Day 24 Day

Xia Yuning instructed the others to leave Liang Yu alone. Stating he was injured when they explored the cave. An Xueyun backed up the statement and was able to put her mind at ease that the dip in the water did affect him.

The students agreed that staying in the same place would be dangerous. The decision to try and find the other teachers and the remaining students on most of their minds. Linlin volunteered to watch over Liang Yu. After a talk with a very nosy Xia Yuning, she found out nothing untoward happens between the two.

Considering she could have screamed in the cave and that would have alerted most of them. Linlin found it cute how interested she was in Liang Yu. Even going so far as teasing her.

Leaving in a huff with the others, Linlin moved to the cave were Liang Yu happened to be. She was suprised spotting someone else there standing guard. Flame at the ready she was ready to fight if need be.

"He is with us." Liang Yu opened his eyes looking at her. In his hand was some Snow Essence. "Take this and cultivate it. 4th Heavenly Layer will not be enough for what's going on. You may not make it to the 5th but that doesn't mean this won't help a little more."

"Thank you!" Linlin took it and sat down. She kept an eye on Liang Jian who on the closer look was watching here subtley. 'His eyes seem familiar but other than that, I have know idea who he is.'

"I am almost done consolidating my Realm. The resources helped a lot." Liang Jian felt more confidant in himself and trusted his cousin more. So far he brought no harm to him and even helped him reach higher in his cultivation. 'If I would have listen before, I would never have experienced what happened. But then I would never have grown a little.'

"That is good. Since I do not want to be left behind, I need to kick it up a bit myself." After cultivating since getting back and diving out a few bribes to the student's everything else would be used by himself now. 'Need to consume everything I have to get an edge!'

Circulating his cultivation over an over countless times. The Frost Qi, the Snow Essence, the Qi from the corpses all were used up. His Dantian expanded under the influence. The quality of the qi there was higher than before.

Liang Yu's veins throbbed from the intense energy. But it was not over. The Flame Vortex Core was forced to spin. He needed to breakthrough there as well.

*Woom!* The Flame Vortex expanded tremendously. As if waiting for this chance. Liang Yu became aware that it was held back by his Dantian. The Flame Vortex Core was ready to go to the next level already but since the Dantian was at a lower level it didn't break the boundary to the next realm.

'Hmm, so I can not neglect my Dantian.' Liang Yu pondered the reason why and could understand the need to have that at a higher level always. 'If the second is at a higher realm it would make it impossible to hide it. It was good I never pushed it more. My dantian is constantly on the front end of things so I defintely need to keep cultivating it.'

*Woom! Woom! Woom! Woom!* The Flame Vortex increased inside by a large volume. Defintely by 4x at least. His qi radiated in his body wildly. Every nook and cranny was pushed. His bones changing just slightly but not by a lot. The muscles renewed with a small durability increase.

Little microscopic traces of metal could be found around the bone now. The same type of metal as the seed in his chest.

Liang Jian and Linlin looked on shock. Neither one had seen someone's breakthrough so painfully before. Both watched as redlines appeared on his body then receded. Neither caring about what that was. After all, if they needed to know he would tell them.

Without going into the Flame Vortex to be grounded down and reform, he did not receive the information of those offered fully. But he did receive something else. Just needed time to digest it more.

Hours passed as Liang Yu cultivated. Liang Jian and Linlin ended up getting to know one another as best they could. Liang Jian not giving his name but letting her know he was part of the Dark Moon family at least.

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Sometime later-

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Linlin took of to do her task that were assigned. Directed by Liang Yu to where a few of the others could be from her House. She made sure to be careful as she left. Giving Liang Jian a look before departing.

Liang Yu just grinned at his cousin. Teasing him that the mysterious look was working for him. Going over a few plan changes, Liang Jian did not like the sound of some of it but understand a few Dark Moon members wouldn't survive by the looks of it.

Liang Yu was heading through the area to hopefully get a drop on the person attacking Xia Yuning around this time. But with things changed up so much that might not happen. Only time would tell really.

Hopefully, if he saves her ass he can get a few rewards to help his cultivation further. Liang Jian ran behind him. Happy to be out of the Internal Space at this time really. Something about the fresh air tasted even better to him.

"The 5th Heavenly Layer is amazing. I feel so powerful." Liang Jian gave his cousin a smile. Despite having a higher cultivation, he still felt he would lose against Liang Yu still. But during the fighting, as they travelled the area, he notices his cousin went for the kill when hunting demonic beasts. 'Is that what I lack? The intent to kill.'

"Good, it only gets better from what I hear. We just need to get to higher levels to survive easier." Liang Yu did not look back as he kept his eyes on the surroundings. They were after all still outnumbered. "Just make sure you keep covered. The element of surprise is the best for now."

"Understood." Liang Jian nodded and focused on getting in battle mode. "Hmm?"

The two came upon a battle. Xia Yuning was fighting against what looked to be a demonic bear of sorts. Ye Xinghe and An Xueyun coming up from the other side.

Since each of them spotted the other, there was no reason to pretend. Liang Yu and Liang Jian moved to provide backup to Xia Yuning. Liang Yu looked over the two dead teachers and was thinking of ways to obtain the bodies for later.

"It is a summons.." Liang Yu muttered. The bear despite its size was not intimidating. It charged forward to rip them apart. "Take the time to recover Xia Yuning, I will deal with this." He signaled for Liang Jian to search the area.

Liang Jian shot off as Liang Yu charged the summons. Ready to try some new techniques he learned.

*Fwish!* His entire right arm lit up in blue flame. Small traces of electricity flowing through around it. This was one of the things he learned from Xia Yuning's cultivation method combined with his own.

"Bet I can kill you!" Liang Yu shouted. The summon continued its charge. Liang Yu jumped over as it tried to tackle him. His hand raking down its back. His fingers spread to cut more of the flesh with his flames. 'This is just what I need to test my strength.'

The fur on the bear caught fire. It reared back on its hind legs as it turned around. Not really moving in patterns of a demonic beast. A bit of a human element to it. With a mighty swipe, it carved a trench into the ground with its paw. Dirt flying all over.

"I will help!" Ye Xinghe shouted as he charged forward. "Woah!" He ducked under a swipe from the bear. Moving around to the side, Ye Xinghe delivered a blow to the side. His fist covered in ice a little.

*Bang!* the blow rocked the bear just a bit. But that was not the problem. The special properties of his ice caused the fire to die down a bit. The star energy made it stronger and allowed it to overcome the qi in the fire.

"You are in the way boi!" Liang Yu shouted at him. "Go defend Xia Yuning! She was the target of this thing!" As he took a few steps away, it was time to test the Flame Martial Arts a little more. "Let's try a flare up!"

*Fwoossshhh!* A torrent of flame shot out of Liang Yu's outstretched arms. It consumed the bear but didn't look to do much damage. Pouring more qi into the attack, he watched as the lighting kicked up a bit. Another arc travelled down his arms.

"Grrooo!" The bear let out a weird howl. It charges through the flamethrower jaws wide open. Its eyes flashing with light when the lighting hit it. The bear was wracked in a small seizure sliding forward. The lighting causing its muscles to spasm out of control.

'Neat.' Liang Yu could feel the drain the lighting caused. He would need to be mindful of that. "Still need to kill it!" With a lunge, he moved to strike the head. Qi focused on his fingertips.

Before he could deliver a death blow, trouble reared it's head.

"Stay back!" The robed figure had attacked An Xueyun and Xia Yuning. A few burn marks let Liang Yu know the person had run into Liang Jian. "Yuning are you ok?" Xia Yuning was sweating a lot after blocking a sneak attack. The qi in her body was disrupted a little.

"Tch!" Liang Yu was a little ticked off. He pushed his second qi into his legs and stomped onto the head of the bear. He then lunged in the direction of the attacker. His arm pulled back like he was throwing a javelin. "Hands off!"

*Boom!* The moment his front foot hit the ground he turned and launched the hastily made attacked. The qi channeled through his arm haphazardly. A flaming spear left his arm in an arc.

'If that is that mastermind I am willing to risk everything to hurt that bastard!' Liang Yu didn't forget about the bear. Slowly words could be heard as it vanished on the spot. 'Damn it!'

"Humph!" The masked figure took the attack lightly. It was their mistake. "What!?" The attack rammed into his chest and carried em off into the distance.

Liang Yu was hoping it exploded but that was not the case. He wanted to give pursuit but his body was somewhat numb. His arm went dead as bits of electricity racked his body. Makeshift attacks did have drawbacks after all.

Ye Xinghe ran over to see if he was ok. Xian Yuning and An Xueyun doing the same.

"After.. him.." Liang Yu forced out. His eyes glazed over with lighting as he fought for control. "..perfect time to take em out!" He forced his body to stand but another spasm caused him to drop. 'It disrupted my nervous system! This is bullshit!'

Ye Xinghe wanted to make sure An Xueyun was ok. A little blood on her arm had him worried. Spotting the person that arrived with Liang Yu earlier coming back around he activate Star Eyes.

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Split off-

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"Big sis An, you stay here with Xia Yuning and the Dark Moon family!" Ye Xinghe said as he departed. He caught site of a different hooded figure moving in the woods. "I'm going to take a look around the place for something to help move Liang Yu!"

"That blasted Star Eyes makes it hard to hide features." Liang Yu said with a sigh. He shrugged looking at the two girls as Liang Jian walked over. "Yeah he's a Dark Moon member but keep quiet. You do not need to know who it is."

The lighting spasms ended soon enough. He could feel traces of it still lingering in his body however in an odd way. The reaction time of his fingers and head were off a little.

'So know it doesn't affect me!' Slightly indignant, Liang Yu had a lot to learn about his cultivation still. But a pattern was forming a little more with trial and error. 'Response between my mind and body has improved. Off a little but makes sense. I adapted to the cold now I am adapting to the lihgting. Defintely adapted to fire already. Just need a nice quiet place to...'

"Why is that?" An Xueyun interrupted his thoughts.

"To keep problems from arising for now." Liang Yu said defensively. "Who knows what happened while we were all seperated. And considering your little sister happens to be your weakness, any threat to her might cause you to betray us."

"DO not get into an argument you two!" Xia Yuning said quickly. She stood between them looking back and forth. She decided to change the subject quickly. "What do you think Ye Xinghe went to do really?"

"Most likely ran into the person behind this." Liang Yu said neutrally. "Despite saying he would search the area he went in a straight direction. I am sure they will have a decent enough "talk" about matters."

"Shouldn't we go help then!?" Both said togethor.

"Go help on your own, I will not be joining you." Liang Yu rather meet up with the other students. Or find their corpses if that was the case. Neither of the two left to go help. "Be prepared for his emotional mood swing when he comes back. Odds are he will be swayed a little."

"Xinghe is not like that!" An Xueyun said pensively. She received just a shrug in response.