Chapter 23: Seeing Skydream and Ancestor once more

'Where am I...?' Huo Yuhao felt a sense of disorientation as he gradually regained consciousness. His body felt unexpectedly...light? And healthy? Opening his eyes, he found himself in a familiar golden space.

'This is....my spiritual sea?'

He tried to recall what had happened before losing consciousness, but his memories were fuzzy and fragmented. He vaguely remembered the red figure and the intense heat, but the details were hazy.

As he tried to sit up, a voice sounded from beside him. "Ah, you're finally awake."

Huo Yuhao turned his head and saw an unexpected sight, "Brother...Skydream?"

Standing? By his side was the large Skydream Iceworm, his first so-called intelligent soul ring. The ancient Iceworm's massive form towered over him, its translucent blue body shimmering with a faint white and golden glow.

Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and confusion. "That's right! Brother Skydream, how is this possible? I thought you and Ancestor were supposed to be asleep for at least a month to recuperate?"

The Iceworm chuckled, its voice echoing within Huo Yuhao's mind. "Ah, little Yuhao, you are correct. We were supposed to be in slumber for at least that long. However, it seems that strange ocular technique you're practicing in and whatever life and death situation you experienced that led to awakening your...Sharingan to its mature form. Those two things were enough to create a crack on one of the ten golden seals."

"You remember how those ten golden seals contained most of my spiritual power, right? Well we were severely lacking in spiritual power so we were forced to sleep to keep our existence afloat. But the crack on one of the seals which caused the energy inside it to sip out was enough to wake us up. And would you know it? The first thing we saw was you almost getting killed!" The giant silkworm huffed.

"And because of that, that asshole Ancestor of yours absorbed most of the energy that we were supposed to divide for us all by – 8:1:1. That eight being you and the ones being me and him. But the guy got 6, you 3, and while I got the original 1! Well, he did use almost all that amount of energy to save your ass.... But I could've done the same as well with just this enough energy!"

Huo Yuhao blinked, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. "Brother Skydream, what exactly happened? I don't remember much to be honest..."

"Simple really, you passed out and your ancestor momentarily possessed your body to save us all." Skydream replied nonchalantly.

Huo Yuhao slowly nodded in understanding. "I see. But what do you mean you could've saved us with just your current energy reserves?"

"Did you forget? I might be the most unparalleled spiritual type soul beast in the world but I am also a powerful Ice-type soul beast of my own right. That red lass's flames are just a candle light compared to my ice prowess."

"But you're not in your prime though? Even worse off when you're basically just a ghost." Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow.

Skydream snorted, waving its large tail. "Pfft–! Details, details. Listen. That incomplete ice martial soul essence that you have right now is still part of my one million years of cultivation. It'll take at least eight rings soul master to melt it, and that's if their fire and bloodline are at the same level as that fire chick. And that's saying something because she has the blood of a Godbeast, a pure Phoenix bloodline!"

"If you were so confident about it, why did Ancestor do it then? I mean, I'm grateful that he saved me but your way would've been more efficient and beneficial for me, right?"

"Because I wanted to establish a stable foundation for you, my incarnation," An mature and cool voice sounded from behind Huo Yuhao, making him flinch. "Good morning, little Yuhao."

"It's good to see you once more, Ancestor." Huo Yuhao quickly adjusted himself and bowed towards his ancestor, a respectful way of greeting someone they admire from what Ancestor said.

But also because he was afraid he had pissed him off for saying such ungrateful things. He wasn't about to experience that "One Thousand Years of Death" jutsu. Seriously, what kind of lunatic invented that absurd technique?!

"Hey, asshole! Good timing, we were just talking about you." As always, Skydream was hostile towards Ancestor despite the latter showing to be the stronger one between them. "Mind explaining your actions? Huh?! I told you that I could handle it but no! You didn't listen."

"Hmm." Ancestor grunted. "I'm sorry about that, but I had a good reason for it. Consuming most of the leaked spiritual power from your seal and possessing Huo Yuhao's body was the most perfect opportunity....for his Sharingan to properly develop and obtain the necessary foundation for its future."

"Its future...?" Both human and former soul beast tilted their heads in confusion.

"Yes. Little Yuhao, let me give you a quick lesson. What is and how does your martial soul, the Sharingan works?" Ancestor turned to his latest incarnation to ask.

Huo Yuhao nodded and stood up.

"The Sharingan, a special type of bloodline that's only present in a certain group of people, specifically Ancestor's descendant's, and unlike most soul masters who naturally awakened their martial souls at the age of six, the Sharingan could only be awakened when a wielder of it experiences a powerful emotional condition with regards to a person precious to them, their brain releases a special form of energy that affects the optic nerves, thus transforming the eyes into Sharingan; for that reason the Sharingan is usually described as an "eye that reflects the heart" and it usually only awakens when their irises turn red and one or two comma-like pupil appears in each eye."

"The Sharingan's basic abilities are enhanced perception; enabling them to read lips or mimic something like pencil movements and increased reaction time like a cat's but the two main broad abilities are: the "Eye of Insight" and the "Eye of Hypnotism". The former can see energies with colour in order to distinguish it by its composition and source, it can see energy through some (but not all) obstructions and detect irregularities in a person's energy flow such as those caused by genjutsu influence, and lastly the user is able to copy almost any jutsu or skill they see, memorising ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu with near-perfect accuracy."

"Lastly, the "Eye of Hypnotism", as the name suggests, the user can perform what is generally called "Genjutsu: Sharingan". While there are various manifestations and purposes of the ability, the better known one is to, through eye contact, suggest thoughts and actions to a target, coercing them to divulge information or act in a particular way, potentially without the target's awareness. In extreme cases, the Sharingan user can take complete control of the target's body, forcing them to do exactly as the controller wishes; this control is visually indicated by the Sharingan's design appearing in the target's eye."

"Hmm. Good, you remembered it well." Ancestor nodded, seemingly satisfied but no one could really tell cause...well, he's faceless. "Now, have you forgotten what the worm told you on how we woke up? How one of the ten seals cracked?"

Huo Yuhao's eyes widened, "My Sharingan...had reached its mature form. I now have three tomoes. But, isn't that too fast? I mean, in the physical world, I had only awakened two tomoes just barely a few days and now three?!"

"Little Yuhao, you might have misunderstood something about the Sharingan." Ancestor's face distorted and a pair of three tomoe Sharingan eyes appeared. "That would be my fault. I didn't finish teaching you all the knowledge about Shinobis and especially the Sharingan."

"Unlike what general knowledge you have about bloodlines or martial souls, the Sharingan is simply....different compared to them. You can't increase the number of tomoes simply by training or eating some kind of rare herb."

"What?"

"Only when forced into extreme situations and your emotions become heightened does another one finally awaken."

"Like what kind of–" Huo Yuhao paused, the recent events he experienced and the previous one when he awakened his second tomoe flashed in his mind.

Ancestor saw Huo Yuhao's expression and nodded. "Yes, exactly like that. The recent situation of how you were almost close to death, how you realized this was just the start of your journey, you haven't avenged your mother's death and restore her honor, and how you wanted to....live. The frustration, the bitterness, regret, and the will to live caused the third tomoe to awaken, simple as that. Though, easier said than done."

"As for the second one...You just recalled the purpose of why you live; the love, the hatred and the anger. And trust me when I say this....but two of those things are the easiest catalyst for your eyes' awakening."

"I.... I honestly don't know what to feel about this." Huo Yuhao didn't know what to feel. Melancholic? Excited? Saddened? Enlightened? To know that his eyes' awakening connects to his emotions was knowledgeable at least though.

"Wait, does that mean my eyes now has a higher chance of becoming what you said before? The Mangekyō Sharingan?" Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up in excitement.

The Mangekyō Sharingan, the next true evolution of the Sharingan. The knowledge of such a state was vague, as Ancestor was strangely cagey about it despite showing one of its abilities, Tsukuyomi.

"....Yes." Ancestor let out a deep sigh and nodded. "The real reason as to why I consumed most of the released energy was because of the Mangekyō Sharingan. Because of some...issues when after awakening it I needed to possess your body temporarily and create a stable foundation in your eyes before you awaken the next form. And I said that was a good opportunity...well, you can see it for yourself after you wake up."

"If you're saying that Ancestor, then I'm relieved. Hehe. I'm getting a Mangekyō Sharingan!" Huo Yuhao clenched his hands and softly chuckled, not noticing the solemn air around Ancestor when he talked about the Mangekyō Sharingan.

'I wonder...when that day comes, will you stand tall and embraced the sin and darkness you created out of your own desire for vengeance? Or will you crumble with a heavy heart and die off?'

"Ahhhh! What the hell is this?!" Suddenly, Skydream let out a screeching sound akin to a pig being slaughtered. It made both Huo Yuhao and Ancestor turn to it in stunned disbelief.

Skydream screamed, its seven meter long white jade-like body wiggled frantically around like a worm. The golden symbols around its body shone brightly as if reacting to its distress. Huo Yuhao quickly moved towards Skydream, trying to calm it down.

"Brother Skydream, what's wrong? Why are you in pain?" Huo Yuhao asked with concern.

Skydream continued to thrash about, its voice filled with frustration and agony. "I don't know, I don't know why! But I feel as though something in my soul, no, some part of my origin source was messed with! It's like having your veins taken out, rearranged like some kind of yarn ball, and put right back in!"

"Ah, that might've been my fault." Ancestor nonchalantly said.

"...."

Both Huo Yuhao and Skydream stared at him, the latter twitching as several veins started popping around his body.

"You....bastard! That's it. Fuck everything, I don't care anymore, I'm gonna fight with you regardless of the consequences!!" Skydream, seeing red, immediately sprang towards Ancestor like a bullet. Rings of golden light appeared all over his body, the ten golden seals that floated high in the center of the spiritual sea began vibrating.

He had been bullied for too long! This time, this time he was going to win and regain his dignity!

"Uryaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

"Genjutsu — Sharingan."

"...." Skydream froze, his eyes dimmed and a pair of Sharingan eyes replaced his. He was then left floating in the air.

"...What did you do to him exactly, Ancestor? Besides putting him in a genjutsu I mean." Huo Yuhao asked, ignoring Skydream's frustration. This wasn't really the first the latter went on a rampage on his Ancestor.

"You'll find out yourself when you wake up. Which will be in five...."

"Wait, what?! I've got a lot of things to ask–!"

"Too late. 3, 2, 1. I'll talk to you later."

As soon as he heard that last part, his vision quickly went dark, and soon he was waking up in the real world.

...

❄️Shout out to the great and one Cultivator of my patreon, may you reach the peak of the heavens!

 •Vora