"What happened?!" Matriarch Sheila repeated as she glanced frantically at Aldred and Julia.

"I-I didn't mean to. I'm s-so sorry." Julia tried to apologize.

"It was the Fox Dragons. Novile somehow had connections with the Fox Dragon family. We were only able to hold off most of the attackers...but six of them slipped past us and entered the bunker. I'm so sorry for what had happened here." Aldred explained.

"Who killed the six that entered? Was it Julia?"

"Yes."

"Who did this to Skaal? Was it also Julia?"

"That...yes. But please don't blame her! She...when the Fox Dragons attacked them, she tried her best to defend. All these killing, blood, and death...she wasn't ready for them. She...I'll take full responsibility for her actions!" Aldred tried to explain but Matriarch Sheila held up her hand for silence.

"Excuses will not save Skaal and what can your so called responsibility do? " Matriarch Sheila replied coldly. Then, she turned towards one of her warriors who was trying to save Skaal's life. "How is it?"

"The wound's too fatal. There's hints of lightning that's paralyzing the nerves and preventing self-regeneration. Not to mention a high lethal dosage of poison has entered his bloodstream. Even with all that blood loss, there's still a good amount of poison in his body. Regrettably, I don't have enough power to save him." The warrior stated as he bowed his head in regret and helplessness.

"There must be something we can do." Aldred replied.

He racked his brains trying to recall anything helpful from the books he had read in the past. Unfortunately there was no luck. If only this was like his previous world where even if a companion beast died, as long as the beast's spirit was still present, he could offer his body as a vessel and combine with the beast. Although this won't bring the beast back to life, it could at least keep the spirit from entering Purgatory. By doing this, he could extend the time needed to resurrect the beast. And there were numerous ways of resurrection in his previous world...unfortunately the only method he has read about was of an immortal who submerged his dead beast in a pool of Divine Beast blood and left the body there for 1000 years. Only then did the immortal's companion beast resurrect.

Aldred would go the distance just to resurrect his brother Skaal. However, can such methods really work in this world? He was just about to dismiss this thought when he recalled something. There...there were quite a few similarities between this world and his previous world. Not to mention, for a world that was supposedly created with the intent of being a world of the Magic Realm...it surprisingly had small traces of Qi. In addition, didn't the Earth God Tu BoShen say that he personally knew the Highgods and Gods of this realm? Could the Magic Realm and the Cultivation Realm...be created by the same creator?! Then, doesn't this mean that some of the laws in this realm could coincide with the laws of the Cultivation Realm?

"I-I may have an idea...but I don't know if it would work. The chances...are not in our favor." Aldred replied as he looked at Skaal as if to direct the suggestion for him to hear and decide.

"What is it? We'll try anything!" Matriarch Sheila quickly replied as she squeezed Aldred's arm.

Aldred proceeded to explain the idea of using his body as a  vessel to contain Skaal's soul and then bathing Skaal's body in high quality blood for 1000 years. Matriarch Sheila immediately refused the idea in her mind. What kind of idea was that? She had never heard of it...how could she trust the reliability of that method? When Aldred asked for her decision, she was about to refuse, but then Skaal interjected.

"Aunt...I trust Aldred...let...let him try...." Skaal muttered with the last bit of his strength. With a deep sigh, he stopped moving. At this time, everyone present knew what had happened. Skaal...had breathed his last.

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Aldred turned his gaze towards Matriarch Sheila, his eyes pleading for her to agree. Now's the time to make the decision. Any time later and the spirit will be gone. Matriarch Sheila also knew of this, having been told of how this farfetched technique worked. Finally, Matriarch Sheila agreed. Agree or reject, Skaal was still dead. At least by agreeing, there may be a miniscule chance of saving Skaal.

Aldred rushed over to Skaal's body and bit his hand. Blood trickled down his hand as he pressed it on Skaal's head where his mana core was. Now, mana cores were considered the intermediaries that connect the souls of humans and beasts alike to their magic. So, Aldred thought that since the mana cores helped the humans and the demonic beasts connect with their magic, why couldn't he use Skaal's mana core to connect to his soul? Aldred closed his eyes and concentrated. He muttered a few incantations to forcibly trap Skaal's soul into the mana core and then transfer a part of himself into the mana core to meet with Skaal's soul.

When Aldred opened his eyes, he found himself in a brown colored space with dark green spots. This must be Skaal's mana core. The color of the space for a mana core depicted the affinities of the owner and their strengths in the affinities. For instance, with Skaal's mana core, the brown color indicated Earth Affinity and the dark green spots indicated Poison Affinity. Naturally, since there was more brown than dark green, this showed that Skaal was stronger with Earth than with Poison. Aldred looked around and saw Skaal in the distance. In his state of excitement and joy, he rushed over to where Skaal was standing.

"Why are you here?" Skaal asked worriedly. Did Aldred kill himself in grief?

"I came to offer you a chance to live. Even though the success rate is close to none, are you willing to trust me on this?" Aldred explained quickly. This process that he was doing only lasts a minute. He needed to combine Skaal's soul with his own in order to bring Skaal's soul out and store it in his body.

"Who do you think I am? I'm your brother. I'll be willing to follow you with no regrets even if this chance ends in failure." Skaal grinned.

"Good brother...good brother!" Aldred smiled as well. He reached over with his hand and Skaal grabbed it. Aldred closed his eyes and muttered a few chants. A pulling feeling occurred briefly and their two souls dispersed into the space, blending in with each other.

Aldred opened his eyes and found himself outside back to reality. Skaal's body was nowhere to be found but a glowing orb appeared before him. The orb floated in the air for a few moments before shooting towards the middle of Aldred's forehead and piercing through. Aldred felt an intense and hot pain surging through every inch of his body. He began experiencing a few changes to his body. His cultivation surged until he broke through to the Core Expanding 2nd Stage. However, it did not stop there. His cultivation continued to increase until finally, he had reached the peak of Core Expanding 3rd Stage. His body had also undergone some modifications including a huge boost in strength, defenses, and speed. However, that was not the most ridiculous and amazing change. Aldred's body writhed in pain as the hot feeling all started residing in his left shoulder.

I will be your left arm! A thought, not Aldred's own, flashed in his mind. Was this...Skaal's?

As all of the hot feeling and pain accumulated at Aldred's left shoulder, a tearing and wrenching sound could be heard. The old wound at his left shoulder opened as tentacle-like flesh and bone started forming and protruding out from the wound. After what seemed like a forever of pain and burning, it stopped abruptly. Aldred calmed his nerves down and tentatively opened his eyes. He looked around and saw the gazes of Matriarch Sheila, Julia, and everyone else. Those were gazes of worry mixed with astonishment and disbelief.

"Ku!" Aldred winced as he reached over and massaged his left shoulder. What was that pain? Suddenly, Aldred raised his head in alertness. What is this feeling? He looked at the place where his right hand was touching...this...this is an arm?! My left arm!!

Aldred raised his left arm up to have a closer inspection. This arm of his was brown and dark green in color and had the texture of the exoskeletons of Razortails. A plated shoulder gauntlet was situated on his left shoulder and a small oval-shaped plate wrapped around his wrist essentially acting like a wrist guard.

"Wow...don't tell me...." Aldred muttered.

That's right brother. After our merge, I gathered parts of my body and formed an arm for you. I may not be there physically to help you in your future travels, but I can at least help you this much. Skaal replied.

"Skaal...you're here! This process was a success?" Aldred muttered, a glint of happiness welled up in his eyes.

Yes, it appears so.

"But why did you take apart your body? How will I resurrect you now?"

Haha, isn't my body your left arm now? Every enemy you kill will replenish my body.

"And in a thousand years, you will be reborn. Don't worry Skaal...I will resurrect you. This is my promise to you as brothers."