Shin opened his 'eyes.'
The gorgeous Tree of Illusions was nowhere to be found. Lady Seph, his Master, was nowhere to be found. Bingbing, Zishen, Heigui Zhengkang, Venerate Maurice… Everyone who was meant to protect him was nowhere to be found. And most importantly… His enemy, Junius, was nowhere to be found. However, Shin didn't feel worried in the slightest. Why? Because he has been in this place before.
Plop… Plop… Plop…
Shin moved his feet, sending a few small ripples spreading out from under him. Underneath his feet, Shin was graced by a vast ocean, one that was as big as any ocean he'd ever seen. Shin couldn't tell how deep the ocean was, and neither could he tell how wide it was, but that didn't intimidate him one bit. In fact, Shin was proud of the immense growth of the water body. He remembered the days where it was just a small lake that looked nothing more than a glorified puddle. After years of cultivation, Shin was able to grow his inner Spectre Soul into something colossal.
The young man turned his attention to the centre of the ocean, where six gorgeous crystal obelisks levitated. Ripples burst forth from underneath the floating crystals, sending some disturbances upon the peaceful ocean. Shin felt calm watching the six monoliths that represented his spiritual abilities. He had worked hard to learn all of those marvellous abilities, after all. However, something was terribly wrong.
Why was he within his Spectre Soul, even though he hadn't cultivated enough yet? It was just a few months ago that he'd reached the Rank 50 Spirit Lord realm. In theory, Shin would require a few years, decades even to reach the peak of Rank 59. Only then, would he be forced to look within his Spectre Soul... So why was he here now?
Plop… Plop… Plop…
Bubbles floated up to the surface from the bottom of the ocean, creating a small vortex of disturbance within the confines of the six obelisks. Interested, Shin popped his head closer towards the structures that housed his spiritual abilities, all while increasing his perception within his own Spectre Soul. Typically, a cultivator would know everything about the inner workings of their Spectre Soul. However, Shin's Spirit held multiple secrets of its own.
Initially, it was an adorable little fish. However, it morphed into a ferocious dragon of legend, one that was said to be capable of bringing the world to heel. Not just that, the oceanic world that the Celestial Dragon had created was far too vast for Shin to explore. In the end, Shin simply used the Hymn of Origin to refine his Spectre Soul, but he probably only understood fifty percent of his enigmatic Spirit.
The Celestial Dragon descended from its lofty home in the skies and twirled around Shin, lovingly caressing its head on the young man's shoulder. It looked like a little puppy that had been separated from its mother for the longest time and was seeking some warmth, something that greatly tugged on Shin's heartstrings.
"Yes, yes… You've been suffering..." Shin laughed as he pulled the Celestial Dragon's face closer to his own. As much as he wanted to relish in the warmth of the dragon, Shin had more pressing matters to tend to. "Do you know what's happening here?" He asked, only to be greeted with a shaking head.
"So even you don't know what's going on?" Shin puckered his lips.
The last thing Shin remembered was Junius' blade through his chest. However, there was no pain with that attack. Instead, it was a refreshing feeling, one that wouldn't beat that of having a refreshing drink after a full day's worth of workouts. Every part of his Spectre Soul felt energised, and even as he stood above the vast ocean, Shin could feel his internal spiritual energies rising like a tidal wave.
Speaking of which… A shadow appeared from within the depths of the ocean, rising up where the bubbles were located. Like a geyser, a seventy crystal obelisk emerged within the original six, taking its place right in front of Shin's eyes. Shin's jaw dropped while his eyes glistened with utter confusion. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Shin was all too familiar with this phenomenon. He had experienced this five times before…
"Am I… advancing?"
There was only one reason why a new crystal obelisk would appear within his Spectre Soul. However, that didn't make any sense. Shin had just advanced from the Spirit Spectre into the Spirit Lord realm just a few months ago. Although Shin had skipped ranks in the past, skipping realms was a whole new ball game. There wasn't even a recorded instance where a cultivator could survive bypassing an entire realm's worth of cultivation.
"That's right!"
"!!!"
Shin abruptly jumped at the sudden reply. He had unknowingly voiced out his inner thoughts, thinking that he was alone within his Spectre Soul. Thus, Shin wasn't expecting someone to actually answer his question. He snapped his neck back, attempting to find the intruder that had dared to trespass into his soul. Oddly enough, the overprotective Celestial Dragon did nothing to find the third party. Instead, it looked down at Shin with a warm and loving smile, as if there was nothing to fear. Though, the black-haired Prince didn't see that face. Shin was busy trying to find the foreign influence that had broken into his psyche.
Fortunately… Shin didn't have to look for long.
A tall, viridian-haired man, wearing a full coat of white, tip-toed his way through the calm ocean surface like a gliding swan. The man was a few hundred metres away, but his steady flying speed would allow him to reach Shin within a few seconds. In his hand, there was a pure azure sword, entirely made out of water that was oddly similar to the one in Shin's ocean. However, there was one distinct difference. Colossal mana, one that wouldn't lose out to the Celestial Dragon's own, wreathed all around the dazzling blade.
Usually, Shin would be breathless before such splendour, but his heart was completely calm. Somehow, he knew… That mana could never hurt him… It was as if… That sword had long become an extension of his body. A million questions were running through his mind; however, there was one thing that Shin had to confirm first. His pulse rate increased as the words got stuck in his mouth.
All the emotions that he'd felt over the past seven years faded into oblivion. Hate, frustration, anguish… All the pain and suffering that Shin had endured… It all seemed so useless now. Why? Because of the smiling man that stood right before his eyes.
"Junius..."
"Yeah, that's me..."
Junius replied with his signature elder brother smile. How many times had Shin seen that face? How many times did Shin feel his soul being soothed by the warm sensation that Junius could make him feel? Shin lost count.
It was this smile that had stayed Shin's hand for so many years. Shin believed that deep down, Junius' brotherly smile was hidden underneath the many layers of hate and fury. The collapse of the Awter Clan, their suffering as outcasts of the Frie Clan… To the eventual, unfortunate… Deaths of Ariel, Lily and Linus… All of those matters had changed Junius. Adding to the fact that the Allfather and the Black Masks had capitalised on his noble heart, Shin knew that the real Junius had just been pushed down by the darkness.
And Junius' current smile… had proven Shin's theory right. Without the Allfather's mana, Junius had reverted back to the loving brother that Shin knew. Without the burden of the Awter Clan… Junius could show his true self. The noble soul that would sacrifice anything for his younger siblings.
"You fool..." Shin felt his vision blur as his throat started to get choked. He was no fool. The fact that Shin was undergoing such a drastic change… The scene where Junius expelled some dark smoke, purifying the domineering mana into a pure state… Junius piercing Shin's chest with his Azure Water Blade... And finally, Junius appearing within his Spectre Soul…
It didn't take a fool to connect the dots… Even with all the odds stacked against him… When he was surrounded by Shin and the rest of the elites… When he was pressured by the Allfather to take Shin out… Junius still managed to execute his suicidal plan.
Junius shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "Hah… Yes, I am a fool… But before I'm a fool, I'm your elder brother..."
Shin froze. How had he longed to hear those words? How long has he waited for this day? The day where his brother would return…
"Junius!!!"
All of a sudden, the memories that Shin had repressed came flooding back in. The days where Shin would fall sick and Junius would stay up all night just to tend to his needs. The time where the Second Elder sent someone to assassinate Shin during the Harvest Festival and Junius risked his life to fend off against opponents much stronger than himself. The days Shin and Junius spent together at the Mushinkei, goofing around with Sister Riko and Marshall…
Those were the joyful times that Shin had spent with Junius. There were many ups and downs in their relationship, but one had to admit… Without Junius' presence, there possibly would never have been a Shin Iofiel. Shin had suppressed those memories, just to strengthen his nerves to kill off the villain that was the Blade of Death. However, with his brother Junius back… There was no need for him to hold back those memories, after all…
SLAM!!!
Shin tackled Junius to the ocean surface, sending ripples flying all over the place. Gone was the indomitable Prince of Water, who had brought the entire Lantis Republic to heel. Shin's face was filled with salty tears and unblissful snot. Normally, he was the pillar that everyone would rely on, the unshakeable force that everyone could turn to. Not many people knew that before Shin took on the significant brother role for himself, there had always been a big brother in his life. And that big brother… was currently being manhandled by the young man.
"Stupid boy… You still haven't kicked that habit of yours..." Junius chuckled as he brought Shin's tearful face up towards his. "It doesn't matter if you're three-years-old or twenty-three… You are still the same..."
Ripples continued to spread out from Junius' bum. The ocean was calm as the seventh crystal obelisk solidified itself within Shin's Spectre Soul. However…
Drip… Drip… Drip…
One red droplet fell from Junius back. One became two, two became four. Slowly… Shin realised that something was amiss. The ocean, which should have been holy and azure, was now laced with ripples of blood. Junius didn't show his pain and neither did he change his expression. Taking a firm stance, the man looked Shin right in the eye and said:
"I'm sorry… But I don't think I have enough time left..."
✵✵✵
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