Pathway

Chapter 90: Death Keep [5]

They had the same nature of elements as that of the beads inside the crusts. They were only formed due to the true knowledge of the principles of the laws of creation.

Aside from the guardians created by the universe itself, only cosmic divines could also create lasting pure essence guardians. Celestials could produce high essence guardians which would loose their potent powers with the passage of time. Gods could materialize low essence guardians. Hegemons couldn't create true elemental guardians but they could conjur strong replicas, and could also confine an existing principal for later purposes.

Ju Feng realized he was in serious trouble and knew he had to leave the place at once. There was no way he could face a water guardian at this point in his life. He was only at the Zhuji level in cultivation, and yinying level in martial arts. He had only learned the Shifting Heavens which was a low level martial hand technique. His swordsmanship was even worse. He had only learned the basics of swordsmanship from his grandfather due to their different affinities. The sect's teaching was just starting, and he was yet to learn a proper technique. 

How could he face any type of elemental guardians? Was that not like knocking on death's door?

Suddenly, a danger alarm echoed in Ju Feng's head. In that instant, he knew he had to run away from the area without delay. With high amount of chi fortifying his body, he turned to flee towards the tunnel using the flash-steps. But one step forward, he saw a large blade of water essence almost at his face. On instinct, he reacted by quickly bending backward, using his sword to slightly redirect the direction of the blade. Basics of swordsmanship. Although he was mainly unscathed, the impact still knocked him flying into one of the water channels. 

Realizing he was still conscious, he checked his body and to his relief, his bones were still intact. He hadn't even seen the appearance of who attacked him. But from the impact of the elemental sword, he had a feeling he was dealing with the water elemental guardian. From the direction of the blade, it was to the right side of the area. He would have to take the left side and hoped he made it to the tunnel. No other way.

At the moment, he was still breathing. He tried to remember the safe-word but couldn't. It was at the tip of his tongue but still couldn't remember it. So, he decided to make a run for it, but he wouldn't be using the Swift-Steps technique. He pushed the maximum chi his body could take into it which put a great strain on his soul. As a premier, his soul hadn't reached the Jindan stage where it would be able to form a core to fortify his soul. But, his body was much more stronger and faster than most cultivators of his age. That made the flashsteps much more faster than before.

He was almost at the mouth of the tunnel, when he saw his life flashed before his eyes. He had a premonition of a certain death. Was it his own death? It had to be his own death. Who else was there? Knowing primal danger was on him, he turned his head towards the direction of his fears. But at that moment, his right leg slipped.

A moment of fate.

The words of divine Asha, came to the fore at that moment of true primal danger. What she granted at the time of reincarnation was fulfilled. The boy wouldn't be entering the road to reincarnation just yet. She never tampered with fate after reincarnation, as a matter of fact she never had the time to, but whatever was granted during the reincarnation must be fulfilled. That was the law of creation in regards to incarnation. 

Just as Ju Feng slipped, a massive clawed hand passed the spot where his head was, a moment before. The claws collided with a giant sword made of true essence of water. The sound of the impact was like a colossal thunderstorm. The whole mountain shook with great tremors which made Ju Feng's body trembled in fear. Queitly, he crawled away from the spot, to a more distant location. From there, he could clearly see the look of the water elemental guardian.

A giant body of water in the shape of a Nefrim. Its body detail was so clear that it almost looked like a real Nefrim. Dense water was flowing all over its body like a thick body armor. The massive broadsword in its hand, was in the semblance of clear and solid water. It looked like a glass sword which was reflective of pristine water. The water aura coming from guardian was exceedingly overpowering.

The water guardian wasn't something a mortal cultivator below nascent soul should be facing. He would have been dead had the sword made contact with his body. The sword would have cut him into two diagonal parts. But the water elemental wasn't alone. The guardian's expressionless face was now focused on a mighty beast which was now stalking it. Maybe it could sense the power of the beast or not, but it didn't attack but abided its time. The fact that it hadn't attack the beast showed the level of power the beast possessed. After all, for the Star-Tide to be on the mortal plane meant the guardian would be having a power at the level of a nascent soul at the least. 

The beast looked at the water principal, unchallantly, before turning towards Ju Feng. It was staring at him like the most tasty meal which made him swallowed hard.

"Mortal, I can smell the rich aroma of death on you. A mortal who dared walked where immortals are dying. No wonder the death's aroma on you smelled so good. I can even taste it. It actually pulled me out of my slumber. Your web of death is strongly threaded. You'll really go a long way in satisfying my hunger. Oh, how long it has been."

Death-Eater.

A slumbering desth-eater? Then, he recollect that when he slipped, he saw a shadow of claws passing over his head. He couldn't recall them clearly, he didn't even see where they came from. But he knew he could have died from the sharp massive claws had they connected with his head. They could have easily cut off his head like a thread. Without moving, Ju Feng continued to observe the two powers.

Just as the death-eater was turning his attention towards the water guardian, the guardian made its attack move on it. When the water guardian neared the death-eater, it split into two replicas of itself. With the two guardian replicas holding identical large water blades. In an instant too, the death-eater raised its green glowing paws and moved in a lightning speed. It had anticipated an attack from the guardian.

The two collided and a great battle ensued.

Seeing them engaged in a mighty battle, Ju Feng quickly stood up and fled the area through the tunnel. He decided it was time for him to leave the mountain, Mystic Order or not. Then, he remembered the instructions of the grey tree about the Scripts of Sentience. That he had to show them to some of the grey tree's friends, and one of them was inside the mountain. How could he look for the friend now, with death-eaters, conchi guardians and nephilias on his way. Let the tree send his roots to the nether region for all he cared, but he was getting out of there. 

As he exited to the open area outside the tunnels, a giant leg of a large multiple-eyed venomous spider, almost slammed into him before he could even see it. The nephilia spider was fighting with a nephilia critter.

Nephilias? Where did they even come from?

The place should be having mountain spiders and critters. Not nephilias.The nephilias were so fast that he wondered if he could actually outrun them. And more of them were blocking the spiralling tunnel. His only way up. Well, he had to go up. Which meant he would have to fight his way out. And he had to do that quickly. It was better to face any of the nephilias than either the death-eater or the conchi guardian. If any of the two monsters inside the tunnel were to get near him, that would be his death. 

He was about to engage the nephilias who hadn't yet noticed him, when he heard the shrieking sound of a death-eater almost at the mouth of the misty tunnel. Another death-eater? U Feng couldn't believe what was happening inside the mountain. The mountain was suppose to be a direct and simple journey, not a death trap. He quickly turned and made his way into the third tunnel with fortified flashsteps, before they could be aware of his presence.

Inside the tunnel, he discovered it was a dead end. He turned towards the entrance and could hear the nephilias battling the death-eater. The sound of their battles was getting closer. Ju Feng knew it would take more than the nephilias numbers to stop a death-eater. He was also aware that he couldn't hide from the death-eater inside the tunnel. The monster could smell his soul. Soon, the death-eater would make its way into the tunnel. 

While thinking of a solution to his predicament, he noticed a small hole at the base of the dead end. A way out there or a way out of life ? It would be better to find out than to stay and die. Hence, he quickly began digging .