In front of me stood a beautiful girl, she a blue shining hair with a tint of a light green color, her eyes the same color. Looking at her I said confused "Lingling?"
She was my teammate at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, the support system Xie Lingling. She approached me and hugged me "Bai!" Then, she separated "Woaw, more than 3 years have passed since the last time. It's nice meeting you again" she said smiling.
"I'm happy to meet you again, Lingling. But, what are you doing here surrounded by spirit beasts?" I asked.
"Oh? It may seem strange" she turned to the spirit beasts "This human is my friend, you wouldn't need to worry about it, you can withdraw" she commanded making a signal with her hands. Like reacting to her, the previously closed entrance opened again and the spirit beasts followed her order leaving the cave.
Once Lingling and I were alone, she turned to me "Now that we are alone, before anything else" she turned serious "What is your intention coming to the Forest Portal, Bai?" A powerful aura surrounded her and was pressuring me a little, it seemed that she really became more powerful, to make such pressure with a support spirit.
I decided to answer truthfully. I stopped suppressing the Slaughter Intent, letting it leak from my body. This made Lingling made a step back, with an alert expression "What a nefarious aura. I never saw one like that before, even if not too powerful, its essence is truly dark"
"This is my problem. I can't really control this aura, I could only try to suppress. The problem is that this would be only a temporary solution, I need to become strong enough to surpass this power. I came to the Forest Portal trying to find an opportunity to be permitted to enter the Star Lake. I heard that it would be the best place to improve my Protection Intent, and maybe the only solution to be able to face against this dark aura" I explained
"So it's that. How could you obtain that dark aura?" she asked me, now calmer.
I forced a smile "It's a little problem of mine, I'll prefer not to tell it. Don't take it badly, I never told anyone about this, at least, before they discovered themselves" the last sentence I said in low voice.
Lingling sighed "I trust you, Bai. However, this Forest Portal is a trial, if I can't assure your circumstances I won't be able to accept you"
"Wait a moment. Are you insinuating that you are able to permit me to enter Star Lake?" I asked.
"I am not insinuating anything" Lingling smiled, "I said it directly. I could bring you to Star Lake. This last year I passed most of the time there, I am a friend with Bi Ji and I was even accepted by the Spirit Beast Linage" she said puffing her chest.
I tilted my head confused "Bi Ji? Spirit Beast Linage?"
She shook her head "Of course you don't know. Bi Ji is the Star Lake's Queen's name, it may be easier if I said she is the Emerald Swan. For the Spirit Beast Linage is an informal organization of the most powerful spirit beast of the forest, I already met some of the most powerful spirit beast, a wink of them powerful enough to kill me"
I couldn't help for my jaw to fall due to the shock "Wow!"
"I know. I am great" she said smiling "If you won't tell me your condition I won't be able to accept you. Even though, I would be able to let you enter one of the purest water near the Star Lake"
I made a thoughtfully face (Even in the best environment, it's not sure that I could surpass Paul. I hate to admit it, but he is a genius. I would need all the help that I can get to surpass him. I'm really lucky to possible obtain the permission to enter thanks to Lingling. I thought that I would need to pass multiple tests to prove that I'm not a danger for them. And even with that, I doubt that they will let me enter the Star Lake. I trust Lingling, the best would be to explain her my problems).
Having decided I started telling Lingling all about Paul. Explain all about him since I knew his presence to the happenings in Slaughter City, even explaining Paul had a previous life, only excluding Paul's future knowledge.
Lingling listened to me very attentively. Once I finished "So, due to a technique of yours, you have more than one personality. Usually, they are blocked and only act as a support of you, but somehow, one of them had lived a past life and is trying to increase the influence in you. Eventually, taking control of the body. I summarized correctly?"
"Good enough. You would need to specify some details, but it's good enough. Do you trust me?" I asked hopefully.
She stood there thoughtfully some seconds, finally nodding "I always thought that something changed in you before the Continental Tournament. I could detect something dark hidden inside you, but I thought that I was wrong and was only due to my increase in my powers. All humanity had dark parts after all. I trust you, Bai. Before anything, can you assure me that this Paul won't be able to take control of you?"
"I am now more familiar with his Intent, even if I was exposed by a powerful dark power I would be able to keep him in check. Unless I let him, Paul won't be able to take the control. At least before I arrive at rank 70" I explained.
She nodded "Promise me. While you stay here, you won't let Paul take control, even if it could cost your life" She said seriously.
"I vow to Heavens and Earth, while I am here I won't let Paul take the control. I promised over my family" I vowed.
"Clap!" she clapped "All fine then". She then approached the statue in the middle of the cave "The human passed the TRUE test. He showed his goodwill and I plead for him that he won't become a seed of chaos for the spirit beast community" This caused the statue to shine even brighter than before and the cave to start trembling.
The statue started deforming like it was made of clay. Little by little its form started changing.
After 10 seconds, where a statue of a human and a bird stood, now there was some kind of door. It had an arc form, it was green in color and exuded a rich and fresh essence.
Even the plate under it had changed now wrote "You, accepted by nature. Follow the path to the Stars"
"Follow me, Bai" Lingling said crossing the door, disappearing just as she crossed it.
I approach the portal "So this is the true Forest Portal. I suppose it would bring me to the Star Lake" I crossed the portal. After a strange sensation and a little headache, I found myself in another place. It was a rocky corridor 3 meters wide. In front of me stood Lingling waiting for me to come, while behind me there was an end of the road, a rocky wall.
"Come, Bai. The Star Lake is a little beyond" Lingling informed started walking.
We walked some time and I finally asked "Lingling?" "What?" she answered.
"You don't need to answer if you don't want, but, what are you doing here? It's strange for humans to come here and you said that you lived here for more than a year. Not only that, you were accepted by the spirit beasts and even have enough power to accept me" I asked.
"It couldn't be helped you to be curious" She sighed "I have something to do here. This is the best environment for my spirit and thanks to the evolution of my spirit I was easily accepted by the spirit beasts thanks that I healed a lot of them. For some reason since my spirit evolution, spirit beasts are never wary of me. The previous hostility was changed to respect"
She stopped and turned to me "Bai, let that dark aura out. It won't be permitted in the Star Lake". I accepted letting the Slaughter Intent free, a dark aura surrounding me.
Lingling approached me, she closed her eyes and extended her arms, putting her hand over my chest. A glow started appearing in her hand, she opened her eyes that now shined with a bright green glow instead of the previous blue one "Purify" she said in low voice. The glow of her hand extended over all my body.
Looking at it a opened my eyes widely "This is..." This was a domain, a powerful one leagues over mine. Lingling's previous one was uncontrolled and the essence of it was a lot weaker. This was a complete control domain, even controlling the form of it and its characteristics, transforming her comprehension in a kind of technique.
Lingling domain completely suppressed the Slaughter Intent, making it dispersed, disappearing completely. I sighed in relief, sensing a weight leaving my shoulders. It was like before Paul took control of the body. I could already sense that it would be easier to use my Intent and Domain.
"Buff" Lingling sighed, her domain dispersing and her eyes returning to their blue color "To think that a simple aftermath was so strong. You must work hard, Bai"
It was easily seen that she was tired, dispersing the Slaughter Intent must have been difficult to her "Thanks, Lingling"
She made a serious face "I only limited the dark intent for you. Like you explained, this intent is formed by your other personality. It would always there, ingrained in Paul. If you want to make it disappear, you would need to erase him or him to change his own intent"
"Even with this, thanks Lingling. I'm really glad for your help. I'd have a need at least one year to arrive at this state" I thanked her.
She smiled "Now, let's go" Even with a lot more road in front of us, long enough to not see it final. She approached the wall. Extended her hand to the rocky wall a kind of a golden handle of a door.
She pressed the handle, a door appearing over it. She pushed it, opening the door. A brightly light surged from the door blinding me "Welcome to the Star Lake"