Chapter 222 - Energies

"Which way?" a tender voice echoed in the mist...

Hao Xuan stood in a foggy world, with nothing around him visible other than the two paths in front.

"Which way will you go?" the voice repeated. It sounded very patient, like he had all the time in the world to decide.

He looked at the path on the right. It was colored a shade of red, with one silhouette looking back at him from some distance away. He could not make out any features on the silhouette, but he felt a connection to it. His chest tightened and the heart starting beating rapidly. The blood rushed through his veins and a feeling of excitement came over him.

He looked at the one on the left. It was white. Completely white. Another silhouette standing there, waiting for him. A cool energy entered his body and he could feel the....peace, and the quiet. Just looking at the silhouette provided nourishment for his soul, silencing all the noisy voices in the world. His breath turned gentle and his heartbeat slowed down.

"Which will you choose? " the voice asked.

Hao Xuan looked at each path for a long, long time. It felt like ages had passed. He opened his mouth to speak but only blood came out.

He looked down and saw his naked feet. The path below was littered with blood and glass, so much glass.

"Which way will you go?" the sentence repeated, the voice slowly getting further and further away.

A panic came over him all of a sudden as he turned around and saw another silhouette standing behind him. It was smiling. He recognized it at first glance.

"Will you...leave me as well?" the smiling silhouette asked softly.

"Never!" Hao Xuan roared, splashing his own blood everywhere. He started running towards it but the distance between them only increased with every step.

The silhouette smiled even more looking at Hao Xuan trying to make his way towards it.

"Then, will you forget me?" it asked curiously, tilting its head sideways.

Hao Xuan could barely see the silhouette anymore so he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Not in this life, nor the next!"

"Good," it nodded, "Then move forward. Do not look back," the voice echoed for the last time before the silhouette vanished from his view.

He could feel a sudden emptiness inside him. It was like he had just lost someone very dear to him.

Huffing, he came to a stop. His body aching with a dull pain. His legs and feet were bloody from running on the broken glass. He felt like he had been running for centuries.

Anxiousness and dread taking root in his heart.

He slowly turned around and noticed that the distance between the two paths and him had not changed at all. He had just been running in one place, struggling to get to something that was never meant to be his.

The silhouettes on each path raised their hands towards him, trying to help him stand up straight.

"Who will you choose?" they asked simultaneously.

"I-"

*Whoosh*

Darkness shrouded his vision as he tried to slowly open his eyes.

"Hmm~ mm~ mhmm~"

A sweet and gentle hum came from his side.

His eyes opened and a face came into view. Soft porcelain-like skin and eyes like a shattered mirror stared into his.

His lips arched into a smile as all the negative feelings from before were blown out like a candle in the wind.

"Hmmm~"

The humming continued. He didn't make any movements either, just staring at the picture-perfect face in front of him with a goofy smile.

The humming stopped, "Are....are you done staring?" Xu Qing asked as a red hue slowly made its way across her pale cheeks, spreading all the way down to the back of her neck.

Hao Xuan grinned looking at her face flush red from embarrassment, making her look even cuter. "Almost," he replied shamelessly.

Xu Qing closed her eyes and looked away in mock anger but didn't do anything else, letting Hao Xuan's head rest in her lap.

Hao Xuan took full advantage of this opportunity. Not even blinking once he stared at her almost as if in a trance.

Her long black hair were like fine silk threads, coming down to her back. Her beauty was incomparable to others as she exuded a unique aura.

Her broken eyes still being the most dazzling thing about her.

A few seconds later he sighed and got up.

"Ow," he rubbed his abdomen. A surge of pain hit him like a bulldozer. Piercing pain from around his chest spread out towards the rest of his body.

Xu Qing quickly reached out and supported his back.

"The side effects haven't completely gone away yet, you have to rest," she said while putting a few pillows behind his back.

She got off the bed and started walking out.

"Stay, where are you going?" Hao Xuan asked urgently.

But Xu Qing's footsteps didn't pause for even a second, "Have to make breakfast for everyone. I will be back with yours as well. Please don't move around too much," her voice came from outside.

Hao Xuan laid back and took a deep breath. He sniffed his clothes which had been changed. They smelled just like her.

The poison had all been expelled but not before it started working its magic. His body felt far too weak at the moment.

He tapped once on the watch, "How long was I out?"

"About 13 hours," Baracus replied in his usual unenthusiastic tone.

"Any news?"

"Nothing locally. There was an attack last night at a Grade 3 town by a beast army. Mei soldiers were waiting for them and killed over 60% of the beasts. The rest withdrew."

"Hmm, alright, better than nothing. I need to break through to the Spirit realm soon. It's been way too long already. Got any suggestions on what type of energy I should understand next?"

"There are over 3,611 energies suitable for your physique. You can choose any one of them."

*Beep*

A hologram appeared above the watch. It was a long list of names. Hao Xuan scrolled through the first few hundred and quickly gave up. He didn't even understand the concept behind most of them.

"Taking into account my other energies, physique, and constitution, what would be the best options? Just narrow it down as much as possible. Also, remove any support types unless they are exceptionally good."

"Alright."

*Beep*