Nine Paths of Asura-Original Wuxia

Chapter 159 - I Need That

I know this has been delayed, but this arc is far more complicated relative to any other. I have to fill in the gaps and make all the pieces work like a puzzle. Enjoy!

As the bloody mass of corpses sizzled under Dan's holy attack, the two halves of the squad tried to regroup before more of the mighty Cloudsoul Necromorph arrived. However... below the seemingly cauterized flesh, which had been turned into a puddle, writhed around and reformed into a new mass again. It had lost perhaps 30% of its size under the holy light attack but now it was extremely conscious of the pain it had suffered.

SHUUUUUUUUUUUUWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!

Numerous black strands of dark Undead blood and other less wholesome things flowed between the violet stone buildings, coming in like the seeping tide. Lineir felt a tingle on his neck. This thing was extremely similar to the Undead Heart he had once faced down in his youth!

"It's going to get bigger. What do we do?" He shouted so that Dan, De, and Xi could hear him from afar. Though they were rushing over they had stopped as the tentacle blocking them from Lineir's half of the team was now flailing in the air, inflating to the size of the tallest buildings! Lineir caught sight of a rhythmic pulse inside the jellylike substance the tentacle was covered in.

Badump...Shuuuuuu.....Baduuuump

"I need that." Mei said and Lineir startled. He hadn't heard her voice for a while. He instantly knew that though she was hiding how much she needed it, this item was important!

"The heartblood of the Cloudsoul Necromorph?" He asked while dodging the ever spreading rivers of corpses.

"Ok, I'll get it for you master!"

"Don't risk your life. It's not worth it." Mei's voice in his head was filled with worry but she knew he wouldn't listen. He would definitely try to get it for her now that she had said something. The Cloudsoul Necromorph, while certainly a unique opponent, might not necessarily be out of his weight class provided other members of the team helped. There was only one way to find out!

"Everyone! I need the heart of one of those tentacles! If you help me, I have several unique pills forged by an Alchemist Master! With or without you I'm going in!" Lineir called out. He was referring to the pills he had received form Lord Cao Sun, in the Chosen Cups Trial. The squad was instantly confused and also aroused.

"Hehe, a mere Cloudsoul Necromorph? It might be ancient, but that just means it's bones are weak.  Very well, if you really need a heart so bad then I will assist you as your senior brother! And don't even think about giving me your pills, we are brothers, do you know what that means? I would be insulted to accept even a thank you! Dan, De, Xi go scout ahead while we claim this tentacle's heart for our junior brother. See if you can find a path for us to leave once we have it!" Yu called out and joined him. Ting of course followed up,

"My cute new brother, we go through life or death together then!" She declared boldly. Immediately Lineir felt warmth blossom in his chest. He had not expected the couple to support him so quickly. Even if they were nominally in the same group, he was asking them to take an unnecessary risk on what was already a dangerous mission.

"Hahaha from this day forth I, Lineir, am your or life and death brother! Call upon me and no matter the enemy I will always stand with you!" He made an oath of friendship and loyalty and felt the chains of the loneliness which had surrounded him for years in the mortal realms fall away. Finally he had people who he could depend on, who would treat him as equals!

"I'll take care of the Undead with my Hematomas. That will blow away the majority of the Undead on that tentacle over there. Once the heart is exposed, Ting will support you and clear any remaining Undead. Then it will be up to you to seize what you need! Here we go!" Yu revealed the little black marbles in his hand and tossed them forth before clasping his hands together to gather Qi.