Corruption of life.

While the row of carriages trekked past, a cloud of dust rose like a great dragon.

The wind was harsh, and the dryness soured any good mood.

Great pillars rose from the sand, like great and lonely gods, they reached beyond the skies as if to hold the Heavens. Below was a vast expanse that drove the most courageous of spirits away, with the occasional sight of a 10th level Demonic General Devouring Earth worm rising like a whale, and sinking low, an Immortal crane splattered into a blood mist. The heat was abominable, and steam shot off a person like a drop of cold water in a heated pan, the slightest drop of sweat peeled off the body faster than the eye could behold.

Wu Long was currently meditating, the need for water and food disappeared at Divinity crossing, but as he had yet to reach that point he strove to lessen the strain on his body.

Yet still one could already see his skin was a horrible shade, and his dry lips were cracked.

A guard knocked on the door, and Feng Jiaying who was nice and cool with a spirit treasure simply asked with a grunt.

"Mistress , it seems a storm is approaching, would you like to rest, or for us to go and get rid of it?"

Feng Jiaying didn't answer and instead looked at Wu Long.

Wu Long slowly opened his eyes, he said, "I suppose we should rest. I don't want Lightning to face any danger, furthermore it should be rather tired flying without rest."

Feng Jiaying nodded and said, "Prepare a camp to rest, after the storm passes we'll continue."

The guard said, "Yes Mistress!"

Wu Long left the carriage and looked up, he whistled loudly.

Lightning quickly descended.

Wu Long smiled as he stroked Lightning's coat, and the eagle responded with a delightful chortle.

Wu Long said, "Wait here, it's dangerous. I'll go fetch some food for you."

Lightning nodded.

While lightning was a 1st Level Demonic General, it's bloodline and divinity severely limited it's future. Wu Long could feel a rich flow of celestial energy, and believed either a treasure or beast that possessed a strong bloodline, and also a strong divine power was close. If he found a beast all he had to do was rob the bloodline power, and give it to lightning, and then graft the divine bone.

Wu Long pet Lightning, and softly remembered his master.

He then gazed forth towards the source of the celestial energy with a determined gaze.

He flew off with a few steps. Quickly covering the distance Wu Long reached a natural depression, within it was a small cave enough for a child to crawl through.

Wu Long took a deep breath, he searched through Jia Mei's memories, and used a divine technique called Light shuffling.

His figure transformed into a thin beam of light that slid through the small cave entrance and sharply zoomed into the deeper areas of the cave.

Wu Long's figure slowly diffused from the light, and he gazed around. Brilliant crystals hung on the roof of the cave, and lit it in a dim light. The thick smell of mold filled the cave, and the rustling of water echoed.

The stalagmites at the top dripped with chilling water, and it fell like bullets down slowly breaking down the cave.

Wu Long looked around cautiously. The scuttling of small beasts boomed in the hypersensitive Wu Long, and his breathing slowly became lower and lower.

Wu Long sharply opened his eyes, he then twisted his waist as his feet dug into the ground, he sent a deep and heavy punch outwards towards his left.

A heavy thud echoed, along with deep shriek of some creature.

Wu Long could barely gaze upon it's body, it was a faint white glow as it slid between the rocks and disappeared.

Wu Long stole a sword from his collection, it shone in a dangerous gold, and the air hissed as the blade once again showed it's sharpness for the God's and Demons to weep.

Wu Long focused his gaze, and his heart stilled into a clear lake. The clever cry of the sword echoed, it hummed like a thousand coiling dragons.

Wu Long swept his sword to the left, and a sheen of dangerous sword light shot out destroying an array of rocks.

Wu Long suddenly felt the feeling of an unknown presence disappear, and with a frown spun around and flashes of his sword intent cried out stroking every direction in disaster and Destruction.

A sharp hiss cried out, and a great long Serpent dug out from the dust that settled, and it's reddened eyes served to contrast it's beautiful jade like scales. It's scales were undoubtedly sturdy, and even the sweep of Wu Long's sword intent didn't break past the scales. While this could be understood of naivety of using a subtracted bit of strength, furthermore the swords quality was unfit for a sword intent baring warrior thus heavily diminishing the intent that Wu Long could push out. Wu Long's sword intent was after all only the most weak, and beginner form of sword intent.

Wu Long intended to make a move, but suddenly moved out of the way.

A pulsing beam of power shot out from the snakes mouth, it wrought destruction with every wisp of it's aura, and the terrible sound that splintered out could seize the Heavens and rip them apart.

Wu Long flinched as the waves of sound echoed in his ears, blood poured from his nose and ears.

He quickly stabbed forward.

The snake spun around, coiling through the sword light.

It opened it's mouth, and again shot a beam of light.

Wu Long swung his sword, "Five dancing dragon's!"

Five, ethereal, small snakes rose up, and shot towards the beam.

Wu Long managed to decrease the power it compelled, and dodged to the ground.

Wu Long sped forward, his sword tucked inside, he wished to close the distance and make the serpent unable to use it's powerful attack.

Wu Long, arrived in front of the shifting serpent. He swung his blade up, and it clashed against the mouth of the snake flinging it into the wall.

The serpent roared in pain.

Wu Long mounted the serpent, and drove his sword 7 inches below it's head.

The serpent began to rise, it's mouth unleasing blast after blast of thunderous explosions. It began to slam it's body against the wall, smashing Wu Long again and again.

Wu Long tightly clung to the sword, and then began to unleash sword intent.

The serpent became even more ferocious, and began to glow brightly, it's blood essence began to boil as it struggled to live.

Wu Long, sent wave after wave of sword energy into the snake, destroying it's innards. Finally destroying it's brain, and boiling brain matters oozed from it's eyes.

Wu Long rolled to the ground, his pants echoing loudly.

He took out a Grade 3 Spirit refilling, and a Grade 7 Healing pill.

He quickly swallowed the two, and said, "I need to reach Divine Gate, and get some Celestial energy."

He then got up and reached for the serpent, and dragged it's heavy body outside.

The Feng clan guards were surprised seeing Wu Long injured.

"Bro Wu, you need any help?"

Wu Long shook his head, and he continued to move towards the carriages.

He called out, "Lightning!"

The eagle soon appeared, and Wu Long sank to his knees.

"Here I brought you some good stuff. After I purify the bloodline, and extract the divine bone, you can eat this 3rd Level Demonic spirit."

Lightning gave a loud guffaw, to show it's delight.

Wu Long, used his memories to quickly extract the bloodline, and then purify it. Then to remove the divine bone. Finally done, he allowed lightning to eat.

Wu Long gazed at the vial of blood, and muttered, "Low level demonic spirit bloodline..."

Wu Long felt that using such a bloodline was too insignificant to properly raise Lightning. He needed a powerful bloodline from another beast, to compel lightnings origin bloodline to awaken.

Wu Long looked through Jia Mei's memories hoping to find a way, but was ultimately left helpless. While Jia Mei had a great surplus of techniques for cultivation, and battle methods, in other aspects she was useless. She was a total musclehead, without any actual substance. Her talent in alchemy, formation creation, beast rearing, everything suffered.

Wu Long sighed, he decided if there were no conventional ways he could only perform something more vile.

His eyes blackened for a moment. He took lightning and disappeared back into the cave where he fought the snake.

He used a small formation around the cave to prevent any signs of his actions being seen.

Slowly his eyes again became completely black, the evil spirit inside him stirred. Black veins drove on his white skin, and he stuck his hands into the blood.

He sent the essence of the evil spirit into the blood, he was trying to corrupt the bloodline. Evil spirits could occasionally bind to a person, and corrupt their bloodlines or Cultivation in exchange for greater power. Yet doing so rendered a person insane, Wu Long was hoping to perform the prior and elude the latter.

His evil spirit was a deep composite of malice and hatred, hundreds upon hundreds of souls were locked inside it festering like a virus set upon the Heavens.

The blood began to boil, becoming a strange green. It began to lap upon itself, as if devouring itself. Deep cackles and mournful cries echoed loudly like the presence of the coldest hell.

Lightning began to cry out in fear.

Wu Long began to manipulate the very basis of the bloodline, it's essence being viciously used.

Yet before long, he could retract his hands.

Although the bloodline had increased in terms of power, it's purity which mattered remained weak and worthless.

Wu Long sighed.

Yet then a dangerous thought provoked in his mind. He dared not await it's formation, and hastily threw it out. Yet again it enticed him!

He gazed at lightning.

He came close to it, his masters last remaining image in the world. He hugged it, and gently stroked it. His eyes began warm as tears flowed.

"To remain forever... Even as the callings of Heaven demand representative of his sins. Even as beguiled by tomorrow, and it's fantasy, lost in the carefree dance he yields to the devil. Prompted by Heaven and Hell, for the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape."

Wu Long took the blood, and with closed eyes, and with reckless abandonment, fed Lightning the twisting soup, who readily assumed of favorable disposition. It drank, had no duress as the last lick tasted it, and for all to see, it's eyes believed all in one true being, for no foul and false alarm from Heaven could deny thee.

It's eyes fluttered to a close, and the night dyed it's body.

It's mouth exclaimed in a panic, and a pang of grief choked the defeated boy.

He yet, bore the turning of the wheel, and dove through any belief and thought, shook on a firm desire.

His hands grabbing it's neck, and from his fingers a crippling darkness surged.

The cry of Heavens, and their tears soaked into the cave, begging and pleading. And so forth wrath arose, and with it's menacing crimson, it bared forth a fury that burnt all sinners to ash.

Even the darkness seemed too fickle to accomplish, such a feat, and indeed only a true malevolent spirit could accommodate such a insidious Affair.

The cry of pain, as it's flesh began to peel as fire birth inside it's eyes and melted it's spirit and soul, and even as it's muscles were ripped as by the hand of a wicked god.

and so from the

borne from the wretched sinew, and rotted flesh, it's skin bore of earthly sin, suckling from the corpses of ancient Gods, it's eyes a defeated animation.

Wu Long fell to his knees, crippled in greed, and insanity.

Yet as it gazed up, as the corrupted soul in front of him, only a peal of laughter could escape.

"Master... You won't leave me again right?"