Way of the Knights

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Killing the Vampiric Serpent was easier than he initially thought and it was mostly thanks to the unique circumstances that it was in. 

Destroying the heart on the other hand, was a different matter...

With the Vampiric Serpent's death, it's body dissipated into dusts, much like what happens whenever Vendrick kills other demonic beasts using his lighting. To his surprise however, he saw that the heart was unscathed even with all of that. 

It was a strange sight if he was being honest. The heart, which still occasionally pulses from time to time, looked like it's made out of flesh but not even a scar could be seen on its surface. Vendrick knew that the Tribulation Lightning definitely struck the heart, he saw it happen with his eyes. So seeing it unscathed after an attack of that caliber when the Vampiric Serpent easily died due to it, was surprising. 

Vendrick still feel ill at ease. He couldn't bring himself to just leave this thing alone. At first he thought that his instincts were wary about the prospects of letting the Vampiric Serpent become a god but now that it died, he realized that he was unconsciously wary of the heart, not the serpent. 

Why is it so? The heart technically didn't anything to him, well at least not yet? So why in the world would he feel this subconscious threat from it. This is something that he can't answer but he knew what he had to do. 

The heart needs to go. It can't remain in this land, it has to be destroyed. Leaving it behind like this is something that Vendrick can't possibly allow to happen. 

Having thought of that, Vendrick summoned all of his strength. Literally everything that he could squeeze out of his entire being, he fused it with his spear. He stomped forward, his foot causing the ground to cave-in from the sheer strength he has. 

He gripped the spear tight and made a mighty swing aimed at the heart itself.

*Boom!!*

The explosion could be heard all over the Western Continent. Dozens of demonic beast were startled, they looked up to the general direction of where the explosion happened, feeling a bit apprehensive. The wiser beasts started moving farther from the impact, some even hid underground, hoping to escape the upcoming calamity. 

A huge cloud of dust blurred Vendrick's vision. This much didn't hinder his ocular technique though. He saw the results as clear as day and to say that he dissatisfied would be understatement. 

Not even his 100% was enough to completely destroy this heart. At most it was just damaged. There was a large and ugly gash on its surface, but it wasn't deep enough, not at all. 

The heart was pulsating greatly though. Copious amount if purple blood was leaking through the gash, additionally, there were also that invisible steam which is now leaking out. Thankfully, the invisible steam cannot pass through the dome, Vendrick knew that this much was enough to infect several dozens of demonic beasts nearby and he wouldn't want distractions now, especially considering the fact that the wound on the surface of the heart was healing. 

Vendrick didn't stay idle. All of this were mostly contained for now but he can't say for how long. 

Summoning large amounts of Tribulation Lightning and Thunder, Vendrick unhesitatingly poured everything he has on the healing wound, preventing it from closing up. He could see that the heart was twitching violently now, it's as if it was on the verge of exploding anytime soon. Nevertheless, Vendrick pressed-on. This thing needs to go, it has to. 

Vendrick wasn't focused on doing more damage to the shell of the heart, he already knew that such a thing would be a useless effort. If the shell is to thick, then he just have to make sure he destroyed it from the inside, which is what he's doing right now. 

The lightning and thunder tribulation energy penetrated the wound which was now growing larger as time passes on. There is something that is preventing it from penetrating any deeper but the destructive element of the lightning was intent on pushing its way through. It lingers and consistently did more damage inside, this goes on for as long as Vendrick could hold out. 

More and more of that purple blood was leaking through the wound, it was sizzling due to the lightning but Vendrick didn't care. As for that invisible steam, it basically filled the entire dome but he's immune to it so he ignored it. 

Vendrick was sweating though. Even though he could channel the power of tribulation lightning, it doesn't mean that he could do it forever. He could only hold out for some time since his energy reserves were spent earlier. 

As he controlled the flow of energy finely while driving the spear deeper into the heart, Vendrick gritted his teeth and endured. He summoned all of his strength to support him so that he could extend the time he could hold on. He's close, he could feel it. He's very close. 

Gnashing his teeth and growling, Vendrick shoved the spear deeper, him along with it. He didn't mind the fact that he's practically covered with that purple blood since it doesn't have any effects on him. With one large push, he felt it. 

The tip of his spear made contact with something, it was fragile, like a thin membrane of flesh which his spear easily pierced through. As the spear pierced the membrane, he felt another sensation from spear. 

He was shocked since he could feel that the spear suddenly reacted strongly to something. He couldn't see it properly but the spear won't stop letting out thrumming sounds. 

What shocked him even more is that, he could feel a warm current being supplied to him. It was coming from the spear. To his surprise, he found out that he can't move the spear any longer. It was stuck there, seemingly bound to whatever it is it made contact with at the core of the heart. 

The warm current energized him, it was gentle and extremely nourishing. Vendrick could feel his reserves swiftly. Only a minute passed and his energy reserves were already replenished by 25%.

In addition to all of this, the spear itself was glowing with a divine light. Vendrick has no clue what's going on but he didn't stop it. His instincts stopped giving him any warnings, meaning that whatever he's doing was something safe. 

*Buzz!*

Vendrick flinched, he received a transmission from the spear, something that he wasn't expecting. Through his connection with the spear, it transmitted a message to him. 

"So...this thing can help you? Okay...I guess." 

The spear - well, the Brush of Wisdom, apparently made contact with something it could eat and told Vendrick to not worry. A similar thing happened before when he went to the treasury of the Ancient Elysium Sect, the brush had been quiet ever since but now it unexpectedly made contact to him. 

It was confusing but there's nothing he could do about it. Besides, this is for his own benefit as well anyway so why stop it. 

Time passed and Vendrick could sense that the absorption was nearly over. The diving light that was being emitted by the Spear became even more intense as time passed but now it's starting to dim. And after a couple of minutes, the light went away completely and Vendrick could feel that he could move the spear again. 

He looked at the heart with a wry smile on his face. It wasn't twitching anymore, what's left of it was only a mere husk of what it previously was. All of the blood has dried out, the invisible steam stopped leaking ten minutes ago. 

The heart now looked like a shriveled skin or like a rotten tree bark. The moment Vendrick pulled the spear back, the heart crumbled, turning into dust and scattering into the air. Vendrick felt bizarre, he wasn't expecting things to turn out this way. 

Nevertheless, he felt at peace. He no longer has any worries since there's nothing in the Western Continent that could threaten him any longer. If anything, he more curious about the spear now. 

He lifted the spear and inspected it. There weren't any large changes to its appearance other than it now has a gem embedded at the center of the spear's tip which looked like a topaz. Vendrick tried to inspect it with his senses but deflected him, something that he didn't expect. 

"Uh...what happened?" Vendrick felt awkward asking the spear - well, the brush. He never really tried to communicate with it before, it's mostly just a one way conversation with the brush telling him something. 

*Buzz!*

The spear buzzed and sent another transmission. It wasn't a clear message, more like a hint which he has to translate. Well, it's nothing complicated this time around. The spear simply told him that everything was fine and there's nothing for him to worry about. 

As for the gem, well...the spear didn't say much about it, just that he will soon find out and that it needs some time to adjust to changes, around two weeks would be fine.

"Well...okay then. Two weeks it is." 

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