Gritting my teeth, I pulled a low-grade healing Qi pill from my bracelet, swallowing it without a moment's hesitation. The wounds on my body slowly began to close, but the dizziness remained.
Walking towards me, Victoria softly patted my head, "You did well; it is rare to see someone your age resonate with the elements around you so early." She proudly exclaimed. "If you work at it more, then you will discover an entirely new world, the Realm of Elements."
"Grow strong, Arsène," she said with a loving gaze before disappearing from my sight.
Laying in a pool of my own blood, I smiled, gazing up at the afternoon star, glaring down at me. With her words still radiating in me, I gripped DragonsBane as I laid on the ground pushing the shadows into my spear.
Feeling my spear vanish from my grip, I concentrated before I could sense my spear in my hand. Turning my head to the spear that was within my clutches, I gasped as I could see it, yet its presence didn't seem to hold significance.
Pushing my exhausted body up, I laughed before leaving with my spear still in hand. No one had seemed to notice that my weapon was drawn as they ignored me without a care. Understanding more about what my spear did or rather what the darkness did, I sent Dragonsbane back to the storage before heading home.
Enjoying the winds against my face, I made a quick lunch setting a plate aside for Yura if she ever decides to appear before walking into my large underground chamber. I had created this chamber in secret for training, allowing me to cultivate in peace without the risk of someone trying to kill me.
Looking at the massive fire logs in the distance, I smiled as I knew some of my servants that came in today had already prepared the necessary equipment for my cultivation. Sucking in a deep breath, I caught the entire log aflame.
A wave of heat and ash assaulted my senses; with sweat dripping from my brow, I released a smile filled with insanity. In order to cultivate the Will of Flames, a cultivator must absorb the element of fire within our bodies. However, in order to do so, we must be near that source or consume it. Consuming the element directly being the fastest but most dangerous method.
Cloaking my body with flames, I stepped into the inferno as a searing sensation filled my feet, rushing towards my entire body. Groaning, I instantly activated the Demonic Sacrilege Mantra. Coiling around me like serpents, the flames began flowing through my pores.
With an outcry of despair, my eyes were the first to burst into flames as I clenched my lids in anguish, but I didn't stop. Using the other half of my mind to control the Demonic Scaurlage Mantra, I began thrashing around like a rabid dog that was lit on fire.
As if swallowing a mouth of ash, I puked my stomach's contents as the flames began charring my insides. My once fair skin had turned black as the abyss. It was not long before I lost the strength to move, much less scream.
With my vision gone, I laid in the inferno of purgatory. The stench of ash and flesh assaulted my mind. Feeling death approaching, my mind slowly grew sharp as I felt a pulse of the demonic Mark on my shoulder. Pushing my willpower and QI to the max, I crawled out of the pit of hell. Clenching the ashes that laid on the pavement for dear life as I crawled.
Pulling an elixir of life pill from my spiral bracelet, I swallowed before I lost consciousness. The sweet flavour of life energy willed my seared body, flowing down my throat, slowly healing all my injuries. Hours began to pass before I finally regained my vision before bitterly grinning at my smouldering form.
Like a snake shedding its flesh, I slowly peeled the burnt crusty skin from my body, revealing a milky white flesh beneath. Realizing I may have overestimated myself, I remembered that I was only at the second stage of Qi condensation.
With a bitterness tracing down my spine, I closed my eyes, facing deep into my dantian. However, to my surprise, I saw an inferno of qi. No more was the mist of Qi that signified condensation but a massive black sun beaming with demon black light.
Gripping the demonic marking, I drew closer to the black flaming sun, light touching what was mine. A soothing sensation ran through my consciousness, giving me a sense of belonging.
Making an educated guess that qi may have affected my flames, I reached out my hands as a black wild flame burst from my hand. Untamed and Unruly, the flames coiled around me before fading. Deep exhaustion overcame me as I fell to my back, gasping for air.
Making a quick note to increase my cultivation as quick as possible, I looked at the crimson flames still burning. Seeing the results I had, I looked inside my spiral bracelet of the last five pills that were worth more than the mansion I lived in before rushing into the inferno with a magical smile.
With the searing sensation burning inside, I laughed madly, somehow still able to handle the flames better, "CALL ME FIRE, LORD OZAI," I bellowed as black flames burst from my fist and mouth. Allowing my inner otaku to take over.
With Demonic Sacerlage absorbing QI and Elemental Ether, I felt a large block inside me bust before I could register what happened. Feeling the breakthrough, I gasped aloud as more and more Qi and Ether filled me. The Mark of Sacerlage began to pulse hotter than the flames, but I ignored it, enjoying the inferno.
While the pain still persists, the results outweigh the price. At first, the fire scorched my skin, but as the hours began to pass, the flames stopped affecting me as my body began adapting. Using three more pills, I sat in the lotus position with a cold face completely immune to mortal flames.
With a victorious smile, I rose, drawing DragonsBane while recalling the Illusionary step. Pushing my qi to my feet, I slowly began trying to get a grip on this artes move set. With each step I took, my body would flicker, but I still felt my movements were flawed.
Pondering over and over my movement Arte, I slowly began tracing sluggishly around the inferno. No longer was my body flickering but rather fading like an afterimage. As the hours began flowing, I spent all day and night working on my movement arte.
With each step I made, the afterimage would no longer fade but rather move and react as if it was me. Proudly smirking at myself, I felt like pushing it even harder. With wild abandonment, I continued cultivating and train not caring for the passage of time.
With the constant Qi filling my mind and body, I felt a rush of ecstasy filling me as I trained. Working not just on my movement Arte but the Demonic Spear of Order. The spar with Victoria had taught me many things.
It was not long before I suddenly fell to my knees as a deep hunger and mental exhaustion overcame me. My mind slowly began to blur before I fell unconscious.
"FUCK", I muttered aloud before Darkness arrived.