Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Chapter 563 - Asura Bloodgrave

Lifting my head, I bore a smile and held my hand behind my back. Tracing my divinity stealthily over my bones with the laws of darkness to hide whatever this shard would find.

A jittery sensation tugged at my heart. My hands began to shake as I waited in anticipation. I could trick a god, and now, I will fool an entire Sect into believing I, Arsene Snow, will be the greatest monster of all time.

The Holy Swords will be my Sect, just like Alos, I am going to take you for everything and leave you with the shadows, for even the scraps will be mine. I will steal your clouds, Your hearts, and your woman. It will all be mine.

Levitating above the crystal, Kingsly, with his bulging arms firmly crossed, grinned, "Begin." he thundered off as the crystal began, shimming with a translucent ruby red light, an enormous pillar shot into the air. Piercing through the clouds, I lifted my hands as a powerful gush of wind blew against my flesh.

Feeling a mysterious force connect with my body, it invaded me like a worm burrowing into a carcass. Worming its way, a wave of disgust fluttered through my heart as my eyes began to grow scarlet against my will.

"This is revolting, " I coldly declared loud enough for many to hear.

Baring my anger the best I could, three digits appeared above my head, reading, "One hundred and two."

Squashing that damnable essence within me, the second I saw the shocked face of Kingsly, the number above my head, that should be my age, vanished.

"Impossible! sir, he is cheating!" A brave soul, whose name could not be more irrelevant, snapped, pointing a finger, as I stared at this four-figure age.

I smiled and laughed, drawing close, ignoring the eyes upon me; I stood before the peasant who dared to have the same level of cultivation as me. "What did you say? I coldly snarled, tilting my head as a bloody will began to slither its way into my mind.

Crave, the little star-lord, whose blood smelt a bit Elven, tore his eyes off of Kingsly, "I fucking said, you cheated!" He arrogantly barked.

Baffled by such words, I laughed as my hand struck. Shredding the air to ash, my hands moved at such speed, smoke began to rise from my palm as it clapped against this fool; Ripping this idiot off his feet, his left eye popped from its socket, the skin of his cheek peeled, and his jaw turned to a mist of red.

BOOOOOOOOOOM~

Blasting through the air, like a speeding bullet, a twinkle appeared in the distance as a faint mist of blood hung in the air, falling over the ground as smoke steamed from my hand.

"Now that's how you bitchslap a bitch." I proclaimed quite proud of myself if I didn't say so myself.

Clapping my hands together, I smiled cheekily at Kingsly, sending the solemn Heavenly King a wink.

Hovering towards me, he shot a glance at everyone, who all were over six hundred years and back to me, grim to the bone. He did not speak, nor did I expect him to. I was sure after this play I would be a Chosen.

"What is your Dao Level?" A voice I recognized pressed, rushing towards me. I took the time to glance at the firelike hair of the man who asked the stupid question about soul benders and smirked.

"Fight me, and find out," I challenged, letting a fiendish battle intent race from my body, shaking the earth beneath my feet; With my intent, the grass began to wither.

The Young Man scowled, however, just as he was about to speak, a firm palm pressed over his shoulder, "This is your first warning, Asura. Killing is not allowed, nor is crippling." Said Kingsly sharply.

"But of course," I charmed, baring a fiendish grin meant to provoke. "And its Asura Bloodgrave, for those who are wondering."

"Wolf Syv," The young man unexpectedly said.

Was that not the surname of Aiza? Now that is going to be fun. I didn't know she had a clan. No wonder he was brave enough to claim to be a soul bender.

"That's enough," Kingsley announced, surveying the land that smelt a bit of blood due to the dead fools who did not meet the cut. I did not get a chance to see what happened, but their air was slowly growing with the scent of blood.

"The Next test is potential. To test this, all you must do is chant your Mantra, and the Pillar Crystal will do the rest."

Humming in response to what Kingsly called the Pillar Crystal began to buzz. A foreboding chill blew through the breeze, shrouding the skies with its crimson glow.

Creasing my brow, a bitterness I could not perceive stung against the tip of my tongue. Confused, I saw the pale faces of everyone around me. Knowing there was something wrong with them, I glanced up at Kingsly baring down at me in particular.

It was not long before a number once appeared above my head, reading ten, and rising. Meeting Kingsly's stern gaze, I crossed my arms, "Do I need to chant my Mantra? All it's doing is stinging my tongue."

Not meeting my mockery with a response, the bulky deity stared. However, after about a minute, the pressure began to rise, but it was not enough for me even to register it. Mother's forsaken bloodline made it, so my body rejected the Laws of Heaven.

It was a bit of a cheat, but I believed a normal star-lord could not even harm me.

Letting the minutes that soon turned to hours pass, I maintained a cheeky smile as Kingsly and I had a staring contest. Many had died during this time, falling under the pressure till all remained was a puddle of blood and gore.

There were many to cry and plead, but it was not after four days did Kingsly nod, "Those that cannot continue, congrats you have passed. For those who can still go on, then press on. And show the Holy Swords your potential."

Cracking a smile, I broke eye contact with Kingsly, who was no long grim but now a somewhat ashen complexion as he stared at me. I could practically taste the fear oozing from his pores. He hid it well, but his pupils were shrinking, his arms shaking, and a cool sweat flowed from his brow.

Letting another few days pass, the pressure against my body finally began to take a toll; while it was not by much, it did leave a rather disdainful taste on my mouth. Around me stood seven that were left standing, all of them covered in blood.

However, I was without injury, standing calm; I did not try to chant my Mantra. It was below me to do so. When all these men fall, then and only then shall I begin my Mantra; my talent shall not be measured by those who can stand in the same level of pressure as me. They must fall to their knees broken for me to begin.

When I first heard that voice, it told me The Path of Abyssal Night was crafted by the All and the One. How can I allow myself to live up to its potential if I perform so pathetically?

Call it pride, call it foolishness, it matters not; the Path of Abyssal Night is at the peak of creation like the Flames of Hellfire. It's a power not meant to be taken likely.

And so the days slithered by as the pressure began to grow stronger the by the day. Yet there was not any that wished to give. The scent of blood was strong, as Wolf's body was pooling blood. Leaking away over the grass, desperation blanketed his foggy eyes.

By the second week, the seven that were left standing had turned to two. Bubbling blood from his eyes, I held a graceful appearance with a bit of sweat tracing down my cheek. I could last a year like so if I wished to.

Those from the Bed of Chaos were too weak, too flimsy.

"Fall," I coldly said as the light faded from Wolf's eyes. Falling limp, a flash of divinity wrapped over his body as Kingsly appeared, taking his body into his embrace.

"I... I got permission. If you use your Mantra and touch the Pillar Crystal, you will be taken in by the Sect." he claimed, as I smirked.

"Deal," I challenged, taking a deep breath. Silence gripped the air as even the winds came to a swift halt.

'Swallow the Night, and reveal The All. See towards the One, Hidden within the Veil of The All." I chanted inwardly, knowing it to be the first verse of the Path of Abyssal Night.

Lost in its meaning, everything grew cloudy as some things began to click in my mind; reflected within my heart, my lips muttered the second verse.

'Bridge the One, and the All. Forsake, The Path of Light, and Dark.. For the truth lies within the Night of Abyss.'