest Swordsman Or The Worst Zombie


    https:///book/i-don''t-want-to-die-again-the-strongest-swordsman-or-the-worst-zombie_18722987506896005


    Across the vast plains one could witness clashes amongst chosen both near and far no matter where one was. Most of these clashes did not end in life and death situations however. The divine sense obstructing abilities of the grass made escape much easier for the defeated to retreat.If one was to sense that the battle was unfavorable, retreat was only a few steps away, at any given point. Well... it was for most defeated Chosen. Those unlucky enough to encounter Lineir were not so fortunate. Relying on Mei''s divine sense he could pin point their location in the tall grass as easily as an eagle could spot a snake. In this way, the number of Chosen were being reduced relatively quickly. Lineir was careful to only target those who had been defeated by other Chosen however. There was a vast difference between the levels of top Chosen and weak Chosen in the Sightless Plains. Those who had already been defeated and were fleeing were the ideal target as they were naturally weaker and oftentimes injured. To Lineir it was as if money was growing in the fields just waiting to be reaped.


    "Hmph, another interesting haul. At this point, I''ve finally managed to scrounge up some decent defensive items."


    If one were to carefully observe Lineir now, they would realize that he was outfitted much differently than when he had entered the Sightless Plains. Throughout his cultivation and travels Lineir did not usually wear armor. This was simply because defensive artifacts required much more time and energy to make and were thus consequently were more rare. After all, what requires more materials, a single sword or a whole suit of armor? While hunting down escaping Chosen, Lineir had gradually acquired a fair amount of wealth. What he had done was to wear the pieces which he had found were best suited for him. The result was that he now looked like an oddly wealthy bandit. He had on beautiful armored boots which Mei assured him were made from the descendant of a minor dragon. Under his robes he now had a strong flexible silk armor which while he was unsure of its exact quality, was definitely extremely resilient to ordinary blows. Additionally, one of his hands was now covered in rings which could be used one time only to generate extremely potent life saving magics. Some of them were purely defensive in nature, such as barriers, while others could be used offensively as a last ditch attack.


    "Hide!!"


    Mei''s voice suddenly hissed in Lineir''s ears like a snake. Immediately he withdrew his limited aura and shrank into the tall grass. His Qi circled and collapsed in on itself as per the secret technique he had rigorously practiced upon the Sky Pillar. To those of his level, he was practically invisible unless they knew he was there or happened to look directly at him. Even those vastly above his level, members of the senior generation and the like, could have trouble sensing him if they were not actively looking. Though he should be invisible, Lineir exercised great caution. Anyone who Mei would warn him to hide from was probably trouble at the very least.


    "Damn, she ran for it as soon as she saw me. Smart but damn annoying, how did the clan realize..."


    An average looking figure stumbled by. However, this Chosen while average in shape, stature and dress, sporting standard green cultivator''s robes had one odd characteristic about him. Lineir could see very clearly from his hiding place. His eye''s were glowing jade green! They were the eyes of a snake and at first glance Lineir instantly knew that this man was more than he seemed.


    Crack!!


    The man and Lineir in his hiding place both froze as a small cracking noise rebounded across the plains. The man with snake eyes seemed to turn completely green as the glow in his eyes receded and he appeared to blend into the grass. If Lineir didn''t know he was there already he wouldn''t have been able to sense a thing until he was practically on top of him!


    "Hahaha damn. Stealth has never been my thing! Come on out little brother, the clan has instructed me to discipline you!"


    A great hulking man, perhaps 3 meters tall, bumbled into view. He wore a great fur coat draped across one shoulder like a scarf and was otherwise bare chested with many scars. A large crescent shaped battleaxe hung on his back. Lineir noted that though he crashed through the grass making great noise, his feet were actually quite lithe and nimble never stopping. They embodied the essence of momentum. Clearly this man despite his brutish appearance had great understanding of the Dao.


    "Not coming out little bro? It''s pointless to hide from me! You know this little ax of mine is not something a little grass can block! Fine we can do this the hard way!"


    Lineir almost choked in disbelief as this burly newcomer unslung his ax.


    "Little ax?? That thing is so large it''s practically a scythe!"


    Lineir was not exaggerating. The double bladed axe was nearly 2 meters from tip to tip. When it was unslung an intense foreboding sense of danger filled the plains. The burly man leveled it with the ground so that the tip pointed straight down. The ax was so long that though the man himself was nigh 3 meters tall, the tip almost touched the ground.


    "Last chance!" The huge man paused for a second but from Lineir''s hiding spot he could tell the jade eyed man still hadn''t budged a centimeter.


    "Fine! I''ll dig you up along with the grass little snake bro!"


    WHOOOOOOSH!!!


    A loud whistling sound swept through the air as the man swung his ax in a wide circle. A purple colored sheen coated the ax and Lineir felt a sort of resonance within him. This man used the Darkness element!


    VROOOOM!


    As the massive ax spun, an expanding ripple of Darkness Qi filled the air and slashed the tall grass to pieces. Lineir quickly ducked under the blow, but the grass which he had been hiding in was ripped out of the ground and shredded in a solid 10 meter radius. Instantly there was a new clearing in the grass and the only things left standing around the man with the ax was the jade eyed man and Lineir. All three men were exposed now that the grass was cleared. The jade eyed man quickly locked eyes with the ax wielding monster, but both of them startled as they realized Lineir was but a few meters away. They voiced their astonishment in unison,


    "Who the hell are you???"


    Lineir immediately reacted despite his shock that the ax had managed to scythe away the tough grass in one blow. While he could accomplish the same feat, that was because Mei''s sword was infinitely more sharp than most weapons. To clear an area of 10 meters of the tough divine sense blocking grass would take immense strength and technique. With a single leap backwards Lineir instantly cleared the exposed 10 meter area and fled back into the grass.


    "Hmph, no one of importance it seems. Alright little bro, you''re coming with me!" The massive man took one hand off his battleaxe and reached it out through the air towards the jade eyed youth. It glowed a brilliant azure blue and even a dozen meters away Lineir felt a sort of formless pull sucking him towards the man''s palm.


    "Gravitational manipulation. Rudimentary at this level, but definitely not something to be trifled with. Be careful disciple, this one definitely has some sort of major power backing him! There''s no way he developed such a technique on his own!"


    Mei analyzed the technique in a moment and warned Lineir who was still hiding in the brush. Lineir snorted,


    "Which one of these Chosen doesn''t have a major power backing them?"


    Mei could only helplessly admit that in terms of backing, Lineir whose master was halfway to a ghost, was lacking. As the huge man''s palm glowed, the jade eyed man slit his eyes and raised a palm as well which glowed emerald as he resisted the invisible attraction.


    Whoosh!


    The air being attracted towards the big man''s palm started to violently flow in and out as the two clashed from a distance.


    "Give it up lil bro, you know I''m stronger than you''ll ever be. It''s time to face punishment! We are leaving this trial!" The big man called out. However, the jade eyed man said with a fierce look.


    "Jun! I don''t give a damn about the clan. She''s mine and you know it! Besides, you''re not capable of making me leave the Trials!"


    With a grin the green light expanded into a sphere 3 meters wide and a huge repulsive force appeared completely blasting away the invisible attraction from the big man''s palm. Instantly the jade eyed youth sprinted off leaving the monstrous man far behind. However, though the big man looked vaguely annoyed, he actually quickly smiled.


    "Lil-bro has grown so strong. This Trial will be a good tempering experience for him. As for you little man in the grass. Come on out, I don''t like those who hide besides lil bro!"


    This Chosen Jun quickly raised his hands and that formless attraction tugged at Lineir nigh 15 meters away. Lineir, with a little smile of his own walked out with his hands out stepping into the open.


    "I didn''t mean to spy on your family problems. However, would you be interested in a little spar?"


    The big man grinning from ear to ear as well grabbed his ax.


    "You want to spar? Why didn''t you say so sooner, I Jun Li have never turned down a fight in my life!!"

 76 Blatant Intervention

    I Don''t Want To Die Again: The Strongest Swordsman Or The Worst Zombie


    https:///book/i-don''t-want-to-die-again-the-strongest-swordsman-or-the-worst-zombie_18722987506896005


    "Let''s begin then"


    Lineir smiled and neglected to use his sword for the spar. He could sense that the man in front of him, though not simple, was honest and straightforward. While he could have Mei soften the edge of the blade so as to not be lethal, it would make more sense for him to simply duel with his fists. What he was looking to compare was elemental insights, not weapon skills. His hands imperceptibly darkened and a heavy sense of ponderousness permeated the atmosphere. Upon seeing this Jun Li smiled as well.


    "Essence of Darkness, very well, let us compare insights!"


    His hands glowed blue and everything in the area immediately began to experience a universal pull towards him.


    "Kiddo, while his insights are related to yours, they are concentrated in a different area than yours. He is clearly manipulating the laws of gravity using darkness as a base to gather mass. If you pay close enough attention you can definitely gain some firsthand insight into how to manipulate gravity as well!"


    Whoosh!


    Astonishingly, Jun Li''s attraction grew to a level where Lineir was gradually being forced forward against his will. It became obvious that Lineir''s technique simply did not generate the same level of attraction. To be more accurate, you could say that Lineir''s usage of darkness was not even primarily to create an attractive force. He was simply gathering a large amount of Darkness Qi and in doing so, the world naturally grew heavier around him.


    "This...I can feel it calling to me!"


    In Lineir''s brain, insights were being calculated at furious rates. This kind of battle of insights was truly stimulating. Finally an opponent who was neither too powerful or too weak! Since they were simply sparring, Lineir was willing to fight in a stupid and pigheaded manner. Namely, competing directly in this strange contest of attractive forces. If it was a normal fight he would have long since launched himself forward into true close range combat. However, though it might be a friendly contest, he had no intentions of competing to lose!


    "Not enough! He''s going to win!"


    Lineir strained his mind but his knowledge of Qi was simply too rudimentary compared to one who had probably studied since he could walk!


    ***************


    Meanwhile in the Head Administrator''s cave.


    "What is he doing! A friendly duel in the middle of the Sightless Plains! If he had encountered any other Chosen it would have been a life or death battle!"


    The head administrator was losing his mind. Suddenly, time froze around him with the exception of the image of the tea cup he had been using to monitor the battle. The image kept playing while the Head Administrator dripped sweat in fear. The lordly voice came again directly in his mind yet all around him at the same time.


    "Make the rain fall." It commanded.


    "Wha-whaaat?" The Head Administrator had been expecting an order to intervene directly in the fight and pull out Lineir before it got any further or other Chosen noticed.


    "The Death Qi filled rain of the swamp. Make it rain."


    Though the voice had no sense of urgency, only a sense of unyielding demand, the Head Administrator fumbled over himself as time restarted and he could do more than quiver helplessly again.


    "Yes your lordship! It will be done your lordship!" Internally however he was frantically hoping that no one in the Heavens were not watching this Trial too closely. To alter the conditions of the Sightless Plains with acid rain...though he didn''t know why, it was clearly interfering and could be inferred as blatant favoritism!


    Absentmindedly the voice seemed to mumble in the passing, "I wonder if he can comprehend the legacy I left at that time...."


    ***********


    Chi.....shi shi shi shiiiiiiiiii!!!


    The sound of rain filled the air and the clear skies of the Sightless Plains darkened with a sudden Death Qi filled rain. For the first time in millennia the Trials were altered! Everywhere Chosen stared up at the sky in wonder.


    "What is this?"


    "How can this be...?"


    "The rain of the bog?"


    "Is this some new quirk of the Trials? My father didn''t describe this at all!"


    Immediately Chosen began to marvel and exclaim. Some even thought that someone was interfering with the Trials and hit the nail on the head! However there were many who were fighting which simply circulated their protective Qi and continued to fight. After all, a rain of this level, while disconcerting, was not enough to seriously affect Chosen who had made it to the Sightless Plains.


    "Strange...why did it begin to rain..." Jun Li began to think before simply circulating his Qi and redoubling his efforts to pull Lineir to him.


    "Death Qi rain...how odd...wait..." Lineir at first dismissed the rain, but after a few moments stopped fighting it. Jun Li looked on in astonishment at Lineir,


    "Are you crazy?? Why would you let Death Qi rain enter your meridians! If you want to stop the duel this one will definitely let you recover!"

 77 Breakthrough!

    I Don''t Want To Die Again: The Strongest Swordsman Or The Worst Zombie


    https:///book/i-don''t-want-to-die-again-the-strongest-swordsman-or-the-worst-zombie_18722987506896005


    Jun Li almost hesitated and stopped using his law of attraction, however, when he began to let up he realized that Lineir''s abilities had not actually let up whatsoever! Despite the fact that a sort of hazy mist had begun to steam off of Lineir''s skin he continued to gather Darkness Qi and cause the entire atmosphere around him to take on a smothered aura.


    "This guy...he''s...meditating??"


    Even Jun Li who had trained using unorthodox methods himself could not fathom that Lineir was actually absorbing Death Qi from the rain and simultaneously utilizing what appeared to be the full span of his abilities. Of course, Jun Li did not know that Lineir had actually spent a long period of time adjusting to the acid rain beforehand, after all why would anyone spend time in the swamp where there were few benefits?


    "Hmph, he''s using me to grow more powerful. However, he''s still a formidable opponent even while distracting himself, I''ll play along and finish him fair and square when he''s done!"


    Jun Li shrugged and continued to use his abilities. In the spirit of fair competition he was willing to allow Lineir to continue what he was doing.


    "A secret...I can feel it...just a little bit more time!" Lineir was furiously meditating on insights while channeling Darkness Qi at the same time. He could sense that somewhere in this rain, in this Death Qi, there was something familiar!


    For over three days and nights Jun Li and Lineir remained locked in a stalemate. If it had been any other opponent, they definitely would have broken Lineir''s reverie and taken advantage of his lack of focus! However, Jun Li was different. When he decided on something he never changed his mind. If he said that his opponent could meditate than meditate they would! Finally on the morning of the fourth day, a shocking development occurred.


    Sssssssshhhhhwwwaaaaaaa!!


    A hissing noise began to permeate the Sightless Plains as a great change came. All across, the Chosen under the acidic rain suddenly began to experience a terrifying aura which penetrated their very souls! Many of them quickly rotated the Qi in their Second Hearts and blocked it out but were still shaken internally and mentally.


    "What the hell was that!"


    "I feel...sad..."


    "So heavy...."


    "Why?"


    "The Death Qi of this rain is not what it seems! Though the cycle of death produces the energy required to give its strange flesh eating abilities, it actually contains a trace of Madness! It is faint and has gradually faded over the course of time but somewhere long ago an expert definitely left behind his mark!" Lineir had realized this a moment ago and it was as if a thunderbolt had struck him. He realized how Madness could be used!


    A second later Jun Li experienced a feeling he had never felt before! Whispers... they seemed to travel from the world outside directly to his mind! Though he furiously stimulated his Second Heart and quickly blocked out all external influence, the damage had been done.


    "Why, what are these voices!"


    For the first time in the fight he was...unnerved. Normally, techniques which affected the mind were ineffective on him. He was after all Jun Li, Chosen amongst Chosen! However, these whispers had insidiously penetrated his protections without his knowledge. Even though he was actively channeling his Qi, they continued to infest and whisper to him. Of course, these were the whispers of Madness!


    "Hahaha, I get it now! The rain is not mere Death Qi but also contains Madness! Though I do not have any particular accomplishments in Death Qi, I can substitute my knowledge of Darkness and combine it with Madness instead! When combined with the Dao of Rain it can actually shroud an entire plain in the essence of Madness! It is as if Madness is a deadly toxin. Normally when released it quickly dissipates! However, when it is concentrated enough, you can surround it in a shell of an elemental Qi and encapsulate it. Whoever first created this technique must have been afflicted with Madness, but one day discovered this technique of turning it into a weapon! Moreover, this expert not only used Death Qi to preserve the Madness, but also used the Dao of Rain to spread it. Mmm it''s enough to even make me shudder, such a technique has only one purpose, to sow mass confusion and terror over as many people as possible!"


    Lineir''s breakthrough left him exhilarated! He looked at Jun Li whose face was twitching seemingly resisting some sort of inner demon. He had long since stopped using his Laws of Attraction as distracted as he was! If Lineir wished, he could easily attack while Jun Li was distracted!

 78 The Hanged Man Pt.3

    I Don''t Want To Die Again: The Strongest Swordsman Or The Worst Zombie


    https:///book/i-don''t-want-to-die-again-the-strongest-swordsman-or-the-worst-zombie_18722987506896005


    "Let''s end it here. Thank you for the pointers!"


    Lineir clapped his hands together and sincerely bowed. Jun Li looked slightly hesitant, an unusual expression for such a large man. Why did this strange youth suddenly challenge him to a fight, and then back out after he gained an advantage? Regardless, while normally he would never back down from a real fight, this had after all been a simple duel and Lineir had backed down first giving him face.


    "Very well, feel free to seek me out at any time, I Jun Li will accept all comers!" He clapped his hands together as well and then turned to leave.


    "Where the heck did lil bro end up? ARRRGH damnit!! I totally forgot I was supposed to be bringing him back to the clan!" He looked at Lineir with an aggrieved expression,


    "You chose a terrible time for a duel! Before I go, what''s your name, what clan are you from, I don''t remember any others that train in the laws of attraction besides my own and I haven''t seen your face before...?"


    "Lineir, I''m afraid I don''t have a clan."


    Here in this Trial Lineir didn''t mind giving out his real name. No one was hunting him here. Additionally, he wasn''t lying he really didn''t have a clan name, and while it might be dangerous to reveal that he had no family backing him, he didn''t really care. It would become obvious eventually, and even still, many would assume he simply didn''t wish to disclose his family name, such cases were common after all when youths went out adventuring. Not everyone wanted to show off their status and power! Jun Li simply nodded acknowledging Lineir and headed off from the clearing into the tall grass. Lineir took one more look around at the cleanly shorn tall grass and walked the other way.


    "Hmph, he was very strong. In terms of brute strength he far outclassed me. Even with my new insights I wouldn''t want to fight him in a head to head fight." He then called out to Jun Li who was already half enveloped in the Sightless Plains.


    "That snake man took a left up ahead. If you hurry you can probably catch up!" Of course, this information was something which he had asked from Mei whose senses easily penetrated the Sightless Plains. Jun Li simply flashed a massive thumbs up over his shoulder and adjusted his direction slightly.


    Three days later, Lineir emerged from a secluded glade in the Sightless Plains. He had purposely had Mei find him a deserted corner and had withdrawn all his aura as he meditated trying to understand the rain. With a clap of thunder, the Death Qi rain had suddenly stopped when he had gained total mastery of its production. Realizing that it was extremely unlikely this was a coincidence, Lineir looked up at the Heavens and clasped his hands.


    "Whoever you are, thank you for the lesson."


    He then headed off deeper into the Sightless Plains to test his insights out. It took him some time to return to the hotbed of action, but once he got to a more contested area, Mei immediately alerted him to a likely target.


    "Kiddo, the guy up ahead looks like a weakling. I''d suggest ambushing him, cutting off something important and then testing out your new techniques!"


    She displayed a ruthless approach which fundamentally was very practical. However, Lineir just sighed. He had long since gotten used to Mei''s ruthlessness and at times her advice had often saved his life so he couldn''t complain. He wasn''t a complete sadist however! If he ambushed someone unless he had very good reason he wasn''t simply going to wound them and then toy with them as a cat might play with a mouse. He would either slay them outright or face them in head on combat!


    Shhhhuaaaa! Shua! Shua!!


    After a few seconds observing the Chosen in question Lineir ascertained that Mei''s prediction was correct and that the Chosen was not particularly powerful. The Chosen was in black robes with a short stature and a small scimitar slung across his back and seemed to specialize in some sort of stealth technique. However, while that technique had helped him survive the Trials until now it did no good against Mei''s divine sense!


    "Hmm? Not this damn rain again. What a pain." The Chosen stared up as out of the sky which had cleared a few days ago inexplicably, dark raindrops fell. However, he soon came to know his mistake in believing that this was the same rain as before!


    Shua! Shua!


    Instantly when the rain made contact with the Chosen it evaporated as it clashed with his protective Qi. But instead of sizzling up and disappearing like the original Death Qi rain, a thick fog of Darkness Qi appeared.


    "What? This isn''t Death Qi! It''s Darkness Qi? Is this another change to the Trials??"


    The Chosen was bewildered as he was suddenly surrounded by a stifling atmosphere of Darkness and even his cultivators eyes were impeded by its blackness! That wasn''t all however! A moment later his mind was infected by poisonous whispers! The power of Madness gripped him and his eyes gradually took on a red haze as he desperately fought for control of his own mind!


    "Die!"


    "Die!""Die!"


    "Die!""Die!""Die!"


    "Die!""Die!""Die!""Die!"


    "Die!""Die!""Die!""Die!""Die!"


    "Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Insidiously a torrent of horrifying whispers permeated his very soul, slipping right past his Qi defences! His hands clenched and unclenched around his scimitar as he drew it and flailed about unleashing various techniques trying to disperse the fog of Darkness Qi.


    "Chameleon Slash!!"


    The black fog parted but was quickly reformed as the Rain fell faster than ever!


    Iguana Jumping the Nine Hells!"


    He crouched down on all fours like a lizard and suddenly vaulted off the ground soaring twenty meters forward into the sky! He landed outside the bewildering rain and hid amongst the tall grass.


    "Ugh...I don''t know how they found me the first time but I refuse to believe they can penetrate my concealment technique now that I''ve fled! My clan may not be known for its combat power but in stealth and concealment we are unmatched! Additionally, our secret technique is based off the 5 Colored Iguana of ancient times, it is perfect for blending into these Sightless Plains!"


    He reassured himself and tried to calm himself as the torturous whispers started to die down. It was at this moment that Lineir suddenly stepped out of the thick grass into an open patch!


    "Hmmm...incredible, this technique covers such a large area yet wreaks such devastation even on single targets! Additionally...its Qi consumption is minimal as it is fueled by the power of Madness! I simply need to create the medium for Madness to travel!"


    Lineir smiled evilly and his eyes had a hint of the snakelike pupils of the Hydra! He suddenly shifted his gaze from the rain on the ground and stared directly into the hidden Chosen''s eyes!


    "It''s ok...he can''t see me. It''s just a coincidence! Impossible, no one at our level can see through the 5 Colored Iguana''s Mirror Scales technique! He knows I jumped over here and he''s bluffing trying to scare me out! As long as I don''t move he can''t see me!"


    Frantically, he tried to remain still. Presently, Lineir seemed to lose interest and broke eye contact walking off to the side. Ecstatic the Chosen crowed,


    "Hah! I knew it! Wait...What...the rain why is it here agai-...NOOOOOOOOO!!!" An instant later, a horrible downpour of Lineir''s Darkness Rain crashed from the sky like a flood of Madness. Before the Chosen could even decide whether to stay still and possibly break cover, it was upon him! The Madness quickly amplified and the Darkness came on twice as thick as before, so thick the Chosen could barely even move under the weight of the Laws of Darkness! The whispers of Madness swept past his Qi and penetrated into his mind.


    "Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    Out of the corner of his eye Lineir caught sight of a flash of metal and then a crumpling noise as a headless body fell limply into the grass. The Chosen''s own hand and scimitar were quickly bathed in both blood and rain after he took his own life in Madness! Lineir almost walked away but then sighed and turned back.


    "He might be weak but you never know...maybe he had some good items."

 79 The True Use Of Madness Rain

    I Don''t Want To Die Again: The Strongest Swordsman Or The Worst Zombie


    https:///book/i-don''t-want-to-die-again-the-strongest-swordsman-or-the-worst-zombie_18722987506896005


    After looking through the Chosen''s corpse Lineir snorted in disappointment. As expected, his bag of holding was simply filled with standard goods and miscellaneous goods. After taking out several stronger mid level Chosen, Lineir didn''t put these things in his eyes at all. To be fair, they were still incomparably high level compared to Lineir''s home town. But that was because the cultivators on his home planet were simply too backwards! They followed the same old styles and relied on ancient legacies and weapons passed down from cultivators who had been forced to leave the stronger realms in times past! To be crude...one could even say that the ancestors of his home planet were losers! Of course, this wasn''t true in every case, there are many reasons why a cultivator might choose to leave the higher realms, but in any case, over time, weapons were lost and techniques forgotten. The result was that what was left was a weak heritage and a planet which could not compare to the Chosen of this selection!


    "Don''t be so presumptuous as to assume all these Chosen are weak kiddo. Against the top Chosen of these Trials, I suspect even that Jun Li fellow you ran into would not dare to fight them lightly. However...your progress is quite good. As your master, I have many techniques but this legacy is something even I cannot guide you further on. I believe its maker...holds many similarities to Madraeyal the original owner of the blade which houses my Final Heart! However, I have never divined this particular technique in my studies. That being said, with my experience I can tell you one thing! You are using it wrong!"


    Mei confirmed that this technique was extremely mysterious in origin, such to the point where even she could not understand the maker. However, as an experienced expert of a higher plane, she could still offer pointers as to its usage!


    "I''ve just learned this technique, I understand that it''s not meant as a single target attack but a wide area of effect ability!" Lineir quickly stated his theory but was shot down almost instantly by Mei.


    "Ok, I understand that I must always strive to grow strong, but what does that have to do with how to use this Madness Rain?" Lineir inadvertently created a name for the technique on the spot.


    "Think about it, what are the strengths of this technique?" Mei tried to get Lineir to arrive at the answer on his own.


    "Well, when I use it, I use Darkness Qi instead of Death Qi. So it lacks a corrosive effect but instead generates a heavy weight using the Laws of Attraction. This will slow down the enemies holding them in place, perhaps doubling or even tripling the effort of moving." Lineir began to think of what he could do with this technique.


    "And?" Mei clearly wasn''t done and her tone became impatient.


    "Well, of course there is also the effect of Madness. It attacks the mind and soul directly and is difficult to defend against using Qi based techniques. It''s a good combination with the first binding effect holding the target down for the Madness to finish them off." Lineir''s logic was fairly simple.


    "Not bad, but still you focus too much on killing. Yes, you can slay normal cultivators by the thousands if you wish, but plenty of techniques are capable of that, what is it that makes this technique special?" Mei pressed Lineir for answers.


    "Well...it has a huge area of effect if I wish, but like you said that doesn''t help against powerful opponents...the other is...its low Qi consumption, and how intricately it combines different Daos to bypass the opponent''s defenses..." Before Lineir could finish thinking Mei pounced!


    "Exactly! The low Qi consumption! You can use this technique all day long if you wish! And its intricacies, its insights far surpass your normal techniques! Let me put it to you this way. Your normal techniques are like a simple meal. You can cook them easily enough. However, this technique is an elegant dish crafted by a master! There is no way you could possibly comprehend it on your own but he handed you the recipe and the ingredients pre-prepared and taught you how to make the dish yourself! Hence it can bypass most mind defenses and soul defenses at your level and even touch the minds of those at a higher level than yourself! This technique is something you should not have! In the higher realms, techniques with similar low Qi consumptions and subtle effects are known by one name and one name only. They are Domains!"


    Mei''s voice thundered in Lineir''s mind!


    "Domains are exactly as this technique, but usually only comprehended by those several realms higher than you! Additionally, they are usually not complete until an even higher realm! That you should have it now is simply a Heavenly blessing! The proper usage is simple. Forget about using it as a weapon of mass destruction, you can as it is a cheap way to take care of weaklings, but against the same level and higher don''t discount this technique! Since its Qi consumption is so low you can activate it for an entire fight! Additionally, you use Darkness Qi instead of Death Qi. Your Madness Rain is heavy rather than corrosive so it impedes enemies movements! If you summon it during a battle and leave it on continuously can you imagine the amount of trouble an opponent will have to go through to fight you while their body is simultaneously affected by the binding effect and the whispers of Madness? Additionally, the weight will not only slow down the opponent while he or she is launching their technique, but it will actively impede the technique as it flies through the air ablating the damage! This is one of the natural advantages of the Darkness element! Lastly, once you gain great enough mastery over the technique you can unleash terrifying combination attacks with it! Imagine your opponent''s divine sense blocked by the fog of Darkness Qi and his movement impaired, even if only slightly you will have the absolute advantage in launching absolutely unseen stealth attacks and fading away! If one wants to catch you in the Darkness Qi they can forget about it unless they are truly gods of perception! Now do you see what you''ve been handed from the sky? Literally from the sky??!!!" Mei sounded almost indignant by the end of the tirade.


    "I see..." While Lineir was digesting all this information a strange thought came to him. "Is it me...or does Mei almost seem to be envious?" A second later his suspicions were confirmed when Mei leaked out mournfully,


    "I didn''t get my domain until I was two Realms above you..."

 80 The Hanged Man Pt.4

    I Don''t Want To Die Again: The Strongest Swordsman Or The Worst Zombie


    https:///book/i-don''t-want-to-die-again-the-strongest-swordsman-or-the-worst-zombie_18722987506896005


    After Mei''s morose expression she felt silent and Lineir could only snicker internally. He was truly heaven blessed. A second later, a thunderous voice came across the Sightless Plains.


    "The Gate of the Trials has opened. 64 Chosen remain in the Sightless Plains. Rankings will be determined by the order each Chosen passes through the gate!"


    Lineir pricked his ears as a terrific beam of light roared into existence. A few kilometers away it roared into existence spouting from the ground into the sky so bright one might thing the clouds themselves would be charred.


    "Heh, I see, they want to preserve those that have made it this far. Instead of forcing us into a real deathmatch, those who were strong enough to come this far will simply be ordered by the time it takes for them to clear the exit. However... I wonder if it will really be this simple! Tch, no matter." With a smirk Lineir made for the light beam.


    "Let''s see someone try to stop me!"


    All across the Sightless Plains the remaining Chosen scrambled to be the first to make it to the light beam. However, many Chosen did not go all out. These were the strong ones, the ones who had deep enough legacies and heritages to know that the 1000 Chosen Cups Trial was rarely so simple! These Chosen also headed to the light beam but cautiously. For at the end... there would surely be complications if not a complete bloodbath!


    Clang! Kacha! Kacha! Shua!


    At the site of the light beam several of the quickest Chosen stopped and gaped. The beam of light coalesced and spiraled into the air, photons acting as if drops of water. A huge stone monolith rose up into the sky and engraved in bold strokes were characters!


    "To enter, stand here unmoving for the time it takes an incense stick to burn!"


    In front of the monolith was a shallow platform of stone upon which one was evidently supposed to stay. Instantly battle broke out as those fastest to the site tried to wipe each other out! Many of these Chosen quickly realized what was happening here. If they could defeat all the others and quickly stand here they might be able to sneak a surprise victory before the other stronger Chosen arrived! A vicious melee erupted with techniques flying everywhere! One Chosen with glimmering battle armor, ornately crafted, and a fearsome eagle emblem swept several others away at once and ascended the platform.


    BANG!


    A terrifying crash sounded as before he could even utter a victory cry three other Chosen simultaneously launched magical techniques and blew him hundreds of meters away where he choked up mouthfuls of blood! Instantly three other Chosen ascended to stand in the platform. One of them was precisely the huge man who Lineir had dueled earlier, Jun Li! Opposite to him was another snake eyed man clothed in green, his lil bro, Sai Li! And in front of both these two was an elegant girl wearing a Qipao and holding a flute. The three faced each other, Jun Li, smiling with his scarred face and heavy battleaxe, Sai Li raising a strange whiplike flexible blade, and this strange girl. Around them several weaker Chosen fought amongst themselves but none dared ascend against these three!


    "That''s Jun Li, the Son of Gravity!" One of the Chosen who had retreated from the melee exclaimed to his follower another Chosen.


    "And Sai Li! No one offend that snake!" Another Chosen quickly called out. However, when they caught sight of the girl another shout went out,


    "Ya Li! The Daughter of Gravity too? Are they fighting over some sort of interclan affair?" Another remarked, however his cry had barely died down when Ya Li unleashed a fearsome cry which drowned out the noises of fighting.


    "Sai! I swear that if today you leave the Trials with all your limbs intact I will have the family cut them off for me!" Her voice was as strong as it was high and nothing at all like the graceful opal lute she carried in her hand which looked as if it could have been crafted by the Heavens.


    "Haha, lil bro played a joke, it was a joke, a joke, Honey, can''t you let him off on account of our upcoming marriage?" Jun Li had an oddly charming innocent expression on his face. He raised his hands to placate Ya Li, but it could be noted that a large amount of dark energy began to build giving his hands a dark glow. Additionally, though he seemed to be raising his hands in peace, they were inching closer to the haft of the battleaxe on his back. He sighed darkly in his mind. When a woman got like this there was no stopping blood from being spilt! As expected, despite his words, Ya Li''s face only reddened more and she shrieked,


    "That motherf****** no good pervert of a brother of yours tried to kidnap my one and only sister! I don''t care if he''s family, anyone who tries to touch my little sister is a dead man!" Ya Li raised the ornate flute to her lips and inhaled. Instantly her chest pumped out impressively as air whooshed inside and a fearsome wind Qi gathered in her Second Heart. Seeing this Jun Li immediately paled and drew his battleaxe protectively in front of him as the green robed Sai Li backed off a step an emerald scale shield appearing in his left hand as well.


    "Don''t you think you guys are being a little too overbearing taking over the whole platform for the Li family?" A roguish voice entered and a petulant blue robed man appeared along with a retinue of strong cultivators. Immediately there was an uproar as several watching Chosen exclaimed,


    "Wei Song, his retainers alone contain 5 of the top twenty acknowledged Chosen in the Trials!" Instantly the other Chosen sighed. It seemed their dreams of trying to sneak a good ranking were at an end. With Wei Song here none would pass easily until his entire group had ascended in their minds.

 81 The Hanged Man Pt.5

    I Don''t Want To Die Again: The Strongest Swordsman Or The Worst Zombie


    https:///book/i-don''t-want-to-die-again-the-strongest-swordsman-or-the-worst-zombie_18722987506896005


    Wang!


    A tremendous gale appeared as the blue robed man raised a gust of wind which quickly spun into a small tornado. Inside were numerous blue runes which interlocked and whirled in endless circles. Each of these runic circles was strong enough to trap a weaker cultivator and combined into a 999 circle formation which could rip apart even strong Chosen''s defenses! The members of the Li family immediately switched their attention to this new Chosen.


    "If you guys want to settle your family differences do it somewhere else, that platform belongs to I, Jian Te!" The tornado spun and though the three Li members combined managed to disperse it they were all pushed to the edge of the platform. Instantly Jian Te leaped up with a swirl of his blue robes and a scepter with a cats-eye jewel on top appeared in his hands.


    "Now do you want to leave peacefully or shall I show you the difference between our births?"


    His arrogant words immediately caused several Chosen to scowl. Their entire lives they had always been of higher birth, higher status and had enjoyed the privileges associated with it. So though his disparaging words were true that only made them angrier. They could only hold their rebuttals deep in their chests and pray that their anger did not form into internal devils one day however.


    "Hmph. Perhaps if your older brother Ji Li was here I''d be unable to do anything but cower. He is not however, and with my family''s Heaven Swallowing Scepter, even if you three come at me together it is useless. Come back when your cultivation is higher!" He waved his scepter and a blue-runed tornado twisted into existence again. However, it was twice the size of the first and the circles of runes combined together not into formless masses but into giant skulls.


    "Heaven Swallowing Wind!"


    First Jun Li''s own whirlwind crashed into Jian Te''s Heaven Swallowing Wind. However, though the mysteries were profound, it was quickly defeated. There was simply a power differential. Then Sai Li''s emerald beam came. For a moment, the Heaven Swallowing Wind became sluggish but moments later the beam was simply swallowed by the rune skulls. Lastly, the Chimera phantom came but with a pitiful gasp it too was battered and swallowed whole by the tornado and its skulls. All three members of the Li family suffered backlashes from having their techniques destroyed, but stood firm swallowing blood in their mouths. Immediately they casted protective spells and wards while pumping their defensive Qi to the max but when the Heaven Swallowing Wind came they were blasted off the platform their Second Hearts sent into internal chaos and were unable to stop themselves as they were flung many meters away. There on the ground they lay there family conflicts forgotten as they stared at Jian Te. However, rather than following up Jian Te simply advanced to the platform and beckoned to his minions.


    "Unless anyone else wishes to make a challenge and waste their lives, my followers and I will be leaving first. I trust that no brothers or sisters wish to die by my scepter today?" Jian Te didn''t even bother looking around to see if anyone was stepping up. He began to kneel and enter meditation on the platform. However, before he could kneel a blast of emerald light flashed in front of him. Jian Te easily crushed it with his palm the light fragmenting and shattering.


    "Li family bastard. I gave face to your older brother by letting you live. But I see you truly wish to be disciplined. Very well. Your older brother cannot blame me for teaching you a lesson when you asked for it!"


    The Heaven Swallowing Wind appeared again and shot out from Jian Te''s scepter directly towards Sai Li! Jun Li immediately rushed over despite numerous bloody wounds all over his body and placed himself in front of his brother.


    "What are you doing! I don''t need your protection!" Sai Li practically hissed at Jun Li but Jun Li simply hefted his battleaxe and stood firm like a human bear.


    "The Li family stands firm! Ya-er! I know you have your issues with my lil bro but now is not the time! Come!" He called out to Ya Li but she simply looked at Sai Li and smirked.


    "Jun-er, I know you love your lil bro but I too have a younger sister to protect and this man sought to do her harm!" She stood there seemingly ambivalent to whether or not the two brothers died together. Jun Li''s face fell and he simply sighed.


    "It doesn''t matter... even if you came we couldn''t stop Jian Te. But that won''t stop me from trying! Haaaarrrrrgh!" Jun Li released a mighty swing of his battleaxe and a fresh whirlwind twisted into being warping space itself. Sai Li stared at the back of his brother and also tossed up his emerald scale shield which emitted a scintillating beam. However, their two attacks were not as powerful as their previous attacks when they were at full power and Jian Te''s Heaven Swallowing Wind quickly tore them apart. At the last second, Ya Li''s expression changed and she quickly blew her flute trying to intervene. However, the phantom Chimera it formed was also torn to pieces and the tornado came relentlessly. It clashed into Sai Li''s emerald shield which was floating in front of the brothers and instantly the shield exploded. Then it reached Jun Li''s battleaxe. The battleaxe was wrenched from Jun Li''s hands and tossed away though it did not break. The tornado reached the brothers and they closed their eyes as they desperately tried to circulate their defensive Qi barriers. Ya Li could only watch helplessly from the side.

 Chapter 82 - The Hanged Man Pt. 6

    I Don''t Want To Die Again: The Strongest Swordsman Or The Worst Zombie


    https:///book/i-don''t-want-to-die-again-the-strongest-swordsman-or-the-worst-zombie_18722987506896005


    Krrraaaang!


    A bolt of lightning shot down from the turbulent skies which had been stirred by so much wind Qi that they had become ragged and torn. With an explosion the bolt crashed into the Heaven Swallowing Wind tornado and instantly dispelled the gusty gales!


    "Karma sown is karma paid. Today I repay you for your favor Jun Li! Take your family and finish the 1000 Chosen Cups Trial!" A youth holding a long infinitely sharp blade darker than black landed in front of the Li brothers. His sharp eyes were calculating seemingly ordinary amongst cultivators but if one were to look closely they would see a sharp cleverness and killing intent which far exceeded the norm. Naturally this youth was Lineir and he had come to repay Jun Li''s kindness! Karma sown must be repaid!


    "Hmph, more small fry dares to draw death upon themselves? I can oblige! What family are you from, I, Jian Te, will wipe out one generation of your clan for each breath of mine you waste!" Jian Te still standing on the platform looked up from his meditation as his Heaven Swallowing Wind was finally dispelled. His cold arrogant words were backed with the power of his Sect which towered above others. However... Lineir simply laughed. A storm began to brew in the skies above as the atmosphere became dark once again!


    "Jian Te is it? I''ve heard of you. Something about the biggest mouth and the least brains." Normally Lineir wouldn''t seek to insult someone without a purpose. He would prefer to use his blade rather than his words to beat someone else''s throat. However... Jun Li could be considered someone he owed, almost a friend! To one like Lineir who had traveled the world alone and on his own this was his ultimate reverse scale. Especially considering Lineir''s poor background this silkpant''s arrogant manner had truly pissed him off. To touch someone he owed a debt to in his sight? In this silkpant''s dreams!


    "Pft I will say one thing nameless weakling, you sure can run your mouth! I''d like to see for how long you can still utter such drivel!" Jian Te raised his scepter to summon his Heaven Swallowing Wind again, however a strange thing happened before he could even begin to channel.


    Sss...ssss....sssssssssssss.....ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss


    "What is this? This rain seems so similar to the acid rain of the Sightless Plains but there is no corrosive effect?"


    "So heavy....this rain makes me feel like I''m covered in heavy mercury!"


    "No Death Qi but something else?"


    "Wait! This is darkness Qi mixed with rain!" Several of the Chosen present began to speculate on the origins of the rain.


    "Is this another unexpected move on the administrator''s part?" One Chosen guessed. However, while this was all happening Lineir was staring directly at Jian Te standing on the platform and he smirked.


    "Too late for regrets. You''ve already entered my Domain...Now get out!" Instantly Lineir disappeared as every Chosen felt the weight of the world increase several fold!


    "What? Where did that man go?" Everyone looked around curiously straining to see past the Darkness Qi infused rain. It not only hindered movement but the darkness hindered their eyes and their divine sense similar to the Sightless Plains!


    "Parlor tricks! I''ll blow this wind away!" Jian Te had an ugly expression on his face as he realized his divine sense was completely obstructed by this freakish rain! However, once again before he could even summon his Heaven Devouring Wind Lineir appeared behind him on the platform!


    "Get off. I''ve already reserved this throne for a real Chosen!" Jian Te''s eyes widened as he realized Lineir had taken his back and he had never seen a thing! As he whirled to turn already preparing his defensive Qi Lineir smirked and slashed with his blade.


    Lightning Break!


    Instantly Lineir''s sword seemed to flicker in an extremely direct fashion such was its speed in his Domain! It arrived before Jian Te had even turned halfway around. However, something unexpected happened which even caused Lineir''s expression to change. His strike was actually blocked! Though he managed to land a hit directly on Jian Te''s blue robes, several magical defenses suddenly activated and Jian Te merely grunted rather than being bisected in half as Mei''s sword was stopped!


    "Plebian! You expect to beat your father with such shitty tricks? This father is wearing the skin of a Blue Horned Ape''s skin, Earth Dragon''s Armor, and enough defensive amulets to defend against an elder for several breaths of time! Amongst this generation I, the Blue Magician am unkillable! Now die!" Jian Te fully turned around but a moment later he faced only empty air as Lineir mysteriously disappeared again!


    A moment later several members of Jian Te''s retinue standing next to the platform who were struggling to move under the suppression of the Darkness Rain Domain cried out!


    "Behind you!" They screamed and Jian Te''s eyes bulged as a horrifying sensation crept across his neck, as if someone was digging his grave!


    "Impossible....there''s no way he got behind me from this close---!!!" He wheeled around but to no avail.


    "Jun Li bring your family and ascend the platform! I guarantee that none here will not disturb you for an entire incense sticks worth of time!" Lineir made a bold declaration as he planted his foot in Jian Te''s backside!


    Blast Cross Kick!


    The flames of the Phoenix roared to life as the unfortunate Chosen was blasted off the platform. Jun Li, Sai Li, and Ya Li could only stare in amazement as before their eyes the Darkness Rain opened up a path for them to ascend the platform!


    "Hurry up! Before some other idiot comes!" Lineir called out before leaping off the platform to chase the evicted Jian Te. Staring at this mysterious black robed youth who he had felt he could beat a few days ago, Jun Li could only sigh.


    "Maybe he was holding back, regardless, thank you second lil bro!" Then he grabbed Sai Li and Ya Li and sprinted to the platform!