[Bonus Chapter for 600 golden tickets :)]
Ri didn't have time to think through something like this, she had to trust that even if something went wrong, Dyon would have a solution.
Seeing that Ri returned with the Elvin Tome, Dyon wanted to smile but, of course, couldn't. He was slowly losing even his vision, but he could see a light at the end of the tunnel. As long as he freed his soul, he'd be able to communicate. Maybe not with his original body, but, he could create a clone with the Florence family technique and communicate. Since that technique relied on his soul, with those shackles removed, he'd be free to do this.
Ri froze when she reached Dyon, a bit hesitant. Although she had been confident just moments ago, right now, she was very much scared that this wasn't the solution. But, seeing Dyon's resolute gaze nearly crystallizing over, she knew she couldn't delay any longer.
As soon as the tome touched Dyon's chest, the effects were immediate. After but a moment of pain, Dyon's thoughts began to reach their top speed.
His aurora lit itself again from its dimming light and Dyon could feel everything around him again. In less than ten seconds, Dyon's soul was completely cleansed of all signs of the technique.
Ri, however, couldn't see this change. She saw somber flashing lights, but aside from that, she saw that Dyon still couldn't move. The disappointment on her face was clear and she felt like screaming. Why was it that everything in the martial world seemed intent on destroying everything important to her? However, she only closed her eyes and focused. If this didn't work, something else would have to.
'What else could it –'
Suddenly, Ri's thoughts were interrupted by a pat on her head.
Her eyes snapped open, "Dyon?"
Tears streamed down Ri's face as she found Dyon's form right in front of her. But, when she noticed that there was another Dyon lying on the ground with the tome still lying on his chest, she didn't know how to feel.
"This…" Ri stuttered.
"Ah, don't worry about it. I can't come out for long because I need my full focus on curing the rest of this. In fact, every second I spend out here is another second the technique is violently reacting."
As Ri had thought, the technique was a malicious one. When it felt its power being encroached on, it began to react violently. If Dyon continued to diverge his soul power, the situation would only get worse much faster.
Ri nodded, wiping her cheeks so she could listen to Dyon's words.
"I need the Elvin Tome to stay on me so that my soul doesn't relapse, so make sure that it stays there. Other than that, with my soul freed, I have access to my wills again."
"But… Celestial will didn't work…"
"About that, I have another idea. Don't worry about it. I want you to focus and use these 7-8 weeks to cultivate – don't miss the world tournament. I know it's important to you. I'll be fine. With that much time, as long as you use that array room I made for you, your improvement should be insane.
"Last thing, about the person who attacked m –" Dyon's clone winced, shattering in space in an instant.
Ri looked toward Dyon's form worried. If his soul disappeared so abruptly, then the situation must be serious. She didn't even have time to think about what Dyon had wanted to tell her about who attacked him. It seemed unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
Despite Dyon's words, Ri spent the rest of the day sitting beside Dyon worriedly.
She was doing everything she could to check for any minute changes, but even Dyon's eyes had become completely glazed over with red crystals.
However, on the morning of the third day, Ri found a faint ray of hope. Dyon's heart beat had finally gained a semblance of normalcy.
Seeing that, Ri nodded.
'I'll go cultivate then…' She thought silently, 'Then, I'll make them pay.'
**
"Father?" Delia started, feeling a familiar presence in her hotel room.
She had spent the past weeks locked in here, cultivating. In fact, it had become a complete ice land as she tried her best to understand just what the absolute path was.
A familiar figure flashed into existence – middle-aged man with dark olive skin and a full beard and well-kept head of hair.
Tears threatened to spill out of Delia's eyes, but there seemed to be a barrier between her and her emotions that had been growing in the past few days. The path of the absolute was unforgiving and cruel and it was beginning to encroach on Delia's personality more and more.
Patia-Neva looked at his daughter silently. If one paid attention, his murky brown eyes held a faint pain in them… as though he knew exactly what his daughter was going through.
"I didn't wish for this path for you." Patia-Neva said faintly, "I wanted nothing more than to avoid this. You shouldn't have to make the same decisions I did just for the sake of power or for some greater good. You should be allowed to grow up without such burdens, and yet, my mistakes have driven you to this end."
Delia didn't know what her father was talking about. Did he know about the absolute path too? Was this the reason for the change Delia had seen in her father?
But, Patia-Neva didn't explain. "Is this the path you've chosen?"
Delia nodded. Despite her confusion, she knew this was her path to power. She didn't know what her father had gone through, but this was her choice.
"Very soon, you'll find out about things that will never allow you to look at me the same way again. But, for now, let me perform my last act as your father." Patia-Neva spoke faintly.
A sudden aura coated the room before Delia and Patia-Neva disappeared in an instant.
Although Delia didn't know it at the time, she would come to know one day in the distant future.
That aura that coated the room, was no normal aura. It was without a doubt the presence of a Celestial Expert.
