"Well, it seems like our guest is having a blast over there." Shen Ao said, ignoring the injuries knowing it isn't his place.
"Brother Shen, you stay here and help Thunderclap Hall's Hall Master. I'm going to return with my son." Feng Ying said. "Come Leiji, you need treatment." She added.
"Yes, Mother Feng. May fortune favor you well in battle Martial Uncle." I said leaving the scene.
"That kid. I get the odd feeling I shouldn't go back to the ship just yet. But, that Hall Master Lei seems quite intent on dealing with both of those Feudal Lords himself. I guess I can take care of some of the stragglers." Shen Ao muttered, letting out a sigh.
~ Daybreak's Deck ~
Feng Ying and I returned to the deck of the ship. I transformed back to human form. The damage done through my fight was instantly noticeable. Torn clothes, cuts, bruises and broken bones. It was a challenge to stay standing. However, Su Yan noticed the other problems under the surface, specifically the one with my highly unstable Phoenix Source. Something even Liu Yan was able to sense.
"Just what the hell happened to you Young Master?" Liu Yan asked, surprised.
"Do you mean that injury?" I asked.
"Indeed, I'd be stupid if I couldn't sense something like that." Liu Yan said.
"Well, I was grappled by the Royal Lord while in that form. I'd likely be dead now if I wasn't able to also be a Dragon as well. Though I'm sure the result would have been the same if the reverse situation happened. It's unfortunate but I am much less experienced with that form than I am with my dragon form." I said. "So unfortunately, it has taken the most damage, I likely won't be able to assume that form for at least a couple years. Even with how fast I recover." I added with a sigh.
"Let's take you to the twins and see if they can help you recover from that injury." Liu Yan suggested.
"Sadly, that won't work very well, I'm more closely similar to them than I am to any one Divine Spirit. Though, it's not a bad idea to see if they can help. We have to go there anyway to pick up Zhang Ruo Xi." I said.
"Son!" Su Yan shouted, tears running down her face. "We're going to treat your injuries. If your Phoenix source is this damaged I can't cuddle you as a baby anymore. I WON'T HAVE THAT!" She yelled with a pouty face, hugging me closely. "Yang Kai, kill that damn Royal Lord for hurting our boy. Dare to call themselves royal and Lord in the same title yet attack my baby boy with an army. Nothing but cowards." She cried.
"Mother, any tighter and I might get hurt worse… Oh, never mind." I said, as I felt a warmth come over me. Slowly repairing the damage. It was slow, but it was working. "Thank you, Mother. It's already feeling a little better." I said softly with a comfortable tone as I was growing weary.
"Liu Yan, help me take my son to lay down." Su Yan ordered.
"Yes!" Liu Yan said cheerfully.
"I still have to keep the lightning fields and storms up. The people in this territory should not be harmed by this conflict. It is not their fault. Nor their fate to die here." I murmured half asleep, as I was taken inside the cabin and laid down.
Su Yan held me close, constantly using her own source's growth to help repair the damage to mine, thus stunting her own growth for the time being. Refusing to let her son suffer for longer.
"That damn Royal Lord will have to pay for this." Su Yan muttered crankily. "Husband, make sure that Royal Lord gets turned into an ant crushed under foot." Su Yan said through their connection with each other's feelings.
~ Daybreak's Deck ~
Shen Ao returned with Thunderclap Hall's Hall Master Lei. Shen Ao noticed the look on the crew's faces. "Hey, what's with the look? My Martial nephew is going to recover, right?" He asked, now a little confused.
"Yes, Leiji will recover, but… He suffered an attack from a Royal Lord. Even he won't recover easily. And given the nature of his injury… Well, our daughters in law won't be able to help him either." Feng Ying explained, gripping her sword tighter, as her anger flared.
"That means we might have to put our own desire to bear a child on hold for a little longer." Bai Yi stated, all but grinding her teeth.
"How… I won't ask that. Let us focus on killing the remaining enemy forces and then we can rally and figure out what needs to be done. I'm sure the stalemate Yang Kai put the battle in, is about to break. I can sense his fury all the way from over here." Shen Ao said.
"Yeah, we've got to figure out how to handle the Thunderclap Hall situation as well, now that they know of the Ink Clan, keeping the secret from them is impossible." Ning Qi Zhi sighed.
"Not to mention their Hall Master is now a 7th rank. We will have to leave what happens up to Sir Six Wood Divine Monarch." Qi Tai Chu noted stroking his beard.
"If this is the enemy I can't help but feel repulsed by it, I have zero issue killing them." Thunderclap Hall's Hall Master Lei stated confidently.
"No, you've already done enough. After the slaughter my son Leiji wrought upon them there aren't many masters left among their ranks. You should focus on consolidating your cultivation." Feng Ying said, shaking her head. "Worst case scenario is that you'll be vetted by the Supreme Elders. But considering the nature of your Dao, I'm sure there is at least some innate resistance to the Ink Force." She explained further.
"I… I understand, my cultivation is quite unstable at the moment. It's better not to lose sight of the future." Thunderclap Hall's Hall Master said clenching a fist lamenting his own weakness. "I don't know how I'm going to repay that young man for this. Defending my territory's people and helping me to advance to the 7th rank…" He spoke his thoughts aloud.
"Hey, you're in luck, you see, he is quite the ladies man. I'm sure offering him… Ow!" Ning Qi Zhi said, rubbing his head right where Feng Ying hit him. "Fine, I get it. I get it." He said.