Day 24 End Day 25-35

"I, Ye Xinghe do all things fairly and properly, I will never fail anyone!" Ye Xinghe built up his qi to fight. Not realizing that his very actions were technically failing his entire clan right now. Hindsight was a muthafucker really. "As long as I'm here I won't let them lay a finger on you!"

"Stupid little fuck!" Liang Yu's Flame Martial Arts kicked to the maximum. His fingers glowing as he charged forward to attack. The air warping from the intensity. His Flame Vortex Core qi was in reserve for the unexpected happening. But Chu Xian would not let him get to Lin Hong. "Get out of my way you walking corpse!"

"I won't let you take him!"

"I will kill you Chu Xian.." Liang Yu said as he slashed downward. His blow missing kicking up several rocks. With a push of his qi outward, the rocks were launched forward. "..then I am killing the idiot son of Lin Kuan!"

In his anger, Liang Yu let some info slip. This was bad as the divine guards frowned at the name. Their battle intent dropping significantly. But Chu Xian also was suprised by that remark. His guard dropped allowing Liang Yu to injure him.

*Spurt!* Blood spattered everywhere as Liang Yu's fingers pierced his opponent. With a clutch sightly, Liang Yu disperse his qi inside before he was kicked away. The qi running rampant inside Chu Xian.

"Damn you!" Chu Xian moved back as fast as he could. His chest burning in agony as the qi rampaged inside fought against his own. 'It's the same as that brat, Liang Jian, a few days ago! What is going on in the Dark Moon family!' This information needed to be delivered to the higher-ups.

"Tch!" Liang Yu sucked his teeth. The counterattack was enough to do some damage. If he used his 2nd qi this would be over. But to many eyes and something about the Divine Guardians irked him a bit. 'With all their strength, they should be able to kill that bastard easily. Oh, wait...' He just then rembered they wanted to capture them actually.

Liang Yu let his fire die down some and started to breathe heavily. It was an act to allow him to pull back a little. Remembering that the North Lord was actually watching everything from a distance made the situation even more dire.

He moved over to Liang Jian to help support him and whispered a few things. Enough that he understood the danger they were in.

"Ye Xinghe!" Xia Yunning called out. During the scuffle of Chu Xian and Ling Yu, Ye Xinghe and Lin Hong took off. For some reason, she couldn't help but follow after them. A fleeting glance at Liang Yu was the last she gave him. 'That... look, he seems disappointed about something.'

She was right. She had disappointed him twice in just a few minutes. First the chance to kill Lin Hong by the cliff and second just now in wanting to defend Lin Hong against the divine guardians. To let him escape made no sense whatsoever. Both incidents were to close togethor to just let slide by.

"This is by far... a clusterfuck." Liang Yu said as he sat down in the dirt. The other students and surviving teachers gathering around as well. "Any of you going to run after the traitors or no?"

"No." Zhao Ninger said. The rest just looking away or putting their heads down. Securing the area until the teachers arrived was all they could do now.

"Man...worst Trial ever." Liang Jian fell back on his but. His hood falling off revealing him to everyone. "Oops..."

"It's ok, you only need to hide until we brought out the killer." Liang Yu waved off the worry his cousin had. "Bettereveryone knows what happened anyway." Liang Jian and Liang Yu explained the need for the cover really. The students and Teacher Li were understanding supringsly enough.

Once the Vice Principal and a few of the other teachers arrived, the explained what happened. Some teachers took off to go investigate. Even though the Divine Guardians were strong they were not unbeatable and might have entered a trap.

"At least we passed the trial right?" A student asked trying to break the tense atmosphere after everything was out in the open. Old Xu shook his head no. "What!?"

"Despite what happened, from my understanding, a lot of you didn't do much but run or cower. THe Smelting Trial after all is a method to approve your psyche." Old Xu said as he looked them all over. "Better luck next year."

"Nah, I need this passed. Especially since losing a year kind of holds us back." Liang Stood up upset. "How about we go somewhere away from that nonsense and hunt demonic beasts? Plus the Academy looks good saying they are making sure the traitors and rebels are getting cleaned up. Good P.R. for us!"

Old Xu stroked his beard before agreeing. Happy with his disciples suggesting. Little did he know that Liang Yu was doing to help promote himself in wanting to take back more land from the Demonic Beasts. As well as collecting more to help his cultivation more.

The next two days were spent hunting Demonic Beasts. Enough that everyone that were left passed the trial.

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Returning-

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Liang Yu and Liang Jian were in his quarters recovering. Going over everything that happened in the last few days. Liang Jian finally understood that the Dark Moon family was not invincible. Especially after almost dying a few times and the way the rebels had infiltrated the school so easily. Linlin had promised to come back soon.

The Zhao family would not offend the Dark Moon family over a servant. It was quite clear she was one of Liang Yu's people and someone Liang Jian was personally involved with.

It made him think about the fact their could be traitorous in the Dark Moon family. As of now the only person he trusted was his cousin Liang Yu. Who despite being extremely different lately, did a lot to keep him alive.

"Here, make sure you use it all up." Liang Yu passed over some of the things he recovered during the trials. "Keep it to yourself and do not share it."

"With this, it won't take long for me to reach the 6th Heavenly Layer!" Liang Jian said excitied. "But what about you?"

"I have something that I am going to try that will be seriously crazy and might kill me." Liang Yu moved to a room that he prepared to originally make a sauna in. But the wide space would work for this as well. At least he hoped it would. "I doubt we are bothered for the next few days as things settle down. Perfect time to test this."

"Test what?" Liang Jian was curious as his cousin started taking out demonic beasts. He cut them open letting the blood pool onto the ground. Liang Yu then placed a few Star Stones in key locations. Oddly enough, all the stones had traces of blood on them. So they were not recovered in a nice way. "That is a lot of blood..."

Liang Yu pulled out more beasts and bled them out. Once done he did not dispose of them at all. The bodies were scooped up then tossed into the Flame Vortex Core, nothing would be wasted. That was a given.

As the smell of blood gathered up, Liang Jian made himself scarce. He would rather wait to the results finished before asking anymore. Besides he someone to go and spend time with. His actions during the trial had improved his reputation and his standing in the Dark Moon family.

"Preparations complete." Liang Yu moved on to the next task. He sat in the pool of blood then cut a few marks on his body. The metal seed in his chest started shining. The iron found in the blood started to leave the pool and entered it. "Forgot something so simple. As for the blood that remains, I just need the plasma energy mixed in. Even that can be used I bet."

*Woosh!* The blood started to swirl around the room. The iron continued to enter the metal seed. Blood entered the cuts on his body but the plasma moved into the Flame Vortex Core. While his body underwent this process, Liang Yu started circulating the Astral Sense.

"Can't put it off anymore." Liang Yu felt the Flame Vortix Core spin under the guidance of the Astral Sense and himself. ALmost hungrily so. As if it had been waiting for him to take the step. "Hell of a lot faster than last time!" The same as before he was yanked inside the center of the vortex..

But this time his skin didn't just peel off. A small film of snow particles blotched up. A sick feeling bubbled in his stomach. As the flames rose and spun more, Liang Yu became aware of a new level of pain.

The snow fought against the fire the same as when he was in the cave. But the fire dominated the battle in minutes as it built in intensity. Once the snow was gone, his soul body burned away faster.

The center of his chest fought back under the assault of the fire. Instead of melting, it increased in durability instead. As well as spreading a little further out. A metal line in the four cardinal directions stuck out.

Liang Yu then blacked out once the fire kicked up to a greater level. His body vanishing then reforming the same as before.

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Few Days Later-

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Liang Yu finally stirred awake. He was in his bed with some one not to far from the side. Liang Jian was drooling perched in a watchful manner. Linlin next to him passed out by the looks of it. Her fingers looked a little dirty. The same as Liang Jian.

"Wake up." Liang Yu poked Lian Jian in the head.

"Ugghh." Liang Jian groaned a little. Blinking a few times he woke up with a start. "You are awake finally!" Linlin was still out cold.

"Yes, now calm down. I take it you took care of me during this time?"

"Yup. But man were you out like a light." Liang Jian nodded happily. "After the first day, I went to see what was going on. Imagine my surprise when I entered a room full of intense heat! Everything else was burned away, including your clothes. Linlin almost fainted thinking you were dead."

"I see." Liang Yu thought it funny really but didn't let it show.

"How do you feel?"

"A little stronger and smarter." Liang Yu said calmly. The pain was still lingering, however. Just a bit. The 3rd tech level of Astral Sense would be even worse he summarised. But considering how he felt extremely connected with his body, it was worth it. "Try to cultivate this and tell me the results later."

*Fwish!* A ball of fire appeared in his hands. A good bit of lighting circled in the center. He passed it over and watched Liang Jian take it easily.

"Feels a lot better than last time for one." Liang Jian grimaced only slightly. "Am I going to need a bathroom this time to?" He received a shrug to that. "Right... well good you are doing okay. Oh, old Xu came to see you but left when i told him you were still recovering."

"Thanks for that." Liang Yu layed back down. He needed some more information before he thought his next moves out. "Oh give this to Linlin. Tell her it is from you. Or that you earned or whatever." Liang Yu grabbed a small rock and infused his qi into it. He wanted to see if this method could work the same as the flame directly would.

"Ok." Liang Jian took the stone and lifted Linlin up. He left to go into another room. 'I wonder how he will react to An Yuning's situation?' Thinking it was a matter for later, he put it out of his mind.