Chapter 183: Eternal Red (13)

Chapter 183: Eternal Red (13)

One thread of consciousness sinks into my Inner World and then disappears into the [Icy Sword Waterfall] I assume that one belongs to Lan Xiaohui. The other one heads into the [Killing Field] and rather than the hundreds of opponents, I only sense a dozen or so Nascent Soul demonic beasts.

This use of both my [Icy Sword Waterfall] and [Killing Field] are extremely wasteful. With only a dozen opponents, it is not feasible for me to recover energy from operating that formation.

However, I do not regret this waste of energy. I even approve of it. For a moment, I consider the meaning of this stance. This is truly the first time in both my lives that I have been selfish, or suboptimal. I can only assume that this is because in this life I am a sword; whether my mind and soul are that of a galactic machine, it seems, does not supersede my lifes nature as that of a sword.

If I must die here if my pursuit of perfection must end here then I too wish to see a God fall. Perhaps this is merely an extension of my curiosity because such a concept was unfathomable in my previous life.

With my consciousness withdrawing and fading away due to the process of cultivating [Black Jade Emperor Body], I can think of only one entity that can oversee Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulans preparations within my Inner World.

Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan have a plan, it seems, though it is a fools errand. They hinge their hopes on the fact that the physical processes maintaining their lives have terminated and that this will allow them to recover in secret enough to retaliate one last time against the veiled figure.

I am aware that there exist cultivation manuals that once cultivated to a high enough degree could have such an absurd effect as maintaining life force even when the heart is destroyed. Normally, to my understanding, surviving the destruction of ones physical body is reserved for either an extremely high spiritual cultivation or a body cultivation that has progressed into the realm of making the physical vessel spiritual to a very high degree. In other words, surviving as a ghost, spirit, or disembodied soul.

[Empty Moon Prana] is more of the former, rather than the latter. Its method of cultivating the qi of Heaven and Earth, once advancing it to the third layer, can not only induce suspended animation but recover life force from the natural, sacred principles of qi to resist true death for long enough to repair vital organs. Of course, the complete destruction of these organs, or the physical vessel, would be unrecoverable, but with the current state of their organs, it is entirely possible to recover if, and only if, they can advance their [Empty Moon Prana] to the fourth layer Yin-Yang Meditation.

This decision, to feign death and attempt to advance their attainment of cultivation, is not rational. It lacks the foresight to deal with the problem that comes after their recovery if they can even overcome this step. How will they kill this veiled figure? Even with a surprise attack, it might not be enough. Even if Lan Xiaohui comprehends [Fractured Sword] it might not be enough.

When the veiled figure flicks her wrist and one of the toppled-over chairs slides across the ground to the figures location and then corrects its alignment so that the figure can sit on it.

I had expected to use my tough vessel to withstand any and all ranged attacks, but it seems that the figure has no interest in attacking anymore. To begin with, I do not sense any hostility or killing intent from it though I did not sense any when she tried and technically succeeded at terminating my owner and her companion.

This is good too, she says, crossing her arms and throwing one leg over the other as she stares at the two girls behind me. This princess no longer has the opportunity to take revenge on your kind for what you did to her, so she can only vent her anger on you. It would be a shame if you died too quickly.

The flames in the girls hair recede and the blood-red color drains until only golden-blonde remains. Even her eyes turn from gold red to a cold, pale blue.

She lifts up three fingers.

This princess is magnanimous, so she will give you thirty days. If you can stand up within those thirty days, you may continue entertaining this princess. If not, you will die without an intact corpse.

Perhaps she is not a deity after all. This kind of arrogance can only belong to the same class of creature as Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan, and all the other countless lesser intelligences.

Those thirty days may be more than enough for Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan to ensure that this entity regrets this arrogance for the rest of its life.

I shut off my external senses and withdraw my consciousness. I expect the process of tempering my body to be even more extreme than the last time I had done it. With my [World Eater] operating at maximum capacity, at the very least, the first stage of [Black Jade Emperor Body] should be completed within thirty days this first stage should be more than enough for me to cut even an entity like this veiled person.