Chapter 712 - 707: Soldier Of War, Mark Of Annihilation
WOOOOOSH!
The sounds of rushing air and gushing surges of energies resounded, emanating from a pillar of multicolored light. This pillar of light was zooming through the Dark Void at speeds faster than Ascended could react. Within it was a closed-eyed figure that was being turbulently rattled within like a ping-pong ball, yet his eyes remained closed and his expression was neutral.
The turbulence soon decreased as the figure slowly emanated out a deeply rich and refined spatial energies that stabilized the shifting chaos within.
"Such a long Spatial Shift," Wei Wuyin commented after his figure halted entirely, being carried along by the thick beam of multicolored light. He wasn't unfamiliar with Spatial Shifting, harnessing the ability after taking the Spatial Divine Resonance Elixir, a similarly heaven-defying, cultivation-exceeding alchemical product like the Soul Deity Invoker Elixir, that elevated his nine-ripple Spatial Resonance to ten.
He was familiar with the power, but he found that this spatial shifting had some innate flaws. Mostly because of its hectic internal composition while moving. When one Spatial Shifted, they enveloped themselves in spatial energies and became one with fixed space, allowing them to travel through it at high speeds yet phase through things within fixed space. It was miraculous, but it had its flaws.
The most noticeable flaw was that a certain level of power that could destabilize fixed space will still impact the individual shifting about. It was mostly useful for traversing long distances and avoiding obstacles while in transit, an innate movement ability. There were some arts that replicated this ability, but they were even more flawed.
This pillar channeled the power of spatial shifting, but the spatial energies within were very faulty, having some holes in its execution. He patched up these flaws by infusing his own spatial energies within, which were outrageously rich, infused with faint void energies.
"Pathetic," Kratos spat with genuine disdain. The usage of Void Portals was far more exquisite and efficient, eliminating the concept of distance entirely, including the need for travel time as it was nigh instant, if not instantaneous.
Wei Wuyin didn't argue, because spatial shifting was low-level in comparison to Void Portals. When he first learned of Spatial Shifting, he had thought it would be similar to teleportation, but it wasn't. It was just a faster means of movement through fixed space, like traveling without air resistance.
In an intense battle, it was ineffective against high-level beings, and if he faced low-leveled beings, he didn't really need to use it. He even had an alternative in the Infinite Void Wings, one of his bloodline abilities that not only moved faster, but can create short-range Void Portals instantly, reminiscent of genuine teleportation.
"I hope it returns me," Wei Wuyin said as he used his spiritual sense to inspect the walls of multicolored light around him. He had left behind Bai Lin after forcefully breaching the planet, so there was bound to be an expert arriving soon. It was unfortunate that the terrifying twisting winds that prepared him for transport restricted transmissions, he just hoped Bai Lin wouldn't stay. If she did, she should hide herself.
While the so-called Spirithall wasn't a threat to Bai Lin, the Lordhall and Sainthall's experts were.
Unable to affect this, he compartmentalized his concerns and focused on the present. Hurtling through space in a beam of spatial light, he was being taken to some unknown place. He touched his glabella, his eyebrows furrowed.
He felt a strange imprint there. From the feeling of its shape, it formed the character: Soldier. This alongside the 'War' mark and that vision he saw when obtaining it, he had an idea as to what this was about.
"Was I enlisted into a war?" Wei Wuyin couldn't help but chuckle to himself, finding this a little hilarious. Furthermore, he was a mere soldier. He was reminded of his days as an Outer Disciple in the Scarlet Solaris Sect, when he acted on the orders of Mei Mei, a Core Disciple at the time.
"…" King let loose soft keening sounds, reminiscent of a blade being sharpened by a whetstone. The sounds of war! Wei Wuyin could feel the stimulation it was experiencing. It originated from the 'War' character, and it was trying to tyrannically override King's Saber Will!
"King!" Wei Wuyin let loose a deep internal roar, causing this Divine Saber Astral Soul to fiercely tremble. The sound it emitted was fractured in consistency, vanishing completely soon after.
"…" King was silent. The other three were also silent. However, there were faint fluctuations from them as they sent their support to King. It was being controlled by the 'War' character just now, emitting boundless killing intent and filled with unnatural bloodlust. A fierce desire for blood and death.
SHIIIIING!
A saber howl resounded.
"Tch!" King regained itself, pushing off the influence of war. It wasn't a simple-minded weapon, but an existence that brought an end to everything with its edge, life, death, space, time, and especially war. It was meant to end, not to indulge. It was meant to end, not to slaughter.
Wei Wuyin felt it reaffirm its Saber Will, aligning with his Saber Intent. He felt somewhat satisfied, but also concerned. Wei Wuyin noticed that the 'War' character emitted multiple Intent auras that were intermixed within it. He also felt Saber Intent.
The auras within the 'War' character were affecting King, trying to infuse its own will into it. This included battle and slaughter, two intents he was quite familiar with as both Zuhei and Long Chen had comprehended them. But King wasn't formed using those in any capacity.
His saber wasn't meant to slaughter. His saber wasn't meant for battle. It was meant to bring an end to his issues, used only to do so. An absolute, total, and undeniable end. This was how his Saber Intent, his own Saber Will, formed within his mind and was reflected deeply off King. While it had taken it a step further, its foundation was that.
If it wasn't for this, he would've long since comprehended Slaughter and Battle Intent. In fact, if he wanted to, he could easily do so now. But he felt utterly no need to, because it'll taint his Saber Intent and went against his own identity. He wasn't Long Chen or Zuhei.
He was Wei Wuyin.
SHIIIING!!
A fierce saber howl resounded again! All of a sudden, his three other Astral Souls auras receded, almost entirely nullified, and their energies faintly replicated King's.
Wei Wuyin frowned. He looked at the 'War' character and he was about to speak, but he decided against it. Since they wanted to act, let them. This mark sought to change King's essence, so it didn't need to exist. If he fell out of this beam of spatial energies because of it, so what? If he lost his qualifications to participate in this so-called fortune, so fucking what?
He held out his palm. From his dantian, Sea of Consciousness, and beating heart, an unfathomable amount of spiritual energies flooded into a single location, his Divine Saber Soul! With the surge of immense power, King's saber light was condensed within until it brightly lit within his body.
The sounds of saber howls were ceaseless. Wei Wuyin felt a sharp and deep pain within him, but he remained totally calm. For King, he decided to suffer in silence. A boundless surge of saber light left his dantian, making its way towards his right hand with unstoppable momentum!
The Mark of War started to thrum violently, realizing a threat was incoming. Yet it could do little except release some glinting light of futile resistance. The saber light flooded it instantly!
Eeeeeeeeeek!
A very strange screech resounded, like the death throes of an energy source. Wei Wuyin's entire hand was covered in blood, dripping out its gray colors onto the spatial walls. It merged with the walls and the multicolored light started to become enveloped, outright devoured by the gray color.
Wei Wuyin was startled by this development. But more, he couldn't react as the Mark of War character in his hand was changing! A distinct aura prevailed, taking over all the others with relentless might! Strangely, the 'War' character was morphing into another character!
"Annihilation!"
Wei Wuyin expected saber to replace war, so this took him by surprise.
Just as he started to ponder why this happened, the Mark of Eden's lifeforce acting to heal his mangled and damaged hand, the gray had entirely overtaken the cylindrical pillar of light, and then a strange popping sound exploded!
When he heard it, he felt his spiritual sense directly warp!