Evolving

[Cang Yue's side]

After a bit, the doors of the Xiao Clan opened, revealing Xiao Li. "I-Is it her highness the Moon Princess…?"

Cang Yue nodded with a serious expression and showed an emblem representing the royal family. Xiao Li gulped and fully opened the doors. "W-Welcome to this lowly Xiao Clan, her highness! Please enter…"

Cang Yue and the guards entered in the clan and followed Xiao Li. "I would like to ask why her highness came to this place that is surely forgotten even from the maps of her highness?"

"Have you ever heard of a person called Yun Canghai?" Cang Yue asked with an indifferent tone. However, Xiao Li shook his head. "Please forgive me, her highness, but I never heard of this individual."

Cang Yue nodded and then she continued to speak. "I also heard of a certain person that I am certain he is here… Could I see Xiao Lie?"

Xiao Li flinched and stuttered. "B-B-But…"

Cang Yue's guards stepped forward and menacingly looked at Xiao Li. "You understand Chinese or not?! Bring the perso-"

"Silence."

The guards stopped threatening Xiao Li and turned towards Cang Yue. "But her highness, this worm disre-"

"I shall not repeat myself." Cang Yue made a 180° since she confirmed that Jean would not return soon, so she started to be colder and prideful like a proper future empress, otherwise, if she remained weak-willed, when she will need to gather people no one will listen to her.

This is the world where she was born, the strong eat the weak, sometimes metaphorically, other times literally.

When Cang Yue used that cold tone, the guards remained silent and stepped back like proper guards. Even if they were stronger than Cang Yue, this just showed how much control on them Cang Yue has. They even showed the right amount of respect deserved to her.

Cang Yue stepped forward and spoke. "I understand what happened, Xiao Lie is a criminal here, so he should stay where he is. However, I am not asking about freeing him, I am just asking to speak with him. It should be possible, right?"

Xiao Li nodded with hesitation and stuttered again. "I-It can be done right now… P-Please follow me, her highness."

Then Xiao Li made way for Cang Yue towards the mountain on the back of the Xiao Clan.

Being together with the princess of the Blue Wind Empire, who also partially represent the sect that holds the "Strongest Youngling", Jean Dennel, who is rumored to be beyond the 1st Sky Profound Realm and came out alive from a fight with a being at the Emperor Profound Realm, made him extremely nervous.

He gulped a mouthful of saliva as he slowly reached for the Reflection Gorge, where Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi were trapped.

Soon, they reached the place, after going through an extremely narrow entrance, two people inside the Reflection Gorge were alerted. 

"Who is it? You already gave us food."

Xiao Li cleared his throat and said. "Xiao Lie, you have visits."

"Visits?" Xiao Lie was surprised, who was so important that the Xiao Clan would let them see him?

Cang Yue stepped forward and introduced herself. "Pleased to meet you, Sir Xiao Lie, my name is Cang Yue, princess of the Blue Wind Empire."

"T-The princess?!" Xiao Lie was shocked, while Xiao Lingxi, beside him, gasped in surprise.

Cang Yue turned towards her guards and Xiao Li. "I would like to ask you all to leave me alone with the two prisoners."

The guards panicked and tried to reason with her. "H-Her highness, we can't do this, what if that criminal hurts you? Her highness is only at the True Profound Realm!"

"So you are saying you can protect me from a Sovereign Profound Cultivator?"

The guards, Xiao Li, Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi froze in shock.

Some seconds passed before claps echoed in the small place.

"Impressive…"

In that moment, a colossal pressure made everyone except Xiao Li and Xiao Lingxi kneel down in the ground.

From the shadows, a young man that looked like he was holding centuries of experience in his eyes came out.

He had black long hair tied in a ponytail, his body looked it would be able to carry a hundred of tons with ease.

A white robe surrounded his body, and his jet black eyes looked like the sharpest weapon in this world.

"You were able to find me despite being a mere True Profound Cultivator, something that the others couldn't do, despite being stronger than you." Yun Canghai complimented.

Cang Yue shook her head and said, while still kneeling in the ground. "It wasn't hard because you weren't even trying to hide, besides, I was used to have powerful people beside me, such as Jean Dennel."

The pressure vanished, and Yun Canghai gazed at her. "Jean Dennel, you say? ...I will listen to what you have to say, I heard you were looking for me at the Xiao Clan. Everyone else, leave."

"W-Who are-" Xiao Li tried to ask, before his body was reduced to a bloody mess from Yun Canghai's aura.

He narrowed his eyes at the other guards, and said. "Be lucky that you are at this girl's side, or you would have ended like him. I won't repeat it a third time. Leave."

Cang Yue glanced at her guards and nodded. "Leave."

The guards bowed and left from the Reflection Gorge, leaving Xiao Li, Xiao Lingxi, Yun Canghai and Cang Yue alone. "So, you said you were near Jean. Who are you?"

Cang Yue bowed down and introduced herself with a smile. "My name is Cang Yue, albeit it is unofficial, I am Jean's fianceè."

"Wha-?!" Xiao Lingxi yelped in surprise, while Yun Canghai also smiled. "Heh, now I remember. Jean told me about you, I hope that he didn't do anything stupid."

"Weeeeell…"

[Flashback n.1]

"Whatever… If you want to humiliate the New Moon Profound Palace, then do it after walking over my body! I don't care how old is the disciple is, how strong he or she is, who he is, and how "many". I'll slaughter you like a bunch of chickens."

[Flashback n.2]

*VROOOOOM!!*

"I'M BACK, YOU LITTLE CUNTS!!"

*VROOOOOOM!!*

[Flashback n.3]

"You…! I will kill you once you let me go! Remember this!"

"Pfft. I could beat your entire clan if I wished so…"

"Is he dragging Fen Juechen in the ground…?"

[Flashback n.4]

Cang Yue was listening to the news of the destruction of the Xiao Sect…

[Back]

…

"...Jean… was able to be recognized from everyone as a special person, on his own way…" Cang Yue said with an hint of hesitation.

Then her expression turned serious and spoke. "Let's leave that aside, I came here for an important matter. I hope that Sir Yun Canghai could listen to me."

"What is it?" Yun Canghai asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We received news of a Demonic Cultivator rampaging at west and heading towards south. I hope that Sir Yun Canghai could help us with the problem." 

"A Demonic Cultivator, you say? What do you mean with that?"

"We received news that he is using a treasure to suck out the soul of everything that has lifeforce around his range of action. Unfortunately, Jean is busy against an opponent that I dare to say that might be much more dangerous than the Demonic Cultivator."

At that news, Yun Canghai's eyes widened. He thought that the "Demonic" Cultivator was him, since the people here consider him a demon, but this type of cultivator wasn't well liked on the Illusory Demon Realm too… "Preposterous! If it's true, then I will help you. But…"

He glanced at Xiao Li and Xiao Lingxi, before he sighed. "Do you mind if I bring them along?"

Cang Yue shook her head and said. "Even if I minded it, you would bring them along anyway, right?"

Yun Canghai chuckled and asked. "Am I so easy to read now?"

Cang Yue giggled and answered. "I dealt with Jean for a long time now. I understand much people like him."

[Meanwhile]

Jean died once again, this time his head was cut open, splattering grey matter everywhere.

He woke up once again over the white floor, he materialized Sandalphon once again and prepared himself while gazing at the timer.

"Jean, is everything alright?" Jasmine asked, it was only now that she noticed it, but Jean's energy seemed to be vibrating at an intense speed.

However, Jean didn't answer and waited for the timer to reach 0.

The statues reappeared and assaulted Jean immediately.

Jean tightened his hold on Sandalphon and rushed towards the nearest one.

The two confronted each other, the world seemed to be slowing down.

The statue brought up his katana while Jean brought down his broadsword.

The clash between the two would cause an great force that would shake an entire nation.

...But it never came.

Jean's body seemed to get faster and touched the ground first.

It looked like the time slowed down and Jean was the only one that was going at a normal speed, while leaving an afterimage behind.

He rushed at the side of the statue and slashed him with a clean strike, not even a speck of dust came out from the now-sliced down statue.

Time was going at average speed once again, and the two parts of the statue fell in the ground.

After many deaths, Jean completed 2 evolutions.

He reached the 3rd stage of the Star God's Broken Shadow.

And his blade attacks now also have vibrations, causing the target's body to get softer and easier to cut.

...However, despite these 2 evolutions, the biggest distance he reached was the 17th wave due to his energy being consumed too fast.

He needs more evolutions…

More strength…

More speed…

More destructiveness…