Corrupt Creations

While all those strange events were happening at the surface, down there in the abyss, Lan Xue had just created a blizzard storm to harass the Mana Sovereign beast Seth was engaging in a battle with. 

Their team work was already flawless and whenever Seth needed to move in or out of the battle, Lan Xue would cover up for him. Her attack power was obviously good, but what left the strongest impression about her abilities on Seth's mind, were their crowd control and defensive capabilities. 

She could practically control the speed at which the battle was happening, giving Seth more time and space to maneuver through the entire field and reposition himself for a better attack. 

Suddenly, the Mana Sovereign beast realized it wouldn't be able to keep up with them and decided to use one of its trump cards. But before it was even able to start executing it, it was entirely encased in a giant block of ice, that froze all of its movements. 

Lan Xue wasn't able to realize it, but her abilities were already perfectly working against Mana Sovereign entities and her Mana was showing signals of a breakthrough. 

The beast encased inside started to release a lot of Mana and melt the block from the inside. That skill wouldn't be able to forever hold it, but the sole fact it was able to delay the actions of a Mana Sovereign beast, was already showing that Lan Xue's Mana was closer to reaching that point. 

Suddenly, a crimson line appeared on the surface of that block of ice, separating it into two. From the crimson glow, an overbearing energy destroyed everything incased inside that ice, completely decimating the beast locked in there. 

Seth's figure holding a crimson greatsword could be seen at the other side. He had destroyed the creature Lan Xue had trapped, ending the battle very quickly. 

After that enemy died, the entire environment turned strangely peaceful. 

Seth suddenly willed, and his greatsword disappeared in a crimson flash. He closed his eyes and brought his consciousness inside the area where a Crimson Light existed, located right within his body. In that area, a Crimson Light was shining high above, serving as the source and the sun that illuminated everything. However, at the surface now, there was a giant crimson weapon pinned there. It had the same gargantuan size the original spine had, but it was in the form of a greatsword already. 

Seth wasn't able to understand how there was a sub-space inside his own body, where a world of corruption was forming. However, he understood it was a place that was just like his soul, a place that was able to hold many different mysteries. 

Suddenly, he felt energy fluctuations on the environment outside and Seth decided to stop inspecting that sub-space to return. He first had thought it was probably another beast, but when he opened his eyes, he realized a whirlwind of Mana was forming around Lan Xue's body. 

Lan Xue was casually looking towards Seth's face while he stood there with his eyes closed, but she suddenly felt her Mana acting a bit strange. Her energy veins started expanding and her Mana initiated a transformation process. That process was making her feel like turning into another existence, her Mana was turning into a new version that was thousand times stronger than before. 

Lan Xue felt like she was gaining the rights over the energy called Mana and was about to seat on her throne and command it as she willed. That was the feeling a person would have when that person as about to achieve the Mana Sovereign Realm through normal means. 

Suddenly, Seth felt all her old Mana rushing out of her body and dispersing in the environment. Right after that, a stronger form of Mana started to enter her body and slowly fill her dried energy veins. However, the Mana flowing through her body now, was a Mana fit for a Sovereign, a Mana that only those standing at the peak of this world, had the chance to use. Together with that energy transformation, her body was enhanced as well, so she could hold that new energy. 

When Lan Xue opened her eyes, she was already seeing the world in a new light. There was also a smile forming on her lips, after the realization she had just achieved a goal that would take at least a century to achieve. 

Turning into a Mana Sovereign was not a simple task. Actually, it was the second hardest barrier a cultivation would have in their lives. The first one being the impossible barrier of transcending mortality and becoming a deity. 

Actually, that was more likely to be a myth than a possible thing. There were only stories of people becoming deities, but no one was able to see one of those transformations with their own eyes yet. 

Seth suddenly appeared besides Lan Xue and held her wrist. After that, he examined her condition and saw there were no major problems. The corruption wasn't affecting her, like he had willed. 

Strangely, Lan Xue didn't bother being touched by him anymore. It was like it was a natural thing now. These seven to eight months they spent together, had changed their relationship from water to wine. 

From a strange, Seth had acquired Lan Xue's gratitude for saving her grandmother. In a strange partnership, they stormed their way to the Desolate Scorching Wastelands and destroyed a powerful clan of degenerate demons. Unfortunately, the most dangerous hurdle awaited them at the end. 

Because of the crimson crystal golem, they were forced to a dead end, where Lan Xue didn't abandon Seth and Seth didn't abandon her either. The consequence of their actions, threw them in the worst nightmare possible, making Seth fell fear and Lan Xue get desperate enough to freak out and even feel hatred. 

However, seven months later, they had turned the dead end, into a blessing. That miracle started right after Seth encountered the Great Corruptor and discovered how to properly interact with the Corruption. Right now, Seth feared nothing and Lan Xue had long forgotten about her past feelings as well. 

Seth had gained a lot on this abyss as well. He gained even more than what Lan Xue had gained. He was now a Profound Mana middle-stage Realm cultivator and even felt he was getting closer from the next advancement. Other than that, he acquired an ancient weapon and the method to control the Corruption. After fighting for four whole months, he had now a way better understanding about it than before. 

Lan Xue smiled, kind of proud of her achievements and Seth was happy for her as well. He was about to compliment her, when suddenly, both of them heard sounds all over the sky and turned their heads to see what was actually happening. 

The curtain of corruption blocking the path to the surface, had just started to vanish. 

At the crimson-colored world, the entity known as the Great Corruptor was watching as how Seth's development was going on. There was still a long road for that boy, until her experienced the whole concept of corruption and the infinite number of enemies, that only for the mere fact of having this power, would bring him in the future. However, he was at least satisfied with the results for the moment. 

The Great Corruptor suddenly made a motion with his crimson hand and said: "Rise." 

Seth and Lan Xue were totally confused about what was actually happening, when suddenly, the whole abyss started to tremble. It shook violently, as if the earth was rebelling against the creatures living on its surface. 

Actually, it was actually rebelling against the laws of nature ruling over the Alteria continent. 

HUMBLE! 

An ancient aura enveloped everything and Lan Xue unconsciously held Seth's hand. 

Although it seemed an unconscious powerful entity was waking up, in reality it wasn't what was happening. That aura, started to affect the whole earth as it started to rise. 

The whole abyss was rising towards the mainland, acting as if it was an elevator. 

Seth and Lan Xue were out of words to express their shock. Only now, Seth understood a bit about the powers an entity considered to be one of the six Primordial True Gods had. He knew it was probably something the Great Corruptor was doing. He was changing the whole landscape, creating what he wanted. 

Humble! 

The entire earth kept shaking as it rose towards the surface. Right there, at the mainland, a tremor started to spread from the Desolate Scorching Wasteland and reaching the Demon Territory very quickly. 

The city known as Yellowstone Pass seemed to be at the center of an earthquake. Many buildings were falling and everyone felt like the world was about to end. Some practitioners, united themselves to create defensive formations, that were at least able to protect them from the falling debris. 

At that moment, the Illusive Ethereal Goddess; The Lake Goddess; Velgor and many other Mana Sovereign entities, felt like they were ants near the ancient energy coming from the Forbidden Zone. Most of them immediately stood up and left towards that area in a hurry, but some minutes later, everything stopped. 

The aura vanished and the tremor stopped. However, right at that moment, there wasn't a hole at that place called as Forbidden Zone anymore. There wasn't an abyss anymore, just a desolate plain, where two people stood completely perplexed, while unconsciously holding hands.