Pathway

"Don't worry, I've told you already. It wasn't for combat. Not at all. Since I have no dispute with you before, why would I pick up a fight with you? Not that I can't pick up fight with you. It's just that, you have something that I really need, Wang Xiu."

"I do?"

Elder Cao Wang Xiu asked in surprise. She wondered what she could have to prompt Blood -Blade's search for her.

"Yes. The Soul-forged orb of Light-Caller. I know you have it before you came here. And I intentionally made you use the Light-Caller seal just to be absolutely certain." 

He gazed at her with dead seriousness.

"I have searched different planets, looked far and wide for this, Wang Xiu. The many hardships and dangers I've faced looking for it, you don't want to know."

Elder Wang Xiu contemplated the situation in her head. Although the Soul-forged Light-Caller was a heavenly artifact which belonged to her ancestors, it wasn't worthy of her being dead for. She was looking at an extremely dangerous cultivator who was trying his best to control his temper and maintained his patience.

"Yes, I do have the artifact. But I believe it has to be given voluntarily."

"That is true."

"And do I have any other options?"

"We always have options in life, Wang Xiu. The problem is choosing the right one. You can name your price or ask for something in return. If you do want something in return, I have other heavenly artifacts you can choose from. You can even choose two if you want."

" What if I say no?"

"Then, I can only hope you reconsider."

Elder Wang Xiu continued to look at the black robed man in front of her known as Blood Blade and came to the realization that he could be nearing the edge of his patience with her. How could she even measured up to him? A nascent soul compared to an ascendant. Wouldn't that be like comparing a hill to a mountain? She didn't need the Light-Caller that much anyway. So, why would she kill herself for such a thing? But he might have something she could need in the future.

"This treasure belonged to my ancestral lineage. It's of great value to me. But I will need the Soul of the Frozen-Light in return."

"The Soul of the Frozen-Light?"

He asked slowly as he observed her.

"A formidable heavenly artifact that can make you extremely powerful when facing many enemies at once. Are you planning on going on a rampage, Wang Xiu? You won't do that, will you?"

"Not at all, lord Wu Heng."

"Hm. Anyway, It's a pity I don't have that artifact. But..."

Blood Blade flicked his hand and produced a round bright orb.

"I do have this."

"The Heavenly Light-Carver!"

Elder Wang Xiu exclaimed.

"I'm afraid this is the best I can do." 

Blood Blade slowly uttered with a wry smile.

"I hope it can satisfy your need."

Elder Wang Xiu quickly composed herself and cleared her throat.

"Mhm. I've considered the offer Lord Wu Heng and I've made a decision."

She continued after a slight pause.

"Taking into account how much you really need the Soul-forged Light-Caller, I've decided to make the exchange with you. You are more than deserving of it."

Elder Cao Wang Xiu quickly flipped her hand and produced the artifact.

"Here it is, Lord Wu Heng."

With a swerve, she sent the artifact towards Blood-Blade.

"Don't you think once I have the artifact, I can change my mind and simply kill you?"

"It did crossed my mind to speak the truth. But then, I told myself you could've killed me before now. Whether you have it or not. But being a man of your word, you put honour before anything else."

Blood-Blade looked at the artifact, then at Wang Xiu and nodded his head.

"Maybe, you do know me after all. Anyway, for the fact that you talked reasonably, and showed trust in me, I'll help you out with the seal. But, what you do after that will be on you. Okay?"

"Yes."

He flicked his hand, and the Orb flew towards elder Wang Xiu.

"As a nascent dream cultivator, I can see into him. Like I said earlier, the Xue Ku that was trying to kill you is a peak-stage nascent soul. You may think you can cope against him, buy you can't. And his eagle you saw was a divine beast, not a magical beast. It could reason well enough on its own. The innocent souls he was gathering was to prepare the artifact he'll use to face the tribulations. They would be undergoing their heavenly tribulations together sooner than expected but as a Xue Ku with so many innocent death on his hand, the tribulations can definitely kill him." 

Blood-Blade raised the orb in his hand, examining it. 

"And I think he could also be looking for the soul-forged Light-Caller just like myself. Despite my best effort, this mortal plane is already pushing me out. Soon, I'll have to face the tribulations. This artifact will greatly help during the tribulations."

He looked worryingly at the illusion he had set around them.

"It's almost time for me to dissolve the illusion. Let me quickly tell you this then. For me, the problem isn't him but his ancestral fathers. The ones watching over him. His immediate father is a nascent soul while his grandfather is already a highgod. Can you imagine how powerful a Xue Wu has to be to become a puregod, not to mention a Xue Ku? I can't even imagine it myself."

He gazed into the distance and shook his head with a sigh.

"I don't want to go into the tribulations with another burden on my shoulders. And if I manage to pass the tribulations, I don't want to go to the heavenly plane to face the wrath of a highgod. Even his image can appear here at any time."

Turning to elder Cao Wang Xiu, he uttered.

"Take out your weapon and act as if you are attacking me. When I remove the illusion, I will send a wayward blast towards the spirit seal to remove it in what will look like a mistake. After that, you will be by yourself. Is that fair?"

Elder Wang Xiu's mind was occupied as she was furiously thinking about the situation. How could she cope with a peak stage cultivator? With a puregod at his back? It's impossible, unless she could call for help. But that would take them time to arrive. It was not looking good.

Blood Blade was looking at her as she contemplated. Why couldn't people understand the need to get more powerful? He simply shook his head.

"Take this seal, it's the Ten Tirade seal. Use it when the illusion is off, it will protect you for the time period you need to get away from here."

"Thank you senior Blood Blade."

"Don't worry about it, It's nothing. How good fated we are that we wouldn't be facing each other in combat though I think you wouldn't have fared better. But destiny brought us together. If we both live till then, maybe we can share a cup of heavenly elixir. Farewell Wang Xiu. Now, go ahead and send your most powerful attack."

Blood Blade removed the illusion just as elder Wang Xiu's attack was reaching him, parried it and with the same fluid movement, sent a single arc of compressed lightning towards the Thousand Wraith seal causing it to crack into many fractures. With that, he streaked off in a flash of red lightning.

Elder Wang Xiu intentionally looked around before walking towards the group of her disciples who were already coming back to join her. The group couldn't believe a dangerous situation was over in an instant. They were very happy as they used flashsteps to move towards elder Wang Xiu.

Ju Feng was totally relieved the deadly atmosphere had passed. Their adventure was turning out to be a walk in the shadow of death. For him, ever since his encounter with the revenant, his life seemed to be on the road to reincarnation. He would have to be extremely careful henceforth.

As they almost reached where she was, elder Wang Xiu turned back to take a look at the girl only to find her standing few yards from her.

"Hello Wang Xiu, I know you couldn't recognize me. How could you anyways? I could've finished with you if not for that mad man who made the situation about himself. He couldn't even wait to finish it, pathetic. Now it's all about me and you."

The area around the girl vibrated and the energy flunctuated before gathering together. The appearance of the girl had changed to that of a tall and averagely built man in dark blue robe. His eyes were dark blue and his long hair was a mixture of blue and black. In his hand was a silver glaive.

Elder Wang Xiu glared at the man standing few yards from her. Her memories returned to her birth village. The village where all her ancestors grew up before the painful incidents that led to her leaving the village. The bane of her misery.

"Wonyong."