As he finishes saying does words, all the bone servants rush towards him. Some holding swords, other spears, others having shields to protect their allies, does in the back with bows and arrows.
As a wave of arrows came from above, Mors concentrated his QI on his sword as he does a side slash towards the air. A visible wind glaive rush towards the arrows, destroying some and pushing others out of their course.
As arrows land around him, Skeleton Servants holding swords and shields attack him. From behind their shields spears poke out, their pointed tips ready to stab holes in his body. Mors once again channels QI into his sword as he strikes one side of the encirclement. His QI meets the Skeletons Servants, bending their shields and pushing them backward. Leaving his back exposed, spears and swords left behind wounds.
Pain assaults his brain as he turns around, with his last spear in hand. Covering the spear in his QI as he swings it downward, a large explosion happens as the Skeleton Servants in front of him got cut in half as well as does with the spears.
But his attack did not go any further than that, soon more servants filled those spots. Mors biting his lips continue to attack and defend against the Skeleton Servants. This won't be as hard if they were not a cultivation rank higher than him.
An hour passes like this, using his Qi on every attack possible. Wounds slowly decorated his tan body, blood slowly painting the ground. Soon his back was against a tree as he looks at all the remaining bone servants. Only 50 or so of their bodies lay on the ground and he was already exhausted mentally and physically. He felt like laying down and never moving again, doing nothing for the rest of his life but sleep.
What Mors was experiencing was something every cultivator goes through when fighting for long periods of time. QI depletion. As a cultivator moves away from being mortal towards immortal, QI becomes an essential part of their lives.
As important as the brain, heart, blood, and oxygen. It is what gives their bodies their inhuman abilities, as such when it is depleted or in low supply in their bodies. It makes sense that their body will start to deteriorate and go back to being mortal, as their cells go back to using a more primate form of energy production.
Soon two pills In the shape of balls appear in Mor's left hand. One red and one blue, both having a clear and profound color. As he swallows these two pills, the Skeletons Servants stop watching as they rush towards him. They knew what the pills were and as such wanted to stop him from fully consuming them.
Mors could feel the pills dissolving in his stomach as the QI trap inside of them started to spread around his body. Just like when he consumes a treasure, he needs it to cultivate to properly distribute the QI. Thankfully his cultivation technique allows for such a thing while fighting.
As he takes a step forward, he dodges the attacks of some of the skeletons, while blocking their attacks with his sword. Wanting more time, he grabs one of the spears from a skeleton and pulls it towards him. As the skeleton does not let go of the spear, Mors breaks its skull with his elbow.
Soon with a spear in hand, he swings it around, trying to push as many of the skeletons away from him as he can. Dodging the attacks with beautiful dance when he can. Slowly he felt the wounds in his body healing and closing, QI now flowing in his body at a good amount. He could say about 50% of his QI has been replenished.
With more vigor and QI, Mors continues this event. But this time his attacks were more conservative, he did not use as much QI as before. Only using it to stand against the pressure from the Celestial monkey and for key attacks. Since the Skeleton Servants had no soul and could not produce their own aura, the Monkey had to release his own.
Using the enemy's movements against them, throwing an enemy over his shoulder to destroy enemy formation. Doing a quick kick to a skeleton leg to make them lose balance and hit the floor, only for their skull to be crushed under his leather boot.
Grabbing enemy weapons and using that memento to crush their heads under a headlock. Soon another hour passed like this, this time he killed another 60 skeletons. But even with his more strategic attacks, he still stuffer from wounds. Quantity was also quality in its own right. But this time the skeletons did not let him have his back against a tree, they can't let him recover his wounds and QI again.
Mors of course felt no fear at this moment. After fighting for such a long time his anxiety and fear have washed away, even his excitement for the rewards did as well. He saw this fight as nothing more than something to do, as part of living, just like he did during the war.
He was not fighting for glory, riches, or revenge. It was just his job and a part of life. As quick as breathing, two new pills appear on his hand before swallowing them. The skeletons all around him attack with their weapons, arrows flying towards him from the sky. Mors slowly breathes in as the tone of his dancing change.
It was no longer a beautiful deadly dance. It was a normal(?) dance. As he takes a step forward, a large shockwave shook the ground. Causing the skeletons in front of him to lose balance and fall. Soon like something finally click on him happen. His mouth opens and speaks words of truth. Words of enlightening.
"War does not mean fighting between factions. War is not grand, but something truly fundamental. A fundamental experience of all living being."
He said as he grab a skeleton spear and swings it down, with all of his QI. A large explosion happens in front of him. Skeletons are sent flying, as their service ends. As arrows land around at him, he dodges them with simple but profound movement.
Soon a large increase of QI happen in the area, as the QI around Mors started to enter his body. His body growing stronger and healthier. With boundless new QI in his body, Mors turns to the monkey as he speaks the final part of his enlightenment.
"War is not giving up. As long as I don't give up, as long as all livings beings don't give up, there will always be war. For when everyone gives up, there is no fighting and no war."
The monkey smiles at it speak, its eyes shining with respect.
"Now you are getting the true aspect of this challenge. We should not give up, for it's our nature to fight and to cause war. Now, let's test your resolve for war!"
The monkey said as he started to step forward, soon joining the challenge as the notifications of the system ring in his ear.
[First Step to War has been updated
Defeat all 1000 Bone Servants and a Celestial Monkey
Rewards: +5 to all stats
Reward: 1000 fate points
Reward: War Everlasting Legacy]
[Sword Emperor Dance has changed to War's Everlasting Dance(Primordial)]
[Mortal Rank 6->7]
[War's Everlasting Dance(Primordial)]
[War is a thing that will last forever, till the end of all living beings. War is an everlasting dance that never stops, till one gives up or dies. A primordial truth of the world]
[The user can cultivate at great speeds when at "war", can be used during battle or out of battle. From time to time the user might get a plus +2 to all stats]