Molting the Mortal Coil

Chapter 1012: Found

A man with slicked back spikes of silver hair and black eyes with no whites suddenly appeared inside the area of the Universe Ring. He looked around at the forest around him and then saw three tall spires in the distance. Turning around he saw six more of them, and recognized the pattern. Eight surrounding a single taller tower in the center. Nobody seemed to notice him as he took a moment to examine his surroundings. Each of the towers had long metal ropes connecting them to the ground, extending in every direction and anchored to the ground like they were tall narrow tents. Each of these towers had large thick vine-like trees growing around them, encircling the metallic walls without breaking them. He was surprised by the mirror-like shine he saw on the walls of the towers, which was a sharp contrast with the trees entwining them. Between each of the towers, there were long bridge-like branches connecting them with small figures walking back and forth.

He found the reason they were all walking upon the bridges a moment later when a roar came from behind him. Glancing back, he saw a cattle-like monster the size of an elephant, squeezing itself between two large trees and charging towards him from behind. With a wave of his hand, a jet of water shot out and sliced the beast into two clean halves. This motion was enough to catch the attention of some of the people up above and a commotion broke out as they tried to figure out who he was. None of that mattered to him as he spread out his Spiritual Sense and quickly scanned through the towers. Then he smiled and leapt into the air.

Traveling a few hundred meters with a single jump, water shot out from his back to propel him and then it shot down towards the ground. There was a huge blast and a massive crater was formed. He was thrown upwards by the attack, and after falling downwards for a while he sent out another blast of water, turning the crater into a tunnel. A solid stone surface was revealed and he tossed a couple more blasts of water downward, the attacks smashed against the stone and shattered it. He fell down into the tunnel while a sphere of water formed around his body. This big marble of water smashed against the shattered stone and punched right through it.

A wave formed underneath the sphere and it rushed into the large open chamber that was underground. They swept past many pillars and ignored many rectangular zones carved onto the floors as they went directly towards a man who was sitting cross legged with his eyes closed. As he approached the man suddenly shot to his feet and his golden eyes were revealed. A wave of green mist was released in every direction, but after experiencing it once before he already knew to avoid it. Water sprung up beneath his feet, carrying him backwards from the advancing green poison. At the same time, the water that had carried him towards this golden eyed enemy swept forward and crashed down on top of the man.

Tell the underworld that the Sea King sent you.

The blue tips of his spiked silver hair seemed to glisten as he sent the golden eyed fellow off with a flourish. The man tried to block his water with a tree, colorful flowers and many small roots, but with just a few more waves of his hands the rushing water swept around and between all the defenses. They wrapped around the mans body, and surprisingly didnt kill him instantly. With a surge of energy, the mans body snapped out of the watery bonds and a huge figure shot off into the distance.

Sea Kings solid black eyes widened as he avoided the green cloud that was still chasing after him and used bursts of water to smash apart another stone wall and dig another tunnel back up to the surface. He shot through the forest and water droplets were pulled from all the surrounding trees, joining the water beneath him and propelling him at high speed towards the figure trying to escape from him. He caught up in just a moment, his great strength making up for the delay he suffered blasting through the ground and he dashed up to a glimmering dot in the air.

That dot was the point where his golden eyed foe had left from this place and by touching it, he disrupted the mans exit. The two of them appeared on top of the wreckage of a chariot, the Sea King with his silver hair and black eyes staring at a large creature lying on the ground next to him. The creature was long and narrow with no limbs to speak of. It looked snake-like, but it was hard to tell due to the nature of its body. Instead of flesh and blood, it appeared to be constructed of layers of lightning. It was certainly an uncommon sight, especially considering this beast had been pretending to be a human all this time. He turned backwards at the waist and reached out behind him with both arms, grabbing at the air and then twisting to point his fists at the lightning beast.

The creature shook, shaking off the momentary stupor caused by the two of them exiting at the same spot. Its body crackled and started to shoot away, but before it traveled a hundred yards watery walls encircled it. The water moved with terrifying speed, outrunning the beast made of lightning and trapping it. The gap in strength between the two of them proved how even water could be faster than lightning with the power of Laws and Qi. The power in the water stopped the lightning beast from passing through it and instead the waters crushed upon the energy creature from all sides as if it was a solid object, slowly grinding it apart. The crackling energy dissipated, leaving behind a ghostly soul that had nowhere to go, trapped within the waters from all sides and squeezed until there was nothing left.

With the enemy dispatched, he carefully swept his Spirit Sense over the area and used a few Qi techniques to confirm the result before returning to the wreckage of the chariot. He spotted the golden ring and disappeared into it. Inside, he released a wave of power that swept through the buildings, wiping out all the strange humanoids living there while leaving the beasts in the forests alone.

As the victor, I claim the territory of the vanquished.

His voice boomed through the area along with the pulse of his energy and then a small boy with a pot belly and glossy white hair appeared beside him. The boy looked the man over for a few moments before he nodded, The transfer has been recognized.

After saying so, the Sea King started to more carefully survey his winnings, heading back down into the underground area to check through the items stored there. While he did, the white haired boy watched with blank eyes before floating off towards the impenetrable mist surrounding this space. He passed through the mist and crossed through a few other wide open territories unnoticed before he stopped in front of a very handsome, yet untidy, man. The mans clothing was rumpled and wrinkled, the robes hanging half open and tilted off one shoulder, and he was smoking a two foot long bronze pipe.

The boy spoke after a moment, You cant stay here any longer.

I didnt want to be freed in this manner.

You know youve never had access.

After another puff of his pipe, the man nodded, Thanks for everything.

A shimmering spot was left behind as all that remained of the man was a wisp of smoke.