Reaper of the Martial World

Book 8: Chapter 217: Pride (4)

Dyon’s heart steeled.

Wind will wrapped around his body, making his body as light as a feather. In combination with his light type will, Dyon really felt as though he had disappeared into the air.

This was his new understanding of wills. All this time, he had been using it as a purely external source, ignoring the potential they had in being internalized.

In truth, Dyon should have realized this long ago. During his fight with Lilith, hadn’t she forcibly internalized her sword dao? Back then, there had been a clear path for him in improving his wills, but he completely ignored it.

After being on the Ancient Battlefield for so long, he finally caught a glimpse of that path once more.

Whether it was because of his own special privileges or not, Dyon felt he was far more in tune with wills in this space than he was on the mortal plane. It felt like he was very close to the root of the wills he had comprehended, so he could almost feel what path they wanted to tug him along.

Maybe… Just like there were True Weapon Wills… There were True Wills for others as well.

Dyon’s speed reached an unconscious level, it was hard to tell whether he was faster using his spatial will or his wind will. And if he used them together…

Dyon’s body cut through the heavy gravity as though it didn’t exist. It was exhausting on his mental energies and soul, but with his main body still rampaging through Calming Lake even 9 months later, the impact was negligible. Plus, even if it wasn’t, didn’t he have [Devour]?

In just a few hours, Dyon had weaved his way into mountains taller than his eyesight could measure.

‘According to Orcus, there were several protections. The first…’

Dyon didn’t even get to finish his thoughts. As though acting on instinct, his spatial qi whipped to life, shifting him away several meters from a geyser of energy that pierced into the skies.

“Tch.”

Mines.

The Pride Clan didn’t take minor measures like the Tribes had. While the tribes merely simulated Energy Surges, the Pride Clan took it a step further. Not only were these Energy Surges very real, they were controlled. As a result, their after effect didn’t attract beasts while also perpetually keeping them away.

According to Orcus’ Diary, the only reason he knew this place was here and continued to press forward was because of one of his wives.

Orcus had many concubines, but only 6 wives. Four of them were Princesses of the Dark Phoenix Clan, but two of them were Devil Path Princesses.

From what Little Yin and Yang told him that day, the Seven Sinful Clans were part of Demon Royalty. They slowly weakened and died out, leaving their path to devolve to what was known as the Devil Path today.

One shouldn’t confuse Demonic Royalty with the Demon Path which was inferior to the Titan Path. Though they shared a name and the same root, Demonic Royals were superior to Demons, albeit still inferior to Titans. Or, more accurately, inferior to Titan Emperors.

The difference was that Demons and Titans still mainly followed the body path. While Demonic Royals also placed emphasis on the body, they branched outward to comprehend something Dyon hadn’t heard of in a long time: Martial Intents.

[Author’s Note: Martial Intents were first mentioned in chapters titled ‘Martial Intent’. Haven’t been mentioned since. Though, it should be noted that Ri partially touched upon its realm back then.]

That said, Dyon wasn’t unfamiliar to with Martial Intents. For example, Faith Seeds were kernels of martial intents. What made Higher Existences who could begin to form them so special was that their intents were so powerful that it could manifest into reality and even be passed on should they transcend.

When techniques decline with the passage of time and the weakening of a clan’s Faith, it’s precisely because that technique’s Martial Intent has weakened. Or, rather, Faith is no longer able to protect it from being forgotten.

This martial intent was related to why Dyon could read a book without ever opening its cover.

The concepts of the seven sins, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Lethargy, Wrath, and Pride, these were the Paths of Martial Intent the Sinful Clans chose that made them Demonic Royals.

Still, Dyon was unaware of all of this for now. What was important was that the roots of the Pride Clan gave birth to the Devil Path. As a result, it was surprising, but not impossible that Orcus’ Devil Princess wives would be aware of this place’s existence…

Dyon most definitely made a mental note of this as he tore through the traps that hindered his path. This was yet another example of individuals on the outside being aware of the happenings that should be a secret on the battlefield. He knew there had to be more to this… More to the actions of the Mist Clan.

Dyon sprinted through the minefield. Though it seemed he had suffered multiple close calls, his body was complete in tune with his surroundings.

The closer he got, and the more he scaled the obscenely large mountain, the stronger the explosions of energy became. But, his mind remained tranquil.

Dyon tore through the protections. Even when the energy began to fluctuate widely, his divine sense was too locked onto his surroundings.

In this sort of situation, others would have lost their qi control. The atmospheric qi had become too volatile, but Dyon was prepared from the beginning. He used nothing but his wills and his body – just as the pride clan intended. And soon, his method was rewarded with results.

His body flashed and ran into what should have been the strong face of a black mountain, but instead of being crushed, he disappeared.