Heaven's Laws - Lifestone - Chapter 32

They appeared in the vacuum of space. Quinyuan felt her husband’s perceptions scan her before quickly moving on. He’d trained her in what to do to survive open space. Breathing was impossible, so it required one to rely solely on their qi to sustain them. The only real difficulty was learning to breathe without breathing. It was not pleasant, especially the first time. She turned and found that Kang was just fine. Even without heart of ice, he was an analytical powerhouse. It wouldn’t surprise her if he’d figured it all out himself.

Turning her attention to Yongrui, she found the man had a constipated look from holding his breath. When they’d arrived, he’d probably tried to take a breath but found he couldn’t, let out some more air to make room, then tried to forcible take another one. There was no air, so it had done him no good and left him in his current predicament.

“Fill your lungs with qi,” she instructed, but didn’t say more. She treated him friendlier than most of his own sect’s elders. That didn’t mean she would make things easy for him. He was stubborn and fiercely independent which got him in trouble, but at the same time, he learned best when put in situations that were just as stubborn as he was.

She noticed Billi looking at the new Fire Phoenix Sect Master with her head curiously cocked to the side.

Quinyuan noticed the smile pull at her own mouth in response. It was coming so easy to her now. Smiling had once been a skill to her, but now it was as natural as breathing. She wondered at how much she’d lost over the last thousand years. Without the technique, would her life had been richer? Would she have married? Had children? It was likely. Would she have reached her current cultivation? She didn’t know. She certainly wouldn’t have met Sister An, and marrying Zan would’ve been impossible.

She didn’t ignore her regret but gave it its place to help guide and motivate her to make better decisions in the future. Gratitude also had its place. She wouldn’t let anything take away the family she was now a part of. She’d never use heart of ice again if it meant she’d lose what she felt for them.

It didn’t take long for Yongrui to figure it out. He still looked uncomfortable, but he gave them a nod that he was ready to move on.

She turned her attention to the great sphere of blue tribulation fire that raged many kilometers away.

“The question of whether a person’s inner world is miniature in size or the same as common space has been answered, don’t you think?” Zan said smugly, mocking the lower realm belief.

The planet of tribulation fire wasn’t alone. There was a second sphere orbiting it, but far off to their flank. Its size was similar, but slightly smaller. Quinyuan had experience creating her second planet when she’d advanced to the tribulation realm. Even though she made it the same size as the original, her first had absorbed more energy during her breakthrough and grown in both realm and size.

Zan continued, “This dead prince’s inner world is typical for a Tribulation Realm cultivator of the Divine Fire Phoenix Sect. There’s nothing truly exceptional about it, but neither are there any flaws. That is the glory of cultivating a technique established by a divine beast that has reached the Divine Monarch realm. It can be cultivated it all the way to the peak. For most qi gathering techniques in the lower realm, that is impossible.”

“What of Little Chao?” Kang asked.

As methodically cold as the ice sage could be, Quinyuan knew that he cared deeply for the boy. Perhaps more than he cared for the boy’s father, whom he called master and was as close of a friend to him as he had. Even that wasn’t being fair to him. He’d commissioned Zan to wipe out the Hayka Cult because he cared for the disciples being experimented on. He and Chao were so similar in the fascination they had for the world, but Chao’s was a wonder-filled, joyous thing, where Kang’s was different… Or was it? Chao had a love for people equal to his love of laws. Was that the difference? Or had the Ice Phoenix Elder’s injury that left his face emotionless for all those years deceived even her? Maybe now that his breakthrough had allowed his expressions to recover, she needed to reevaluate him to be fair.

“By all common wisdom, Chao’s method should be considered flawed and limited,” Zan replied. “However, his core and inner world speak for themselves. Both he and his wife have broken from tradition. It will make their advancement less certain and even more dangerous, but it is the very thing that will make them exceptional.

“Theoretically, relying on cultivation techniques created by divine beasts, or even human Divine Monarchs, isn’t the best approach. It could be said that there is a unique set of techniques that would work the best for each individual and they can only be found through trial and error. The problem, of course, is that trying to figure them out could prove deadly and take decades. That’s why master disciple relationships are so important. If the disciple is struggling, they have someone with greater insight to guide them with a proven qi gathering technique as a foundation.

“Honestly, this is why Chao must rely on dual cultivation with his wife far more than any common cultivator would—even if he hasn’t realized it yet. His technique is just at the beginning stages of development. Her technique at least has a proven foundation. His is completely unique to himself. Huifen would likely make it to the peak without him, and even if she didn’t have her virgin yin, but without her support, for him it’s likely impossible. Not without his father forcing pills and natural treasures down his throat. Unless…

He refocused. “I’m going to draw back my protective qi, so be ready to defend with your auras. I want you to experience exactly what it’s like in a dead cultivator’s inner world.”

As soon as he did, Quinyuan felt the Tribulation fire’s heat. They were far enough away that it wouldn’t harm her, but she summoned her defensive aura for comfort’s sake.

Kang and Yongrui didn’t have as easy a time, but the fire sage sneered with glee. He obviously admired the massive ball of flame, and wanted a piece of it for himself.

She saw her husband give the man a sidelong glance. He had that mischievous glint in his eye. “Yongrui,” Zan called. “This is a cultivator’s wonderland for one with your fire cultivation, but also extremely dangerous for your realm. I will turn it into a temporary mystical realm so that you can use it while we’re off planet, but first I must make it easier to manage. Pay close attention to what I’m about to do. You won’t understand it now, but one day it will be useful to you. Everyone else, also follow me closely with your perceptions. There is much for you to glean. Especially you, Little Fairy.” He gave Quinyuan a confident smirk. “It’s not every day I get to show off. Now, let me take care of this second planet.”

What did he mean take care of? He flew right at it. Even as he drew near, he didn’t slow. He was but a tiny unburnt speck in the light of its surface. Then he plunged straight into the arrogant flame.

There was more than one gasp. She could feel the tension through her friend’s auras.

She followed him closely with her perceptions. His clothing disappeared into his spatial ring before it turned to ash. He swam to the very core of the planet of fire. Only then did he stop.

Stretching himself as if comfortable in the ocean of flame, his core began to spin. As her husband’s inner world opened to receive the Tribulation realm fire, it was as if the entire world cried out, voicing its grievance. Its surface churned but couldn’t escape.

She knew he was at least a Divine Lord, for the Divine Fire Sect Elder never would’ve shown him such respect if that wasn’t the case, but even now, she didn’t know what realm he had reached. He said it was important that she didn’t know for certain. Not while she, Chao and Huifen were still in such a delicate state.

Divine Lords and the two final realms brought with them much responsibility that other near peak cultivators would demand of him. Such individuals had the power to change worlds for better or worse. He sought to protect them as long as he could.

Watching him now, the man that had become her husband, she felt giddy in the way only a young woman should. It was something she never expected. She was proud of him and could call him her own. The concept wasn’t new. In her thousand years, she’d counseled many, but to feel it herself…

She didn’t believe Zan when he’d teased her about still being young. Only now was she starting to believe there might be more to his words. How did a woman that had sworn off marriage for a thousand years have any right to feel this—bliss? She thought of her friend, Sister An. Had she known that her insistence would one day save her from the dismal existence that life with Heart of Ice wrought?

Thank you.

It was as much as prayer to the heavens as to acknowledge what her friend had done for her. Even though the old practice of using Heart of Ice as a way of life wasn’t established by her, she had propagated it, potentially ruining the lives of countless women. Many of them had been the people she held most dear. She was just glad she hadn’t taken as dogmatic stance as the sect had taken in the past. Marriage had once been forbidden entirely. That was a dogma that she had done away with.

She allowed her mind to turn to more joyful things. Her husband was swallowing a planet whole, and she got to witness the process.