Death.

Several months passed, and Aiden turned nine.

One of his noteworthy achievements was undoubtedly body training which reached fifteen marks, but after that, progress seemed to enter some kind of bottleneck.

Additionally, through this time he and Nexus could create a pill from purified death force, and just like planned, Tree of Life went through its evolution, giving birth to two other buds. He could finally break through to 40 level but felt that from now on his progress will be way slower.

Aiden never abandoned his other projects and even find several new development directions. One of them was inspired by Huo Wu. She was a girl with a firepower of control class. He remembered that she had unique power – the ability to line up spirit rings and use them all to manifest unbelievable skill.

He called that research Ring Superposition and Nexus immediately made quite a significant leap in comprehending this way of manipulation.

Another one was the Ring Reactor. The main issue about it was rotation and friction of rings against each other. It was a way to give more might and increase absorption of spirit power, however albeit strong it posed a significant burden to both body and soul.

Even Aiden can't negate it fully.

It was time to find another spirit beast ring and he asked help from Liu Erlong. They spend quite a long amount of time and Aiden really developed a closeness to her as if she was his relative. He was not inclined to talk about it, and so never raised the question.

They went to the forest and the beast he chose gave Liu Erlong severe shock, not because of the species, no, but because of age. He chose Blood Elemental Cat known for its perception and vitality and it was a black ring. This creature was perfect for both Tree of Life and the dragon spirit of his.

The fight wasn't hard, Liu Erlong, no matter what one might say, was a powerful spirit master with tremendous amount of fighting experience. Even Aiden with his life in the North Pole found her senses of battle astonishingly acute to the point of prediction of the opponent's moves.

Abilities he got from fusing with that cat were unexpected. Tree of Life didn't give a buff type skill or something that can strengthen his survival, but a unique spell to heal others by transferring force of spirit. Sound points of the skill were obvious – it was powerful. If a person is not dead, Aiden can bring him or her back to perfect health in no time. Even severed limbs, crippled cultivation, and shattered martial spirit can be regrown and saved!

The downside of the skill was also substantial.

First – he cannot use it on himself. And second, when he heals he will feel all the pain and wounds the target of healing felt, but prolonging and magnifying it. And the extent of it directly depends on the seriousness of the patients condition. The more severe the wounds, the longer and fiercer pain will be.

It will hit directly after the process. So this can be used in battle only on light wounds.

As for dragon skill, it was a very useful Dragon Sense. It was another unique skill because it had both a passive and an active side. Passively it enhanced his general perception the stronger he becomes and the more ring aged. On the active side, he got a vision on everything inside the surrounding sphere with a certain radius. This sense was unbelievably sharp and even broaden what Aiden can perceive, also making what he saw through it perfectly remembered. It can also bypass any illusions.

They were heading back, and Liu Erlong was choosing her meal that Aiden will cook. Throughout the time she fell in love with his cooking and even found solace in gourmet food, learning how to cook herself. She found it relaxing to the mind and her killing tendencies lessen quite a bit. It was very fulfilling expertise, especially with her aptitude with fire, after all her dragon was a variant – Red Dragon.

The other reason was that she was afraid to show him this side of her. She feared to see disgust and distance in his gaze, because for several months already considered him someone as close as an actual son should be. She wanted to adopt him and really loved the boy with all her heart, but couldn't find the courage to say it.

So for now, she let it go. The life they lead here was very fulfilling up till now and it satisfied her. Aiden also told her many additional details about his adventures and especially about Na'er. Liu Erlong wanted to see that future daughter-in-law of hers, and she was more than confident they will end up together. The way he looked while talking about her was the same she will be while remembering her husband from time to time, albeit he had pure tenderness and deep affection, while she also contained deeply rooted pain and loneliness.

They walked through the front of the academy entrance and Liu Erlong felt proud of what Aiden achieved, especially after he told her his problem with spirit and revealed one of his secrets – twin martial spirits. With him evolving his martial spirit, Liu Erlong wanted Aiden's help to find a way for Yu Xiaogang to become stronger.

Suddenly Aiden trembled and his face went pale like snow with severe shock, deep withing his gaze and tremendous raising rage.

"N-Na'er..." - he whispered, experiencing heart-shattering pain as his tears fell down. He screamed and activated his spirit and Storm Wings while moving at unbelievable speed for his cultivation level.

Liu Erlong didn't know what happened, but she followed him after leaving orders concerning Sena's training and arranging her to be looked after by trusted aid. She knew who Aiden was talking about and brushed past the shattered crystal necklace that was always close to his heart.

* * *

Several hours earlier. Na'er.

"He-he, we are going on a hunting trip to find second rings for bro San and sis Wu and then to the capital!" - a young girl whistled while traversing the market place. - "So... I can meet Aiden sooner! I will find him and we will have lot's of chicken wings and legs together, and then I will sit on his lap talking all day and then... he-he-he..." - Na'er smiled craftily already making plans to take advantage of unsuspecting Aiden, the most important person in her life up till now and for eternity to come.

"Sis Liena, you are so enthusiastic." - Xiao Wu who was near her smiled with gleefully knowing what that crafty fox was thinking about.

"But of course, you just wait to see my brother Aiden and be smitten!" - she laughed and finally found coal from the corner of her eyes. With this, she will grill meat with more effectiveness.

Tang San was walking behind them with bags and a tired but warm smile. He looked at Xiao Wu with tenderness.

"Girls, I think it is enough, really." - he said experiencing pure torture of any man – shopping.

"What do you know, bro San!" - Na'er turned around with a strict gaze. Tang San just glanced at her dismissively. But he considered the girl his close friend too.

"Fine, but make it quick, Master is already waiting for us." - with mention of the master even Na'er shivered.

"Ha, who is afraid of him!" - she raised her nose in disobedience, trying to show independent nature to which the accompanying duo just smiled. - "Fine, fine... I bought all I need. Let's head back."

They made way to the entrance of the city where stood a forty years old man with a straight figure and calm, intelligent air around him. He smiled slightly, seeing the three of them.

"Are you ready?" - he asked and receiving nods turned around to walk out of the city. - "Let's move, we got a lot of work to do."

They entered Spirit Beast Forest for a hunting session, and Xiao Wu as usual went on her own to unleash the ring through meditation. As for Na'er, she also did it here, but during the night, opting to tell others that her type of spirit beast is a night hunter and they need not help.

No one said a word, Na'er was way stronger than any of them.

She went away far enough to not disturb any of them, after all, resurface of a spirit ring is a process with tremendous aura exposure. One needs a very secluded place in order not to be found.

"This place is good enough." - Na'er sat down, breathed in, out, and entered her inner mind, unleashing another step of her bloodline potential.

And at that very moment the world turned asunder, leaving only a decimated desert. They arrived through the portal, surrounding her place with tight encirclement. Na'er paled immediately, sensing powerful auras around and dashed out of the hideout, but the very moment she was in the open something invisible smashed at her and sent flying through the trees. She left the bloody trail with her body, but remain cold and conscious, standing up.

"Who are you?" - she asked through gritted teeth.

"Does it even matter, little spirit beast in human form?" - was the answer and a male with sinister and perverted look appeared several steps away, gazing down at her as someone will do with an ant. - "You are not bad, what do you think about serving me in bed and I can let you live."

"Hey, Ci Xue, don't scare the girl! She is just a kid all right!" - came another voice from the back. It was a friendly-looking male with white hair and a scar on the face. He was dressed like a barbarian of the southern borders. - "Just ask her politely." - then he turned to look at Na'er who was barely standing under such pressure. - "Don't worry, we are not immoral people, we are here to take you so you can serve your purpose. It is a great honor, right? Why don't we do it without unnecessary trouble?"

Na'er remained silent, knowing very well that she was doomed.

'Brother... I wish to see you one last time, but that won't happen, right?..'

"And if she didn't comply?" - asked the elder man in a purple robe.

"Torture and rape of course, like usual." - shrugged the man somewhat helplessly. - "But let's give her a chance first. She will become a spirit ring and help our Spirit Hall to procure another Titled Douluo."

"You are ruthless, Yu Long."

"We have a mission and that creature here is not even human... I really don't understand how you can have thoughts of doing her. It is like sleeping with a dog or a goat."

"You will never understand people of culture. Anyway, little fox, your tribe is known to be very seductive and horny. Why don't we have a go?"

Na'er didn't even care to listen to them. She just tried to muster up the strength to move at least an inch.

'It is hopeless... if only someone came for the rescue, but I don't even have opportunities to shout.'

"Okay, I'm getting impatient here." - Ci Xue flickered to her side and directly grabbed her throat, smashing to the ground. Na'er coughed and winced in pain for a moment. Tears appeared in her eyes. - "Right, cry, cry for me, I enjoy seeing girls cry, it turns me on."

Ci Xue waved his hand and tore her dress, leaving it in shambles, revealing her breasts.

"When you are done, don't kill her." - Yu Long sighed. - "Sorry, little girl, nothing personal."

"Go already, I like it when no one is around."

Na'er gritted her teeth, sensing his dirty hand on her chest, and saw in horror how his other one went downward to strip himself. She saw a naked man for the first time but felt only fear, despair, and disgust. She can do only one thing and seeing that beast about to enter her and take her virginity, she snapped the last barrier.

'Sorry, I wasn't able to tell you... I wish to feel your warm hug again... please, Aiden, don't grieve over me... you gave me more than anyone ever had. I was really happy... it is a shame I will never see you again.'

She smiled brightly and warmly to the sky. Only Na'er knew for whom this smile was so full of love.

Her body suddenly went in cracks and two red rings appeared from her chest, startling Ci Xue so much that he jumped back.

"Oh no, stop her, knock her out!" - screamed Yu Long but was a step too late.

Spirit rings directly converted to rays of light and went away in different directions, leaving only stiff corpse mangled to an unrecognizable state.

"Damn." - Ci Xue cursed. - "What happened?"

"Brother, you didn't read well? She is a spirit fox! And a unique one at that having space element. Spirit beasts like that can directly send their rings away to the most compatible person. But the cost of it is their lives. She is dead now and there is no way to retrieve anything. What will we say to the Supreme Elder? Ah, such a mistake."

What they didn't know is the fact that reasons for her capture were not spirit rings at all, but the fact that she was a direct descendant of one of the six cornerstone bloodlines. Killing her that way, forcing a girl to separate everything, even bloodline force in two and sent away, caused tremendous trouble for Dark Spirit Hall plans.

No.

Demons plans.

"She was quite a juicy peach, it is a shame, a shame..."

They removed all traces and dissipated, leaving the quiet forest and mangled body of a girl who moments ago had her inspirations and thought about a loved one. She was brimming with life and smiles, expecting the future to come and her dear to return to her.

One moment of selfishness destroyed it all. And none of the people even felt guilt. The one was indignant over the unaccomplished mission, another annoyed over being unable to enjoy himself.

* * *

Ray of red light traversed the landscape and smashed a window to the girl's room inside a spacious mansion. It went directly into the chest of a sleeping girl with otherworldly beauty and navy blue hair.

Several moments later, she cried in her dream.

* * *

She didn't understand what happened. She was training as usual, but suddenly a red light smashed into her, leaving her heart in turmoil. A girl with crimson eyes never tried to think about anything except for being the successor of her family and a powerful spirit master. They hailed her as a genius all her life, but now her heart was in pain.

Emotions and feelings overwhelmed her.

She only knew an image and love as strong as the cosmos itself. And this exquisite, bright, and selfless feeling taught her many unknown things giving narrow mind broadness and arrogant heart peace of mind and benevolence.

"What is going on...?" - she asked herself in puzzlement and slight panic.

No answer was there to find.