Chapter 52: To the East, Find the Monkey.

Alas, the north had been conquered. I had never personally been stronger, or more competent. The Ye clan moved their way to the top within the next few weeks. The Qin clan offered great resistance, and were almost slaughtered to the last.

The Shi clan was more rational, and decided to maintain some dignity, joining the now expansive Ye clan under one of three factions. Of course, the original giantess was a woman, leading the clan. There was a faction for the Chang and the few Qin members, and finally a faction for the Shi tribe.

They had been acquisitioned, and now all were under the banner of the Ye clan. They would hold dominance as long as they took the lion's share of the resources and profits from the mountain. Cyrek and the queen had also truly been dual cultivating, and the queen reached the initial domain level and Cyrek now at high outer realm.

Furthermore, the queen was pregnant.

I explained to her that the Shi clan Leader was gone. I stood next to Dia, and clarified the situation.

“Well, I have no complaints.” the queen sighed, happily contented and was not vengeful toward the child. I did allow her to conquer the entire north, after all.

“I cannot begin to thank you, Star.” The queen stated sincerely, “Whatever we can do for you, as the north combined, please do not hesitate to ask.” She was currently holding Cyrek’s hands, who was absolutely whipped.

He spoke to me, on the throne as king consort. “Star, every time you have entered my li-”

“Okay, okay. I get it.” I waved my hands and laughed, going up to him and giving him a big hug. The damn crybaby had tears coming out, somehow some must have gotten on my face too. I looked him in the eye.

“Whatever you need, never hesitate to ask for any reason. No matter which world I am in, I won't forget you. I promise you I will come back someday. I hope you may reach eternity, both of you. And your child as well.”

He stared at me, red and determined eyes. He looked back at Ye Ning, and said “We will.”

…

Starting in the desert, I joined a clan out of guilt. I left for the same reason.

Going to the north, I helped a clan dominate the region because my friend was shagging the leader.

Still, I enjoyed exploring the regions. But there was one goal I could not forget. I needed to leave this world. I needed to find the lord, which surely lay at the base of the mountain. When I stare at the mountain, it appears to lead to a world above.

I told Dia I would lead her there.

The central mountain. Not just anyone would be allowed in, I'd need to wait for an opportunity, or fight my way through. I know there’s a tournament every decade or so that will be coming up in the next few years. I just needed to join a clan, and get myself into one of the two top positions. Each of the 16 clans in the outer regions sent 2 fighters, in a simple bracketed tournament. Plus 8 more from the weakest four central clans. Usually a 32 person tournament

That's because the north rarely joined, as they were saying a message ‘we are content where we are’. This is the simple reason I didn't ask the queen, and I wasn't a member of their clan anyway. The Mo clan brought back difficult memories, and I was never a member of their clan either, not officially. I never wore the robes, I only took the name Mo in honor of Mo Wen and Mo Yang.

I would also like to go in hidden, having my beast strength as a nice backup and trump card.

These fighters would have the opportunity to join the nine central clans. Five years later, they would hold an inheritance. It is said to bring them into the mountains. This was always a path, though it would take many years still.

I know, It would be easier just to assassinate my way in. I was thinking about it, honestly. But there were things that drew me to the east.

It was full of the world's grasslands, verdant nature and fauna in abundance. A place still touched with Eden's grace. The city was known for its alchemy masters. I had an absurd amount of herbs.

Additionally, it held one of the two major auction houses in the world, as well as a massive store. The others at the central continent, which were much bigger of course. The west was too recently colonized and sparse of resources, the north was too violent and cold, the south was too dangerous due to ocean born beasts.

It is said that the first civilizations began in the Eastern plains. They traveled west, and reached the mountain. It is said that some who go in, never come out. I can tell, the gateway to another world lay in the mountain.

Furthermore, that fairy briefly mentioned a monkey, who I felt I had to kill.

As I headed to the east, I decided to become somebody else completely. A completely normal looking cultivator. I decided to stand towering above the rest, as usual, a solid 6 foot 7 or so. My name? John Star.

“You have to be fucking kidding me.” The lord of stars was shocked.

Au-ha started laughing vigorously.

“Fine, fine. I'll go by Barbos, no last name. Born from a tribe.” Barbos’ last name was actually Esteban , but I figured that to be strange in this word. I looked at Dia, who was used to these transformations.

“Call me Barbos, born from a now demolished tribe in the east.” I glanced at her antlers,

“Any way you could get rid of those?”

She scoffed, offended. “This is a part of my heritage and beauty, I could, but I won't.”

This was going to be a tough journey. I needed a drink. Aye

The nightmarish eye gave itself into oblivion, still the metal monster jumped in. It ran and ran, deeper into the wormhole, before a mighty blast of lightning sent it into the edges of oblivion.

It shot out, space cracked in its wake. It felt its soul begin to fade. A creature of its might? Dying to primates like this? What a cosmic joke, what a laughable thing. It fell from the north of the land, its last bits of tentacle falling down, raining dust onto a blue-skinned clan.

It fell further, a meteor across the sky, until it landed deep in the southern sea. An eye, nearly devoid of all life, sank deeper and deeper, until it touched the sand. It could do nothing, as a fish began to consume it, and laid its eggs in its eye.

A group of fish was born, from this nightmarish cosmic form. They instantly attacked each other, consuming until one remained. This fish then sped straight through the water, a razor through the liquid, it consumed and consumed.

Every beast in its wake, sharks, whales, octopus, and more. All consumed by the beast, as it began to evolve far more rapidly than any beast should. It grew to the size of who knows how many miles.

We traveled to the east rather slowly, as I didn't feel like flying. It could expose my identity, which was incredibly well known. They call me the “Chimera”, and tales of my slaughters of the western tribes and the conquering of the northern clans began to reside. I had to make sure not to reveal my tail, or wings. My third eye and antlers may be alright.

I went to the local bar in the city of the east, named Nanjing, which was much larger than the other cities by far. Shopping districts, a large auction house, alchemy shops, and so much more.

In the bar, I listened around, past recordings had no mentions of a monkey with mind control. It sounded quite mad when I thought of it, I even asked around.

“The hell’re you on, mate? Mind control monkeys?” some random man said and I stopped asking.

I didn't feel like getting drunk that night, but Dia sure did. She got so completely drunk she ended up dancing on the bar. I left in the middle of the chaos. I was not her master, and my mind still wasn't free from that guilt of the cyclops, even now. It seems so silly.

I really am weak. I felt like killing this monkey out would help a little. That cyclops and those fairies had gone mad one day, encountering a monkey while sleeping in the mountains not far from here. I trekked up the mountains alone, it was dark, and relatively cold. I was wearing an ordinary cloak of beast fur, so as to not stand out. I found a nice overlook.

The tree’s seemed to brim with something pure. Earthly delight and treasure. I fell asleep under the moon of this world. There was a moon on earth too. Both of them are mere replications.

That night, I dreamed of infinite shadows crawling below. They swept and leapt up like waves growing in a mire. It continued on to spiral a spire. I crawled up this endless white tower, which stood so deeply and dreadfully distinct against the abyss my eyes felt blinded

When I looked up at the tower, I saw the maddening monkey's eye. As I climbed this pointless monolith, I began to feel the frenzy of beasts, the boiling of blood. In that single instant I knew.

I dropped off the spire, into that abyss down below.

I instantly shot awake, putting a high pressure magnetic field down upon the area. I saw a little monkey, with red concentric eyes, black crosses as pupils. I grabbed it lightning quick and held it in my hand, ready to snap its neck.

“Ready to die, ape? You-” but the ape interrupted in a panic.

“I know, I caused that cyclops and fairy to go mad, I'm sorry, brother!”

“Sorry, doesn't cut it, I-”

“I know it was tough, brother, but you did what you had to do.” it said solemnly, interrupting again.

I squeezed the monkey’s neck so hard it may pop, I saw it try and flare its eyes, but I wouldn't fall for that.

“You have no excuse. You caused them to go mad, for the simple gratification of your primal needs.” I felt a deep fury at this ape, and what its actions caused.

Even though I knew, I could have spared them in the end.

Still, A popped that head off the monkey, killing it. I took its soul, and popped it into my mouth. My body felt warm and began to glow, then it felt hot. Soon enough it was scorching, and my blood was burning. It felt like stars exploding in my veins. In a maddened pain a howled and fell to my knees, and began burning in flames completely.

Before I burned to ash, I saw a glimpse of the moon, and it was the eye of the monkey.