Chapter 254: Beyond

Chapter 254: Beyond

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Liu Jin is floating.

At least, that is how he is choosing to interpret his current state. For him to actually be floating would require space to exist around him and for him to exist within that space. A vertical. A horizontal. All those things are necessary for him to do any sort of floating, and all those things are foreign to him right now. Liu Jin is not sure if he is truly anywhere.

Liu Jin is not sure if he even Is.

Is he dead?

His mind hesitates to answer the question, but that only proves how obvious the answer is. The Fleshcrafter killed him. That cannot be denied. The memory burns far too brightly to be a product of his imagination. Against a foe like him, that was the only possible outcome.

However, if he is dead, why is he still forming thoughts?

Liu Jin would like to say his ability to think is proof of his survival, but no one has ever proven death is an impediment to thought. He could easily be dead and thinking. Perhaps this is all there is to death.

Thinking. Nothingness. Waiting.

Waiting for what?

Something.

Anything.

No. No! No!

That is all far too grim. Even for him. This cannot be all there is, and he cannot possibly be dead! If he dies, the Storm Dragon will almost certainly restore the Grand Storm. His allies will be left without a path to victory. That cannot happen. He needs to get up before people start getting the wrong idea! After all, its already been

How much time has passed?

Surely, it has only been a few minutes Right?

Certainly not hours.

Days?

Years?

No.

He is not dead. None of the things he is worried about have happened because he is not dead!

He is alive.

That is the assumption he must part from. No, not an assumption. A fact! It has to be a fact, or else this is all pointless. He is not dead. He is just very nearly dead. If he cannot feel his body, that just means he is existing as a soul.

Usually, hed need to be in the Earth Realm to even consider something like that being possible, but the battle against the Fleshcrafter forced him to detach himself from his body to withstand the pain. When the Fleshcrafter killed his body, Liu Jins soul must have immediately withdrawn, sparing him from suffering the same fate.

That must be what happened because the alternative simply cannot be contemplated.

Liu Jin breathes.

It is not a real breath, of course. Souls do not really breathe, but Liu Jin decides he can breathe, so he does.

He thinks. He exists. He lives.

Thus, it should be possible for him to go inside his soul. He has done it before. Not having a body should only make the process easier by depriving him of all sensory distractions from the material world. The idea that he could fail cannot be contemplated because it would entail many things that cannot be thought of. He just needs to close his eyes and open them. That is all.

Liu Jin takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

He opens them to a boiling sea.

Bubbles of air rise by the thousands, and just as many snakes swim through the boiling waters, every single one writhing in pain, desperately searching for an exit that does not exist.

Liu Jin is fine.

It is his soul, after all. No matter how strongly the sea boils, Liu Jin can only feel what he wants to feel. More importantly, Liu Jin has a body once more. It might merely be a projection within his soul, but arms are arms, legs are legs, and, on this one occasion, a breath full of boiling water is just as sweet as one full of fresh air.

Liu Jin allows himself a moment to enjoy it.

Just one.

The briefest of instants.

It passes, and the joy in his face is replaced by resolute purpose. That his soul is in such an obviously chaotic state is a clear sign that things are not well. Most likely, it is a result of his own weakness. He is not a cultivator in the Heaven Realm, so he cannot just regenerate his body from nothing. His soul is not mature enough to sustain itself without a vessel, leading to this rapid deterioration. If he wants to survive, he needs to mend what the Fleshcrafter broke.

Unfortunately, Liu Jin cannot sense his physical body. It seems his soul has detached itself from it to a very extreme state.

However, is the separation truly complete?

Liu Jin takes three steps and looks down at himself.

Its a weird feeling. To be standing over ones own corpse, especially when it is in such a sorry state. In many ways, it doesnt feel real. He does not want to believe that used to be him.

Liu Jin kneels down and touches his skin

It is cold.

He runs his hand over his mangled face, staining his hands with his own blood. On a purely intellectual level, he realizes there is something deeply gross about touching a corpse with such curiosity, even if it is his own. However, Liu Jin feels no aversion to this act. This skin used to be his skin. This blood was his blood. These bones were his bones.

This was him.

This is him.

Liu Jin gasps as his corpse suddenly collapses into a cloud of black ash. He does not have time to move before the ash rushes towards him and just seeps into his body. Liu Jin stands up and tries to cough it out, using a hand to steady himself against the wall, but its too late. His clothes and belongings are lying on the floor, but his corpse is no longer there. The ash is also nowhere to be seen. It all went inside him. It should worry him, but it doesnt. It feels natural. Words he heard a long time ago echo in his head.

A dragon cannot stand to be anything but a dragon.

His corpse sought refuge within himself because it is himself. Liu Jin has no idea if that is true or not, but it feels true. It feels right. He looks at himself and somehow feels more complete than before. Whole.

His dantian thrum.

His meridians enlarge.

Earth Realm, Level One.

A huge achievement to be sure. One that many dream of, and one that is nearly always celebrated. However, Liu Jin does not feel like celebrating. He does not even feel any surprise when the Curse of the Earth takes hold, and the gravity around him increases. This is normal. Natural. He flares his Qi and finds it different.

He holds up his hand and reinforces it.

Scales appear over it.

Interesting, Liu Jin says before dismissing his Qi. He quickly bends down and picks up his clothes. They might not be in the best condition, but wearing them is much better than walking around naked.

That wouldnt be proper at all.

~~~

I am relieved to find you in good health.

Walking is a different experience when in the Earth Realm. It does not matter that he is stronger than before; the weight over him is that much greater. Even the simplest of movements become an exercise in Qi control. It gives him a greater appreciation for all those he knows in the Earth Realm.

Yong Zhuyi is not excluded, of course.

I am not sure how seriously I should take your words, Senior Brother Yong, Liu Jin says to the Core Disciple. You did try to capture me the last time we spoke.

I am entirely serious, Yong Zhuyi says. He is without his two companions. I find myself grateful to this spatial realm. It is really quite convenient, dont you think so?

Is it?

General He Bin, an Emperor Realm cultivator, is after you. Normally, that would guarantee your death, but within this space, I managed to find you before him. That would not have happened if we were in the palace.

If we were in the palace, General He Bin would not be able to touch me due to the Storm Dragons protection, Liu Jin points out.

But your uncle would, Yong Zhuyi counters. Your family situation is quite interesting, by the way. Regardless, now that I have found you

He trails off.

Have you changed somehow?

I am in the Earth Realm, Liu Jin says.

I noticed that. Congratulations are in order, but that is not why I ask.

I stopped dying my hair.

Black hair suits you better, but that is also not what I am asking about.

I cannot imagine anything else.

Yong Zhuyi stares at Liu Jin.

Liu Jin stares back at him.

Are we going to fight? Liu Jin asks. Id prefer not to, Senior Brother. I feel oddly calm right now. I would like to believe it is because I have achieved a degree of enlightenment, but it is just as possible I am heavily repressing several emotions.

Something cold shines in Liu Jins eyes.

You are not the person I want to unleash those emotions on.

We are not going to fight, though I appreciate your candidness, Yong Zhuyi says. Things would go better if everyone could speak plainly.

I could not agree more.

I wish to ask something of you.

Liu Jin blinks.

~~~