Last Flame (7)

"A tombstone I thought! This is such a wretched place! How come everything is going for the worst turn?" She grumbled in anger. It haven't been a simple few minutes since she entered the place but she was already being attacked. No longer was she petrified and suffering some after-effects, instead, adrenaline have rushed in and covered her system. She was trembling in excitement and cautious for incoming surprise attacks. It was at the point that Celes would recklessly swing her short daggers and stab the walls for fun. How long was it since she felt this?

Last time was at the private bedroom of a cowardly senator who ran from his embezzlement scandal to her warm embrace: her hospital. The first time she saw him was as clear as day as his face paraded the streets, the media and the train stations. Though he acted humble and sported a 'I act and think for the people' persona, his wool suit combined with Egyptian silk and gold and diamond cuffs said otherwise. Once he was rushed into her hospital in the emergency room, hell broke loose once his people demanded he comes first, the priority. Celes still felt her irritation that very second. That was her hospital, how dare they? But that was just the beginning. Fortunately, good things comes to those who wait! He boorishly demanded to her that she provide evidence that he died to start a new life with his remaining money! Guess what happened next? She asked herself, a smile spreading her lips wide from the nostalgia. She took him to the morgue and things became her la la land for awhile. It was a great thing that it was at the basement after the pharmacy closed. The next day was his official death certificate printed in premium quality ink and paper, enveloped in a cherry wood box then delivered personally by the kind, wish-granter Celes to his wife. And his people? They were taken care off - easy bribes, great organ trades and nice income from the black web.

A sigh escaped her mouth in boredom. Where are those creatures who tried to ambush her earlier? She may not be the strongest but tactics and in-born skills can enhance her cultivation strength!

The lone figure proceeded to walk forward with her back straight equipped with a dark expression having worsened her already unwelcoming face as if to warn those who were lurking. If one could see her, she actually looked like a grumpy child throwing a tantrum and moving clumsily, almost tripping on the ground and falling to her death if she had not summoned her short sword earlier and stabbed the ground for support.

But Celes was still human, she started hyperventilating as soon as she almost tripped toward the endless pit below this already-narrow sidewalk! 'Who knows, maybe chained carnivores were waiting for lunch down there?!' To test her theory, Celes grinned and pulled out a dead Tachy pheasant from her storage. She double checked it and made sure it was the ugliest, worst catch before throwing it below.

"1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi, 4 Mississippi, 5 Mississippi, 6 Mississippi, 7 Mississippi, 8 Missi-" the husky-voiced girl counted impatiently. Yet just as she was about to finish Mississippi, a loud reverberation of a hissing sound from a titan-like snake which dove and caught the pheasant! Celes let a small shrill of surprise with a crazy, delighted smile on her face but being enveloped in fear of falling at the same time. Nevertheless, Celes almost forgot that she had initially noticed that it was chained as her eyes caught a glimpse of a glowing chain surrounded by a green aura showing that the creature was sealed. She let out a small sigh then continued into the area while looking for an empty room. Well if even a room actually exists here?

It did not take long before a figure in blue robes has entered a ruined altar. Her shoulder-length , raven black hair was tied as a bun on top of her head and sweat trickled down her smooth, lightly tanned skin down to her jaws to her slender neck. Her robes were loosened due to the heat from continuous exercise. Eyes filled with anticipation and a crazy smile curled up the corners of her mouth to show two rows of pearly-white, straight teeth that somehow had a little bit more elongated and protruding canines as well.

"From what I remember, this was an altar for worshipping some dead cultivator rumored to have been the strongest in the land." According to her memories from the first life, the cultivator was beyond Martial Saint at the ninth transformation stage. Legends said that he united warring states and empires from all over! He possessed divine weapons and ditched everything below divine as trash. His spiritual beasts were of divine bloodline and his people were elite geniuses among all the geniuses existing in both the heavens and the earth. Besides such glorious achievements, he possessed ethereal beauty and elegance. And yet, though with a face and body that could send the entire population into a lifetime of happiness, he had never fathered a single child. Such was a tragic fate. "But the old me idolized him so much and declared to the world that she was his secret child from a secret affair with a goddess from the higher realm."

If only she could slap some shame into the soul of that insolent retard, she would to save herself from the embarrassment! In fact, just thinking about it sent chills down her spine. "If my memory serves me right, my mother was a prostitute and my dad was an unknown criminal with a death penalty who asked for one pleasurable night before he leaves this world! What did mom always say again? That woman was crazy too!"

Her mother's voice rang into her ear. It was as clear as day while the image of a beautiful, middle-aged woman with sunken cheeks and wan skin looked back at Celes with her pair of dull eyes while she laid on her death bed. The scene popped out like a vivid memory, as if it had just occurred a few minutes ago. "Before I die, I wanna tell you the reason why I gave birth to you. Your father, if he was not a foreign, handsome man with luscious lips as red as a rose, eyes that glowed and was as light as the moonlight on a starry night, a set of delicious abs sculpted like the mighty dragons of the palace, silky hair that was softer and thicker than this silk robes and skills and vigor that was like a beasts'; I would have not allowed him to whisk me into his warm embrace. That was the best day of my life. He showered me with his foreign skills, lustful kisses, warmth and undebiable love until the last hour before his execution which was after the sun rises and the son of heavens (the emperor) has finished his breakfast and went for a jog in his harem's imperial garden. I am happy to say that you were made out of love! I love you daughter, but how come you're skin is dark? Ugh nevertheless, you are as pretty as me and your father." And those were her last words after dying from food poisoning after stubbornly consuming an exotic fish.

Celes let out a sigh, a small glint of sadness evident before it disappeared in a flash. She has more to do than standing before a ruin and reminiscing about the past!

Honey-Brown eyes scanned the area and using her Qi to sense any presence. Since even plants and beasts have their own Qi in this world, it was a handy way to detect any existence around her. And recently, she noticed how her Qi Condensation foundation has been progressing so quickly ever since the rodent incident. That said, she could easily break through to a martial warrior any moment from now as her spiritual ocean has been sending signals of distress ever since. Her excessive Qi release from effortlessly releasing her Devour cultivation cheat awhile ago has been a huge evidence. Moreover, the spiritual energy in this room was better than the countless mass graves she has been to- purer and refined making absorption easier.

Detecting that the presences of the spiritual beasts were far and were of no danger to her at the moment, Celes fished out the divine seal for its second use. Again, she has been enclosed like a small girl in a huge bubble. She sat on the altar with her legs crossed, hands on her lap while on top of each palm and her eyes closed. Today she was going to break through!