Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Ming Yue soon followed before stopping, looking at the massive lake. Despite the chaos right next to it, the surface was clean and unbroken. But more than that, she felt something within it, something familiar. 

Whilst the battle grew in intensity, she continued to float there idly, staring at the lake. 

"It's ready, isn't it?" she thought. 

Pulling her hand out towards the lake, she beckoned for her sword to come. But after several moments, it didn't. 

"Ah!"

She winced as a sharp ring echoed out from the waters, no doubt from Drifting Sky. It wasn't a happy sound but a defiant one instead. 

"Right, a weapon spirit... Of course."

If it wouldn't come to her obediently, she'd have to force it to come. 

"Just like with Xue Yue..." she muttered. 

"Hey!"

Xue Yue's voice perked up after hearing that, obviously feeling a bit annoyed but that comment. 

She went towards the edge of the leg and stepped into the waters, letting her consciousness move into the depths. As this process began, the eighteen experts all surrounded the True Idol, bombarding it with attacks. The soldiers below did the same, focusing their attacks on this one figure as the cannons fired their last shots. 

As the battle continued the True Idol's injuries continued to accumulate, growing worse and worse while its attacks were even more ferocious. It wasn't even speaking anymore, it just roared and growled, breathing lightning every time it opened its mouth. 

"This thing just doesn't want to die!"

Zi Jing shouted, his hands moving around like a smooth stream of water. His flying swords followed each movement as if they were extensions of himself. Each of them flew in different paths cutting and scratching the skin. 

"Of course not, did you think it would be this easy?"

The other gave a quick retort while working together to bring this thing down. With all eighteen, there was not a single second where the True Idol was not getting attacked. While the damage wasn't significant, it was growing. 

"Where's Ming Yue?!" 

Zi Jing looked around, noticing her disappearance.

"She's over there, standing in the lake! What's going on with her?"

The others took note before one of the messengers pointed her out. And then Zi Jing understood immediately. 

"Leave her, we'll hold it off until she's ready!" he shouted. 

Everyone else glanced at him to which he looked at them all. 

"Trust me and trust her", he replied. 

His words came calmly and steadily, he had no doubt in his heart that she would come. Hearing him speak, the others nodded and focused on the True Idol, who grew wilder by the second. 

And as Zi Jing went to fight he gave one last look at Ming Yue, her figure was absolutely still but he was full of excitement. 

"Would I finally see it? A weapon spirit with my own eyes..." he wondered.

But that was up to Ming Yue and whether or not she could wring it out of the waters. Her consciousness descended into the depths of the waters, going deeper and deeper until she reached where she was before. Right in front of her was the World Serpent, Yin Bing, coiling around her sword. And when she reached this point, Yin Bing's eyes opened to look at her. 

"Ah, the sword must've called for you", she said. 

Her massive body then unwrapped itself, revealing the weapon and when she did so, a discordant ring echoed out. The waters trembled under this power and Ming Yue finally laid her eyes on Drifting Sky. For a moment, she was dazed by it for a moment. Its appearance was the same, there was no difference whatsoever, not to the blade, the hilt, or even the scabbard. It was just like when she had it one year ago. 

The true difference was in the aura and Drifting Sky had a powerful one. But it was quiet, not tyrannical but more so smooth, a sword made for killing not for battle. 

Ming Yue moved forward, calling for it but it only responded with a defiant ring.

"It won't come, why is that?"

She looked to the serpent who watched by the side, looking for an answer. 

"It won't come to you because it is not calling for you", the serpent answered. 

"What do you-" 

Before she even completed that thought, she realized it. In fact, they both realized it. 

"It was calling for me."

Then another illusory figure stood by Ming Yue, it was her other self, Xue Yue. Both of them were there, two of the same person, just in different clothes. Ming Yue had her blue robes while Xue Yue's were crimson. 

The serpent nodded at Xue Yue's words. 

"Strangely enough, your sword is quite a special one. It is not something that I can complete, even with all the power that I have. And it is incomplete because it is missing you."

Yin Bing looked to Xue Yue before turning to Ming Yue. 

"By some strange means, your mind and soul have been split apart. But one has been in control while the other has been a passenger. Once you inhabit the blade, you will feel unified again, both of you will be in control", the serpent explained. 

The two selves looked at each other. Neither of them knew what to say or think at this moment. 

"So, what will happen if I go?" asked Xue Yue. 

Her voice was soft, uncertain, almost scared. Having been within Ming Yue for several years, it was strange to leave. 

"If you enter the blade, you will not be gone or lose anything. Rather, you will feel truly connected to each other. You will no longer be a bystander but free. You will become the weapon spirit, this blade will be your body."

Yin Bing's words seemed calming and that made Xue Yue feel a bit better. She sucked in a cold breath before looking at Ming Yue and nodding. 

"I'll do it, what do I have to do?" she asked. 

The serpent chuckled. 

"It is not what I want you to do. It is what the sword wants, call for it and it shall come", she answered. 

Xue Yue nodded and held her hand out. The sheathed blade rang out with a pleasant sound as it went to Xue Yue's hands. She grabbed the hilt and wielded it before turning to Ming Yue. 

Without any warning, the sword hummed and her figure vanished, going into Drifting Sky. 

Ming Yue watched it unfold, finding the sword floating in front of her. She gave it a moment, waiting for it to grow quiet and when it did, she called for it. The sword slowly moved to her and she gently wrapped her fingers around the hilt. 

It was still sheathed. 

With one hand on the hilt and the other on the sheath, she slowly took it out, revealing the blade. As it came out, it produced a clear and melodious howling. When fully unsheathed, Ming Yue looked at the blade, admiring it before furrowing her brows. 

"I don't think I can call it Drifting Sky anymore", she muttered. 

The blade had changed, taking on a crimson sheen to the edge of the blade. It was subtle but it was there. 

"Of course not, I'm in here now!"

All of the sudden, Xue Yue's voice echoed in her mind to which Ming Yue felt a sense of surprise. 

"You're the weapon spirit now", she said. 

"Yes, I am and it feels... right."

Xue Yue responded with a gentle tone, she was at peace within the sword. It was strange but to her, it worked. 

"Hm, what should I call you now?" Ming Yue asked. 

"My name is Xue Yue, so I'm sure you know what to call it", she responded.

The young woman smiled at her sword. 

"Right, Blood Moon, for you."