Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

As it glowed, focusing its light upon Ling Xue, she felt reinvigorated as energy flowed into her body. Her body grew hot as blood rushed and her bloodline activated on its own. The dark red shade of her aura and hair took on a vibrant brightness asshe felt her strength grow. 

Feeling renewed, she continued to climb the steps, breaking past a hundred and climbing towards the two hundred mark. 

"She's doing it!"

The clansmen cried out in shock and joy as they watched her go higher and higher. 

Soon, Ling Xue broke past two hundred steps and headed straight for three hundred. By then, she slowed down and moving at a snail's pace by the time she reached the 280th step. At that point, she stopped and retreated, exiting the trial. 

"This is as far as I can go. Any further and I will have overtaxed myself. I'd rather not end up like last time or for that matter, like the Mu Clan's Princess."

Ling Xue looked to her clan, who were somewhat baffled by her actions. Nevertheless, she was the first of the clan to break the hundred step mark. After congratulating her, the clans then turned to Ming Yue in anticipation as Ling Xue walked to the young cultivator. 

"Those Tao Fang had yet to take the trial before you... disposed of them. Because of that, you will be the first human to take the Heavenly Slayer's trial. With that said, No one knows what happens if another person or a human takes the trial. Up until now, it had always been the Mu or Yao Clan. If you do not want to do this, you do not have to."

She warned Ming Yue, asking if she wanted to reconsider. 

"No, I will do it."

Ming Yue answered her and stepped up. She wanted to do this to both test herself and find out more information about the Heavenly Slayer. Looking to Hei Yue and Xiao Yin, they left her side and waited patiently for her. 

Standing in front of the first step, she placed her right foot upon it and in an instant, she vanished from sight. 

"Where did she go?"

"What happened?"

Those that saw it were stunned. They all walked up to the steps and looked around, examining. However, she was nowhere to be found.

The two beasts that were just by her side, looked around franctically before staring at the stairs, but their master was gone. There wasn't even a trace fo her. 

For Ming Yue, her view changed from that of the mountain steps to a massive palace. It was wide and spacious but empty as well. Made from a white marble, the interior was decorated with accents of black and gray along with banners and such of the same color scheme. 

"Where is this?" 

She looked around, sensing her surroundings but found that there seemed to be nothing outside of this home. It was as if it was inside an empty plane, as if this palace was the only thing here. 

Walking around, she explored it, walking through the halls. There were no rooms here, only large, open chambers. 

"What is this place? There are no treasures here, weapons, jewels, nothing. And... the energy here... Where have I felt this before?"

The more she looked around, the more she felt that this place was familiar to her. It wasn't until she reached the main chamber, the largest one within this palace, that she realized her guess was right.

"It really is him! The Lunar Executioner!" 

Within this grand chamber was a single statue, in fact it was equally identical to the one she found in the Merciless Storm Peak. The only difference was that this was clearly higher in quality, more detailed and created with better material. In fact, it seemed as if every strand of hair could be picked seen. 

However, just like the other one, the face was hard to make out. As if whoever designed it, wanted to remain unknown, or perhaps, there was another reason. 

"It's truly the same, even the stance!" she thought. 

Straight legs, one foot in front of the other, standing tall and firm, this swordsman took on the same position with both hands on the hilt of his sword. Ming Yue looked closer, slowly being drawn in by the pose. 

Far from here, in the mountains of the Hundun Clan, there was a broken puppet's body, crackling and trembling. Above it all were the churning clouds of remnant Calamity Energy, only this was bigger and much more turbulent that that of the Merciless Storm Peak. The lightning was more powerful, cracking boulders with one bolt. The wind was constant, like a thousand daggers cutting through you at every waking moment. 

And the rain, which fell with such strength and speed that it could tear holes through flesh. No human nor demon could enter for evething here would grant them a quick death.

But the puppet laid within one of the caves, it laid there in a half dead state as the weak voice of Dai Mian called out. 

"I need her."

"I need it."

"Give it to me."

He was in a destitute situation with a majority of his body shattered apart. Even now, parts of him crumbled away as whatever remains of Calamity Energy was leaving him. He grew weaker by the second and his mind could only be described as broken. 

There was no one by his side, just him. 

After taking Hua Xiong instead of Ming Yue, he tossed her off and ran away. His body which, during that time, still contained some of that Calamity Energy had felt that same energy here. With his mind broken, he was drawn to it, eventually coming to these mountains. 

But by then, he neither had the strength or mind to absorb it. Doing so, would only destroy his body. After all, this was the energy of a Calamity, it could not be so easily taken. Dai Mian would not be able to refine it quick enough before it would run rampant and destroy him. Perhaps, his mind is too shattered to even attempt it. 

"I need her."

"Give me those gems."

All he did was drone on and on about taking Ming Yue and the gems within Drifting Sky. They contained the same energy as the Calamity but these were naturally refined so absorbing them would be much easier. If it was a human body, that would've been impossible but his puppet body could've done it. 

Alas, he could not obtain them in the end. 

But there was hope for him, his disciples, who were automatically informed of his arrival. He had made plans for such occasions, long before. Even if he was in this state, so long as his disciples reached him, he could return. 

But for now, he could only lay here in this sad state. 

His voice constantly talking, murmuring, echoing within the cave he was in. Like a quiet hum, it spread out and fell into the ears of a few beings. 

Moments later, a few lights were glowing outside of the cave, flying about. These small balls entered the cave and surrounded Dai Mian's body. They were bright, so bright that they illuminated the entire cave. 

Just trying to look at them was difficult but with the right protection, you could look straight into them. If you did, you would be shocked to find what caused this electric light. Small beings were within them, about the size of a person's head. In fact, they looked exactly like a human except for the fact that they had small sparks of lightning for hair and wings like a butterfly's. 

As for their speech, it was different, like buzzing noises. 

There were three of them and they looked at Dai Mian with both confusion and curiosity. Examining his body, wondering just how exactly he entered their sacred grounds. Looking inside, their eyes widens as they found remnant of Calamity Energy in him. 

Without question, they encased him with their energy and brought him away.