The Sect Head of the Sect of Five Corners was an older man with a hunched back, from his facial features it was obvious he had once been an attractive young man but now his face wrinkled like a desert that had been deprived of water for countless years. He wore a robe that contained all of the colors of the five factions which made up the Sect of Five Corners. His cultivation was the highest Wu Jilong had seen since being unsealed, the Sect Head was at the Heavenly Ascension Stage.

His fragile looking hand stroked the graying hairs that formed a patchy beard on his chin. “Wu Jilong, I was told by Mo Bang that an Obsidian Backed Gorilla appeared in Grand Beast Canyon during this year, which is shocking. Even more shocking is that Mo Bang says that it was killed by you. Pray tell me, how could a disciple at the peak of the Shamanic Foundation Stage kill an Obsidian Backed Gorilla?”

Wu Meiling did not know how absurd of an occurrence this was but she was beginning to understand because of the shock and disbelief both of these old men had when Wu Jilong said that he was the one who killed the Obsidian Backed Gorilla. Although she was easily distracted and occasionally gave of a ditzy aura Wu Meiling was by no means foolish, rather she was incredibly bright. More so than Wu Jilong gave her credit for.

“By using my martial arts. No different than how you would have. It was as simple as snapping my fingers,” Wu Jilong said. Truthfully killing the Obsidian Backed Gorilla was not difficult at all, dodging the beast's attacks was only tiring because of his low cultivation base and the fact that Wu Jilong was unable to use his movement technique, The Dance of Fire Walking.

Wu Jilong’s movement technique The Dance of Fire Walking was unlike any other movement technique in existence, the beauty of his movements drew admiration from those who were able to see it and dread from those who faced it. Thousands of flames would shoot out of Wu Jilong’s body in all directions, they would hang in the air, hide in the ground, and burn out in the open. Wherever a flame was present Wu Jilong to could be present, Fire Walking meant that Wu Jilong could teleport from flame to flame. Paired with the overbearing strength of his body and his lethal martial arts The Dance of Flame Walking became a waltz of slaughter that was relentless.

Sima Gongming, the Sect Head, was having none of Wu Jilong’s answer though. “Do I look like a fool to you?”

“You look like an old man who is nearing the end of his life who is desperate to ascended to the Divine Ruling Stage and extend his life,” Wu Jilong said, “if you were to help me with something then I would in return help you breakthrough.” Simple words were all Wu Jilong needed to use to help Sima Gongming breakthrough to the Divine Ruling Stage but Wu Jilong needed his help in establishing Wu Meiling’s cultivation base.

Wu Jilong decided that he would pass down the cultivation methods of the strongest Deva he had ever fought onto Wu Meiling. Since birth Wu Jilong has had the ability to see through one's methods of cultivation and their martial arts with only a glance, this had nothing to do with the power from two Divine Bloodlines he inherited but rather just a unique talent he possessed. In order to allow Wu Meiling to cultivate with such a powerful method from the start Wu Jilong would need to forcefully refine her daitan to a certain point, doing such a thing was unheard of but for Wu Jilong it was possible.

He only lacked an enormous amount of Qi that he could transform into Wu Meiling’s unique Qi. Unique Qi was different for everyone, that was why it was called unique, but Qi is something that is easily influenced. Qi reacts to the will of its cultivators this is why martial arts are able to be performed using Qi and this is why a person is able to cultivate Qi. Wu Jilong would take a massive amount of Qi and force his will into it, such a thing was never even imagined in the Grand Peak Continent.

“You will help me reach the Divine Ruling Stage? Will you also cause the sky to storm? Brat there is no need to lie to me in order to gain more fame within the Sect of Five Corners,” Sima Gongming said.

“With the remaining years of your life entering the Qi Cultivation of Asuras is possible, so choose now. Live out the rest of your life in arrogance or accept my offer,” Wu Jilong said. He was an extremely charismatic person, or perhaps he only offered logical offers that were impossible to decline.

“Y-you how do you know of the Qi cultivation of Asuras? Even I have only faintly heard rumors from the spirits of my clan,” Sima Gongming was beside himself, “I accept what is the task I must help you with?” A chance to enter the Divine Ruling Stage was a once in a lifetime event, though Sima Gongming had no way to confirm that Wu Jilong was able to help him break through there was also no reason to think that he could not. After all Wu Jilong had casually spoken about the Qi Cultivation of Asuras that Sima Gongming had only heard faint rumors of.

Wu Jilong turned to leave and Wu Meiling followed suit. “In three days time come to the northernmost training cave in Mo Bang’s possession.” Wu Jilong offered no explanation because he knew no explanation was needed. Controlling a person was as simple as finding their deepest desires and exploiting it, Sima Gongming the proud Sect Head of the Sect of Five Corners had unknowingly already submitted to Wu Jilong when he heard that advancing his own cultivation was possible.

…

“Master, since you won’t be teaching me that move you used what kind of move will you be teaching me? Is it strong? Is it pretty like yours?” Wu Meiling asked. The anticipation of learning cultivation and martial arts was slowly driving her crazy which in turn caused Wu Jilong to almost go crazy. He had never had someone pester him in the way that this young girl did, 5,000 years ago no one would even dare to speak to Wu Jilong without him initiating the conversation.

“I will teach you three martial arts. One of which summons a divine spear and shield, a movement technique, and a spear striking technique. They are very strong techniques which you will never teach to anyone else, you will also never listen to advice regarding cultivation given to you by anyone but me. As for how beautiful they are, that depends on yourself,” Wu Jilong said.

“Master what do they do?”

“You will know when I teach them to you.”

“But…”

“But?” Wu Jilong respond.

“I want to know now,” Wu Meiling said. Wu Jilong reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could react. A single fierce slap smacked into the back of her hand causing an imprint of Wu Jilong’s hand to appear on her white skin. Wu Meiling smiled at this though, having Wu Jilong discipline her for doing wrong made him feel like a true master and a truer parent than she ever had. Part of the reason she had said this was her excitement towards cultivation but another reason was her desire to receive Wu Jilong’s attention.

Wu Meiling paraded forward with Wu Jilong in tow, the young girl looked extremely happy as she always did but Wu Jilong seemed less cold as he followed the young girls shadow. Her seemingly endless state of happiness made Wu Jilong remember a young boy who used to smile in the same manner. A child alone in the world who only had thousands of purples flowers for company, surrounded by the swaying sea of purple and the dull gray sky of smoke overhead the boy found solace in the beauty of the flowers. This was where Wu Jilong’s enjoyment of beauty began, at a time in his life when he knew not who he was or for what reason he was born the simple beauty of purple flowers contrasted against a gray sky gave him the fulfillment to keep living during his confinement.

“When we return to the Golden Gamble Faction I will enter meditation. You are free to do as you please but do not cause any problems for me. On the third day come to the training cave where I am meditating and we will being your training,” Wu Jilong said.

“Yes! Thank you master!” Wu Meiling was ready to start training she once again started waving her arms just as Wu Jilong had done before while fighting.

…

“Can I really have this?” Wu Meiling asked Su Ruiqi. Both of the girls sat together overlooking a cascading waterfall. Su Ruiqi held out sweets that she offered to Wu Meiling.

“Of course you can! We are friends aren’t we?” Su Ruiqi said sweetly. Wu Meiling took the sweet from her hands and stuffed it into her mouth whole, causing her cheeks to puff up like that of a chipmunk who stuffed its mouth. The sweets filling ran down the corners of her mouth but Wu Meiling did not notice and kept chewing on the sweet.

“Ith dewliscious,” Wu Meiling said with a full mouth. If Wu Jilong was present he would have disciplined her again for being so unrefined. Su Ruiqi could only laugh at the sight of the young girl enjoying the sweets so intently.

“Is this the first time you have ever enjoyed sweets?”

“Yes! Mother and Father never bought me anything so this is the first time anyone has ever offered me anything this delicious, wait no. Master made me food once and it was very good,” Wu Meiling. For only a second an out of character somber look appeared on the small girls face followed by a faint trail of tears. Su Ruiqi felt the change in the young girls mood and could not ignore it.

“Wu Meiling what is wrong?”

“Is it okay for master to be so nice to me? Can I really be this happy?” Wu Meiling who had been neglected all of her life did not know how to react to Wu Jilong’s kindness, though what Wu Jilong had done was very little to Wu Meiling who had never so much as been offered a new robe or ribbon to tie up her hair was at a loss for what to do. Years of verbal abuse caused Wu Meiling to believe that she was unnecessary but now Wu Jilong took her in as a disciple, in front of Wu Jilong she did not cry and forced herself to be happy out of fear that he would think she was more of a problem than she was worth. Ever since Wu Jilong said she would be able to learn Qi Cultivation she had been holding back her tears.

Wu Meiling’s sobs caused Su Ruiqi’s heart to throb, she took the young girl into her arms and patted her on the head. “Of course it is.”

…

Wu Jilong brought his fist down in a flash and it slammed into the floor of the training cave. Under the force of his blow the cave floor shook and cracked, so to did his fist. Wu Jilong snapped with the broken hand and the scarlet mark for heal appeared immediately.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Over and over again Wu Jilong brought his fist down shattering it only to repair it to be broken once again. Each time his fist broke after being healed it broke slightly less, this was because when Wu Jilong used the Sovereign Creation Flame to denote heal it infused whatever injuries it healed with Qi making the wounded area heal stronger than it was before. Although it was not comparable to his body previously it was a temporary fix that Wu Jilong had decided upon. Over the next three days Wu Jilong systematically broke his body down again and again, he shattered bone, tore muscle, and slit veins, only to heal his injuries and do them over again. Pools of dry blood filled the training cave which shocked Sima Gongming who arrived just as Wu Jilong had instructed.

“Wu Jilong, I have come on the third day just as you said to. Tell me what is it you need my help doing?” Sima Gongming asked.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey guys, so lately I have been having trouble writing the story but tonight after writing a piece for a short story contest I found it easy to write again. I noticed the quality of the writing in the past chapters slipping but I think I found my groove again. So enjoy!