The sword rang out violently.
"Kiru!"
"GUOOO!!!"
The Bull Demon swung a single massive fist colliding against the Sword Wave and directly shattering it!
The hidden 'Kiru' of the Fukkatsu however managed to reach the still not fully formed chain connecting the Bull Demon to the others, shattering it!
A smidgen of blood fell from the corner of his lip as he landed behind the Bull Demon, Fukkatsu flashed and flood dragons cried as it danced in the palm of his hand!
"Nine Sanguine Sword Art,"
In an instant of desperation, his instincts screamed!
Mixing together the Sword Steps, Sword Sight, Sword Field and Sword Wave abilities, it came together into a single strike which seemed to split into ten strikes!
His Sword Aura rose up like a geyser breaking through and swallowing the technique, causing it to mix flawlessly!
"Fukkatsu Koka Kiru!"
The tens of simultaneous shadows of Fukkatsu cut through the tens of Bull Demons which had charged over during the few seconds the battle was going on for.
"Bufuuuu…"
The Bull Demons fell one by one turning into crystallized killing intent, their figures turning foggy until only a gem was left, their flesh and bones falling away.
Fukkatsu rang triumphantly over the dead.
Shou Xin sensed his Sword Aura has past a limit in the life or death situation.
In truth, only three seconds had passed, his instincts carrying his movements alongside his constant training and various experiences cumulating to this moment of realization.
His Sword Aura had broken through to the Fourth Stage.
Such was the nature of those things requiring understanding, it could take a lifetime or an instant.
Yet, he did not have time to feel joyful, as his mind felt extremely painful like a thousand needles trying to pierce at once whilst ants crawled beneath.
"Arghhhh!"
Clang!
Fukkatsu fell to the ground as Shou Xin wailed!
The veins all over his body stood on end! Adrenaline rushed through his system and his mind became even fuzzier!
He sensed the ambient emotions and intent flooding into his body suddenly as the winds blew fiercely into his body cutting him apart, yet he could not feel any of it!
His soul began to change!
"Aa, Aaarghhh!"
Holding his head he felt as though if he didn't, it may just tear open.
The sky above him screamed as countless storm clouds began to gather, a malicious energy gathering above!
The Great Path!
Shou Xin managed to turn his face to the sky, his eyes bloodshot as the energies in his body raged, trying to keep his mind from fully corrupting while at the same time, delay the breakthrough!
If he broke through right now…
"Aargh!!!"
Shou Xin screamed!
"N-, not yet!" His eyes shone like stars, beams of light flying out!
Yet, the ambient energies were too powerful, and directly crushed their way past! His blood boiled as his Hidden Heart Bloodline activated, increasing the devouring force!
He felt his Inner Sea fill with impure Qi and his Law voraciously devour the killing intent now that his will had been corrupted, he could not stop them from working in their natural ways!
His Sword Aura went into a berserk cutting apart his internal organs!
His Primeval Body Art tried to expand inward to stop the Sword Aura, whilst the Sword Aura rushed out! The collision of these two immense powers almost tore him apart instantly if not for the immensely dense foundation keeping his soul safe!
Without the Hidden Heart Array to conceal his actions from the Great Path, lightning bolts began to appear in his Inner Sea, attacking his foundation for absorbing the killing intent and emotions of the dead whilst having a cursed bloodline!
His skin stretched and tore, then healed and broke apart again, he screamed and cried as tears fell from his eyes like a flood!
Staring up at the sky, one eye projected Sword Aura, whilst the other eyes had been swallowed by a crimson darkness!
"If I do not die, then, I will come for you, you fucking bastard!" Shou Xin's raging cry shook the earth and cracked the sky as a lighting Flood Dragon descended with a violent rage, it's strength greater than normal!
At the same time, within his Inner Sea the Fourth Chain Flood Dragon opened it's golden eyes and roared! Eight of it's whiskers raised from it's body where sixteen flowered on it's face, instantly heading straight for the foundation where his soul resided!
The Lightning Flood Dragon aimed at the Fourth Chain Flood Dragon and the two entangled in fierce combat shook his Inner Sea like a fearsome disaster rolling through yet never leaving!
The scales of the past chains which reinforced the Inner Sea shone to resist some of the immense powers these two beings were giving off!
At the same time, his Sword Aura stopped rampaging to escape and turned inward, rushing at the two new powers which threatened it's supremacy!
With tremendous precision, the Sword Aura struck at the whiskers on the Fourth Chain Flood Dragon!
"Argh!"
Shou Xin wailed as the fighting intensified!
The only thing which he had control over was his soul and physical body! The rest of the energies in his body had gone berserk, fighting for supremacy!
His energies which were synergized had been completely shattered off the balance they once had after the Sword Aura went berserk due to his mind being corrupted!
Within his Inner Sea, as he grit his teeth, refusing to give the Great Path any more satisfaction at his suffering, Shou Xin stood atop his Sword Mound watching as the Sanguine Sword Law devoured more and more killing intent, creating more and more Qi at an astonishing rate.
No longer hindered by Shou Xin's careful refinement of Qi, nor the slowness which he had to do in order to not shatter his Inner Sea, his Law was let loose to it's voracious appetite.
In the end, these powers were his, but not completely.
They were born from something else, his Sword Aura born from the immense practice and experiences he had endured, creating a sharp, unyielding Sword Aura which sought only greater sharpness.
His Primeval Body was born from his will to become stronger through the taboo means of Primeval Qi Absorption at it's base, it's robust and unyielding exterior that of a metal wall as it sought only greater strength.
The Sanguine Sword Law was but a child born of resurgence, the rising for power and felt that only power would beget power and that only the sword could give that power, if given the chance it would voraciously use all means it could to strengthen itself.
In the midst of his unbearable agony, Shou Xin realized these truths.
Yet, they did nothing for him as his body was close to shattering.
As all this occurred, Shou Xin's illusory figure stood upon his Sword Mound, simply looking around at the many powers like a disapproving father. He felt so utterly disappointed, lightly shaking his head.
"...Is this all we amount to?" His soul rang from within the foundation.
The Sword Aura, Primeval Body Art and Sanguine Sword Law resonated.
"Sharpness, Strength, Power. Is that all I am?" He understood something else as he watched they way they acted.
It was a reflection.
A reflection of himself stared him in the eye and he had nowhere else to look, nowhere else to busy his mind, he had no choice but face the reflection.
The three powers shuddered slightly as the resonance grew stronger.
Shou Xin lightly sighed.
"I've tried to escape this long enough. Busied myself to escape this reflection." He touched the Sword stuck within the Sword Mound, his reflection looked back at him, and it was awful.
A being which could only be described as ugly, weak and malicious. Greedy and small like a child yet with eyes of a conniving adult.
It was the reflection of his own truth, which he understood by looking at theirs.
His origin.
His fingertips felt cold as he dragged them along the sword as it shivered.
Taking a step forward, he took off above and appeared before the Sword Aura cloud which was like a densely packed storm, in it, he could almost see the child hiding inside as though to not let alone know of how weak the sharpness within truly was, how much of a facade it was born from.
Quietly, he felt his Primeval Body Art, a desolate desperation resonating back at him, it was born to seek out strength, but it was born out of desperation for something, anything.
Shou Xin felt a crippling loneliness and self-hatred as he faced these things he had looked away from and shunned, all the pieces of himself which had been fogged since long ago.
As he accepted them, one by one, they began to calm down, turning from violent children to a part of his very soul, an unbending power which only listened to him, because it is him.
Each power carried a piece of his truth, and with acceptance it integrated into his soul strengthening it greatly, though it did not expand, it had deepened turning from a milky white to a murky color, yet he was not sad.
It is who he is.
Standing atop the handle of the Sanguine Sword Law, the Sword Aura came down like a fog integrating itself all around the Sword Mound, connecting directly.
The imbalance in his body became negligent and his eyes focused.
His mind's corruption slowed as countless sword rose from the fog of his Sword Aura.
The synergies of his Inner and Physical Cultivation resonated strongly creating a powerful field that spread out around his entire Inner Sea.
Without the Sword Aura pushing around since it was stronger, the synergy between the Inner and Physical Cultivation could flourish without a worry.
It had become a part of him, and each would always get it's spot.
"It was due to my own insecurity that you three always fought, wasn't it?" Shou Xins lips moved slowly as he spoke self-depricating words, his eyes heavy as they watched the battle ripping apart his body intently.
Any longer and the corruption will become too much.
Quietly, he let out a long, unerring breath which coalesced into a fog flood dragon.
The shadow of Fukkatsu appeared floating within the fog flood dragon as it slowly shuttled forward as though time was put in slow motion.
The hundreds of swords beneath hovering just a meter above the surface of his Inner Sea began to ring all at once.
The two Flood Dragon's broke apart from one another their golden and lightning dyed eyes looking down.
At the same time, they dove!
The hundreds of swords cried out, cutting towards them!
Those eight whiskers reached before the flood dragons and cut apart tens of swords but were also cut apart at the same time!
Shou Xin who stood calmly atop the Sword Mound calmly spoke with a flash rushing through his heavy gaze.
The two Flood Dragon's turned up and with their mouths unhinged swiftly charged at Shou Xin, ignoring the countless swords rising up from the Inner Sea which seemed endless.
As they did so, abandoning defense, the swords from below impaled them constantly leaving hundreds of slashes on their bodies between the instant they turned to him, and now.
"Shatter, Fukkatsu."
Fukkatsu, which had been quietly shuttling around his Inner Sea began to descend.
The Flood Dragon's sensed the immense power and turned their long, snake-like bodies shooting upwards just before reaching Shou Xin!
His robes fluttered as they passed him by just an inch.
Fukkatsu, which had been hanging at the top of the Inner Sea for the last few seconds, fell down straight at Shou Xin.
"Shouraa!!!!"
The Fog Flood Dragon covering Fukkatsu roared violently and in return the two flood dragons rising roared, shaking his very soul despite it's place within the Sword Mound!
"Rooar!!"
"Guoo!!"
Lighting arcs shot forward like a hail of blades, the eight whiskers broke past at breakneck speeds! Fukkatsu began to spin!
The countless arcs of lighting were redirected into the scales reinforcing the Inner Sea whilst the whiskers were directly intercepted by the swords from the Inner Sea which were still chasing and attacking them even now!
Shou Xin calmly looked past the battling to a place far away, where clouds had gathered and lighting cackled.
Sensing a gaze on him, his heavy gaze turned catching it directly.
In that brief moment he turned his gaze, Fukkatsu passed the two flood dragons, changing positions!
Yet, the flood dragons began to fall!
The whiskers on the Chain Flood Dragon had directly turned into dust by the countless swords targeting them with near endless attacks whilst the Chain Flood Dragon in it's arrogance carelessly allowed it, focusing solely on Fukkatsu.
The Lighting Flood Dragon which had sought to devour Fukkatsu and use the power to overtake the Chain Flood Dragon and then destroy the body to break free, was directly sliced in half from it's nose to the edge of it's tail!
It did not regenerate despite it's immense regenerative abilities due to the countless swords which had already damaged it beyond repair!
It had bet it all on this attack… and lost!
As the Chain Flood Dragon fell, it opened it's mouth to devour Shou Xin, yet, Fukkatsu arrived first.
Directly plucking it out of the air, Shou Xin's heavy gaze turned back from the clouds as a slight smirk lit his mouth.
Fukkatsu danced on his palm like the finest dancer, a sharp quality of finesse following it's after image as the Foggy Flood Dragon directly vanished, leaving only Fukkatsu's naked blade.
"Nine Sanguine Sword Art… Fukkatsu Koka Kiru."
His three energies resonated at once!
Eight flashes.
Golden dust rained.
It fell to earth, landing with a heavy noise on his Sword Mound.
The Fourth Chain Flood Dragon had fallen.
The Lighting Flood Dragon's corpse was in a half-moon at the base of his Sword Mound, it's mouth devouring the Chain Dragon's tail, as the Chain Dragon had also fallen in the same way, it too looked similar.
Between the two flood dragons fallen in such a way, it reminded one of Yin and Yang, however, in the center stood Shou Xin.
A light breath fell from his lips as Fukkatsu's nakedness vanished, turning into a beautiful snow.
"No matter how corrupt my mind becomes. No matter how much you take from me," Shou Xin turned his gaze back to the dispersing clouds, an unerring darkness covering his features, "When I am strong enough, I will take my revenge."
The clouds shook, as though laughing.
Shou Xin slowly opened his eyes.
His pupils were stained with a jet black crimson, and his hair had gone from silver, to a dirtier, darker color albeit keeping it's mostly silver exterior.
He felt his inner condition.
His organs were a veritable mess.
However, his use of the endless swords had cleaned most of the impure Qi he had gathered during the berserk stage; it would not take too long to purify what was left.
His external condition was also a mess.
In the berserk rampage, he had directly lost sight in one of his eyes despite it not looking any different outwardly and it still moving just the same.
As it tried moving some Sword Aura into it, he found that the eye could see easily, but it required constant use of Sword Aura to keep up.
Instead, he chose to simply keep it closed.
Taking a nail, he scared his face over that eye so that if anyone were to ask, he could simply say it was a wound he had gotten whilst out on a journey, narrowly escaping death.
He did not want the enemy to find out his weakness in the midst of battle, as it would sully the honor of the other fighter if they won and so he chose to let it be known.
And anyone who challenged him, would be given a rude awakening when they found out it could see a sort of hidden, small trump card in a critical moment.
The wound naturally healed almost instantly, but there was a long, thin scar left.
With that complete, he tried to get up, but his legs would not move.
He calmly tapped them once, but he couldn't feel a damned thing.
Circulating Qi, he found that his legs were not paralyzed, but instead were just extremely damaged. Any longer and he would have become severely crippled.
The rest of his body was suffering from similar pains.
Quietly, he sat on his knees in the ancient battlefield, looking ahead into the ever thickening fog.
—
"What do you think, Mother?"
"...You know the stories. The cursed bloodlines are scattered across the worlds along the Great Paths many roots which stretch through the Chaos. Those of the Hidden Heart are simply one which we have some connection to, a debt now repaid."
"Then, I'm going to help him, and get a debt back."
The young dragon jumped off the cliff and landed below, where a youth who could no longer feel anything, was keeled over.
—
"It's dangerous here, you know?" Shou Xins empty pupils betrayed his heavy gaze, pain wracked his body making him unable to turn.
"So what?" The high pitched voice came back, "I'm stronger than you!"
"Clouds passing overhead are many, but how many come around the next season?" Shou Xin laughed dryly, "There are many stronger than me, young lady. Should I perhaps just not speak to any of them?"
"Yes!" Came the childish response, "Weak listen to the strong, to get stronger!"
"Is that so?" Shou Xin calmly looked away from the fog, turning his heavy gaze to the young girl, "Then, what does the mighty little lady seek?"
"I'll help you, and put you in my debt!" The young girl said, "Whenever I need your help in the future, if it's me or my descendants, you will help once! If you refuse, I'll leave you to the demons!"
He didn't hesitate.
"With negotiating skills as strong as yours, how could I say no?" Shou Xin felt his body lifted gently by the wind, "Ho."
His body screamed but he didn't scream, refusing to give the Great Path, nor whoever cursed his bloodline any satisfaction at all.
His face didn't even twitch.
"I'm Maqi!" She said, "Now go!"
In an instant, his body was thrown through the air!