[Chapter 41 part 1] Dawn – Martial Artist From The Cultivating Realm

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“Miki, tell us where we stand.” Lily had returned last night, stating ‘I’ve done what I can’. Fayla had rounded them up this morning, Miki joining shortly after.

“Right,” Miki rose to speak. Must be a habit from meeting the press. “As you know, Samuel Lithorn has drafted a proposal stripping Lily of her Regency. If the World Council convenes and the votes ‘for’ outnumber the ‘against’, it’ll be over.”

“Currently, the scales are even. Lined up against us are the Northern Empire, its satellites, and most smaller nations. On our side, we have the Barsal Empire, the Aery Alliance, the Grey Kingdom, Kalonia, and Banzerkest…”

“Say…” Miki turned to Lily. “Why is Banzerkest backing you? They normally stay out of international affairs, abstaining from everything, same as the Cultivating Realm…”

“It’s because of Handam Xolran.” Lily grimaced. “After witnessing Agadon’s breath, he declared himself incapable of surviving the attack. According to him, as the dragon god’s summoner, that makes me the only person alive capable of killing him. With this acknowledgment, Banzerkest treats me with the utmost respect. The support doesn’t make me happy, but I’ll take it.”

“I see…” Miki said. “Anyway, currently the Demon World is pivotal. As a distant member of the royal family, I’ve been peddling what influence I can, but it looks bleak…”

“Thanks again for your help.” Lily

“Knowing Lithorn was involved in Arther’s murder, it’s the least I could do.” Miki answered

“What do we do now?” Hope asked.

“Cross our fingers and pray.” Miki replied. “We’ll learn the Demon World’s decision by day’s end. If it goes well, this turns into a battle for smaller players. If it doesn’t…”

“…We call Astra and begin planning.” Lily finished. “Everyone’s free to go, but stay close.”

Dawn descended to the Empty City brooding. Miki sounded pessimistic. That’s depressing. Dawn didn’t want to leave the Isle yet. I like the place.

Besides the dire prospect, her mind was weighed down by yesterday’s match. Losing to someone in her twenties is galling. It was also unfair. Without that Sublime Vagary, Shine wouldn’t have stood a chance.

Dawn experienced pangs of envy. She accepted Shine had gained her trump card through a suitable display of proficiency. What frustrated her was the lack of clarity over acquiring her own. For most skills, mimicking others is enough with my talent. Sublime Vagaries had no such reliable path. Retreading past approaches required more effort only to produce an inferior variant. Everything is less impressive the second time around. She felt subjected to the whims of fate, floundering in the dark.

Must I act theatrically too? Shine’s showmanship undoubtedly contributed to her early acquisition. Problem is, if you act that way and nothing happens, you look like a bloody fool. Still, dissatisfaction egged her on.

How’d it go again? She danced around, doing her best to recalled the movements of Shine’s routine. After a minute of practice, she reached up her hand high. Placing an imaginary hat on her head, Dawn shouted softly “Radiant——”. Then she spun sideways, recreating stances from memory. After her eighth revolution, she finished, “——Masquerade.” Frozen in this final pose, she noticed Simon Black in front of her.

“… How long have you been there?” She whispered.

“A while.” Simon answered. “I didn’t realize you were a fan of Balladeer.”

Arrrggggg. Dawn contemplated silencing the man, but quickly despaired realizing it wasn’t feasible. Instead, she stiffly righted her posture.

“What did you want?” Behind Dawn’s straight face, she screeched inside. How did this happen? What on Enera was I thinking? I want to die. Kill me, kill me, kill me.

“You should’ve checked your wrystal. Astra asked me to find you. There’s been a development.”

This snapped Dawn from her agony. Gathering so soon must mean bad news, especially if mother has come. She grimly followed Simon, endeavoring to forget what’d just transpired. It’d be lovely if this day didn’t get worst. They were the last to arrive.

“Why don’t you explain, Miki.” Lily said listlessly.

“I’ve received word the Demon World will side with Lithorn. I’m horribly disappointed——” Miki’s wrist flashed. She hesitated, “One sec.”

She looked down, and confusion spread on her face, “Lily, could you turn on the news?”

Frowning, the regent did so. Two commentators were interviewing a guest, “——of the Demon World’s strong statement in support of Lily Morgana?”

The guest responded, “It’s out of the blue. Everything I was hearing suggested they’d side with the Northern Emperor. I——”

“Sorry to interrupt,” The other commentator cut in. “but we’ve received reports that five, no six, more undecideds have come out in favor of the regent.” She turned to the world map where territories had been highlighted blue. “What do you make of this?”

The guest glanced over, and understanding shone in his eyes, “These border the Cultivating Realm. It seems the slumbering behemoth has thrown its weight into the ring——”

Lily shut it off, “Sarah contacted me. Doehser Fang, the Venerable Western Wind and Patriarch of the Rippling Tempest Sect, is waiting at the Rose Palace. He wishes to meet the children.”

Astra smiled, “Considering what we’ve witnessed… It’d be wise to go express our appreciation.”

The crisis abated, Simon excused himself. When they followed him out, Miki, slouched over the table, called out after them, “When you meet this envoy, could you tell him they might’ve acted sooner. I spent the last twenty hours cajoling all my old contacts. It’s a little vexing to have my work outdone in five minutes…”

“That’s an intriguing idea.” Astra said. “But let’s not. Hope, do you still have your pilfered liquor?”

“I’ll go grab it.” Soul dashed off.

In the Rose Palace, Sarah ambushed them at the elevator, “I lead him to the lounge. What’s this visit?”

“No, idea.” Lily declared happily. “But I’m fairly certain it’s nothing for ME to be concerned about.” They really hate each other.

Abandoning the distraught Sarah, they made their way to the South Wing. There stood a man admiring a painting of the Isle. He wore a simple but lustrous azure robe, his white hair pulled back in a topknot. He’s old, in his seventies. Apart from oddities like Radin, it was rare to see an immortal at such an advanced age. It does lend gravitas.

Doehser Fang bowed his head, “It’s an honor to greet you again, Lily Morgana.”

“It has been a long time, Venerable Western Wind.” Lily grinned wryly. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“I’m here on behalf of the Great Assembly to confirm Astra’s children are untainted.” Doehser explained. “It’s a formality really. Our great clans and sects have already unanimously offered their support.“

“Before we proceed…” Soul deposit his bottles on a countertop. “Would you care for some liquor?”

Doehser gazed awkwardly, “I must confess to not drinking regularly. When I do, it’s usually Baijiu…”

“Try this one,” Wise uncorked a black flask and adeptly filled a crystal glass.

Doehser politely accepted and took a sip. Eyes focusing, he peered at the liquid, “What’s this marvel?“

“Lossenger Tenebry,“ Wise explained. “The only alcohol brewed within Xarst. Its production is Enera’s longest standing trade secret.”

“Figures it’d be them.” Doehser chuckled. “May I request the rest? It’d make a splendid gift to bring back.”

Wise handed over the tall flask, and it vanished up the man’s sleeve. Some high-end dimensional storage?

“Now, if you please…” Doehser placed a hand on each of their shoulders, one by one. Soon he nodded satisfied. “With this, I can report that concerns are unfounded.”

“I hope you’re not withdrawing so soon, after traveling all this way.” Astra protested. “We’ve much to discuss.”

“I suppose there’s no rush,” Doehser admitted, installing himself on a plush velvet armchair. “And I must savor this delicacy.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, why this sudden involvement?” Astra inquired. “No offense, but don’t cultivators usually not care about the well-being of unrelated people?”

“What?” Soul reacted instinctively. “That can’t possibly be true…”

“It is, to a degree,” Doehser acknowledged. “As we see it, life and death are part of nature. Since each person will inevitably die, why should we care about them if they don’t have any connection to us? This attitude dates back to the golden age of cultivation, when individual power was the only law that mattered.”

A harsh outlook. Soul would never accept.

“The ‘Golden Age’… you’re talking about before the HEAVENLY DAO?” Free asked.

“Yes, we’ve been seeking immortality since long before the Wall of Legends. Back then, heroic acts did nothing but fuel vanity. Cultivation was the lone method fo lengthening lifespan. Pursuing its promise of eternal life, our great clans and sects formed devoted to the art. With their rise, they quickly eclipsed governments, and, without a reliable central authority, Sanwue ——the true name of the Cultivating Realm—— became a lawless place.”

“So Sanwue had immortals back then?” Light wondered.

Doehser shook his head sadly, “We had nine saints. I was one. We were convinced it was only a matter of time.”

Achieving Sainthood without the HEAVENLY DAO is impressive. It also explains his appearance.

“Sanwue must’ve been a powerhouse…” Rose suggested.

Doehser smirked wickedly, “We did indeed enjoy a rather outsized influence, though not total domination. Other regions had belatedly adopted cultivation. More importantly, there was the fledgling Black Citadel, which stood as a rivaling power center. To our great chagrin, the claim to ‘earliest immortal’ fell to the first leader of that place.”

Sighing, Doehser leaned back staring upwards, “Everything changed after the HEAVENLY DAO. We nine instantly became immortal while another two dozens around the world joined us. The relative power of the Black Citadel and Sanwue took a steep dive that day.”

Dawn could imagine the shock. In one stroke, the Golden Age’s logic had been upturned. Today, with sufficient renown, someone could easily overcome an opponent at a higher realm of cultivation. Adventurer and coliseum rankings are now the best power indicator.

“What’s your opinion of the HEAVENLY DAO?” Dawn asked.

“The most unexpected of betrayals.” Doehser slowly sipped. “The term ’Heavenly Dao’ originated in Sanwue. For us, it represented the laws of nature which all beings in the universe must comply with. As cultivators, we pursued the lofty goal of understanding its mysteries. Through this process, we hoped to reach divinity, our worth recognized…”

The natural laws… When channeling the Ether, the clearer your understanding, the more effectively you could leverage its power. Take ice. How much do most really know about it? What does it look like up close? How do its crystals form and what rules do they obey? With profound grasp of frozen water in the natural world, Dawn could give her ice qualities beyond it. Make it harder than steels. This comprehension greatly effected martial arts. Her mastery of ‘Blood of Frost’ was due to an insight into the Laws of Ice. To cultivators, the Heavenly Doa was the embodiment of those natural laws.

And then this philosophical concept gained sentience and the world went mad. Dawn sympathized. I had the same experience with Shine Balladeer. An incomprehensible force had overturned all established rules.

“To your question,” Doehser continued. “We were quite displeased with our new god and the changes it brought. With its alternative path, the HEAVENLY DAO undercut our Clans and Sects. Beyond this, we couldn’t stomach the crassness. Instead of seeking enlightenment, our young cultivators were engaging in meaningless heroics and other antics. Immortality had been irreversibly sullied.”

“We rebelled, striking a pact with the deity we resented. In the territory of Sanwue, accumulation of renown was curtailed, and cultivation was enhanced. With these adjustments, we were endured the upheaval.”

“So you disadvantaged those responding to cries for help in favor of elevating cultivators who chose to ignore them?” Soul stated dispassionately.

“That’s one perspective.” Doehser answered calmly. “For me, it was a matter of principle. A selfless act is no longer selfless if it’s rewarded. Aiding the weak should be done based on one’s own code, not dependent on outside promises.” A valid point, but it’s also true that more perish without the incentive.

“We’ve drifted far off topic.” Astra broke in. “So I’ll ask again: why did you interfere? Is it related to what happened with Xiao Ning?”

“It is.” Doehser confirmed. Noting puzzled expressions around him, he frowned, “You’ve never told your children of the Eighth Hero?”

(continued in part 2)