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037 - Danger Looming Over the Horizon
🕑 Added 2024-07-18 21:04:53 +0000 UTCThe sun had just risen on another day when a young man rolled in bed, still weary from last night's events. To his side was a young woman with bright blonde hair, whose skin was exposed to rays of morning light. Only a slight satin sheet covered her forbidden area. She moaned slightly as the man's hand inadvertently grabbed something soft in his drowsiness.
Feeling the presence of another beside him, the man jolted awake as dread filled his mind and sweat poured down his naked body, slightly soaking the bed he sat on. His heartbeat accelerated as memories flooded his mind. The vivid memories of pain so real were ever-present in his consciousness. Still, once the fear washed over him and retreated, only anger remained.
A dull ache remained on his chest as he lightly touched the prominent scars present on it. While he could have healed it perfectly, as he had done so many others, this served as a reminder of a mistake he refused to make again.
Feeling movements, the woman awoke to see her partner in a state of shock. This wasn't her first time seeing this, yet she was powerless. Ever since she met him, those episodes would reoccur almost daily, as if a repressed memory of agony threatened to emerge from the depth of his psyche. All she could do was hold his hand and comfort him as best she could. Still, she felt privileged to see such a moment of weakness in a man so strong.
“How are you?” she asked in a tender voice.
Still immersed in his pain, the man took a moment to compose himself. Only then did he turn to her, smiling slightly, before kissing her exposed forehead.
“I’m fine,” he replied softly. “Just the same memory as always.”
Her gaze was gentle as she looked at her man before reaching for his back, pressing her naked body upon him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and sharing warmth.
“Is there no news,” she asked, slightly concerned. “When can you finally be free from this?”
The man’s gaze grew cold as he recalled the one to wound him so. He had sought her for so long since their arrival in this place. He couldn’t help but be grateful for the woman next to him. Without her resources, he would have taken much longer to heal from his wounds.
"Don't worry, it will all come to an end, sooner or later," the man said in a deep voice as if the future was guaranteed.
Hearing this confirmation, the woman couldn't help but show a radiant smile before kissing her man's neck, leaving a red mark on his skin as if to show her ownership. She then rose and dressed herself. She wore a long golden dress that accentuated her long hair, making her look as if she were the sun itself.
The man also rose and tied her golden hair into a bun, fixing it in place using a gorgeous purple hairpin. She turned to face him, showing the curves of her body as if asking for feedback on her beauty. The man remained silent and admired the sight, which the woman also enjoyed, before kissing her deeply. There was no need for words.
She then left, giggling like a young girl experiencing her first love. The man's caring look faded almost as she left his sight, replaced with a cold indifference. He only had time to wear his trousers when another man emerged from the room's darkness.
The newcomer was dressed in all black, wearing a mask that shielded his features. Only his long white hair was visible amidst the darkness. He dropped to one knee, clasping his hands in respect, awaiting to be addressed.
“Did you find her?” the man asked in a glacial tone. None of the gentleness he had shown the woman remained. There was only the cold rationale of a man much too used to view others as pawns in his games of power.
“Reporting to the lord," the white-haired man said. "We have distributed her portrait to all our operatives within the city. If she has reached Jin City, as you suspect, we will find her. She will have nowhere to hide as we overturn every stone if we must."
The man pondered for a long time over this lack of evidence. Maybe she wasn't transported here as he was. Still, he couldn't take the chance. She was much too valuable not to seek her out.
“Double our manpower and find her," he replied. "She may have taken refuge in one of the four great clans. Have our man infiltrate and uncover her whereabouts."
“What about Lady Sun?” the white-haired man said, slightly concerned. “What should we say if she asks what we are doing with all those resources.”
The man scoffed lightly as he looked toward where the golden-haired woman had disappeared.
"I'll handle her," the man said coldly, starkly contrasting his earlier affection. "I'll be sure to repay all she has done for me and more."
He then waved his hand, motioning for the masked man to take his leave, which he did without leaving a single trace of his presence. Moments later, a knock was heard on the door to the room. Once the man told them to come in, two maids entered and bowed deeply.
“Young master Liao, the Patriarch requests your presence in the main hall." a maid said respectfully.
Liao Cheng didn’t even deign to acknowledge their existence and strolled out of the room as he put on his white robes. Surprisingly, the two maids weren’t offended by his attitude and only had looks of reverence on their faces. It was already their privilege to even gaze upon such a genius.
******
The following days were uneventful as Qin Yun could finally invest his time into his own cultivation. There was no more drama or cataclysmic event, only peaceful days spent with his wife and their new addition to their residence as Qin Yun pondered the path ahead.
As Yun Jingfei was now smoothly advancing toward the peak of the Moral Sword Realm, Qin Yun didn’t need to oversee her cultivation. He spent most of his days in his workshop, only occasionally exiting to interact with Feng Xia as well. Still, Qin Yun didn’t push his curiosity as the little bird was still wary of him.
Feng Xia slowly became accustomed to her new work as Yun Jingfei's maid. While initially reluctant, her work consisted mainly of assisting Yun Jingfei in whatever she wished to do, which was mostly sparring with her.
Yun Jingfei was impressed with her last fight against Feng Xia and felt a noticeable increase in her proficiency. As such, they sparred almost daily, and their relationship became as close as that of sisters. Yun Jingfei was an only child, so she greatly appreciated this new bond. Qin Yun couldn’t help but be grateful to Feng Xia, as her presence gave colour to their otherwise monotone life. While Qin Yun preferred peace above all else, he still didn’t wish for solitude.
With time for himself, Qin Yun pondered how he could further his cultivation. A slight problem loomed over him; his reserves of Innate Qi were dangerously low. In fact, he had barely enough to fully heal Yun Jingfei's internal injuries until he would finally run dry. Furthermore, he had been aware of it for some time. More precisely, he knew he only had enough when he started to heal her.
As for why he still went through with it even though he knew, Qin Yun had promised her he would, and that was enough. Besides, perfecting his Body Strengthening Realm was never the end goal but just a means to an end. In fact, he only did it for curiosity's sake. He could reach the Qi Refining Realm anytime he wished. Yet, he still felt like it was a waste.
Did Qin Yun regret prioritizing his wife's health over his cultivation? Never. He much preferred she be able to cultivate than his quest toward a peak that he may never reach. Would that mean he would give up on it? Of course not. He still had some hope in mind that could remedy his problem of resources. It was the same thing he had discovered not so long ago. These crystal bugs were the answer to all his woes.
Still, he needed to find a way to extract that exotic energy to be able to absorb the Innate Qi he had left within. He had tried once to absorb that exotic energy, yet his body had reacted so severely to the experience that one could liken it to a deadly allergic reaction. It was as if that energy was utterly incompatible with this world. No matter what he tried, there was nothing he could do.
Still, he was undeterred. He wasn't one to give up due to setbacks. He knew that he would someday reach the answer he sought. In fact, he felt it wouldn't take him that long at all, as if the answer was staring him in the face. Besides, he was in no hurry. It wasn't as if he had a nemesis breathing down his neck, and he needed to become as strong as possible in a short time frame.
Okay... maybe the Qin and Yun Clan might come to him for revenge, but he could always rely on the Lian Clan to mediate. As long as they weren’t blinded by pride, they would be able to weigh the gains and losses.
Meanwhile, Qin Yun was back in his forge, resuming the work he had started weeks prior. His forge blazed as he quenched the crystal limb in flames before hammering it on a sturdy anvil. The floor trembled with each of his blows, yet the formation set up within the room pulsed with energy as it resisted the force of his strikes.
Each day, the sound of sharp collisions echoed in the courtyard, coming from two distinct directions. Light flashed as Yun Jingfei's sword collided with Feng Xia's sleeve while Qin Yun relentlessly hammered the crystal into shape. He had a goal in mind with this material and hoped he was strong enough for it to come to fruition.
Each day, his blows would grow in intensity as the once transparent material became duller with every strike. Soon enough, clearness turned opaque as the crystal turned black. Under this pressure, the two contrasting energies combined, perfusing with the material and enhancing its hardness. Now, even Qin Yun's full-powered strike could barely deform the black crystal.
Sweat poured down his face as he relentlessly hammered the material with his hammer. In the corner of the room was a small pile of broken hammers Qin Yun wore down as he sought to complete his project. After a week of non-stop work, Qin Yun finally reached the last stretch.
The shaping was done, and the energies were combined within. Yet, something seemed to still be missing. Qin Yun couldn't figure out what it was. In fact, it was only a slight feeling he had in the back of his mind. He was so close to perfection, yet he couldn't reach it.
Qin Yun felt frustrated as he knew he was so close, yet the answer eluded him. He didn't wish to see a week's worth of efforts go down the drain. He could only keep hammering, hoping something would change. While he knew this was the very definition of insanity, he was indeed at a loss.
Unbeknownst to him, the clear skies overhead grew darker as his hammer collided with this nearly finished product. Dark thunderclouds covered the heavens above as if curtains of blackness. Lightning danced on their surface as thunder rumbled in the distance. Yun Jingfei and Feng Xia looked above with apprehension in their heart. This wasn't the first time they had been witness to such a phenomenon. They felt a sense of oppression wash over them. Still, Qin Yun hammered down, oblivious to the incoming dangers ahead.
