Graceful Painting

"Did the teleportation, alert them about us?" Questioned Mu Xi as she glances at the mermen who were knock out below.

"That seems like the most likely answer." Xu Xiaoyan said as she walked over to Mu Xi who glances at the knockout soldiers behind her.

"I don't like this. It feels like we're rats running through a maze."

Xu Xiaoyan nodded her head towards that statement, as they didn't know where they were. They already passed through five halls inside this palace with all of them looking the same.

If she didn't know any better, she would have thought she was going in circles. It was only the fact that both of them would have seen the knock out soldiers if they were and the door in this hall.

"Maybe this will lead us to them." Xu Xiaoyan said as she stared at the door in front of them.

Mu Xi sighed as she glances at the hallway down from them before looking back at the door in front of them.

This was the first time; they saw a door in one of these halls, with the previous halls having only pathways. At the same time, she wouldn't be surprised if this was another pathway that was filled with guards.

Or maybe this would teleport them once again, to who knows where, although she hoped it didn't teleport them outside.

"Be on guard, we don't know what's behind."

"Right!"

Contrary to previous expectations, the room wasn't another hallway that was pack with enemies. Or a trap that would teleport them somewhere else, it was a simple room with some paintings carved on the wall.

Mu Xi didn't know if she should feel relief or disappointment as she could see a stairway going all the way up.

'It seems we're on the lower levels.' Thought Mu Xi as she narrowed her eyes at this sight.

She didn't want to assume it was on the first level as they still don't know where they were teleported.

Even then, it was still an assumption that they were on the lower level as they could also be at the upper levels.

Her gaze swept through the room once more before she turns her head to Xu Xiaoyan before they widen.

"Xiaoyan? Is there something there?"Questioned Mu Xi with her brows furrowed as she saw Xu Xiaoyan staring at the paintings on the wall.

Mu Xi got worried when she didn't answer her back before she walks over towards Xu Xiaoyan and getting a better look.

The paintings for better words were something beautiful. The images in the stone carve painting depicted the figure of a remarkable woman dancing gracefully.

The women's movement was like water as she moved, flowing in graceful arcs, limbs in constant motion, they were timeless.

Mu XI felt herself get lost in each movement as her gaze move across the paintings.

Each image, bringing a soft and cold but deadly feeling to those who watched as if the women were trying to communicate.

Yet Mu Xi couldn't stop the feeling that she was being oppressed and trapped as her gaze continued to move.

Elegance in its finest and true form, floating across and twisting weightlessly across before the figure twisted her body.

A sword in her hand, it was long with the color unclear but Mu Xi felt a chill, nonetheless.

And with the final image, being the women hacking down.

"W-What was that…"Mu Xi said as her eyes were quivering as she began to regain her bearings before turning to Xu Xiaoyan.

"Xiaoyan? Are you okay?"Questioned Mu Xi as she moved her hand to grab Xu Xiaoyan, shaking her.

"Huh? Oh, elder sister...One second."Muttered Xu Xiaoyan as she blinks her eyes causing Mu Xi to be worried.

But before Mu Xi could question Xu Xiaoyan, she moved away from the painting, going to the middle of the room.

"Xiaoyan...?"

Xu Xiaoyan ignored Mu Xi for a second as she let out a sigh before her eyes narrowed.

In the next few seconds, Mu Xi's eyes widen as she saw Xu Xiaoyan enact similar movements that were founded on the paintings.

Xu Xiaoyan's movement was choppy at first, lacking the elegance and smoothness that the women in the painting depicted.

Yet to Mu Xi shock, she could feel the room getting a bit colder with wisps of energy swirling around.

This went on until Xu Xiaoyan got to the concluding phase of the dance, as a sword made out of her ice element was form.

Then Mu Xi watched as Xu Xiaoyan hacked down with her sword but only a small wave of ice was released.

'...Did she achieve some type of enlightenment?' Mu Xi thought in shock as she knew enacting the movement of the women isn't that easy.

As not only did one have to grasp what she was doing but also understand the path to traverse.

Mu Xi knew if she tried copying the movement of the women, she wouldn't be able to exude the same feeling and effect.

"...This is harder than I thought." Xu Xiaoyan muttered but her face had a beaming smile as if she didn't mind this development.

As she knew just how amazing and powerful was the move alongside the insight she gained from these paintings.

It wasn't wrong to say, that these paintings allowed her to increase her knowledge into the ice and water elements. Alongside providing her a terrifying self-soul skill that she would soon be able to employ in battle.

'I wonder who she is, though.'

Xu Xiaoyan didn't think this was a simple painting made from one imagination. She believed that this was drawn from someone seeing a demonstration or maybe the women herself painted this.

"You seem alright." Said Mu Xi as she approached Xu XIaoyan, examining her body and making sure there was no lasting effect.

"Hehe, I am fine." Xu Xiaoyan said yet she could willingly allow Mu Xi to finish her assessment of her.

It didn't take long for Mu Xi to nod her head, indicating nothing was wrong with her. Xu Xiaoyan only giggled at Mu Xi before telling her what happened.

"...So it really was you gaining insight. Your benefit in this place is under no circumstances small." Mu Xi muttered while smiling gently at Xu Xiaoyan.

"Yep...Although I'm curious about who she is?"

"You are right...I doubt she is a human as it wouldn't make sense for those sea soul beasts to have a painting for them. So it may have been one of the sea soul beasts." Said Mu Xi causing Xu Xiaoyan to nod her head, as she also derived such a conclusion.

"Well, either way, we should hurry and go, we don't need any more mermen swarming us here." Said Mu Xi as she moved toward the stairs with Xu Xiaoyan following behind her.

But not before she sent a final glance at the magnificent painting.

#

"Anyway, anything wrong with you and Gu Yue? Is your state stable or is something still wrong?"Questioned Tang Wulin leading Na'er to sigh.

"I have already run into a problem."

"What is it?"

"It's becoming harder and harder to rank up as I cultivate. This means me and Gu Yue will have to fuse if we wanted to become a Limit Douluo or higher."Said Na'er with a grim look causing Tang Wulin to nod his head.

"I have a suggestion or an Idea if you will, that might work." Said Tang Wulin causing Na'er to look up in surprise.

"You do?"

"More or less. It would require either you or Gu Yue to absorb the other but it won't be full absorption. But with the help of my Time Power and a few other things, it won't be a true fusion as there would still be two of you. In a way, one of you would be giving everything to the other, allowing them to become the full Silver Dragon King."Said Tang Wulin as he began thinking about other ways to help them ever since he found out their problem.

He didn't like having only one option for any of his decisions. Especially one that, would require him too much time to accomplish.

"What about the other?"

"You would most likely lose all if not most of your power, with some other unforeseen things that can happen. But that isn't so bad, as I would have you absorb the leftover divine energy of the Calamities body to help boost your strength back."Said Tang Wulin causing Na'er eyes to widen.

"You would use it on one of us? Wouldn't it be better for you to use it?"

"It wouldn't boost my cultivation, as my God Slayer Art would just absorb all of it. While this is good, I need you to recover your lost power and fast. Naturally, this wouldn't be the only thing that we use, as I plan to use the plane and nature to help you."Said Tang Wulin causing Na'er to furrow her brows.

"Would I be losing everything that belongs to the Silver Dragon King?"

"I think you can keep the spear if it follows the same legend of being made from the dragon's bone. If not, we can just make you another from the Silver Dragon King bones." Said Tang Wulin.

"After this, I plan to go back to the Endless Mountain to farm those Abyssal Creatures and help push my cultivation to a Title Douluo. I sadly didn't have enough time for this, as I had to deal with Jormungandr. But we can work with this, as you can use this time to help boost your cultivation too with the spear if there is not enough."Said Tang Wulin with a sigh as it had been a while since he got a break.

"Did you tell Gu Yue this yet?"

"No, as this is only a suggestion. The choices are up to you and her. Whether you all chose this plan or we try to think of something else is both of your choices."Said Tang Wulin causing Na'er to nod her head.

"Hey, big brother."

"Yea?"

"Would you still look at me the same? Even after the absorption?"Questioned Na'er with her head down as she began to think.

"What do you mean?"

"There might be a chance that Gu Yue will absorb all of my memories, causing me to stop being the Na'er you know." Said Na'er with a faint smile yet Tang Wulin could hear the heartfelt sorrow in her tone.

Within the next second, Tang Wulin stopped moving down the hall causing Na'er to also stop as she held her arm with her head down.

Na'er began biting her lips, as she began wondering what would happen if her memories and potential were gone. Would her master still want her? Would her mother think she was her daughter?

She was so busy in her thought that she didn't notice Tang Wulin approaching and the feeling of a hand on her head.

"Silly girl, you will always be my Na'er." Said Tang Wulin with a faint smile causing Na'er to look up with her body trembling.

"But what if-"

"If you lose your memories, then we will simply make new ones or help bring back the old ones. It's no big deal."Said Tang Wulin as he began moving his hand through Na'er hair before he moved to lightly kiss her on the lips.

Na'er blinks her eyes that flashed with a myriad of emotions before she began to giggle.

"You better keep your promise, Big Brother."