Motherblood Expiritus Tree

"Here he com-" Cara shouted just as she realized Heian Ciemnosc might be arriving. However, Riquel didn't share the same sentiment, and as Heian Ciemnosc's dot was seen, Cara flew in the correct position to catch him. Witnessing this, Riquel hurriedly flew towards her and exploded in Neutral Energy. Cara looked at him quizzically, but Riquel knew they didn't have time for that. "Use your Neutral Energy! Hurry!!"

…Pshift~!! “...?” Cara had no idea why her baby boyfriend was asking her this, but she did it anyway and looked towards the incoming Heian Ciemnosc. Then, her eyes constricted, and she understood. Before Riquel could become the hero she needed and act like the man he wanted to be, Heian Ciemnosc’s body flashed before their eyes and tackled them both.

Thud- thad! Wheeeeeeeesh~!

Cara received Heian Ciemnosc’s head, shoulders, and upper torso, while Riquel was hit by Heian Ciemnosc’s feet, which were thankfully no longer Claws Out. Even then, the momentum and Heian Ciemnosc’s weight from his bodily strength proved fatal… for their image.

“Kuwgyaaah!” - “Hu- awhwahwaaaaa~!” Cara shrieked cutely, shutting her eyes and rolling backwards with her feet replacing her head. Riquel was struck slightly disastrously, and his torso was kicked immediately downwards. His closed eyes didn’t help, and his back hit the ground, reflecting his body to keep entangled with Heian Ciemnosc’s legs.

Together, Cara and Riquel rolled as they cushioned Heian Ciemnosc’s fall. Their bodies weren’t broken, and their crystallized armors underneath their skin helped them a bit, but they were still repeatedly rolled by Heian Ciemnosc’s body. The trio met the dirt and grass with every inch of their bodies, dirtying their clothes and exposed skin.

Roll, roll… rustle~... Heian Ciemnosc was the last to stop rolling but the first to push his body from the ground. More or less knowing what happened with his Spirit Sense slightly recuperating with the pills the Phosphorescent Flower Sect disciples gave him, Heian Ciemnosc pulled his body up with his arms and legs before staring at Cara, who faced the sky and was dirty.

“Cara?” Heian Ciemnosc called out. Cara suddenly moved her head and looked at him. Heian Ciemnosc heavily breathed a few times before crawling towards her. Meanwhile, Riquel groaned as his head turned left and right, facing the dirt.

Tap, tap, tap. Rustle, rustle.

“Why so silent? Missed me?” Heian Ciemnosc crawled near Cara and moved her clothes a little to reveal her stomach and sides, but her skin was alright, and Heian Ciemnosc’s headache didn’t let him peer through them since they had anti-Spirit Sense, but she wasn’t on guard against him. And they had an intimate history, too.

“Mhaha, yeah. Just like old times, huh?” Cara said, lifting her clothes to flash Heian Ciemnosc her breasts, which Riquel saw. He grimaced and groaned again. Cara smiled sweetly, having teased her boyfriend, and got up while stupidly giggling but walking towards him. Meanwhile, Heian Ciemnosc was flabbergasted. Did Riquel not know everyone could see Cara naked in the Team? Heian Ciemnosc shook his head, ‘Maybe he forgot. Or he wasn’t ready for that. Ah, is Cara trying to win a husband?’

“Ah! Thanks, love,” Riquel’s voice suddenly sounded. Thus, Heian Ciemnosc stood up and faced the lovebirds. Heian Ciemnosc saw Cara hugging Riquel’s neck, and the latter looked at him weirdly as if noticing something. This was the moment, and it was crucial since it involved Heian Ciemnosc’s pals. Thus, he asked, “Ey, Riquel. Does your Team not shower together?”

“... Ah!” Riquel’s weird expression dissipated as Cara’s forehead pressed on the former’s chest all this time. Riquel lifted his left-handed index finger in understanding and said, “I see… I forgot about that. So, Cara… What were you teasing me for?!”

“Me? Teasing you? How? When? Why?” Cara pointed at herself and her open mouth as she lifted her face. She sounded and looked cute simultaneously, and Riquel was left helpless before one of the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s beauties. She closed her mouth and dashingly smiled, “Hehehe. Why would I tease you, Rics? It’s all good~...”

“Heian Ciemnosc!” - “Black monster!”

At this moment of awkwardness as the third wheel, the tired black monster, Heian Ciemnosc, was saved by Yun Tang and the heavenly leading figure. Heian Ciemnosc turned around to see his other teammates, team leader, and the Interchanging Dust Dynasty’s and Phosphorescent Flower Sect’s leading Teams.

“Brother, are you alright? How did you come here so fast?!” Yun Tang ran to stand behind Heian Ciemnosc, who was now facing them, and held himself from bear-hugging the shit out of the fearsome, terrible black monster. The heavenly leading figure also stood before Heian Ciemnosc with his hands on his hips, wanting to question more but letting Heian Ciemnosc speak at his own pace.

Heian Ciemnosc looked at them both before sighing, “Sigh. I’m fine. I just exhausted myself. Let’s not delay our mission.”

“Alright. So, what happened to that Chosen. Did you finish him? Or is he alive?” The heavenly leading figure went to the point. Heian Ciemnosc nodded at him and answered, “I could only deal him a few blows before I had to flee.”

“Understandable, sigh… If only you had a higher cultivation base, you might’ve been able to fight Chosen Ezquivel. Let’s not waste more time. First, regroup. We’ll be on our way to the swamp after securing our path and take a look at the battlefield ahead of us.” The heavenly leading figure felt that Heian Ciemnosc needed compensation for wasting the enemy’s leader’s time and resulting injured.

“...” At this moment, Beto arrived at the scene and heard everything from Heian Ciemnosc’s answer to the heavenly leading figure. He strangely looked at Heian Ciemnosc before turning to the Dynasty’s leading figure. “Heian Ciemnosc can recuperate as we move. The Wrath Nihility Academy’s new Supreme Art is that good. We can assess the battlefield as we are on the move.”

“Alright, let’s get going! That Motherblood Expiritus… it better not be about to bloom! We’ll only arrive in half a day more at least. Let’s go!” The heavenly leading figure didn’t doubt Beto’s words as he directly ordered the Teams. Heian Ciemnosc was grabbed by the arms by Cara and Riquel, with the former placing his left arm above her shoulders. Riquel did the same, but with only his left shoulder, and helped Heian Ciemnosc up. He was taller than them, so Heian Ciemnosc’s feet dragged on the ground.

“No time for that. I authorize everyone the use of Fighters. Just don’t die. I will be too ashamed to say how it went if I survive this.” The heavenly leading figure said, directly taking his Fighter out, which his Team rapidly boarded.

Pushuong! Pushuong! Pushuong!... The other Teams did the same. As for Heian Ciemnosc and the Team, they chose the Ornament out since it was the fastest Fighter available and the only one with a smallish engine, a space-classified engine. It would prove advantageous in emergency situations.

Whoooosh~! Whooosh! Whoooosh! Whooosh!...

Thus, 4 Fighters flew at maximum speed onwards. A thousand kilometers were traveled in under a minute, followed by the other one and a half before finally coming close to the battlefield, including a few million cultivators, with some elites in the coalition.

“Heian Ciemnosc, slow down— we won’t advance without an army backing us up!” Beto said in the cabin. Heian Ciemnosc did as instructed and led the Fighter formation towards the ground. The others followed with it since they were already aware of any possible situation and descended around the Ornament.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud…

The Teams exited their Fighters and stored them before rushing around the battlefield. It was a gigantic line where both sides extended 300 meters before the swamp to surround the immediate surroundings. It wasn’t a large area, so both sides blocked the way to the other and forced each other to fight until death. Heian Ciemnosc studied the battlefield and felt apprehensive. They couldn’t use Fighters, or the enemy would swarm over with everything they had and do the same.

“More elite Teams are joining the battle,” the heavenly leading figure said as he opened his emblem and let it float in a circle, which the other Teams rapidly joined, including Heian Ciemnosc, who still needed to recuperate. The hologram displayed the coalition and enemy forces’ soldier units with the leading organizations’ main colors and the enemies with a verdant tone.

“As more elite Teams join, the balance will be broken. But there’s the situation with the enemy Chosen.” The heavenly leading figure looked at Heian Ciemnosc and politely asked, “Black monster, will Chosen Ezquivel join us soon?”

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“No, I managed to hit his body and injure him somewhat in the last second of the brawl. I had to flee afterwards. Immediately.” Heian Ciemnosc concluded. Beto looked weirdly at Heian Ciemnosc again, but the latte ignored it. The heavenly leading figure nodded, feeling more relieved, and continued. “Fine. We’ll join, too. My Interchanging Dust Dynasty will need your backup…”

Thus, a plan was devised in under 2 minutes. They were cultivators, thinking hard, and all possibilities could be done in under a few seconds without abundant experience. There were citizens who could accomplish this in the Crimsonbreaking Faction, but they were all sent to serve with the Third Step soldiers, so it couldn’t be compared to how citizens are mostly seen in every other part of the world.

After deciding on the strategy, the Teams moved, with Beto, Riquel, Yun Tang, and the heavenly leading figure distributing the plans to their organizations’ soldier units, who then passed them on to the other coalition organizations. Like this, the battle took a turn for the coalition’s best interests.

… A few million from each side made at least a ten or dozen million soldier units fighting in the same battle. It wasn’t an unseen image to Heian Ciemnosc, but like before, he was glad he didn’t have to command them and could just fight, kill, eat, recuperate more, and continue fighting. Heian Ciemnosc’s dark claws showered enemy cultivators below the Light/Dark realm wherever he went, and because ‘black monster’ wasn’t even at the Breaking Point realm, no Light/Dark realm cultivators could target him.

Even when they did, they were stopped by other cultivators with equal cultivation bases from the coalition, preceding the battle from the rear to level things out. If one was a Breaking Point realm and had, so to speak, a Sky grade weapon to fight those way above their stage, a Light/Dark realm cultivator could step in and deal with the former. But that wasn’t the case. Heian Ciemnosc was only using his body, and a Supreme Art didn’t grant such immense, raw prowess as a Sky weapon would.

Thus, Heian Ciemnosc could freely move between the enemy and even more as he used his 2-meter dark tail. He was key to opening the Team’s way to move elsewhere to avoid heavy encirclement or find better enemies. Beto chose to lead his Team in the air, as they could rapidly respond to any enemy incursion from the sky with expertise because they fought in space more than others, and he could even face off a Frigate immediately if it was needed, let alone measly Fighters.

Thus, even if an enemy Light/Dark realm 10th stage cultivator chased Heian Ciemnosc, Beto would swat the shit out of them and instruct another with the same cultivation base from the coalition to deal with them. The Crimsonbreaking Faction became an obvious factor in the battle, and with time, more and more coalition soldier units arrived by Fighters, and its base finally reached where the modified Rychly Transporting Formation Array had crashed.

It was a question of time for the enemy to be subtly exterminated. Heian Ciemnosc and the other elite Teams fiercely fought, with the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s soldier units and elite Teams being the first to mow the battlefield like grass. They created a vivid opening in the enemy’s lines, consuming terrain on the ground and the sky. Wherever one looked in the battlefield’s south, they would see a Crimsonbreaking soldier chasing others. Never did they see it the other way, and whenever a Crimson was surrounded, they lashed out at anything that moved! Not letting the enemy get an opportunity to win over them! Mentally or physically!!

The Interchanging Dust Dynasty weren’t weaklings, and their Blurred Painting Supreme Art was protected by the other primary organizations that founded the coalition. The Obscure Orb Sect’s Milblades Storm Supreme Art was especially noticeable, showing everywhere the Interchanging Dust Dynasty went, with the latter protected from energy, tools, and weapons attacks from the sky. On the other hand, the Genoa’s Descent Supreme Arts of the Phosphorescent Flower Sect flourished on the ground under the cover of the Milbladess Storm’s obscurity.

Even then, with the combination of those 3 destroyed the enemy’s military formations simultaneously in the sky and on the ground. It was the Crimsonbreaking Faction that excelled the most in the battle. A few million Crimson soldier units were enough to slowly gnaw at the enemy’s numbers. But as their whole army arrived, even with the enemy also implementing most of their soldier units to the battle, they were obliterated and stomped down by the ever-advancing Crimsonbreaking Faction.

Slowly… the enemy’s numbers faded, and as the late afternoon arrived, all they could do was fight one last time before looking around and decide… if to die or flee.

… Thud, step- crrrk. Step, step, step, step, step, step…

Heian Ciemnosc walked. That’s it. He slowly walked from the last enemy he killed and stored in his Covert Space bags to the swamp. He was tired and had an infinitude of injuries around his legs. They bled dark but were already closing, and the dark blood was returning to his body. Even then, the pain of using so much of his dark Neutral Energy reminisced him of the old times.

Years after attaining the Second Step, Heian Ciemnosc had believed he wouldn’t feel any more pain when overusing dark Neutral Energy. This was something regular that only the Third Step cultivators could get rid of, but with how special he was, Heian Ciemnosc thought he wouldn’t be harmed by it. His cultivation base didn’t suffer a change, or a secondary effect or side effect, but his body hurt everywhere.

As Heian Ciemnosc walked towards the swamp, he met with the other leading elite Teams, including his teammates and Beto. They weren’t as tired, but their Neutral Energy storage was nearly depleted and were recuperating as they regrouped to devise another plan to enter the swamp.

“...” Heian Ciemnosc could see it in the Interchanging Dust Dynasty’s eyes’ glints. They were so close to achieving their goal! Nothing could be as bad as never being able to evolve despite deserving to do it. Heian Ciemnosc couldn’t share the sentiment, but he could understand how desperate he would feel if his [All-Devouring Force Chronicles] no longer progress. His goals would be slowed down detrimentally.

“The swamp is ahead of us,” the heavenly leading figure, with his torso bleeding but unguent already working its effect to close the wounds, faced Beto, who then asked. “How can we enter? Is there any restriction? Or trap?”

“We’ve already checked. We can only enter on foot, but there’s no restriction… Everything’s safe,” the heavenly leading figure said. Heian Ciemnosc walked into their circle, with only Yun Tang and Riquel around as the rest of the Teams looked from the sides, waiting for the decision to be made.

“Heian Ciemnosc, can you nature read through the entrance?” The heavenly leading figure looked at Heian Ciemnosc and politely asked him. Heian Ciemnosc’s haggard face looked up at the former before turning to the swamp. His darkest eyes didn’t have any change, and he just started at the swamp. Seconds passed by with the others not noticing anything, but they were patient.

Finally, Heian Ciemnosc returned his darkest eyes towards the leading figures and informed them. “There’s… nothing. This area is only trees and thick vegetation, with the swamp waters only reaching up to one’s heels. It’s… like a wall. One that couldn’t let me see deeper. I could only read the beginning of the swamp. Nothing else.”

“... We’ll have to cross it.” The heavenly leading figure said. Opposite of him was Yun Tang, who looked like he could keep going for another few battles like this one. His achievements in this battle were tremendous, and he had achieved comprehension level in the Genoa’s Descent Supreme Art. It was a terrific sight for both ally and foe but only fatal for the latter.

“Let’s advance slowly again,” Heian Ciemnosc calmly said. “I can keep nature reading when we’re in and check if the army can enter it, too.”

“Did you feel anything else?” Riquel asked, not doubting Heian Ciemnosc’s intentions despite some nearby elite cultivators wearing questioning looks. If Heian Ciemnosc had everything, and even potential in the rarest department, nature reading, as he had declared earlier, they could very well vomit blood.

“Only that it’s good to take precautions.” Heian Ciemnosc said. He looked at Beto, who stared at him all this time. Beto blinked and unnoticeably nodded before facing the Dynasty’s leading figure. “We should move fast. We’ve already taken several steps ahead of the Tortoise Glabella Pavilion. If we sleep now, it would be for nothing.”

“Sigh, yeah… It’s exhausting, but nothing else can be said. Let’s move out!” The heavenly leading figure placed his fists on his hips and looked around. His eyes glinted with honor as he looked at every organization that had fought without taking a step back, and said as he turned around and flashed a grateful glance at Heian Ciemnosc.

“Hahh,” Beto sighed, throwing his head backwards as Heian Ciemnosc walked and stood beside him. Beto turned towards him and said, smiling slightly. “You’ve done so much for the Interchanging Dust Dynasty. Are you this desperate to see that holy, godly beauty again?”

Heian Ciemnosc shook his head. “It’s not like that. But her rewards will be far too good for what I, and you, Team, are prepared for. I believe…”

Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head slightly to the left on his last few words, becoming pensive. Beto’s eyes became surprised before his face relaxed and slapped Heian Ciemnosc’s back, “Come on, time to move.”

…Step, step, step, step, step.

The Teams walked into the swamp after notifying the rest of the organizations behind. They formed a thin line to surround the swamp. They were only to block the way towards it directly. They couldn’t waste time encircling it. This wasn’t a military operation, but one with an urgent race against time, and which the coalition was far from being saved.

Passing through the swamp’s entrance, the leading elite Teams observed just what Heian Ciemnosc had mentioned. Trees, thick vegetation, and low swamp waters. After 150 meters of walking through them, not daring to act unbridled, they exited the slow pathway towards the Motherblood Expiritus. Beto was the first to peek into the outside, with Heian Ciemnosc right behind him and Ruo Wei holding his right pale hand to comfort each other after the battle.

“...Heian Ciemnosc! Come look, is that it?!” Suddenly, Beto attracted Heian Ciemnosc and Ruo Wei’s attention, who looked in his direction still in the swamp entrance. They looked at each other before Heian Ciemnosc took the first step to be the second outside the slow pathway. He was immediately met with a setting sun overshadowing a distant hill. It wasn’t too far, merely 1 kilometer away, but seemed to be separated from the swamp entrance, like worlds apart.

Lush, swoosh~... The other leading figures stepped out of the entrance after Heian Ciemnosc, with Ruo Wei right behind him, and looked ahead. When they noticed the hill, they fell silent as if hypnotized. Then, Yun Tang said as he turned towards Heian Ciemnosc, demonstrating his untouchable willpower. “Hey, brother. Is that the Motherblood Expiritus Tree?”

“Yes…” Heian Ciemnosc immediately responded. His pitchest-blackest eyebrows gently sank. Heian Ciemnosc added in a soft, quiet voice only Ruo Wei and Beto could hear before the others. “Its blooming shape is a tree… This is the purest. It can only mean great news for the Interchanging Dust Dynasty… But if it falls on our enemy’s hands…”

Heian Ciemnosc sternly turned his head towards his team leader, “We must hurry and leave with it!”

Heian Ciemnosc’s voice was as ultimately cold as hoarse and dragged on. Beto had never seen him so adamant in something in the years they’ve been working as a Team.

…