The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns: An OP Xianxia Returnee LitRPG

Chapter 105: New Skils And Mursha’s Strenght

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There were three other new Fusion Skills I had yet to try, but I decided to first use some other items I had. Now that I had freed up a lot of Skill Slot Space, I decided to learn these skills right away. They might not be important, but I think I could find some interesting things to use or even fuse later on.

It was a bunch of books too, so by just opening them one by one, their contents emerged like glowing runes of light, imbuing themselves into my body and making me overflow with new power. 

I started from the lowest Rank to the highest Rank…

Ding!

[You have opened and absorbed the contents of the [Random Skill Book (S Rank)] x4!]

[You learned the following Skills: [Blazing Sword Spirit Summon (S): Lv1], [Wind Gale Veil of Protection (S): Lv1], [Super Body Reinforcement (S): Lv1], and [Quadruple Slash (S): Lv1]!]

Oh, interesting Skills!

I tried all four of them as I saw Mursha sparring with Fiery Hair.

FLUOSH!

A spirit materialized in front of me, starting with crimson flames and then taking the form of a huge, blazing sword. At level 1, the skill could only create a single one.

It seemed slightly sentient and would obey any commands; it was rather strong, and you can easily use this as a powerful living weapon and projectile.

“Next is…”

FLASH!

A gale of spiraling winds covered my entire body out of nowhere, creating a dress-like shape, glowing with emerald, semi-transparent light, and sparkling brightly.

It was quite beautiful and flashy; it allowed me to easily fly around and release gusts of wind.

“Hmm, not bad.”

Then the other two were simpler.

“Oh?”

I felt my body gain a slight boost to its physical strength and stamina; at my current level of power, it wasn’t anything too big, but it was noticeable.

“It could become something big in the future, for sure.”

Then, in the fourth skill, I swung my blade into the skies.

FLUOSH!

Then four slashes appeared, slashing through space and creating four cracks. The heavens above rumbled slightly, but I quickly repaired the cracks afterward.

“Hm! So it divides a slash into four? Amazing… Though they are reduced in power, it could be interesting to use.”

It works similarly to my Orochi technique, in a way.

Now, I quickly opened the other, higher-quality books.

Ding!

[You have opened and absorbed the contents of the [Divine Skill Book (SSS Grade)] x3!]

[You learned the following skills: [Divine Winter Draconification (SSS): Lv1], [Divine Thunderstorm Spirit Armament (SSS): Lv1], and [Divine Body Enhancement: Golden Mountain Physique (SSS): Lv1]!]

Hm?! These are quite interesting now.

“Let’s see…”

BOOM!

My body suddenly erupted with frost power, ice spreading around my body as I saw azure scales and silver scales grow around my arms and legs, and even draconic horns and wings.

“How amusing! SSS Rank Skills are sure something.”

I had undergone Winter Draconification, taking upon the power of a Winter Dragon into my body. Right now, it was quite low, but it seemed that it could improve. Ice powers surged from me out of nowhere, an element I had not even cultivated before.

By merely staying in this form, I could feel the cold encompass my body and bring me some enlightenment into the Dao of Cold, Snow, and Ice. These three Daos make up all things involving ice, frost, cold, low temperatures, and so on.

Now the next one is quite flashy.

RUMBLE!

Thunder fell from the skies, encompassing my entire body and resembling a living being made of golden lightning, quickly shaping my body as armor.

With my mind, I could easily shapeshift its form into weapons or even shields as I wished, which is pretty good and interesting.

And lastly… The physique was a passive ability, so the effect was already applied. It was mostly another enhancement to my physical strength and stamina.

Through concentration, I was able to feel a clear connection to the ground, the roots made of stone and ores, and what lay beneath.

There was some sort of Underground World in the world of Elios, perhaps where the Thralls come from.

“Next…”

Ding!

[You have opened and absorbed the contents of the [Nether Energy Manipulation Skill Book (SSS Grade)] x1 and [Soul Aether Manipulation Skill Book (SS Grade)] x1!]

[You learned the following Skills: [Nether Energy Manipulation (SSS): Lv1] and [Soul Aether Manipulation (SS): Lv1]!]

These two Skills were quite important, I believe, and with them, I can finally begin my proper cultivation and comprehension of the Dao of Souls and Death and improve not only my own Soul even more, but the Souls of everyone.

This means that the more I improve their Souls quickly, the faster they can absorb their System Status instead of letting the System parasitize them.

“Nether Essence... and Soul Aether.”

In my right hand, a slightly moldy, slimy black and dark blue energy materialized, Nether, the essence that Undead use to maintain themselves in the world of the living and to fuel their bodies. It was sticky and cursed and seemed to have the property of keeping souls stuck to physical objects.

Then in my left hand, a glowing, ethereal, and bright essence surged; this one came from my very soul, materializing as a beautiful flame of gold and white light. This was Soul Aether, it was faint and would dissipate at any moment; it had a hard time staying in the world as it is; it needed a vessel, a living vessel.

“Both are similar, yet at the same time so different.” I smiled with a sigh. “I shall use these Skills well.”

After that, I took a look at Mursha and Fiery Hair’s spar. These two were almost equally strong. Mursha was shocked that Fiery Hair was fighting with her bare fists and legs and successfully blocking her sword attacks with them.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

“W-What is this ridiculous woman?!” Mursha muttered in disbelief. “How is it possible for a human to just deflect my technique with their bare body?!”

“Fiery Hair is the strongest of her tribe!” Fiery Hair said. "Mursha, not bad... But we need more power, more strength... Lack of conviction... no determination!”

Fiery Hair rushed forward, her red hair suddenly glowing and becoming flames themselves; her eyes flared with fiery flames. As her powerful and tall body used its tremendous weight to her advantage, her two fists fell over Mursha like blazing meteors, generating explosions with each blow.

BAAM! BAAM! BAAM!

“Ugh…!”

Mursha gritted her teeth as her blade easily blocked the attacks, but the immense explosions coming from Fiery Hair’s blows pushed her back constantly, making her struggle quite a lot. 

“RAAAH!”

Mursha pushed forward, swinging her sword vertically and then horizontally. Her blade clashed against Fiery Hair’s bare hands, barely leaving a small bruise that didn’t even bleed.

Fiery Hair might be shaping up to be the next Primal King, or, well, Queen.

She hasn’t been slacking off inside my Inner Realm. I’ve been training with her and learning how to use Primal Energy from her.

She’s a rough girl, though, so after a lot of training, my Doppelgangers would break apart, surprisingly.

As she trained with me, she also cultivated Ki and Mana, two energies I helped her obtain; she now had her own non-parasitic System, as well as a Physique, and an Elemental Core.

So she had grown even stronger than before.

Much stronger.

But above all,

“W-Wha…?! How come you’re so tough? Are you made of steel- Not even steel!”

“Heheh… Fiery Hair strong! Must be strong to protect people and family! You must be strong to love Bing Bing! Because Bing Bing is very strong, she won’t love weaklings!”

“I lack…?! What are you even talking about!” Mursha roared angrily. “I don’t lack resolve! I am a proud warrior of the Bloodfang Tribe!”

Fiery Hair wasn’t wrong, Mursha; in her attacks and her techniques, even in her movements, I could still recall a lot of hesitation; it wasn’t because she was weak. It was because she lacked resolve and something to drive her.

If her story is right, after her entire tribe died, I can tell why she became like this. Maybe she was even stronger before everything went to sh*t for her.

And that lack of resolve is affecting her strength; it makes her doubt herself.

And because of that, she cannot let out all of her latent potential.

“HAAAH!”

With a ferocious roar, the orc warrior swung her blade once more, her Blood Aura surging from her body fierily as her skin started growing red with flame-like tattoos of fire.

Her eyes turned deep red too, and as blood flames appeared in her sword, each attack unleashed explosive waves of cutting sword energy.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Yet Fiery Hair did not evade; she imbued her entire body with the mighty Primal Power and then used Ki to further reinforce her foundations, making her a walking, indestructible sentinel.

But I know Mursha could do more than this; these attacks she was doing were desperate, lacking any substance or technique behind them.

“Mursha cannot fight anymore! You are desperate! Not a warrior! Sit down!”

Fiery Hair roared, rushing towards her and slamming Mursha in the head, hitting her so strongly that she was pushed into the floor.

BAAAM!

“Ugh…! Y-YOU!”

With a ferocious roar, the orc warriors unleashed a devastating storm of slashing attacks, hitting Fiery Hair, and trapping her in a tornado of blood energy.

Yet…

“Not enough…!”

Fiery Hair clapped her hands with tremendous force, and the tornado instantly dissipated into thin air as Mursha was left speechless.

Yeah, Fiery Hair was very strong; I would even go as far as saying she’s my strongest disciple in terms of raw strength and power.

Only Yanisse can compare in terms of power with her Void Essence.

“Hahah… I’ve been defeated twice today; this is... My whole pride is broken into tiny parts now,” sighed Mursha while laughing dryly. “I guess I have grown weak.”

Fiery Hair then extended her hand.

“You are not weak; you are strong! Mursha is a very strong warrior! Fiery Hair likes Mursha! We train together, grow strong together, yes?”

“You… Would you help me train?”

“I help! You help back! Yes?”

“Hahaha! You have such a funny way to talk, okay then…”

Mursha took her hand and stood up.

“What can you teach me then, cavegirl?” laughed Mursha.

“Primal Power! You can use it! You have talent! Mursha has talent!” Fiery Hair said with excited eyes.

Wait, what? 

Does she have talent?

Do people have a talent for that energy?

“Primal what…?!”

BOOOM!

Before Mursha could say anything, Fiery Hair hit her chest with her Palm as an explosion of golden Primal Power rushed into Mursha’s entire body.

Wow, I guess she learned from me, huh?

“Uuaagh! W-What is this power- AH!”

Mursha gasped for air, suddenly feeling it rush through her entire being. Usually, Primal Power would destroy your body, anybody that cannot withstand it.

It has a will of its own too, and it even tried to destroy my body; if I wasn’t so strong, it would have surely killed me.

Yet with Mursha, it was different.

I walked towards the two girls, checking on Mursha’s "awakening.”.

“My body… It is much larger now? Did I get a bit taller?” Mursha stood up, feeling her muscles becoming slightly larger.

Yes, she had grown slightly more muscular and taller; she was very hot.

“It looks like Fiery Hair here has chosen you as her disciple now, hahaha!” I laughed. “Dear, I had no idea you were going to choose one now. Will you let me have her as my disciple too?”

“Yes! I recruited Mursha for Bing Bing!” she said, kissing my cheek. “Bing Bing happy with Fiery Hair? Love me?”

“Aww, aren’t you cute?” I giggled. “I appreciate the help! Thank you.”

I kissed her cheek in return, making her fiery hair blaze and turn blue for a moment.

“Uwaah!” 

She was like a cute girl sometimes and then a rough warrior other times.

“Now, can you feel it, Mursha?” I wondered.

“I do… But what is this?” she wondered.

“A new power, one that could help you finally avenge your tribe,” I said. “Mursha, the War Games will soon begin. And I have a grand plan in mind. Will you aid me in putting it into motion?”

“Grand… plan?” she wondered.

“I am sure you’ll be interested,” I smiled.

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