First Realm

"..." - Talking

'...' - Thinking

[...] - Telepathy

*...* - action or sound

___

~Liliths POV~

I pull back from the hug and look at Daisy who's calmed down. When she looks back at me I decide to tell her what I was doing.

"So, I'm pretty sure you know about cultivation, right?" I receive a nod from Daisy, "Ok good, what I was doing was starting my path for that. If I want to be able to protect us, I need power. When I'm strong enough, I'll help you begin cultivating as well. Till then what you saw happen to me will probably continue to happen, so i'm letting you know ill be safe 'probably'".

She thought for a second before responding with, "I- okay, I don't like it but I'm not going to stop you if that's what you want."

"Well, it's not like you could've stopped me anyway. Though it's nice to hear that you support me."

After that, despite not eating in the past two days I'm not hungry. I guess its because my hunger was sated the energy... maybe if I get strong enough I won't have to eat or drink anymore. Though food dose taste really good... I'm distracting myself. I think I'll just take a shower and start cultivating after.

[Hey so Lils, can I call you that? Whatever, so I know that I haven't been talking much but I came across something I want to try with you. As you know I'm a gun, and even though I have a soul and sentience I can't cultivate properly. However, when I came across a section that states that each cultivator wishes for a soul weapon. In this world, despite what I believe, weapons don't start with a soul no matter how much work is put into crafting it. But when a weapon and its user bond enough the weapon will start to obtain a soul. It also has to be maintained well and upgraded with various soul boosting materials. Normally, this would take hundreds of thousands if not millions of years for a weapon to actually grow a soul, I however am the exception. As I told you before I used to be a human so I already have a soul and it was pushed into this gun that, if what I know is correct, is arguably made with the best known materials possible.] Kali pauses for a second confusing me.

[Why'd you stop, I wanna know where you were going with it.] I pout a little.

[I was trying to figure out a better way to ask you something. Anyway, a weapon with a soul is exponentially better than a weapon without one for many reasons. One, they work better with their user. Two, they can move on their own somewhat if their soul gets strong enough. And three, they can cultivate with their user. The method to do so depends on the way the user, in this case you, cultivates. That's why I was hesitating to ask... for me to cultivate with you, you'd have to share some of the blood from your heart chamber. SO not only would you have to go through the pain of enriching the blood with the worlds energy, you would then have the pain of forcefully removing some of that blood and pushing it into me.] Kali says somewhat regretfully.

[First off, how'd you know the way I'm cultivating. And secondly, I owe pretty much everything to you so I'll definitely help you out. I'm not one to push aside those who helped me.] I smile in the air, because I have a feeling Kali can see me.

Not hearing Kali talk anymore, I take off my clothes and get in the shower. The water was right before burning hot, my preferred temperature. Using this time I just relax as the water runs down my body. I think over all that has happened in this short period of time. I went to a store and stole a gun, I- I killed for the first time, I then went on to enslave my own sister, started stealing from other people, and started cultivating.

Those thoughts kept running through my head until I had tears dripping out of my eyes and mixing with the rest of the water rushing down my body *chuckle* 'I really am the worst... no matter what Kali told me, I killed my own father and brother... maybe I should just di- no I can't think like that. I made a promise and I'm going to keep it. Besides, can't leave Kali alone either right? *sigh*'

I put all my attention on the shower to distract myself from those thoughts. Grabbing the shampoo, I pour some in my hand and massage the soap through my hair. Washing the shampoo out of my hair I pick up the bottle of conditioner and like the shampoo, I rub it into my hair. 'Maybe I should cut my hair a bit... nah I'll just leave it is, though I'll eventually do something with the bangs. I can't be shooting with something covering my eyes.'

With my hair done, I use body soap to wash my body and just stand in the shower for a bit when all the soap is out. Sighing again I turn off the water and step out of the shower and dry myself with a towel. I go out into the living room and open the closet that holds my small amount of clothes. I drop the towel, exposing my thin body, and put on a black bra and panties as well as a large grey shirt and red and black checkered lounge pants.

Moving towards the couch I see Daisy sitting there staring at me prompting me to raise a brow in her direction.

"Whatcha looking at?" I say to tease her

"Yo- *cough cough* no-nothing I was just sorting my thoughts." She says nodding to herself causing me to laugh at her expense. I laugh for a good minute as her face goes atomic red until I calm myself down so she doesn't pass out in embarrassment.

"Anyway, I'm going to start cultivating now. I promise you I'll be okay, I don't think I'm going to need to eat while doing so, so don't worry about that. Also, try not to leave the apartment or harm yourself. Understand?"

"Y-yes ma'am" She says before looking away.

Squinting at her for a second I nod, grab Kali from where I left her on the table, and sit on the couch next to Daisy. She just sits there not knowing what to do, until she just rests her head on her side of the couch and tries to sleep.

I just sink into the couch and relax starting from the same point I did before. I get control over my breathing, and start looking into my body. Like last time, I first feel my heartbeat, then I feel blood being pumped through my body, my lungs rising and falling with each inhale and exhale, and keep going until I feel everything happening in my body. Onto step two, I spread my senses to the area surrounding my body. I feel the air touching my skin, the different things in the air, and take another deep breath in. Once the air gets in my body, I separate the worlds energy from the rest of the air and force it into the blood in my blood chamber.

Time becomes unknown to me as I have given up keeping track of it in favor of trying not to scream in pain. I absorb the energy at a slightly quicker pace once I start understanding it. The energy isn't just from the world I've come to find out. Its also energy that people naturally give off, otherwise known as life force. I shouldn't say people, because its something most living beings give off. I felt different types of it. It took me most of the time to actually figure this out, because I only noticed when I paid attention to why the walls from my blood chamber were getting stronger.

The reason is that the life force for some reason doesn't get absorbed by the blood. When the energy is taken it tries to go back out and escape only for the chambers walls to eat it up, thus becoming stronger. Maybe there's some other way to harness this life force, but for now I'm good with what it's being used for. As the walls strengthen the pain does decrees, but it's so little that it doesn't matter.

Not discovering anything else with the energy or life force, I give up searching into it and focus all my effort into mixing it with the blood. Seeing as I haven't even broken into the first major realm yet, it shouldn't take much longer and- oh. I feel my heartbeat suddenly start rising with no end as if it's trying to beat out of my chest.

*badum badum*

My heartbeat is the only thing I can hear clearly, there is some whispering there but I can't make out what they're saying or who's speaking. The pain is rising as well, it's manageable still but I'm getting worried.

*badum badum*

With each beat, the blood seems to rise in temperature. It's even steaming now. I've made out the voice to be Kali, but still can't hear what she's saying. It's getting even harder to ignore the pa-

*BADUM BADUM*

Like a flash my head is clear and I can hear what Kali's saying. [-ed to warn you... be ready and whatever happens don't give in I kno-]. Like a greande went off all I feel is pain. My senses panic all at once as the pain floods my body. I lose control over my body as my brain tries to shut down, but I can't let it. I force myself to stay awake through pain akin to when someone's kicking my head as another person drags a knife through me. Then I start to feel itchy all over, and that makes the pain worse. As if thousands of bullet ants are biting me all over my body. What feels like years pass by, and I can't find it in myself to resist the sweet calls of death any longer.

'I'm sorry Kali, Daisy, I can't get through this... see you in the next life.'

Just as I get ready to give in Kali starts speaking, [Well done kid, I knew you had it in ya.]

My eyes shoot open only to slam shut again when I'm blinded by the wrath of ceiling lamp. Slowly blinking my eyes open this time, I let them adjust to the light in the room. Suddenly A figure flashes in my eyes. A tall women with red eyes, whitish-pink hair, with smooth looking russet skin and toned muscles. She appeared to be blankly looking at me but her eyes, despite appearing threatening and cold, hold a warmness that I can't describe in them. I can't help bu feel I know her from somewhere. As I squint to get a better look, she fades from my vision and is replaced by a scared looking Daisy.

I sit up and my body feels disgusting. My eyes feel crusty, there's a sickly sweet metallic taste in my mouth, my clothes are stuck to my skin, and I smell blood. I look around and figure out why Daisy looks terrified, and I feel godawful. The couch? Covered in blood. My clothes? Also covered in blood. Pretty much all of me, and things surrounding me, has blood on it. Looking at my lap I see Kali still there, but she has a stronger presence? I don't know how to describe it, but she feels different.

Grinning up at Daisy I say "Told you I'd be fine."

Shaking her head she meets my eyes with her black ones and says "You were screaming for a whole week as blood was running down your body. I don't know how you'd call that fine? But, you did keep your promise so I can't be mad at you. Also, we're out of food."

Looking back down at Kali she takes this time to talk to me. [You did it Lils, I don't know how but you did. Congratulations, we have both broken into the first major realm. Thank you for your hard work so far, but it only gets harder from here on out. Good luck partner.]

[Thanks, Imma need that luck. Also, what changed with you?]

[Not much. In fact, I don't think anything changed... no hold on a sec. I see, I can actually interact slightly with the worlds energy. That name sounds stupid, let's call it Qi instead. I got the name from a story I read before. Anyway I can begin cultivating by myself from now on, but it will still be more efficient for me to cultivate with you.] Kali sums up to which I respond with a hum.

"Daisy, I think you'll be happy to know that I am now officially in the first major realm of cultivation. On the downside, *chuckle* we need a new couch."

"Congratulations, though I have to ask. Will each of your breakthroughs be so... bloody?" She asks hesitancy.

I only have one answer for her. I look at her with my mouth forming a smirk, barely choking back a laugh I utter a single word.

"Perhaps..."