92 His Soul.

"Disappointing. This Mission was rather exciting for Him, yet you failed. Saddening, it is. Truly. Hm. He is rather interested in this 'guard'. He said that it was rather exceptional when the thing severed His connection with the boy. But it's unfortunate that it seems to be the servant of the person you speak of... Truly."

An unusual aura seemed to encompass the blackened silhouette as the sect master got the shivers. He coughed, then bowing, he spoke.

"Chang Hui was the only disciple that would do such... Actions. I'm sorry that he wasn't able to complete the job, and... I'll at least try to capture the guard. If that appeases Him."

The figure didn't respond as it glanced towards an inconspicuous spot of the sect with a rare light. This was the Strength Pavilion!

*Wanggg*

The aura around the two seemed to tighten as that same distraught voice mumbled.

"A word of advice. Don't approach the Strength Pavilion."

The Sect Master paused as confusion overtook him, but he didn't get a chance to confirm his thoughts as that figure dissipated like fog. His eyes narrowed as he turned around and stared at the pavilion in the distance, but he found nothing strange about it.

Though, a certain thought did enter his head...

'Could the Dragon be awakening?'

...

...

...

Atop rugged dirt in a broken world, a frightening black figure and a worn golden-haired man relaxed on two wooden chairs. They didn't speak as they stared at the blurred distance; the only sound resounding being the grating blades of black wind in the sky.

The black figure had his eyes shut as he snored, and the golden-haired man seemed bored and disgruntled. Though, with a jerk, the black figure seemed to see something as his shining white eyes cracked open and blazed a weary light.

His face lifted into an amusing grin as he laughed and roared, startling the golden-haired man.

"HAHAHA!! Su Min, this is hilarious!"

Su Min looked around and found nothing that would indicate why the figure was giggling. He didn't feel confused though, as he had always thought that this beast was senile.

But, with the same blank look, he still asked.

"What is it?"

His voice was a little irritable as he spoke, though the figure seemed to take this without any heed as he chuckled. His eyes gleamed still as if they were watching something far away.

"The gal, pfft! Her fucking hand man! This stuff is great!"

Su Min seemed to tremble a little as he heard such obscure terms, but he could tell that the figure was enjoying something. Whatever it was, Su Min knows that whatever is enjoyable to the figure wouldn't be enjoyable for him.

His face darkened, and he asked once more.

"What has happened?"

The figure didn't seem to hear him as he coughed from his own laughter and stood up. He waved his hand, and like he was awaiting something from Su Min, he grinned ever more.

*Wanggg*

Su Min's eyes quivered as he stared at the sudden image being presented to him. It was a gruesome image, one of a pale girl and a devil-Esche face peering at her.

He attempted to say something, but he could only murmur a single word.

"This..."

The figure seemed to take pleasure from this expression as he giggled and shook his hand once more. The light screen scattered, and Su Min stared on with an absent mind.

*Thud*

Then, with a sit, the figure reclined on the chair and yawned.

"...Who knew, the slut might die. PFFT!"

Su Min arms twitched as his eyes went and glared at the figure, who didn't seem to care. Thus, with his seething eyes, he grumbled with a sense of urgency.

"Are you going to stop your stupid parade and let me recover?"

The figure's eyes shined an indiscernible amount as he glanced over at Su Min and gave a thoughtful look. He tapped the arm rest on his chair, and humming a bit, he replied like it was nothing.

"Heh, does a dog go and bite its feeders hand? Huh? What fucking obligation do I have to form those crystals for you? I'm the feeder, so you, the dog, need to respect my decision of not feeding you. I myself must recover, so go and sit here like a good boy!"

*CRACK*

Su Min seemed to tremble as his arms grasped the chair and issued thunderous blasts of tyrannical strength. Though, the chair didn't even shake as it stood through this onslaught of soul-shaking power.

The figure didn't respond anymore as he relaxed and closed his eyes. In fact, to him, the ear-splitting sounds had become but a muffled pop.

Though, he did speak before his nap.

"Uh... Ah, I recommend that you practice concealing your soul before you leave. You were nearly discovered by an entity you don't want to mess with just yet, which is an issue. Your bloodline is treasure, remember that."

Su Min breathed deep breaths as he calmed himself down, and with a solemn gait, he gazed into the horizon. The words of the figure seemed to echo in his head, and it at least gave him something to do in this barren land.

'I guess it's up to you...'

...

...

...

*Whoosh*

In a silent leap, a lean figure of a woman flew through the air at a blurred speed. She appeared atop a tree, and staring onwards, she smiled and spoke to herself.

"Let's take a look at your soul, shall we..."

Her eyes shined a strange light as a location a couple kilometres away magnified itself into her view. A blurry image of a chamber revealed itself, and within this was a black figure who was convening with Wen Mian.

Her face turned serious as she, with her utmost effort, activated a certain technique that changed the way she perceived the world.

*Mmmm*

The chamber and everything around dissipated like dust as that single black figure became the only thing in her sight. Although he was blurry and almost indistinct, this was enough for her.

'Hm?'

As this figure shone, she discovered what she was looking for. But, it seemed to surprise her as she gasped a little.

'This is a bit...'

What she saw was what most would call a kid. A kid in his teens, and a kid who seemed weak and frail. He had cracks covering him, and his eyes were bleak and resentful.

She seemed to get a little excited as she stared on and chuckled.

"Its soul is its weakness!"

She examined it again and again and saw nothing that would prove otherwise. Yet, as she was doing so, a detached piercing sensation seemed to arise around her.

It was a strange, inconspicuous feeling, but as she felt it her thoughts became messy and she leapt back with alarm. In that instant an ethereal almost invisible black blade formed and swept right through that tree, disintegrating it into dust.

'It noticed me!'

Fright filled her face as she retreated several hundred metres, but strangely, nothing happened. She hesitated, and gazing at the chamber, she found that nobody had left.

She waited, and still, nothing happened. It was as if the monster had, in fact, not noticed her presence. Her mind was a bit dazed as she tried to figure out what had just happened, but it made no sense.

'If he didn't realise, then what was that? An automatic defence? But such techniques don't exist...'

Uneasiness shrouded her as she pondered and pondered, finding it to be an enigma she couldn't solve. This feeling only grew, and from this, she seemed to resolve her mind as she turned around and flew towards a certain building.

'I'll learn a half-step spell!'