"How can you not even know where the Western Pillar is?? How could that ******** master leave me with you. After all I've done for him? Ugh, despicable. Whatever, hurry up and grow strong so I can return to his side!" The wailing voice of a childish girl cried out desperately and Lineir sighed.

"I would love to become strong already so that everyone can stop talking down to me..." He thought. However, to the anxious and haughty Deathblade he was quite polite...unlike Mei, he had a sneaking suspicion that this Deathblade was in full possession of her powers. She could probably destroy him without a second thought if he was careless with his words and offended her!

"Mizuchi, how strong exactly do I have to be to reach the Western Pillar? Where is it?" Lineir asked.

"The Western Pillar is located on the Skyhold Continent on Planet Red Moon. As for power...easy, master your heritage and learn the World Without God's Domain and you'll be powerful enough to travel there at the very least, perhaps even take part in glorious battle with my master." She replied, slowly calming down. Then she sighed,

"Although with where your cultivation is at now...I'll probably be an old hag before you master it and return me to my master."

....this girl was an immortal Deathblade! Was she implying that Lineir would take an eon to master this technique??? Lineir was curious,

"What is this World Without God's Domain? Is it related to my Darkness Rain Domain? Who is your master? Who is fighting the battle for these Pillars. What does it all mean?" Lineir's questions spouted like cannons. Perhaps he could finally get some answers! However he was sorely disappointed...

"The battle for the Pillars is not something which you can really understand at your current level. At best, you can only comprehend it on a superficial level. Do not be so insulted, it is the truth and all I know. Even my master does not truly understand the battle for the Pillars. I can tell you one thing though. The Pillars were once the path to true power in ancient times. To ascend the Pillars to the top would provide one with the capital to break through the Heavens and bury the Hells. However, in modern times they have become a battleground for many of the major powers. This entire dimension will inevitably be forced to battle for these Pillars and the winner will decide who will control this era! It is inescapable, there is no avoiding this fate as Fate itself has already decreed this in the Akashic Records. Short of someone rewriting the will of Fate itself your only choice will be to participate in this fight! The only question is not whether you will fight or not, it is a question of when! Right now, the senior generations, those you could call distant ancestors, my master, they all struggle to buy time for you to grow strong. Strong enough to seize the reins of destiny and win this battle yourself! So do not rest, yet do not rush either. For either will result in your end, one in which you pathetically struggle against forces you are not ready for, and another where you yourself fail against your own flawed cultivation path."

With a strong warning, this new Deathblade Mizuchi fell silent. Lineir contemplated her words carefully trying to pick out what details he could. Even Mei was silent as this was new information to her as well. After a while, Lineir mentally asked Mei,

"Master, does the fight for the Pillars not exist in your dimension?" To which Mei responded,

"Kiddo, I'm not sure. I've never heard of these Pillars. I did not manage to study the sword for long before I ended up losing my body. Whether or not it is because this fight does not exist in my dimension, or it is a struggle which was beyond my current comprehension at the time I cannot say."

"Hmmm.." Lineir thought it over some more, but eventually gave up on learning more about this great battle for now. Instead he asked,

"So what should I do now MIzuchi?" To which she replied,

"Like I said, learn the World Without Gods Domain. You've already started on the path and received the legacy. Step into the light beam of this trial. It will transport you directly to the Lord's Necropolis. Ignore the rewards from this Thousand Cups Trial, the Lord has already prepared far more suitable rewards for you in the Necropolis. As for the battle for the Pillars, don't worry about it for now. Work on increasing your power as quickly as possible. When you are strong enough to join the battle you will come to know more about the Pillars."

Lineir stepped directly into the beam of light and disappeared from the Thousand Cups Trial. Behind him lay devastation and fallen chosen, elders, and patriarchs. As the light beam flared, Jun Li as well as his brother and fiance at the exit point stared up at the platform wondering about the fate of the mysterious young man who had both battled against and fought beside them. When a few surviving Chosen began to make it to the light beam and exit, the three Li clan members hoped to see his black robed figure, but neither Lineir nor any of the top Chosen who had warred with him ever appeared. Eventually, the light beam shut down and an administrator came to administer the rewards. Jun Li could only sigh and wrap an arm around Ya Li,

"Hmph...I refuse to believe someone with such a great destiny could die so easily. One day, I'm sure we'll meet again on the fields of battle. At that time I will be strong enough to match his blade!" He thought as he accepted the reward of first place in the Trials. Meanwhile in the void...

A youth tumbled around and around bouncing through spacial rifts and tears!

"Goddamit why is this ride so rough I'm going to be torn apart!" Lineir cried out frustratingly into the empty void.

"Sorry! The Lord made this spacial tunnel countless years ago, it must have degraded over time, do not worry though, it's definitely stable, what goes in must come out!" Mizuchi cried out. However, this was little comfort to Lineir,

"I'm going to come out in pieces!" He shrieked as several of his meridians were ripped apart by spacial shards!

Huuuung!

The mysterious red Qi suddenly appeared amidst Lineir's veins! Like a raging dragon it lunged through his blood into his Second Heart and roared merging with the black Darkness and yellow Lightning Qi!

BOOOOOM!