Burnt wood and flesh now delineated the Beast’s claw and the rest of the Endless Wilderness. High above the treetops, Zactus strode on air yet the smell of death still reached him.

It is as though it mocks me. Though I deserve no less.

On the southern side of the wasteland, a brand new road now stretched all the way back to the empire itself. Wide enough to fit three carriages, its recently pristine surface was already marred by the thick traffic of imperial troops. Even as thousands of men and women in armor marched across it, others worked tirelessly to improve its construction.

At least we had enough of the mason guild left to finish the road. What a failure. So many lives were lost for so little gain. This campaign was supposed to be quick, whatever those fools in the assembly thought. A quick land grab that would have ensured the Empire’s place for the next thousand years and lifted up all its people. I should be overseeing the creation of the local justice chapters. Setting the foundation to create a better world. What a fool am I, for man devises and heaven deposes.

As he glided above, men and women would turn and salute him. Veteran soldiers and the rare auxiliary were able to perform it flawlessly while marching, not disrupting the flow of people. Many were not so well trained. The awkward bumbling of one particular war merchant rippled back along the congested road.

Years of planning ruined, for the second time. All while the momentum of war goes ever faster. Now we simply have a new front instead of the victory I needed to justify ending the war early. All caused by a few conniving beasts and those children.

Zactus looked across the battlefield to the treeline to the north. Hidden from the eyes of most of those below, he could still see them. Wolves, in the hundreds. Lurking in the shadows they prowled, hidden by leaf and branch. A rare glint of claw and reflective eyes led to many a nervous glance from the traffic. The signs disappeared so quickly that only the keenest of low-level cultivators wouldn’t doubt their eyes.

Attentive as any good soldier watching their border. I wish the average imperial soldier were half as vigilant. Even if they serve no real purpose, for how would I dare allow men to approach. To give the beast lord another excuse so I could lose more men? Well, let them stay vigilant, for all the good it will do them.

“High Justiciar Zactus! I bring word from the emperor!”

Face a mask, Zactus glanced down at the man strolling through the throng below. Wearing imperial armor that was more ornamental than practical, the man stared back with a smile as he puffed out his chest.

Ahh, so this second failure has already started the gathering of the sharks. Politics! Essence Condensing yet he stands tall with those ridiculous feathers. Does he believe he is a divine bird?

The man remained still in the middle of the road and all nearby halted, the effect rippling down the line. When that resulted in the entire line coming to a halt, Zactus’s eye twitched.

Such a farce. They only bring more issues to this fiasco.

“High Justiciar Zactus.” Said the fop, now shifting nervously at the lack of response. “I say yet again, I come bearing word of the emperor!”

Truly I am distracted. What kind of example am I setting when I don’t follow the Law myself?

Shifting location with a resounding boom, Zactus appeared before the messenger. The man stumbled back and repressed a frown.

Losing control over your bladder? Pathetic

“High Justiciar Zactus stands ready. What are the emperor’s orders?” said Zactus, crisply saluting.

He exaggerated his motion for all to see and turned his body to pointily stare at the message in the man’s hand.

“Of course.” Mumbled the messenger, his face still bloodless. “I, uh.-”

Straightening, he held out the letter and broke its seal. A slight wave of pressure washed out and sent many of the surrounding imperials to their knees. It didn’t abate, however, and even those who hadn’t first been overwhelmed soon joined them.

The messenger puffed his chest back up but wilted as Zactus remained unaffected. The minutes past and the high imperial justiciar’s eyes continued to bore into his own. Clearing his throat, he straightened, held out the message, and began to read.

“By order of the emperor, may he reign forever, the empire has begun to suffer without its hand of justice. To ensure the purity and strength of the nation, High Justiciar Zactus is commanded to return to the capital with all haste. In his absence, General Sun Wu will assume sole command of the eastern front.”

“Is that it?”

“Yes?” said the messenger.

So, the sharks did get his ear while I am away. Oh Liu Heng, you fool.

---break---

On the highest floor of the hall of knowledge, a different kind of forest had sprouted. It wasn’t one made of living wood, but stacks upon stacks of books. Many towered toward the ceiling while others tilted precariously from the many notes stuck betwixt their pages.

Hidden in the forest’s center sat Felix. Hair bedraggled and ink-stained, he sat oblivious to the mess around him. Manically, he went from one book to the next. Each finished book stacked according to some enigmatic order

“Fuck.” Said Felix, tossing his current book across the room. “These are all fucking useless!”

He collapsed back into his chair, body limp, and stared at the ceiling. Its surface was decorated in swirling patterns of the four elements like much of the sect’s decore.

It’s funny. So many of the sect murals show the elemental seasons interacting, but barely any of the books here actually use multiple elements. Hell, I’ve barely seen any manuals in this place that do that. The rare ones that do use more than two are so horrible that they are almost counterproductive. Well, except Xue’s. I never even realized how rare it was until that fucking hydra basically rubbed it in my face with his many head thing.

Then he straightened and grabbed another book. A few mumbled curses escaped his lips as he paged through it.

Still, such thoughts don’t help me solve my real problem. My soul. Even with access to forbidden books and many of the manuals from the other sects, I can’t find a solution. Barely any of them have anything even tangentially related to the soul. I am sure I can improve Dew of the Last Gasp after reading the few that touch on it, but what does that accomplish? That manual is just making my problem worse if that damn snake wasn’t lying.

Maybe you should be talking to other people more? Or finding better ‘distractions’

Shut up! I- oh and there, it’s gone again.

He gave that very first voice a mental poke, but it didn’t react. Undeterred, he tried to interact with it again, and again. For a moment he felt something shift in his perception of the world. External stimulus and thoughts returned slightly different results. Then it was gone.

I really should have believed the hydra and not cultivated the upgraded version of [Dew of the Last Gasp]. Spent 30 more points and brought it up to Mortal 96, making it ‘somewhat weak’ instead of just ‘weak’. It did not help and now I swear that’ voice’ is talking to me. I think. Maybe it’s all in my head…

Felix giggled, chuckled, and then laughed. Then he smacked himself.

Self-harm is bad. God, I’m going insane. In the traditional way.

Sighing, he pulled over an already sorted stack of books. It was one of the more tilted stacks, notes swelling the pages, and Felix barely kept it from collapsing.

There just isn’t enough information. I’ve pursued a number of the elder’s suggestions and while interesting, they didn’t bear much fruit. If only I was in a higher realm… Though according to that damn Hydra it wouldn’t make a difference. There are a few manuals in the library that seem to help the soul as a side effect. But they aren’t clear. I mean, does this open mind utility manual affect your soul or just your mind? The elders aren’t any use… I want to punish Zhenzhen.

With a mental poke and an unnecessary flick of his hand, he brought his status page up.

----STATUS SHEET---

[Name: Felix]

[Cultivation: Essence condensing 1 - Essence Saturation 7]

[Constitution: None]

[Bloodline: None]

[Roots: None]

[Notes]

[Sect: Thousand Seasons (Outer Disciple)]

[Soul Abomination: An abomination of patched together souls.]

[Fate] Tenuous: Your karmic spark is very vulnerable. Its stability is capped due to being a soul abomination]

[Techniques (In Use)]

[Heavenly Earth (Earth 1)]

Power: Weak

Comprehension: (100/100)

Stage: Essence Gathering - Essence Condensing

---

[Ragnarök (Mortal 1)]

Power: Extremely Weak

Comprehension: Beginner (10/10)

Stage: Qi Gathering

---

[Sword of The Titan (Mortal 21)]

[Power: Average]

[Comprehension: Master (10/10)]

[Stage: Qi Gathering]

----

[Shifting Sands (Mortal 45)]

Power: Below Average

Comprehension: (50/50)

Stage: Qi Gathering

---

[Dew of the Last Gasp (Mortal 98)]

[Power: Somewhat weak]

[Comprehension: (5/5)]

[Stage: Pre-Nascent Soul]

---

[Pillar of the Earth (Earth 2)]

Power: Barely Below Average

Comprehension: (50/50)

Stage: Qi Gathering

---

[Heaven’s Fulcrum (Mortal 10)]

Power: Somewhat Weak

Comprehension: (50/50)

Stage: Qi Gathering

---

[Rooted Step (Mortal 10)]

Power: Somewhat Weak

Comprehension: (50/50)

Stage: Qi Gathering

---

[Crushing Fruit (Mortal 5)]

Power: Weak

Comprehension: (50/50)

Stage: Qi Gathering

---

[Seismic Step (Mortal 5)]

Power: Weak

Comprehension: (50/50)

Stage: Qi Gathering

[Missions]

[Quest: Upgrade Sect Manual]

[Ongoing]

---

[Quest: Rebellious Element]

[COMPLETE]

---

[Remaining KE points: 355]

A small smile played on his lips.

Not bad I suppose. All my accomplishments lay before me. Categorized and valued. Anyone with my ability to achieve all this in this world would normally be ecstatic. However, I can’t pay the cost that accompanied this good fortune.

He went inward and felt that which now flowed within. The Qi was different. Denser. It was also more. More true. More real.

Where does that change come from? I mean, would an essence gather feel the same with such qi, or do I only feel ‘more’ because I am actually at the next big realm?... I’m trying. Trying so hard to defy fate. To stand strong as Hue Hei said, but I am fighting in the dark. Wading through a swamp with no Idea if there is even an exit. The water just gets deeper and deeper as I go…

At least I have more points to play with. Even after spending thirty to upgrade [Dew of the Last Gasp], then upgrading and turning in books for the sect netted me 214, leaving me with 355 KE. Hopefully, no one starts going after me when I am finally connected to the improved manuals.

“Felix.”

…Maybe I should just start upgrading [Heavenly Earth]? Just go for it. I will be strong enough. I will survive.

“Felix.”

But how?

“Felix!”

When did I close my eyes?

Slowly, Felix opened his eyes to find Everglade staring down at him.

“Hello Everglade.” said Felix.

“Hello everglade? Hello Everglade!” said Everglade.

“I think that’s what I said,” said Felix, rubbing his eyes.

“Hello, Everglade my ass! You return back to the sect with no one else. Then you seclude yourself in the Hall of Knowledge for weeks. I thought you were hiding in one of the damn caves. If I hadn’t pestered Elder Shen so much, I would have never found you.”

“Better that you didn’t,” said Felix, reaching for another book. “Now please leave.”

“That isn’t going to work,” said Everglade, snatching the book from his hand. “I would have at least expected you to tell me about what is up with Xue and yet you did no such thing. You waltz back here by yourself without anyone else, and then I found out from others that the empire somehow invaded where your mission was. What the hell happened to them? What happened to Xue? Damnit, what happened to you? You look like shit. Are we not friends?”

Felix winced. He sat up in his chair and broke eye contact.

“Look, Everglade, I am sorry. Things got out of hand and I am trying to solve them.”

Everglade glided along the ground into his field of vision but he turned his head. She narrowed her eyes and got close. Real close.

“I’m not buying it, Felix.” Said Everglade. She looked around the room and sniffed. “Ugh, it smells worse than Ferrow Root in here. Definitely not. You are coming with me.”