As Long Yuyin got used to her body and the pleasant feelings in her Meridians, Xiao Yu helped her under the Dragon Martial Arts further. The two sparring with one another, learning new methods and the vast difference in the neglect done to their bodies additionally.
Both had sparred against Shen Yue at several points with their cultivation fully bared. Blow after blow was taken in by his body with out an issue, which frustrated the two young females greatly.
Taking a break for the fifth Time, the rivalry worked well enough. Xiao Yu pushed harder from not wanting the female of the Long Family to surpass her to much after her cultivation was fixed. Long Yuyin tried to keep from be being overshadowed by who she believed to be a man.
"Hmm?" Shen Yue turned as Ming Fei appeared. He was not alone as Long Shuyin was with him. During one of the breaks, Long Yuyin received word from a servant about her mother. "Even covered, you are quite beautiful. Greetings, Long Shuyun."
If the beauty was suprised he knew her, she didn't act it. Only giving a taciturn nudge towards him. Looking at her daughter, she moved over to check her state. Suprised hidden by being turned away from them.
'Her body is in the best shape it has ever been!' Long Shuyin pushed her sense through her daughter's body and observed every trace of her. Long Yuyin was watched her mother's face slowly. Taking in her surprise with an inner smile. "It's good you are ok."
"Mmhm!"
"Ambassador, let's go for a walk. I am sure there is something you wish to see in the area." Ming Fei received a message from Xiao Yu secretly. "I am sure the mother and daughter have much to talk about."
"The 6th I asked you about, did they agree to it or not?" Shen Yue wanted to make some real gains. Lucky Ming Fei came through on that end. With his simple nod and gesture, they were leaving. "Then I will make payment ahead of time to prevent issue and roundabout stupidity from happening."
Passing over a box that even sealed a lot of Heavenly Energy exuded from it. It was a simple set of Peach Fruit but grown in his Internal Space. Bathed under his various Law Energy and sped up development for over a 1000 years by his Time Energy.
Ming Fei's blue eyes widened under the hood as he took the box. Long Shuyun, Yuyun, and Xiao Yu made little interest to make for they could accompany them.
As they walked, a large man who looked like Gouken from streetfighter arrived. He took the box from ming Fei and went to report to the elders. Considering how Shen Yue showed no interest of talking to him.
"Here we are, the Ghastly Ruins."
"I love it." Shen Yue's words suprised them. It was just a Training Ground to those of the Sect, but the extensive landscape and the various waterfalls and floating mountains were breathtaking. "Don't mind these."
*Schup!* Ten little orbs attached to his Astral Sense spread out. The Runes on it acted like a video camera as it reflected the surroundings.
"Do you need an introduction to the place?" Xiao Yu asked. The others were looking at the flying devices that she already knew about. "Or is it not needed?"
"Just refresh my memory. I am defintely listening." Shen Yue kept pace with her as they walked.
"The Ghastly Ruins were created as a set of Training Grounds by an Ancestor of the Divine Feather's Sect. Inside, there are a large number of Demon Souls. Hunting one, you can get a soul scale. Soul scales can be used to exchange various treasures."
Passing by several disciples grumbling, it was defintely not a good place with rules.
"A good method to let your disciples grow, I suppose. But I doubt it is "regulated correctly" with any real rules enforced." Shen Yue voiced the problem with a place like this after they made it to the entrance. "Damn shame to go inside and but your ass just to get robbed by your fellow disciple."
The two elders looked at the swirling vortex that led to the entrance of the place.
"It helps disciples to prepare themselves for the outside world." one of the Elders said.
"You are right, defintely lets them know if they go to the outside to watch their backs from fellow classmates and members of the same Sect as them. Nothing like the knife from an "ally" than the enemy." The obvious distaste was there.
"Hehe, it is not that bad." The 2nd elder over the area said. But several grumbling disciples nearby begged to differ and made some complaints while leaving. 'He is right about the disharmony growing, but the higher-ups have not corrected the situation.'
"Are all the disciples out yet?" Ming Fei voiced. His interest in the flying cameras was abated for the moment. His fellow elders gave the nod as they moved to tell the other disciples the place was now closed for the Time being. "Let's proceed."
"When entering, you two will be seperated by Teleportation." Long Shuyun stepped up to vortex. "For safety, it is best if two members of the Sect go in who are familiar with the place. Just in case."
"You either are worried about me or don't trust me." Shen Yue grinned as he jumped in anyway. "I suggest you move fast then!"
*Schup!* The entryway sucked him in without an issue.
"This man is cheeky; what did you say his name was?" Long Shuyun face was slightly pensive. Instead of answering, Ming Fei jumped inside. "Your name is Xiao Yu, is it not? What is his name?"
"I was told to call him Ambassador Dark Moon!" Xiao Yu answered quickly. Shen Yue was very clear she and his people that were here, were not to say anything about him without his approval. "You will have to get that answer from himself!"
"Humph!" Long Shuyun didn't believe it for a moment she didn't know as she jumped inside.
With both her and Ming Fei gone, Long Yuyun and Xiao Yu just sat down and waited. They were talking about "Over-Cultivation" without a care in the World. The two elders were surprised by the change in both of them. One was a loner, and the other was arrogant and talked to few people.
"Thump!* Inside the vortex, Shen Yue was shot out and landed on the ground with a large impact. Trying to stop himself was to jarring and not worth it. The entire place was a like a Netherworld with ghastly creatures floating in the sky.
"Perfect!" Shen Yue opened his mouth and inhaled at a considerable rate. As far as his Astral Sense could reach, he took in Heavenly Energy and various specters in. For miles and miles, a large suction force moved towards him out of control. 'They are already heading towards me, but no matter.'
*Woooosshhh!* The cyclone was worse on the inside. The Flame Vortex spun so fast it sent ripples of power out, infusing more in to the Divine Sparks below. Spinning in conjunction, Shen Yue's cultivation shot up like the specter's and energy were refined.
"What are those lines glowing on his skin!?" Shen Yuyun stopped a distance away, with Ming Fei landing right next to her. The suction force actually caused both of them to stop in trepidation. "If he collapsed the entire area.. this will not be good for the Sect."
"Runes he etched onto his skin to help... handle his cultivation." Ming Fei was only speculating, really. "As for the place getting destroyed.. the Elders are aware of this. Thus the payment earlier and a possible future payment just in case."
"Such an odd.." Long Shuyun raised her guard as a sense of fear exuded from Shen Yue. The weird purple wave of energy disappeared just as fast as it came. ".. the felt odd. He can not have just a Cultivation of the Heavenly Layer. Something is wrong here."
*Crack!* The ground beneath Shen Yue gave way as his body with power. Giving a simple exhale, the entire area erupted in a distortion from a small break in the Dimension. The place was not adequately maintained well enough for something like this.
"Well, are you all ready to go?" Shen Yue's voice, despite him being so far away, whispered right into their ears. The powerful cultivators didn't think much of it until they saw him disappear and appear behind them. "Nothing left here for me."
His control over Time had increased enough for him to affect a radius for a single second in combat. As long as it was in the range of his Astral Sense. Which was exceptionally far.
"Yes, let's go." Ming Fei took the three of them out. The elders were suprised they were out so soon. "The area is not really to bad, but it will take at least a week to open it back up."
"Not bad at all. We thought it would at least be months before it was back to normal." It was not the two elders that spoke but Elder Redsoul who came back after delivering the box. "Ample time to have maintenance done on the place with out issue."
"Let's take a stroll.. to one of the places the Demon God Sect has taken control over. I wish to check something." Shen Yue was already walking away. "That or take me to the Cold Flame Wasteland."
"That would be better." Ming Fei rather not confront the Demon God Sect at this Time. "I am sure a good trade can be made."
"I will leave you to it with Redsoul." Long Yuyun moved to Shuyun and Xiao Yu. "You two come with me; we have something to discuss."
Not thinking anything of it since of the three training grounds, the students and elders barely used it anymore. Why not let someone use it and gain something from it? The Divine Feathers Sect was already on a decline, with a few Elders hoping something terrible would happen.
Thus gaining them something from the Skyblaze Sect.
.
That Night-
.
Unfortunately, arriving at the Cold Flame Wasteland was packed. The students who couldn't use the Ghastly Ruins went here instead. So crowded it was just to much to have him them leave.
Heading to talk with the Elders, Ming Fei left him at Xiao Yu's living quarters.
"Haa, just ok." Shen Yue muttered after finishing the resources gained from the Ghastly Ruins. A few techniques improved, and he increased one star in his Heavenly Fate and the Divine Sparks. "Need to snatch a few things while traveling to the Skyblaze Sect at this rate."
He noticed that his gain in spirit energy was not as high as before when increasing the Fate Souls in the Divine Sparks. With the increase in power for the Spiritual God Divine Sparks, different abilities were coming, further along, he worked on.
"So far, so good, right?"
Shen Yu was getting ready to depart. Not much was worth it in the place to invest in. Xiao Yu was a little antsy, sitting across from him as they played chess. She Actually wanted him to stay a bit longer.
"You have some guests." Shen Yue muttered to his host.
"Hmm?" Xiao Yu was so engrossed in the game she didn't pay attention to much else. "Tch!" It wouldn't be bad if they weren't playing Chess-Variant. "After these ten games, we are going back to playing Elephant Chess!" (Xiangqi)
Shen Yue just chuckled. He sucked at that game. Even with all the experience of it and replaying countless hours in his head. However, he held the advantage in Chess-Variant. With an increase in his understanding developing faster because of it.
'Lu Ning was right about the different forms of relaxing helping with troubling thoughts. That man is just a surprise every Time I had something odd was going on.' Moving pieces across all ten boards, he took note of a loss on two boards he wouldn't be to come back from. 'Xiao Yu has improved at an alarming rate as well. How lonely was this child growing up?
Xiao Yu answered the without much fear. Her foster father was in the Sect, and the fact they were in her reinforced dwelling assured her protection.
The chess playing was also to get her used to different Array's as well.
Two members of the Dragonseal Family walked in without many pleasantries. Long Yuyin had a passive look on her face. The child only smiled once she took in the Chess-variant boards.
Long Shuyun observed Shen Yue with more intrigued than she usually did a person. The short consult she had with her mother, who was a strong figure in the Divine Feathers Sect, was enlightening enough to make a bold move.
After a bit of instruction from Shen Yue and Xiao Yu, playing partners changed. Long Yuyun and her mother versus Xiao Yu with Shen Yue only coaching different strategies for them all to understand.
As the hours trickled by, the competitive spirit in the three females grew really high. Enough that Shen Yue took on a pure observing capacity while cultivating using his Astral Sense.
"This is enough for me." Long Shuyun gave her full attention to Shen Yue. Under the table, her hand brushed slowly over her a red ribbon. "Direct matters now. You touched my daughter."
"Only in the most medical sense." Shen Yue smirked a little. He was wondering how long it would take for the woman to act. Mainly using the Time of the playing to gauge his behavior and understand him more most likely. "Did the same to others; I am a Doctor after all."
Frowning, the Dao of Dragon Cultivator, couldn't understand where his confidence came from. Everything learned pointed to the fact he needed to obey a much stronger party.
Just in the Heavenly Fate Realm for cultivation's sake! There must be more of an angle and more of why he was visiting the Divine Feather's Sect.
"Will you marry my daughter or not?" Long Shuyun asked with a little in her voice. Shen Yue's Astral Sense rebuffed her threatening manner a weird technique he has there. Another strange one that pushed against me in the Training Grounds.' Interest-only builds further to gain the cultivator.
"I do not like children." Shen Yue shook his head at her. Thinking she would have gone somewhere else with it. "But you can put me in your registry as married to you if that helps. Don't care how you write it, of course." He took another drink of the tea and waited. "Beauty and Tyrannical, such a combination but a big soft spot for your daughter."
"Hmm," Long Shuyun looked at her daughter and could tell she was not interested in the stranger in that capacity. Only as a friend and someone to speak with. The fact Xiao Yu was so close to the "guest" of Ambassador Ming Fei, only gave her slight pause. "That is acceptable. You will have to seal it with a night in my bed of course."
"That is fine." Shen Yue turned to Xiao Yu. Both she and Long Yuyun heard, of course, but she listened more, of course, for some reason. "Still your heart. Don't you like that Nie Li brat?"
"I do not!" Xiao Yu shouted embarrassed. The closeness between her and Nie Li was none during the Time spent in Glory City. "I just think his friends are interesting!"
"Ok, calm yourself." Shen Yue released the 40th to 50th officers. "These are my people with strong views and desires. They can make good .. followers I guess, for my stepdaughter. But keep in mind, they are not mere servants. They will listen to the orders of the worthy."
"What qualifies them for this?" Long Shuyin looked them over but could not determine their cultivation. 'Can not read them as well! This is frustrating!'
As a member of the Dragonseal Family, she was well used to having more control over a situation.
"Heaven Spiritual Root at the 9th Realm. Soul Realms colored at what we in the Tiny World call Cyan. Each with the understanding of three different laws. Each with Mutated Demon Spirits with Deity level growth rates." Shen Yue said firmly.
Those in the room were shocked but didn't let it show. The elders that Shen Yue allowed to peak in from the outside started to mutter to themselves in dismay. They all lost compsure at the next bit of information revealed.
"None of them over 25 years old and trained by myself. My people are overqualified, actually. With a burning desire to become strong enough to change the World and crush the Demon God Sect." It was all true as they were trained soldiers and versed in zealotry at a controlled pace. 'Finding the balance was pretty damn hard for most of them. Instilling that some Demon's had no choice in the matter the same as the other various tribes.'
These Officers also had a modified version of the Astral Sense technique. More of the Heart Method Maxiuim ability to control one's emotions at all times. Plus, the feeding of their cultivation base of those suppressed by others.
"Humph!" Long Shuyin said nothing more. She was indeed impressed since they came from the Tiny World by all accounts. She stared at them hard until they released their cultivations. "3rd Heavenly Fate Realm. But with the force of one with 9 Fates."
Those Officers had benefited from the Time in the Divine Feathers Sect more than most so far. Especially with Shen Yue stretching his Astral Sense directly up while moving. Gauging the structure of this part of the Draconic Ruins Realm more.
But he was also taking in thick Heavenly Energy into himself. A very thin line coming directly downward along the path of the Astral Sense.