Transcending Dreams

B2 - Chapter 79

Interesting, Lord Paddlington said, moving to hover before Williams face. "I dont see a great love for the sect other than being uncomfortable about some deaths.

He shrugged and stored the egg in the spatial stone. He sensed relief from the egg because of the safety of its new surroundings.

Ha! You accepted mostly because youre bored! the turtle cackled. You found that peaceful life wasnt for you, and you gave into something that could kill you.

Lets not exaggerate. I like my sect, and the people in it are dear to me. William oversold it, wanting to convince himself that it was true.

False, Lord Paddlington declared.

Whatever, William scoffed and turned to face Kaes unconscious body. When will he wake?

In a few seconds, just in time for the gate to open, the turtle replied, making him turn back in shock. That means I should return to holding off the formations.

Lord Paddlington zoomed back over the ocean before returning to his previously gargantuan size.

Stay alive! The turtles voice boomed before his form blurred, reappearing in the distance and getting further by the microsecond.

Wait! William screamed. How do I convert my Qi into Lightning and Thunder Qi!

He had intended to ask that eventually but didnt think the accursed turtle would choose to randomly disappear. Luckily, he still got an answer.

[Lord Paddlington: Why would I know anything about human cultivation? Go ask a human instead of a turtle.]

It wasnt the answer William wanted to see, but it was the one he got.

Who are you talking to? Kae asked with a groggy voice.

He saw Kae checking the surroundings in confusion. You missed the ride of a large turtle.

Thats how we got here? Kae pushed himself off the sand. Where are we?

I have no idea, William said truthfully. "All I know is that we have no way of returning to where we were without the turtles help.

I see, Kae took it in stride, What do we need to do?

Were supposed to get rid of someone hurting the sect, he said before shrugging when Kae looked at him skeptically. I know. I asked why it didnt go to the Elders, but I didnt get an answer.

Not the best lie, but since Lord Paddlington was an unknown spirit beast with far higher cultivation, the lie didnt need to be intricate. In Kaes own words, it was difficult to know the motivations of such a spirit beast since they have human-like intelligence.

So be it. Do we have a safe return if we complete the request? Kae rubbed his bracelet as if he was going over inventory.

We do.

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Good enough for me, Kae took out familiar vials, ones that turn him into a berserker. Wheres this thing we have to get rid of?

Woah! Put those away! William said with shock. They wont be needed for a while hopefully. And its not a thing we must get rid of. Its a corrupted avatar.

Avatar?! Kae raised his voice in surprise. You cant mean

Kae was interrupted by the ground rumbling. They quickly regained their balance and turned to look in the direction where they could feel the disturbance originating.

The sand at the small island's center was bulging upward, and it showed no signs of stopping. The edges of the bulge expanded all the way to where they were standing. William and Kae had the same idea when they automatically moved back closer to the water to get out of the affected area.

The protrusion extended well over ten feet before the sand was pierced at the very center. When Lord Paddlington said gate, William had assumed something the size of a typical door. Similar to the teleportation doors he had become familiar with in the sect.

He was wrong. Very wrong.

The archway appeared first, golden and glinting in the light. It was followed by two stone pillars etched with glowing letters that had no discernible meaning. At the heart of the gate was a swirling vortex of darkness, a chaotic maelstrom that pulled at him to enter.

The flashes that appeared for a fraction of a second were more terrifying than the vortex itself.

Did you see that? William asked, wanting to confirm it wasnt his mind playing tricks on him.

Yes, Wei Liang. I see the ancient gate that appeared out of the sand.

No, William ignored the uncharacteristic sarcasm. Did you see the woman?

What woman?

He saw her again, and this time, she stayed. Right as Kae looked at him with concern.

Pale, far from the golden skin she had when he last saw her. An aura that seemed to draw in all the light and exuded a feeling of death. Her expression was frighteningly blank, but with eyes that glinted with madness.

Her gold hair was the only thing vaguely the same, but even that seemed like a gamble. It was like staring into a sun, and this was with the muted effect of the gate acting like a barrier.

This was the corrupted avatar of Empress Sophia. And the turtle expected William to somehow defeat it?

As if reacting to his incredulous thoughts, the corrupted avatar smiled at him like a predator before disappearing.

Liang! Wei Liang!

William flinched back with a pounding heart, only then realizing that Kae had been shaking him to get his attention the entire time.

What happened? Was it the woman you saw? Should we back out of this? Kae asked rapidly.

He honestly didnt know how to answer. His instincts were screaming abort, and it wasnt even close. That avatar was nowhere close to diminished, or whatever fancy word Lord Paddlington used.

[Lord Paddlington: Dont let the avatar intimidate you. It is projecting what it was capable of when connected to my master. You have nothing to worry about as long as you grow your cultivation as I expect.]

William wanted to doubt what the turtle was saying, but with how fanatically loyal it was to Sophia, it was hard to do so. It was likely the situation was exactly as it said it was.

Its alright, William said before taking a deep breath. I was warned of this. The avatar we need to remove is trying to intimidate me into leaving.

The gate stopped me from asking before, but do you mean what I think when you say avatar? As in the portions of will cultivators leave on this plane before ascending?

Correct, Willian confirmed bluntly. Dont worry, its weakened greatly and cut off from the owner in the higher plane. We should be fine.

Oh, well, I supposed thats fine, then, Kae was at his most sarcastic yet. William agreed with his mood.

We have no other choice, William chuckled without humor. So, shall we enter?

I would prefer to wait until I can brew a few more transformation elixirs, Kae rejected sensibly.

THE GATE WILL RETREAT IN A FEW MINUTES. Lord Paddlingtons voice boomed from the distance, speaking up after Kaes plan was expressed.

Kae didnt blink. I guess we go with your plan, Wei Liang. Lets enter.

William nodded before steeling his nerves and walking toward the dark vortex. This was what he wanted while in the Inner Court. Danger and fighting with his life on the line.

Now he has his wish, so there was no room to complain.