Return

Fun fact: every note I left in the beginning is for me to motivate myself to write. Just writing whatever is on my mind to warm myself up

~~

Looking around, many monsters lay on the ground slowly disintegrating into the ground, after the endless battles lasting days my soul has healed its shell, though not fully healed, the decay has stopped.

I noticed the Colosseum's monsters have spawned less and less. What were dozens of monsters appearing out of the walls every second now reduced by one or two every second.

It is a curious phenomenon for sure but I would rather spend my time on the surface now rather than in this sun-less space.

Storing Kirion into my soul I returned to the entrance where I emerged, noticing the ripped cloth that was my blindfold and my missing sword handle I signed a little before moving forward.

~

Only the quiet steps of Xian's shoe reverbed in the empty cave hallway, no monsters approached her for the smell of heavy blood and the bloodlust Kirion released.

Primal animals that lived by their primal instinct acknowledged Xian as a predator, a predator of predators, at the top of the food chain.

Even though Xian is walking, many scenes cross her senses, the arena of the Udaues, the waterfilled floor, and the densely packed forest, before she knew it her figure returned to the safe level which she parted ways with her disciplines Liliruca and Bell.

Though Xian calls Bell her discipline, Bell is much closer to Xian's successor, though she feels heavy to pass on Kirion to Bell when to time is right, passing a master's blade to their successor has been in many families including hers for many generations.

But before she passed it on, she would clean any vengeful souls within, even if it returned to a normal blunt and broken katana, turned to an antique piece it would be much better than Bell suffering what she suffered till this day.

Now that her soul is broken her cultivation is in disarray, her cultivation which grants her agelessness, is reduced back to the mortal physic, but still has many decades to live.

I baited my breath at such a thought but chucked after it, the flame of ambition has now turned to ashes, my time is near and the effort to retain my immortality is too tiring, It is better if I find a place to settle down now and train Bell in peace.

"Xian!?!" A voice dragged me back from my thoughts, expanding my sense to the direction I saw many familiar figures.

"Fin, it is nice to see you again" Xian's clueless greeting confused many people, as if she was strolling and not missing for a month.

"Xian-sama!" Bell's figure blurred passed the crowd and hugged me to Xian's surprise, Bell who managed to participate in the rescue mission was in a pyramid of emotions ever since he joined.

He doesn't want to believe Xian is dead but the growing doubt has taken a toll on his mood, he doesn't know what this feeling is but the image of Xian's corpse fills him with despair.

Now looking at Xian who was alive and well he wasn't bothered by the dried blood-covered clothes Xian was wearing, he just wanted to hug the living and breathing Xian.

The mood turned awkward but after minutes of silence, someone coughed breaking the silence.

"Ahem- Xian, it seems that you are alright, we all were worried about what happened to you after a month of disappearance so we formed a rescue team" Fin's words realized Xian had been missing for a month, but the time dilation within her mindscape was in chaos by the disruption caused by Kirion, so it is not unexpected.

"I see, it seems I've lost track of time, I apologize" Xian looked towards Bell who let go of her with embarrassment filling his face, realizing what he had done in the moment.

Some laughed at the sight, almost all the members who participated in the search were familiar with Xian, be it customers at the Hostess of Fertility or knew her personally.

Either way, all of them were relieved that she was alright, and the then dense and melancholy mood turned warm.

~~

"Xian! Please one more drink!" The Hostess of Fertility at night was filled with adventurers, even more than usual due to a certain person's return

"Two more drinks haha!"

"Seems like the mood returned to its original form thanks to you," Syr who was busy serving drinks said to Xian.

"So it seems" Xian shortly replied before returning to serving.

"Cheers! for Xian's return" One adventurer raised his mug of beer and all the people raised theirs in response, the room was filled with more laughter and cheers.

Bell and his party also was present at the Hostess of Fertility but were quietly eating their fill, although Bell wanted to share all of his achievements from the past month, they received a firm warning from Mama Mia to not interrupt Xian from her work.

Due to her absence Xian worked more than usual to make up for the last month she disappeared plus the time she took to look for Bell's party her absence almost reached 2 months of not working.

~~

After watching one of Thor's vod (pirate software) it made me realise im wasting my life and not moving forward always stuck in the past and always running from my problems. damn, in an emotional rollercoaster.