Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Chapter 303 - He Did Not Die

In one move, Ming Yue stood behind her and Hua Xiong's life was at her hands. However, Drifting Sky pulled away from her neck and Ming Yue put the blade away before looking at her opponent. 

"I hope that this is proof enough. In case you wanted to know just how I killed those men."

Hua Xiong turned towards Ming Yue with a surprised expression, she did not expect Ming Yue to be so quick and decisive. She was no longer as cold as before, placing her hands down. It seemed that she was now convinced that Ming Yue was the one who saved her as well as her senior brothers and sisters. 

"To think that it was someone like you... I will hear out your request", she said.

Ming Yue was overjoyed. 

"Good, great! We must go to the Eternal Blade Sect. If not, my companions could die."

"If that is so, let us depart."

The two immediately left the city, passing by many of the locals who were shocked to find Hua Xiong out and about. 

"That girl... she actually managed to convince the Second Fury to help her!"

"How did she do it? What could she have offered?"

They were all surprised and dumbfounded, unable to figure out how it happened. What they believed would not have happened actually did and none of them knew why. The two women headed out, flying through the sky. 

Ming Yue was a bit surprised to find that Hua Xiong could fly. Her cultivation was only at the Sight Stage and far from the Perception Stage so flight should not be possible. More than likely there was a method of flight with Yan Hui Zhu's inheritance. That would also explain the motes of light, fluttering from her body. 

"So, who is it that you wish for me to heal?" Hua Xiong asked.

"A Star Owl, my beast companion..."

Ming Yue began to explain her predicament. How Xiao Yin had been inflicted with Death Dao Energy and the best method was to find a Light Dao Cultivator to deal with it. 

"I see. That is quite rare, I wonder what sort of opponent you have come across. I wonder who it is... However, it should not be too difficult", said Hua Xiong. 

Indeed, what sort of opponent was Zuo Er?

He cultivated the Dao of Death, something even rarer than that of a Light Dao Cultivator. It is a difficult path to walk down for it was not a Minor or Major Dao but a Grand Dao. After all, Daos were categorized into those three levels for their power and rarity. Something like the Dao of Wind would begin as a Minor Dao and grow, ending in the level of a Grand Dao.

However, the Dao of Death was already at that level because of its strength and difficulty. Even if one had a basic understanding, they would be able to rival those with even a True Dao. What were True Daos? They are the ultimate form of a Dao, a combination of the worldly laws and one's own understanding, a result of paving their own path. 

The difference between a Grand and True Dao was immense and yet, if you were to pit the Death Dao with someone's True Dao, the difference would be miniscule. 

That was the power of the Death Dao or for that matter, rare and difficult Daos. Their requirements were stringent and harsh but the power was just as equally great. 

After hearing that Ming Yue fought someone like that gave Hua Xiong a bit of shock. But, perhaps it should've been expected if Ming Yue could dispatch of over ten men without being noticed. To her, such a feat was difficult even at her current state. 

As they traveled back to the Eternal Blade Sect, the two began to converse. Ming Yue asked about the inheritance while Hua Xiong questioned her over her skills. 

"Your eyes... and your hair, was that an effect of the Inheritance?" Ming Yue asked. 

Hua Xiong was silent before answering. 

"Yes, in order to successfully gain Yan Hui Zhu's inheritance, I had to go through multiple trials as they were meant to test my mental fortitude. After successfully passing, the knowledge and power had been passed down to me. As my hair gets whiter and whiter, I will gain more access to his techniques and such. As for my eyes, it was a result of being my body being unable to contain all of the inheritance. Now it is all stored within this eye and I can no longer see clearly, only the movement of one's life force."

Her voice carried a relunctant tone as memories of her tribulations rose up. It was far from a pleasant experience for her. After all, all of the Inheritance entered her body and mind, the vastness of which nearly broke her. 

"Then, it is similar to the sight you achieve at the Perception Stage, being able to see different energies", Ming Yue replied.

"Yes, though it is just life force that I can discern and manipulate. Among other things, I lost part of my sight for this ability."

"As for your refusal to heal anymore-"

"That was a difficult decision to make but it had to be done. A constant stream of demands and requests for me to sift through, every day I would get pestered by nobles and merchants. Whether it was to heal, join a partnership to make money off of my abilities, forced to enter another person's service, It was annoying and bothered not only me but the sect as well. The amount of greed and disdain I saw disgusted me and so, I refused all requests. When news of my choice was made, other sects jumped to uproot me and the Violet Sun Sect but I would not allow that to happen."

Hua Xiong's expression stiffened as she spoke of this. There was a look of contempt and scorn as she thought of all those people, wanting to use her for their own gains. 

"And that was when you gained the name of the Second Fury."

"Indeed, what about you? I cannot imagine gaining your strength without some hardships."

Hua Xiong looked at her, interested in the one who had changed her life. 

"I doubt my experiences are as great as yours."

And so, the pair exchanged stories, finding that they shared similar thoughts and experiences. Becoming much more acquainted with each other, they were something like kindred spirits.

As they came closer to their destination, Hua Xiong's face took on a strange expression as her blinded eye began to glow slightly. 

"Stop, there is something strange here" she suddenly spoke out. 

"What is it?" 

Ming Yue looked at her and followed Hua Xiong as the two descended down into the forest. Studying the area, she recognized it to be where she had killed Zuo Er. However, his body was no longer there, only blackened shells. 

"The energy here is strange, there is too much Death Dao Energy here. Furthermore, this specific one..."

Hua Xiong looked towards the broken shell pieces and picked a piece of it up, studying it closely. Upon her touch, the shell began to wriggle and melt, the darkness of it attempted to seep into her hands. But it could not do so, her hands glowed with a white light and it disintegrated into dust. 

"What happened here?" 

She furrowed her brows before throwing the dust away. Looking to Ming Yue, Hua Xiong found that she was searching the area before returning to the site of these broken shells. 

"That's...impossible. I killed him, cut off all of his limbs. He revived himself?!"

Ming Yue couldn't believe it, the thought that he still lived was hard to swallow. More than that, it showed just how hard it was for him to die. What exactly would it take to kill him for good?

"Where did he go?" she thought, "Where is he headed to?"