Strength

Katania walked away from her brother, she was disappointed and she could feel her fathers burning glare on her back.

But she held herself up straight, if she wasn't firm now she'd harm him in the future.

"Strength is the only thing that matters in this world she thought."

"Indeed," came the cool crisp reply, the voice was like flowing water instantly calming Katania's stressed mind.

"My Empress, you've returned!" Katania felt immensely happy in her heart.

"My dear, this Empress never left."

Katania allowed those words to flow throughout her being as they seemingly nourished her soul.

"I sense that my power is still too strong for your body, even as this Empress speaks it threatens to burst through your skin," the Empress revealed a pained voice.

"This Empress will have to return to slumber until you are strong enough to contain this Empress' power."

Katania felt shocked in her heart, she was already the strongest cultivator on the Vida continent, most cultivators hadn't even reached the pinnacle of the Earthly realm!

"My Empress, what cultivation does this untalented one have to reach?" Katania really wanted to help Empress.

They had been together since her birth, although until Katania was 5 years old the Empress had been in a severely weakened state, allowing her young and weak body to contain the Empress as she slowly regained her strength.

Katania was already 15 years old, and as a grade 1 Soul realm cultivator, she was invincible within the boundaries of the Vida continent.

"I can stay with you at most, a month," she said, "Without harming your meridians, But you must reach the Heaven realm if you want me to stay..."

Katania involuntarily shuddered, "The Heaven realm..." even now, to an existence with her talent, the Heaven realm was a frightening one to attain, although one such being hadn't appeared in over 10,000 years, "Empress, is this truly the only way?" she asked slightly worried, "I'm afraid that unless you reach the Heaven realm, this Empress will be forced to leave your soul, else the power will overwhelm and destroy you," she noted sadly, her voice began to crack.

Emotions welled up inside Katania's heart at the thought of losing the only sister she'd known in these past 15 years of life, her sole comfort as she struggled to gain her fathers acceptance, and her refuge when he'd refused to acknowledge her.

Resolve settled on her face, "Rest assured Empress, I, Katania Voorhees will reach the Heaven realm in a month." she swore, as she took off.

Two realms separated the Soul and Heavenly realms, The Martial Soul realm and the Half-Step Heavenly realm, if she wanted to make fast progress in her cultivation she could only rely on herself.

Katania flew with all speed like a phoenix arrow.

Her destination was the Monstrous Denizens Stone Forest, a barren mountain filled with rocky outcrops and a network of caves which was home to all sorts of Monstrous Beasts.

She'd trained here alone for years, hunting down various beasts, their caves often had many cultivation resources they'd stolen from other regions. Most importantly, the cores nestled within the monsters heart's were useful as an ingredient in various cultivation resources.

Katania's rapier was like a singer of death and destruction, she flew through the caves at a rapid pace, and did not pause as she ended each life in one swift blow, puncturing their vitals.

Katania must have collected at least 100 beast souls and cores, as well as all of their cultivation resources.

She sat upon the pile like a Dragon protecting its hoard as she began to refine the energies within the cultivation resources, even refining the beast souls and monster cores.

A dense amount of energy was absorbed into her dantian, she revolved the energy through her meridians, a pure blue light seemed to resonate within her.

It thickened and grew larger until it split in two, continuing to revolve throughout her body, she gasped at the amount of energy currently flowing through her body.

"Girl, let me," The Empress spoke inside her mind, "Katania felt no hesitation as she relinquished control of her body, the Empress filled her body until she felt herself being pushed out, but she still did not resist, soon she was observing her body sitting crosslegged atop a mountain of resources.

She still felt connected to her body though so no panic filled her heart.

Empress began revolving the energy throughout her body at an even faster pace than before, "I shall impart this technique to you," she said "Restless Dragon Devours The Stars." information began filling Katania's mind as she assumed control of her body.

From grade 1 Soul realm Katania's cultivation began to rapidly increase, "grade 2 Soul realm!" she gasped, but it didn't end there.

"Grade 3...Grade 4-," Like an arrow being shot towards the sky; Katania's cultivation surged past grade 7 Soul realm finally stopping in the middle stages of a grade 8 Soul realm cultivator, Katania gasped breathlessly as she lay flat on her back atop the depleted resources, power welling within her, she felt unstoppable.

"I must sleep now..." Empress said as her voice slowly faded, "My Empress, WAIT!" Katania screamed inside her mind, but Empress was already gone.