Interlude: Sky Splitter

  Sky Splitter, master of Tyrannical Blade Peak of the Thousand Blade Sect, sat within his cave abode and cultivated. Unlike many of his peers within the Domain Creation realm, he didn’t have his abode inside a hidden realm. Nor did he reside in some luxurious palace or ostentatious estate. Instead, he preferred to keep things simple. That was more than enough for him.

  While Sky Splitter’s cave abode was spacious, that was out of necessity. Even with spatial magic treasures for storage, a cultivator of his caliber needed a lot of room for all the stuff he had accumulated over his long life. Rare spirit herbs, precious materials for refining magic treasures, a library to contain all his scriptures, and so on.

  In the midst of his cultivation, Sky Splitter sensed a presence approaching the entrance to his cave abode. He cast his spirit sense in that direction and saw his first disciple, and the vice peak master of Tyrannical Blade Peak, Torrential Blade. The younger man had a slothful and slovenly appearance. His robes were disheveled, his hair was a mess, and Torrential Blade perpetually wore a sleepy expression on his face, as if he were always on the verge of taking a nap.

  Despite this facade, Torrential Blade was one of the most dedicated and hardest working cultivators that Sky Splitter knew. This, among other reasons, was why he chose Torrential Blade as his second in command. Still, Sky Splitter wished that his first disciple would put more effort into his appearance. The other peak masters often mocked Sky Splitter for how his first disciple looked, which always gave him a headache.

  ‘Torrential Blade,’ Sky Splitter said, speaking to his first disciple through telepathy, ‘Why have you disturbed my seclusion?’

  Torrential Blade saluted the entrance to Sky Splitter’s cave abode.

  “Apologies, Master.” He said, speaking out loud. “Junior Sister Vivian has just returned from East Mesa City and I thought I should let you know.”

  Ah, that explained it. Sky Splitter went into seclusion shortly after his daughter left the Thousand Blade Sect in order to travel around and gain some experience. He ordered Torrential Blade to tell him the moment Vivian returned.

  ‘Very well,’ Sky Splitter said, ‘I shall be right out.’

  “I brought her to Blue Dragon Pavilion.” Torrential Blade said with a soft smile on his face. “I figured that you two would like to share a meal after spending some time apart.”

  Sky Splitter smiled at his first disciple’s thoughtfulness. Tyrannical Blade Peak was a sacred mountain. The higher one ascended, the denser the qi became. This was beneficial to cultivators up to a certain point. Beyond that point, it became detrimental instead. Foundation Establishment cultivators, like Vivian, could only make it halfway up Tyrannical Blade Peak before the concentration of qi became too much for them. Blue Dragon Pavilion was located far below that point.

  ‘Thank you, Torrential Blade.’ Sky Splitter said. ‘You may go now.’

  Torrential Blade saluted one more time, before he started making his way down the mountain again. Sky Splitter left his cave abode and flew down to Blue Dragon Pavilion. As the name implied, it was a blue wooden pavilion decorated with dragon imagery. It had an open air design, giving its occupant a great view of the surrounding area: a wild garden located within a grassy meadow. It was mid morning and the sky was clear, making it the perfect weather to enjoy a meal at Blue Dragon Pavilion.

  When Sky Splitter arrived, he found his daughter waiting for him. Joy filled him when he saw her. Even though they had only been apart for a few months, Sky Splitter still missed his daughter. She had become an adult now, and was starting to walk her path. In time, there would come a point where that path took Vivian away from him. His heart ached at the thought. However, that was for the future. For now, he planned on enjoying his daughter’s company for as long as possible.

  In the center of the pavilion stood a wooden table, already laden with food. This included a pot of tea. Either the servants had anticipated that Sky Splitter would want to share a meal with his daughter, or Vivian ordered for the both of them. In the end, it didn’t matter.

  “Father!” Vivian cried out when she saw him, a bright smile on her face.

  She rushed over and pulled him into an embrace. Sky Splitter returned the hug with one of his own. Many people would have been shocked by the sight. For most, Sky Splitter came across as a cold, harsh, and stern man. The thought of him showing affection for another person, even his own daughter, was beyond their comprehension. However, those closest to Sky Splitter knew that he was actually a warm and loving person. He just shared that warmth and love with a few select people.

  “Vivian,” Sky Splitter said after they pulled apart, examining her from head to toe, “You look radiant. It seems that travel suits you.”

  Vivian beamed at that. Sky Splitter also noticed that his daughter had matured from when he last saw her. The differences were minute, but they existed. Once again, this reminded Sky Splitter that his daughter had grown up. Melancholy filled him. For a moment, he wished that she would always remain his little girl. However, he discarded that useless thought.

  Sky Splitter and his daughter sat down to eat. While a cultivator of his level no longer needed to eat to sustain himself, he still enjoyed it. If nothing else, it was an experience he could share with his loved ones. Few things strengthened the bonds between people than enjoying a simple meal together. While some cultivators distanced themselves from others and practiced in solitude, Sky Splitter wasn’t one of them.

  As they ate, Vivian told Sky Splitter about the places she had been and the people she had met during her travels. Seeing her chatter with so much animation reminded Sky Splitter of his own youth, when he traveled the world in order to gain experience. There had been dangers, of course, but those also became catalysts for change and growth.

  It was the same for Vivian. During her own travels, she had faced dangers and fought enemies. Rampaging spirit beasts, foul demonic cultivators, and so on. When Sky Splitter heard about those, he was glad that he had assigned a few disciples to keep an eye on Vivian to protect her.

  “Towards the end of my travels, I visited East Mesa City.” Vivian said. “I wanted to visit the Violet Desert hidden realm.”

  Sky Splitter raised an eyebrow at that.

  “Why?” he asked. “You had no reason to.”

  From what he knew, disciples of the Thousand Blade Sect visited the Violet Desert hidden realm in order to earn contribution points and gather materials necessary for refining magic treasures. As his daughter, Vivian had access to everything she needed to further her cultivation.

  “For the experience itself, of course.” Vivian said with a scoff. “There is a difference between having cultivation resources handed to oneself and earning them through one’s own efforts.” She paused and a… Well, a smile that could only be described as dreamy spread across her face. A sense of foreboding filled Sky Splitter’s heart. “Besides, that was where I met him.”

  Him? Sky Splitter stilled for a minuscule fraction of a second when he heard this. The foreboding in his heart transformed into dread, as one of a father’s worst nightmares had come true. His little girl had met a boy.

  “Him?” Sky Splitter asked in a calm and composed voice.

  He sipped his tea, his hand steady despite the trembling in his heart.

  “A cultivator who called himself Flamewind.” Vivian said. She let out a wistful sigh. “We met while searching for Violet Sand. It was as if fate had brought us together.”

  Sky Splitter’s hand, the one holding the tea cup, clenched for a brief, almost infinitesimal, moment. Given his strength, that was enough to crack the tea cup. On the surface, Sky Splitter pretended as if nothing was wrong. However, after his meal with his daughter, he planned on interrogating the disciples who had accompanied her in order to find out more about this Flamewind.

  “I wouldn’t put much stock into it, Vivian.” Sky Splitter said. “Plenty of cultivators visit the Violet Desert hidden realm each year. I’m sure it was just a coincidence.”

  Vivian gave Sky Splitter a sideways glance, before her expression turned mischievous.

  “I don’t know, Father,” she said, “I would call this more than a coincidence. After all, hundreds of cultivators entered the Violet Desert hidden realm, and yet the two of us found each other. If that isn’t fate, then I don’t know what is. Clearly we were meant for one another.” She let out another wistful sigh. “He was so… Rugged and handsome. His body was so defined too. Those muscles-”

  “Vivian!” Sky Splitter exclaimed.

  His tea cup shattered. However, he collected the tea with qi before it splashed everywhere and then tossed it outside of the Blue Dragon Pavilion.

  “What?” Vivian asked, sounding defensive. “He’s the one who put everything on display. Was I supposed to not look?”

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Sky Splitter’s mind roiled with shock. He never realized that his daughter had such an earthly side to her. Maybe letting her go out and experience the world had been a bad idea. Someone must have filled her head with rubbish.

  “You know what those exhibitionists from Flame Fiend Hall are like,” Vivian continued, “With the uniforms they wear, it’s clear that they want people to look.”

  Sky Splitter paused.

  “Flame Fiend Hall?” He asked.

  Vivian gave him a teasing grin.

  “Yes,” she said, “Flamewind is a disciple of Flame Fiend Hall of the Dawn and Dusk Sect.”

  Sky Splitter’s jaw dropped. His daughter had fallen for a demonic cultivator. That was bad enough. However, she had fallen for a demonic cultivator from Flame Fiend Hall. This went beyond nightmarish. After all, that woman was the master of Flame Fiend Hall.

  Sky Splitter could not let this stand. For the sake of his daughter’s honor, and his own sanity, he would have to kill this Flamewind. No. He needed to kill Flamewind. That was the only solution to this predicament.

  “As I said,” Vivian continued, “We were fated to meet. Flamewind is my one and only…” She paused and her grin widened. “… Rival.”

  Sky Splitter stared at his daughter, stupefied. She started laughing, to the point where she ended up hunching over and clutching her stomach.

  “Oh, Father,” she said, sounding out of breath, “You should have seen the look on your face.”

  That was when Sky Splitter realized that his daughter had been teasing him. He reached over and flicked her on the forehead.

  “Ow!” She said, rubbing the spot that he flicked.

  “That was for worrying your father.” Sky Splitter said, scolding her. “I thought that my little girl had met a boy and fallen in love.”

  Vivian let out a derisive snort.

  “As if I would ever let an emotion as frivolous as love control me.” She said. “I feel a great passion for Flamewind, but it isn’t love. It is… I don’t know how to describe it. A desire to challenge, to overcome, to conquer. He is the only one who has ever made me feel this way.”

  Sky Splitter nodded. He understood that feeling. It was how he felt towards that woman. Sky Splitter believed that a rival was necessary for a cultivator’s growth; at least those who walked a martial path like his daughter and himself. A rival was a catalyst for growth, a grindstone to hone one’s skills against, and a stepping stone all in one. Oddly enough, despite being such a contentious relationship, a rivalry was also a mutually beneficial one.

  “Are you sure that this Flamewind is worthy of being your rival?” Sky Splitter asked, feeling calmer now that he knew the truth. “This isn’t just a passing fancy on your part?”

  Vivian nodded.

  “Of course, he is.” She said. “After all, Flamewind is the Frenzied Fiend’s son.”

  Sky Splitter paused at that.

  “I thought Darian Wind Dance was that woman’s son.” He said, frowning.

  Vivian nodded.

  “He is.” She said. “However, Flamewind was the alias that he used while in East Mesa City.” She smirked. “Though, it appeared that he should have used a different one.”

  Sky Splitter gave his daughter a questioning look. She then told him the story of how a group of cultivators from the Ancient Blood Sect attacked a group of disciples from the Dawn and Dusk Sect while the latter was returning to East Mesa City after leaving the Violet Desert hidden realm. This was because Flamewind, or Darian Wind Dance, killed a core disciple of the Ancient Blood Sect. However, the disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect fended off the attack, resulting in the deaths of two Golden Core cultivators from the Ancient Blood Sect.

  “Interesting.” Sky Splitter said. “I wonder if this will lead to a conflict between the Ancient Blood Sect and the Dawn and Dusk Sect.”

  Vivian shook her head.

  “No.” She said. “From what I heard, the two came to some kind of agreement, though I don’t know all of the details about that.”

  Sky Splitter felt a little disappointed by this. If the Ancient Blood Sect and the Dawn and Dusk Sect had fought one another, the Thousand Blade Sect could’ve taken advantage of the situation and benefited from it. Perhaps the two sects came to an agreement to avoid such an outcome. That wouldn’t surprise Sky Splitter, since it happened more than once in the past.

  As three of the Seven Great Northern Sects, the Thousand Blade Sect, the Ancient Blood Sect, and the Dawn and Dusk Sect were roughly equal in power. While they were all hostile to one another, and skirmishes were common, they also kept each other in check. If two of them came into conflict, the third would take advantage of it. To avoid this, the three sects took pains to avoid such a situation, creating an impasse.

  “To get back on topic,” Vivian said, “Cultivator Darian is the perfect rival for me. In many ways, the two of us are complete opposites of one another. He is Fire, I am Water. He fights with his fists, and I fight with my halberd.” She gestured to her father. “Not only that, but you’re rivals with his mother. It’s almost a family tradition.”

  Sky Splitter thought about it for a moment, before nodding. His daughter made a good point.

  “How strong is Cultivator Darian?” he asked. “He won’t make a good rival for you if he’s too weak.”

  Vivian frowned at this.

  “He isn’t at my level yet,” she said, “However, my intuition tells me that he isn’t far from reaching it. He just needs to grow a little more.” Her dreamy smile returned. “I hope that I’ll get to see him at the Rising Heroes Tournament.”

  Sky Splitter hoped for the same. As Vivian’s father, it was his responsibility to ensure that Cultivator Darian was a suitable rival for her. It was an important role. The wrong rival could hinder a cultivator’s progress, or even lead them down the wrong path. If Cultivator Darian participated in the upcoming Rising Heroes Tournament, it would give Sky Splitter a chance to evaluate the young man for himself. He trusted his daughter’s judgment, but it didn’t hurt to check.

  “My encounter with Cultivator Darian also confirmed that he does have ties with Clan Wind Dance.” Vivian said, her expression turning serious. “Lucius Wind Dance is his cousin.”

  Sky Splitter’s expression turned serious as well. He went from a warm and loving father, to the cold and harsh man that most people knew.

  “Tell me everything.” He said.

  Vivian recounted her encounter with Cultivator Darian. Sky Splitter asked her a few questions for clarification, but otherwise remained silent. When Vivian finished, he lost himself in thought for several minutes. Vivian remained silent as well, not wishing to disturb her father.

  Clan Wind Dance’s entrance into the Thousand Blade Sect was a sensitive topic among the sect’s upper echelon. Over a century ago the peak master of Flowing Sword Peak, Righteous Fury, made overtures towards Clan Wind Dance. While they were a mid-sized clan, they were superb sword dancers. So much so that Peak Master Righteous Fury believed that they would make a fine addition to the Thousand Blade Sect, Flowing Sword Peak in particular. The elders and other peak masters of the sect agreed with him.

  To their surprise, the head of Clan Wind Dance at the time, Asher Wind Dance, refused their invitation. No matter what Peak Master Righteous Fury tried, it didn’t work. Not cajoling, not intimidation, not bribery. Asher Wind Dance remained steadfast in his refusal. Despite this, Peak Master Righteous Fury harbored hopes of bringing Clan Wind Dance into the fold.

  His chance came when Asher Wind Dance died while fighting a Rank Four demonic beast. Peak Master Righteous Fury sent another invitation to Clan Wind Dance. Unfortunately, Asher’s son, Connor Wind Dance, followed in his father’s footsteps and refused. It looked like history would repeat itself.

  However, before Connor Wind Dance could solidify his position as the head of Clan Wind Dance, he was injured and went into seclusion to recover. Dominic Wind Dance, Connor’s brother, took over as acting head of the clan. Sky Splitter didn’t know the full details, but he suspected foul play was at work.

  Unlike his father and his elder brother, Dominic Wind Dance accepted Peak Master Righteous Fury’s invitation and sought to strengthen ties with the Thousand Blade Sect. Several years later, Clan Wind Dance formally joined the sect.

  In the beginning, things seemed fine. The cultivators of Clan Wind Dance lived up to their reputation as skilled sword dancers. They were also all beautiful in appearance, the men and the women. Lucius Wind Dance, Dominic’s son, even became a rising star for Flowing Sword Peak. However, the Thousand Blade Sect soon learned that the Dawn and Dusk Sect gained two new divine demons.

  This was bad news, but it wasn’t alarming. Divine demons were dangerous and powerful, but the Thousand Blade Sect had its own trump cards. However, things took a turn a few years later when the sect learned that one of the new divine demons was named Darian Wind Dance and was that woman’s son. This, of course, had disturbing implications for the Thousand Blade Sect.

  To prevent discord, and avoid alerting either Peak Master Righteous Fury or Clan Wind Dance, the other elders and peak masters of the Thousand Blade Sect suppressed this knowledge while investigating it in secret. They needed to confirm the truth before making any moves. Only a select few in the Thousand Blade Sect knew about Darian Wind Dance and his potential connection with Clan Wind Dance, including Sky Splitter and his daughter.

  “If Cultivator Darian is Lucius Wind Dance’s cousin,” Sky Splitter said, sounding the words out, “That means he’s Connor Wind Dance’s son and the young master of Clan Wind Dance.”

  Vivian nodded.

  “Assuming Connor Wind Dance is even alive.” She said. “He could very well have perished already. Clan Wind Dance believes so. They only pretend otherwise for appearance’s sake. Dominic Wind Dance is the true head of Clan Wind Dance.”

  Sky Splitter sneered at that. He found such underhanded behavior despicable, though he understood why Clan Wind Dance did it. A clan headed by a Nascent Soul cultivator was treated better than one headed by a Golden Core cultivator. However, understanding such behavior and accepting it were two different things.

  “What will you do with this knowledge, Father?” Vivian asked.

  That was a good question. While they were all martial brothers and sisters, the elders and peak masters of the Thousand Blade Sect also competed with one another for honor, prestige, and resources. The truth of Darian Wind Dance’s heritage could be a powerful weapon in Sky Splitter’s arsenal if he used it right.

  “Are you sure that Cultivator Darian is Lucius Wind Dance’s cousin?” He asked his daughter. “He could have lied to you in order to sow discord in our sect.

  Vivian frowned in thought.

  “Yes, I’m sure.” She said several moments later. “When he asked for news about Lucius Wind Dance he was being sincere, which surprised me. I never expected a demonic cultivator to care for anyone but themselves. Cultivator Darian was even willing to surrender all of the Violet Sand that he collected in exchange for even the smallest snippet about Lucius Wind Dance.”

  While Sky Splitter considered losing a bit of Violet Sand a small sacrifice to make in order to cause trouble for an enemy sect, that was from his perspective. For Foundation Establishment cultivators, Violet Sand was precious.

  “I’ll trust your word then.” Sky Splitter said. “However, we’ll need to collect more conclusive evidence. The word of a demonic cultivator is hardly trustworthy.” He paused for a moment. “I have an idea. Find an excuse to meet with Lucius Wind Dance and bring up Cultivator Darian. See how he reacts. If he cares for Cultivator Darian as much as the latter cares for him, it will show.”

  “Yes, Father.” Vivian said with a nod.

  Sky Splitter nodded, before moving on to another topic. Vivian followed his lead. The heavy atmosphere in the Blue Dragon Pavilion dissipated. Once again, the two of them were a father and daughter pair just enjoying each other’s company.

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  This chapter was edited by Radriel7