Chapter 56: Foundation (4)

Chapter 56: Foundation (4)

The three Pillars hum once more, resonating through the other nine, and this time the shock wave that originates from us not only travels faster at about thirty centimeters per second but it also washes through my meridians, expelling the debilitating lightning within them.

This shock wave, when it strikes the water around us, causes jets of liquid to spray away from the shock front, the Sword Qi grinding down everything even water that comes into contact with it. The pool of water quickly expands in dimensions as the shock wave reaches it, grinding away the stone as if it was made of air.

My attention is not so much on the shock wave, or the pillars at this point, but dangerously divided between maintaining my aperture open and Lan Xiaohuis quickly deteriorating internal state.

My internal state, itself, is heavily damaged from contact with the lightning, yet, even though I am the primary target of Heavens retribution, Lan Xiaohui is much worse off.

Perhaps the conductivity of my external body helps me sustain more damage or the fact that I am made out of metal or it may be because my body is of the Immortal grade, but the discrepancy in the damage we sustained is still surprising.

Her meridians are in a state of shock, and it is not just the meridians, but also her dantian that is showing signs of damage. Deep inside her core, I feel the Pillars she had formed when she broke through cracking. Her Qi is dangerously close to reversing and the threat of her losing her cultivation base is the least of her problems.

She could die.

Gold sparks of lightning discharge from the black cracks in her skin, crawling across her body in a way that leaves black marks on her skin as if someone painted black lines on her skin with a brush. These marks then turn into more cracks, expelling a black smoke as they form.

Lan Xiaohui coughs again, spraying my black jade with her blood. She is becoming fainter and fainter her fear, trust and excitement all fading away slowly.

It is so pretty she whispers with a weakened voice, and I know that she refers to the Pillars forming in her failing dantian.

I know that if I do nothing to correct her meridians and guide the flow of Qi through her internal body that the next lightning strike will potentially be fatal at the very least, it would put her in a state where recovery would be highly unlikely.

Yet, if I do not focus on my aperture and guiding the chaotic Qi in my own system, I would be the one to also suffer a similar fate, and even so, the likelihood of recovery for either of us would be slim in that case.

It is regrettable, but the prospect of forming eighteen Pillars seems distant and impossible. At best, I can withstand one more lightning strike, and in the process of doing so, I will also likely lose my owner.

Maybe there are a hundred Lan Xiaohuis in the world. Surely, there are more individuals with an extreme talent for battle, who also seek to comprehend the Dao. Some of them might even be proficient with Arrays, or Alchemy, or Forging, and would be able to improve me.

Even if losing Lan Xiaohui is not the end of the world, finding someone like her would be difficult.Ñ00v€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

What is unforgivable, however, is abandoning the pursuit of perfection at this stage. Lan Xiaohui, too, would surely understand that furthering the development of ones Dao is more important than mortal attachments.

One day, Lan Xiaohui will die either killed in combat or when her lifespan runs out that is unavoidable, unless she becomes an Immortal.

However, neither one of us will likely have a chance to cross into the realm of immortality if we do not stand our ground here and exceed the limits of our mortal existence.

Even if I fall into the hands of an unworthy master, my own pursuit of perfection must continue such is the Dao and the path of demonic cultivation.

Lan Xiaohui must die so that I may approach perfection.

The other half of my consciousness is dedicated to operating the [World Eater] breathing method, and keeping my aperture open.

Like this, I cannot optimize my own internal system, and the chaotic Qi begins to rampage within my vessel, on the brink of reversing my cultivation.

As the clouds flash with lightning above, I try to estimate my chances of survival, now that I have no defense mechanism.

Close to zero.

It may seem foolish and pointless, but without Lan Xiaohui I cannot imagine reaching the pinnacle at all. It has to be this way.

Either we both die, or we both live.

At the same time as the clouds above begin to generate another lightning strike, Wukongs soul core which had remained in my internal storage for months, flickers and then disappears.

The black sphere in my sea of consciousness flashes brightly once, and maybe it is because I am experiencing one of those near death events, I feel his distant and protective presence over me. I feel as if though he holds my hilt once more, like when he did when I was undergoing my body cultivation breakthrough.

When the lightning strike descends, it obliterates the protective layer of Sword Qi above us, then it instantly crushes the developing shock wave of Sword Qi, and then lances through me, causing the rest of the spirit water to evaporate.

I find out, the hard way, that meridians can burn at least, that is what it feels like.

My Heavenly Jade Core forms a deep crack, and nearly breaks, as it takes critical damage.

I am saved by the unexpected diversion of a large part of the lightning, which redirects itself towards the black sphere in my sea of consciousness, where it disappears, as if attacking something else instead of my internal body.

At the same time as my consciousness fades, three more Pillars form in my dantian, and a sub routine fires informing me of the outcome of my breakthrough.

[ Current realm: Foundation Establishment (Early stage) ]

[ Lifespan: 5 years ->18 years. ]

[ Due to forming a Foundation that contains the Sword Law, your lifespan is decreased by half. ]

[ Lifespan: 18 years ->9 years. ]

[ Obtained: Tremendous Insight into the Dao of Qi. ]

[ Obtained: Glimpse of Sword Law (Trait - Emperor) ]

[ Glimpse of Sword Law: Your Sword Qi is capable of manifesting a glimpse of the Sword Domain. Further cultivation will develop this Trait into a Talent. Required cultivation realm: Dao Palace Formation ]