Devouring the Heavens (ATG)

Chapter 30: Bracelets, Mathematics and... Halflings

A/N: Remember, no profanities in comments or you'll get Shadowbanned to Fuck!

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With an enthusiastic gait, Shane swiftly entered the master bedroom where he found Qingyue standing in front of the mirror, combing through her long silky hair. She turned to him with a raised eyebrow, feeling the excitement radiating off of him.

He took two steps forward and picked her up into the air and twirled her around before planting kisses all over her face. "Did it work?" When he finally pulled back, she asked him.

"It did indeed my dear!" Nodding happily he put her down and continued. "I was able to learn the formation perfectly and even refined it to make it more powerful. That's not all, though." With a wave of his hand, the bracelet appeared.

Qingyue reached out at around Mach 10 and swiped the bracelet from his hands with a girly squeal. "It's sooo pretty! Did you make it for Qingyue?" She asked bashfully with those wide and limpid eyes.

How could Shane resist that pleading look without taking critical damage? He scratched his nose a little to cover up that moment of crippling weakness and nodded. "En."

Qingyue Hugged him tight and whispered. "Thank you, Qingyue loves it!" He noted that although she was getting better at not referring to herself in the third person, the cut little verbal tick still came back when excited.

He pulled her hands and sat down with her on the end of the bed. "It does exactly the same thing as the Pearl of Frozen Deception, except the refined formation matrix inside should make the effect stronger, allowing your Cultivation to remain hidden from even those in the Tyrant Realm."

He secured the braid around her wrist and continued to enthusiastically explain all about the formations he had learned and how he crafted the new bracelet using the Frozen Cloud Arts ice.

Qingyue understood immediately that this was something that would be incredibly precious to her sect and felt even happier that her husband now had another possible way to convince them to listen to him.

While Qingyue daydreamed about spending her days in the sect accompanied by her husband and training side by side, said husband was animatedly explaining about the formations

"When I first found the formations inside the Pearl, I had almost given up hope. Who would have thought that just as I was about to give up, I would sense it at last"

He did have an inkling towards Qingyue's indifference but he decided that he would explain anyways, considering he worked hard to achieve this. The least she could do was accompany him on his tirade.

There were three layers to the original formation. Firstly, there was a small Profound Energy gathering array that drew in excess Profound Energy from the wearer and used it to power the other two formations.

The second layer formed an almost nonexistent barrier around the wearer, hiding their cultivation from non-invasive profound senses. The third layer would work in tandem with the second, to project a chosen Cultivation realm outwards from the barrier.

The primitive Profound Energy gathering array was cause enough to celebrate on its own. The other two were simply a gold mine of potential! With just a slightly better understanding of formation letters or enough time to practice, Shane was certain that he could turn those two into something amazing.

When inscribing the formation letters onto the Ice crystal, he added an extra layer to the outside. This was a modified version of the second layer, a barrier that keeps profound energy inside of it.

To ensure that Qingyue's bracelet never melts and the Ice Profound energy doesn't leak to her surroundings, he had to modify it slightly and from an outside perspective, it was nothing more than a pretty looking bracelet.

The formation itself was tiny and so it didn't take much for him to modify it but on a larger scale, it could easily become unstable and with all of the calculations needed, it would surely be a headache.

After talking like a machine gun for what was probably a good quarter of an hour and getting so into his explanations that he ignored everything else, only then did Shane look over at Qingyue.

She had a gentle smile on her face but her cheeks were flushed, her eyes unfocused and every so often she would nod a little. Clearly, she was a little absent-minded.

Shane scratched his nose in embarrassment again thinking. 'Did I break her? Perhaps talking to someone who never studied modern math about the complex mathematical equations used in formations was too much.'

Deciding not to mind it too much, he stored all his clothes away and dragged her under the sheets with him. After all, as long as he knew how it worked, and it actually did work, it didn't matter if Qingyue understood. Not everyone was a cheat like him, although Qingyue was definitely a cheat.

The girl in question quickly snuggled into his chest and he wrapped himself around her, using her as a hug pillow. "Sleep tonight my love, I need to think over a few things before forging our weapons tomorrow." He kissed her on the forehead and tightened the embrace.

Shane's thoughts drifted to the day's activities and the momentary feeling of control he felt when releasing all of his Wind Profound energy into the air to stop the residual energy from the crystals escaping.

'Was that a primitive domain formed in a panic? I could feel all of the different gaseous elements present within the air. Each one had a different feel to it as if the amount of energy required to influence them were different.

Perhaps if I could differentiate the different elements, I could use them as a way to attack or defend. Removing the surrounding Oxygen for a fire user or blanketing the area with Nitrogen would be fatal interesting.'

That was a very exciting prospect, if he could feel the different elements, could he forcefully separate them? Could he gather some together? With his knowledge of science and the elements, as well as chemical reactions, there were a lot of interesting things he could do if that were the case.

The small world really was amazing, to think he would begin to comprehend a domain while still in Spirit Profound Perhaps he could use that tomorrow to imbue a concept into the weapon he was going to forge for Qingyue. Maybe it would be impossible alone, but what if she helped him

With so many ideas running through his head, it was a long time before Shane was able to calm his emotions enough to fall asleep although the soft sound of Qingyue's breathing and the comfortable warmth of her body in his arms, did help a lot.

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Shane opened his eyes to the familiar sight of swirling red fog and an infinite yet shallow expanse of warm crimson blood.

The feeling of confusion that dominated his mind during his last visit was not at all present and the lingering hostility of before was almost nonexistent. It was clear that his Will had improved immensely since his run-in with the bandits.

This time, the searing hot air and freezing cold pressure didn't bother Shane as much and raising a hand, he waved at the fog above him. Slowly, sluggishly, it responded to his Will.

He was just a guest here, but with every moment longer he spent in this place, the more it relinquished control to him. If he had to describe it, it was like he was backdooring a computer system without the host knowing and granting himself administrator access.

Rolling back to give him a view of the sky, it was as Shane had guessed. Eleven, gigantic, dimly shining crimson stars hung in the vast expanse of nothingness. Radiating a chilling coldness that threatened to snuff his soul out of existence.

Threatened being the keyword for they couldn't hurt him any longer.

This time, he was able to look closely at them, although doing so caused the hairs on his neck to stand on end and brought forth a wave of unknown anger from deep within. He quickly averted his gaze, immediately dispelling the sensations, there may be no danger but unpleasant things are still unpleasant.

Not wanting to alarm the other person within the dreamscape, Shane carefully reeled in and then kept his profound senses as close to himself as he felt comfortable with. Funnily enough, the minimap never worked in the dreamscapes.

He started to walk in a random direction, confident that the path would open up to him, just as it did with Qingyue all those years ago

Slowly gliding through the warm shallow carpet of endless crimson liquid, Shane allowed himself to be drawn by feeling alone. It wasn't long before the fog rolled back in a different manner, opening out and forming into almost solid walls.

A wide circular clearing, tens of meters in diameter, was exposed before him. At the centre of which, hovered a person-sized cocoon made of bloody red starlight.

The thick crimson liquid swirled around the cocoon at a frightening speed as a cold light shined from within. Suddenly, an immensely powerful spirit sense washed over him, scanning him in his entirety, but this time he was prepared.

Having already expected this scan and remembering how it only attacked last time after registering his hostility, Shane let his emotions and intentions flow freely, permeating the space around him.

He projected many thoughts and feelings yet the most dominant were genuine care, understanding and the desire to protect followed by a small amount of poorly concealed pity and sadness.

Even he wasn't aware of how strong these feelings would be before now but the scene in front of him evoked such stirrings inside of him as if they were natural. The spirit sense and pressure withdrew but he could still feel it all around him, poised and ready, merely waiting for a reason to act.

As he stepped forward towards the cocoon, the fog rolled back in behind him, trapping him in the clearing. The sheer effect of her power's ambient pressure had on surroundings was enough to crush him a million times over if released, but he wasn't afraid.

Slowly, carefully, he made his way towards the centre of the clearing and stopped a couple of meters away from the cocoon and gave it a small wave accompanied by a kind smile.

His voice was soft and gentle as he spoke. "Hello. Hmm, I'm not really sure of what to say as I didn't expect to find myself here again. I hope you can hear me or else it would be pretty embarrassing to stand here talking to myself."

Silence...

He rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Well anyways, I just wanted to warn you before it happens, but I'm going to create something to sit on so don't be alarmed okay."

The air thrummed with power, causing ripples in the blood. Disfigured crimson weapons of all shapes and sizes rose into the air around the edge of the clearing, ready to pounce on him at a moment's notice.

Shane deadpanned and grumbled. "It's not like I'm gonna find it any easier to concentrate now." which caused the momentum of the weapons to stiffen and falter a little before slowly sinking back into the liquid below. The pressure remained, however.

Shane smiled disarmingly. "Thank you". 'At least she isn't totally unreasonable.'

With a slight mental effort and an added *poof* effect, a comfortable recliner spawned behind Shane and he unceremoniously took a seat. "Ahhhh. That's the good stuff."

Not caring for the blood covering his feet, he spawned a blanket, draping it over his legs while a pair of reading glasses dropped onto his nose from thin air.

Shane made sure he was as comfortable as he could get which also doubled up with allowing the pressure in the surroundings to relax at his somewhat comical actions. He leaned back in the chair and scanned his mental palace for a good book.

Although the library of totally remembered books from his time on earth was very slowly growing along with the strength of his Will, there were still a few dozen there.

He didn't need to browse for long however and his handsome face showed a look of genuine joy. An old-looking green-covered book with a dragon on the bottom of the front cover poofed into existence in his hand.

"I'm not going to talk to myself here all day or night or whatever time it is, so I decided to read you one of my absolute favourite books." Shane couldn't stop his own eyes from lighting up in childish wonder as he caressed the spine of the book affectionately.

"My grandfather read this book to me when I was eleven years old and the way he read it accompanied by the words brought the characters to life in my mind.

Although the feats will probably seem mediocre at best, compared to what cultivators can achieve, I will at least guarantee that you won't have heard the story before." He opened the cover and took a deep breath in of the old book smell, it was just as he remembered it...

*Ahem* "Chapter 1. An Unexpected Party.

In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole filled with the ends of worms"

As the words flowed and the hours passed, Shane became absorbed in the story and the memories it brought him. He acted out the characters, changing his voice when needed and even sang the songs as his Grandfather had done for him, many years before.

By the time he felt the familiar tug on his consciousness signalling that his time in the dreamscape was almost over, he had almost finished the first part of the story. Bilbo and the dwarves had just escaped the goblins and wargs on the back of the eagles.

There were times that Shane felt the ambient power in the surroundings fluctuate which coincided with an exciting moment in the story and he felt a little smug on the inside. However, the thought of not being able to come here again drowned out any happiness.

Shane softly closed the book and looked gently towards the cocoon, eyes full of familial affection. "Listen, I may not be able to come here again for a while.

I will try my best, and if you feel like someone is attempting to enter then let it happen..." Shane firmed his resolve to say something else, in case he didn't get another chance.

"Just know that you are not alone. When you are at your lowest point, don't give up and know that there is still someone in this universe who will be there for you." He managed to get the words out, right before fading completely from the space.

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As the wild-looking young man turned transparent and faded from the space, the presence within the centre of the clearing, stirred.

The Cocoon of crimson starlight cracked open, long slender fingers attached to a small, white jade hand, reached out towards the recliner. The faded green book floated towards the outstretched hand and when it was within reach, it was snatched from the air.

The book was opened to the latest page, using the old cloth bookmark, only for the girl to become more and more confused as she turned them. Each and every page after the bookmark was completely clear and unblemished, without a single word written.

Only on the very last page did she find something, a drawing and a small note.

A small version of the young man with a snake wrapped around his arm and a bird on his shoulder was sticking his tongue out towards a little girl with long crimson hair while holding a book just out of her reach.

He even had a strange bubble, hovering above his head that said. "You dare to read it alone when we started it together!?"

"Hmph!" The girl snorted and snapped the book shut. However, she didn't toss it away and instead pulled it in towards her chest, tightly hugging it and savouring the lingering warmth as the cocoon sealed itself shut again.

Remembering those last gentle words and that expression of his, filled with affection, her eyes turned a little hazy and her nose a little sour. When was the last time anyone showed her care like this?

He was not someone she had ever seen before in The Realm of the Gods and with his unique appearance he would be easy to recognise, but just who was he?

Could he be someone sent by the enemy to bewitch her? No, she discarded that thought immediately. Despite her young age, she still had the powerful soul and mental capacity of a Divine Master.

It wasn't that easy to trick her, there was also the fact that every fibre of her being was screaming at her that that wild young man would never hurt her and that she could trust him, absurd as that sounded.

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Opening his eyes in the dim light of dawn to the usual sight of a splayed out curtain of obsidian hair, Shane sighed a little regretfully. Maybe he was too hasty with his words...

There just wasn't enough time to gain her trust. He had no idea whether he would be able to join her dreamscape again and so his heart had pushed him to at least say something.

There was also no way he could use his Dreamwalker ability to talk to her, she would never willingly allow herself to be pulled into his zone of control.

He knew he couldn't stop her from going after the Heretic God's Blood, nor did he want to. She wouldn't listen to his words and instead, she would be unable to trust him.

The most he could do was leave some comforting words that may at least reassure her a little in her darkest moment. Whether she would believe him or not, that was another thing altogether.

Pulling him from his thoughts, Qingyue began to stir in his arms, her eyelashes fluttering a little. After a few seconds of wriggling around, she stiffened and hugged him tighter while keeping her eyes closed and feigning sleep.

Shane chuckled and brushed his fingers lovingly through her hair. 'She is such a terrible actor'

He patted her on that luscious butt of hers and said. "Come on wifey we need to get up, those weapons won't forge themselves!"

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A/N: Before any of you Goddess damned degenerates start complaining about Shane looking at Jasmine with familial care and affection rather than romantic... She's twelve you sick fucks.

I'm looking at you. You know who you are! *Author used 'Deadpan' on Reader - it Better be Super Effective*

It's not like things can't change in the future... (insert pepe here)

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