...in the midst of his collapsing mind, he felt a warmth that was not rage.
In his misty eyes, it was as though he were seeing an angel descending, but he scorned it. He hated it because where had it been when he was suffering?
His eyes bore tears that were not of blood, yet even the emotion behind them which was trying to rise, was devoured.
Oh how dearly he wished to feel, but it was robbed from him, his hatred suffocating!
"It's okay."
Gentility.
"I'm here."
Kindness.
"We are okay."
Companionship.
"I am with you."
Love.
"I'll never go, so don't leave me either… please?"
True love.
Hearing the angels voice crack at her last word, his mind drew back and he grabbed onto the angel tight, his emotions being dragged back, the familiar scent entering his nose and the sight of a strange cat charm, entering his sight.
"Wuqing…" He was pale, and his strength almost crippled by the ordeal.
The little Yong Sword Spirit in his Inner Sea, it's cries finally reached him as well, it had been battling tooth and nail to try and calm down and offset his bloodlines effects though nearly impossible it desperately threw everything at it.
Hearing it's cries, he sent a small emotion.
There is no other way to describe this emotion other than.
"...Thank you."
The little Yong Sword Spirit flew around like a little kid in great joy, seeing he had come back!
"I will always be here with you, and you with me. There is no need for thanks between us, right?" Feng Wuqing's gentle words dragged him further out of the muck.
"Senior Brother!"
"Patriarch!"
"Someone get a doctor, medicine, something!"
At first, only a few people came out starting with Xiao Wun, however, soon enough the entirety of the clan had come out, up in arms and bloodthirsty.
Not all of them wielded weapons, some only had the horns off dead Undying Soldiers which were almost dust without energy, but they were prepared.
A bunch of villains like the original few hundred had come out, their aura's that of the First Chain and First Refinement.
He wasn't sure how long he was gone, but he knew it must have been longer than he thought.
Pale and weak, he smiled.
It was a smile filled with love, and in his trusting love, he felt safe enough to pass out, his consciousness fading to their shouts, knowing in his heart that he was loved.
—
An unfamiliar ceiling. A familiar scent. The light scent of blood unique to a single person.
Carefully getting up, he looked to his side where a woman, who could not possibly be more beautiful in his eyes, laid waiting for him against the bed, sleeping.
"...Some might think I am pitiful, but with you, I alone am the luckiest man in all the world." His tone was low and gentle, his blood trying to devour it, but his love easily destroying it's clutches.
Reaching out, he touched her head lovingly.
"...At least you know it." She looked up, her eyes puffy, "You were so weak, and pale. Shaking like a leaf.."
She slowly got up, giving him a soft hug, afraid to break him.
"Never again."
"I won't."
Slowly, he stood from the bedside, his robes were still on him, it occurred to him in that moment that the Artifact Armour appeared to have saved his life as well, since in his mad dash back, he had been attacked many times, but none of those attacks could get through the armours resistance.
Guo!
The little Yong Sword Spirit shone in his Inner Sea.
As he peeked within, he found that great changes were underway. Most of his Inner Sea had been scaled off with thousands and thousands of scales on the walls, only small patches left undefended.
Also, the little Yong Sword Spirit now had grown in size from a tiny tiny serpent, to a dog in size. His comprehension over his Sanguine Sword Law having grown substantially alongside his Sword Aura, the two closely connected.
At the same time, his body was devoid of impurities, the little Yong Sword Spirit directly hunting all of it as though it's own life depended on it, the same being said for the Inner Sea which was now a dark crimson color.
As for his soul, it had became far more dense by leaps and bounds, causing the little hidden injuries to be directly healed away.
One could say he was in peak condition.
"How long was I away?"
"Three months."
His pupils shrank. He realized that he had spent two months, without rest, grinding away at Fukkatsu.
"While you were away, we discovered some ruins, when I went in, I found some strange medicines and other little trinkets. When I fell into a life or death situation…" Feng Wuqing slowly began to release her presence, revealing her cultivation, "...I was able to overcome it and got a great boon."
Over her hands, two arm guards appeared, their colors white on the armour and black for the cloth underneath it.
Her cultivation had arrived at the peak of Eighth Refinement. Her body releasing terrifying waves of power which made him pause.
Even with cursed chains and physique, whilst being at the Eighth the same as her, he did not feel superior despite the increased output of power garnered by the high risk.
It was then, that he noticed something else.
"You have a special physique?"
"It seems I've always had it. I'm not sure as to it's name or anything. But I think it has something to do with my mother's bloodline. She died when I was born. My sister who you met is actually my half-sister." Feng Wuqing explained, "All I know is, I have this Cold Qi in my body, which I can control and that helps to increase my strength many fold or if I use it offensively, I can lock down enemies for a little."
"...that was you, then." He thought back to their days in the cottage, and the cold sensation that had knocked him out back then.
She nodded.
"I did it because I was worried what you would think of me, seeing such a boorish woman killing people."
"You aren't boorish." He replied calmly, "You are a war maiden, beautiful and bold only matched by the love I hold for you."
"Ho, I bet you say that to all the girls." She laughed beautifully.
In his eyes, she was the most radiant in the world.
In her eyes, he was the most loving in the world.
In the eyes of the clansmen who had been watching them flirt for a while now as they walked around, they were both love struck fools.
"Ew!" Xiao Wun who found them made a contorted face like he ate shit, "Senior Brother and Senior Sister it is indecent in public!"
Bang!
Feng Wuqing dropped the hand of god on Xiao Wun's head.
"How many times have I said, don't interrupt your seniors!"
"Senior Brother, aunty is bullying me!" Xiao Wun cried out!
He, however, looked away serenely, taking stock of the beautiful surroundings.
Xiao Wun felt betrayed, instantly as he was smacked again.
---
In three months, much had changed.
The city surrounding the Shou had finished being built, the cave abodes in the canyon side had also been completed.
Only those who had reached the standard of the Shou could obtain an abode in the canyon side, everyone else lived down in the Shou Clan's residential area within it's perimeter. Those refugee's who had escaped lived just outside, all around the clave save for the side where the canyon wall was.
Fields had begun to sprout up as well, using the inedible parts of the Undying Soldiers to fertilize the ground which was free of Miasma for as deep as needed and using blood as the nutrient base for the plants which grew fast, but also were a bit dangerous, food had begun to naturally grow in the canyon.
"Patriarch!" Liu Gang rushed over, Yui Luo not far behind.
Sensing their cultivations, he nodded.
Liu Gang had arrived at the Second Stage in all three, whilst Yui Luo was at the peak of the First Stage in Soul, Spirit and Body.
"Ack!" Precisely then, he heard Xiao Wun getting his cheeks pulled and noticed something strange.
He was at the Third Stage in all three.
In only three months he had improved by leaps and bounds. Looking deeper and sensing the strength he carried within, he knew he had Mortal Chains and no special physique, however, his rate of cultivation was terribly fast from which he could infer…
…Xiao Wun is a genius.
His Sword Aura though restrained and hidden away, was Third Stage as well.
Such a thing was not unheard of, but it was not normal, especially not in the circumstances that he was training in within the clan, without going out.
Though Shou Xin himself had gotten there even faster in some ways, he had suffered tragedy after bloody tragedy, it was the difference of effort, versus talent.
Or so he thought briefly.
But, seeing Xiao Wun's hands, he shook off the thought.
He was certainly a gifted boy, but his true genius was hard work. That much he was certain of from the scabs on his hands and the vague circles under his eyes which refused to fade in some ways.
"You two, thank you for keeping things running while I was away." His gaze turned to Liu Gang and Yui Luo who were looking back at him with smiles.
"Things are going smoothly! The city is being built well, and the original members of the clan have all reached at least the standard through one method or another. The harsh conditions here are very suitable for cultivation, I think!" Yui Luo said enthusiastically.
"They are coming along well in terms of battle senses as well. Though they are a bit slow to cultivate, they are steady." Noticing something, Shou Xin's eyes narrowed.
Liu Gang's Sword Aura was at the Peak Third Stage despite him being Second Stage in everything else.
It seemed his slow cultivation speed was restraining his powerful comprehension of sword arts.
Taking out several of the untouched Eighth stage Undying Soldier Blood Stones, he gave them over to Liu Gang, and also gave a few to Yui Luo, though with a careful gaze.
They understood his meaning and nodded, bowing for a moment and splitting away.
Who did not want to be strong, after all?
"Senior Brother, I would like to spar!" Xiao Wun suddenly piped up with a loud voice!
The clansmen all around paused and looked over, Liu Gang and Yui Luo also stopped in their tracks, turning back.
Feng Wuqing gave Shou Xin a look and slowly began talking bitterly.
"He had been challenging everyone in the clan since he passed the standard. His obsession over battle has even gained him the title of the Little Sword Freak." She sighed and smacked gripped Xiao Wun's head, "This bad Junior also doesn't know how to hold back."
"I need to prove myself worthy of calling Senior Brother, Senior Brother!" Xiao Wun defended himself vehemently, "What is wrong with wanting to go all out?!"
Shou Xin looked down at him, his emotions unreadable.
"Alright."
Raising his single finger, he pointed it at Xiao Wun.
Restraining his cultivation down the the Third Stage overall, he simply looked down at Xiao Wun who looked unhappy.
"Senior Brother, it's not fair if we do it this way!" A glint of arrogance rang in his eyes and Shou Xin simply shook his head, revealing nothing.
Xiao Wun's pride had been injured.
Allowed to run wild whilst Senior Sister and Brother went on a journey to increase their strengths, he had grown a thick pride after defeating everyone in the clan and advancing far faster than any of them.
"Fine, but don't blame me!" Xiao Wun took out his sword, he knew that he wouldn't injure his Senior Brother, and so decided that he would go all out!
Immediately a storm of tyrannical aura spread out starting from his feet, coalescing upwards trying to push at Shou Xin's mind to throw off his guard with the sudden burst.
Without waiting to see the result, he steps in!
Yet, just as his sword is about to pass Shou Xin's guard, a burst of fear explodes in his mind as his instincts scream to stop.
His sword suddenly changes direction from a downward slash into a crescent slash aiming for his leg rather than head.
Just as the sword is about to land, a horrifying shadow appeared in his eyes and he froze!
Shou Xin's finger had stopped a milimeter from his forehead, yet, he did not feel it was a finger, but a terrifying blade.
A shadow was cast on his heart, and his arrogance was shattered.
"A swordsman doesn't need to hide their emotions, but rather tame them. You still need much training." Shou Xin took back his finger, "You all do."
Those watching, hoping for Xiao Wun's defeat, felt immediately embarrassed after being scolded for wishing for a child to have a bad time.
In an attempt to recover some of himself, Xiao Wun looked down where his sword had stopped before his leg, only to realize that the edge of his sword would have bounced off the ground before reaching his leg.
But he knew for certain that he had not miscalculated.
At some point, his leg moved without him noticing anything at all! He could not blame a difference in cultivation either because he had restrained himself and not even used a sword!
Taking back his sword, Xiao Wun made a fist palm salute and bowed.
"Senior Brother has taught me a valuable lesson. I would like to request further trainings."
Feeling a hand on his head, he looked up.
Shou Xin wasn't looking at him though, he was looking elsewhere, his eyes focused.
Without a moment of breath later, he took off!
Feng Wuqing thought for a moment, and picked Xiao Wun off the ground, shooting off into the sky after kicking the ground.
"...so who wants to fix the ground this time?"
—
"Lady Muzondang. Benefactor Maqi. To what do I owe this visit?" Appearing above the canyon walls, Shou Xin cupped his hands.
"...You've grown once again, descendant of Zidao. I've come to tell you something." Maqi said evenly with an arrogant demeanor, "The surface empires of the Demon Realm are seeking to invade the Exiled Court once again soon."
"Surface empires?" Shou Xin was slightly shocked.
He had made the assumption that because of the terrible, and destroyed soil that nothing could live on the ground and all the demons in this world lived in the sky continents.
"There are many ways of fighting off Miasma. Demons are of the variety that feed off of it, making this place great for them, however, they still need food and as such, seek to take over a world so they might have near limitless food, and enough Miasma to raise a Dao Establishment Cultivator whilst they're at it, the fools." Muzondang said coldly, "They are thirsty for more land, when they can't even calm the lands they already have."
Now, the question arose in his mind.
Why did they tell him this? What reason could it be?
"...You may be cursed, but I am old," Lady Mu said calmly, "You are being told this because, I sensed the opening of a tomb containing some of Zidao's wealth within Baylen's Rest. As it happens, I was not the only one. Those pitiful demon empires wish to kill and take it from you."
"Their strengths are low. Those 'empires', are truly just large groupings of demons of a single race, those who were thrown out from the skies to live down here in squalor. They are somewhere between massive clans, and kingdoms." Maqi chipped in, rolling her eyes.
Ripples spreading through the depths of his eyes, Shou Xin nodded.
"So? We just have to kill them, then." Feng Wuqing looked on fiercely. She may have felt some empathy for those innocents of the Feng and Yan who may suffer, but she would not feel a shred of empathy for demons whom all in the Exiled Court were taught to hate down to the bone and spelling of the word.
"They have Law Chain Experts." Maqi rolled her eyes, "The difference between a Ninth Stage and a Law Chain Expert is not much at first, but once they begin to comprehend their new law, the gap widens such that it can't be breached."
Looking at Maqi, yet seemingly looking past her, he was unperturbed.
"We can buy our way into the Exiled Courts good graces if we give them information regarding the Demon invasion, but why should we?" He was emotionless.
His eye were like starry pits where emotions went to die.
"Tell me, what do they call us out in the Exiled Court?"
Her eyes narrowed, Maqi spoke quite casually.
"They say your clan is filled with villains who oppressed Sea Spring, even daring to change it's name on a whim, controlling the people with fear and false reputation of being just. They say their patriarch is an evil man, who kidnapped the princess of Feng and crippled one of the successors of Yan, as well as killed thousands of innocent miners. They call you Sanguine Sword Devil."
"I see," His gaze carried on the harsh breeze of this place where they were forced to flee, "Then, how are the people of Shouai reacting?"
"They've abandoned you. Once it came out that you weren't truly helping them, and only yourself. As well as saying you killed innocents who were simply looking for food, and forced those who submitted to hand their souls over turning them into demons. They hate you."
Feeling the harsh wind, and freezing chill for the night slowly setting in, his gaze flickered.
"Senior Brother-!"
"Shh."
Xiao Wun looked up at Feng Wuqing question as to why she had hushed him, but she said nothing for the time.
"Dragons from Dragon's Row, playing the bad guys against the clans on land but needing to use humans to do so. It seems something terrible has happened above," He sighed, shaking his head, "I believe the matters you've told me of, but no the intentions behind them. I owe you a debt, simply speak your wish and be done with it."
Lady Mu smiled at her daughter, as though to say I told you so.
Pouting, Maqi then glared at him.
"With the growing strength of the empires on the surface, some smaller Noble Races are being threatened. We, the Dragon Race, were asked to act as negotiators between the races, however, those surface empires refuse to speak. We plan to weaken them, and then begin negotiations again."
Not seeing a hint of lies in her words, he nodded.
It was reasonable.
From what he could get out of that, it seemed that these surface empires were allied together in a sort of coalition and whilst the 'Noble' Races were not afraid, it was not worth going to war with a chimp when it has a gun, lest a stray shot kill one highly trained warrior.
It would too much of a shame to take useless casualties or wars.
"This is not a favor that can be asked personally, as it involves the fate of my clansmen." He said calmly, "Therefor, we will decline."
"Pfft-!" Lady Mu started chuckling instantly.
"The cheek!" Maqi's claws swiped out at his throat!