After the swords lost their black aura they fell to the lake powerless.
Hei Qi's gaze turned to me and charged towards me. I didn't have any strength to fight, not that it would make any difference fighting against someone so powerful.
Before arriving at me, Hei Qi collided with a white shield, it was my sword heart, Aegis. Detecting my own danger it had automatically reacted, appearing in front of me.
Hei Qi lifted his left hand and extended over the shield, supporting himself. Sword at his right hand, he thrust forward, easily penetrating the shield which dispersed in air. Due to the backslash of my sword heart's destruction, I vomited blood, making me even weaker than before.
Then, Hei Qi appeared in front of me. His left arm shot to me, and he lifted me graving me by my neck. I could feel a suffocating sensation, not enough air entering my lungs.
From Hei Qi's helmet, his eyes part opened, proving that it was an armor and not his real body, showing a mesmerizing multicolored eyes. They seemed to scan myself, I sensed like I couldn't hide anything, I couldn't escape from him and my death was near.
It wasn't only his eyes, all his aura changed in that instant, if anything that I would be able to do will be only a futile struggle before, now I couldn't even try that struggle. My body unconsciously started trembling "Interesting. Someone so tainted being able to create that pure light. You can be of help" Hei Qi said in a cold voice that even I sensed my heartbeat to stop.
Suddenly, Hei Qi turned to his right and swung his sword "BAAAAAM!" Multiple different attacks targeted him, it was like a rain of fire, water, thunder... But was easily stopped by Hei Qi's swing.
From the direction of the attack a large group of spirit beasts appeared, there were more than 50 spirit beasts, some of them were even older than 100.000 years. On the center of them, seemingly be the most important of them, being protected by the other spirit beasts, stood a stunning beautiful woman.
She had green jade hair and eyes that shined brightly, her figure was slender with a green dress that outlined her body perfectly. The most characteristic of her was a pair of green jade wings that seemed to have sculpted by gems, each feather extremely dazzling. Her wings exuded a captivating aura of life making her seem like a natural goddess.
It created a strange picture, a beautiful woman surrounded by beasts. She lifted her head looking at Hei Qi without an ounce of fright "How you dare to attack the forest, Hei Qi!?" She looked at Er Ming, Da Ming, Xiao Wu, and Lingling "Not only that, you even attack some of my people. Leave immediately"
"It's you who is daring trying to order me. You aren't my rival, swan" Hei Qi spatted.
"I may not be, but I am enough to gain time until Tian's appearance," She said glaring at him.
"What a joke. How many beasts would be sacrificed to obtain that time? And it's not a certainty that I can't return to my lair before that old dragon appears" He looked down at her "Even when you shoulder countless necessaries sacrifices for you to stand where you are now, you continue being naive enough to try to keep everyone alive" This caused a look of rage, sadness, and worry to appear at the woman's face
"However, you don't need to worry. I would leave now" His sword disappeared being replaced by a small dagger. He turned to me who was in his grasp yet, he swung the dagger piercing it in my left arm. Instead of pain, I sensed a strange sensation as the dagger entered my arm, instead of piercing it was like it was being absorbed.
Once the dagger was totally absorbed he threw me to a side of the lake. I was shot like a cannon striking the ground, losing my consciousness, the figure of Hei Qi leaving the last that I saw.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the ground. I was surrounded by the Lingling, Xiao Wu and the green-haired woman. The green-haired woman was kneeling beside me had her wings extended and glowing brightly and some green aura emitted from them towards me.
Seeing me opening the eyes, the green-haired woman's wings folded themselves stopping the green glow. She stood up and looked directly at my eyes "You showed your goodwill and heart to us. From now on and forever you will be a friend of us" She turned to Lingling "When he is ready, he can come to my quarters" Lingling made a low bow nodding. The green-haired woman then turned around and left the scene, being followed by all the spirit beasts, only leaving Lingling, Xiao Wu, Er Ming, Da Ming and me there.
Xiao Wu jumped hugging me "Thanks for helping my brothers, they would be dead if not for you, from now own we all are brothers!"
I looked at her strangely and turned to Da Ming and Er Ming, all their injured were healed as if they weren't there in the first place. They sighed at Xiao Wu antics, but looked at me and lowered their heads a little nodding.
I scratched my head "There's no need to thanks. It was my fault that Hei Qi came, I was his target"
Xiao Wu separated from the hug and shook her head "You could have escaped but you put your life in the line for us. I almost immolated myself. You would always have our thanks" she said seriously.
"Okay, okay. Don't be so formal it's strange" I turned to Lingling who seemed to know more about "What's all this about? Who was the woman and her entourage?"
"She was the Emerald Swan, Queen of Star Lake, Bi Ji" She attentively looked at me and smiled "It seems that you had your problem resolved in this fight, the nefarious aura is completely focused and isn't affecting you at all, condensed in a single point. For what she told, you have been recognized, now being able to enter the inner area of Star Lake where Bi Ji lives. Congratulations"
"So I finally suppressed the Slaughter Intent. I am nearer to fight against Paul" I said for myself "To think that the woman was the Emerald Swan. What's the difference between the inner area where she lives and the outer?" I asked Lingling.
"It is not much. A little purer, but it would not make a big difference. The most important is that you are accepted by Bi Ji like I was before you. She would even accept training you, with her help your understanding of Life would soar to a new level" Lingling explained.
(Increasing my Life comprehension would be a good step to go against Paul. I would at least made it similar as Protection before being able to fuse them) I clenched my hands in determination. I quickly stood up shouting "What are we waiting for. Let's g-" A big headache forces me to stop talking and put a hand over my head.
"Calm down, Bai" said Lingling "You need to rest to had a big fight, even with your injured healed by Bi Ji, your mental strength is at the lowest. There is also the problem of Hei Qi's dagger. I do not know what that was all that about. For now, rest, Bai"
I sighed and turned to my left hand. That sensation was similar as when Paul absorbed a sword fragment at the Slaughter King's treasure stove (I know that it is important. But, what the fuck is all this about? I hate that Paul knows more about it) I stayed thoughtfully (Now that I remembered I had a treasure worth inside my storage)
I focused on my storage searching inside it, most of them were precious objects, but comparing with the wealth of my clan it wasn't up to, so it didn't impress me too much. For some reason one object attracted me, it was an old, all chimed sword. Almost like a reflex I took it out, my heartbeat increasing and my left arm trembling in resonance with it. Once outside it became light gray particles and was absorbed by my left hand.
A wave of tiredness hit me and I fell to the ground listened anxious voices "BAI!" I closed my eyes falling sleep.