I sense a great disturbance in the Void, as if millions of Spectres cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

The darkness swells to engulf everything before me, as Zhen Shi, my Natal Soul, and the living Rune of Spectres all vanish in the blink of an eye, leaving only the silent stillness of the vacuous Void stretching out in all directions. The warm, illuminating glow I sensed earlier draws even closer, yet somehow still sits at the edge of my perception, close enough to sense it is there, yet too far to pinpoint a specific direction. The same can be said of the wrong and ugly presence emanating darkness in the distance, though it too seems closer when I rediscover its existence. Other than that, nothing else registers to my perceptions, though I have a gut feeling there’s more out there, only it’s all too well hidden for me to find. This isn’t the case with my Natal Soul however, for my connection with him has up and disappeared. One moment he was out there trading blows with Zhen Shi in the Void, and the next, he dove into the mass of writhing Spectres and just…

Died.

What in fuck just happened? I was a bee’s dick away from stepping out into the Void to launch an attack on Zhen Shi when my Natal Soul contacted me and told me to stay safe. This guy was literally caught in the clutches of our most fearsome foe and telling me to back off, like I’m the impulsive idiot who got us into this mess in the first place. The nerve of some people, but I can’t even be all that angry, because the next thing I know, he’s spewing memes while breaking free from Zhen Shi’s grasp in a veritable explosion of light and energy. I don’t know how else to describe it, or have any inkling as to how he accomplished it, being a Natal Soul with only a limited amount of Heavenly Energy at his disposal. Also, how in the hell did he manifest Peace, Tranquility, and Unity? Those are my weapons, yet I felt no connection to them as my Natal Soul took up his sword, shield, and glaive before enlarging into a gargantuan giant to do battle with the golden-robed Zhen Shi. The weapons weren’t the only thing he crafted either, for my Natal Soul was clad from head-to-toe in golden Runic Armour, ones bearing the same modifications I made during my one-on-one meeting with Gen Shi shortly after I took office. Bears on the pauldrons, a snapping turtle head on the belt, and all manner of wildcats, rabbits, laughing birds, and a single hare etched into the golden chest plate, that was how I envisioned my Runic Armour, but my Natal Soul’s armour also bore a weasel-bear, red panda, snake, and octopus to boot, meaning he intentionally added those extra details while locked in battle against an eight-hundred-year-old monster in the Void.

Brief and short-lived though their clash might have been, it was one unbound by the laws of physics, time, and space, for in the Void, it is Will which reigns supreme. That’s why Zhen Shi loves playing his little power games to foster a sense of inferiority in his foes, because it gives him an edge in a clash of pure Will, but my Natal Soul was having none of it. While I’m not the most confrontational guy around, I’ve also never been one to back down before authority, because I’m just that sort of asshole who doesn’t like being told what he can and can’t do. My Natal Soul inherited my rebellious ways, as well as my love of memes. “Unlimited Power,” was his dying declaration, and from the looks of things, he wasn’t joking around as he took the fight to his foe and forced Zhen Shi onto the defensive. Their battle took place in the blink of an eye, one in which they traded blows at the speed of thought within an arena outlined by a thin film of nothingness which somehow separated them from the writhing Spectres nearby. From my vantage point within my Natal Palace, I was barely able to perceive even one-one-thousandth of what took place during this titanic battle of Wills, but even this minute fractions of their epic struggle showcased more of the Dao than I have witnessed in the rest of my life here in this world.

So of course, me being me, I opted not to do everything I could to learn from this experience and instead felt compelled to do something, anything at all, because in my mind, I am the only one who can solve every problem ever, even when another me is already on the case.

It’s a real problem, my growing hero complex, but in my defense, it’s a sickness, one which has most of the Empire enabling it, so who’s really at fault here?

My well-meant advice has led us here, with me and Buddy standing stock still in my Natal Palace to stare out into the empty desolation of the dark Void. Though I can sense that we are not alone, I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that my Natal Soul General is dead and gone as his final Sending hits me like tonne of bricks and leaves me seeing stars. A deluge of thoughts and emotions flood through my mind and soul, similar to what I experienced earlier, only this time, the overwhelming torrent of information is all coming from one perspective. Excruciating doesn’t begin to describe it as my mind buckles beneath the pressure, as if the very fibre of my being is being stretched thin and crushed by a colossal, metaphysical weight, but the pain is the least of it. This Sending encapsulates everything my Natal Soul learned and experienced over the course of his short life, and though it will take time to process it all, what little I can glean from it sends me spiralling into a pit of shame and self-contempt.

Because the truth is, I am a coward who refuses to do what needs to be done.

So much of what my Natal Soul wanted to pass on is not new to either of us. No, these were all lessons I’d long since learned, lessons I ignored out of pride, ignorance, or fear. Everything he did out there, I could have done myself, because I’ve long since had all the pieces of this puzzle laid out before me, but I’ve been too afraid to brave the unknown and take the next step. A realization I came across some time ago, but one I did nothing about, because that would mean facing my fears head-on, something I’ve avoided doing all my life. I knew what I needed to see what comes next, and I even brought Buddy in as my Natal Guardian to help me navigate through the trials and tribulations ahead, but then I put off figuring out what that next pivotal step was because…

Well, because I was hoping I wouldn’t have to take it.

The moment I rejected the Heavens and seized authority for myself, was the moment I strayed from the Martial Path, meaning I lack even a general framework to work by. In JiangHu, I guided Rustram to follow along in my footsteps, while Li-Li has taken a step in the same general direction yet still walks her own Path. That being said, neither one of them are far enough along to offer any clues as to what awaits me next, as I, through a series of happy accidents and fortuitous circumstances, have made my way to the Peak. Not the Martial Peak, but the Peak of where my Path can take me as a mortal man, for what comes next touches upon the secrets of Divinity.

A fact which terrifies me to no end.

Guan Suo. Gang Shu. The Abbot. Mahakala. Guard Leader Hua Lie. Pong Pong. Each and every one of them shares something in common, something so many Divinities experience first-hand. They’ve all lived for centuries, possibly millennia even, and all they have to show for it is pain and regret. How many loved ones did they each leave behind? How many friends and comrades did they lose along the way? Though I fear death, it is not my death which I fear most. No, I fear losing my loved ones far more, whether it be my supportive parents, doting sister and brother-in-law, loving wives, adorable floofs, or the close friends and stalwart comrades I’ve made along the way. Guan Suo’s experience resonated with me deeply, because what use is Divinity if I just end up like him? I know what it’s like to forget the parents who raised you, because I’ve forgotten the faces of my parents from my past life, a loss which pains me in a way I am unable to describe. How can you miss that which you cannot remember? Easily enough it would seem, and the not knowing makes it just so much worse. This is a suffering you can never understand until you experience it yourself, a yearning for something you know was wonderful and fulfilling, but can’t remember at all. Imagine looking at someone and knowing you love them with all your heart, but you can’t remember their name or why they mean so much to you. Love is empty without the memories to go along with it, all the smiles and tears, hugs and arguments, and everything else in between, so the not knowing eats away at you as you close your eyes and try to remember their face, because how can you express your love to someone you don’t even recognize? No matter how well you acclimate to this pain and loss, it will always find new ways to creep up on you and present itself in new and heart-wrenching ways.

So how much worse will this pain be when I lose everyone I hold dear in this life, and live on as a Divinity without them? Exponentially, I’d imagine, which is not something I wish to experience first-hand. This is why I keep telling myself I’m ready to take the next step, only to back off with a wise-crack and pretend like it’s all too complicated for me to understand. It is, but that doesn’t mean can’t at least try to puzzle it out, yet I keep acting like it’s beyond my meagre comprehension without even really trying. All I’m doing is using my lacking understanding as an excuse to tread water while waiting for others to catch up, but I fear I can no longer put off the inevitable. They say the journey to the Martial Peak is a lonely one, because you will leave most of your friends and loved ones behind. Not physically, as you can still be with them, but as a Peak Expert, the world will set you apart from everyone else. For a Divinity, the divide is about a thousand times worse, to the point where most live out their lives under a Cloak of Concealment to hide from enemies and rivals seeking to kill them for the power contained within their flesh. That’s why those Divinities were there to see Guan Suo off, not because they wanted to pay their last respects, but because they wanted a piece of him. Literally. Whether it be to consume for Heavenly Energy, like how Mahakala strayed, or to use his corpse in other ways, like forging a Spiritual Weapon, nourishing a Spiritual Beast, or cultivating a Spiritual Plant. Maybe there are other ways to use a dead Divinity, but Ping Ping and I ruined their plans to desecrate Guan Suo’s corpse.

Which is also how Guai-Guai came into existence, created from the power contained in Guan Suo’s earthly remains and the imprint of his soul left in Ping Ping’s Natal Palace, alongside a liberal helping of Heavenly Energy and some other stuff I’m not entirely sure of. The only takeaway from that entire experience was a vague notion that Panacea was important and something about nuclear acid, which I don’t even think is a real thing. What part I played in Ping-Ping’s ascension is still a complete mystery, and I doubt I could replicate my success even if I tried a thousand times again, but even if I could, there’s something to be said about the ethics of turning dead loved ones into floofs, or even rebuilding a new body for someone I love. Guai-Guai isn’t Guan Suo, the same way Buddy isn’t really my dog from my past life. They’re cut from the same cloth, but a new and unique entity all on their own, so even if I do become powerful enough to house all my family and loved ones in my Natal Palace and create new bodies for them to inhabit, they won’t be the same people I knew in life.

The same can be said for my Natal Souls. They’re like me in almost every way imaginable, but at the end of the day, they are not me. However, this doesn’t mean their deaths don’t matter. Mahakala told me Baledagh wasn’t real, but he was wrong. Baledagh was real to me, which makes him real enough. My General, the valiant hero who battled Zhen Shi in the Void, was real, and he died to keep me safe. The smart-ass Natal Soul quoting ‘Gladiator’ was real, and he died helping Li-Li along her Path. The Natal Souls who died helping Yan, Mila, and so many of the soldiers in Meng Sha are real, and there are many more of my Natal Souls still out there, my brothers and comrades in arms, valiant Warriors one and all who are ready and willing to give up their lives in order to help secure a victory here today.

All while I sit here in my Natal Palace watching it all unfold from behind my PC, because it makes all the death and sacrifice less… real.

I know why my Natal Souls are so eager to give their lives. Because they’ve all acknowledged one simple truth, something I myself knew all along. Death is easy, because after death, your part is done. Where there is life, there is hope, but life is never easy, and I have long since grown tired of the trials and tribulations of this world. Only the love and support of my family, friends, and floofs have kept me here this long, else I would have long since re-rolled the dice and consigned myself to the next life, as evidenced by my actions in JiangHu. Without my support network, I am nothing and no one, and that, more than anything, terrifies me to no end. What use is Divinity and near-immortality if I can’t bring my loved ones along for the journey? That’s why I can’t bring myself to take the next step, because I know it is the first step on a new path which will bring me away from everyone I love and hold dear.

And so I fight this war by proxy, taking a pound of my flesh and soul to distribute out among the Warriors of Meng Sha, not just in hopes of victory here today, but in hopes that my actions here will guide some of them closer to my side. I don’t want to live in a world without Mila, Yan, Lin-Lin, or so many other people whom I hold dear, and so I put off taking the next step until I know I’ll have someone to keep me company on my journey to the Peak. Alas, we each must walk our own Path, and it is long past time I continued along mine, a conclusion each and every one of my Natal Souls has arrived at in the moment of their deaths, which is why they all believe it is vital that they impart their experiences back to me en masse.

My Natal General, who identified so strongly with my brother Baledagh, he showed me the way forward, an option I’ve always known I’ve had but was always too afraid to take. I’m still afraid, terrified even, because I know this world is a cruel and unforgiving one even at the best of times, but I sense the Enemy stirring in the wake of Zhen Shi’s failure to utilize a living Rune of Spectres to bring down Meng Sha. There’s no more time for half-measures anymore, so now I must embark upon my Path, and embrace the consequences that come with it. Perhaps things will not turn out the way I envision, and life will find a way, but while I fear this will not be the case, I can no longer allow fear to guide my steps.

Something Charok told me so many years ago, when I was still struggling to find Balance, but this is easier said than done.

As I come to my senses after parsing through my Natal Soul’s parting messages, I find Buddy watching over me with his woeful, concerned expression, so sweet and adorable my heart melts just to see it. “At least I’ll always have you,” I whisper, hugging my dog tight while mourning losses, both ones already sustained and others which still have yet to come, because even the thought of losing someone I love is almost too painful to bear. “Alright Buddy,” I continue, pushing myself to my feet. “Don’t be surprised by what happens next, okay?” There’s no answer from Buddy, but he turns himself around and readies to flee or fight, pressed right up against my ankle and calf just to let me know he’s there with me. “Good dog.”

And so, with my Natal Guardian at my side, I set aside my fears and reach out into the Void, ready to finally do what needs to be done.

“Blobby,” I call out, and I sense him beeline towards me, expression an emotion that is… not contented, not excited, not relieved, or even satisfied, just one of general certainty as if he knew this would happen all along. In his eyes, this is the way things should be, the two of us reunited again after I cast him out in fear. Our merging is not something new, but something inevitable, a righting of that which was wrong all along and as natural as nature can be.

A completeness of sorts, a Oneness, if you will, for now I am finally ready to become One.

One with what? I’m not entirely sure exactly, nor do I know what the end result will be. Probably not a Divinity, or at least not one by Imperial standards, and definitely not an all-powerful God, but whatever it is that comes next, I’ll find out first-hand soon enough.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Void shuddered and stretched before snapping back into place, and Hideo knew the Uniter’s plan had failed.

Good. In spite of Hideo’s grand success in pursuit of the Dao, the Uniter still valued Falling Rain more, a mistake the old man would now have no choice but to accept. For all his posturing about dealing with their ‘greatest threat’ and killing the runt as quickly as possible, the Uniter had still gone to great lengths to try and capture Falling Rain alive. The mysterious working to drive the Imperials to despair was supposedly a means to take Meng Sha at minimal cost, but if that were his true objective, then the Uniter would not have left Hideo standing idle in back lines and instead sent him out in the vanguard instead. No, this ploy had been meant to keep him out of the way so that the Uniter could attempt to sway Falling Rain over to their side, because he still found Hideo lacking in some way.

Fool. Though he helped Hideo find his way to the Truth, his gratitude was not without limits. If the Uniter did not soon correct the errors of his ways and give Hideo his due respect, then he would teach the old man the true meaning of regret.

All in good time however, for humility cautioned him against acting too soon. Having sensed a little of what transpired within the Void, Hideo knew the Uniter was too formidable to overcome just yet, nor was he too proud to admit that the runt was shockingly powerful as well. Being able to match the Uniter blow for blow in the Void was a feat beyond his comprehension, but Falling Rain’s strengths most certainly were focused in matters of the Soul, while Hideo excelled in matters of the Body and Mind. There in the Void, Falling Rain would win as easily as turning a hand, but here in the physical world, Hideo would certainly reign supreme.

Already setting out even as the Uniter’s Sending arrived, Hideo fought the urge to sneer at the old man’s apparent lack of control. “Kill him now!” the Uniter demanded, utterly enraged by his failure to capture Falling Rain. “Waste no time and strike him down, before –” The Uniter cut himself off before continuing, and for good reason, as Hideo could almost hear the panic and desperation exuding from his every word, shaken by the battle which took place in the Void. A hint of hesitation crept into Hideo’s mind as he considered the implications, because even though he'd sensed the magnitude of power they exhibited within the Void, he thought it had all merely been the runt’s desperate struggle to escape. Now though, it almost sounded like the Uniter had lost the match outright, which was almost downright unthinkable given the disparity in age and experience. The Uniter was an ancient Warrior who conquered the Defiled, a hero even more powerful than Bai Qi himself, so how could a mere savage child surpass him in strength of Will?

Confidence.

The scroll he wrote flashed in Hideo’s mind as he scorned his own weakness, for he was no longer the same coward he once was. It didn’t matter if Falling Rain’s Soul was unfathomably strong, for surely this meant he had to sacrifice the tempering of his Body and Mind in order to attain such lofty achievements. Nothing came without a cost, but while Falling Rain was merely a rebel usurper seeking to overthrow the natural order of the world, Hideo had become a calamity to the Heavens themselves. There would be justice served today, with Hideo acting as judge, jury, and executioner, and not even the Heavens would stop him.

“Kill Falling Rain,” the Uniter Sent, his emotions in check as if he’d never slipped in the first place, and Hideo gave him face out of consideration for his valued guidance. “This Sovereign will assist you in opening a path to his side, and our allies will keep his guardians in check. You only need strike the savage runt down as quickly as possible, lest all our efforts be spent in vain. Even if Meng Sha falls here today, it would mean nothing if Falling Rain survives, for then he will have the time he needs to transform from pawn to participant in the games we play.”

Now that was most interesting, because it meant Falling Rain was on the cusp of finding the true Dao and embarking on his journey only a step or two behind Hideo. This he would not allow. Just as two tigers cannot hold a mountain, there was no room in this world for Hideo and Falling Rain both, so he would kill the runt before he even had a chance to catch up in strength. Striding through the sands with head held high, Hideo readied himself to show the Empire just how powerful he’d become, but they would have to make their way through his formidable cadre of guards first.

On his right was none other than the Sanguine Confessor, a hulking, six-legged, six-armed monstrosity with three faces twisted in unholy expression. Hatred on the right, despair on the left, and unnerving emptiness in the centre, Hideo couldn’t quite put into words why he found the Confessor’s newfangled appearance so unsettling to behold. It was almost entirely human in form, save for the addition of two bloodied human heads and eight monstrously oversized limbs cast in fluid obsidian, a colouration which made them wholly distinct from the rest of him. This was far from the most monstrous or horrific Transcendent Hideo had ever come across, but there was something wholly disconcerting regarding its near-flawless and almost pious blood-red appearance standing in stark contrast to the inhuman features supporting it. As it stood there with heads bowed and palms pressed together, it almost seemed human and divine, yet wholly anathema to everything human and divine at the same time, and Hideo was not sure which aspect of the Bloody Confessor rattled him more.

Thankfully, Hideo had long since conquered his inner heart’s devil and no longer had to hear it’s insidious, incisive whispers, which enabled him to stomach the Transcendent’s presence so long as it stayed out of direct sight. Though newly formed and still yet to acclimate to its newfangled existence, none could deny its power. The Sanguine Confessor himself had been but a half-step shy of matching Hideo’s achievements in the Dao, meaning his Transcendent form was similarly a half-step short as well. This made it less than a Divinity, but more than most other Transcendents and Peak Experts, which was why the Sanguine Confessor had quickly become the Uniter’s favoured vessel.

Though their hosts lacked the Sanguine Confessor’s achievements in life, the pair of Transcendents on Hideo’s left were no less formidable. The more conspicuous of the pair was a hulking, Water-Blessed behemoth with skin the texture of soggy rotten flesh and a gaping, cavernous maw that stretched from sternum to belly which opened horizontally in atypical fashion. In contrast to its monstrous appearance, the Transcendent’s eyes were still shockingly human, sat atop seal nostrils and a mouth that would never open again, yet radiating a blazing hot hatred that left it with a penetrating, wide-eyed stare. Its martial strength was middling at best, but its Blessing of Water made it indispensable in terms of support, able to not only shield its allies from harm, but also break down the bodies of the dead in quick fashion and utilize this matter to Heal any injury short of death, as it exhibited by Healing the Transcendent Gen which limped back after an ignoble defeat to suckle on a fat, water-logged finger and mend its wounds.

As worthless and contemptible in death as he was in life, Gen the pretender, but Hideo allowed the Transcendent a place at his side since he enjoyed looking down on the peasant he’d surpassed as easily as turning a hand.

As for the Water-Blessed Transcendent, its value was incalculable, as it was much easier to attack than defend, which meant its presence at Hideo’s side would all but guarantee his life. Of course, this meant it was sorely lacking in offense, which was why there was yet another Transcendent perched atop its shoulder. The Imperials had taken to calling it the ‘Dark Child’ for obvious reasons, but despite its diminutive and almost innocent onyx appearance, it was an ancient and formidable being the Uniter claimed was over eight-hundred years old. A reminder of his humble beginnings, or so he said, one of his earliest successes which he referred to as Subject Six-One-Six. Why that might be, Hideo could only imagine, and he idly wondered what subject number he himself bore in the Uniter’s twisted mind.

Monk Eyebrows and Wisdom Vyakhya were also a part of Hideo’s cadre, the former seething with rage over Yuanyin’s contemptible death at the hands of a half-cat pleasure slave, the same one who dealt Gen a killing blow. To think, the Wisdom saw more potential in both those fools than in Hideo himself, so surely his intestines were now green with regret. Alas, the old Wisdom was too disciplined to show it, and instead spent his time consoling Monk Eyebrows over Yuanyin’s loss, uttering a stream of banal platitudes that sounded empty to everyone who heard them.

There were other Divinities lurking about, though Hideo was not privy to their identities other than the Ancestral Mammoth the Uniter called the Behemoth. The feral and barbaric Divinity’s shroud of Concealment was the only one Hideo could pierce through, but he sensed at least four others lurking in the periphery, one of which was no doubt the Mataram Ancestor, Mataram YuKon. Hideo only knew it was him through inference, as there was no way he would allow his Clan to move out in such great force without being nearby to protect them, but also because YuKon slipped up and let his anger shine through when his descendent YuKong died before even setting foot on the battlements. This was not to say the Mataram Ancestor was mourning the loss of his descendent, but more outraged by the fact that someone so useless not only shared his blood, but even had the audacity to bear a similar name and bring such disgrace to the Clan.

In contrast, YuKon let none of his anger show when Mataram YuChun died, the victim of hubris and carelessness as he fought too long and too hard on the battlements alone. Even a cornered rat would dare attack a hungry cat, and such was the fate of the Ten Thousand spears, falling to the combined efforts of a bunch of peasants, two half-beast women, and a trio of suicidal assassins. Mataram YuGan did not share his ancestor’s lack of affection for his son, but he was every bit the fool as YuChun. The Mataram Patriarch had a place in Hideo’s cadre of guardians, but he was rethinking his generosity as he watched him struggle against an old, nameless spearman and his feral, slavering Spiritual Beast of a mount. YuGan’s conceit was his greatest weakness, overly prideful of his strength despite having borrowed it from external sources, namely the Transcendent trapped inside his Runic Armour which had long since merged with his flesh. A crutch meant to make up for his shortcomings, but one that would forever deny him a chance to set foot upon the True Path, a trade only a talentless hack would ever accept. So weak, yet still so proud, which was why he felt the need to trample on the nameless Bekhai spearman who dared to look down on his ‘talented’ son.

Their match should’ve long since ended, before the Spiritual Roosequin ever joined the fray, but now that rider and mount were fighting in concert, it was clear the Mataram Patriarch was struggling to maintain the upper hand. A curious anomaly, this Bekhai elder and his beast, for if you added their individual strength together, they should not have been YuGan’s match, yet when they fought as rider and mount, their strength multiplied in a way Hideo had only ever seen from highly coordinated Peak Experts who’d trained together from birth. The Uniter’s Wraiths embodied this best, Concealed assassins who worked in concert to kill Peak Experts far beyond their individual strengths, but from what little Hideo could see of the Bekhai spearman and his roosequin, their coordinated efforts went beyond what mere teamwork could describe.

Individually, they were weak, but together, they were like tiger given wings as they ran circles around YuGan and struck him from all sides, utilizing some form of Man and Beast unity to coordinate their efforts without speaking. What surprised Hideo the most was that it wasn’t the rider controlling the pace of the battle, but the Spiritual Roosequin calling the shots, and its tactical cunning was far beyond anything a human could match. Not because it was particularly intelligent and calculating, but because the beast’s mindset was so strange and unfamiliar there was no way for YuGan to predict its next move with any conceivable accuracy. It retreated when it should advance, attacked when it should defend, feinted when it should strike, and went after the most nonsensical of targets. All the while choosing angles of movement which afforded its rider to attack with impunity mind you, leaving YuGan to choose between blocking thrusts aimed at his exposed vitals or the Spiritual Roosequin’s grasping talons or crushing fangs.

To others, the choice to take the thrusts headlong in order to avoid the beast might seem foolish to the extreme, but powerful though the spearman might be, it was the roosequin which was the true threat. In the beast’s frenzied attacks, Hideo could sense a thread of Will which so few Peak Experts understood, something that elevated its fangs and talons to something more than even a Spiritual Weapon could match. Should the roosequin successfully grab hold of a Runic Boot or even YuGan’s Spiritual Spear, Hideo suspected the beast’s Will might well be strong enough to break both with only a modicum of effort, which was almost downright absurd.

A suspicion the Patriarch obviously shared however, for he was doing everything in his power to keep the weasel-like behemoth from grabbing hold of him, which was easier said than done. Though Hideo could step in to save him, he knew the Patriarch would not thank him for his ‘interference’ and only see it as a grievous loss of face, so Hideo paid no mind to their duel and headed straight for the main gates, where he hoped to come across a few familiar faces on his way to kill Falling Rain.

Dastan Zhandos. Du Min Yan. Li Song. Sumila. Hideo yearned to exchange moves with these four above all others, so he kept an eye on each of them as he approached. The two slaves were closest, fighting on the parapets right beside the main gates, but it would be beneath Hideo’s dignity to approach them for a match. Du Min Yan was similarly protected by circumstance, while Sumila was fighting on the northern beach, which would take him away from the closest route towards Falling Rain. No matter though, for Hideo could always find them after he killed the runt, as there would be time aplenty. So long as his cadre of guards kept Peak Experts and Divinities away, then there was no one capable of standing in Hideo’s way.

“Death comes to Meng Sha,” he intoned for all to hear, dropping his shroud of Concealment as he strode up to the heavy, reinforced gates with both hands folded behind his back. “And his name is Heroic Heavenly Guardian Hideo.”

Unceremoniously lifting his right foot, he lashed out and kicked the towering gates. Chi flowed from his Golden Core in a stream of power which travelled into his Tai Yang meridian before surging down through his leg in a mystical, undulating pattern he recognized all too well. Not by sight, but by feel, for he’d practiced this Chi working for months without rest in misguided desire for an old fool’s recognition. Building momentum at every chakra point along the way, the stream of Chi Amplified again and again until it grew into a raging torrent which burst out from the Zuqiaoyin acupoint on the palm of his foot. His Domain blossomed in all directions to evenly distribute the force of his Mountain Collapsing Strike across the entirety of the gate, which broke free from the walls with a heavy groan of wood and piercing shriek of metal. Toppling over with a crash, it crushed no small number of the waiting defenders braced behind it, but Hideo paid their deaths no mind as he strolled into the fortress with hands still held behind his back. A hush fell over all of Meng Sha as the din of battle died in an instant, and all eyes turned towards him to see him step over the gates without a care in the world, a solitary pillar of the Chosen of Heaven daring his foes to come test his might while allowing time for prudent soldiers to flee before his awe-inspiring figure. As a cultivator of the Dao, dirtying his hands with the blood of these lowly soldiers was wholly beneath him, so if they were foolish enough to reject his unspoken mercy to stand in his way, then his cadre would deal with them easily enough.

The Transcendent Gen was first to act, still possessed of the same contemptible instincts he bore in life, always quick to posture before the weak while kowtowing to the strong. No doubt it hoped to win Hideo’s approval with its prompt actions as it set the courtyard ablaze, but in his eyes, the Transcendent’s pillars of burning flame erupting amidst the screaming Imperial soldiers was a textbook example of using a spear to kill a fly. There were pitifully few Demon Slayers in the crowd, and no Peak Experts whatsoever, for the defenders of Meng Sha had long since been stretched thin defending against the Mataram Clan’s all-out assault. Gen could have simply charged into the crowd with impunity to carve his foes apart with his talons, but the little coward always did love to posture about his Blessing of Earth’s Fire. What a fool. Talented though he might have been in life, he’d set foot upon the Martial Path late in life, and still thought he could surpass a true dragon with so broad a focus on his progress. A frog in a well who knew not how high the Heavens truly were, one who died before ever learning the Truth. A Blessing was powerful, there was no denying this, but it only offered a Warrior more options rather than strength outright, so it was only a matter of time before Gen fell.

In contrast, the Dark Child was far more pragmatic as it set itself upon the hapless Imperial defenders with fury and talon, and the screams were most pleasing to the ear. Step by step, Hideo made his way into the fortress, moving neither quickly nor slowly while taking in the sights, yet he encountered no resistance at all save for the odd corpse in his path, corpses which were quickly swept away and converted into useable energy by the Water-Blessed Transcendent at his side. As for Monk Eyebrows and Wisdom Vyakhya, they merely followed on Hideo’s heels, disdaining to even lift a single finger to help the two Transcendents running amok.

Strange, too strange, Hideo thought, as he drew closer and closer to the docks. Aside from the defenders stationed inside the courtyard, no other Imperial forces had seen fit to move in to try and stop him from reaching his goal. Scrying on their movements from above, Hideo saw that the Imperial soldiers were actually moving out of his way and allowing him an uncontested path to Falling Rain, whose body even now was hidden by a Divinity’s Concealment, but clearly waiting by the docks for a quick escape. Perhaps he was even being rushed aboard the ship getting ready to set sail, but the Imperial commander was clearly using Rain as bait to draw Hideo and his cadre in deeper. How did the commander know that Hideo knew where his target lay? How’d he even known he would take this bait? Too strange, this decision to pull back, as if the Imperial defenders had long since known about Hideo’s formidable prowess and prepared accordingly.

No matter. These tricks were of little consequence. All tactics were useless in the face of overwhelming strength, and Hideo had more than enough to deal with anything Meng Sha had waiting for him. Even a regular Peak Expert would fall before him, for his newfangled Spiritual Senses enabled him to do so much more with his Chi than he ever thought possible, while his Refined Body and Mind gave him the strength, speed, and reactions needed to dominate his foes. Though he dared not claim himself strong enough to take on the likes of Akanai, Nian Zu, Du Min Gyu, or even lesser Warriors like Han BoHai or Gao Changgong, all of those pinnacle Peak Experts were absent and accounted for, either trapped in Shi Bei by Bai Qi’s forces or guarding their new precious Citadels which would fall as easily as Meng Sha in time.

Intent on making a big show of Falling Rain’s cowardice as he arrived upon the docks, Hideo’s plans were immediately ruined when the opposing Divinity dropped their Concealment to reveal Falling Rain laying fast asleep on the ground. Not just asleep even, but strapped to a cot like the comatose invalid that he was, which made it all the more difficult for Hideo to claim any glory from killing him. Granted this was only because most Imperials were unable to perceive what Hideo could, for even in his current state, Falling Rain emanated a wild and ponderous pressure, something akin to a dark and fathomless ocean concealing all manners of unknown dangers within its unseen depths. There was no sense of Purity here, no fast-flowing currents of Chi that even a commoner could perceive, but Hideo could sense the power hidden inside Falling Rain’s compact frame all the same, a power which dwarfed anything any Martial Warrior could match and was fast approaching that of a Divinity.

What was it that made Falling Rain so special? What right did he have to such power? None, so Hideo would kill him here and now, alongside the rest of his pets and wives.

Glancing over the runt’s protectors, Hideo couldn’t even be bothered to hide his disdain. Three Ancestral Beasts, a bull, a rabbit, and a hare, they were the only ones to be wary of. Especially the hare, the Cloud Divinity who even the Uniter dare not underestimate, the fabled Medical Saint Taduk who hid himself in plain sight. To keep him in check, Wisdom Vyakhya, Ancestral Badger Shih Yah, and the creature the Uniter claimed was the progenitor of all Wraiths, the Phantom Divinity would join hands, the first two revealing themselves without a word while the latter lurked in Concealment so strong he was hidden even from Hideo’s senses.

As for the Rabbit Divinity, she was strong of body, but sorely lacking in mind and soul, yet even this would not save Hideo should she set her sights upon him. To keep her in check, the Mammoth Divinity was more than enough, and Hideo could sense the hairy barbarian’s barely restrained lust as he set himself across from her. Last and least of all was the Bull Divinity, the Devil King Niu MoWang. A laughable name for such a weak Divinity, young by such standards though still older than any half-beast alive. Clad from head to toe in Runic Armour, his trappings were glorious to behold, but they reeked of fear and uncertainty since a Divinity should hold himself above such mundane trappings. Even Nian Zu’s famed Shooting Star had barely injured the Bristleboar Divinity in Sinuji, and this Runic Armour told Hideo that Niu Mowang lacked the confidence to survive even that, so the Bull Divinity had no hope at all of defeating the Mataram Ancestor, YuKon.

According to the Uniter’s information, the Rat Divinity Gang Shu was also lurking nearby, but he was even younger and more cowardly than Niu Mowang. There were plans in place to deal with him should he choose to interfere, but the truth was, no one wanted this to devolve into a battle between Divinities, least of all Hideo himself. Even he wouldn’t survive such a calamitous clash, and it would also rob him of the chance to kill Falling Rain with his own two hands, so he waited in silence until the Uniter signalled that the opposing Divinities did not intend to act. Only then did Hideo dare approach, but he did so with a smile etched across his face, for not only did he spot Dastan, Li Song, Sumila, and Du Min Yan making their way over towards his position from all across the fortress, even the dainty little half-hare Mei Lin was here, standing with hands on her hips in front of the comatose Falling Rain as if she intended to defend him.

Such a precious little thing, this adorable half-hare, with her large brown eyes and round, soft cheeks, girlish features on a woman in the springtime of her youth. Even her outfit was fetching to behold, wearing a blue silk tunic with matching trousers that were neither too tight nor overly modest in cut. A lengthy white-silk scarf sat draped about her shoulders, a vestige of outdated northern fashion no doubt, but the stark contrast in colour did much to accentuate the honeyed hue of her skin. Even more charming was how she’d wrapped the ends of her scarf around her hands and wrists, like a pugilist in a blood-sport match playing her role to darling perfection. This would make breaking her that much more delightful, but such a shame Rain wasn’t awake, else Hideo would be tempted to amuse himself with the savage runt’s wife here and now. Then again, given her uncharacteristically close relation to her powerful Divinity of a father, perhaps it wasn’t in Hideo’s best interest to test exactly how strong their familial bonds were just yet.

Pleasure would have to wait however, for there was work to be done yet. Step by step, Hideo slowly savoured the seconds as he made his way closer and closer to Falling Rain’s side, envisioning just how he would kill the runt with his bare hands. Tear him limb from limb perhaps, or rip him open from belly to chest. No, there was no point in anything so visceral, since he wasn’t even awake and wouldn’t scream, so might as well make it quick. A twist and a tug to rip his head from his spine, that would be most satisfying indeed, and Hideo would drink deep of his blood before holding the trophy up high to show everyone how their precious Legate had died.

“You’re really stupid, ya?” So upbeat and cheery in delivery, Hideo almost couldn’t believe his ears as the waifish half-hare pursed her lips in what could only be described as pity. “Didn’t even stop to think about why we’re still here, instead of out on a boat sailing back West.”

A good point, but her father be damned, for Hideo would not be spoken to in such a tone. Surging forward with a burst of Chi, he delivered a gentle backhand at the half-hare bitch, one meant to hurt, not to kill. He intended to keep her as a plaything, spoiled goods though she might be, so he couldn’t be too rough during their first meeting. That was his greatest regret, letting his excitement get the better of him and being too rough with Eri-Hime, for now he could never enjoy her a second time. This Mei Lin was similar to Eri-Hime in so many ways, with her youthful appearance and bright, bubbly personality, so she would do much to make up for past mistakes, but only if he remembered to treat her gently.

A discordant chime rang out in the silence, so cacophonous and jarring it set Hideo reeling in place and left him no choice but to abandon his strike. This chime was similar to the Uniter’s grating Sendings, an attack aimed not at the body, but at the soul itself, and he had not been prepared to receive it. Throwing up his defenses in time to counteract the second dissonant chord, he sent his Spiritual Senses out in search of the source, only to gasp in surprise as he found a hidden armada of ships drifting into the harbour under a cloak of Concealment. Even as they revealed themselves to his physical senses, Hideo already found the source of the melody, and his rage and lust soared in equal measures as he gazed upon the true prize his heart desired.

There she was, looking beautiful as the day he met her, and defiant as the day she humiliated him beyond all measure. Secretary of Office and Imperial Consort Zheng Luo had come to Meng Sha with an army of Imperial Warriors at her side, strumming her zither like a furious goddess of war and beauty. Well, well, perhaps Meng Sha would not fall so easily, but no matter. Sumila, Li Song, Du Min Yan, Mei Lin, and Zheng Luo, Hideo would capture them all and let them spend the rest of their days in disgrace and humiliation, right after killing Falling Rain.

Abandoning his plans to discipline the half-hare, Hideo set his Will to shape his Domain and strike the savage runt down. Again, Chi flowed out of his Core but this time to his Yang Ming meridian before continuing onwards through his right arm and out the Xia Lian acupoint on the blade of his hand. Instead of blossoming out like before, this time his Domain compressed down into an invisible blade that shot out with a wave of his hand, a Honed shard that would cut clean through an entire forest so long as Hideo continued feeding the working with Chi. That being said, even mundane steel could blunt the edge of his Honed Domain, but it was still more than enough to separate Falling Rain’s head from his shoulders, and more importantly, so fast even the Cloud Divinity might not be fast enough to move him out of the way, not stood far back as he was with three opposing Divinities to keep him in check. Regrettable as it was to give up on killing the savage with his bare hands, Hideo’s humility warned him against leaving anything up to chance, for surely Zheng Luo had brought enough Peak Experts to turn the tide against the Mataram Clan. Better to just kill the runt now and –

For the second time in as many seconds, Hideo gasped in surprise and shock as the willowy wisp of a half-hare reached out and shattered his Honed Domain aside with a casual backhanded slap. “Definitely stooopid,” she articulated, her childish and exasperated eye-roll so out of sorts after such an incredible display of nigh-inhuman reaction speed, to say nothing of the formidable manner with which she crushed his attack and left him no room for recourse. “And not just regular stupid either. Hubby would say you’re a really special kinda stupid, ya? Even in a coma, he managed to figure out your plans and call for reinforcements, but I think we could have won without them.”

A taunt to which Hideo had no response for as Mei Lin circulated her Chi and revealed the hidden depths of her strength. If Falling Rain was an ocean, calm and fathomless, then Mei Lin was dark, roiling thundercloud drifting over the horizon, one moving unmistakably towards him, a deceptively light and airy existence that contained the fury of the Heavens within, one eager and enthusiastic to bend itself to her Will.

Damn the Uniter for his incompetence, and damn Falling Rain for his luck. This little waif was no half-hare, but a second Ancestral Hare, one in the springtime of her youth. Such ignorance, such sin, but all was not yet lost, for Ancestral Beast though she might be, Mei Lin was not necessarily stronger than he was, for she was too young and unpracticed to have come into her full strength, and her movements contained not even the barest hint of the Forms.

Not to say this battle would be an easy one, but there was no reward without risk, and this revelation just made her all the more tempting a prize, one Hideo was determined to win at all costs.

Chapter Meme