Practicing Wuliao's Silent Sword was easier said and understood, than done. Wuliao was a master of perception, a unique trait found among strong psychic peoples. It was in fact, a trait that was necessary for someone to retain lots of psychic energy. Without perception, one cannot grow in anything.
The technique was like a cat walking, they were there but the touch was so gentle on the surface that no ripples would follow. A cleaving motion whooshed, a slashing motion made a slicing noise and a stab always sounded like a thrust. The silent sword technique encompassed all sword movement to be a killing motion, in a way, it was also a movement technique that was focused and impressed on the sword rather than the body. Sonic booms were only heard after that which has passed.
The movements were not usable with every weapon but most blade weapons could be wielded during the Techniques. Hammers and maces had too much wind sheer, poles and staves whistled as they tore through the open air.
Wu Hai did his best to practice in the mornings before each hunt in the afternoons and the group would go out together to stalk the herbs in the night. His activities left him well fed and growing stronger on an almost constant basis. Whenever he encountered a problem with his training, he took a break.
Once, there was a town he had spent a week of their time away. Wu Hai spent most of the time drinking away his sorrows but he kept trying to find the group no matter what. Some proof of their trail had to exist somewhere.
It wasn't until the winter of the third year that the Emperor was losing his force of will. The waves were crashing around him, he had been floating for about an hour after he finished his training and Wu Hai's mind was unsteady. He drank while watching the light change, it was cold all over the region but that didn't matter. As the daylight formation above churned and changed, the wind kept blowing. It almost felt like when the second sun of Shiyan ducked behind the horizon, Wu Hai stood up as fast as he could in the water only to notice a bright green herb.
He had seen herbs like that before, even spoken to one. It was giving off a green glow, greatly different from Honey's blue aura. Wu Hai didn't stand on principle, he knew that it was a medicine he had to have. The Green aura seemed to give him comfort and peace just by being in its presence. Before he started to excavate the plant from the soil, he went through his belonging and found a large cauldron that hadn't been used in a long time. When there was sufficient back-fill in the make-shift planter, he wandered around a bit and saw a town nearby.
It too was having an assembly, many people were gathered around to celebrate a moment of Warriors. They had successfully returned from a dangerous quest. Their alchemists were searching for a source of significant spirit herbs, a plague of insects had destroyed their crops.
There was a formation that surrounded the small city, more than a hundred thousand people lived nearby. Its rather grotesque totems were body parts from many different species and some of them seemed humanoid. Measuring its strength, Wu Hai was impressed with it as he probed. There was a respectable density to its pattern though it was a single layer. 'Maybe they never thought to layer?' Passing thoughts crossed his mind while he strolled into the formation entrance.
The Bowdich race was filled with variations but they were all large humanoid like-Mice. A very energetic bunch of them were practicing near the formations' inner edge, others were busy moving from place to place like they were performing jobs. Wu Hai had been wondering when he would run into that sort of race, they were rumored in stories to be quite skillful at digging and acrobatics.
Short stalls, small shops that ran along the roadside littered the path to the city.
'Ah.' Wu Hai saw gemstones. He picked one up and inspected its quality, 'the crystalline formation is naturally occurring, its only right that they form here too' "How much for the Crystal?"
The Bowdich that was minding the stall kicked his chair back and stood up quickly. "If you want to buy, spirit stones will do. Five."
Wu Hai seemed confused, he frowned.
"Okay, okay, four... no.. three." the Attendant lapsed into a panic, he was told to make the sales but Wu Hai's outer appearance was extremely intimidating.
Wu Hai placed five spirit stones on the table and looked through more of the stock. "Is this all you have?"
"Yes, Generous one." The Attendant felt gratified and bowed.
Thirteen others were in the box, Wu Hai tipped out a small bag of spirit stones and fifty more rattled across the table. "I'll take them all, good luck to you." He threw the crystals into the small bag and tied it to his waist. "Oh, is there anything good in this Area?"
"There is a sacrifice every night, most of the women that go are eager." He licked his lips. "It should happen at nightfall, just follow the rest of the people, they will lead the way." As a Bowdich he had little inhibitions already but eager females were never unwelcome in his culture.
Wu Hai put a few more spirit stones on the counter and left. He didn't know what they were sacrificing but such a term was never pleasant.
Carts of materials, mostly natural materials, were lined up the mountain pass. The sacrifice was to the God Pistis, his great body encompassed all. A massive brazier was setup at the top of the mountain across the lava pit.
The image of a Snake was carved along its edge that swallowed its own tail. 'A Naga. Interesting.' Wu Hai had been to a similar Temple in Indonesia and much like that temple, the brazier had nine tiers that lowered closer to the flow. Each harder and harder to access, each level a testament to ones devotion to the sacrifice. The lowest of levels was so close that none of the Bowdich dared go near, the brazier plate was only a few feet wide but it hung just above the surface of the lava lake and more than a dozen meters out into the Inferno.
A lot of the people went there everyday, giving all the power and wealth they ever accumulated directly to their deity. Some even leapt into the fire afterward, ridding themselves of burden first, then taking a leap of faith.
'The Naga God, Borobudur, depicted in the form of an Ouroboros, the Serpent Pistis.' Wu Hai had gotten a number of pieces of information from his time in the library and the serpent god was a recurring motif in a great number of Cultures. He went through his bags, it would be a very strange occurrence for anyone to have gone up to the top and not made a sacrifice.
There were only crystals that could be seen but thankfully, they were in a bag. Using the bag as cover, Wu Hai exchanged the crystals for a large chunk of fresh meat in his storage.
The Lowest level was the best option for a pious sacrifice but Wu Hai was just passing by and paying respects. He went down toward the caldera slowly, taking the stairs that had been carved every few feet. When he got to the eighth level down, he pulled the meat from the bag and held it in his hands.
The meat was beginning to cook under the heat.
Wu Hai circulated his energy and pressed it into his feet, then knelt a bit and sprang out across the lake of fire. He crossed it in an instant having dropped the meat perfectly in the center of the brazier, it was bold, brash and completely beyond the scope of what those who had seen it happen thought possible.
A booming noise could be heard when Wu Hai's foot touched the other side of the stairwell.
A Primal Green Light broke through the trees and then twisted through the clouds to arrive at the top of the mountain.
"Such devotion, newcomer, come forward." The green light wrapped the mountain head and hissed. "Why give?"
"Why not. I came to see, I saw. I paid my respects." It was not an understatement or exaggeration, Wu Hai had expected nothing more than to leave.
"Interesting" Pistis looked over Wu Hai's body. "A gift received, a gift given."
The Green light around Pistis concentrated and flowed toward a single point in front of his face. Wu Hai's stunned look caught the true believers by surprise, he was getting what they had sought for so long, a gift from their God. When the glow became so bright it could no longer, it darted into the Emperor's body.
Wu Hai roared in pain.
It was a gift, an incredible one but all gifts from the Gods come at a price, he wondered what it would be one day then flexed his hands and was amazed at the structure of his body. All his joints had been modified, his flexibility had increased dramatically and he folded down to the floor like a limp snake. The sensation of having a free range of motion in his limbs was enough to send him into a cold sweat but the fire from nearby should have already been cooking him.
The Fire did nothing for him now, Wu Hai was as cool as ice. The flames on his wings carried a flicker of black, white, red and green.
"Great Naga, Lord of the Serpents, Pistis, I thank you for your generosity." Wu Hai used the time he had taken to speak to gain control over his body, he bowed his head and then with some effort and turned to leave.
֍ꟷꟷꟷꟷ֍