Within his Inner Sea, a tiny soul fragment slowly arose, the Great Path shooting for it, however before it could reach with it's power in his Inner Sea, he shattered the little wisp.
It's essence dove down into his own soul.
The skies rumbled!
Feng Wuqing looked up from her battle with Taotie, who also stopped, looking upwards lazily.
"Descendant, it's a purple tribulation." The Taotie's mouth moved and it seemed to gain some sentience as it's eyes filled with greed but then disappointment, "I cannot devour it in this form, I am long dead. Feast on it. Your strength will be… terrifying."
Feng Wuqing had heard of this before.
People with extraordinary backgrounds could have seniors from the ancient past as their tribulation sent down by the Great Path where all souls ended their journey of life, and began to the cycle.
Some however were held back for this purpose.
Some especially powerful ones, could even wrest control for a moment from the Great Path.
Cupping her fists, she bowed.
"Thank you, Ancestor."
"Go now. I cannot stand still for long."
She nodded, and she shot forward into the sky without a hint of fear, causing the Taotie to smile bitterly, as though remembering a far flung memory.
"Possessive and reckless. A curse for the Taotie Bloodline within you."
It's eyes slowly began to change, and a single arc of lightning shot out, entering Feng Wuqing's unsuspecting back, her blood beginning to boil.
"Survive it. Your Bloodline, I have begun it's true activation. Now, devour."
It's eyes rolled all the way back, as it turned into dust where it stood.
The Great Path's Punishment.
Above, a second purple bolt appeared.
"Divine Punishment?" Vienna scoffed as he watched from the deck of his ship, "If nothing else, these brats are bold."
Those Nine Chaotic Sword Disciples kneeled at the side, immensely heavy stones on their laps, breaking their legs, but they dared not make a noise.
Meanwhile, within Shou Xin's Inner Sea, something amazing had begun to take place!
The shattered essence of the ancient dragon had sprinkled itself onto his Sword Mound and directly found his own, mucky soul.
The moment the essence touched his soul, he felt it crack!
The thick outer shell of his soul began to expand! His eyes widened in shock but his pupils shrank as he watched closely.
Sensing the process waning slightly, he poured everything into expanding it!
Feeding the ancient dragons essence with his entire Inner Sea, the scales of the other dragons, even Fukkatsu threw all of the Golden Flames and Tribulation Lightning it had gathered, leaving on a little to use to increase its strength again later.
His soul expanded like crazy, and his foundation began to crack!
Instantly, he felt something pinching at his head!
The Sanguine Sword Law had risen, bringing the Sword Mound alongside it as an illusory image of a Cauldron appeared beneath the Foundation!
Sensing that he could increase his foundation as well, and knowing it would be his last chance, he sucked out every last bit of essence from his Primeval Body Art, directly strengthening and then getting struck and strengthening his foundation over and over again.
Unlike before, he had an extreme abundance of Primeval QI now, after arriving at the Ninth Stage of the Primeval Body Art, every one of his cells was packed with it!
The foundation grew steadily and densely whilst his soul also grew swiftly!
From a pebble, it became a rock, and from a rock, it become a boulder! It only stopped once it had reached the size of a small hill, and his Sword Mound only stopped growing larger and denser once it had become the size of a mountain!
The Sanguine Sword Law had become massive, as it had absorbed the remains of the Ninth Dragon, it directly plunged itself at the very top, a massive sword.
The cauldron beneath also stopped looking so illusory as the Qi in his Inner Sea, Essence in his body, and sword aura within his spirit, coalesced within the faint cauldron which was quickly becoming thicker, and thicker!
He knew that once the cauldron was finished gathering, he would directly break into the Law Realm in his three powers.
Due to the sudden increase in his soul, he had comprehended a great many things, causing his Sword Aura to soar! It cracked the boundary to Sword Intent, almost directly shattering it!
Without hesitation, Shou Xin opened his eyes during the turbulent moment and began to practice his most powerful techniques, seeking to breakthrough!
As he began to move, he noticed a fairy dancing above him among the purple thunder, the terrifying arcs of lighting coming down as Divine Punishment!
The land was dark save for their destructive flash!
"Feng Wuqing!" Shou Xin shouted out with his entire chest as his Sword Intent was on the verge of breaking through, "I will respond to your feelings now, with my words!"
"Shou Xin!" Feng Wuqing roared as though a thousand stampeding beasts letting loose at once as she danced on the edge of the Law Realm, "It has taken you long enough, say it!"
"Love is too weak a word," Shou Xin's Sword Aura began to fall into itself, "I swear on everything I have with the world as my witness, I will never leave you alone!"
His love gathered together and soared to a terrifying height, directly leaving his hatred in the dust.
"Good!" Feng Wuqing directly looked at the sky taking the full impact of a purple lightning bolt which almost tore her in half, "Then I will swear by everything I will ever have, and have ever had, with my own soul as witness, you will never escape me!"
The two danced through the sky recklessly fighting fighting against their own circumstances.
Purple lighting fell viciously towards Shou Xin, yet he directly redirected it, entering a state of enlightenment as his emotions released!
Feng Wuqing's entire body seemed to start to be reborn as her slightly larger frame thinned and her barbaric posture turned into an elegant one, her entire being is reborn!
Her eyes were like a serpents fearsome purple, a singe long cut down the middle of her pupils, her sight restored for real!
Her skin as flawless as freshly fallen snow, and hair of a dark purple splendor inspiring fear in everyone who saw it, save for Shou Xin who smiled like a madman in his ecstasy and appeared at her side holding her!
His Sword Aura which had receded, burst out like a damn being shattered!
The air trembled and the void shivered!
Sword Intent!
Every cell within his physique connected to one another, creating countless small connections, his strength directly breaking into the Law Realm!
The cauldron now finished construction, held his three energies tightly, purifying them at all times!
The Sanguine Sword Law shone brilliantly!
His mind was cast into another place, a familiar place!
He felt several laws around him, some were sharp, others slow, others vicious and others weak.
His instincts in his enlightened state, directly cut apart the weakest law! He was thrown from the space!
His Sanguine Sword Law became like a vortex, swallowing the shattered laws essence, strengthening itself two fold!
Sanguine Sword Qi and Primeval Qi became one, the essence of his soul and body mixing together within the cauldron allowed him to directly refine himself.
His body transformed from the Primeval Qi Body, to the Sanguine Sword Body!
Every inch of his being radiated a precisely sharp and devastating strength!
Feng Wuqing who had devoured the last of the purple lighting also underwent a change!
Unlike Shou Xin whose cells connected with Primeval Qi, her very cells were connected by the immense Purple Lightning, her entire body rising several ranks in strength!
Above her head, a Taotie appeared and a law with shone with an amazing golden splendor shone violently, shattering the darkness!
"World Devouring Law. Taotie Physique." Her words rang out like a gong beside ones ears, deafening those who heard it.
The physique and law went so well together, she was able to directly integrate most of it instantly.
The Law Realm was, after all, not a place of accumulation, nor tribulations, but the wall of comprehension which stopped the masses!
Space cleared, and the land settled.
They two landed onto the ground which had been devastated, a massive crater left in their wake.
"Sword Intent First Stage. Sanguine Sword Physique. Sanguine Sword Law. All Law Realm." The harmony from the three being completely equal, caused Shou Xin to seem as though he were not a person, but a sword standing there, looking over the world as though it were but a strawman to be cut apart.
Feng Wuqing, who had rid herself of that barbaric aura, now carried a devilish look, and a horrifying aura as though nothing in the world could stand before her, lest it wished to be devoured.
The Nine Chaotic Sword Disciples were in awe, but also terrified as they felt their Master's gradually maddening gaze cast over them, as though wondering why they can't do that.
However, their eyes were fixed onto the two down there, jealousy and envy filled their eyes. But also a hint of happiness, when two cultivators with such an immense pride and aura met one another, the only thing that could happen was a battle.
Yet, as the young man who seemed as though he were a sword incarnate and the woman who felt as though she was the amalgamation of destruction stood before one another, their aura's clashing and causing the canyon wall to collapse, they didn't fight.
"Hubby." Feng Wuqing dragged her finger over Shou Xin's chest which looked like a devilish woman dragging her finger along a blade's edge to see if it would cut.
He gently reached out, taking her hand into his hand, "Yes?"
"I've been reborn. I am casting away my name."
She looked up at her him her deep violet eyes, a devastating smile on her face.
"Take mine." He leaned forward, touching his head to hers.
"How daring," She turned her head upwards, stealing his lips with a charm that no one could resist, "I'll take it."
Creation and Love.
As they looked at one another, one a man whose existence is like the blade itself, and another who walks the line of destruction and creation itself.
Seeing the complex immensity of her, he couldn't stop himself from smiling, it's power enough to bring down kingdoms for a second look.
He stole her lips, leaving her breathless despite it's fleeting nature, "For you, I would suffer eternally."
"Really… All for me?" She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling hot she looked with upturned eyes.
"Only for you." He wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her close with one of those slow smiles, that carry far too much within, to express without.
"Then, I would make them all suffer eternally, just for you." Her words were like a blade coated in poison, warming his body.
"Really?" Fukkatsu slowly flew around, landing beneath and taking them upwards on it's back, now able to manifest for long periods of time outside it's true body.
The moon's radiance shimmered upon them.
"Of course," Her eyes fluttered, making his heart skip a beat, and his smile retreated into something that could devastate a city.
"Let's go home." Sitting on Fukkatsu's head, he held her within his grasp, feeling her warmth.
"Yeah… our home." She leaned back into his arms comfortably.
The devilish woman and the swordsmen.
As for their spectators?
Those Nine Chaotic Sword Disciples burned with hatred at this point, they wanted nothing more than to destroy that sight, their jealousy and envy consuming them as they thought of the suffering they had endured to get where they were and yet that genius simply got there so easily, with so much help!
Noticing their burning wish, Vienna's anger was slightly sated.
"I will push you all further than ever before." He held his hands behind his back leisurely, but his gaze was not so.
"Please, Master!"
Cutting open a rift, they escaped out of the canyon, back into the void.
—
"You've improved quite a bit these last few weeks." Liu Gang stood opposite Xiao Wun, who was cut in several places, "However, you're still too arrogant."
"It's not arrogance!" Xiao Wun pouted angrily, "Again!"
Liu Gang sighed.
This was already the sixth, 'Again!' he had gone through, but it was better than him going around trying to 'practice' with the others.
They put up their blades.
People passed by without a care, it had already become a common sight to see Xiao Wun challenging Liu Gang, and losing since a while ago.
Yet, as they did so, a chill ran down the spines of everyone there.
Liu Gang and Xiao Wun directly kicked off the platform, they faces dark as the pressure approaching was unreachable.
Over the horizon, they saw a huge Yong carrying two people, despite it being over the horizon at first, they arrived over the city in mere moments, their speed unbelievable.
Two beings stood atop the head of the almost real Yong.
"Senior Brother!" Xiao Wun instantly recognized one of the figures, though his aura was far more refined now and he had changed slightly due to the reforging of his entire body, he could still know him.
"Senior… sister?" However, he was not certain about the purple haired devilish beauty which stood beside him, she was just too different, but something told him it.
"You forget your Senior Sister so easily?" The instant he heard the voice, he knew it was true and felt a chill run down his spine as she looked down at him with her violet eyes.
It felt as though he stood before a devil who wished to devour everything, looking over the world with only hunger and greed.
Quickly, he turned to his Senior Brother, but he found that the aura he gave off was like that of an empty, unfeeling sheathed sword, which served only to look for someone to cut down.
He had a sudden thought.
Aren't we the villains?
But quickly shook it off.
"I would never forget you Senior Sister, not even in my dreams!" Xiao Wun shook his head fiercely.
"So you dream of your Senior Sister?" His spine chilled, as he heard his Senior Brother speak, "We will spar later."
"Ah, Senior Brother I-, no, wait-!" He didn't know what to say, if he admitted he did not, then Senior Sister would smack him, and if he did not admit he didn't, Senior Brother would 'spar' with him.
He was not so young as to not know what that meant!
"I lied, Senior Brother I was wrong!" He bowed.
Yet, he suddenly heard a giggle, and looked upwards.
His Senior Sister was laughing, quietly, and his Senior Brother had a small smile on his face.
He instantly started pouting, "You're both bullies!"
Shaking his head slowly, he calmly flew to the Great Hall, where he landed and Fukkatsu dove back into the sword to rest.
"We need to consolidate our cultivations before leaving to the Maw. Do not disturb." Wuqing looked back and spoke elegantly, yet, her eyes were fierce like a beast giving only a single warning.
Xiao Wun nodded, and directly sat outside the Great Hall's gates, if someone wanted to break in, they would need to kill him first.
"Is the patriarch back? We need to have a discussion about some…" Yui Luo who had just now barely managed to arrive with some papers still clung to her stopped, "...where are they?"
"Consolidating their cultivation." Leaned against the gate with his sword hugged in his arms, Xiao Wun said innocently.
Yui Luo frowned deeply and glanced at Liu Gang who nodded and shrugged as if to say, 'What can we do?'
She looked down at the documents she held, and then at the two battle freaks in front of her, and felt that there were no useful people in the world.
"These documents are those for the expansion of the clan. Recently, I'm sure you've all noticed but there is a need for a proper police force in the refugee city. Now that they've gotten comfortable, they are starting to grow restless without order."
"Just recruit some of them into the clan. Then we can expand internally too."
"No." Liu Gang cut Xiao Wun short.
The reason was obvious.
Those disciples of the clans from the former Sea Spring which had joined, had left, escaping away before the evacuation and right around when war was declared, they cowered.
The families of those disciples also ran away which was expected.
The only people who did not escape away were the original three hundred or so clansmen of which there was a pretty even split of man and woman, they were also the most loyal of everyone, and many were even couples with children on the way.
It would be better and more sustainable if they did not bring in even more people which could cause serious damages to the insides of the clan, seeing as those who left prior got a substantial amount of money when they left.
Besides, with the immense amount of food and stability in terms of ability to live, the population was undergoing an explosion within the city.
"We also have a proposal for an academy sponsored by us, for the people to send their kids to learn martial arts. In these conditions it would be the most beneficial." Liu Gang said calmly, "What happened to that proposal?"
"It's impossible," Yui Luo glared at him, who had asked already a hundred times, "We don't have the staff ready and capable of teaching to take in the massive influx of children that would come in. It's also incredibly dangerous to make the population that strong."
"It would foster loyalty into future generations." Liu Gang countered, "The struggle now, would be worth it later when the city grows and those children become absolutely loyal to us."
"Even so. What need is there for loyalty, when we have strength?" Yui Luo paused for a moment as she felt she shouldnt be the one saying this, "Naturally, it's because one will not always be strong."
It felt as though she was speaking in twos.
Immediately, she swung backwards and something caught the blade.
"Since when?!" Xiao Wun launched forward, the tip of his blade stopped by the point of a finger nail.
Liu Gang swung low to ground, but it was directly blocked by the person's flesh, his sword shattering into tiny pieces.
"We escort. Gift."
Suddenly, Yui Luo's shadow expanded and a ship appeared!
A Shadokai Ship!
Anyone who knew anything about the Great Wars of the past between the Demons and Humans would know what this was!
They had heard about it, a ship as dark as night with sails made of human flesh.
The patterns flown on the it's fleshy mast that of the demon world.
Yet, when they looked up, there was no flesh flag, nor any strange insignia, the ship was just dark on the hull.
"Competition. Three days away. Boat, come, take away now." The person stepped out from Yui Luo's shadow, a true blooded Shadokai Race.
His face is permanently hidden by a mantle of darkness and his body like a fog.
They were called the ferryman of the demon world.
Xiao Wun, thought for a moment, remembering what had happened before and slowly stood up.
"It's fine," He calmed the two who had no idea what was happening, "They are an acquaintance of Senior Brother."