The best for last, eh? I follow right behind her.

[So where are we going exactly?]

"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise, right?"

[Alright, how about a hint?]

"This will be where it all started."

[Plot twist it will be a small fishbowl with the caption ultimate weapon of the greatest water bender of all time: used to house his valiant companion goldfish, Tony.]

"Close, but not exactly. Well, just don't call it a fishbowl anymore, alright?"

Before long she drags me to what seems like another small pond. Weirdly enough this small pond seems majestic. It's a weird feeling. It's just a shallow pond, nothing special about it except how clear the water is. But I get the feeling there is something great inside.

"Can you feel it?"

[Yes, what is that? I shouldn't be able to feel the mana, what exactly am I feeling?!]

"Here, let me show you."

She swings her hand slightly and then all the water in the pond starts rising in the air…no! Actually, there is some that stay in there forming the figure of a youthful woman that seems to be proudly guarding her pond.

"This piece is called the sleeping lady of the lake, Aqua's statue. It is entirely made of water itself, as for what is holding it together it's the intent itself. Years upon years upon years of worship slowly turned this into what it is."

[It's beautiful.]

She lets the water fall back entirely in the pond. But there is something extremely strange, now I can clearly distinguish the statue's features even if it seems to have reverted to its original appearance.

"Wondering why you can still see her?"

[How?!]

"The aura will be enough for you to remember her from now on."

[What is this, a curse?!]

"*Giggle* Please, it's a miracle!"

[Right, why isn't anyone else here? Shouldn't this spot be very popular?]

"Yeah, it used to be very popular, but we made it restricted because people spent way too much time clustering here."

So let me get this straight. They closed a popular touristic attraction because of how popular and crowded it was? Are you kidding me?! Who does that!

[You guys could have totally started a touristic industry with that. People would come from far away and pay good money to watch the sleeping lady of the lake. Then, you can sell shirts with the caption "Have you visited the sleeping lady of the lake? I have! ❤️ ]

"What?"

[That's not all, while you are at it you sell pies too to the tourists. I totally can hook you up with a godlike pie baker by the way. Then you can turn the whole sect into a tourist destination. You can start authentic tours of the city as we've done earlier]

"Why would we do all that?"

She seems extremely puzzled. *Sigh* It can't be helped. These people aren't familiar with modern practices. Good thing I'm very patient and an amazing teacher.

[You can get lots of money and status with such a tactic. Your goal is to become part of the culture. If enough people love the place no one will be able to raid it on a whim without facing international backlash.]

"International what?"

[See all the sects as the international community. If all the sects enjoy the atmosphere so much that they come to visit often and love it...Anyone attacking would become the world's enemy in a heartbeat, do you understand?]

"I'm pretty sure no one cares about stuff like that. They are all about expanding their sect's influence."

[Maybe that's because they have never tried something so fun? We just gotta make people believe that they gain more by letting us live peacefully so they can visit than what they have to gain by attacking us. This is especially true if we can get a reputation going.]

"A reputation?"

[Yes, throughout history many neutral coun- sects managed to survive the woes of time itself. Why? Simply because they would be protected by other stronger sects that had to gain from them being alive.]

"You are talking about sub-sects, right? By benefit you mean tribute, right?"

[Not exactly, but it's close enough. The goal is not to send tribute to one power but be seen as useful by many. Then they will all keep each other in check while you can relax.]

"But then what happens when one decides to throw logic aside and attacks directly? No sect will avenge dead men without any concrete benefits."

I can't help but grin. I somehow guessed that this question was coming.

[Then in such a case you need a trump card. It doesn't even have to be that dangerous a card. Let me put it this way. What if invading a sect barely gave you anything and meant now having an immortal and otherwise useless Naked emperor following you around. Would you still do it?]

"That sounds horrible!"

[See, it wouldn't actually do any damage, but it would be unpleasant and convince people to play nice.]

"How did you think of that?!"

[Oh, where I'm from pretty much every other sect has a weapon that can annihilate the entirety of the Earth Realm. Since everyone can at any time blow up the world should they be attacked…Well it used to be very peaceful until the day when….]

"The day when?!"

[Ah, sorry I forgot. Point is, it doesn't matter.]

"What do you mean?"

[Well, as long as you have a decent trump card then you are fine.]

"I understand. But what exactly should we do?"

[Well, I just said all that on a whim. I'm pretty sure tourism would be harder during a war. We'd also have to screen the harmful elements out somehow. Now that I think about it it's not that viable right now.]

"So what do you suggest?"

[Well, same thing as earlier really. We wait until it's all over, I try to find my friends. Then we live happily ever after.]

One thing for sure, I'll definitely realize such a marketing plan one day. It will be successful, it will be popular, it will be amazing.

That's for the future, however. Right now I simply approach the pond to get a better view of the statue. It's truly mesmerizing. Quite phenomenal how simple it looks, it's just water, and yet has that profound charm to it.

"Careful that you don't fall it, it can be slippery there."

[Thanks mom, but there is no way that….]

*SLIP*

*SPLASH*

Fuck! An instant later I already feel the cold touch of the water on my skin. Is this considered desecrating a public monument?!

Wait, no... I have something else to worry about. This sensation I am not feeling is one I am familiar with. Let's just say last time it happened I teleported to see a fiery dwarf god.

What now?! ….