41 Breaking Through the Firmament

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Eventually, many couples started to show off their elegance on stage, while many managed to make apparitions appear, it was not to the extent in which the now-engaged couple achieved. Many martial techniques were used on the stage to increase the dancer's performances; the longer one could withstand the increase in speed the further their comprehensions could advance.

But there were a few who did reach the level of the Crown Prince. The Martial Way Prince, for example, managed to break into the sixth-stage Art of Dance and formed six apparitions. Unfortunately, he was not able to establish a connection of Yin and Yang with his partner, but it is to be expected. The partners would either have to have opposite personalities or constitutions.

"Congratulations boy. To find a little girl, such as her, to be your Way Companion is luck in itself. I've known many cultivators who were never able to find a partner for their everlasting journey, and you went and found yourself before the age of twenty!" Bataar joked as he materialised next to the Crown Prince.

"Senior, thank you for your kind words. If it weren't for my father, I would have pursued Svensenia years ago." Algard hurried to send his greetings, slightly shivering when he thought of the first time he saw Bataar.

An inquisitive look appeared on Svensenia's face when she saw the reverential bearing of Algard when he faced the floating fluffy lion-kitty.

She soon noticed a wickedly handsome teenager moving towards them. Even now she looked at this youth she couldn't understand how something so perfect could exist. Svensenia couldn't help but think of the phrase, "Perfection garners the envy of even Heaven."

"Brother Astrallis! Will we be able to your suave bearing upon the stage?" Algard said half-jokingly.

"Haha! You will definitely see him on stage in due time. Apart from cultivating back home, he's been forced to study the Four Arts, and I must say even with my vast experience, his skill is still as rare as a phoenix feather and a unicorn horn." Bataar said proudly.

"Well, looks like Bataar has already answered me. Apart from coming over here to give me congratulations, I was also going to ask Eversnow if she would like to dance," Astrallis said straightforwardly.

"Oh? Would you like to dance with my sister? I would expect you to pick someone you would resonate with…" Algard said in confusion.

"I definitely can resonate with her," Astrallis flashed a wicked grin towards the bewildered Crown Prince.

He then moved towards Eversnow, whose face was currently a mixture of excitement and anticipation.

"Princess, may I have your hand in dance?"

"Of course."

Astrallis and Eversnow began to move slowly towards the stage; their actions immediately caught the attention of the surroundings. Eversnow's beauty was known far-and-wide, many of the talents at the gathering had come to experience her grace.

While the men stared in appreciation at Eversnow, the women were utterly enraptured by Astrallis, his steady gait akin to a divine spear holding up the heavens.

The moonlight seemingly congregated around him, bowing down in obeisance. The light created a trail behind the duo, invoking a picturesque scene.

•••

A few old eyes, spectating the gathering, dilated upon seeing this scene.

A regal looking man with a golden crown on his head sat with a few old men around a table upon the highest mountain of the Royal Court.

"Impressive. Just by walking he has already produced an ethereal scene, his skill in the Art of Dance is most impressive." The Emperor of the Seven Dawns Imperial Kingdom stated.

"It's not just that Son. It seems the connection he has with little Snow has also invoked the scene." A white-bearded man with a robust body replied.

"Oh. Indeed, I see. They've formed a connection of Yin and Yang already? I wonder what it shall be. It usually takes the constitution of the partners. Forget personality; it's almost impossible to have opposite personalities." The Emperor thought allowed to his father, who had handed the thrown down to him a few thousand years ago.

•••

The coupled eventually made their way towards the centre of the stage, the other people who were dancing on the stage had the state of mind to realise they should leave.

Astrallis turned towards Eversnow and pulled her into him. Their faces were so close they could feel each other's breath. Astrallis moved his hand to her supple waist and held her back. She gracefully placed her hand on his shoulder, while they both charismatically put their arms in the air to the side.

The gathered eyes promptly noticed the confident actions of the two; soon those eager eyes were full of disbelief.

Two gorgeous flowers had materialised above the two, a lily and a rose. The lily was white and pure as snow, while the rose was a seductive carmine.

•••

"A miraculous symbiotic relationship of Yin and Yang have formed a between them, just through the initial touch of the two," the Emperor whispered in astonishment.

"Little Snow has the Seven-Life Snow Lily constitution, so it makes sense for her apparition to form a lily. It seems this boy has some connection to roses, except his rose seems almost malevolent." The Emperor's father concluded.

•••

Astrallis was moving slowly, but elegantly, his arms were guiding Eversnow masterfully. After every set of movements, he would move to another cardinal direction, allowing the duo to glide around the stage.

With nearly every set of movements, a new pair of flowers would appear. The ethereal heavenly flora amplified the beauty of the couple and their actions. The moonlight was akin to falling misty rain.

Astrallis suddenly lifted Eversnow into the air, causing her to spin gracefully. Her dress spread in the air around as if she was a flower blooming.

He then moved underneath her and caught her with one arm; she slid around his body till she was on her feet once more.

"Are you ready?" Astrallis whispered into her ears.

The concentration in Eversnow's eyes was all Astrallis needed.

The gravitas of the music began to gain impetus. Their movements sped up relative to the rising crescendo of the orchestra. At this point, the already numb crowd noticed a ninth pair of flowers form.

Waves of aura began to emanate from the two dancers, causing the lake to ripple. The rose tattoos across Astrallis face lit up, pulsing with waves of aura.

The pair began to step into the sky, every pulse of energy allowed them to step further into the firmament. They pirouetted in a spiral upwards, with speeds far above what their realms could manage.

Astrallis managed to guide Eversnow with, seemingly, relative ease. A glyph of a lily materialised on Eversnow's face, pulsing in unison with Astrallis' rose tattoos.

The glyphs and tattoos emitted an ethereal copy of themselves and spun around the dancing duo, before amalgamating with the flower apparitions above. The heavenly flora began to increase in size and brightness as a result.

Their movements carried on for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. Eventually, the veins in Astrallis arms were becoming evidently more strained; they were already moving at speeds three times his norm. They only managed to handle the strain because of the union of the lilies and roses.

The lilies and roses began to flash intermittently, nearly losing their lustre. Once the duo was not able to withstand the increased speed of the dance, the flowers would vanish.

"This is the level I reached with Enyo, around a year and a half ago. I need to go further. If I want to advance in more comprehension, I'll need to advance the strain that my physical body can withstand." Astrallis inwardly thought.

A look of determination flashed in his eyes.

With a shout that nearly set the sky asunder, Astrallis hair and eyes both turned red. An obsidian tree, with roses proliferating it, formed behind him and moved between the floating flower apparitions. The heavenly apparitions began to settle themselves on the limbs of the tree. The intermittent flashes of the flowers stopped, and a steady glow emanated from them.

"Eversnow, use the technique I taught you," Astrallis commanded.

Eversnow grunted confirmation, the pressure almost too much for her to handle. Seven snow-white lilies appeared above her; they formed a hexagonal shape with the most significant lily at the centre. The formation began to move in an arcing fashion, and a steady stream of misty water fell upon the duo.

Their actions immediately became more energetic and lively.

•••

"Excellent!"

All the men and women sitting at the table with the Emperor stood up in excitement upon seeing the change in Eversnow.

"That boy has actually taught little Snow how to utilise her Seven-Life Snow Lily constitution." An old woman said in excitement, if Astrallis were here he would identify this old lady as the person who stood behind Eversnow when he first met her.

"Mischievious girl! Keeping us worried," the Emperor laughed happily.

"That stream of water is in fact Life-Water. It's a heavenly treasure that is almost impossible to find. I only know about it because I've seen it in an ancient archive. It seems little Snow can form it because of her physique. With Life-Water one is virtually unkillable, they can regenerate from even the most grave of wounds within a matter of moments." The father of the Emperor said in an appraising tone.

The group of seniors at the table went silent upon hearing his words, the implications ever apparent to them.

•••

Astrallis felt his entire body become rejuvenated when the Life-Water spread across his body; his movements became only more refined and energetic as a result.

Of the two, Eversnow was, of course, the most relieved. Ever since she knew about her physique, she has tirelessly been trying to utilise it and to finally experience some of the active effects of her frame left her exhilarated.

The two finally had a chance to laugh in elation. The Life-Water allowed the couple to materialise two more apparitions, increasing the amount to eleven.

Astrallis turned his head to the firmament, his gaze piercing the stars wandering around the Elysian paradise.

"Bataar, protect us. We are going to attempt it," Astrallis said.

Bataar laughed in confirmation and materialised into his gigantic Dharmic Lion form. He hovered just off of the dancing duo, ready to bring them to safety.

"Eversnow, release your Wings of Life," Astrallis said sternly.

Anticipation appeared on Eversnow's face once she realised his intentions. The cascading Life-Water formed misty wings behind her; the wings were four-meters in diameter. Her movements became firmer as a result.

"You've always wanted to see my wings, right?" Astrallis gave a quick laugh.

Astrallis robe, made of essence, dematerialised and entered his spacial robes. Leaving him with only his pants, and shoes on.

His aesthetic beauty became apparent to everyone. Beautifully carved muscles ran around his body, such a formation of tissue was hard to come by even in thousands of years. The roses across his flank only further exemplified his masculinity.

The eyes of the females around the lake, including the seniors, became burning. In their eyes, the already perfect looking boy became even more so.

Two muscles began to move under the skin of his back and exited the skin finally taking the shape of wings.

The wings were obsidian in colour, with long feathers proliferating them, and six-meters in diameter. Astrallis was akin to a seductive devil, while Eversnow was that of a pure angel.

Stern looks appeared on the faces of many when they realised that Astrallis was not fully human.

Eversnow materialised her wings through her Life-Water, while Astrallis' wings came from out of his body. There was an obvious difference.

Eversnow laughed in happiness upon seeing Astrallis wings, whatever race he is, was irrelevant for her. She was happy that she had just found a friend.

The two shot off into the sky, their laughs echoing out across the lake. The eventually broke the speed of sound and began to tear through the firmament.

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