Through Life and Death

“Hand over the Divine Fate Pearl. Don't make it harder for yourself Long Fei. You and your friend can have an easy death if you just hand over the treasure”   

“Never! My master used this treasure to save the lives of others, but because of your greed, you decided to kill him, in hopes of monopolizing the power! Do you have no shame? 3 different sects, with power to rule the black rose empire, all ganged up on a single man, just because he had a heaven defying treasure. You fools!” said Long fei, his eyes bloodshot. 

Long Fei and his friend, Ling Yun had been running from the divine sky alliance for days now. He had found his master dead, with people standing around him, swords dripping with blood. They had been looking for the divine fate pearl, a treasure capable of looking into the  fate of a person. Their master had only used it for good, but the alliance had wanted the power for themselves, so they killed him for it. 

His master’s last dying words were for him to take the pearl and run, run as far as he could, and to not look for revenge, because it would torment him forever. Long Fei had run to his friend for help, but had also led the alliance to Ling Yun’s home, which was soon destroyed. They had now reached the Dark Dawn empire, and had been backed into a corner. 1000 people had surrounded them, all at the peak level of the continent.

“This is your last chance brat. Hand over the treasure, and you will be able to leave here with your body intact. If you don't hand over the pearl, just imagine what will befall your puny sect after we get that treasure” said the grand elder of the Beast Sect. “You know you have no chance of escaping from our army”

Long Fei looked around, hoping for an opportunity to break free from this enclosurement. Behind him was the Dark Abyss, also known as the Hellscape, a cliff that nobody had been able to come back alive from. He looked down, seeing nothing but darkness. Maybe this is for the best, he thought. I would be able to meet my master again, and the other sects wouldn't get a hold of the pearl. 

Long Fei and Ling Yun looked at each other, each knowing what the other was thinking, they both leapt backwards, closed their eyes, and fell down into the abyss. They could hear the 3 elders  shouting, telling their subordinates to stop Long Fei, but it was no use.

They fell for 10 minutes, preparing for the impact of the floor. Long Fei fell onto his back, feeling the sharp rocks breaking through his skin. He heard a cry of pain from Ling Yun, and saw him dragging his body over to him

“My leg has been fractured. We will not survive long here. There are demonic beasts, everywhere” he said

Long Fei looked around. His body had become like steel from continuous training of the profound way, but he still felt pain from the pierced skin. He helped Ling Yun up, and together, they started to walk forward. There was only darkness around them. They trudged forward, feeling their way through the dark, like a blind man might do. 

Suddenly, they heard a snarl, and a demonic beast lunged at them, fangs bared. They both immediately drew their swords, and used a profound sword technique taught by their master, severing the beast in two. Long Fei inspected the beast, and noticed that this was just the lowest level beast in all of the continent. 

He then harvested the beast core, which would be useful while cultivating the profound way. 

He saw a small light in the distance, almost seeming like it was beckoning him to come there. He helped Ling Yun up, and they started to walk towards the light. The light started to grow bigger, and brighter, the closer they got to it, until it completely blinded them.

Finally, the light subsided, and they saw a bright orange sword. Engraved on the hilt, was a name. Mugenjin. Long Fei reached for the sword, and froze. His entire hand was stuck to the sword, and a golden fire was slowly spreading up his arm. After 5 minutes, the flames had engulfed his body, and a burning sensation flowed through his body. His mind and mental energy were at a breaking point, but he grit his teeth, and persevered through the pain. 

After what felt like an eternity to Long Fei, The flames around him all started to move towards his next, where his profound veins were located. When all the fire had been consolidated into his veins, he felt a power overflowing throughout him. Inside of his mind, he found a scripture, with the words, Phoenix Gods Profound Scripture. He had heard legends of this lost scripture, but had never imagined that it would be here, in the deadliest place in the world

“Long Fei what has happened to you. You haven't spoken for 3 hours now.” said Ling Yun

“I have found the key to our revenge, the power to decimate the Beast Sect. All I need is to reach the final gate.” exclaimed Long Fei. 

For 30 Days, Long Fei meditated this scripture, until he had reached the peak stage. During this time, Ling Yun had recovered, and practiced his own technique, to help Long Fei in the final battle. Finally, Long Fei opened his eyes.

“Its time”

2 people rose from the abyss, a powerful aura surrounding them. The Beast Sect’s subordinates saw them, and reported this information to the Beast Elders. They instantly arrived, and stared at the Long Fei and Ling Yun. 

“How is this possible. No one has ever survived the hellscape.” exclaimed one of the subordinates. 

“It doesn't matter how. All that matters is, are you guys ready to hand over the pearl? Or do you want us to take it off of your dead body?” said the grand elder

“We are here to avenge my master's death. You all wanted the pearl for ulterior motives, but my master only used it to help people. Why did you have to go to the extent of killing him for it?” asked Long Yun. “You all have powers that could rule over a small continent, and no one has ever opposed you. My master even helped your sect avert destruction, but because of that, you wanted the treasure for yourselves”

“Isn’t it obvious? He didn't give up the pearl, so we had to kill him to get it. The one thing we didn't factor in was that he had a disciple, who would go to such lengths just to keep a small pearl from us. Now, will you give us the pearl or not?!” shouted an elder

“I will never yield the pearl to your sect. Only when I am no longer breathing, will you have the power to take the pearl” said Long Fei, in a menacing tone.

“So be it” said the grand elder softly. With a flick of his hand, he signaled the armies to charge forward, and claim Long Fei’s life.

A terrifying battle occurred. Long Fei and Ling Yun battled their hardest, using all their top techniques to fend off the army. Long Fei drew the sword Mugenjin, and used the powerful technique, 9 Firmament Slashes, which decimated a quarter of the army. The elders saw this, and decided that it was time for them to get involved. They each summoned chains to bind Long Fei and Ling Yun.

Slowly, they subdued them both, thinking that they had won now, but they had never expected what was to come. 

Long Fei had opened up all the gates of the Phoenix Divine Arts, except for the last one. The last gate was warned against opening in the scripture, because the user would die after the duration of the skill, but Long Fei had no choice. He had to keep the sect from killing Ling Fei and taking the Fate Pearl.

“Phoenix God Gate, OPEN!” shouted Long Fei. The elders felt a huge increase in profound strength, and retreated immediately. 

“How is this possible. The brat should still only be halfway through the profound way?” exclaimed one elder.

Long Fei now looked demonic. His eyes had completely turned red, and his skin started to crack, to the point that blood started to ooze out. With an almighty shout, he released an intense ring of fire, that engulfed everything within 10,000 kilometers of where he stood

“Phoenix Emergence!!”

The entire army and the 3 elders were immediately burned until there was nothing left. How could a puny mortal body withstand the wrath of a god’s flames?

As soon as it started, it ended. Only Ling Yun was left standing there. 

Long Fei fell to the floor. His skin had cracks , everywhere on his body, with blood flowing out of them. He had now accepted the fact that he was going to die. 

Ling Yun ran over to his side, and tried to heal his wounds with profound energy. 

“Ling Yun, don't bother. It is already the end for me. Now, you can go and explore the world, without any fear of the beast sect, and their power” whispered Long Fei

“Long Fei, you will not die. You must live on for your master. We have gone through so much to get to this moment, so don't go and die now”

“We have become more than friends over these past 2 months. Through life and death, i will always be with you, and we will be bonded together, stronger than blood. We are now blood brothers”

“I will become your blood brother Long Fei, but you must survive, and life a long life”

“I guess you are right. I must live on for my master, so that i can solve any regrets that he had. Can you help me sit up a little?” asked Long Fei

Ling Yun helped Long Fei lean onto a rock, and they both stared at the sun, rising, like a phoenix being born.