As the scene unfolds to reveal the life and tis of the Eternal Emperor, I make the conscious decision to neither struggle against nor surrender against this illusion.
Not as easy as it sounds, as I find myself facing a deluge of boredom and apathy which stems not from my foe, but from within, because this epic saga of the Eternal Emperors life can only be best described as so shit-tier television. The visuals? Stunningly vivid in ways I can barely describe, so real I feel as if I was there to see it happen, because in a way, I am. What I see is the world as Ying Zheng perceives it, which ans everything I see is as he rembers it, in crystalline clarity and coloured by his emotions. The sa can be said for all the other physical senses, with slls, sounds, and all other sensations accounted for all along the way. In the opening scene, the cool, damp grass sticks to my feet and the dirt burrows between my toes as I make my way up a hill to take in the fresh air and scenic sights. A pristine river runs through a gently sloping valley as the red-orange glow of the rising sun casts it all aglow, and little Ying Zhen is awestruck as he plops himself down on the ground and loses himself in the mont with his emotions laid bare for to share. Theres a beauty to this which I will rember for the rest of my days, a sense of wonder and oneness which I have never felt before and fear I might never find again, an awareness of how vast and complex the world truly is yet also simple and straightforward at the sa ti. This is a union of man and nature that is intimate and ineffable, the start of little Ying Zhengs journey in search of the Dao, but even as I struggle to comprehend the profundity hidden within this mont, I wholeheartedly wish my lacklustre storyteller would just get on with it.
Pretty visuals does not a good story make, and I find it difficult to beco invested in the story with a protagonist I just know Im going to hate, especially when the story telling is so janky and jarring.
Unfortunately for my high standards and short attention span, I cannot afford to pass this chance up, which is why Im willing to risk my life to see these illusions through to the end, when I would otherwise mash the ESC button to skip the cutscene. Unlike the macabre scenes of death and suffering Zhen Shi crafted in an effort to drive to the depths of despair, Ying Zheng is showing all this in an effort to enlighten and advise against my chosen course of action. These Manifested mories are here to show the indisputable truth as seen from his eyes, a glimpse into the Dao from the perspective of a man who has pursued it for millennia untold. I would be stupid to believe everything he shows , but I would also be a fool to pass up the chance to see the Dao from the perspective of a man whos seen it all. Is it dangerous? Of course it is, especially considering how a re mont of distraction on my part might well be all Ying Zheng needs to seize my Natal Throne and enslave , but I deem it a risk well worth taking. Mostly because I left Buddy seated on my chair and my PC turned off, so Im confident I have ti enough for a quick jaunt down mory lane to see what makes Ying Zheng tick.
Shouldve probably put a password on my PC too, but who has the patience to type in a password these days?
Of course, my confidence also stems from the fact that Ive put so thought into my current dilemma. From the mont Ying Zheng stepped foot into my Natal Palace, Ive been planning for the very worst, but the way I see it, Ive got nothing to be afraid of. My Natal Palace is no longer a permanent fixture within the landscape of my soul, but even if it was, were not technically in my soul. Were in the Emperors soul, Liang Wu Dis sorry sap of a brother kneeling by the jade throne with the chain around his neck. As such, my Natal Palace exists here only because I have Willed it into existence, Manifested all around to give a fighting chance. Theoretically, this should an that the mont I sense danger, I can just un-Will it out of existence and retract everything back into my soul, leaving Ying Zheng no way to directly access to my Natal Throne without delving into my soul for real. Which I assu was his plan seeing how he drew into the Emperors Natal Palace in the first place, which leads to believe he has his thods to access my soul and Natal Throne even if I dont materialize it, but I also have three Natal Souls hidden away in the Call Centre of the Void waiting to jump in, so its not like Ive left myself completely helpless.
It'll be fine. I got this.,
Probably.
Maybe?
Whatever. Either way, Ive already tested it out and I can break out of this illusion with little more than an effort of Will, and in fact have to work to remain engaged lest I accidentally break free. Probably due to the complete and utter lack of imrsion, since Zhen Shi and Ying Zheng are both terrible directors, able to showcase the most vivid scenes imaginable yet lacking a basic understanding of how to keep your audience engaged. The only reason Im still watching is because I threw everything and the kitchen sink at Ying Zheng after he willingly stepped foot into my Natal Palace and couldnt even leave a scratch. Since theres nothing I can do to stop him, Im hoping these mories lead to the silver bullet I need to put an end to his reign, or maybe even give an inkling on what to do next in terms of the Dao. If Im lucky, maybe Ill even get so answers to the questions that have been eating away at inside, like how an Empire that has been around for thousands of years could fail to develop indoor plumbing.
What? Pooping outside sucks. Pooping in a chamber pot is almost worse, because now you have a pot full of your shit thats just gonna stew all night until soone empties it. That ans carrying a pot of shit to the pile of shit where everyone dumps their second-hand shit, or living with the knowledge that soone else now knows what your most recent shit slled like. This is a cri against humanity I tell you, an injustice I will not let stand, and the Eternal Emperor shall pay for this atrocious lack of progress.
All that being said, I found it an acceptable risk to delve into the Eternal Emperors mories while leaving him to his own devices inside my Natal Palace, but the cinematography really leaves much to be desired. I get it, this is Ying Zhengs real life, so I shouldnt expect a theatrical masterpiece on par with Lord of the Rings or gripping storytelling like found in season one of Ga of Thrones, but this shit makes season eight of Ga of Thrones look coherent and well thought out. Seriously, would it kill him to put in a proper transition every now and then? Maybe set the scene with a bit of narrated exposition? Then again, I dont really want to hear him say This Sovereign a bajillion tis, so I suppose this is the lesser of two evils, but as we flit from one scene to the next with little context or explanation, I find myself quickly losing interest even as I force myself to commit everything to mory and analyze it for any and all useful information.
Seriously, the dude is called the Eternal Emperor, so I was expecting a super aweso origin story, though now that I think about it, its a na he made up himself and no one else has ever used. I an, I guess Zhen Shi used it, but theyre the sa person, so that hardly counts, and while Liang Wu Di caught onto Ying Zhengs sches and shared the news with the powers that be, I doubt any of them are calling him the Eternal Emperor now that theyve dethroned him.
As fascinating as the prospect of seeing how he conquered the Azure Empire might sound, its much less interesting in practice. Theres little to no context provided as he takes through a dizzying array of battles with people and soldiers of countless factions and fashions, so I have no real reason to care about anything I see. Following a brief ti spent as a bounty hunter, a couple years spent as a soldier, and a grisly scene of slaughter in which he murders his father and half-siblings, Ying Zheng becos an outlaw, then a rcenary, then a general, then a king who conquers all who stand before him. From start to finish, few of his foes are able to trade blows against him, for the Martial Dao has yet to beco widespread and it appears that not even the Forms are in use. As such, most of his opponents are common, everyday mortals wielding poorly crafted weapons of iron and bronze, making for a rather boring series of fights in which he repeated kills his foes in a single hit. That being said, while proponents of the Dao are few and far between, those who do stand out are far more powerful than even the greatest Peak Experts of this current generation, utilizing Chi almost as freely as a Divinity utilizing Heavenly Energy without the massive drawback of accidentally nuking everyone and everything around them. An interesting tidbit which I file away for later as I watch Ying Zheng dominate almost every enemy he ets save for a select few.
Yang Kai, Liang Bo, Xing Wushen, and Tian Yi. There are other Martial Warriors who offer a challenge, ones who are much stronger than even the greatest Peak Experts of this current generation, but these four are the only ones worth noting. For two reasons really, first because the rest die at Ying Zhengs hands while these four pledge allegiance and beco his most trusted brothers and Great Generals, and secondly because I recognize these four faces as younger versions of the four formidable souls currently trapped beneath the waves of my Natal Seas. Four of five Supre Family Ancestors, brothers and comrades who have been with Ying Zheng since ti immorial, yet despite appearing in so many scenes depicting a shared bond stronger than steel, I sense no emotions whatsoever from the Eternal Emperor, the man this young Ying Zheng would eventually beco, as he depicts the origins of these oldest of friendships. In fact, I sense and see nothing of their exploits or friendship and might well have never noticed them if I didnt just have a life and death battle against them, which leads to suspect my foe is doing his best to avoid thinking about them and sharing how he feels about them.
I can see why. Id feel guilty too if I imprisoned the souls of my closest friends for countless millennia, which just goes to show that the Eternal Emperor is still human yet.
This realization leads to another discovery, the complete and utter lack of insight into young Ying Zhengs personal life. The Eternal Emperor is more than happy to share his battlefield conquests, but never once do I see him make friends, et lovers, raise children, or do anything other than fight. Not because he only knows how to fight, but because hes willfully omitted these details of his life, his mories all fixated on conquest and bloodshed rather than reminiscing about the good tis and the bad. Theres more to this as well, but now is not the ti to delve into it as I watch the young Ying Zheng transform into a salt-and-peppered veteran over the course of a hundred battles, then a snowy-haired elder without ever stepping away from his conquest.
And after a lifeti spent on the battlefield, he finally conquers his last foe in the twilight of his life and crowns himself Emperor of the Azure Sea.
Another scene which is shockingly lacking in emotion and significance, which throws for a complete loop. This should have been the highlight of his life, the literal crowning achievent which he devoted most of his mortal life to accomplish, yet the Eternal Emperor of today holds almost no fondness or reverence for this mont. He cares not for the culmination of his mortal efforts save for the value inherent to the title and throne themselves. As far as I can tell, even though he was proud and contented in the mont, the Eternal Emperor of today only sees it as claiming his birthright, no different from how soone else would see turning eighteen as a passage into adulthood. Though he accomplished what others could only ever dream of, he sees his success as an outco which was all but guaranteed since that first mory he shared with , of a young boy uncovering the grand existence of the Dao.
Upon taking the throne however, the Ying Zheng in these mories does little to nothing at all, an Emperor in na who appoints others to rule in his place. There are no grand balls or wasteful banquets, no plans for opulent palaces or grand luxuries fit for an Emperor, for the man on the throne cares not for the glory of the title or the wealth and riches that co with it, nor does he show any interest in guiding humanity or ensuring prosperity for all. He takes no joy in being Emperor, or if he does, hes neglected to show it, and as the seasons change and the years go by within the blink of an eye, the old man on the throne remains firmly fixed in place, doing nothing of particular importance. Despite his lack of action however, the world still revolves around him, only he cares not to interfere, which leads to wonder why he wanted to be Emperor in the first place.
Or why he held onto it for as long as he has without ever doing anything useful with the power in his grasp. Though I dont understand why, being Emperor was his lifes goal, one he accomplished with apparent ease and hasnt given up ever since, so while it appears as if he gave up on the throne to Liang Wu Di without a fight, as far as I can tell, Ying Zheng wholeheartedly believes the Five Supre Families will screw things up and eventually co crawling back to him for his help. While he is no longer Emperor in title, he sees himself as Emperor still, albeit one without a throne, and I sense within him a burning desire to reclaim what is his, the sa driving motivation which compelled him to unite the provinces in the first place. Again, I ask why? What drives him so? What is it that makes him yearn to be Emperor if not for the wealth, riches, power, or prestige? The answer escapes , and from what Ive seen, Im not sure the Eternal Emperor himself really knows why, or if he does, he isnt sharing. Going back through Ying Zhengs mories, I find no defining mont in which he decides to beco Emperor, for after the death of his mother, he threw himself into conflict after conflict without ever stopping to consider why. There were always enemies to fight, and he won battle after battle, war after war, until finally, there was no one left to fight. Thats his story, but one that has yet to end as he sits upon his relatively plain wooden throne as the years pass by and leave him untouched.
A scene ant to denote how long he continued to study the Dao, and an accomplishnt he takes pride in, but all I can see is the loneliness of his existence.
This is a man who devoted his entire life waging war, and after conquering the Empire, he finally found peace, yet the Eternal Emperor glosses over the bounty to be had in these tis. Once again, I see no wives standing by his side, no children seated upon his lap, no pets to cuddle and not even a comrade to drink with, only officials to pester him with the minutia of governance. This is who he is, the Eternal Emperor, a role he plays the sa way I sotis beco the Warrior, except for Ying Zheng, there is no delineation between the two as they are one and the sa. Thats why he hasnt bothered to show any slice of life content, because aside from his mother, he no longer places any value on the people he loved or those who loved him. All he cares to show is himself as the Emperor, yet even then, I see him doing little to nothing at all, or at least nothing worthy of note, and history would support these claims. This is a man who has been Emperor since ti immorial, the Sovereign of all humankind, the hand upon the tiller of humanitys progress since uniting them all under one banner. When I hear the title, Eternal Emperor, I envision an incredible leader with power and charisma aplenty, a cunning and Machiavellian politician who sees things in terms of centuries and millennia rather than years and decades as he steers us through the currents of ti in unending advancent.
Instead, Ying Zheng spends all this ti pretty much twiddling his thumbs, and I am wholly unimpressed.
No, worse than just twiddling his thumbs, hes made a conscious effort to unite the Eastern Province against the outer provinces in order to maintain the status quo. Rather than move us forward, hes kept humanity locked in place, a stagnant civilization that is only slightly different from what I saw in his mories, with the sa styles of clothes, architecture, cultures, and more. How uninspired, I would say, but his mories show that this is by design, for after Ascending to Divinity in a deliberately obscured fashion so as not to give any answers away, the Ying Zheng of old ets his fifth brother, Di Zi, who I recognize as the portly soul in colourful robes still standing outside my Natal Palace. Then disaster strikes as Ying Zhengs ungrateful heirs lead a rebellion against their ancestor, who until now has been ruling as himself for over a hundred years.
And as I watch the Martial Warrior outlanders run rampant throughout the provinces and share in his outrage, I finally realize Ying Zhengs motivation for securing the throne.
It all makes sense when you look at things from his perspective. This is a man who lost his mother because hed been conscripted into the army and was off fighting a war instead of keeping her safe and sound, so everything hes done since then has been because of her death. He killed his father, then conquered his ho state, then took over as king and conquered his neighbours too, because they started a war which he intended to end. Step by thodical step, he led his soldiers and brothers to unite the provinces, not because he yearned for power or glory, but because it was the only way he knew how to make ands with his mother. Thats it, isnt it? In his eyes, the Emperors foremost duty is not to govern, but to protect. Might makes right, and as the strongest individual under Heaven, he sees his role as the guardian of all humankind, the iron fist which maintains peace throughout all the lands. This is no different from how Bai Qi beca the Lord of Martial Peace, and I cant exactly argue against the logic. As far as I can tell, the lands were embroiled in bitter conflict before Ying Zheng conquered them all, as often tis he would ride into battle against armies already fighting against one another and slaughter them all. Whats more, the Eternal Emperor spent all that ti showing his younger self just sitting on the throne to prove that his ascension to the throne was followed by peace in his ti, until his own descendants went and fucked it all up.
Thats why he refuses to pass the mantle of Emperor onto another. Not because he desires peace, but rather to maintain control and stability above all else. This is his view of Balance, one in which progress is rely an agent for chaos and imbalance, so he strives to maintain the status quo. This is his take on the Dao, one which has bled over into his style of governance and compelled him to hold the throne for as long as he has, because in his mind, giving up the throne is akin to throwing the scales of Balance into whack.
Narcissistic much? This is extre Main Character Syndro, where he sees everyone else in the world as supporting actors in the feature production that is his life.
The following scenes only go on to prove my suspicions. Ying Zheng helps his brothers grow stronger and leads them to war against the outlanders, a war which sees the outlands destroyed and the Five Supre Ancestors killed, but he saves their souls and gives four of them brand new bodies. As for the last, Di Zi possesses too much of a conscience to steal a body away from an unborn child. I like him, but theres not much more to be seen of the portly outlander as the years pass so more and Ying Zheng continues to rule the Empire from the shadows, having wholly embraced the body-hopping monster that he has beco. In his desire to maintain control, he pits the five Supre Families against the outer provinces and introduces the flawed understanding of the Dao we still use today. Di Zi is not pleased by this blasphemy against the Dao and leads the other Supre Ancestors in rebellion against Ying Zheng, but again, the Eternal Emperor erges victorious and enslaves his brothers before continuing along his Path. Technological progress introduces more instability, as seen by Grand Marshal Sima Yi who designs a ballista which pins the Eternal Emperor to his wooden throne, but even though the rebel burns the palace down around him, Ying Zheng cannot be stopped. He kills the rebel leaders and decides that technological advancents are no longer needed, so after seizing the body of the new Emperor, he embarks on yet another killing spree of scholars and historians while burning their books to do away with centuries of collective progress, including everything his Fifth Brother Di Zi only recently introduced, like concrete and a system of ritorious advancent.
And though his people suffer for it, Ying Zheng cares not for their adversity, because he wholeheartedly believes that these trials and tribulations will make them strong, and that mankind would be lost without his strength to keep us all in line.
All this and more is revealed to as he shares what cos next, and while it all sounds marvellous in theory, theres little left to be gleaned from his mories. The earlier scenes were rife with emotion and sensation, but these later ones have almost been completely scrubbed clean of sentint. Much as I would love to go over every scene in painstaking detail, the Eternal Emperor is not foolish enough to leave in any information which I might use against him. I can tell hes hiding most if not all of the truth, only glossing over these montous events to give a glimpse of what he has experienced while skipping over so much of what hes done over the years, things I suspect he played a part in but have yet to see any proof. All in all, after seeing him claim the throne, the rest of his mories are his hard sell on why I should join him, his attempt to lure over to his side, telling he can guide my Dao the sa way he guided his brothers at which point we could be comrades and peers, but unfortunately for the both of us, peace was never an option.
Ard with the knowledge of my foe and myself, I pray that the idiom holds true and hope for victory in a hundred battles, though I would happily settle for winning just two, this battle against Ying Zheng and the ongoing conflict in Shi Bei. Oh, and whatever other battles still to co after as I extract myself, my loved ones, and maybe even the entire Northern Province from the coming conflict between the Five Supre Families. Id take Central and the South with as well, but Im not ready for a direct clash against the Imperial Clan and their chosen puppet Shuai Jiao, while the Southern Marshal seems competent enough to take care of his province without my help. Either way, theres still a lot of fighting left to go, but I can only take things one step at a ti.
Storing away the Eternal Emperors mories for later perusal, I open my eyes to find myself standing outside my Natal Palace while my foe violates the sanctity of my office chair with his foul presence. Okay, fine, given how neat and tidy his robes appear to be, how seldom I clean said chair, and how often my doggo sits on it with , chances are its the other way around, but still. You dont touch a mans PC, look in his bookmarks, or sit in his chair, rules which every man should know and adhere to. Buddy is about as useful as ever, shivering up a storm as he stretches out across my bed in a downward dog pose, more ready to run than ready to pounce. Poor little guy is so scared, but barking didnt work and he doesnt know what else to do. Then again, considering how powerful Ying Zheng has shown himself to be, even here in the heart of my Natal Palace, I cant really fault Buddy for lying low.
Doesnt matter if he didnt contribute. Buddy is a good dog no matter what.
Then again, now that I think about it, the fact that my pupper is occupying the bed might possibly be partially responsible for thwarting Ying Zhengs efforts to dethrone , because Im pretty sure my bed and the PC are both part and parcel of my throne. Or at least, I used to envision my throne as the bed, before I added the PC and everything that ca with it, so there are still tis when the bed serves the sa purpose. I dunno. Its all a matter of Intent, though even that much isnt enough to overco the Eternal Emperors big boor energy as he tries to puzzle out how to turn on the PC. Cupping the mouse with his ginormous right hand, he moves it about the mousepad in a slow, andering fashion while tapping on the spacebar of my keyboard with his left hand. Hes essentially copying all the sa movents I made while using the PC, but the slow and thodical manner in which he does it is both sad and hilarious at the sa ti. That being said, I suspect he would learn quickly enough if properly taught, and Im not entirely sure if he actually needs to use the PC to supersede my authority here in my Natal Palace, so its probably not the best idea to leave him to his own devices.
Which honestly is a real sha. I was thinking I could just leave him to fiddle with the PC while I slip out and decapitate his host body, but considering how quickly ti moves in reality compared to here in the Void, I could very well end up a puppet the mont I step away, assuming I can even break out of the current host Emperors Domain.
Rather than imdiately confront the Eternal Emperor however, I take a mont to go over my options and consider what to do next. When he first stepped foot into my Natal Palace, I put all my effort into killing him and couldnt leave a scratch. Then I tried to eject him from my Natal Palace, which had absolutely no effect. Its not that his Authority supersedes mine here in my Domain, but rather his defenses are so formidable that I lack the strength to break through them. The Domain around him is too solid to scratch, too dense to pierce, too ponderous an existence for my feeble efforts to move, so much so that he doesnt even need to lift a finger to fight , as theres nothing I can do to hurt him. Even if I throw everything I have at him again, he can ignore it all to sit there finagling with my PC all day until he figures out how to turn it on.
So instead of wasting my effort to move him away from my PC, I Will my Natal Palace to shift instead.
The world goes dark for the blink of an eye as the Void careens around , and what little remains of my stamina and vitality drain away in an instant. My stomach roils as everything heaves at once, with my soul and the Eternal Emperors soul remaining fixed in place as my Natal Palace slides exactly 11.32 tres away from where I stand. No longer is my enemy seated within my Natal Throne, nor is he even in my room anymore, but rather floating in the air just outside my bedroom window, and I struggle to stand upright while cursing myself for leaping before I look. Moving my Manifested Natal Palace took a lot out of , whether it be Chi or Life Force or whatever, but it was the only move I could co up with that might have so effect. There is no change in the Eternal Emperors bored, neutral expression, no minor snarl or pursed lips, no twitch of the eye or flare of the nostrils, but his underlying fury is there all the sa, palpable to behold as he remains seated upon empty air with arms extended to hold a mouse and press a spacebar which are no longer there. Slowly coming to his feet, he smooths out his left sleeve, then the right with deliberate care and lack of haste, actions made of habit ant to quell his pique as he studies from across the way. This is an unexpected turn of events, one he was not prepared for, and his eyes ever so slightly narrowed as his focus returns to his present surroundings and away from his calculations of how to take over my Natal Throne. Clearly, he thought hed have more ti to puzzle out the inner workings of my Natal Palace before I broke free of the illusion, and it stings his pride to have been proven wrong yet again.
Pride is an emotion, and Ive wounded his, but while the Eternal Emperors temper is nowhere near as volatile as Zhen Shis, I know that deep down, Ying Zheng has the sa capacity for heated rage and callous violence as the man who kept a detailed log of his torture victims. Two parts of a whole, thats how he described their relationship, a clue I only just picked up on and one I wouldve overlooked had I not just been given a glimpse of the man who would one day rise up to beco the Eternal Emperor. Another interesting detail to note is that the man I saw in those mories was a heated and impassioned man, one who gave in to his anger without a thought but could also be generous and magnanimous to a fault. Sowhere along the way, he turned into the Eternal Emperor before , but I noticed earlier that not only is he more emotive than he appears, he oftentis struggles to keep his emotions in check. As he looms over from afar, he falls completely still, neither blinking nor breathing as he slowly quenches his rage and indulges his curiosity. To be fair, he exists as a soul which doesnt really need to blink or breathe, but you could say the sa about and I still pant, heave, and sweat nonetheless because it feels normal to do so, and I imagine its the sa for him. Thus, to see him fall so still is eerie to the extre, an inhuman display of control and restraint which I would never even try to emulate, and I cannot help but give voice to my doubts, and the just speaks for itself.
You mad bro?
My question shatters the Eternal Emperors stillness as he takes a long, deep breath, and the air thrums with impending violence as he fights to keep his temper in check. I bet its been a long ti since hes been disrespected like this, but as much as I would like to take credit for my rage-inducing ways, Im only kicking him while hes down. He only just reabsorbed Zhen Shi who was much more in tune with his emotions, relying on the Razors Edge of indulging all Emotions while adhering to cold logic, which is vastly different from the Eternal Emperors Dao which appears to be no emotion or logic, and only Balance.
Which oddly enough, is sothing I can sort of relate to, as it is a less extre version of my misguided desire for nihility and oblivion.
That being said, this is my ti to shine, because emotions are the Eternal Emperors weakness, and if theres one thing Im good at, its pissing people off. I can see why you would be. Its been a rough day, hasnt it? I an, after Heavens knows how many years, your descendants have finally given your old ass the boot. Thats gotta sting. Howd that happen by the way? You slip up and call yourself by the wrong na or sothing? An understandable mistake given how youre getting up there in age, and seeing how much trouble you were having with my Natal Thone just now, it wouldnt surprise to learn youve gone senile
Silence, worm.
Oh hai Zhen Shi! Waving at the Eternal Emperor with a shit eating grin, I catch a glimpse of confusion flash across his face and add, I figured he was still around. Guess hes not entirely onboard with your two parts of a whole bit. Cant really bla him, because even though I only just learned about your existence today, I am just thoroughly disappointed by what Ive seen. Like seriously, youve been Emperor for ages, and as far as I can tell, youve pretty much done shit all. Your failure to ascend is one thing, but like, why dont you build so roads or sothing? Get shot by a ballista one ti and all of a sudden technology is the enemy. Scared much? Congratulations on your mastery of small peen energy, your fuzzy truck nuts are in the mail.
And who, the Eternal Emperor retorts, cutting off just as its getting good, Are you, to dare criticize this Sovereign? You are but a child who knows not the heights of Heaven as you trample upon all our efforts, accomplishnts revealed to you through this Sovereigns eyes, yet still you are too blind to see.
Psh. Not my most eloquent rejoinder, but I work with what Ive got. I saw you doing a whole lot of nothing while you sat on the throne, which explains why Zhen Shi kept calling you the dog Emperor and why you needed a jade throne, since your stanky swamp ass wouldve probably rotted the wooden one clean through.
The ghost of a smile flits across his lips, one I sense more than see but is there all the sa. You think this Sovereign so easily rattled by re words? Sharp though your tongue may be, your intelligence is sorely lacking, for you have entered into a battle of wits unard and still believe victory is within reach.
I think he just called stupid, but Im not entirely sure.
Growing in size before , Ying Zheng uses a move out of Zhen Shis playbook as he looms over in threat, the weight of his re presence making it difficult for to breathe. This Sovereign has born witness to the sunrise and sunset nigh on a million tis and more, so it will take more than re jibes to shake his resolve. The pressure ramps up and forces down, but the Eternal Emperor offers no quarter as he descends alongside , a slow and controlled fall from which I cannot escape. You were fortunate enough to defeat this Sovereigns Nascent Soul, but all the fortune of Heaven cannot lead you to victory here, a truth you should have long since realized before this Sovereigns patience ca to an end. A sha, for you showed promise aplenty, but even the most promising sapling will require years to grow into a towering tree, so perhaps this Sovereigns efforts would be better spent elsewhere.
As soon as my feet touch the ground, the pressure overwhelms and drives my body flat against the cent while Ying Zheng materializes a sword in hand. As far as weapons go, its fairly generic, only to morph into a crude scalpel instead, one he holds in a manner I would attribute more to Zhen Shi than the Eternal Emperor, which tells my plan is working. Granted, Im trapped on my back with nowhere to run and no ability to fight back, but the plan is a work in progress so so bumps can only be expected. The air solidifies around as my foe raises off the ground, but try as I might, I cannot break free as he ignores my weapons hamring away at his flesh. Nor can I exert my Will to call upon the Energy of the Heavens, and I realize its because his Materialized Domain has wrapped up tight, cutting off from my Domain and the Heavens both in a manner that reminds of Concealnt, except instead of a blending, it is more of a sealing. Not so tight that I cannot struggle, but I suspect this is by design as my frantic efforts bring a smile to the Eternal Emperors face, a genuine toothy snarl so full of cruel delight. Your resistance will only delay the inevitable, but ti is what this Sovereign lacks the least. As he places his free hand upon my chest, my golden armour is ground away before even coming into contact with his skin as the weight of his unrestrained presence overwhelms my defenses. Thats the secret to his strength, I realize this now, the sheer volu and density of soul packed within him, a ten-thousand-kilotre-tall soul packed into a human-sized package with little to no effort at all.
Thats why he sotis takes a mont to respond, because of the vast disconnect between his mind and soul, a mind hes borrowed no less. I suffered from sothing similar in the aftermath of JiangHu, but this is on a whole other level. Hes so solid and compact, my attacks are crumbling apart before they ever reach him, like teors burning up on entry into the atmosphere before landing on the earth below. How am I supposed to win against an opponent this strong?
Dunno but I cant give up just yet.
With my armour out of the way, the Eternal Emperor uses his free hand to asure where he would like to cut, no doubt making calculations regarding matters I have yet to even encounter much less would comprehend, a slow and thodical process which only serves to draw this out even more. Much as I would like to crack wise about not swinging his way, hes sealed off my mouth and voice leaving no way to speak. Here in the heart my Domain, I am bound, gagged, and helpless, subject to the rcy of a monster who might well have never understood the concept to begin with, and try as I might, I see no hope in sight.
The scalpel descends and stops just as it touches my skin, and the pain sends a wave of agony surging through every fibre of my being, but I will not allow him to break . Seeing the defiance in my eyes even as I am wracked with pain, the Eternal Emperors twisted grin grows even wider. Again, I see this as an absolute win, because it ans Zhen Shi is closer to the surface than Ying Zheng cares to admit, but I cant make use of this if I cannot speak. Thankfully, his pride and hubris get the better of him as he loosens the bindings on my voice and says, Before we rend open your soul to reveal your secrets hidden underneath, have you any last words to share?
I only have one shot, one opportunity to seize victory in hand, one mont to capture it or let it slip. My palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, but here and now, Insight, Inspiration, or plain old intuition finally strikes as I know exactly what I need to say.
Why do you seek strength?
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
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