OMAKE - Preparing For The Coming Fight

Having attained the Path of the Ice Sword upon breaking through to the soldier realm, Liu Jin stood in a secluded glade, surrounded by a circle of towering pines. Closing his eyes, he drew upon his qi, feeling it surge within him like a river of frost. With a focused mind, he extended his palms, and before him, ethereal blades of ice began to materialize, shimmering with a faint azure glow.

The ice swords took form, their edges sharp and pristine, reflecting the dappled sunlight filtering through the forest canopy. Liu Jin marveled at his newfound ability, the manifestation of his dedication and training. Gripping the ice swords firmly, he swung them in practiced arcs, the blades singing through the air with a crystalline hum.

As he moved, Liu Jin felt the qi flowing seamlessly through him, harmonizing with the essence of ice. With each motion, he honed his control, striving for fluidity and precision in his technique. The ice swords responded to his will, a testament to his mastery of the Path of the Ice Sword.

Hours turned into days as Liu Jin tirelessly trained, preparing for the impending Beast Tide rumored to sweep through the region. His movements became an intricate dance, a fusion of martial prowess and elemental magic. Sweat mingled with the chill of the ice swords, his determination unwavering.

Through the whispers of the forest, Liu Jin sensed the approaching threat, a primal instinct urging him to strengthen his skills. With renewed resolve, he intensified his training regimen, pushing his limits to harness the full potential of the ice swords.

As the day of reckoning drew near, Liu Jin stood beneath the moonlit sky, ice swords gleaming in his hands. He was ready, a warrior forged in ice, poised to defend against the encroaching Beast Tide and unleash the power of the Path of the Ice Sword upon his foes.
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Can I get Armor Insights from this omake.

Omake Collab: Soldier Suppression Lecture

The day had started like many others, The Horsemen, greatest heroes of the youngest generation were deep in morning cultivation when a messenger from the Inner Sect appeared from thin air and presented them with a scroll, telling them that they were expected at the private pagoda of Elder Nianzu before vanishing.

After a bout of intense but brief celebration the five cultivators rushed to the Pagoda, they were each given a mat, told to ignore the orange mist leaking out from the tall metal door and then the lecture began.

Daiki

As Daiki Inoue, with his long copper hair tied back, sat in the private pagoda, he felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation. The esteemed elder's reputation preceded him, and Daiki couldn't help but wonder what knowledge filled those sacred walls.

As the horsemen settled into meditation, Daiki listened intently to Elder Nianzu's lectures on the nature of the Dao. With each word, it felt as though a parts of a veil were being lifted from his foggy eyes, illuminating the path he longed to walk. Daiki's scholarly mind absorbed the teachings eagerly, his warm orange eyes reflecting the spark of newfound knowledge.

However, as the elder tailored his lectures to each disciple's aspirations, Daiki couldn't shake the feeling of unease that crept over him. The Qi raced through him with unprecedented intensity, causing his spirit to quiver with irregularities. Yet, Elder Nianzu's skilled guidance swiftly corrected the imbalance, averting any lasting harm.

When Daiki's turn came for personal advice, Elder Nianzu's words resonated deeply within him. Talk of Elder Nianzu's own past pursuit of knowledge struck a chord, reminding Daiki of the inherent dangers lurking within the pursuit of power. His mind whirled with newfound understanding, contemplating the implications of his desires.

As the lecture progressed, Daiki absorbed every word, his spiritual organs gleaming with newfound clarity. Yet, Elder Nianzu's discerning gaze detected the instability within their foundations, prompting him to place temporary seals to suppress their Qi. Daiki felt a sense of anticipation brewing within him, knowing that his journey towards ascension had only just begun.Cai Delan

Cai Delan

Cai Delan, better known by his friends as Famine listened to the words of his most recent teacher with rapturous attention, his only movement came only when he shifted slightly as another of his old burns acted up.

Each correction brought greater power, until he was directing a seemingly endless storm of fire through his veins.

Ordinarily Cai Delan would never have dared to control this much Qi, it would have been suicide of a particularly explosive manner, he'd seen it happen with his own eyes back before he'd joined the sect.

He forced his wandering attention back to the scene before him, this was an incredibly rare opportunity and he was determined not to waste it.

Eventually the lecture moved on to the second part, focusing on the five student's paths and their insights into the Dao.

Eventually the time came for his own advice, which seemed a mix of the practical and the philosophical, the practical advice was invaluable but that was where his thoughts diverged from that of the elder, he disagreed with the… lack of suspicion in the ideas, one's attention must be always sharp and facing in every direction or it was worthless.

With that thought he felt something give within his core as his organs glowed bright enough to be visible through his ribcage with power and power began to flow towards his bone- he panicked, trying to pull the Qi away from his bones, he wasn't ready, there was so much more to-

Suddenly a strange film flowed over his bones, stopping the rebellious Qi from jumpstarting his transition to soldier and knocking him out of his trance.

The lecture ended there as the disciples were escorted out of the pagoda after a quick explanation of their new condition, most importantly that using Qi would jumpstart the transition to Soldier.

Cai Delan had never thought he could reach the heavens, but lordship? A place of power and respect in the sect?

That might actually be a possibility.

Xìngyùn Xīng

Xìngyùn Xīng, or War to his brothers was not having a good day, He glanced down at his crossed legs picking at the now white tip of his black hair and rubbed his nose trying to wipe away the smell of ash. He glanced around the almost bare chamber, Nianzu seems to have found his flow, his lessons taking on an almost rhythmic nature and his brothers including Gu jin seemed to be doing well. Even without rainbow eyes he could almost see the Qi gathering.

Xing wasn't cultivating, he had no reason to already being at the peak of peasant, he simply waited for the Elder to move on to insights and counted how many moths he could spot flying outside of the chamber. He was running out of time, it had been many months and five rejections, his twin brother's wedding would be soon, and he wouldn't dare show up without a date. Rubbing his cheeks he forced a motivated smile onto his face, this was fine everything would be fine after all Sum had said they could head into town and try and meet some…

It…would be fine. He stared once more at the ground a familiar ache spreading out from his heart into his bones, his organs felt like they were on fire. Trying to fight off the pain and the tears, Xing pulled ever so gently on the Qi in the room and began to take deep breaths, closing his eyes to center himself. Death may be gone but it's what he chose, he chose his own fate.

Xing opened his eyes glancing up at Nianzu staring at his hair, maybe he could be like Death, like a chess piece deciding its own move. Perhaps just like death, War could be an act of defiance against the whims of fate. He felt something begin to shift in his body and soul; the dust on the floor seemed to be trying to flee from him. He knew deep down each spec of dust was not fleeing from him like his many failed attempts at courting but instead setting out on brave journeys and epic adventures of their own. It…it was getting kind of hard to breathe, when did he have blood on his hands? Why is Nianzu getting ready to slap me with a seal?...oh.


This was a collaborative work by myself, @Shadowolf235 and @fluxeal

Perfection: A Jiang Chen Omake
Truly, Elder Nianzu was as wise as they said! Although he (and many others) held doubts about the goodwill of the strange and eccentric Elder of the Sect, Jiang Chen could at the least say that he held his status for good reason. Between his sword, his teachings on the Red Dew Technique, and now his training in the mastery and refinement of his own technique, Jiang Chen owed a great deal of his current capabilities to the man, and would be certain to pay off this debt to him some time in the future.

Just so long as it didn't involve taking up his offers to go inside his "Pill furnace".

With his newfound skill with the blade, Jiang Chen practiced a basic sword strike, cutting through the air with unerring precision, a feat beyond most any other Peasant, and even the other prodigies of his batch. He could feel the air part like butter before his blade, the strike perfectly angled to minimise air resistance and maximise speed and force, a true marvel for any of his current level, capable of easily cleaving through even steel, and that was before he involved Qi reinforcement, his Passionate Heart spreading power throughout his body in a surge that pushed him even further beyond his limits.

All that was left, was live training. The memories of his previous efforts, his failures, washed over him, a walking tree collapsing atop him with its death, a fellow disciple outmatching him in his area of utmost skill, endless days of training that amounted to nothing in the face of his fellow disciples. Not this time, this time, he was ready, a great Beast Tide had been sighted on the horizon, while many of the Elders were either away on business or in closed door Cultivation, and so, the disciples had been called up to help divert the tide. This... this was his moment, what he had trained for, waited for, honed himself for. He could feel it.

Jiang Chen signed up to help cull the beasts of the incoming Beast Tide, and he prepared, he oiled and tended his blade, honed his skills, and most importantly, he kept his body in shape. While his Cultivation focused heavily on improving his Spirit, and the resultant enhancements to his mind, reflexes, and fine control, as well as the power of his Qi, it would not do to let his body, the fulcrum from which his blade moved the world, fall into disrepair and disuse. And, soon, he would breakthrough, and he had just the Technique prepared to improve it further.

(Failure Insights please. Pretty sure meditating will get me enough Sword for an Enlightenment.)

Omake - The Calm Before the Storm

A large source of Qi approached Wu Ji Nin.

He had been sitting in meditation for what must have been weeks, completely undisturbed, and a surge of annoyance rose from his guts to his throat at this sudden change. Wu Ji Nin observed how heat accompanied the emotion as well as tension and tightness in various parts of his body. He let all of them go with the next breath.

In. Out.

The source of Qi carried many aspects, but he soon recognized the specific flavor of Wood characteristic of Yong Jiahao as he came to stand in front of him.

"Brother Wu?" his friend said quietly, as if to rouse him from a slumber.

In. Out.

Wu Ji Nin opened his eyes and appraised his fellow disciple. The already fading annoyance completely dissipated at the sight of him. Yong Jiahao didn't look exactly haggard, but there was definitely an unusual worry and grimness to his appearance.

Wu Ji Nin had deepened his focus too well in the last month for it to shatter immediately at the sight, but he did feel it cracking slightly, as thoughts too fast to process rushed through his mind.

"What is it?"

Yong Jiahao took a deep breath, somehow giving the impression of being about to shout, so it was jarring to hear his next words come out in a whisper.

"The beast tide is upon us."

Wu Ji Nin's whole body froze for a second. He wasn't even certain whether out of shock, fear or what other emotion. He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath himself.

In. Out.

Then, in one swift motion, he stood up. Leaving the serenity of his meditation behind, Wu Ji Nin prepared himself to wade into the chaos that would surely follow.

"Let us go."