It had been some time since the fall of the Ash Realm and Red Demon wasted no time to get back into his training. Every day rotating each element to help them grow pushing his meridians to its fullest. Finding new spots to meditate that were rich with darkness and direct sunlight. The mind element however was a different process for cultivation. With the mind element you had to be surrounded by pressurized chi. He had to find natural deposits in the rocky terrain that were full of gaseous chi. The natural chi was so rich that anyone who sat with it would feel pressure on their Mind Palace and the meridian that housed the mind element located at the base of his brain stem. You then absorb that energy through the meridian, purify it in their Mind Palace and then slowly filter that chi through the body to the Soul Core. This was also good training for his mind to evolve further. With all centers in training he felt stronger by the day. All Seeing saw over the training and gave him tips. She also assisted his ethereal self inside his mind to filter the chi. It took a lot of concentration and will power.
His head throbbed and felt like it could split at any minute. He would do this for an hour or two before All Seeing would cut it off. "Too much longer you will just pass out. The mind needs to slowly grow. Unlike the Soul Core the brain is more fragile" she warned him when he first started this routine. So he followed her instructions.
He also took his weapon training more seriously and added a sparring partner. Smiling was in a daze for the first two days before he got focused doing training for himself. He meditated on his metal plate and began to work in the forge. Along with sparring with Red Demon he had shared with him the forging technique from the Lycaon Tower; Mythical Forging.
They both worked to make weapons of god killing proportions. Sadly they were unsuccessful at being beginners at the craft. Red Demon having the ability to Forge naturally he had better results at crafting supreme swords and a lance. But they were no god killing kind. Rank Four or Five possibly, but it would be brushed off by a Primordial. But he had made a new sword that he put two elements in, and a slot for a third. Along with a rune he acquired from the Witch King's mask. He perused the catalogue often. And study more into runes for his chi forging ability. With this new odachi he gave it the ability to absorb the chi with each cut of the blade.
Which would then feed into his Soul Core like a battery. Giving a new way to cultivate faster during his none stop battles after he left here. This would weaken his opponent further and help with engaging with kings. He kicked himself for not thinking of it earlier. But when he finally thought more on crafting this Odachi he wanted the most maximum and efficient sword. Only thing he didn't do was give it a name yet. He had crafted it from his chi and parts of a mythical beast called the Midnight Viper. The creature was known to have hard scales that were impenetrable. Most hunters had to kill them using restraint and starvation. Their fangs were pure metal with a poisonous bite.
He had leaned towards calling the sword the Black Fang. But again the name didn't fit. All great blades that took the most lives had names. Becoming a legendary blade cutting through legend. He even brought out Salamander Tail and Black Brand. He found that he had to be careful with the jian with one swipe not knowing its affects he cut through earth a large boulder and the ground leaving a scar upon the terrain. He had to be more careful in Sister Spinner's plane.
He would keep practicing with the two and be more careful doing so. Smiling had made a big broadsword that he fused with a poisonous sack of a Big Centipede. He studied hard into the book he was given and found that some abilities can transfer to the weapons like his Midnight Viper giving his Odachi poison and strength to benefit his absorption of chi. His sword was no different only when cut with the blade Smiling found that it left the skin burning like acid. He had tested it on a Mythical Beast corpse. He found it affective and kept working. Day and night to perfect his craft and skill. But really Red Demon saw him using it to focus rather than think about anything else.
Sister Spinner was kind enough to provide them with mythical beast corpses from different realms. Red Demon would only interact with him during sparring, forging questions, and eating. He just seemed lost in thought. He worried the two would have a hard time healing.
But the real focus he had after this particular meditation was talking to Sister Spinner about his Bedlam element. He walked across the green grass towards a walled domed palace with a painted glass ceiling with multiple colors and depicted a loom with golden threads and a spool. All Seeing floated next to him, "You doing okay?" She asked, concerned. He hadn't talked much, but that wasn't unusual, she figured. But he seemed extra pensive since the loss. "I'll be better after I kill something precious to the Void Faction" he confessed with a bitter tone.
"Yeah…the vengeance seems like a healthier route?" She said jokingly. "Sure works for me. Killed my own father out of revenge and it felt great!" He said, making All Seeing's eyes widen in surprise. "You killed your dad?" She asked. "Yes. If you knew him you would understand. He was a terrible individual and an even worse king" she shrugged. "Well I won't pry on your reasons. Doesn't really matter to me" she confessed.
"Wise choice. Now we unlock this damn element and begin cultivation with it" he stated with strong resolve. "Any ideas on how you cultivate the Bedlam element?" He asked All Seeing. "Blood. In fact blood taken from an enemy. The very act is a ritual of cultivation and soaked in your own chi. It's a gruesome element. Why most who use it are considered a kin to Vampires and demonic beings. They are walking calamities if trained to the max. Even after reaching fifth and sixth rank cultivation changes for all elements and Bedlam is best cultivated during battle. Why not many Bedlam User have reached Primordial status" she explained. "Well that's the goal. To be a calamity and right now that's all I want to be. Everything else is left to the future" he sounded confident and was sure of himself.
They entered the palace and were greeted by women in white robes. They were weavers who weaved Strings of Fate. "How may I assist you?" She stated plainly. She was a beautiful woman with black skin and fiery orange eyes. She had long curly black hair and a toned body that was accentuated by her robes. "I'm here to see your mistress" he answered back with a tone of authority. She said nothing and gestured with her hands to follow. He and the invisible All Seeing followed behind. They passed a circular room with many weavers at looms. Above them was a large mass of multi colors of chi that was encased in glass. From the glass threads of chi spun out from small tubes to the looms where they spun it into glowing gold string.
They kept walking through large pillared halls to a circular room with circles of pillars to a domed ceiling. Inside was covered in scrolls on tables and seated at a large chair was Sister Spinner reading a scroll she smoked a cigarette and set it upon an ashtray. She sipped from a tea cup and she looked up from her scroll. "Wondered when you were gonna stop by? Seemed pretty focused lately and even took an interest in training your guard? He is worse off than you right now mentally. Right now you're determined to unlock that element?" She rolled up the scroll. "Nora thank you that will be all please shut the doors on your way out" the woman Nora bowed and walked out silent. Closing the big doors behind her "Have a seat. Would you like some tea?" She asked, stepping away from her seat and walking towards two couches with a teapot on the table between them. He could see steam coming from the pot. "You expected me?" He said jokingly. He took a seat and pulled his mask down. She poured him a cup and set it in front of him. "So was it truly my mother that locked this element?" He asked after she sat down and got comfortable. "Me and your mother did it together. It took some convincing, but I finally got her to see my side" she sipped her tea. This took him back as his eyes widened. "Why?" He felt scorned and angry at this knowledge. "Your father. See he saw your power as nothing more than a tool to help him conquer. You were nothing but a sword for him. He would have used you to do terrible things. At least with bedlam locked and lost from his knowledge you were less likely to lose yourself, that element is a rare thing in itself. It's also something that corrupts the soul if you let it. But you would know all about that your mind has some hint of madness already?" she waited for him to answer.
"The Chi Leech technique has side effects that make me thirst for more. It clouds my mind and all that will satisfy that hunger is to feed. Fighting something like Bedlam will be a challenge, but to struggle isn't something I don't know about" he confessed with a sigh.
"Bedlam is chaos and chaos is ten times stronger than that technique's side effects. And once you cultivate with blood or the other techniques out there it will be a twenty four-seven madness inside your mind. Even using it the power is addictive" she sighed, "But I however have a technique for you that will help suppress your bloodlust. I would suggest eating mythical beasts soul cores along with their blood. But eventually as you progress that won't be enough either. Give you some time though" she told him. She sipped her tea and Red Demon interrupted. "I have done many intense studies on Cultivation Elements. It was required by both my masters. They wanted me to know their weaknesses and strengths" he sighed, "Raijin always said that Bedlam and Lightning were the hardest elements to fight and master. Seems I'm destined for both from what All Seeing showed me" he sank back on the couch. "Still. I need to boost my abilities and Bedlam is what will give me the edge so I need whatever you did lifted" he sounded demanding but kept his tone neutral.
"What do you intend to do when you finally achieve this? What's the next saga of the Red Demon going to be after you leave here?" She asked, placing her hands on her lap. "Simple. Complete my contract with the World. That I have no choice in taking an oath. You can call me many things, but oath breaker isn't one of them. So I will end the civil war by taking the kings on my list out and then focus on killing the Void King without allies he will be crippled so best take the riff raff out first" he said with confidence. "Plus don't you already know what I'll do?" He said sarcastically. "Yes. I do have a clear view of your path if you so choose that one. It's not a bad strategy and you would most likely succeed I'm sure" she sat back on the couch. She remained silent making the interaction now awkward.
"There a BUT coming?" He asked. "Well if you go to the next two realms I tell you then you will succeed. For you need to pick two allies that I also gave Threads of Necessity too?" Red Demon seemed surprised but then remembered her saying there were two more she set fates for besides him and Smiling. "So you want the King Slayer to form a cohort?" He asked. "Well why wouldn't you? I know you think you're a two man wrecking crew but with a fully formed team? Now that would be apocalyptic" she explained.
"You're thinking too small. I have three names that if you execute will turn this war on its head! These three not only possess the two individuals you must fine, but also they are holding a lot of sway in this war. Without them in it the rest will fall" she explained with a smirk. "You mentioned that before? But now you say three before you said two? So which is it?" He said with annoyance. She giggled, "I tend to repeat myself, but you are so narrow minded. You have no idea what impact you have had on these realms. Smiling is merely one vigilante inspired by the Red Demon. The two I want found are also now demon masked rebels against their own king. With that much inspiration spreading like fire you could ally with the people of the realms. Take the battle to the Void King on your terms. Kill the Nexus vessel your friend will not have the strength " she had an intense gaze piercing his soul. He was so unnerved he gazed down to think of what she said.
Losing himself in the deep green tea he could see him leading legions of cultivators against the Void King. Thus bringing true unity in peace to help with the new rulers chosen by the World. But what truly weighed greatly was losing the only friend he had ever truly had. He knew if he did that he would hate him. Why wouldn't he? 'Wouldn't I end his suffering? Or add to it?' That being the worst negative. 'She claims to think Kira can't be saved? But is that a misdirection?' He leaned forward. 'So far she 'claims' to give me the truth, but I don't know if I can trust her word. I know nothing about her. So best keep this killing Kira to myself till I find better options than confronting Smiling' he internally nodded. "What must I do?" He asked, making eye contact with Sister Spinner. She grinned back and took a sip of tea.