Eric cautiously walked, doing everything in his power to avoid the more dangerous looking demons. Gargoyles flew around, picking off the weak while some undead centaurs clashed against Saturnine Cats.
Blood spilled frequently, causing Eric's eyebrows to jump. Regulating the [snake breathing] technique, Eric could feel it help him meld with the surroundings but the intense Yang energy permeating the realm caused his body to feel uncomfortable.
'I couldn't completely fade my breathing in the first place and a place like this filled with fiery Yang energy but at least in outside of this place I didn't feel this stifled.'
Eric hid behind a rock watching an especially tall fiery giant. Hearing a tumble, the boy cursed as he watched a lesser daemon wyvern along with a minor bone savage wrestling over a golden globe. Eric could feel his face faintly pulsating.
"Damn them both, and damn that demon for leaving these burns on my face." Yet Eric knew between the fact that he would be soon exposed and the fact that the globe would be beneficial, he pulled out his whip.
The wyvern bit deeply into the bone savage but it's bones were dense. The bone savage itself bit deeply into the wyvern and used it's jagged forearms to cut into the wyvern's tough scales. The globe tightly held into one of the savage's hands as the wyvern clawed at the hand.
Watching the two struggle Eric hunched down and sped up as though about to go into close quarters. Coming to a complete stop Eric's whip slammed on the bone savage's elbow.
A bang sounded and the globe fell from it's hand, cracks spreading slow as Eric's qi filled strike fractured it's arm bones. The globe steadily slipped from the savage's arm as the wyvern capitalized on Eric's attack. With renewed energy the wyvern wrestled the savage drawing indigo blood from the sharp bone spikes ripping into it's scales but the glob came loose.
Eric smiled, his whip moving in tandem as it wrapped around the globe. Yanking it to him, Eric grabbed it and turned to run when his body seized. Red writing flashed on his face as the globe was absorbed into his face.
Eric was transported to his dantian, the Cloud Mountain Guardian bloodline was seated in the first totemic layer. Yet the second layer was becoming more defined. A vague silhouette of a pitch-black figure with blood red flames started to form.
Eric looked at his second bloodline and felt fear. To carry the bloodline of a demon was heresy and for good reason.
'First it's my soul being devoured and now I have a demon trying to residence in my body. Great.'
Back again in the real world, Eric had just taken a step while the two former opponents set their sights on him. Running like mad Eric activated [Primal Flight]. Booking it to a fire golem nearby he antagonized with a few whip strikes.
Now with an enemy in front and an enemy behind, Eric ran back to the savage and wyvern. With the golem closing in, Eric dodged sideways last minute, bypassing the golem as it unleashed a torrent of magma rocks.
The bone savage and wyvern were covered in the attack. Not looking back to see the result, Eric breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the angry roar of both the savage and wyvern.
'Neither are dead, that means a nice fight is going to unfold.' Running like crazy, Eric hid in a crevice within the uneven ground.
"Ok Eric, think. Where can I get some Volcanic Fiend Essence?" That specific resource was the cumulation of some of a volcano's fiery energy and the blood of creatures mixed. The type of byproduct slowly created from war and territorial disputes.
'Eric waited an hour in his crevice just to make sure nothing would follow him and he left. Looking around Eric picked a large volcano and started making his way. Channeling the [Snake Breathing Technique], Eric avoided many of the lower-class demons. Yet the closer he came to the more uneasy Eric felt.
Stopping in his tracks, Eric looked around and noticed that the closer to the volcano he went the less populated the area was.
'Like this place is deserted.' Eric focused his senses feeling the rich fiery energy but he could also feel something else.
Feeling a kind of darkness, Eric glanced at the volcano. It was quiet, the same streams of lava but a slight blackness developing in it.
Face pulsing red Eric felt drawn to the place. His mind growing hazy, Eric walked forward slowly.
'I-I no, wait, wher-.' His thoughts grew incohesive and by the time hen shook it off, he was now standing on the top of the volcano. His toes hanging off the last dividing line between him and the inside of incredible magma.
Face pulsating, Eric's foot tried to move forward. 'What the hell. i know I'm not suicidal for a fact. Urghhh, damn it.' Resisting with everything he had, Eric's head became steamy as the sweat ran down his face.
His foot teetered between forwards and backwards. Sulfur, Acid, and brimstone lit Eric's nostrals ablaze as he felt his face burning. Control seeped from his grasp little by little until the boy tumbled over the edge.
"Damn it!!!!!!!!!!!! AhHHHaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!" Eric hit the magma and everything went dark.
*********************************************************************************************************
Inside of Eric's dantian.
Eric awoke in strange circumstance. Looking around, Eric was in a bubble that resembled the mountain where he'd spent most of his life. Yet Eric could feel something below him, below this sphere that was a breathe of fresh air.
Turning his head, Eric walked in the forest and observed the trees, the grassy floor, the rivers racing nearby, and the sky that looked as real and as beautiful as any. Serenity warmed Eric until he felt a familiar pulsating.
"My My, what a lovely little plot of land we have here." Eric didn't need to turn to figure out what was behind him. The same thing that made his face deformed, the same thing that showed up unannounced in his dantian, and the same thing that the old man had warned him about.
"Why do you seek me demon?" Eric's tone was horse as he looked at the mirror image of him. Yet unlike the current Eric who had teal eyes and a calm expression. This Eric looked crazed with blood red eyes.
Darkness seemed to swirl at his feet as Eric's look alike.
"yA KNOW, I can't believe you fools would step into a hell realm so soon after our last meeting. Gives me quite the opportunity."
Neither said anything more as the two erupted in a mad dash towards on another. Eric met the imposter's haymaker with a palm. One using closed fists while the other used palm strikes.
Eric's imposter laughed as it's speed picked up, the punches heavier and now carrying a burning flame. Eric's figure gained a faint outline of wind while his palms became covered in water.
Eric's eyebrows jumped as the exchange not only left him on the defensive but also caused his arms incredible pain. Steam rising as every contact made burned the water on his palms. Eric narrowly dodged an uppercut and had to hurriedly block a jab from the second arm.
The imposter laughed as the darkness around it's feet swirled. Shooting forward so quick that Eric could only cross his arms before him.
Bang!!!!!!!!! Sliding back now on one knee with both arms shaking, Eric grit his teeth.
'Man that smarts. This thing's combat skills are incredible. I don't have the experience or proficiency with my techniques to get past him. What do I have that can force this thing to back down?'
Unable to think of anything, Eric focused on his areas that were lacking. Looking at the steam bursting from his palm, Eric decided to try something he'd seen Blu Cloud do.
Still using palm attacks Eric shot both palms forward at the same time. His imposter laughing but the smile faltering as a cold sensation spread from his hands.
[Frigid Palms] Eric's palms were now covered in frost all the way up to his elbow. His palms unrelenting as he slowly gained experience. Yet even then the imposter's flames seemed to burst with a more brilliant red as time went on. His movements the apex of feet moving faster than shadows.
Eric felt labored but didn't give up, instead of blocking the next attack. Eric allowed both fists to land on his torso. His feet sending shockwaves that broke the now hardened ice that kept him from flying away. The imposters eyes narrowed but Eric's fists slammed onto its chest causing the fake him to shiver.
Both having access to one another's torso a battle of mutual destruction ensued. Eric felt light headed and his vision swaying.
'Come on, Damn you, I'll send your ass packing of it's the last thing I do.'
Eric's chest burned as though the very flesh was incinerated, yet the imposter's chest showed frostbite and deep discoloration.
Roaring Eric felt something in his mind click as a wave of frigid blue enveloped the imposter's body. The searing heat stopped, all was silent until a loud crack..
With a l sound of shattering glass the imposter's body became mere pieces. A swelling darkness seeping out of it as a voice spoke.
"MMMMM, seems I was a bit hasty. Congratulations boy. You are turning out to be a better vessel than I thought, but that is all you will amount to."