Ri watched silently as two Dyon’s sat face to face. One was completely emotionless while the other grit his teeth and clenched his jaw in clear pain.
‘You idiot…’ Ri wanted to practice the Acacia family singularity technique, but she kept looking up to see how Dyon was doing.
The truth was that the Florence family cloning technique wasn’t as great as it was made out to be.
At the onset, a large flower bloomed into existence, reminiscent of the family’s namesake. After a certain period of time corresponding to the quality of the clone, a time which amounted to about ten minutes for the 75% clone, and next to no time at all for a 10% one, a naked clone would appear.
However, the problem stemmed from the fact that everything the clone experienced, would be weighed unto you as well. Which meant, the pain of the singularity technique was something Dyon was feeling two-fold right now.
There was the grating and cold killing intent of the Mathilde family technique all combined with the corrosion effects of the Tree of Life and Death.
Ri wanted to say something, anything, to stop him. But, she knew it would be useless. Whether Dyon verbally agreed to letting her carry half the burden or not, his actions spoke to something different.
‘No. I can’t think like that.’ Ri shook her head vigorously. Dyon was working hard so that he could live up to promises he made to himself, her and Madeleine. So, if Ri wanted to carry half of Dyon’s burden, that meant she had to work hard enough to do so.
With that last thought, Ri steeled her emotions, looking down toward the Acacia family technique.
Cultivation was complicated… Although the singularity techniques were technically classified as body cultivation methods at the peak of the divine level, they manifested themselves as soul technique in the end. This meant that after suffering through the body cultivation portion of the technique, one had to rely on their soul talent to utilize the technique.
This was exactly the reason why Dyon was so excited about the Acacia family technique and the increase it would have on his energy cultivation talent. He didn’t need to worry about whether he was talented enough or not, because he knew his soul cultivation talent was unmatched. And, because his soul cultivation talent was so great, it would boost the effectiveness of the Acacia family manifestation, thus comparatively increasing his energy cultivation talent.
However, Ri’s talent didn’t lie in soul cultivation. As half a beast, much of her prowess laid in the power of her body and her ability to quickly learn wills. This meant that although she could withstand the body cultivation portions of the techniques much better than Dyon could, she would still struggle with manifesting the technique in a soul form.
Only someone with an innate soul as powerful as Dyon’s could even think about using all three techniques at once… To sustain a clone, the Tree of Life and Death, and the Asura’s Imperial Eye at the same time would put such a strain on your soul that it would kill any normal person. This was why although Ri was worried about Dyon practicing all three techniques, she allowed it because she knew he was taking a calculated risk.
Thinking back to how much strain Dyon’s own manifestations put on his body the first time he learned to use them, anyone would think Dyon was insane to even attempt this. However, something was telling Ri that the very fact Dyon survived his own manifestations, was the very reason these ancient singularity techniques might be well within his talent to master. After all, how could a humanoid manifestation so domineering and a weapon’s hall literally able to manifest any weapon be simple? It might really be the case that manifesting these ancient manifestations would be easier on Dyon’s soul.
‘I guess my future husband is pretty amazing?’ Ri smiled bitterly as she watched Dyon’s handsome face twist in pain. ‘Alright. Let’s do this.’
**
Many days later, Dyon’s facial features had finally calmed from their initial pain. In fact, they had also become decidedly more handsome under the tempering his body underwent with Elvin bloodlines.
Because of the nature of the techniques, their body cultivation portions were split into tiers based on what one’s soul could handle. Essentially, you should only practice the body cultivation portions up to the point the manifestation would be within the realms of your soul to handle, while also keeping it within the realms of what your body could handle.
Therefore, although Dyon’s soul could sustain an essence gathering level manifestation, because his body was only at the peak of the meridian formation stage, he could only cultivate up until that point.
However, that didn’t mean that the techniques themselves would only be effective against those of that level. After all, they could be combined and stacked. In addition, because Dyon’s soul was so much more powerful than the manifestations, he could use them nearly without bounds.
For example, the Tree of Life and Death, because it was stifled at the peak of the meridian formation stage, could normally only kill and take the power of those at that level. But, since Dyon’s soul strength was way above that, he could use it more efficiently and freely. Imagine Dyon’s soul like a cup and the manifestation like the water within it. Then think of the act of drinking the water as the action Dyon would like to take with the manifestation. Isn’t it much easier to drink from a cup that partially filled as opposed to one filled to the brim?
So, instead of being able to take maybe one life at a time, Dyon could take tens if not hundreds of lives at once – as long as they were within the meridian formation stage that is.
The Mathilde family technique was different though. Because it opened up a new path of cultivation, essentially meaning more killing meant it became more powerful, it wasn’t barred off by Dyon’s body cultivation limits. Its technique was more reminiscent of awakening an aurora. In fact, because it was an eye as well, the methods were quite eerily similar.
When awakening an aurora, you would only need to make an initial connection to begin. Afterwards, you would then pile resources into it to awaken it more. The Mathilde manifestation was very much like this. You initially body cultivated to manifest the eye, but then it was sustained by the soul and the murder path.
This meant that the Mathilde family technique could become one of Dyon’s best abilities immediately.
In typical fashion, the Florence family technique was slightly different as well. In fact, it melded aspects of the Mathilde and Acacia family techniques.
For example, the strength of the clone’s body was directly correlated to Dyon’s body and limited as such. Therefore, Dyon’s 75% clone was only worth about 75% of the strength of a peak meridian formation body. This meant it was only about as strong, body wise, as an upper mid meridian formation expert.
However, the humanoid manifestation Dyon created using his master’s essence as a catalyst, were just as powerful as his soul. In fact, they had room to grow along side his soul until he reached the strength of his master. Therefore, he wouldn’t have to find a replacement catalyst for his celestial and demonic will until he surpassed his master and her husband. This was perfect!
As a result of this, over the just over a week Dyon spent cultivating diligently, he had had vast improvements in his wills as well.
His Celestial Will, although he still needed to work on control, had finally broken through the 6th layer barrier and enter the 8th level. His demonic will had entered the 9th level, likely because the demon sage essence was also supplementing its progress along side the demon qilin manifestation. And yet, despite the increase of those two, Dyon was likely the happiest about this increase in his crystal will to the 8th level. This would allow him to be more attuned to changes in the gates… it could quite literally be the difference between life and death.
‘If I could find a catalyst for my space and time wills… That would be for the best. It’s my last weakness as of now.’
Dyon jumped off the bed silently, looking at his clone’s back, ‘I’ll leave 0.1% of the demon sage’s blood in you for you to integrate slowly for me.’ Since there was no point in the clone trying to continue cultivating the Mathilde family technique with no one to kill, Dyon thought of giving him another task.
After grunting through pulling the blood out of himself, Dyon snuck up to the meditating Ri.
“Don’t even think about it, pervert.” Ri kept her eyes closed, trying to hide the smile creeping up on her lips.
“I can’t ask my little feu glace to spar with me?” Dyon asked deviously, lightly kissing Ri’s lips.
“Mm.” Ri savored Dyon’s touch for a bit before opening her eyes. “You’re giving me free reign to beat you up?”
Dyon shivered, not liking the light in Ri’s eyes. “Beat me up? How could I let my woman beat me? Do you have any idea how many of my friends from the mortal realm would laugh at me for something like that?”
Ri pouted, “I didn’t know I was going to marry such a misogynist. Maybe when I meet these friends of yours I should beat some sense into them after I do you first.”
Dyon blinked, “Do me?”
“You’re hopeless.” Ri jumped up eagerly, grabbing Dyon’s arm and dragging him out of the tent.
**
“You’re much too happy about this.” Dyon looked around. They stood in a field quite a distance away from the tents. It was fairly late at night now and a moon hung in the sky of the spatial world. Dyon didn’t really know how that worked, but, he assumed that the spatial world was literally exactly that: another world. It just happened to be held in another space.
Ri grinned, “I began energy cultivating after you awakened my faith seed. But, because you passed out before you could tell me about celestial will, I had to practically restart from the beginning of meridian formation stage. So, you’re lucky. I’ll only beat you up a little bit.”
Dyon cringed when he realized how right Ri was. She had probably realized her meridians matured with the awakening of her god constitution and faith seed, but her meridians were still quite impure without celestial will. If Dyon hadn’t passed out before he could pass on celestial will to her, she wouldn’t have had to start tempering her meridians again from the beginning.
“Because I’m nice,” Ri said with a sweet smile, “Only hand to hand combat. If I use my sword, I’m afraid you’ll lose something I quite like.”
“Eh – “ Dyon didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, he could only look down between his legs to find something he quite liked too.
‘Oh God, what did I get myself into.’ Dyon wasn’t even really all that familiar with hand to hand combat in the martial world, he only had some self-defence training from the human world. However, those techniques were tailored toward fighting against an opponent that was more powerful… Little did Dyon know he’d have to use it against a girl, let alone his own fiancée who was at least a head and half shorter than him.
Amidst Dyon’s thoughts, Ri’s faith seed bloomed, her blue-silver tails ripping out and into the world through the spatial transference array Dyon had equipped to the back of her sweat pants.
Dyon smiled, crouching into a ready stance. His shirtless torso flexed, his muscles twitching, knowing fully well he had to be on his A-game. Dyon was well aware that he couldn’t have beaten Bas as easily as Ri did. So, if he trained with Ri like this, it would only prove to make him better.
“First act, First stage demon emperor’s will: perfection.” Dyon’s body reddened, the wiggling of his muscles becoming more pronounced. ‘Time to see how effective the Mathilde family manifestation is.’
“Let’s go, little feu glace.”
Ri smiled with her adorable canines, not needing any more words before she lunged toward Dyon, full tilt.
Dyon’s eyes flashed with red as he watched Ri’s small fist rage toward him. And yet, from the outside, it looked very different. It was as though Dyon’s eyes became to bottomless pits of endless black.
Dyon sent the back of his palm toward Ri’s approaching fist, letting it flow by him as he sent his elbow toward her. He wasn’t thinking about who Ri was to him right now, all he saw was an enemy.
Ri smiled to herself, impressed with Dyon’s reaction, but, her tails weren’t sitting idly. Two immediately collided with Dyon’s incoming elbow, sending him flying backwards.
Wings burst from Dyon’s back as he stabilized himself in the air, ‘Her tails have almost the same effect as Celestial will… They purify attacks?’
Dyon had coated his fist with wind will, but it seemed like it was completely thwarted by Ri’s tails, ‘Maybe this is why my demonic will never worked on her…’
“I’m not going to let you just hover in the air.” Ri’s smile was just as sweet, but there was something sinister in her voice.
‘Oh, come on…’
Ri’s tails began violently whipping in the air sending blades of wind and shards of ice toward Dyon in and never-ending rain.
Dyon swerved in the air, narrowly dodging many of them and seeing through opening in Ri’s attacks using the asura imperial eye. ‘I have to get closer. Ri still doesn’t have full grasp of her kitsune abilities, I’ll probably have to take advantage of that.’
Massive flowers began blooming around Dyon. Some of them were immediately destroyed by Ri’s onslaught, forcing Dyon to wince in pain as he felt the deaths of each one of the 10% clones.
‘Alright Ri, let’s play.’
Dyon’s hands slammed together, dozens of golden arrays manifesting in the air to protect the blooming flowers.
Dyon dove downwards, rushing toward Ri to prevent her from killing off any more of his clones. “You’re quite beautiful when you fight.” Dyon said with a wide grin on his face.
Ri froze for a second, getting lost in Dyon’s eyes. It was as though the black holes were pulling her in. “Y-you! Cheater!”
Dyon grinned. “All’s fair in love and war, no?” Dyon immediately took advantage of Ri getting lost in his soul attack, he didn’t want to use the full brunt of it, so, he had no choice but to make her slip up.
Dyon disappeared, his celestial movement technique leaving spatial ripples in the air as he appeared before Ri.
“Hmph.” Ri wasn’t resigned to her fate. In fact, she had yet to use her energy cultivation.
A barrier of essence energy coated RI’s palms as she struck out toward Dyon’s chest.
‘Celestial will won’t work against that,’ Dyon quickly deduced, instead opting to use his demonic will to strengthen his body further.
“Devour!”
Ri’s palm slammed against Dyon’s chest with a satisfying thud, sending him flying away. ‘Wait, what?’ Ri looked confused before her eyes widened, ‘That wasn’t his chest!’
Shimmers of a broken array twinkled in the air as Dyon flipped in the air, stunting Ri’s blow.
“Ugh,” Ri stumbled, feeling a slight drain on her soul stamina, ‘Devour…’ She instantly connected her fatigue to Dyon’s technique.
Taking advantage of Ri’s soul cultivation weakness, Dyon was able to sneak in a devour attack. It wouldn’t effect her too much because he wasn’t willing to hurt her, but, the small distraction was all he needed.
Dyon’s feet flashed forward as a smile creeped up on his face.
“You’re getting too cocky.” Ri’s eyes narrowed into slits, a golden hue coating her tail as her manifestations appeared behind her.
Dyon’s fist raged toward Ri, coated in sword and wind will.
‘I’ll just stop him with my tails aga –“ Ri froze. ‘hmm?’
Dyon smiled, “Can’t seem to move your tails, hmm?”
A tempest of wind stormed toward Ri’s face as Dyon grinned, “I guess I win this round, little feu glace.”
BOOM!
Dyon fist stopped inches from Ri’s face.
Ri stared at Dyon’s hand, her hair blowing back viciously before the wind finally settled down. She could only sigh, “Just go ahead and tell me how you did it.”
“Simple really, you forgot about my clones. The defensive arrays I drew were only distractions from the concealment arrays I also drew. I didn’t want you to be alert to it, so I hid it.
Then they just snuck up behind you and held your tails just as I attacked. They’re not strong enough to hold your tails for long, but, just a small delay is all I needed.
As an added buffer, to ensure you were distracted, I used devour on you.” Dyon lowered his fist, standing before Ri proudly.
Ri grinned, making Dyon quite uncomfortable, “Well, handsome genius boy, don’t you know how to count past nine?”
“Count past nine?” Dyon’s eyes widened with a sudden realization, looking up he found Ri’s tenth tail hovering above him, “That’s just not fair…”
Ri smiled, “My sixth sense picked something up at the last minute so I tried to dodge it. Because you timed it so well, only one of my tails escaped. So, I pretended to be caught so you wouldn’t notice. This is a draw, don’t you think?”
Dyon sighed, “Draw it is…” Dyon relaxed as he finally undid his demon emperor’s will transformation and asura imperial eyes.
“Aww, don’t look so sad. We can battle another way, I’ll even let you win.” Ri blinked her eyes innocently.
Dyon grinned at Ri’s words, suddenly making her feel like she fell into a trap, ‘You weren’t sad at all, you pervert.’
“Ah!” Dyon swept Ri off her feet, holding her legs to either side of his torso as his hands relished in the feeling of her ass.
Ri smiled lowering her lips to Dyon’s, cupping his face.
Everything was perfect in that moment. Despite their fatigue from the days of endless training, they still felt like for that instant, it was just the two of them. No worries, no tomorrow to think of, and no wars to fight in.
Well… That was until the spatial world started shaking violently…