Pleased as punch at having executed order 66 and kicked off the (soul) Clone Wars, my plan to sit back and watch it all unfold cos to an imdiate halt as a hurtling mountain crashes into the small of my back.
Or at least thats what it feels like.
Upon further inspection, I discover what I suspected was a mountain was actually the solid boot of a burly grandfather who snuck up on from behind. Large and hulking, but far from an actual mountain, which makes his kick all the more impressive. This rugged, barrel-chested Warrior of many years is fairly average in height, aning he only stands a head taller than I do, but he more than makes up his unimpressive height through in sheer width. Most of this is due to his thick, lacquered leather armour, gloves, and boots, a stiff and bulky affair that seems more awkward than a full suit of plated steel, but even without it, hes probably twice as wide as I am, if not more. A rather boring leather helt sits atop his head, a cheap, padded piece ant to cover his skull and little more, without even a chin strap to keep it from falling off. This leaves his weathered face and wild, unkempt beard on full display, with the forr shaped by a life spent taking punches to the nose and the latter appearing as if itd recently been cropped short with a dull knife due to its rough and uneven lines.
Function over form is the na of the ga here, and this rough and tumble grandfather has my respect for keeping it simple. His armour is similarly plain and straightforward as can be without all the trappings of wealth and power, and much like Xing Ao Tian out in reality, the expressionless grandfather carries a spear and shield in hand while wearing a sword strapped to his belt. Similar armants, but in a wildly different style, which is my polite way of saying the grandfathers weapons are the product of the shoddiest workmanship Ive ever had the displeasure to see. His spear is just barely taller than he is and the shaft is curved, if not straight up crooked, topped off with a crude and wide leaf-like blade that gives his weapon an almost spoon-like appearance. As for his shield, its not even made of iron, but rather lacquered leather much like his armour and patched so many tis you can see the different layers in the dents which have yet to be fixed. As for his sword, even though its sheathed and tucked into his belt, I can already see that its craftsmanship is nothing to write ho about, a piece of tal thats been flattened and sharpened without even the addition of a handguard.
And yet despite his advanced age and antiquated equipnt, there is no denying this Warriors strength as his spear lances towards my throat faster than I can blink.
The impact delivers a rush of agony which sends hurtling away in the darkness of my mind, blacking out for an instant only to return to my senses, though I would much rather remain unconscious until the pain has passed. Waves of crippling tornt emanate from the site of impact and course through my entire being, but I grit my teeth and find my bearings, only to howl as the spear embeds itself in my gut and lifts off my feet. Gripping the haft of the spear if only to ease the pressure a tiny bit, I am helpless to act as I am carried up and over my opponents head only to crash into the hard, unyielding ground. Lost in a haze of suffering, my mind struggles to understand how a solid surface just appeared out of nowhere during out battle in the endless Void, yet the back of my head insists the ground is all too real given the world-shaking impact.
Or it would, if I was here in the flesh. Get it together Rain. This is a battle between souls, so stop playing by the rules of reality.
The spear stuck in my flesh and held fast in my hands grows hazy and indistinct as I Will myself away, but here in the Void, distance is rely a suggestion. Still convulsing in agony, I summon Tranquility to block my foe even as he appears before and executes a flawless and powerful Pierce the Horizon to match Akanais best performance. Whereas my Grand-ntors movents emphasize grace and harmony however, this anachronistic Warrior is pure violence, and montum. His spear strikes the exact centre of Tranquility and sends it crashing back into , and even though I am able to brace for impact, I am still launched through the Void as if shot out of a cannon.
Which gives just enough ti to gather myself and Manifest my Domain around .
The invisible waters of my Natal Sea surges out to engulf in its weightless embrace, absorbing my montum to bring to a smooth and steady stop. Peace appears in hand as I et my foe with sword and shield both, countering his charge with one of my own, but not one aid to collide. Instead, I skirt right by him on his left side and hamstring him with Sword Force while narrowly avoiding his shield smash by the barest of margins. A counter made by reflex and instinct alone, one which wouldve cratered a taller mans head, and it just goes to show how scary my foe really is, an experienced Warrior of a thousand battles unlike the scholar Zhen Shi or monk Vyakhya. It shows again in his speed of recovery, pivoting about on the leg I wounded without so much as a blink, when even Zhen Shi would grit his teeth every ti I hit him with Sword Force. Not this naless Warrior however, whose spear sweeps off my feet with a light, surgical swing, one delivered after a quick and powerless thrust to get his weapon in place. Not only are there no wasted movents, hes able to seize control of the tempo every ti he acts, and theres nothing I can do except dance to his tune as I utilize the currents of my Natal Sea to avoid his subsequent flurry of thrusts.
Or at least I try.
Ive seen other spearn fight like this before, with rapid-fire stabbing motions that co at you from a myriad of angles, but my opponent here takes it to a whole new level. Not only are his attacks too fast to be seen, but theyre also too powerful to be Deflected even by the currents of my Natal Sea, and without Pong Pong here to help along, I am pierced a dozen tis in the blink of an eye before I succumb to the agony once more. The pain is unlike anything Ive ever felt before, not necessarily worse, but far more extensive in scope, an all-encompassing anguish that radiates out from the point of impact to cover every fibre of my existence. Jagged bursts of lightning covered in crushed glass and burning flas, thats what it feels like as the destructive energies course through , and in a mont of blissful, senseless unconsciousness, I realize that this is probably what Spear Force feels like.
No wonder Zhen Shi got so pissed every ti I hit him with Sword Force. This fucking sucks.
Coming to with a gasp, I clear my mind and focus on the destructive forces running rampant throughout my soul to confirm my suspicions. The similarity to Sword Force is unmistakable, but its not as simple as swapping out the word Spear for Sword, as I would be unable to replicate this. Its like hearing the sa song, but played on different instrunts, similar enough to be recognizable, but just because you know how to play the piano, it doesnt an you can play the sa song on a guitar. Making the most of this precious breather, I reflect upon our brief battle back to the beginning and realize that his initial kick to the small of my back had a similar sort of feel. The pit in my stomach grows larger as I steel my nerves and make ready to fight once more, but the fact that my opponent has mastered two types of Weapon Force is disheartening to say the least.
Spear Force and Foot Force? Haha. Foot Force. How about I force my foot up your ass?
The slips out as I channel my inner Red Forman and slam my boot into the tip of my opponents thrusting spear, a reaction made in a mont of Insight or perhaps using the instincts of the Warrior. Not sure, but while kicking a spear is generally a bad idea, I was aiming for his stomach and he adjusted faster than I could follow. The end result is still much better than expected however, because even though my attack lacks the sa Foot Force he demonstrated earlier, my tic shenanigans empowers my kick with enough power to simply send flying a short distance back. There are no waves of agony radiating through this ti, only an explosion of force which leaves feeling a little shaken and frayed around the edges. My opponent is no worse off, but for the first ti, Ive managed to interrupt his rhythm and even almost match him in raw strength. Theres no ti for celebration, however, for he is a Warrior through and through, wasting no ti in thought and deliberation before resuming his offensive once more. Thankfully, our last clash helped screw my head on straight and show how I should approach this fight.
Out in reality, this grizzled veteran of a Warrior would carve up like a Christmas turkey in no ti flat, but were not in reality, nor are we truly doing battle in the Void. No, were technically here inside the Emperors Domain, but like I told Zhen Shi not too long ago, my Domain exists wherever my sword can reach.
Ti cos to a standstill as I exert my Will and Visualize my Intent, focusing not just on the sensation of the water around , but the actual sea itself. Out in reality, I can only Manifest my Domain in an indistinct fashion, there, but not there, because I am impeded by Natural Law. Even with the Heavens eager to comply with my Will, the sheer amount of energy required to Materialize an actual sea is far beyond what I can harness. Conservation of Mass and Energy as it were, a Law which I suspect not even a Deity can breach, but here in the Void within the realms of my Natal Palace, I am the Law.
The gurgling splash of the clear blue waters rise up to encompass my entire being as I sink beneath the waves of my Natal Sea, one which stretches out in ti and space. The Void sits empty and desolate in one mont, only to beco an undersea paradise the next, with no transition or progression as my Domain takes shape in an instant. It doesnt flow out to engulf the area around so much as override it, and to my delight, I realize that this is a portion of my Domain in truth, a section of my Natal Sea rather than so conjured Water Chi flowing around . This is but a fragnt of the whole, with undersea currents coming in from one edge and exiting out another, with a good fifty tres of Materialized Domain in all directions at the very least. Leaves, twigs, seeds and more littering the surface of my Natal Sea, from the forests lining the shore where I crafted a replica of the village Id co to love, which exist beyond the reach of what Ive Materialized around . Even then, the world within my Natal Palace behaves as if it were whole, with the wind howling as it passes overhead and rapidly cooling from contact with the waters. The sun shines high up above the skies, unseen but illuminating the darkness of the Void all the sa, while off in the distance, I hear the waves crash against the concrete docks where I built the fountain for Blobby to play in.
Lin-Lin once marvelled at how realistic the winds were, enabling her to soar through the skies upon a hang-glider using instinct alone. Thats not all, because she talked about how she could feel the warm sunlight on her skin and how the air grew thinner the higher we climbed, but I never put too much thought into the details. I always just figured thats how it should be, and I suppose my subconscious worked it all in years ago, though I had a part in a few things like the sun moving across the horizon and clouds drifting with the wind, stuff I considered ambiance and background noise to make it seem more realistic. Mostly because I have high standards when it cos to muh imrsion, and with complete power over my surroundings, it was easy enough to adjust the details until they felt right, but only now do I realize how powerful a boon this can be. The more natural and realistic my surroundings, the less effort I have to put into maintaining it, because in my mind, I am no longer Manifesting my Domain within the Void, but rather have Materialized a portion of my Natal Palace within it.
A difference without a distinction? Maybe, maybe not, but it feels less active and strenuous to Materialize this entire section of my Natal Palace than it did to consciously manipulate a much smaller portion of Manifested Domain, and I suspect the realism of my Natal Palace is what makes it so easy.
Ti resus and my elderly opponents movents grow heavy and slow as he finds himself subrged beneath the waves with . There is no surprise on his expressionless face, no shock or confusion to be seen, but he still requires a mont to adjust to his new surroundings, a mont I do not intend to give. The currents of my Natal Sea engulf and drag him down into its murky depths, and though his frantic struggles do well enough to slow his descent, itll be long seconds before he makes his way to my side once more, which gives plenty of ti to consider how to deal with the Warrior before .
Or it would, if not for the actions of another old tir from a bygone era, this one dressed in elaborate, flowing robes so overly embellished that even Luo-Luo would balk at wearing them, all while playing a jade flute whose piercing notes drill deep down into my very soul. As if a regular flute wasnt bad enough, the wrinkled Flautists blaring trills set my gorge to rising and my nerves afla, but its not half as bad as the Warriors Spear Intent. The real issue is how the blaring lody speaks to , reminding of all the pain and suffering Ive experienced today and all the fatigue Ive built up along the way. Ive been through enough, and now theres this, which is everything Ive already gone through and more, so why even continue to fight? Im out of my depth and all on my own, while my enemies have numbers enough to block out the sun, a veritable horde of powerful souls moving into position to strike down before I can even cross swords with the Emperor himself, so I might as well just give up and die.
So in other words, business as usual.
Life is suffering, with mine more unfortunate than most, and itll take more than a shitty song to bring low. The Flautist stands just outside the boundaries of my Natal Palace, and I discover that even though I can move freely within the Materialized area, the boundaries do not move with . Expanding the Natal Palace might work, but between ng Sha, Shi Bei, and everything else Ive been up to today, Ive pretty much reached my limits, whether they be physical, ntal, or spiritual. That being said, just because my new foe is standing outside my Domain doesnt an nothing inside can reach him, so I decide to fight fire with fire and Manifest a set of industrial sized concert speakers upon a raft pointed directly at him. Leaping onto the floating surface, I grab the mic and yell, Learn to play a real musical instrunt, you hack! The feedback sets my ears to ringing, but does little to interrupt the Flautists shrill, warbling blasts of noise until I Will the speakers to erupt in the distinctive lodic chords of the one, the only, Epic Sax Guy.
So taken aback by the dulcet tones and my hypnotic hip movents, the Flautist forgets himself for a mont and stops playing, his wrinkled, neutral expression growing even more slack, but soon he chanically resus his trilling, discordant warbling, and I sense a different purpose behind it. Hes changing up the pattern and rhythm in an effort to counteract Epic Sax Guy, to break through the music and attack once more. If Luo-Luo were here, Im sure she could co up with so musical theory to explain it and sohow counteract the Flautist, but I lack the musical skills and background to know what to do. A good thing this isnt battle of the bands then, for I am not limited to music alone. Summoning Peace to hand, I wind up and deliver a massive, underhand throw which leaves my arm outstretched. The Flautist swerves to avoid my blade, but I Guide the projectile true to plunge deep into my aged opponents chest. Rather than Sword Force however, I have a different purpose in mind as my fingers close around the solid cord of Manifested Domain connecting Peace to my wrist.
Get over here!
The guttural declaration erupts from my throat as I pull hard on the cord, but it is not my voice which we hear as the Manifested drags the Flautist to stand before . The follow-up is so natural and instinctive I dont even need to think as I execute a flawless uppercut that sends the retired musician high into the air and off my raft before sinking into the Natal Sea below. A pulsating current of water sends him careening down to join the Warrior beneath the waves, a battle well fought if I do say so myself, but before I can even figuratively pat myself on the back, I am beset on both sides by two more formidable foes. A billowing ball of fla crashes into my raft as I leap into the skies to avoid the explosion, only to discover a sharp pain emanating from my neck due to the short sword jamd into it. Frightening as it might be to find twelve inches of shoddily-forged, sharpened tal embedded in my throat, I am not here in the flesh, so without a Weapon Force to empower the blow, this is rely an inconvenience at best.
The sword belongs to a slim, svelte Warrior clad in all black silks that contrasts sharply with his grey and white hair, and I instantly nickna him the Ninja. The fireball ca from so asshole in a hide cape, one just as old as the others and wearing a crude crown of animal horn and holding a sceptre shaped from what appears to be a human leg bone. Old Asian Joffery will be his na, one which fits all too well because this asshole has the most punchable face I have ever seen in this life and the last. The arrogance is just baked right into the creases of his skin, and combined with his high, jutting cheekbones and the set of his thin, bloodless lips make him so instantly hateful and deplorable that I loathe even the idea of learning his real na. That being said, Jofferys ability to conjure fire is nothing to sneeze at as his next fireball erupts mid-air to cover the sea in flas. Cloud-Stepping away from the elderly Ninja to buy myself a mont to breathe, I co to a crashing halt and look down to find a barbed leather bull-whip holding in place, because apparently this Ninja Grandpa works part-ti as a dom on weekends, which is an image I will never get out of my head.
The fiery inferno consus and I learn first-hand that these flas can indeed hurt , even worse than the Warriors Spear Intent as they draw the air out of my lungs and render incapable of screaming. Again, I know I have no lungs or air to breathe, but the pain is no less real as I instinctively dive towards the waters only to crash into a sea of flas. A brief struggle sees through to the other side and the cooling currents underneath, but the damage has already been done. Though still wholly intact, I feel as if my body is covered in horrific burns and lting fat, without the added benefit of lted nerves to end the sensation of pain. Whats more, my throat feels as if I drank a bottle of acid and Im slowly coming apart from inside, the work of the Ninjas poison which he no doubt slathered across his dagger. No, not poison, but so Chi working that resembles it. Again, I reiterate to myself that I am not here in the flesh, but spirit, a simple fact that is all too easy to forget as I shake off the pain and go after my ancient opponents who are desperately making a beeline towards the boundaries of my Natal Palace.
Because they set foot within my Domain expecting the Flautists music to keep under control, but I threw off his musical enchantnt before they even arrived. While both the ninja and Asian Joffery are capable of injuring , they know they have no chance of winning now that I am of sound mind and spirit, for here in my Natal Palace, my Authority reigns supre. An effort of Will closes off my Natal Palace from the Void, and a second extinguishes the flas blanketing the sea, for here in my Natal Palace, Asian Joffery has no Authority to wield the Energy of the Heavens. Unable to leave, he turns to fight alongside the Ninja who disappears from sight, but I could find him even with both eyes closed because I hold the ho-ground advantage. Rather than try and kill them, I opt to capture them alongside their friends, because to be honest, the only way I know how to hurt them is with sword force. A wave of water rises up to drag them both under the sea, binding them in swirling currents before carrying them over to their other two companions who even now continue to struggle to break free.
It almost feels unfair, bullying these heavy hitters like this, but thats what happens when you intrude upon soone elses Natal Palace. So long as my throne remains in my possession, I hold all the cards here where I stand. That being said, Ive only Materialized a portion of my Natal Palace, this deep-water section of the sea, so Im not sure how anyone could gain access to my condo and Throne which have not been wholly Materialized. Then again, considering they both ran towards shore where my condo is located, maybe Im wrong and Im risking everything by Materializing my Natal Palace and not occupying the Throne, like the first Emperor over there whose ass is plastered to his seat even in the midst of his struggle with Zhen Shi. Now that I have so ti to breathe, I notice I havent missed much of their battle, which is less kung-fu magic and more staring deeply into each others eyes while grimacing sothing fierce, though I imagine theyre locked in a bitter battle of Wills taking place within their minds? Souls? Whatever. This is the stuff of nightmares, in my opinion, sharing an intimate, soulful connection with myself, and the fact that one is a hairless twin of the other really makes it that much more unsettling.
Much as I would love to leave this place and go back to my body, my efforts bear no fruit and I remain trapped within the current Emperors Domain. My next thought is to dismiss my Materialized Natal Palace and interfere with the battle of Wills between the first Emperor and Zhen Shi, but the four seniors trapped under the sea are rely a drop in the bucket compared to the vast army of Natal Souls trapped within the first Emperors Natal Palace. No, not the first Emperor, but the current Emperors Natal Palace, or rather the person everyone thinks is the current Emperor who is actually chained up and kneeling at the first Emperors feet. ZhenWus brother, or maybe half-brother, and Xing Ao Tians too, and its possible the other representatives were also half-siblings given how the first Emperor ntioned sothing about uniting brothers against him. After playing back the conversation once more, I realize it really was a rebellion, because ZhenWu might well have realized that the current Emperor was not actually his older brother, which is why he was so desperate to unite the outer provinces behind him. He needed them and the Five Supre Families in order to have enough leverage to negotiate with the first Emperor, which was enough to convince the body-snatching Ying Zheng to part ways amicably.
And the scariest thing? Even with the Five Supre Families and the outer provinces more or less united against him, Ying Zheng wasnt afraid of losing a fight. No, he backed down because he was worried thered be nothing left to rule in the aftermath of their showdown.
All the more reason for to get gone, but I find myself surrounded by a veritable army of Souls on all sides, tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands spread throughout the Void to encircle my Materialized Natal Palace. Every last one of them wears the sa dead-eyed expression, as if theyre unaware of their surroundings and rely going through the motions, but their actions show signs of deliberation. Theyve learned from the old Flautists mistake and stand well clear of the boundaries of my Manifested Natal Palace to avoid being dragged in by my sword. It cos as sothing of a relief to see that a number of them are even gathered where my Natal Throne should be, but have yet to take control of my Domain. I suspect its because they have to co in to my Natal Palace first before being able to vie for control of my Throne, though I might well be wrong. Much as Id love to eliminate the risk and dismiss my Materialized Natal Palace, Im fairly certain I would be ripped to shreds and burnt to a crisp by the four imprisoned elders still struggling to break free of my Natal Sea, to say nothing of the army of Souls all around .
God, if what Zhen Shi said was true, each one of these souls was taken from a prospective Emperor of the Azure Sea. It would appear the Eternal Emperor has a penchant for keeping the souls of his puppets and lining them up like theyre in attendance for court, a sick, twisted play which began with the founding of the Empire and has continued to this day.
Why keep the souls though? Isnt that a risk, given how any random soul could break free and claim the current hosts Natal Throne for themselves? Maybe the Eternal Emperor does it to stroke his ego, or maybe hes sentintal about the bodies he collects, or maybe its a power play like what Zhen Shi likes to do. Regardless of the why, knowing this is an army of full-blown actual souls makes it all the more unnerving, especially in light of the ancient, rotund scholar standing who appears to lead them. I call him a scholar because of the style of robes, a wide-sleeved, full body cloak that goes down to his ankles and is held in place by a sash that wraps multiple tis around his portly belly, complete with a hat that is more rectangular than round. Its a style still seen in the Empire today amongst the noble elite, though his are fashioned from coarse hemp rather than light cotton or noble silk. Contrary to his coarse fabrics however, his white hair is ticulously grood, and though wrinkled as the rest of the seniors Ive fought, it appears as if this old man took better care of his skin, as his creases are not as deep or weathered. Much like the four imprisoned in my Natal Sea, there are no distinctive markings or sigils embroidered upon this portly fellows clothes, but I sense a threat emanating from him that dwarfs the danger I feel from any three souls residing in the Emperors Natal Palace, including the ones Ive already fought who, as far as I can tell, might well have been the strongest of the bunch aside from fat grandpa over there.
Which explains why hes planted right between and the Emperors Natal Throne, where the current Emperors soul watches everything unfold with a look of awe and hope etched across his youthful features. Though he looks like hes in his early forties out in reality, he seems even younger than his brother ShenWu here in his Natal Palace, and maybe a year or two older than the lovely Miss Rou, who I doubt is much older than I am. It seems that whatever mind-mojo the first Emperor uses to enslave the souls of his at puppets takes a long ti to kick in, or maybe Ying Zheng needs the hosts soul in good working order before moving out and into the next Emperor.
This year should be the thirty-ninth year of the current Emperors rule, with eleven more to go before the next Emperor takes over. Thats how it works here in the Azure Sea, which is odd considering I now know it was all put together by an eternal, body-snatching monster. Why switch bodies every fifty years? Seems inconvenient and needlessly risky to fight a host soul for control every five decades, especially when there are better options available. I an, taking over a half-beast every five centuries seems much easier, or Ying Zheng could bring his host up to Divinity and have an even longer lifespan, or so I would assu. All this ans that there has to be a reason why he switches every fifty years, and I doubt its sothing silly like placating the five Supre Families to ensure a different bloodline takes the throne every half-century.
Maybe he switches every fifty years because he has to? When he ntioned his predecessor, who was supposedly ZhenWu and the current Emperors father, Ying Zheng spoke of a story told upon his deathbed. Seems odd considering how young the forr Emperors sons all appear to be, so is it possible that Ying Zhengs body-snatching shenanigans uses up the host bodys Life Force at an accelerated rate? Dunno. Maybe. Maybe not. I dont know enough to say, but despite studying the souls out in the Void and captured within my Natal Sea for what feels like a fair amount of ti, Im unable to tell how Ying Zheng is controlling them, and thus unable to co up with a thod to free them. The current Emperor is the only one who is chained and forced to kneel, but also the only one capable of expressing emotion, so full of bitter anger and despondent hope as he watches everything unfold around him. As for the rest, they might as well be automatons, though I note down a few similarities I previously didnt register. The powerful souls Ive already fought are the exception to the rule, as most faces in the crowd are full of youth and vigour, which lends credence to my theory of the body-snatcher requiring vast amounts of Life Force to sustain himself. Why else would the Emperors all take the throne when theyre still so young? Granted, young could still an theyre in their forties like ZhenWu and look barely old enough to have kids.
Seriously. How does he have a twenty-sothing year old daughter already? He looks about the age where he should be wrangling rug-rats and maybe even changing diapers for his kids, as opposed to butting heads over who theyre gonna marry.
Another point of interest is the fact that the handful of older faces among the crowd appear to be on the weaker end of the spectrum. No idea why, though I suppose sharing your body with an ancient soul would do wonders for progressing along your path, like a friendly old ghost grandpa who wants to take over your body and bang your giant harem of wives. Ugh. Thats like the worst form of NTR ever, getting cucked by your own body being controlled by soone else, though I dont suppose the host has much ti to
A familiar face leaps out at from the crowd, and though I recognize him at first glance, I cant believe what I am seeing. Err Seneschal? I ask, moving to the edge of my Manifested Natal Palace to get a closer look, and on the way over, I dredge up his na from the back of my mind. Solitary Sword Zhang Jun Bao? What are you doing here?
The old Seneschal looks the sa as he did in life, save for his fancy new threads which wouldve been unsuitable for a re servant, yet they look right at ho on his lithe fra, lending him an air of heroic bearing. The sword in his hand is the one I saw him use to cut down a Half-Step Divinity Wraith in a single pass and send five more fleeing for the hills, though that seems much less impressive now that I know my old boss was in cahoots with Zhen Shi all this ti and allowed himself to be injured. No matter how many tis I call out his na and title however, the Seneschal offers no response whatsoever, and I heave a sigh at having lost this exemplary Warrior, a stand-out talent of his generation who might even have been a Divinity, or close to it. Did Liang Wu Di sacrifice you too? I ask, if only to hear my thoughts out loud. I thought better of him, thought that he respected you as a man and maybe even saw you as a father, but it seems I was wrong.
Or was I? A glimr of sothing flashes in the Seneschals dead eyes, briefly and only for an instant, but I know I saw it before it disappeared. Before I can figure out what to try next however, an intrusion worms its way into my consciousness and Natal Palace both. A mont of panic threatens to unmake before Im hit by a familiar torrent of joy and love which eases away all my fears and worries as I turn to greet Buddy in my Natal Sea. Good boy! Lifting my doggo into my arms to hug him close, I give him a kiss on the head and ask, Howd you get in here? No idea why Im even bothering, as Buddy doesnt understand English and I dont speak dog, but hes just happy to hear my voice again. That being said, a brilliant idea cos to mind while greeting my dog with cuddles, and I descend down to the surface of the sea to try and make it happen.
Putting my dog aside on a floating raft which I Materialize out of thin air, I cup his chin and look him in the eyes, or I try to as he avoids my gaze because hes a sweet, docile doggo. Alright Buddy, I say, rubbing his cheeks with my thumbs so he knows I still love him. You want a treat? His ears perk up at the sound of his favourite word as I point at the souls caught in the waters below and ignore the churning in my gut. There you go! Go get em!
Buddys disappointnt is imasurable and his day is ruined as he looks at the four souls, then back at , his eyes filled with chagrin and confusion because he doesnt see any treats. I suppose these souls are too Balanced for his tastes, or rather for Blobbys tastes, so there goes my plan of having my dog Devour the Eternal Emperors soul army. Materializing a grilled steak for him to chow down on, I stifle my sigh and try a different tack once Buddy finishes his snack. Knowing theres no way he will ever understand my words, I conjure up an image of the Emperor standing in the palm of my hand, but not the Eternal Emperor currently doing battle against Zhen Shi. The image in my hand depicts the Emperor in reality, Ying Zhengs at puppet standing on the sands of the Western Province, right down to his armour and hair. See this guy? I ask, showing Buddy the picture and praying he understands even though I know this is the longest of long shots. I need you to go back out to reality and bite his fucking dick off.
God, I feel like a horrible pet parent even asking my dog to do this, and I really shouldnt use such harsh language in front of him, but Im desperate and this is the only chance I can see. If Buddy kills the current Emperor, then his Domain will disperse and his soul will do whatever souls do whenever their latest life cos to an end, and then Ying Zheng, Zhen Shi, and all these creepy enslaved souls will be left exposed to the Void. Even though it doesnt seem all that different from the inside of an empty Natal Palace, Ive stepped outside into the grand vastness of the desolate Void and it is not a pleasant experience, Ill tell you what. More importantly, I suspect that if the current Emperor dies and his Domain disappears, then Ying Zheng will no long be able to hold here, aning I can just go back to my body and make sure the current Emperor is dead as a doornail.
As for what happens to Ying Zheng, Zhen Shi, and the rest of these souls? Who fucking cares. Sure most of these souls are victims of the first Emperor, but lets be real. Where there is life, there is hope, but these guys are all long dead, except the current Emperor who hopefully soon will be.
I spend a good amount of ti and effort trying to convey my intentions to Buddy, but my sweet dog is dumber than a bag of bricks. Even with the ability to conjure up life-like illusions to show him every step of the process, Im not sure he understands that the small, brown-furred, floppy-eared dog he sees savagely tearing into the Emperors nether regions ti and ti again is supposed to represent him. God, I bet if Mama Bun were here, shed figure it out in an instant, and she might well already be working on the Emperors ankles even as we speak. Pong Pong most definitely would get it, but my efforts to contact him dont even make it out into the Void, stopped by the sa almost solid barrier keeping from leaving the current Emperors Natal Palace. Then again, I suppose Buddy probably couldnt get out anyways, so after trying for far too long and wasting who knows how much ti in reality, I give up and pat my sad dog on the head, who is only sad because he thinks Im mad since he doesnt understand what Im trying to tell him. Good dog, I conclude, unable to think of anything else to say, and he perks right up and jumps into my arms for a hug.
How intriguing. The cold, passionless statent shakes out of my thoughts as I turn to see the Eternal Emperor standing next to the fat grandpa, just outside the borders of my Materialized Natal Palace. Hands folded behind his back and head held so high his nose is pointing at the sky, the body-snatching monstrosity looks none the worse for wear after his tussle with Zhen Shi, who is nowhere to be found within the Emperors Natal Palace. Taking in the sights of my Natal Palace, the Eternal Emperor shows the tiniest hint of interest, not exactly excited by what he sees, but intrigued none the less. The impossible made possible once again, with the sa child at the crux of so many miracles. Fixing his predatory gaze upon , his eyes glow with a bleak heat that sends a chill down my spine, for I now understand what it is he wants from .
Not since the founding of the Empire has this Sovereign seen so promising a subject, the monster continues, stepping forward past the boundary and into my Natal Palace, and even though I take this opportunity to hit him with a blast from a water cannon, he doesnt even notice the impact. Your boundless potential is rely the appetizer, but this Sovereign is surprised to see that the Laws of your Natal Palace are so complete. Conjuring up a barrage of water, munitions, Sword Force, and anything else I can think of, all my efforts are for naught as he reaches out to take in hand while his lips twitch in the barest hint of a smile. Yes, you will make a fine host for this Sovereign, and perhaps even the final host once your secrets of Life Energy are laid bare.
I continue to fight the good fight, but nothing seems to faze him, and though I refuse to give in to despair, I fear that there is nothing I can do stop the Eternal Emperor from hijacking my body. His outstretched hand grows larger and larger until it blocks out all light, and I grab Buddy close and clutch him tight, praying for a miracle to co save .
Because by god Im gonna need it.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
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