(2336 Words)
[Azure Cloud Continent: Floating Cloud City]-
(3rd Person Pov)
Xia Qingyue froze seeing the man's face in front of her. Dark skinned, dark blue hair and eyes, weird tribal markings all over his body, and this overwhelming sense of power. No doubt, this really was Acnologia. But he was much more different.
Where once his body remained untouched by any kind of physical markings, now on his abdomen lay a massive scar as though a blade of unimaginable width had pierced straight through his abdomen.
Not to mention the rest of the scars she could see visible across the rest of his body. She shivered in cold dread. What kind of monsters has he been fighting against these past four years that could leave such wounds across his body?
"…. Acnologia?"
Acnologia nodded.
"That's right. I don't think there's anyone else who looks like me in this world though. But man, It's been quite sometime since I last saw you. How long have I been gone for exactly?"
Xia Qingyue frowned at his question. Does he really not know how long he's gone missing? She shook her head to clear her thoughts, returning back to her cold and aloof voice as she answered.
"You have been gone for four years. To be frank, I was already starting to believe you had successfully been killed by the Absolute Monarch Sanctuary."
Acnologia seemed surprised.
"Only four years? It honestly felt longer."
Xia Qingyue said nothing as she questioned.
"Those scars acrosss your body, who were you fighting that could wound you so badly?"
Acnologia shrugged saying it doesn't matter, he survived, and that's really all that should matter causing Xia Qingyue to frown but ultimately say nothing. She had no reason to expect Acnologia to divulge anything. Xia Qingyue was brought out of her own thoughts as Acnologia questioned her.
"You have gotten stronger. But your body is heavily damaged by the accumulated frost in your profound veins."
Xia Qingyue said nothing. And so did Acnologia. Whatever she did was her own choice not his to enforce. Still, he was curious of her dress, so he asked her.
"What is the red dress for? Did I miss some sort of special occasion?"
Xia Qingyue blinked for a few seconds before looking down at her traditional, magnificent straight scarlet robe heavily decorated with a "four happiness" cloud pattern, as she looked back to Acnologia and answered flatly.
"I got married today. This is a traditional wedding robe worn by the bride."
Acnologia seemed surprised.
"You? Getting married? Damn. Is the ceremony already over?"
Xia Qingyue nodded her head.
"Well, congratulations then. Hrrm…. What should I get you as a gift?"
Xia Qingyue shook her head as she replied.
"It is alright. We are merely acquaintances, I do not expect anything from you."
Acnologia hummed in acknowledgement. "You are right in that we are only acquaintances, but I feel kinda awkward so I'll give yourself and your husband a gift. Let's see, what would be a good gift for yourself?"
Acnologia locked eyes with her for a few seconds before nodding his head.
"Alright. I've got it."
Xia Qingyue just tilted her head in confusion as Acnologia raised his fingers and snapped them erecting a barrier. While normally she would be tense and nervous about being in such a situation, having known Acnologia for an entire year, even if it wasn't that long of being acquainted with each other, she knows Acnologia would likely not bring her harm.
"Alright, come out Jue Xian. I need your assistance."
Xia Qingyue blinked her eyes in confusion. Jue Xian? Who was that? Last she remembered, Acnologia was never around anyone with such a name.
Then, before her eyes, a green light manifested itself in front of them both, and form that light, a petite girl appeared. She has long, black hair which was tied up into pigtails. She has a green emblem on her forehead and light green eyes. When their eyes made contact, Xia Qingyue's body froze. Whatever or whoever this petite girl was, she was a genuine danger as Xia Qingyue instincts warned her of how vast they both were in terms of strength.
"Oi Jue Xian. Heal this girls body of all her frosts and open up anything that could help her grow faster."
The petite little girl Jue Xian blinked a few times as her gaze settled onto Xia Qingyue as she tilted her head confused.
"Master, who is this girl? Your daughter? If so, she's harmed her body quite severely."
Acnologia raised an eyebrow. Both at her calling him master and her asking if Xia Qingyue was his daughter.
"No. She is not my daughter, she is an old acquaintance of mine. Today was her wedding, and since I couldn't think of any gifts to give, I thought that perhaps ridding her body of the accumulated frost and awakening any special aspects within her that could accelerate her progress would be a great gift to give, but I'm not so skilled in the art of restoration, so I'm leaving it up to you."
Jue Xian hummed as she questioned.
"Are you not afraid I would harm this girl as an act of revenge for how rough you were with us?"
Acnologia rolled his eyes as he answered.
"If you try to do that, I'll beat you up again."
Jue Xian stuck her tongue out.
"You big meanie! How could you say something so insensitive to such a beautiful girl!"
Xia Qingyue gave them both a strange look on her usually cold and expressionless face watching Jue Xian grieving before looking back to Xia Qingyue. Then, Jue Xian stretched out her hand placing her index and middle fingers on Xia Qingyue's temple, a light green glow spread across her body, as she felt the long accumulated frost leave her body, her organs restored to how they were before the extreme frost, her longevity returned to normal, and even more shocking, she felt her profound entrances opening. From 21, the additional 33 entrances closed off were opened, and she awakened the mythical Heavenly God Spiritual Veins. Profound veins stated to allow infinite growth speed, no bottleneck, and the highest chances for achieving the highest level of strength being the Sovereign Profound Realm. Jue Xian pulled her hand back as she turned to Acnologia.
"All done master."
Acnologia nodded his head as Xia Qingyue clenched and unclenched her fists feeling her vitality return, all the bottlenecks she's faced completely gone, it was liberating to say the least. She looked back to Acnologia and Jue Xian and bowed deeply.
"Thank you both Lord Acnologia, and Lady Jue Xian. I'm extremely grateful for this gift you have both given me."
Jue Xian looked surprised but then smiled brightly.
"Hahahaha. No problem little girl, your gratitude has been accepted thoroughly."
Acnologia nodded his head to her words. Then she spoke once more.
"If I may ask for an additional favour. I would like you to help restore my husbands profound veins and awaken all his profound entrances. His profound veins had been crippled since birth, and himself and my in laws has been faced with increasing hardships by the people of Floating Cloud City because of it."
Acnologia hummed as he answered.
"I don't mind having Jue Xian fix whatever issues he may be facing, however, I will not be considering it a favour and instead I will consider it his wedding gift from myself."
Xia Qingyue cupped her fist and bowed.
"That is acceptable. I thank you both deeply for this gift."
Acnologia nodded his head as he dismissed the barrier only for a second barrier to be erected and a massive chunk of ice dropped directly on top of him as he muttered.
"Deja Vu much?"
Jue Xian intercepted the massive chunk of ice, the ice shattered into fragments of icy dust upon making contact with Jue Xian's palm as she glared at the now frozen woman who stared incredulously at Acnologia having lost all composure as she pointed her index finger at Acnologia.
"Y-Your alive!?"
Acnologia waved his hand to Xia Qingyue's mentor Chu Yueli.
"Yo ice queen. It's been a long time since we met. I see you've also ignored my warnings, but no doubt you've gotten stronger. At least, compared to the first time we met anyways."
Chu Yueli froze seeing Acnologia's face. Her body trembling in terror as the memory of almost dying at his hands resurfaced. She immediately cupped her fist bowing as she apologised profusely.
"Lord Acnologia. I Chu Yueli deeply regret my actions, I ask you show leniency towards myself for the actions taken upon you."
Jue Xian looked between Acnologia and Chu Yueli as she frowned and questioned.
"Master, who is this woman? And what is your relationship with her?"
Jue Xian's words caught the attention of Chu Yueli who suddenly remembered it was this young girl that stopped her attack. And looking more closely, she suddenly realised Acnologia had a massive scar covering his entire torso shocking her even more. Last time they had met, was this monster not already a peak Monarch? What in the world could have caused such horrific wounds on his body? And how did he even survive such an awful injury?
Acnologia shrugged as he explained to the sword spirit.
"This here is Chu Yueli. And old acquaintance of mine. She is also the master of Xia Qingyue here."
Jue Xian nodded her head in understanding.
"I see. I had assumed they were either master and disciple or sisters with how similar their aura's are. But if you are acquaintances, why did she try to harm you?"
Meeting the eyes of Jue Xian, Chu Yueli shivered in fright. It's as if she felt she was standing before an extremely sharp and dangerous blade so she bowed further apologising once more.
"I sincerely apologise. I had assumed Lord Acnologia was an evil cultivator who was trying to harm my disciple. Due to the vast difference in our strength, I was unable to sense that it was Lord Acnologia."
Jue Xian nodded her head as if accepting Chu Yueli's words. And with the chaos of the situation finally resolved, Chu Yueli blinked as she took a look at her disciple as her eyes widened in shock.
"Xia Qingyue. All your profound entrances have been opened!?"
Chu Yueli turned to face Acnologia who pointed to Jue Xian.
"Thank her. She's the one that restored Xia Qingyue."
Jue Xian puffed out her chest at Acnologia's words as Chu Yueli blinked surprised. This expert who looks no older than her own disciple healed Xia Qingyue of all the accumulated frost in her body and opened the remaining profound entrances? Chu Yueli realised that their acquaintancship with Acnologia may be an even bigger blessing than she realised. So she bowed respectfully to Jue Xian as she thanked the young girl.
"Supreme expert, as the master of Xia Qingyue, I thank you for helping heal my disciple and opening all her remaining profound entrances."
Jue Xian beamed with pride at being praised for her skills as she replied.
"Your thanks is accepted. Though I may have healed your disciple, you should thank my master. If he hadn't told me to heal her I would not have done so."
Chu Yueli nodded her head as she faced Acnologia once again.
"Lord Acnologia, I thank you for the gesture of goodwill to Xia Qingyue. The Frozen Cloud Asgard will forever be grateful for this gift."
Acnologia hummed.
"It's alright, I only did it because I just came to learn that she had gotten married. Though I may not be personally involved with her life, she is still an acquaintance, and it would be rude not to grant her some sort of congratulatory gift as a congratulations on her marriage. Though I'm more surprised you even allowed her to get married. I was of the view that all the disciples of your sect are forbidden from having any kind of relationship."
Chu Yueli nodded her head as she explained. Your views aren't wrong. The Frozen Cloud Asgard's disciples do forbid romantic relationships, but Xia Qingyue has her own personal reasons for getting married. And besides, her marriage is on paper only. She won't permit even her husband from touching her body."
Acnologia nodded in understanding before Chu Yueli questioned.
"If I may be so bold as to ask, who is lady Jue Xian? I have never once heard of such a profound expert anywhere on the Profound Sky Continent."
Acnologia chuckled as he explained.
"Well, if you must know, Jue Xian is one of four Celestial Swords. She is so powerful she can manifest herself in spirit form. Otherwise, most of the time, she's just in her sword form."
To demonstrate Acnologia raised his palm as Jue Xian bowed respectfully turning into motes of light as a green coloured blade appeared where Jue Xian once floated about, and the blade flew into Acnologia's hand. Leaving both Xia Qingyue and Chu Yueli frozen in shock.
"A weapon can gain sentience?"
Chu Yueli questioned in disbelief. Her frozen and cold demeanour broken by the sheer insanity of what it is she keeps experiencing every time she had interacted with Acnologia she was guaranteed to break her icy demeanour. A headache began to slowly emerge as Chu Yueli rubbed her temples. She can't keep dealing with things like this. It's not good for her sanity.
Meanwhile, Xia Qingyue looked back at the remanifested Jue Xian with just as much bafflement and surprise. Not even the Heavenly Sword Villa, one of the four Sacred Grounds have ever talked about weapons gaining sentience. But yet the proof is clearly right in front of her. And seeing Jue Xian, her desire to grow stronger burned even brighter. If a blade of all things could grow to such a level that it attained sentience, then she too can grow far beyond her current level.
—(End)—