Day 11-19 Before the Smelting Trial

Training against himself with two vastly different styles went a long way. However, Ye Xinhge had the advantage over Liang Yu since he knew the style currently used by Liang Yu. A slight change could be seen, but not enough in it to matter.

But the power exuded was much stronger from Liang Yu currently.

*Boom!" Fire lightning hit against Fire frostair in a clash. The two took steps away from each other before striking again. A sword of fire congealed from the surroundings as well as a halberd.

"Well, that looks promising." Xinghe smirked seeing another sword form up. One made of Lightning fully. The crackling was much to be desired, but it was defintely powerful. "Dual-wielding didn't think to go that route myself."

"Changes in who we are." Liang Yu grinned. "Fire that is cold.. quite annoying. Blasted Star energy I suppose." He received a shrug. "No matter!" Dashing, two slashes went out that spun in the air.

"No substance!" With a swing of the halberd, a shockwave went out to sweep it away. Cutting through easy, he was caught between two Liang Yu's striking from the sides. "Well, shit!" A turn of the halberd blocked one strike to the left.

*Bzzzt!* The trouble of the lightning travelled through him. Sending enough disruption the tail end of the halberd didn't deflect the second sword strike. In fact, Liang Yu kicked his foot out before the sword cut into the arm.

"Raah!" A force of qi erupted out. Delivering a palm strike forcefully to the left, the Liang Yu there dissipated into qi, absorbing back into the other. "Really need to brush up stuff!"

Dropping to the ground, he forcefully sent qi out creating a blue flame shield. It hardened just in time to block another sword strike. Before the two could clash again, a few visitors arrived.

"What are you doing here?" Liang Yu pulled back completely, looking his cousin Liang Jian over. "I told you we meet a few hours later to practice." He ignored An Xueyun completely.. Which caused her to frowned at him.

"I figure you needed so help causing problems for the little upstart." Liang Jian was still his original self for the most part. However, both Liang Yu and Ye Xinghe wouldn't tolerate it. Which was evident by the look on their faces. "Come on.."

*Boom!"* An blast of pressure exuded from two places of Liang Jian's body. Borderline killing him out right as both hit him at the same time. It was a good thing they didn't hit him with a double lariat instead.

"Is..is he dead?" An Xueyun looked at the down Dark Moon member blinking unsure. 'They did that so perfectly, maybe they really are closer than I thought?'

"He will be fine." Liang Yu picked him up giving a slight nod to An Xueyun then Xinghe. "We will continue another time. I will have to make sure to have a better display. Oh, you spar a little with her."

"Ehh..."

"An Xueyun, we will spar tomorrow. You better have improved, if not you are as worthless as I thought." Jumping over the side, he moved towards his home. 'This behavior is getting corrected fully now, even if I have to turn him into a brain-dead idiot!'

Landing, his Astral Sense went out for a quick check. other members of the Dark moon Family had gathered early waiting outside. It was best to break them all in and build them up before the Smelting Trial.

After all, they could help obtain so many resources.

"I think he likes you An Xueyun." Xinghe was trying to pawn her off to the other. While the other was more inclined to keep her with him. Either way, it caused the unsuspecting girl to develop emotionally faster. 'The best way to help crush that blasted family of hers.'

"Nonsense!" Xueyun stomped her feet pouting. "Who would like that jerk!?" A small tinge of color blossoming in her cheeks. "Not fun to tease people!"

"Hmm, you are right." He gestured with a wave closing the door to the courtyard. Techlis off to the side, swimming in the small pond. It was cultivating its control to keep the water from freezing up. "Do you want to spar since you are here?"

"Yes!" Not forgetting the teasing and the main reason she came over uninvited. Delivering a high kick, it was dodged easily. "Always on guard!" Before the leg came back down, she was tripped up and knocked down. "Tch!"

Pushing against the ground was a means to recover. But Xinghe was already coming at her. Raining down several punches that hit against her body brutally. Knocked around like a ragdoll, An Xueyun was forced to guard her body.

"You should have tried to create distance better. Or at least send an attack out to disrupt your opponent." He humped back allowing her to get up. "You have 5 seconds to get your bearings back. More than an enemy will ever give you."

An Xueyun started circling her qi. The pain subsiding as well as giving her instincts a little push.

"My mistake." Xueyun's eyes turned hard. She did not like getting injured so fast and brutally. He did not take it easy on her at all. If only she knew it was the use of his body mostly. "Fire Body!"

Using the improved version she acquired from Liang Yu, she finally noticed the benefits to it herself. Pain relieved and her qi consumption was less. She fust needed to get it to the higher levels.

"I see." With a small exhale, the frost air body was active. "Fight as if your life depended on it!"

In a few blinks, the two were in close-quarters combat. Her power did not surprise him in the least but her technique improved visibly. The girl was not incompetent. Especially after Liang Yu infused some of the Flame Vortex Qi into her.

'I see, broken from the confines of Destiny.. interesting.' Blocking her sidekick, Xinghe grabbed her leg and was going to deliver a blow directly to the kneecap. Another kick came towards his temple. "Oh!"

Holding both legs, he was going to slam her into the ground.

*Fwoosh!* Intense flames powered by her qi caused him to let go. Xueyun twisted in the air like a drill. Her feet to fast to grab.

Xinghe looked at his hands quickly, the burns were very minimal. But her qi was so violent he felt a small numbness.

"You broke through?" The fact she stepped into the 4th Heavenly Layer, was surprising. The girl was already superior to her previous existance. "Make sure you keep that hidden from other people."

"I will!" Xueyun came with a flying knee strike. Blocking it, Xinghe took a single step back. Another, while still in the air had no real power behind it. Her back bent as she grabbed his head. "Yah!"

Fingers going around his chin, she flipped over pulling it back while stomping into his back. The resistance was to strong. Fingers bleeding, she was not ready for them freezing up and going to her wrists in seconds.

Xinghe reached behind crossing his arms. Flexibility was key as he grabbed her ribs and dug into her flesh. Before he could rip out her flesh, Xueyun tapped out letting go his head.

"I yield!"

"Alright." As the two turn to face each other, Xueyun was on the ground holding her sides. "Its burning .. but so cold!" Trapped between warming herself and trying to cool off, the girl shot towards the pond.

"Bawk?" Techlis only saw a body coming down. "BAAWWKKK!" The demon beast jumped out of the pond as quickly as possible.

"Hehe, its ok bud." Cathing the scared demon beast, Xinghe settled it down. He moved over to the pond checking her over. "Well, just stay submerged inside." A hand placed inside, he channeled Star Energy into it.

"Ahh.. it is peaceful." The rosy-cheeked girl was not going to pop her hid up. The clothes were damaged on the sides. Her skin already healing over. "Where are you going?" She peeked watching Xinghe move away after throwing something in the pond.

"To cultivate. Techlis will make sure you don't drown. You pay me back for the medicine and treatment later."

"Bawk!" Techlis looked at her annoyed. She did interrupt the training afterall. Not wanting to cause a fuss, Xueyun diligently cultivated. She could feel her Flame Martial arts growing and her cultivation become more stable.

.

Few days later-

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Stepping into the 2nd Heavenly Layer for the Air Beast Martial Arts, Xinghe was just shy of breaking into the next layer of the Frost Air Body as well. But not enough for the final push.

"The qi in the air is all gone, gonna have to watch that while in the Academy. But in the Smelting Trial, I will be able to consume a large swat of it without issue." Flexing his arms and legs, new muscles had grown mixed in. "Newer muscles..and some still forming."

From the Deltoid, down the Triceps, across the Brachialis, and Bicep Brachii. The tissue was still forming to connect with Pronator Teres, Flexor Carpi Radialis, Extensor Pollicis Longus, Extensor Pollicis Brevis, and Extensor Digitorum.

"Some of this will be a problem." The human muscles he could get use to it easy, but the other muscles were different in design and beyond his understanding. "It will take some time to figure how they relate in according to Beasts."

The knowledge was there, bur buried in the Martial Arts, refining more with the Flame Vortex would help speed that up. Just need to get the resources. Which was coming soon.

"Xinghe!" A call came from the front of the home. A push with the Heart Method, revealed An Xueyun outside. The Heart Method containing everything the Astral Sense use to have. With the bonus of detecting the mood around a person. "I have something for you!"

Heading outside, Xinghe was greeted to Xueyun in a different appearance. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and her overall bearing was stronger. She passed over a box with materials inside it.

"To pay back for before. Liang Yu said you may need these."

"Thanks." Looking at the herbs and a bottle, it was best to take them later. "Your training has gon well."

"Thanks, I am going now, see you tomorrow. Oh, before I forget," Xueyun leaned in close to him, surprised at her unusual behavior. "the plan at the Smelting Trial, I will do my best to make sure it goes well."

"Right." Xinghe nodded as she took off. Heading back inside, he couldn't help but wonder what that meant. "What the other is up to with her, is not my concern." Feeling that Liang Yu found a good plan for her, it was best to leave it to sell the authenticity better.

Techlis was given the pill bottle to consume, the herbs however would take some work by him. Four pieces were taken out to forge but the rest were thrown into the Flame Vortex. Not enough time to make use of it all.

Placing a Rune Formation down, the chilling fire was produced from his hands. The herbs are thrown in the middle floating as they spun to mix together. Pushing out his Demonic Star Energy, the process went smoother as time elapsed.

The forming of a pill could be seen as the herbs dissolved more. No bigger than a golf ball, but the power inside started to escape out. The Demonic qi making it volatile. Circulating more Star energy, it worked well to counteract it.

The pill finally formed completely around daybreak. Oddly enough, a ray of sunshine was the last ingredient to finish the process.

"Down the hatch." Ingesting the pill, the power was so strong, his focus was keeping it contained completely. Techlis coming over and resting on his shoulders. "This will take more time than I thought."

Using Frost Air Body the entire time as he moved, none of his energy leaked out more than it should. Giving the feel of the 3rd Heavenly Layer but nothing more. The qi was more than a regular 5th Layer Martial Artist.