“Is it clear?” I asked Toi once the last body had been removed.

“The dead have been removed, if that is what you are asking,” Toi replied. She had worked tirelessly since she’d discovered the mass grave, helping uncover and directing Moa on where to remove soil, with detailed instructions that left some dignity to the bodies that had been treated carelessly.

“If you mean the miasma of negative karma, then no. You will need to create a soul-gathering and purifying array to disperse those energies.”

“I’m guessing you know how to create that type of array? Are there any resources I should gather to help you?”

“I won’t be the one creating the array,” Toi informed me. “Soul arrays require a connection to the physical plane. For them to work, the arrays are placed inside the spirit plane, and a link is then formed between the soul of the world and the metaphysical realm that connects to that soul.

“There are two extra-planar realms we know of that can connect the Heavenly and Demonic realms.”

“The world has a soul of its own?” I asked in surprise.

“Of course,” Toi answered, unsure why I was surprised. “Qi is the manifestation of spiritual energy, the byproduct of equilibrium between all three realms. The world's soul balances the spiritual energies of the Ying and Yang of Heaven and Hell. That balance is reflected in the Dao, every Dao, a synthesis of the harmony that the physical realm strives to maintain.

“The soul array you need to create will use your connection to the physical to ‘brand’ an array on the world’s spirit and anchor it to this location. Without your connection to Qi and the physical realm, any soul array you create would dissipate in moments or, worse, be cast adrift.

“A soul array that is not anchored can have serious ramifications to all three realms as it drifts. A demon rift opening would be all but assured,” Toi explained. “And depending on where and what the soul array encountered as it followed the ebb and flow of Qi?

“It might trigger a star’s collapse, a world tearing itself apart, or a sentient species forced to undergo integration into the workings of Qi and cultivation before their people and world are ready.”

I wondered if all those novels I had read, the ones that dealt with System integration or Qi Apocalypse, weren’t written by authors who were more closely perceptive to the vibrations those events might release. Maybe all those stories weren’t just imagination at work but rather a Dao that each author grasped, no matter how thin, to see the truth about the Universe at large.

“Will construction of the soul array take long?” I asked, uncertain how to respond to the new information Toi had shared. I decided it was better to leave her explanation to ponder during meditation.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I would also ask Aki to spend some time looking through the vast amount of material I had looted to find any texts or treatises that might expand on Toi’s explanation of a multi-realm reality balanced by Dao with Qi as the byproduct.

“It’s hard to know,” Toi replied. “Your familiarity with array construction, level, and talent will all play a part. And that understanding barely reaches the beginner stage.

“When creating the array, you will be using your Dharmic body as the foci of your will. It should be easier to maintain concentration without outside distractions since you will be working within the location that exists between realms. A soul array has to be perfect. You are creating a work that will have a lingering effect on the world.”

“Maybe I should contact the Sect and see if I can get an Array Master to create a soul array,” I wondered. “I don’t think my skills are up to perfection.”

“I thought you were the first Elf to bond with a spirit. Without a spirit to breach the barrier between spirit and soul, it would be impossible,” Toi pointed out. “You don’t have to worry if you are good enough to create a perfect array. I will guide you.

“I will create an array template that you can follow, and because we are working with the soul, you can erase and remake each section as often as needed until I am satisfied. Even if you are a complete novice, with my help, it should take a week at most to create an array that conforms to the standards my people have established.”

“All right,” I conceded, “I will take a few days to deal with matters concerning the Fief, Dojo, and House first. Is there anything I need to prepare before we begin?” I asked.

“You will need to cleanse the soil of any impurities, but that can be done over time. Other than that, it would be best if you placed a protective array that will keep this area hidden so your physical body won’t be interrupted as you work.”

I’d already thought of how to clear the land. “Bao, have your apprentices plant the field with Golden Lodoicea. That will be the fastest way to leech the lime and lye from the soil and any other impurities that might exist.”

Mao and Bao had worked well together, clearing the land. Bao had ensured any corruption that escaped hadn’t leaked between this plot of land and the surrounding.

A hectare of land growing Golden Lodoicea would add a nice bit of profit for the Dojo. I would have to pay contribution points to get the apprentices to work, but the plant harvest would easily offset that cost.

I would discuss with Ming what type of defensive array would work best. I didn’t want to risk getting interrupted at a crucial point and facilitate the opening of a hell gate and releasing a demon horde.

I walked over to my parents. They had remained in the background, watching and listening as I’d contacted members of my House to deal with this. As they had arrived and the bodies had been exhumed, they’d remained. I wasn’t sure why; perhaps they needed to witness what had been done here. Or maybe they were concerned the corruption would spread.

I had briefly considered deeding the land the bodies had been buried to my father but had quickly squashed that idea. It was better to claim the ground for the House. Even cleared of negative karmic energies and impurities, no one would relish maintaining an area that had served as a mass grave.

It would serve as a place for novice and apprentice herbalists to gain experience. Maybe in time, I could redress this decision once the memories of what they had seen here had faded.

As we walked back to my parent’s home, we heard the playful noise of my brother and sister. A few glances exchanged between the three of us were all that was needed to share a sense of relief that we had gotten the most gruesome part of the day completed before they’d arrived home from school.