Yuki sighed and sat up and then leaned into Nana as she began to explain her past. “I guess it was almost two years ago when my village was attacked. We had been a peaceful clan who hid ourselves from the world. But some human clan attacked us. One of my elders dragged me away, saying I was the clan’s only hope. Even my parents and my best friend were left behind. I saw Chi, who was the same age as me, being dragged away by a male human cultivator. I swear if anything has happened to her, I will…”

“Yuki!” Nana hugged Yuki tightly, pulling her close. Yuki had tears streaming down her face. Elder Nishikawa rubbed her back, trying to help soothe the poor girl’s soul. 

Yuki took a deep breath as she continued: “I… I was told to run. Elder Eijiro held back the one who was pursuing us, and a great explosion happened. I have no idea if he is alive or not. I could only run and run. My first night alone in the forest, in a place I had no idea which way was what, I was attacked by a large snake demonic beast. I ended up falling into a river, and that was when I realized that the world outside was not fair. That life was not fair. How long was I in that cave for? How many times did that crazy old man cut me open while laughing and poking my innards!? How long did I suffer for? 

“I have no idea what happened in that place. I guess a year or so passed, but when I woke up one day, the whole room was a mess, and I was able to escape my bindings. He did nothing to me but cut me open and poke at my internals. When I checked my body after freeing myself, I learned that I had two dantians. That was when I decided to cultivate both demonic qi and spiritual qi. I need to get stronger by any means necessary. As long as I can get the strength needed to find my clan members and save those who are alive, then all is well. Even if I can not save them, say by the time I am strong enough, too many years have passed, and they died of old age, I will still wipe out those human cultivators who harmed my loved ones until none are left.” Yuki’s tears flowed as she buried her face into Nana’s chest. Nana was also crying as she rocked Yuki back and forth. Yuki’s experiences were similar yet so much worse than her own. She did not have to deal with being tortured as she had.

Elder Nishikawa was shaking in rage. She wanted to find the old man and the cultivators who attacked her disciple’s home and tortured her disciple, and rip them to shreds. She would rip their souls out and burn them for all eternity. Taking a deep breath, Elder Nishikawa calmed herself down as best as she could as she asked: “Yuki can I see your demonic cultivation technique?”

Yuki nodded as she waved her hand, causing a tattered book to appear. Elder Nishikawa took the book and read the title. “Transcendent Demonic Cultivation. Yuki, I have no idea where you got this, but this is not something you can get on the mortal plane…. This method is beyond the heavenly rank. This is an astral rank cultivation method. I think the old man, whoever he was, was not from this plane but from the upper plane. If that is the case, he might have been discovered, and they chased after him leaving you behind. This is all a wild guess, but he probably meant for you to have this technique.

“This does not make what he did okay, but at least you got something to help you achieve your goals. Both of your dantians are stable without issue. Where he got this other dantian and how he was able to implant it into you, I do not know but do not neglect your demonic cultivation. I will assist in any way I can. But do not let others but the three of us know about it.” Elder Nishikawa handed the cultivation method back to Yuki. “You are strong. Do not let your goals disappear. Do not let anything stop you from rising up. Grow stronger and stronger. Break the binds of this world and move on to the next plane of existence once you have finished the things you have to do here. 

“But until you reach that point. I will do what I can to help. One day you will leave this sect and move to the main continent, where you can progress even further. The fate star realm may be long, but it is not the end.” Elder Nishikawa knew that Yuki and Nana’s journeys were not meant to end in this sect. They would need to go forward and fine the people who destroyed their clans. They had to exact the revenge that had made them come this far. Or else they would end up forming a heart demon that would cause issues in their cultivation.

Yuki did not lift her head, but she nodded. She was resting it against Nana, whose warmth was helping her calm down. Nana was a bit confused by some of what Elder Nishikawa had to say. “Master, you said higher plane?”

“Yes. It is a place far out of your reach for the time being. So, for now, concentrate on your cultivation. Learn your new techniques and grow stronger. One step at a time. I know you are both in a rush, but you must take things at a pace that will not hinder your growth.” Elder Nishikawa did not seem to want to talk about the higher plane.

“We will work hard.” Nana nodded before thinking of something and pulling out the body fortification jade slip. “Master, is there any way we can acquire these herbs?”