Chapter Thirty: Power Unsheathed

He dashed out into the gorge once again. Nie Asreal walked by his side and lit a fist torch.

Nie Asreal, "I think I'll look more into souls. I found out in my quest to cure you that a lot is unknown about them, even less about demon souls."

Yi Lian squinted. "Demons don't have souls."

Nie Asreal shrugged. "I read an old Demonic Cultivator's manuscript that said it may be a possibility. His life was truly fascinating. Quite the work. I'm hoping to continue his research in whatever way I can."

Yi Lian chuckled.

Nie Asreal, "What? I'm talking about Demonic Cultivation, evil of all evils, suggesting demons, scum of all scum, have souls and your laughing at me?"

Yi Lian shook his head. "You sound more like you were before."

Nie Asreal smiled softly. "I guess I do feel different. Maybe I'm exhausted."

Nie Asreal kept having the urge to scoop him up and just sprint them back to his room but he calmed himself and kept steady.

Yi Lian, "What are we going to do…?"

Nie Asreal gave him a questioning look.

Yi Lian, "I'm the Leader of the Yi Sect-"

Nie Asreal, "And rightful king."

Yi Lian, "Well my Uncle's looking after the Island but that's my point. If I am to see you again… I'm afraid it'll be difficult."

Nie Asreal thought for a moment. He hadn't exactly thought of that. His blazing focus had always been on this one goal and now he had it he didn't know how to go forward.

Yi Lian, "When I said I may need some time I really do mean that. We are not seventeen anymore. There are consequences to our actions and I don't even know-" He bit his tongue.

Nie Asreal, "No please speak." The slight edge in his voice gave Yi Lian a shiver.

Yi Lian, "I just don't quite understand these feelings. Other than you I've never felt these… feelings…. Before."

Nie Asreal made him feel so flustered by very small things. He felt like a teenager again being all shy and quiet.

Nie Asreal noticed his blush and spoke for him. "I'll visit each month. How does that sound?"

Yi Lian smiled and nodded. This time Nie Asreal was biting his tongue.

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They walked happily together until they found a vast, dark and active area.

They couldn't see into the darkness but it was definitely filled with demonic energy. It was so strong it could make one intoxicated. Yi Lian squinted, using Nie Asreal's flames to see but he still couldn't see far in front of his hand.

After walking in further they found themselves in one of the open raised areas next to The Deserted Capital, usually where people would enter the event. It seemed they'd walked longer than they thought because Yi Xien was now waving from the lit tower.

Bai Hua turned from the conversation they were having and watched on as the two walked together into an active area. He had been longing for a good show since this all started. Most of the time they just watched the rookies up the mountain but now the two most powerful cultivators stepped into viewing range and he was jumping with excitement.

Yi Lian brought his hands together to salute them and turned to Nie Asreal. "Bai Hua's memory is also altered. Shall we tell the Sect Leader?"

Nie Asreal shrugged. "I don't have part of his soul. Plus I don't care about anyone else, but if Yi Lian is so intent I can always just show him your memories…?" He smirked whilst Yi Lian shook his head quickly.

Yi Lian, "best for these things to stay quiet… I will introduce you both again."

Nie Asreal smiled.

Yi Lian unsheathed Winters-Gaze and let it fly up above their heads to let out a bright, blazing white light to uncover the battlefield.

There were about a few dozen Evil Peak Demons all slugging around them. Yi Lian called back Winters-Gaze and turned to Nie Asreal. "Can you make it lighter?" He asked and Nie Asreal nodded. He pulled out a bunch of talismans and threw them in a circle around them.

Fire blazed up from the ground illuminating the Demons but also drawing their attention to them. Their rocky heads all grinder around against their necks and once they were in their sights they started coming fast towards them.

These were obviously older demons because they had swift movements and more fluidity with their body. Yi Lian and Nie Asreal stood back to back and charged in separate directions.

Yi Lian sawed into the air, flying elegantly down as Winters-Gaze cut through the enemies.

Nie Asreal reached into his sleeve and grabbed a dozen of talismans to throw at the demons. They shot through the air and as they touched the rocky surface they blew up into a fiery explosion of smoke. He spun and threw them, dodging left and right to avoid their sharp tallens. He was bringing them down one after the other until he reached into his Sleeve and it was empty.

This wasn't meant to be possible. He reached deeper, nothing. He looked inside his lapel, nothing.

As he was searching a talloned claw struck across his back.

"Ahh." He yelled. He turned around and kicked it hard, shattering the stone head into pieces.

There were a few advancing so he went to grab his sword when they stopped. It went quiet too and he started to see dust and sand floating up to eye level. He heard a ringing noise in his ears and couldn't move to cover them.

He felt a hand on his shoulder which released all his frozen muscles and let him move again.

The hand grabbed his arm and pulled him behind their back.

Yi Lian stood with him tightly behind him with Winters-Gaze in his other hand.

He twirled it in the air in a figure eight before slicing down, letting a beam of spiritual energy radiate from him. Yi Lian grabbed him tighter as the floor started to grow frost outwards. It webbed out like a spider's web across the ground, climbing rocks and occasionally creating spiked stalagmites.

Some found demons and spiked up tall through them, impaling them completely as the frost also engulfed them too.

Nie Asreal knew he was trying to make sure he didn't get frozen but he wanted to look around and touch everything. Power like this was mostly unheard of, definitely not in their time. He settled on stepping closer to Yi Lian and lacing his arms around his stomach, pressing his body against his back.

Nie Asreal asked in a teasing tone, "Better?"

Yi Lian gulped and looked up to him, whilst he did that the frost started to turn to sheet ice around them.

Yi Lian blushed and looked around. "I- I didn't mean to do that."

Nie Asreal shrugged and held him tighter.