The blood path cultivator Ding Yang had always been cautious by nature. Many of his friends had been killed by the Demon Destroying Pavillion in a purge right infront of his eyes. He had been lucky to escape with his life.

  Since then he had remained hidden in this lowly Gingko village sneakily attacking people and extracting their blood essence. Over the past two years he had refined his own spiritual treasure, the blood pool. It had required killing of hundreds of people. Child or elder, man or woman, it didn't matter.

  As his cultivation grew so did the blood qi emanating from his body. Many outside cultivators come to this village to hunt in the Myriad Beast forest; if he was discovered, he would be killed immediately.

  So he made some pawns. He started capturing people and tempted them with his demonic arts. Few who refused were killed and refined but the ones who accepted be it due to fear, lust, greed or ambition, became his underlings.

  From then Ding Yang would remain hiding here while his six underlings would capture people for him to refine. In return he would help them with their cultivation. He had wished to quietly reach Foundation Establishment but now a top level righteous sect disciple had found him.

  His first instinct had been to run; one must never underestimate the top sects. But he stayed because he required her blood essence. Having reached the peak of the seventh realm, he has encountered a bottleneck. The method he knew would have required the blood essence of countless girls but this girl alone would suffice his requirements.

  Also deep in his heart he wanted to wash away the guilt and shame of escaping alone by killing her. The screams of his deceased friends still haunted in his nightmares.

  "Bloody rain." He launched another attack at her. This time she was prepared for it so she managed to dodge by a hairbreadth.

  Unlike the pythons which could be assimilated back into the blood pool later, the bloody rain permanently depletes the pool. It would take him a much time and effort to refill the pool.

  But from her previous surprise attack he had started getting a feeling that if he didn't finish her fast, he would pay dearly for it.

  He could see her gasping for breath. His repeated attacks have started to take a toll on her. He acknowledged her strength; even after all this time being cornered by the pythons and his surprise attacks she had still managed to stay alive.

  But he knew all it needed was a final push.

  ***

  Su Ning was starting to breathe heavily. Continuously running and dodging had chipped away both her stamina and mental concentration. She could feel her reaching her limit soon.

  And the worst thing of all, she couldn't even envision a way to defeat him. Her sword was ineffective against the blood pythons. She couldn't even reach the man; the three pythons were enough to keep her at bay. Also even if somehow she broke past the pythons and got close, the automatic defence from the blood pool would immediately guard him. And he was also launching long range attacks further compounding her troubles.

  With such a combination of offence and defence, he was the most formidable enemy she had ever faced. Before she had faced demonic cultivators in the presence of master or senior brother. For the first time, she was fighting with her life on the line.

  The cause of the difference between them was the blood pool. Spiritual treasures and artifacts play a vital role in battles. But she had used her last remaining talisman and could only rely on her sword.

  A sword that isn't strong enough. No no not good, I'm starting to give into despair. What should I do? Run?

  No. I refuse to show my back to these villains.

  The attacks paused and Ding Yang started clapping. "Well done. But I've long gotten bored watching you dance all this time. Since you can't beat me, I'm ending with this attack.

  "Go python!"

  The two pythons rushed towards her. But before she could move to dodge, one of them stopped in its track while the other veered towards her left. Feeling confused she paused to observe whats going on. The python on her left bit one of the corpses of the thugs with his fangs.

  "Blood explosion!"

  The dead body exploded spraying blood everywhere. The blood obscured her vision for a moment but the second python was waiting for this opportunity. The blood on its head froze and hardened and then it lunged straight towards her hitting her with a furious charge.

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  SMACK-

  Her body flew in the air for a few seconds and then roughly crashed on the ground. Many of her ribs and bones were broken. She spat out blood but before even she could stand up, the two pythons pounced on her.

  She was in no position nor had the strength left to dodge. She had failed; she could only lay helpless on the ground waiting to be devoured.

  Ding Yang had made his move and it was checkmate.

  ***

  "Catch me if you can, slowpoke NingNing."

  The courtyard was filled with joyous laughter of two children freely playing. The girl chasing the twin braided girl was a nine year old Su Ning. And the one trying her hardest to avoid getting caught was her only friend in this world, Yao Le.

  With both of her parents occupying important positions in the sect, they were too busy to look after her all the time. Su Ning had mostly been raised by her nanny Yao Ji. Yao Ji often brought her daughter and being of same age, the two quickly became fast friends.

  Su Ning didn't care too much about the profound way so it was hard for her to get along with children of other sect members who were serious about cultivation. For her Yao Le was a breath of fresh air.

  Su Ning was completely taken with Yao Le cheerful and free spirited nature. Ignoring the difference in statuses, a sisterhood was born between her and Yao Le.

  The daughter of a top cultivator instead of traning, spent her time playing with a servants girl. This particularly troubled her mother. She tried to scold her multiple times but was always stopped by her husband.

  "Wife I know you are worried about Ning'er. Let her play, she hasn't even had her awakening ceremony yet."

  "Hmmph. Spoil her all you want. Just don't come to me when she becomes rebellious in the future."

  With no obstructions they continued to play together. Time continued to pass peacefully then the night before the awakening ceremony arrived.

  "NingNing aren't you excited for tomorrow. I can't even sleep. I wish for atleast a middle grade spiritual root."

  "LeLe you know I don't care about it that much. I hope I don't even awaken one, then I wouldn't have to join the sect. I could play all time."

  At her friend's incredulous remark, Yao Le hit her with a pillow. A brief pillow fight ensued between them which settled after a few minutes when both got tired.

  "Don't even speak of such stupid things. Madame would hang both of us upside down from the tree if she heard that.

  "Still if you get a good one maybe in the future when you get strong, you could spend more time with your mother and father."

  "Auntie Ji is more of a mother to me than my actual mother. How lucky you are! She doesn't nag you to train and even makes good snacks."

  "I agree. Mother's snacks is the best. But still I want us to attend the sect together. It would be fun."

  Su Ning tightly clasped Yao Le's hand. "Me too LeLe." With a mischievous tone she continued, "Then why not wish for a supreme grade spiritual root."

  Yao Le squeezed her hand back. "You're right. If I am going to make a wish there's no reason not to wish for the top."

  Tomorrow came and there were no surprises from the heavens. The daughter of the geniuses got a first grade spiritual root to the exclamation of many, while the daughter of the servant quietly left with her lowly ninth grade spiritual root.

  But for a them, this difference in talent didn't change a thing between them. Seeing that Yao Le was interested in cultivation, Su Ning persuaded her father. The Absolute Sword sect was a top level sect with very high requirements for admission but her father's influence paved way for Yao Le.

  Both were prepared for a joyous journey together like always but differences started as soon as they entered the sect. Yao Le struggled as an outer court disciple, while Su Ning received the best teachings as a core disciple.

  But like always at the end of the day, they still played together with her chasing Yao Le under the setting sun. At that time, Su Ning wished for time to freeze so they could continue playing forever.

  Two years passed like that and then that day arrived.

  "Finally I got you. Now its your turn to catch me." Yao Le was shocked. It was the first time Su Ning had managed to catch her relying on pure speed. Rest of the time were when she had tripped or ran to a dead end.

  "Don't get so cocky. I will catch you instantly and then it will be your turn again slowpoke NingNing."

  But she never caught her again. It seemed like Su Ning had transformed into the wind itself; she couldn't even step on her shadow.

  "How is this possible?"

  Su Ning turned back and with a cheeky grin she replied, "I recently mastered this movement skill. Pretty good isn't it."

  She laughed and sped up even further. Yao Le could only watch her friend go further and further away.

  After that day, they stopped playing together. Yao Le started cultivating with more fervour rejecting Su Ning's invitations for playing. Even Su Ning got busier. Their meeting became more and more infrequent and one day they stopped.

  Three years passed like this. As Su Ning grew with age, she understood the expectations of her sect and her parents. Even though she still didn't care much about cultivation, she continued to train harder and show results. She had indeed matured, her childish thoughts were long gone.

  But often when alone, she found her reminiscing about her carefree childhood, about Yao Le and their precious friendship.

  She was just thinking about the time when they played tag when there was a knock on her door. "Su Ning it's me, Yao Le."

  She was both surprised and confused after hearing from her after all this time. Still it was Yao Le so she opened the door.

  She had last seen Yao Le a year and half ago. She tried to match to the appearance of the girl infront of her to the image of a little girl from her memory. Yao Le had also grown and changed.

  Yao Le was looking anxious. She didn't enter the room and spoke in a quick rush.

  "Um, tomorrow is my birthday. My mom asked me to invite you. So if.. if you have time you can come."

  And then she ran away as fast as she could. Su Ning didn't even have the time to react to the invitation. Seeing her had sent her thoughts all over the place, but one thing was sure, she was going.

  Their reunion went pretty well. After a minute or two of awkwardness, they went back from Su Ning and Yao Le to NingNing and LeLe. Much of their time was spent catching up. Even aunt Ji actively participated in the conversation, having missed Su Ning dearly.

  It had been a long time since Su Ning freely laughed; she had missed aunt Ji and Yao Le so much. The greatest feeling in this world is regaining what was lost and Su Ning had found her treasure back.