"A change, why did you keep absorbing energy for over an hour," Alexia asked with a cocked head and confused eyes.
"To increase the strength of my soul" Seth flatly said.
"Oh, that's impossible, you can't increase the strength or in better terms the quality of your soul, it's already at its best. Any further absorption will just have the energy accumulate in you and then spill out, your soul is like a full cup of water at the moment."
"I'm not sure about that, can it defend against a soul attack, I mean have a very powerful soul right, this can't be its limit."
To Seth's words, all Alexia could give was an envious and frustrated look,
"You don't have any idea how powerful your soul is, do you?
That you were able to save another soul from the underworld speaks volumes about its prowess."
"With how pitiful it's been that's hard to believe," Seth muttered
"Well it's pitiful because you damaged it, this should be a lesson to you not to go off sacrificing your soul, okay" Alexis advised.
Seth thought about defending his reasons, but knowing Alexia and how she would probably cry and have him apologizing in the end, he decided to let it be.
"Yes," Seth answered.
"Alright then get going, you've just broke through multiple stages, you should check on your body and then go check on that woman Irene," Alexia said as she waved Seth away.
Seth was just about to do as Alexia said when his face twisted and he looked at the woman with a narrowed gaze.
"Take it out."
One Second Alexia was in front of him the next second she was gone having fled the scene.
In such a situation all Seth could do was shake his head at Alexia's antics and have her appear before him the next second.
"No fair that's cheating" Alexia complained her hands folded as She looked at Seth all accusatory.
"It's my soul" Seth pointed out.
"And now you're just bullying me" she pointed out with a hurt expression but Seth's sharp gaze on her didn't falter.
"Why are you always so stubborn Seth, I'm perfectly right, but what if I release the portal into you and it reacts badly with your increased cultivation and kills you?
Have you thought about that?"
"Your right, but the same also applies to you as Shurui might figure out that he isn't in my soul and decides to vent his anger, most likely destroying your soul in the process."
"Well, that's still better than you being hurt."
"No, it's not" Seth barked, reaching out and grabbing Alexia's arm, pulling her till her face was close to his.
"If you're looking for a man who would hide behind you and let you face for him his problems, then perhaps you should stop loving me, I'm not the man for you." Seth gritted out.
"You're not such a man, that's why I love you so much and am willing to take your burdens. Keeping you alive is my greatest priority, and I won't fail at that."
"Damn it, I won't die, so just release the portal."
"No"
Alexia's direct rejection frustrated Seth and he couldn't help but cry within, Just like she had to have permission to freely move in his soul so did Seth need permission to enter her soulspace.
So basically, if Alexia never agree to release the portal, then there was nothing he could ever do about it.
Perhaps there might be other ways to extract t, but Seth had no doubt that these ways were dangerous, and that was not something he was willing to put Alexia through.
"If u don't release it, I'll never talk to you again" Seth randomly said grabbing at straws.
"Okay," Alexia said her direct answer frustrating Seth the more.
"Then I'll hate you forever" Seth tried, but almost immediately regretted it.
Without delay, the tense atmosphere that had been between them faded away only to be replaced by a very solemn and sad one.
"You'll hate me" Alexia silently whispered tears already falling down her eyes.
"No I won't, "Seth said, immediately bringing her into a hug, "I'll never hate you".
"I'm sorry I'll never hate you" Seth had to whisper several times before Alexia stopped her sobs.
This was what Seth had been trying to avoid, he was the victim here, but in the end, he was the one apologizing.
With an internal sigh, Seth decided to see if he could make use of the situation.
"Alexia I know you're worried for me, but you have to trust me, I won't die."
"But…but what if you die, what if you get hurt" she insisted.
Hearing her fears, Seth pulled away a little and then pulled up her face till she was looking him in the eye.
"Don't you trust the man your love?"
"I do" Alexia whispered without missing a beat
"Then you know what to do," Seth said.
Alexia nodded at Seth's words, and then the next seconds both she and Seth looked up as a black swirling portal appeared in the sky.
With its appearance, Alexia held onto Seth tightly, but as seconds and eventually, a minute went by, she calmed down.
"wait for me, I'll be back " Seth softly said and the next second his figure disappeared and appeared before the portal letting himself be sucked in.
.....
"Oh you're back, ha, ha, ha" The rambunctious laughter of Shurui sounded.
"Yeah" was all Seth could say as he hovered in the dark room.
"Thought you would be gone for longer, but here you are," Shurui said.
"Isn't there another way we can do this, I need to strengthen my soul, and you're standing in the way of that"
"Sorry, but there is none " the old man laughed, "if you want to cultivate, then this is the only way."
"Perhaps I'll just give up on cultivating," Seth said, but his words only earned him Shurui's laughter.
"Nice try, but there is no way the primordial fiend will ever give up on cultivation."
"We'll see about that, if I can't find another way to breakthrough, then I'll never cultivate again," Seth said with fierce determination but the old man only laughed at his words.
"Your fate is sealed kid, just be a good boy and accept it" Shurui laughed.
"Never," Seth said, and the next second he disappeared from the dark room leaving Shurui to his mad laughs.
...
"What happened" Alexia anxiously asked when Seth appeared before her once more.
"I talked with Shurui."
"And,"
He has no idea that I've broken through" Seth said his words bringing about a bright smile to Alexia's face she hugged him.
While Alexi hugged him, Seth's eyes moved to the sea as he mulled exactly what the entity was up to.
Unless he was lying which Seth doubted, Shurui knew nothing about the situation of Seth's body, ignorant of the fact that Seth had fixed up his soul and gone about breaking through.
While Alexia was a factor that Shurui had no definitive idea about, Seth wondered if the entity had accounted for her.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel