His heart trembled as he smiled.
"It won't be long." He mimicked as they left.
A few moments after they'd left, a large group of Shou Clansmen arrived!
Shou Xin was standing now, not a spot of blood to be seen on his clothing.
"Lord!" Liu Gang who was at the front cupped his fists, "We have dealt with the main base of the Shi subsidiaries while they feasted, as you ordered! There were only children and a few men and women home. We've already taken everything as well."
"Were there any incidents?" Shou Xin said coldly as he peered at Liu Gang's bloody sword.
"...some of our clansmen believed they could get away with attacking the women, but they were put down swiftly and made an example of." Liu Gang grit his teeth and kneeled, "I will take responsibility! They were my subordinates."
"Skin them and leave their corpses to dry at Sea Spring's Gates." Shou Xin said coldly, "And give those they harmed their fair compensation out of the plundered wealth."
"...Yes, lord." Liu Gang stood up, unsatisfied with his punishment as he felt he had not atoned.
Shou Xin did not mind it.
Such a thing was not on his mind as he returned to the Sea Spring where many of the inhabitants had gathered after seeing the hundreds of Shou clansmen heading out of the town!
When they saw Shou Xin walking at the front, his face even and the bodies of the three Third Chain Experts dragged behind him by dogs, they felt an immense awe but also fear.
Shou Xin did not stop to look at the people, nor speak to them.
He was not interested and they dared not look at him too long, a bloody aura whirling about him.
They looked past Shou Xin to Liu Gang and Yui Luo who were behind the third chain experts being dragged through the town, they both carried on purple robes with the same insignia as Shou Xin save for a few missing parts which they had not earned yet.
Behind them were those in their blue uniforms.
And finally, in the midst of them, were the greatest eye catchers.
Hundreds upon hundreds of men, women and children following in desolation, uncertainty and fear respectively.
Once they arrived at the Shou Clan, they were summarily moved to holding areas and given basic human needs.
"Lord, we will take care of everything from here," Liu Gang cupped his fists, "Please rest."
"Master." Yui Luo cupped her fists.
Shou Xin raised his hands, lowering their raised fists and looking them in the eye one by one, his voice spilling out.
"Well done."
Not waiting for a response, he took a step back and vanished into the bamboo forest hidden away within the Shou Clan.
Each step he took was laborious, but his back straight as a spear.
Soon, the bamboo forest cleared and the courtyard of the Heart Mind Pagoda revealed itself, standing there was a familiar figure, yet he ignored her.
"Hey! I did it, so where is my well done?!" Wo Yiyu shouted angrily!
Shou Xin swayed slightly just before the door to the Heart Mind Pagoda closed.
The instant it did, he lost a great deal of strength, his Inner Sea in a chaotic storm as the Qi of the two Third Chain Experts, though little, had still infiltrated his body.
If not for the Primeval Body Art, death would have knocked on his door, but instead now simply waited by it's step.
Dragging his terribly rattled self up the stairs, floor by floor he felt as though time was passing incredibly slow.
The walls of the Heart Mind Pagoda appeared to be perfectly shaped, each stone block cut with extreme precision, each step angled perfectly only rivaled by its craftsmanship.
His instincts stirred as he stood within his room at the very top.
A dresser.
A wall.
A bed.
A blade.
Shou Xin silently unsheathed Fukkatsu as his internal organs wailed!
His Sword Aura leaked out from his soul, opening it to attack from the various powers now struggling fiercely within his body!
As the Earthen Qi of the two third chain experts rushed towards his soul, it shivered.
He… shivered.
Just as it was about to reach him, Fukkatsu began to dance on his palm, moonlight leaking into the almost empty room from between the balcony curtains.
An ethereal scene unfolded as his injuries seemed to be worthless, his movements smooth and flawless as he moved around the room performing a strangely mesmerizing sword dance which made one feel as though a flood dragon had appeared and followed the tip of his sword.
The Qi in his Inner Sea reacted to his movements!
The Sanguine Sword Law began to shine, and his Sword Aura diffused outwards creating a feeling as though a storm of blades approached.
The Qi's of those experts reached his soul as Shou Xin's Sword Dance reached it's peak.
The energies within his body soared as Fukkatsu roared!
The experts qi which was a quarter of a millimeter from shattering his soul, was suddenly engulfed in a tremendous wave of Qi and directly swallowed!
"Huuu…" Shou Xin let out a small but long breath which coiled around the room taking the form of an almost invisible flood dragon for a moment, before vanishing.
Click.
Fukkatsu slid easily back into the sheath held in his other hand.
A new strength had begun to appear within his body, forming a tight bond between the three powers he currently wielded, his Sword Aura, his Physique and his Sanguine Sword Law.
He felt as though the climax of all these powers at once, mixing themselves together, had created a sort of bond between them and much of the pressure he constantly felt, had lessened slightly.
His injuries could now finally heal without the obstruction of the invading qi making it a simple injury to heal from.
"Nine Sanguine Sword Art." Shou Xin muttered laughing to himself, "I wonder who actually believes I have nine techniques?"
Shaking his head, he felt that the name he come up with at random was indeed very cool, but at the same time very misleading.
Nine Sanguine Sword Art, Fukkatsu Kiru.
Nine Sanguine Sword Art, Sword Steps.
Nine Sanguine Sword Art, Sanguine Field.
(Author's Note: Killing Field/The field of swords made of killing intent -> Sanguine Field.)
These were the only techniques he had made through the Sanguine Sword Law which also used the Sanguine Sword Qi.
"When time springs forth, life hides away in it's eternal game of hide and seek." Shou Xin flicked his wrist as his Sanguine Field developed around him.
Those swords had become strangely cloudy, within them one could vaguely see flood dragon carvings as though a replica of Fukkatsu floating before him.
"For what does the living hide from the living, then?" Shou Xin muttered as he fought his own field, his sword technique progressing quickly as his sword aura glowed like stars in his eyes.
He danced through the room, eventually taking to the balcony and jumping off!
"Hey!" Elder Yu who was below shouted up at the sudden appearance!
Shou Xin arched his back as he fell, the swords chasing him murderously, his own Fukkatsu releasing a low hum as though wishing for the answer.
Fukkatsu seemed to dance in his palm!
"Do you wish to know?"
It cried out!
Shou Xin grinned wryly.
"Love."
Just as he was about to hit the ground, he finished he movements and stepped onto one of the fukkatsu replicas, kicking off it to offset the momentum and landing with a slight skidding along the tiled earth.
Click.
Fukkatsu seemed to flow back into the sheath like water.
"Love?" Elder Yu looked at him suspiciously, "Why are you talking of love while dancing with swords? Are you mad?"
"Terribly mad." Shou Xin grinned as he turned his gaze upwards where sunrise had begun, "I am so, terribly, terribly insane."
"...If it is towards sword arts, then it's fine. But I feel it is not." Elder Yu looked at him questioningly, "What has happened?"
"I have made my peace." Shou Xin continued to smile causing Elder Yu to feel strange as though he were looking at an unknown man, "If I am known as terribly mad, a killer or a monster, then I will make those titles come true. I will go in search of their meaning and bring it upwards. I will do it. Sea Spring will be mine, by pen or sword."
A strange, sharp aura undulated from the center of his very being!
"Uncle Yu, will you assist me?" Shou Xin asked as he turned away.
"We are allies, aren't we?" Elder Yu said benignly, his mind catching onto a few hints and quickly deciphering a few things, "But how? My involvement is still a secret, I cannot assist in their direct annihilation and if I do, it will weaken your claim?"
"Spar with me." Shou Xin turned on a dim in the training yard, "One month."
He looked at Shou Xin with a hint of surprise, but feeling his burning spirit, he knew there was nothing short of a serious answer expected.
Nodding strongly, Elder Yu's aura exploded like a sword demon the instant he stepped foot in the training yard.