《Sundered Soul: A cultivation Wuxia/Xianxia novel》
Chapter 1 - 10 Year Rope
Kenji stared forlornly at the young woman at the center of the village square.
Like all Han women, she was lithe and fair of skin, with dark hair that spilled to her mid-back over her long ceremonial robes. Kenji was not the only one who gazed upon her. Shinoto, the shopkeeper¡¯s daughter, was well known throughout Han village for her grace and beauty. Even now she smiled with giddy excitement and had even waved to him before taking her place within the center of the square.
Shinoto¡so special.
Anyone else would perhaps be wracked with nerves and frozen with fear for what she was about to do. But not Shinoto. Bright and fearless as always, Kenji thought. She was perhaps more special to Kenji than anyone else. But that specialness would end today. Today was the day that Shinoto would cease to be simply his friend and equal, and forever become his better.
The shame of it crept up Kenji¡¯s spine like a snake coiling a tree. A sickness churned in the pit of his stomach, reminding him of the one thing that separated him from everyone else in the village.
And it would now separate him from Shinoto as well.
Kenji sat at the back of the village assembly, with the other children of the village. Even while seated crossed legged in lotus position, he was a head taller than his peers. But they were peers in terms of ability only. Those next to him were boys who were eight and nine; only just starting in their ascension ranks, learning the basics of how to cultivate Qi by channeling the vital essence present in all things and storing it within their doma.
It was a skill Kenji had still yet to grasp, much less master.
In terms of age, Kenji¡¯s last true peer was now in the middle of the square¡ªShinoto¡ª17 years old, as he was.
But soon even that would change.
The other village members sat closer to the edge of the ceremony, where a large reversal rope lay coiled in the middle of the square. The rope was thick, and dyed the bright yellow of a ten year braid. Kenji knew the ropes well. Both their color and thickness were important, second only to the rune charms painstakingly woven into the thick braids of the rope itself. The thin pieces of red parchment were etched with fine brush strokes of the old language, servings as conduits to channel sacred energies to activate the rope itself.
The village elders sat upon stools at the edge of the square. To an outsider it would perhaps seem a farce. The elders were perhaps only ten or twelve years old in appearance, but their true age was well beyond that. While not truly immortal like the mystic warriors of legend, the secret rebirthing techniques of the Han clan could make one live over a dozen childhoods.
Master Wu, the village chief was one such as that. Kenji did not know his true age, but it was rumored he had reached the eight level of ascension more than ten times, and each time within only a decade. That meant that he had only ever aged to perhaps fourteen or fifteen, before undergoing a rebirth again.
Currently master Wu appeared as a twelve year old boy, but to observe him for only a moment, one would notice the distinct mannerisms of a much older soul. The other elders of the village were likewise youthful but wizened, including Kenji¡¯s father, Xian Lu, who sat an adolescent of perhaps 14 on the Chief¡¯s far left.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
His hair was long and tied in a traditional top knot fashion, as was proper for a village elder. His robes too, were trimmed with an edge of jade, signifying an 8th tier mastery and with four stripes of gold. This instantly distinguishing him for any normal 14 year old, who would be privileged to wear even a violet trimmed robe of 6th tier ascension at fourteen.
Kenji¡¯s robe, at seventeen, was still trimmed with the base tier of off white.
Kenji tried to make eye contact with his father, but as was usually the case when it came to ceremonies, Xian Lu glanced away, perhaps preferring to not be reminded of the shame that was his son¡ªsat within the ranks of those unskilled in the mystic arts.
Kenji looked instead to the other members of the village. The higher ranked families sat closer to the front. Like some of the elders, a few among them were advanced enough in their ascension ranks to have been rebirthed at a very young age, some even now appearing as only teenagers while well into their middle years.
Others, sat behind them, made up the majority of the Han clan; normal folks who reached ascension at a far more casual pace and appeared in their perpetual 30s, rebirthing perhaps once every twenty years and regressing for as many years as they could afford.
Rapid advancement and regression came at a price, both in terms of training and divine materials. Only those with wealth to spare could afford the exotic pills and potions that could double or triple ones advancement. And regression was no different.
The yellow, ten-year rope prepared for Shinoto, which was now being tied about her waist, had no doubt cost her parents over ten taels of silver to procure. To accumulate that much wealth, Kenji would need to work the orchards for over a year. But being from a merchant family, the cost was perhaps not so burdensome for her.
His heart sunk yet again. He had thought to ask Shinoto to the harvest festival in the fall. But a stray thought was all it was now. He was perhaps a fool to even think that he could ever court someone as well stationed as Shinoto, much less afford her dowry.
Although Kenji¡¯s father could certainly afford it.
As a village elder and a seasoned rebirther, Xian Lu oversaw the creation of all reversal ropes. But even if he was generous enough to loan Kenji such a sum, which he most certainly was not, there was another far more insurmountable gulf that separated himself from Shinoto in terms of station.
Even now, Kenji envied her as she sat upon her knees in seiza position, channeling her Qi. She breathed deeply while working her arms back and forth with each breath, as if pushing the air itself with her palms. A taiko drum banged rhythmically in the backdrop, in time with her breathing; both as encouragement and to give gravity to the auspiciousness of the occasion.
The Han clan was famous throughout the entire Zhou region for their secret rebirthing techniques, fabled to have been passed down by the great goddess of Time herself. And while most of their trade was in producing the Qi concentrated fruits used by the Zhou Empire to create the powerful pills and potions to advance ascension, what truly made them famous was what they were about to witness today.
As his father would say, ¡®To rebirth an orange tree is mundane, but to rebirth a child is to create a gift from the heavens itself.¡¯
So like him, Kenji though, smirking up at his father. So full of poetry when it came to his work, but so little when it came to anything else.
Long minutes passed as the drumbeat steadily increased and a sweat broke on Shinoto¡¯s delicate brow. Heat and steam escaped in a vapor from within her robes as she cycled the Qi from within her body and channeled it into the yellow rope bound about her waist. The rune scripts began to glow with luminescence and the rope constricted. Then in movements as slow as the motion of her arms, Shinoto began to shrink within her clothing as steam billowed from her pores.
When the final drum beat struck, Shinoto reopened her eyes a seven year old girl and the entire village, save for Kenji, burst into cheers.
Chapter 2 - Shinoto
¡°Congratulations, elder sister Shinoto.¡±
Kenji bowed deeply to the seven year old girl who was once his friend, careful to add the title as a form of respect. She still looked the same. Dark hair with elegant features, but where she was once beautiful, she had become an adorably cute child once again. Her eyes however, shone like that of a girl her true age. It was the one thing his people said could never be reversed by the ropes.
The eyes.
Shinoto proved the point by rolling hers at him with a playful giggle, something she did often when he would say something ridiculous.
¡°You don¡¯t need to call me that, you idiot,¡± Shinoto said, swatting him on the thigh. ¡°I¡¯m still the same person I was before the ceremony.¡±
Kenji smiled at her graciousness. They both knew it was a lie. The blessing of the Han arts had literally transformed Shinoto into a younger self, able to re-cultivate the eight stages of ascension and double her concentration of Qi, all while retaining her 17 years of experience in a body a fraction of that age.
While he was happy for her, seeing her like this troubled him inside. No longer was she the beautiful young woman he had hoped to dance with at the festival, to cross the line between friendship to something more. Now she was a child with a gold stripe added to her off-white timed robe.
To find a mate was a difficult task within the Han clan. Not only did someone suitable need to be found, both in terms of station and prestige, but their rebirth and cultivation cycles needed to also match. Couples would often delay a rebirth in tandem to have children and then likewise roll-back to the youth and strength of their twenties to raise them.
But there could be no such match for Kenji now¡ªat least not with Shinoto.
His stomach dropped as an emptiness consumed him.
She¡¯d moved on without him.
He had just lost his chances with Shinoto, forever¡
* * *
The fireworks of the post ceremony celebration flashed and popped in the clear blue sky, sending puffs of white smoke falling over the village. The square was alive with music and dancing and the smell of roasting meat-skewers mixed with that of piping hot broth and steaming buns and noodles. Kenji avoided a team of dancing children as he balanced two bowls of noodles in his palms crossing the street to where Shinoto was seated upon the porch of her father¡¯s general store.
He sat next to her and handed her one of the bowls.
¡°Did you ask for extra chili oil?¡± Shinoto said, inspecting the noodles with a twirl of her chopsticks.
¡°Taste and find out.¡± He grinned at her. ¡°Cheers.¡±
Kenji knocked his bowl with hers and then slurped a long string of thin noodles, enjoying the flavor of soy sauce, mixed with seared pork and spicy chilies. He savored both the food and the time to relax. There would be no work today, due to the celebration and Kenji hoped to make the best of it.
Despite her new appearance, Kenji found it easy to talk with Shinoto as he always had. Between slurps of noodles he listened to her as she laid out her new plan for herself, now that she had been rebirthed; a goal she had worked towards for over a year.
Shinoto had had trouble cultivating Qi at first. It was why they were often paired together throughout their youth. And while she had worked hard to overcome her difficulties, progressing from first tier to eighth in less than a year, she was not considered a prodigy by any means. She had only just reached the eight tier of elemental ascension a month ago at age 17, while a true prodigy could perhaps reach that stage at ten. That was the other reason she was so special to Kenji. She was considered a dullard like he was when it came to the mystic arts.
Or at least she had been¡until today.
¡°If I reach the fourth tier by the time I¡¯m 14 again, I could perhaps qualify to join one of the mystic schools.¡±
¡°You¡¯d be ready to go by then, you think?¡±
¡°I should have a much better chance against the other clan entries.¡± She then winked at him. ¡°I¡¯d really be 24, remember?¡±
She laughed as she nudged him. This was yet another reason Shinoto was special to him. She could perhaps live a much easier life remaining a store keeper in Han Village, but she craved more. Shinoto yearned to see the outside world, while most Han people, himself included were happy to stay within the shelter and safety of the clan. Even for him, in as low a station as he was, he was well off compared to other clans. Simply being a Han came with an air of prestige and privilege.
And at least life would remain predictable, if not mundane. The life of a mystic artist on the other hand was fraught with endless training and hardships and most would likely come to a violent end on some bloody battlefield, fighting any number of the Zhou Empire¡¯s many enemies to the north.
But besides all that, simply being able to join a mystic school was a rare achievement and yet another path denied to Kenji. While the clans within the empire each had a specialty, they were limited to learning only those techniques. The Han were, of course, renowned for their rebirthing techniques, the Kurogane for their steel and metal works, the Shiruku for their silk and textiles and the Amatsu for their medicinal and healing arts. But once a year, the empire recruited the best and brightest of the four artisan clans to join one of the mystic schools, where the martial techniques were taught: Blade, Fist, Spear and Soul. In such schools reaching the eight tier of ascension was only the beginning. There were levels upon levels beyond that, measure in Dans, each with eight tiers of their own. There was no limit on what Dan one could reach, even as far as to gain immortality, if the legends were true. It was perhaps the reason the Han clan was privileged among the rest. To have a similar system of dual ascension with their rebirthing and gold stripes, put them on nearly the same status.
Kenji sighed inwardly. Shinoto was not gifted, yet she was never one to give up on her dreams. Even if it took her years. Already she was preparing to train seven more years just to get a chance to live her dream of becoming a mystic warrior. And being a Han, it was likely to come true. The schools would much more readily accept a gold striped third or fourth than even a prodigy from another clan.
Meanwhile, Kenji would likely remain a dullard at 24 when Shinoto eventually ventured off to one of the mystic schools¡ªfollowing her dream.
¡°Your time will come, Kenji,¡± Shinoto said resting a hand on his forearm, perhaps sensing his thoughts, or even catching the dejected look on his face. ¡°Keep training. It¡¯s what did it for me. Remember I spend 16 years as an Off White.¡±
He chuckled and pointed at her robe. ¡°You¡¯re still an Off White.¡±
She nudged him back. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get your gold stripe too. Then we can train to join one of the mystic schools together.¡± Her eyes then widened as if suddenly remembering something. ¡°We can train together now! Now that I¡¯m rebirthed, I can start all over again at base tier with you. I¡¯ll come over to your house tomorrow after work. How¡¯s that?¡±
Kenji couldn¡¯t resist the infection smile she had as she looked up at him.
¡°Thanks Shinoto,¡± Kenji said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±
She was anything if not enthusiastic; even if it would likely lead only to more disappointment. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°Oh, look what the elders gifted me!¡± Shinoto said as she unwrapped a small cloth in her hand and then showed it to him. Within it was a yellow apple the size of a pea.
¡°Was that from the tree we rebirthed last month?¡±
¡°You should know,¡± Shinoto said with another jab to his side. ¡°Didn¡¯t you place the ropes on it yourself?¡±
Kenji chucked. ¡°Probably.¡±
For all his lack of internal strength, Kenji was blessed with at least one gift from the heavens, even though at times it felt like a curse. He was tall for his age. And his height was matched only by his strength. But in a village where youth was prized as a symbol of great power, he was destined to be an oddity. Thankfully his work in the orchards was well suited for his body.
Kenji looked again at the diminutive apple in Shinoto¡¯s palm. He had seen such fruit numerous times. If it was from the tree he presumed, that apple contained over two centuries of concentrated essence. To be granted such a gift would make even a mystic warrior envious.
Cultivating was a slow process, accelerated only by one¡¯s prowess with the mystic arts. But even if one was a prodigy, it took time¡ªyears. But nature concentrated Qi on its own accord and for a tree rebirthed twice in over two hundred years, the fruit it produced was potent. Shinoto could perhaps skip the entire first or even second tier of her new ascension by eating that apple and cycling it through her body.
¡°I want you to have it,¡± Shinoto said and thrust it into his hand.
He blinked. ¡°What?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve been training for as long and as hard as I have, Kenji. Harder even. I¡¯m sure you must be on the cusp of a breakthrough. If you channeled that apple, perhaps you could ascent to the eighth tier right away.¡±
The thought was almost fantastical¡ªto reach jade level instantly? But there were reasons why he hadn¡¯t even reached the first tier yet. ¡°My father said it won¡¯t work like that for me. It isn¡¯t that my doma is weak or dilute¡it¡¯s like¡ it¡¯s like it doesn¡¯t exist.¡±
¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Shinoto said. ¡°Every living thing has one. Even animals. How do you think the great Spirit beasts come about?¡±
She had a point. But if that were true, it only made the real truth that much worse. ¡°Then it¡¯s what my father says¡my doma is damaged.¡±
Shinoto grew silent and cast her eyes to the ground.
Normally she probably would have pushed the issue more, but she perhaps knew the reason as to why his doma worked more like a hole-riddled bucket than the vessel of spiritual containment that it should.
¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Kenji said. ¡°It is the fate the heavens have dealt me. My father always told me I was lucky to have survived with only this scar. My mother¡she was not so lucky.¡±
Kenji had never known his mother. The traumatic birth that had claimed her life had indeed scarred his own and he still bore the mark to prove it. He felt absently for the scar tissue right below his navel, the point where his doma should be.
¡°I¡¯m sorry to have reminded you of that,¡± Shinoto said.
He smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s no bother. Maybe you¡¯re right. Maybe the fruit will work. But it¡¯s your gift, not mine.¡±
¡°I want you to have it,¡± she said, thrusting it to him.
Kenji pushed it back to her. ¡°It¡¯s your gift, Shinoto. You¡¯ve earned it. And if you want to become a mystic warrior someday, you¡¯d make far better use of it than me.¡±
¡°Our plan is to still go together, remember?¡± She nudged him again. ¡°Me the Soul Master and you the Sword Saint. Or did you want to become a Fist Master? With your build, you¡¯d make a great Fist Master, I think.¡±
¡°A Fist Master?¡± someone said. ¡°He¡¯d be lucky to make First Tier!¡±
A cackle of laughed followed.
Kenji looked up to see three boys in robes with orange trim, each with a single stripe of gold.
¡°What do you want Chet Fai?¡± Shinoto glowered at the boy in the center.
Chet Fai was tall for a ten year old, his long hair pulled into a braid much like Shinoto¡¯s, his eyes sharp and jade like hers as well. Next to him, his two flunkies, Wu Long and Shiro leered and scoffed like jackals.
¡°Yeah,¡± Wu Long, a plump boy with a bald head said. ¡°He¡¯d need a hundred year rope to rebirth by the time he ever reached Jade.¡±
The boys laughed again. The third boy, Shiro didn¡¯t say anything as usual. He was small, even when he¡¯d been a teenager. But what he lacked in height he made up for with cunning and wit. Shiro came from one of the few families to have been blessed to have a mystic warrior among them¡ªor at least one that actually returned to Han village. His father had been a Soul Master, one able to manipulate the Qi stored in his doma to throw powerful elemental bursts from his bare hands. And by his rapid advancement, Shiro if anyone was destined to follow in his father¡¯s footsteps and be picked from their village to join one of the Mystic Schools.
¡°Why are you hanging around this cripple?¡± Chet Fai said without even looking at Kenji. ¡°It was embarrassing before when you were both teenagers, but now to be seen together is outright shameful. Don¡¯t you feel the stares?¡±
¡°Leave us alone!¡± Shinoto said.
Kenji rested a hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s probably right.¡±
Shame crept into his stomach as he said it. Even now, amongst the four of them, he felt an outsider. Like a giant idiot. He should be the same height as them, the same age as them¡ªthe same tier.
¡°See,¡± Chet Fai said. ¡°Even a dog knows its place.¡± Chet Fai looked at him then, a repugnant smirk on his lips. ¡°Good dog.¡±
Shame shifted to ire. ¡°There was no need for that. You made your point, Chet Fai.¡±
The smirk on his face grew into a bemused smile. ¡°Oh? You look like you want to hit me now. Would you like to try, Off White?¡±
The jackals laughed again.
¡°I¡¯d like to see him try,¡± Wu Long said. ¡°Chet Fai could kill him with his little finger.¡±
¡°Damn right, I could.¡± Chet Fai leveled his eyes at Kenji. ¡°You remember that.¡±
¡°Bet you couldn¡¯t if he were rebirthed,¡± Shinoto said. ¡°You¡¯re a coward, Chet Fai. If you were equal rank, you¡¯d be the one to be killed.¡±
¡°That right? You think he¡¯s special?¡± Chet Fai scoffed with a laugh. ¡°The only person he¡¯s been able to kill¡is his own mother.¡±
Kenji¡¯s stomach lurched with an explosion.
He was off the step before he knew it, his fist flying. The move took them all by surprise and his knuckles slammed full force into the soft, ten year old face of the near twenty year old Chet Fai. Pain snapped through his wrists as the force of his hit lifted the boy off the ground. Chet Fai flailed in midair before landing hard on his back, winded.
Time stood still.
The rapid thud of his heartbeat raged within Kengi¡¯s ears. What have I done?
His anger quickly receded into fear as Chet Fai lifted himself from the ground. Already steam was pouring from the bruise he¡¯d left on Chet Fai¡¯s cheek, the orange-tiered gold stripe already channeling his Qi to remove the pain and reform any damage to his body.
Curse the nine hells¡
The tiers of ascension were not martial forms, but they were the foundation. Even a third tier could outdo Kenji¡¯s enormous body in terms of raw power, strength and stamina, even while in the body of a child. And now he faced an angry third tier with a gold stripe.
Essentially an eleventh tier.
Every cultural instinct in Kenji¡¯s body screamed for him to fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness. Even Shinoto who stared with an open mouth, was conveying the same thing through her trembling jade eyes.
Kneel! Kneel!
But then something else filled him, something alien but not unfamiliar. He¡¯d experienced it only a few times before. Once when he had dared to climb a hundred foot banyan tree and nearly fell, catching his footing at just the last moment. Another when he chased off a pair of wolves that had wandered into the orchard.
It was like anger and resentment mixed into one, swelling his heart with fire and pride.
Defiance¡ªthat was the emotion¡ªan insolence bold enough to war against even the heavens themselves. And now it was aimed at Chet Fai.
¡°Take your best shot,¡± Kenji said.
Fearlessness took him as he prepared to face the repercussion his actions. If it ended with only broken bones he would be lucky. Chet Fai¡¯s lip curled with anger and even from ten feet away, Kenji could feel the pressure of his inner strength building as he gathered Qi from his doma.
In a flash, Chet Fai leapt forward with a lightning quick strike.
Kenji did nothing to stop it, prepared to harden his defiance with blood. A second passed and the punch never reached him. Confusion took hold as he looked up to see not Chet Fai standing before him, but the much taller figure of his father, Ben Fai.
Ben Fai looked only in his thirties, but was perhaps fifty by now. He shared Chet Fai¡¯s jade eyes and long hair. Eyes which now blazed like hot coals as he held onto Chet Fai¡¯s outstretched hand like a vice about the wrist.
¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Ben fai bellowed, looking between them.
¡°He struck me!¡± Chet Fai said. ¡°The Off White struck me!¡±
Bing Fai looked to Shinoto. ¡°Is this true?¡±
Shinoto glanced at Kenji with an almost apologetic frown before turning back to Ben Fai. ¡°Yes. He did.¡±
Ben Fai released a long breath through his nostrils, his eyes piercing Kenji¡¯s own. For a moment, the defiance dared to rear its head again, but humility and perhaps common sense finally prevailed and Kenji sank to his knees.
¡°It is true. I struck him. I deeply apologize. It was in rash anger. Please forgive, this one for his insolence and unrestraint.¡±
¡°I deserve to regain my honor!¡± Chet Fai said, glaring up at his father. ¡°He has offended our family!¡±
Ben Fai tossed his hand towards the ground. ¡°You are still a boy in my home. Your honor is not your own. And you will not soil mine by striking an elder¡¯s son.¡±
Relief ran though Kenji at hearing the words. It appeared his station in life had saved him once again. But Ben Fai didn¡¯t seem happy about it. He leveled his jade eyes at Kenji. ¡°Go home to your father now, Kenji. We will not speak of this exchange. Do you understand?¡±
Kenji nodded profusely. ¡°Absolutely. Thank you Master Ben Fai. You show me tremendous grace with your discretion.¡±
¡°That goes for all of you,¡± Ben Fai said looking over his shoulder at Wu Long and Shiro. ¡°Go home to your families.¡±
The two boys ran off then and Ben Fai looked to Shinoto and Chet Fai. ¡°You two¡ inside. Now.¡±
Ben Fai marched into the general store, followed reluctantly by Shinoto who gave him a small wave that she darned not let Chet Fai or Ben Fai see. When she disappeared inside the general store, Chet Fai approached him next.
¡°Consider yourself lucky, cripple,¡± Chet Fai said as he stopped just before the door. ¡°If you ever touch me again, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±
Kenji could feel the anger and hatred in his eyes. Chet Fai meant every world of it.
He left then, but not before spitting out words that to Kenji, were far more threatened than the first: ¡°Stay away from my sister.¡±
Chapter 3 - Waru
Kenji didn¡¯t head home straight away.
It was late afternoon and his head was a swim with everything that had just taken place. After stumbling hazily through the crowds in the village square he made his way past the rice paddies and farms lands towards the northern orchard close to his home. Han Village lay within the bowl of a valley, surrounded by thick forests and a lake to the south. The distant hills glowed orange with the fading sunlight which spilled onto the tall pear trees as he drew close to the orchard.
He vaulted over the low stone wall ringing the ten or so acres that housed the well-spaced trees. As the oldest orchard in the village, some of the trees here were well over a century old. But Kenji didn¡¯t come for the trees. He made straight for the wooden tool shed to the west of the orchard and climbed the rickety ladder onto its thatched roof.
A wave of depression washed over him as he fell onto his haunches and stared at the soon to set sun.
Curse that Chet Fai. How did someone as wonderful of Shinoto end up with the same parents as him?
Kenji couldn¡¯t remember a time when Chet Fai hadn¡¯t been a source of pain to him, and it only became worse as the years went by¡ªwhen it became clear that his advancement was impeded. It was as if Chet Fai saw his infirmity as somehow contagious and was convinced it was affecting his sister¡¯s advancement as well. Seeing him with her, despite her rebirth, was for Chet Fai, perhaps a sort of last straw.
But while Chet Fai was openly hostile about it, at least he was honest.
Kenji was sure there were others in the village who felt the same way about his friendship with Shinoto¡his own father one of them. He was doubly grateful now for Ben Fai not punishing him. If word of what happened got back to his father, it would only be the beginning of pain for him.
He felt again for the scar on his doma, the source of all his troubles. With no doma he could not store Qi, without Qi, he could not ascend. Without ascending to at least jade tier, he could not be reborn. And without being reborn, he could never court Shinoto.
¡°What did I do in my former life to deserve all this?¡± he said to the heavens.
Shockingly an answer came back: ¡°You probably drank too much wine and chased too many women¡¡± a belch followed. ¡°¡ like me.¡±
Kenji stood and ran to the ladder. ¡°Waru?¡±
The wrinkled, smiling face of the fieldhand beamed up at him from the foot of the ladder. ¡°Help me up, lad.¡±
Kenji descended halfway down and then made good use of his strength to literally drag the half-drunken Waru up the ladder. He then rested him as gingerly as he could upon the rooftop. ¡°How much have you drunk?¡±
¡°Only my third bottle,¡± Waru said and produced said bottle from his mud stained robes. He placed the white ceramic bottle to his lips for a long sip of rice wine. Or at least that¡¯s what Kenji assumed it was.
Kenji chuckled. ¡°At least you had the decency to not get drunk at the ceremony.¡±
¡°Huh?¡± Waru looked up at him bleary-eyed. ¡°What ceremony?¡±
He had to be kidding. ¡°Shinoto¡¯s rebirth ceremony. Did you not know? Why did you think we had the day off?¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
The fieldhand shrugged. ¡°I thought you¡¯d just forgotten to come to work.¡±
Waru finally laughed and Kenji couldn¡¯t tell if he was being serious or not. He was quite certain Waru couldn¡¯t tell half the time himself. He sat next to Waru who offered him the bottle, but Kenji politely declined.
¡°Still not drinking yet, huh?¡±
¡°My father says it¡¯ll slow my progression.¡±
¡°Which is coming along swiftly, no doubt.¡± Waru laughed again.
Kenji kicked him in the foot. ¡°Not funny.¡±
¡°So how it go?¡± Waru asked. ¡°The rebirth. That was your girl, wasn¡¯t it? Shinoto?¡±
Kenji sighed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call her my girl, but yes¡It went fine. She¡¯s now seven years old again.¡±
He almost did feel like taking a swig of that bottle. And if not for the wariness of what exactly was in it, he may have. He glanced at Waru and saw his future: a shriveled fieldhand of fifty years or more; never tiered and never rebirthed. Kenji had never asked why or how he had become so. Perhaps some birth defect such as his own, or an injury in his youth.
He did recall Waru mentioning once that he had joined the imperial army as a conscript during the great rebellion. But whether that led to his infirmary or was as a result of it, Kenji was not sure. The Zhou Imperial Army was far less picky than the mystic schools. So long as you could heft a spear, you were fit to be fodder on the battlefield. It was hard to imagine Waru even lifting a spear, much less wielding one. For as long as Kenji had known him, old Waru was simply a fieldhand who worked the orchards day and drank heavily by night.
What a life¡
Kenji all at once had compassion and contempt for the man.
He was perhaps his only other friend in the village.
¡°I suppose I¡¯ll be looking to ask someone else to the festival now,¡± Kenji said resignedly.
¡°Don¡¯t give up yet, lad. You¡¯re young still. The fates have much in store for you. Trust me.¡±
Kenji chuckled. ¡°I wish I could be as sure about it as you.¡±
Waru sipped his bottle. ¡°The girl fancies you, Kenji. I¡¯ve seen it when she comes around here.¡±
¡°You think so?¡±
¡°I know so.¡± Waru tapped the air with his index finger. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing old Waru knows¡it¡¯s women.¡±
Kenji chuckled but then sighed. ¡°Won¡¯t matter anyway. If I can¡¯t be rebirthed with her, it¡¯s hopeless.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
Kenji gave him an accusatory look. ¡°Are you sick in the head, old man? How am I supposed to court a sever year old?¡±
¡°Just wait till she grows up again then.¡± Waru shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s your fault you¡¯re waiting in the first place.¡±
Kenji balked. ¡°What?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to ask her to the festival before she reached eighth tier? If you¡¯d let your intension be known and given her the choice between you and rebirth, she would have chosen you!¡±
Kenji grew quiet. He did recall Waru telling him that. He recalled contemplating it too. ¡°You¡¯re right, Waru. She probably would have chosen me. Which is why I didn¡¯t ask.¡±
¡°So who¡¯s the fool then?¡±
¡°She wants to become a mystic warrior,¡± Kenji said. ¡°That¡¯s her dream. How could I ask her to choose between that and me?¡±
¡°So¡¡± Waru shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve got only one other choice then. Get to channeling, lad. You need to catch up to her before she goes off to become a great mystic artist, travelling the world in search of adventure and fame, never to return to this hovel and your sorry face ever again.¡±
Waru laughed then, amused at his own rhyme. It was not a haughty laugh, but more like one resigned to his own fate¡ªas if he could see into Kenji¡¯s soul and recognized the same illness that prevented him from ever reaching even the most basic of tiers. It was a laugh that said the ship had long since sailed.
But even if he could do just that, if he could be reborn and join Shinoto on her journey, there was another problem to overcome. ¡°I got into a fight with her brother today, too. He wants me to have nothing to do with her.¡±
¡°That fool, Chet Fai?¡± Waru said, suddenly sobering. ¡°What happened?¡±
Kenji told him the story and the old man laughed.
¡°Serves him right!¡± Waru slapped him on the knee. ¡°To the hells with them all. With their baby faces and gold stripes. They probably hadn¡¯t seen defiance like that since the days of the Bloody Duke!¡± Waru raised his bottle in salute to the legendary mystic warrior who had nearly overthrown the emperor decades ago. Waru then stared at Kenji with an odd little smile on his face. ¡°Only natural, I suppose.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
Waru slapped him on the knee. ¡°Hells if I know. I¡¯m drunk. Help me off this damn roof.¡±
Kenji slid Waru onto his back and lowered them both down the ladder. Waru wasn¡¯t a small man, still stocky and strong for his age and it was only thanks to Kenji¡¯s own strength¡ªand that of the ladder¡ªthat they made it to the ground unharmed.
¡°I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Kenji said, but by then Waru was already snoring upon his back.
Book 2 : Prologue
Defying the heavens has its price¡
Kenji is a Sundered Soul; a splintered portion of a legendary mystic warrior reborn anew...and his former self wants his body back.
Fresh on the heels of his victory over the Bloody Duke, Kenji must now travel to the smithing city of Kurogane for a chance to remove the seal around his doma. With the seal slowly killing him, only by breaking it will he have a chance to survive and grow strong enough to protect the ones he loves.
With a new master to guide him, he has a good chance, but his use of the forbidden Han Arts has preceded him and the repercussions are already coming to bear. Kenji will have to battle giant spirits beasts, demons and even warring mystic sects for a chance to set things right. And that¡¯s before dealing with the Bloody Duke himself.
But as time runs out, more is at stake than he even realizes. Kenji will need to unlock his potential and advance not just for himself, but for the fate of the entire divine realm¡
Sundered Soul: Consequence is book two in the new Wuxia/Xianxia series by bestselling LitRPG author Rick Scott. If you¡¯re a fan of Asian cultivation stories like the Cradle Series, martial arts fantasy and Japanese style Xianxia such as Princess Mononoke, Samurai Shodown and Sekiro, then this is the book for you!
Read Sundered Soul today!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
#Prologue
The nine primal worlds flashed into existence before Alu Hu¡¯Zim. From his throne within the First Celestial Heaven¡¯s Holy Sanctuary, he stared down upon the nine discs hovering before him, each one a window into one of the nine primordial realms far below.
His slate-gray eyes, hidden under thick white brows, were immediately drawn to the 2nd realm of Dao Ziam, his ancestral home. Through the portal he could spy any vantage he desired. The rolling plains of Tu¡¯for, the deep green seas of the Vinnile coast and even the wondrous sky city of Kri¡¯re. It had been well over ten thousand generations since he¡¯s set foot on the firmament of his birth world. But he could never do so again.
Not at the level of ascension he had now reached.
As a Dao Ziam native, Alu Hu¡¯Zim was naturally tall and broad chested, with a head of straight white hair which matched his long flowing beard. His skin was the deep chestnut hue that his people were known for and despite his ability to alter his appearance as desired, he chose to remain true to his heritage. The same went for his traditional dress; his long silver robes trimmed with the ancient, flowing script of the Ziam language, red characters against white. Upon his head he bore the ornate golden headdress of the High Celestial Seer, an artifact so powerful that if placed upon a mundane world, it would cause the fabric of existence itself to fracture in two.
Such was the same reason he himself could never visit his home world again.
Power came at a price.
As he sat upon his gilded throne, he passively cultivated the surrounding essence, absorbing the energies of the heavens themselves, refining the celestial Qi before added it to the ever growing well of his doma. With a thought he could summon the arcane runes that could measure the strength of his Doma, right down to the nearest Dan. But after an eternity of lifetimes spent cultivating, ironically, such measurements meant very little to him now.
Golden tapestries, heralding his many conquests and victories over the millennia, draped the sizeable council room about him. Most were of battles fought across the nine planes of celestial ascendance, defending the prized cultivation worlds against the ever threatening powers of the dark realms. But there were depictions of battles across the countless mundane worlds he had defended as well. For more than a thousand years he had traversed the stars, defending world after world as he grew in power. But the most prized tapestries within the sanctuary were not of his victories but instead of battles not yet fought¡ªscenes he had but glimpsed from within his third eye of various futures unknown. As he gazed upon them, they shifted and changed, the variables of the universe still fluid within his divine sight.
The interior of the council room shone with the light of golden Qi stones, rich with the energies of a thousand suns. They formed the construct of the walls, forged by sacred smiths to create ornate pillars and archways they were adorned with celestial serpents made of ivory and jade. To look upon it was more than mere beauty. Such things held the true power of the heavens themselves. The walls of the sanctuary extended into the open air above, where the purple hued sky of the First Celestial Heaven gave way slightly to the pinprick bodies of stars far beyond.
On the floor below him, and surrounding the nine shimmering portals, were a corresponding number of crystal platforms, set about in a perfect circle about the discs¡ªthe gathering place of the Holy Council of Divine Seers. He could recall with vivid clarity every meeting held within these scared walls, some stretching for years of debate, but today¡¯s meeting would be brief.
Or so he had foreseen.
A presence filled the air and Alu Hu¡¯Zim glanced to his side just as a woman in brilliant crystal armor took form next to him, appearing from the aether. Her height¡ªtwice that of his own¡ªwas rivaled only by her beauty, a minor goddess in her own right. Lyndria¡¯s elegant features¡ªunchanged over a thousand years¡ªstill held allure as he regarded her, but her crimson tinted eyes held the spirit of a warrior. His divine retainer and personal guard bowed deeply in greeting.
¡°Exalted one,¡± Lyndria spoke with a reverent tone, her words strong and powerful. Her blue hued hair hung in a single braided lock, stretching to her mid-back, hanging between the folds of lightly scaled white wings. Her divine blood pulsed with power, her half-dragon heritage present in both her aura and the twin horns that protruded from the side of her head just above her ears.
¡°The summons have now arrived,¡± she said.
As Alu Hu¡¯Zim nodded to her, two figures shimmered into existence upon the crystal pillars, astral projections of their true forms. As powerful as they were, even they could not set foot within the Sanctuary of the First Celestial Heaven as their true selves. Only beings of great power, such as he and Lyndria, could truly call the Sanctuary their home. But even great power could be undone by a weakness from within. And such was the reason for his summoning the two figures before him today.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
The first was a man who wore divine robes of jade and gold, his completely shaven head shining with an aura of celestial presence; a divine monk of the highest order. The nine dots marking his position as the Holy Seer of the 9th realm stood out prominently upon his forehead. He fell to his knees and bowed deeply, touching the dots to the crystal floor.
¡°Exalted Grand Seer,¡± he said. ¡°I, Talu Remi, Holy Seer of the 9th Realm, live to serve thee.¡±
The woman, in contrast, merely bowed to a measured depth upon one knee, the bare minimum required of her station versus his own. ¡°Exalted Grand Seer, I Sah Rah, Holy Seer of the 8th Realm, live to serve thee.¡±
She wore a plain dark robe, concealing all but her face and head. Her skin was offensively wrinkled, her hair white with age; although her slender features did hint at beauty in her youth. Her ears were slightly pointed, like the Alue people of the 5th realm, but he knew she hailed from much further afar. Not a true cultivator, her years were extended by mundane means, and they had clearly taken their toll. How one such as she had attained a rank of Holy Seer was an anomaly in itself, but her lineage was not his reason for summoning her.
At least not this day.
¡°Your champion has caused us grave concern from the start, Eighth Seer and now it seems he has further threatened the nine heavens.¡± Alu Hu¡¯Zim focused on the portal to the 8th Realm and enlarged it for them all to see. Within it came a view of both the realm itself and the divine plane floating above it. Extending his power, Alu Hu¡¯Zim enhanced the image and expanded the flat portal into a sphere.
High in the 8th Heaven, three massive forms swam lazily through the air, great primordial beings from the depths of the dark realms. They circled about the temporal rifts now scarring the surface of the material plane, the fractures appearing like swaths of glowing red clouds. ¡°His breaches have now caused the barriers to weaken and allowed the presence of three Bakunawa to affect the primordial plane. What do you have to say in explanation of this?¡±
Sah Rah smiled. ¡°I would first like to know, Grand Seer, why the honorable, Talu Remi is here.¡±
Alu Hu¡¯zim grimaced at her forwardness, but such was always her way. ¡°He is here as a warning,¡± he said plainly. ¡°You have had two centuries to replace the Holy Templar of your domain, and thus far, you have done more to weaken its defenses against the dark realms than strengthen it.¡±
¡°A warning in what way, Grand Seer?¡±
¡°Talu Remi has indicated a willingness to be reborn upon your world to replace your fallen candidate.¡±
Her eyes widened as she looked to the bald-headed monk. ¡°You would shed your celestial status to be reborn a mortal upon my world?¡±
¡°In order the ensure the security of the celestial heavens¡¡± the monk replied to her, but instead looked directly at Alu Hu¡¯Zim. ¡°¡I would.¡±
Alu Hu¡¯Zim smiled at the monk¡¯s subtle pledge of service to him.
Sah Rah however scoffed. ¡°And I suppose your sacrifice has nothing to do with atoning for your own failures?¡±
The woman¡¯s words came bitter and sharp but the monk remained quiet.
She continued, ¡°Might I remind you, honorable Talu Remi that the reason we even need to replace our Holy Templar is because our champion aided in the defense of your realm against the forces of the Ozoku and the Yon¡¯kai. Had your Templar been better prepared, we would have not lost the war¡and both of them in the process.¡±
Talu Remi grew silent, his jaw flexing with a grimace. Still hovering above the floor of the sanctuary, the portal to the 9th Realm remained dark, even Alu Hu¡¯Zim¡¯s great vision unable to penetrate it. It was sealed off by the dark powers which now controlled it, corrupted beyond access.
¡°It has been nearly three centuries since that day,¡± Alu Hu¡¯Zim reminded the both of them. ¡°The Ozoku now bleed into the heavens of the 8th realm, consuming newly fallen souls. They make way for the Yon¡¯kai who hunger for the divine essence of a second plane of celestial ascendance to consume. Even now they gorge and grow strong upon the Qi of the 9th Realm. Time is running out. In your unguarded state, Eighth Seer, should a Dark Lord reemerge, your realm would be defenseless and fall prey as well.¡±
¡°My champion is still undergoing ascension,¡± Sah Rah said. ¡°But he will be ready soon.¡±
¡°Undergoing?¡± Talu Remi said. ¡°He was defeated.¡±
¡°Not defeated,¡± she countered. ¡°Refined. And he will reach 1st Sen far quicker than you ever could, with or without your divine foreknowledge.¡±
¡°Your tactics are most unorthodox, Eighth Seer,¡± Alu Hu¡¯Zim said. ¡°And while they have had success in the past, now is not the time for experiments. You have wasted nearly two centuries already on Li Wan Fu and have naught to show for it but further threats to the borders of your realm. Even now the Bakunawa wreak havoc upon the firmament, corrupting it with Dark Qi. Meanwhile your champion lies nowhere¡ªsplit between a first Dan weakling, a degenerate and a power hungry fiend. Are we to risk the balance of the divine heavens on such a gamble?¡±
¡°It is refinement, as I said,¡± she insisted. ¡°We all know why Li Wan Fu was chosen. And now his strength has been refined a hundred fold. He will reach his station. And with his strength he will not only defend the 8th Realm, but reclaim the 9th and the lost mundane worlds beyond. This¡is what I have foreseen.¡±
She smirked at Talu Remi and the monk scoffed in return.
Alu Hu¡¯Zim pondered the thought as he stared into the completely dark portal of the 9th Realm. For a seer of his celestial power to see only the unknown was a rarity indeed. Frightening almost. Like being mortal once again.
Who knew when those corrupt forces would become strong enough to challenge them again? But challenge them they would. An attack upon the 8th Realm was inevitable. And he needed a powerful defender on its front. For a scant moment he wished he himself could defend it. But the same laws that prevented him from returning to his homeworld also prevented him from stepping foot upon the 8th Realm. Or any that were too far removed in power. Only by raising a champion of their own, could one of equal power be permitted to enter the 8th Realm; the same way Li Wan Fu¡¯s predecessor had aided in defending the 9th.
But now both realms could be lost.
The 8th Realm would remain defenseless until Li Wan Fu ascended, and then became strong enough to allow for Templars of the 7th Realm to assist. But at this rate, such could be over a millennia away.
More than enough time for the Yon¡¯kai to cultivate a new Dark Lord¡and strike.
Alu Hu¡¯Zim grimaced.
To lose another realm of celestial ascendance to the darkness would unbalance the heavens beyond repair. They would then be too weak to defend against the armies breeding in that darkness.
But what Sah Rah said was also true. Li Wan Fu was selected for a reason.
He had seen it as well.
Her champion indeed had potential not encountered for countless generations. But like her, he was a gamble of risk and liability. For as many positive outcomes as he had foreseen, Alu Hu¡¯Zim saw the same number of catastrophes, caused by Li Wan Fu¡¯s own hand¡ªthe Bakunawa now affecting the heavens of the 8th Realm no exception.
¡°I will give you twenty years to make progress,¡± he said. ¡°Should your champion not reach the 10th trial by that time, I will honor Talu Remi¡¯s request to be reborn a mortal upon your world and assume the role as Holy Templar.¡±
Sah Rah looked up at him shocked. ¡°Only twenty years?¡±
¡°Your time is already well spent, Eighth Seer. If you cannot achieve this then I will seek your replacement as well.¡±
It was the woman¡¯s turn to grimace now.
Alu Hu¡¯Zim smiled inwardly. He could sense the fear within her. Fear that if used correctly, would fuel a fire of determination¡ªthe same that would be required to forge her champion into not just a cultivator, but a defender of the divine realms. ¡°And if for reason of fate, he should fall victim to his own consequence, then the result shall take effect immediately.¡±
¡°I understand,¡± she said bowing to him. ¡°Fear not, Grand Seer. Twenty years is more than enough time for my champion to succeed.¡±
Alu Hu¡¯Zim huffed at her bravado and presumptuousness.
There was no determination there yet, still only fear.
¡°For the sake of the nine heavens¡and your own exalted station¡¡± He stared down at her. ¡°I pray, Eighth Seer, that you are right.¡±
Book 2 Chapter 1: Kenji
¡°Come on, stop playing around and hit me!¡±
Sweat poured from Kenji¡¯s brow as he struggled to maintain his fighting stance. Olja stood opposite him, the giant, golden-haired Xjian woman grinning. She stood three heads taller than him, her massive body clad in her jade dress and gleaming chest armor. Her ice blue eyes twinkled with mischief as she held her hands casually by her sides, sans her normal Fist Master gauntlets. She glanced to Shinoto who sat in the boughs of a willow tree dangling over the river¡¯s edge. His bride-to-be grinned mischievously as well, as if the two women were sharing a secret joke between them.
Curse this fate, he thought. I definitely can¡¯t lose now.
Kenji struggled to control his breathing by tapping into his Qi, willing the sacred energy from within his doma to travel through several of his meridians. The power of it flowed and was like taking a second breath of air, his endurance returning.
¡°That¡¯s the third time already!¡± Shinoto shouted with accusation from within the tree. Her elegant features glowed with delight as she laughed. Kenji admired her for a moment; a true beauty to rival any empress or queen and seventeen years old again, thank the heavens. Her long dark hair, now tied loosely behind her head in a horse¡¯s tail, bobbed up and down as she laughed and contrasted against her bright white robes, still trimmed with the Off-White that had once determined her station with their clan.
Kenji¡¯s own robes did the same. But their robes defined them no more. They were all that was left of the Han clan now and the future of it would be entirely up to him. The sacred Han arts, able to control time itself, were now his to further master and refine, and his alone to carry into the future.
Kenji focused on the task at hand and could feel the surge of power from his ascended doma, which even now causes a bit of discomfort in his stomach.
¡°Use the second wind technique two more times without hitting her and you lose, Kenji!¡± Shinoto mocked him.
¡°Yes, I know the rules, my love,¡± he said with a grin.
Kenji grimaced with determination, focusing on recalling his martial forms.
¡°Ready?¡± Olja asked, lowering into a fighting stance.
Kenji placed a palm over his fist and gave a short bow as his strength fully returned. ¡°Ready.¡±
¡°Go!¡±
With a yell, Kenji lunged at Olja with a flying kick, followed by a series of jabs. Olja weaved through the strikes barely moving. He went through each of the martial forms she had taught him, striking with focused punches and sweeps. He tried desperately to hit the woman nearly twice his size, but she moved with a celerity that defied her massive girth. It was like trying to hit a bear that possessed the grace of a bee. He didn¡¯t give up, however even when his arms began to tire.
¡°Don¡¯t get sloppy,¡± Olja warned him. ¡°Maintain your form. Never sacrifice it for speed. Only amateurs do that crap.¡±
¡°Yes, master!¡±
¡°And stop calling me master. Damn. So formal you southerners are.¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± he breathed, still desperate to hit her with only one punch.
He flexed his doma, enduring a sting of pain as he accessed his Qi again, topping himself up with another burst of energy from the second wind technique.
¡°That¡¯s four!¡± Shinoto said. ¡°One more and you forfeit!¡±
¡°It¡¯s your turn next, little one,¡± Olja chided her, leaning back as Kenji¡¯s sweeping kick missed her head by a mile. ¡°So get ready.¡±
Kenji felt his strength diminishing. He was tempted to break technique and swing wildly in order to hit her, but that was all he knew how to do in the past. A rank amateur like she¡¯d said. But now that Olja had taught him several striking techniques of the Fist Master arts, those were all he was limited to perform¡ªat least while training. The battle raged on, sand flying into the air as they sparred up and down the riverbank.
Kenji¡¯s mind raced as he struggled to find a way to pass this challenge. His speed could certainly not match Olja¡¯s own, but perhaps his cunning could. Kenji measured the last of his endurance, trying to think two and three steps ahead of her. She was reacting to his attacks, and that gave him some way to influence the fight.
Examining her defensive technique for another minute, he went all out with a flurry of strikes. He never expected to hit her. Instead he aimed for an open space of air he expected her to be in when he performed his last sweeping kick.
¡°LIGHTNING ARC SCYTHE!¡±
He executed the technique with a burst of Qi, channeling it through his meridians. He lacked the inner strength to perform the technique in full, performing merely a spinning kick, instead of a streaming arc of lightning from his heel as Olja would. Still, as predicted, Olja ducked below the kick, shifting to the right. Kenji immediately followed through with a punch to the open air behind him.
With amazement his knuckles met flesh¡but in the form of Olja¡¯s open palm.
She grinned at him as she blocked his final strike. ¡°Nice one, but I saw it coming a mile away.¡±
Kenji slumped, exhausted and defeated as both Olja and Shinoto broke into a laugh.
¡°And still the reigning no touch champion, Olja!¡± Shinoto cheered for her and Olja performed a surprisingly graceful bow.
¡°Not bad though,¡± Olja said, clapping Kenji on the shoulder. ¡°That investment in quick thinking for cultivation focus must be paying off. You have a knack for coming up with the unpredictable on the fly.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± Kenji said and rested his hands on his knees as he caught his breath, the small measure of praise filling him with pride. But he dare not let it go to his head. ¡°But it seems, I¡¯ll need to focus on my body cultivation to become much faster to hit you. What level of body celerity do you possess?¡±
¡°Five ranks passively,¡± she said. ¡°Triple that if I engage the Lightning Spirit technique.¡±
Kenji¡¯s insides melted in awe. Just to hear the possibilities that came with advancement had him eager to cultivate right away. ¡°When will I be able to do all that?¡±
Olja laughed in her deep voice. ¡°In time. You learn quick though. You seem to have mastered those forms already, but cultivation is a different matter. That will only come with what materia you can get your hands on and how fast you can channel it. You¡¯ll get there. Or get back there, I should say. You¡¯re still only first Dan, remember.¡±
Kenji grinned inwardly as she said it. Not so long ago a statement like that would have seemed ludicrous; like someone claiming the emperor¡¯s head chef was only a beginner cook. 1st Dan was always an impossible goal he could never achieve, a gulf he could never cross. But now, since travelling to the celestial realm, seeing the powerful beings that resided there and discovering the glowing symbols that could forge his cultivation in whatever direction he desired, 1st Dan did indeed seems like the rank of a pure beginner.
But still he was happy to finally be one.
A true practitioner of the mystic arts at last.
Shinoto hopped down from the tree and landed gracefully even without using her Qinggong. ¡°My turn, slow poke. Go take a rest.¡±
Kenji laughed and did so gladly, collapsing onto the cold sand of the riverbank.
It had been nearly a week now since he¡¯d defeated General Amikazu and the Bloody Duke and ascended to 1st Dan. And it was perhaps one of the best weeks of his life, if he were honest. Sailing upon the river and channeling by day, they made camp on the riverbank to study techniques and train by night. As his new master¡ªeven though she hated him calling her that¡ª Olja took her vows to prepare him to be the Holy Templar of the 8th Realm quite seriously and had started both he and Shinoto along the path of the mystic arts.
Although in truth he still had very little idea what becoming this Holy Templar actually meant. They had scant talked about it or even about Olja¡¯s own mysterious past and her homeland of Xjian where they were all bound to travel to one day.
Instead Olja focused on teaching him her own mystic art forms, a combination of the Iron Body and Thunder Fist techniques. And considering he would one day be facing the Bloody Duke and the unknown forces of the dark realms he had unwittingly summoned, not satisfying his own curiosity for the sake of mystic arts training was just fine with him.
It was still only the basics he¡¯d been taught so far, but he had learned a wealth of knowledge already. Martial forms, attack patterns and even a few Qi infused techniques like the Lightning Arc kick he had performed; even if it did come without the power of actual lightning. All of it was knowledge he was eager to incorporate into his own mystic art style one day; utilizing the Sacred Han techniques to create the Way of the Sundered Soul.
But that could be years away.
Right now he¡¯d be happy to learn enough to just land a single punch on Olja. But after that, he¡¯d then have to learn to do the same with her actually fighting back. And that was still only the basics¡ªor so Olja had warned. It was all at once daunting and exhilarating. Challenge upon challenge to grow stronger.
The life of a practitioner.
He was beginning to understand what that truly meant now. It was a drive unlike anything he had experienced before. A life unlike that of the artisan he was trained to be, whose focus was on perfection rather than progression. And it was altogether nothing like the simple laborer¡¯s life he had been relegated to living before; content to tend orchards for the rest of his days.
He was truly on a path leading to greatness now.
Towards a destiny both known and unknown.
He looked up at the morning sun now beaming hot in the sky, enjoying the warmth on his face. They¡¯d been up since dawn as had become their routine, starting with morning channeling before consuming a quick breakfast and then commencing with forms and techniques before heading onto the river in their small boat.
As he looked to Shinoto, now engaging in her own basic training, an uneasiness filled him. She still hadn¡¯t been able to sense her doma and cultivate yet. It had been nearly a week now with no results at all.
The thought caused his stomach to sour.
He prayed that it was perhaps too early to tell if there was any permanent damage or not. Her use of the Han rope technique that Kenji had constructed for her, had decompressed ten years¡¯ worth of cultivated Qi in a single Palm technique, literally vaporizing the two 10th Dan sellblades who were about to kill them, and clearing half a forest in the process.
But the stress of it had nearly killed her as well, and now he feared that her doma was permanently crippled as a result. He prayed it wasn¡¯t the case and that her Doma would eventually heal. But as for right now, Olja was limited to teaching her martial forms only with no use of Qi.
It was the same way he had struggled his entire life.
A Doma-less dullard.
But at least nothing more was expected of him back then.
But for Shinoto, as a Soul Master¡ªone able to wield the forces of the elements themselves through the force of their Doma¡ªher inner strength was the heart of her power. Kenji frowned and hoped he had not robber her of that too.
¡°Your aim is improving,¡± Olja commented with a smile as she studied Shinoto from afar, who now wielded pebbles instead of the jewel-encrusted bangles of the Soul Master arts. Shinoto faced the three makeshift targets at the far end of the riverbank, trunks of bamboo shoved into the sand.
With a yell she threw all three stones with a flash of her hand and managed to hit two out of the three in a single strike.
¡°Good,¡± Olja said. ¡°Again. But try it from further back this time.¡±
Kenji had to admit that even without her Qi, Shinoto¡¯s martial form was impressive, as was her aim. He supposed focusing on that was still quite important, considering Soul Master fought from a distance and therefore aim was critical. And perhaps they could find help for her in Kurogane, the same as he now sought for his own doma.
But like everything else, only time would tell.
Shinoto¡¯s training continued as Kenji slipped into meditation, channeling and restoring the Qi within his own Doma. In his mind¡¯s eye he envisioned it, the center of his core and the dwelling place of his Qi. For him it was different than many others. His Doma was sealed within a soul stone, one that was thankfully now cracked, allowing him access to cultivate to an extent, but it was tearing his Doma apart as well.
And slowly killing him.
For as much Qi as he could now circulate through his meridians, the same was seeping into his body and slowly poisoning him to death. Or so Master Mei Ling back in Amatsu Village had told him. He pondered upon her a moment, picturing the elegant doctor on her high-heeled sandals and prayed she was alright. And that Shinoto¡¯s brother, Chet-Fai, was alright as well. He remembered his vow to Mei Ling also. Amatsu Village deserved to be ruled by her, not the bloated bureaucrat who now stood as their chief.
But righting such injustices were far from his reach. Only those with strength could wield power¡and he was still yet weak. That thought caused him to concentrate further on his channeling, willing more Qi into his doma. As the pressure built, an all too familiar pain radiated through his gut. Blood filled his mouth and his head grew light.
He slumped to one side and Shinoto turned about from her practice. ¡°Kenji?¡±
She trotted to him with concern in her eyes at first, but then they shifted to annoyance as she let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Will you please stop trying to do that? You¡¯ll only injure yourself more.¡±
¡°Yes, I know¡¡± he said, sitting back up and enduring the pain. ¡°It¡¯s just frustrating being like this.¡±
She blew out a laugh. ¡°Yeah, tell me about it.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
He realized what he had said and immediately blushed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to be so insensitive.¡±
¡°And will you quit being so sensitive?¡± she said rolling her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You suffered like this for much longer than I have. But if you keep pushing it, you¡¯ll be worse than a cripple. You¡¯ll be dead. So quit it.¡±
Kenji sighed. What she said was absolutely right. With his doma still sealed, further ascension was impossible¡ªor at least, not without killing him, it seemed. Kenji adjusted the length of golden rope tied about his waist, his second source of power. Although using it was perhaps just as deadly as taxing his Doma, but through a different set of means.
¡°You¡¯d better listen to her, tough guy,¡± Olja said with a deep chuckle. She folded her arms across her massive chest. ¡°Don¡¯t push it. Kurogane is close now. We¡¯ll fix that seal or whatever the heck is wrong inside of you. Then you can start cultivating for real. I¡¯m actually looking forward to seeing your potential. From what my mother used to tell us about Li Wan Fu, he was a prodigy like none she had ever seen.¡±
¡°So I¡¯ve been told,¡± Kenji said as he spat out blood. Li Wan Fu, his true name. He knew nothing of his former life, but he¡¯d once been an immortal warrior; one that now haunted Kenji as a spirit in his visions and promised to kill him one day to reacquire his body.
¡°Your mother actually trained him?¡± Shinoto asked.
¡°In the beginning, yes,¡± Olja said. ¡°But he surpassed her quickly. The same that will happen between Kenji and I, one day, I suppose. But I¡¯m to make sure he doesn¡¯t go off the deep end this time.¡±
She laughed, making it a joke, but the thought that he could only day be more powerful than Olja was mind boggling, but not out of question, not after already meeting the man he used to be. ¡°The Bloody Duke doesn¡¯t seem like someone who even needs a master. His skills and powers are incredible.¡±
¡°Everyone needs a master,¡± Olja said. ¡°Or a mentor at the very least. The Holy Seer said Li Wan Fu lost his path because he grew too arrogant and stopped believing he could learn anything from others. So consider that your first lesson. You listen to me, no matter how foul-reared you get.¡±
¡°Foul-reared?¡± Shinoto said, creasing her brow at her.
Olja waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Never mind. The tones probably don¡¯t translate well in your dialect.¡±
Shinoto laughed. ¡°I¡¯d say so.¡±
¡°Anyway, the point is, you take you cues from now, Li Wan Fu.¡±
She laughed again and Kenji smirked with mock annoyance at the ribbing.
¡°You start calling me that and I¡¯ll stop calling you master and start calling you Princess.¡±
Olja rolled her eyes. ¡°Curse the fates, I wish you¡¯d never overheard that.¡±
¡°Hey!¡± Shinoto said. ¡°Are you really a princess or what? You still haven¡¯t told us what that even means.¡±
¡°And I won¡¯t,¡± Olja said. ¡°So just forget it. Besides it¡¯s just a stupid title we¡ª¡±
Her words cut off as she looked directly into the treeline of the forest several feet away.
As she did so, Kenji immediately understood why. A cold and sinister presence filled the air about him as a sickness crept into his stomach and not from his own doma this time.
Dark Qi¡
He stood just as a huge form broke through the tree line, lunging at him.
Instinct took over and Kenji raised his forearm to block.
It was a mistake.
Whatever it was slammed into him with the force of a waterfall; throwing him to the ground, winding him. A ferocious roar filled the air as Kenji came face to face with the slavering jowls of a creature he¡¯s never seen before. It had the body and shape of a large hairless dog with blackened, purplish skin, but its head more resembled that of a snake or salamander, with rows of needle like teeth and glowing red eyes. Its weight pressed down upon him as he fought to keeps its snapping jaws from his face, wrapping his fingers around its thick neck to do so.
Something struck it in one of its eyes and the beast hissed before hopping off of him. Kenji looked back to see Shinoto still standing in the martial form of her throw some ten feet away.
¡°Move Kenji!¡± she cried.
Kenji did so, but not before laying into the beast with a kick using all his might. The dog-salamander-like thing hissed a second time as it tumbled across the beach from the force of his blow. Even though he was slowly being killed by it, the Qi leaking into his body gave him strength like never before. But even that seemed to do little to the monster as it quickly righted itself and came snarling at him again.
Sand sprayed into the air as Olja came crashing down next to him, slamming her heel into the beast¡¯s neck. With a sound of snapping bone, she drove it straight through and the creature writhed on the ground a few moments before finally growing still. Black blood seeped into the sand with the smell of death and slowly the body began to dissolve into black tendrils of Dark Qi.
¡°What in the heavens was that thing?¡± Shinoto said, gawking at the creature.
They both looked to Olja but the giant woman merely shrugged. ¡°Why in hells would you expect me to know what this is? I thought it was the stupid skull-demon again. But this thing was way too weak.¡±
Kenji backed away from the dissolving dog-creature. ¡°The skull demon. I nearly forgot about that. Do you think it¡¯s still out there too?¡±
¡°Probably.¡±
That did nothing to make him feel better about things. More snarls filled the air, coming from the forest. As Kenji looked through the tree line he saw the movement of shadows¡dozens of them. ¡°We need to get back to the boat!¡±
Even as he said it, three more of the creatures burst onto the riverbank and circling behind them. His heart raced with panic, but he knew it wasn¡¯t entirely from his own fear. Tendrils of Dark Qi oozed from the beasts, filling the air with an unnatural terror.
¡°Backs together!¡± Olja shouted, lightning ripping across her huge body as she performed the kata of one of her Thunder Fists techniques. She charged at the dogs with a spinning kick, setting two of them alight with a crackle of lightning. The sound of it boomed across the river as they convulsed and fell dead, but the third creature managed to avoid her attack entirely.
¡°Get to the boat,¡± Kenji said, pushing Shinoto ahead of him as he turned towards the river. But as Olja fended off the last creature, a half dozen more of the beasts jumped out of the forest. The bulk of them headed towards Olja, joining their solitary pack mate to overwhelm the giantess, but two of them skirted ahead of Kenji and Shinoto, cutting them off from the river.
¡°Just try to fend them off!¡± Olja shouted. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±
Even as she said it, more of the beasts came running out of the forest after them. The forest itself began to wither and die as the force of Dark Qi poisoned the land itself. Kenji could feel the sickness in his bones. He pushed Shinoto behind him as he punched and kicked at the snapping beasts, barely keeping them at bay as he pummeled their melon like heads with his fists. He wished he had a proper weapon of some kind. Olja too perhaps wished the same, having to resort to fighting the creature with her bare feet and hands instead of her rune etched gauntlets and boots.
The martial forms he¡¯d just learned became meaningless as resorted to pure instinct to push and punch the creatures away, using his brute strength alone. From behind him, Shinoto vainly threw her pebbles into the mass of a dozen or so beasts as they snapped around them.
¡°By the gods, this is useless!¡± she cried. ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t give to use a palm technique right now!¡±
She was right. They couldn¡¯t keep fending these things off like this. They had to do something to even these odds and quick. He tightened the golden rope about his waist just as Olja let loose with a thunder strike next to him, killing four of the beasts at once.
But as soon as they fell they were quickly replaced by a half dozen more.
¡°Kenji what are you doing?¡± Shinoto said, noticing him gripping the rope. ¡°You can¡¯t use that again!¡±
¡°There are too many of them! I have to!¡±
He summed his Qi, channeling into the glyphs upon the golden rope. The beasts were covering the riverbank like a blanket now, at least twenty of them, writhing on top of one another as Olja drew their attention with a burst of lightning that sent two more of the dogs flying. This wasn¡¯t good. She would be overwhelmed soon.
Kenji dashed forward and activated the rope, chanelling his Qi.
With the power of over a hundred Dans raced through his doma, he performed the only technique he knew.
¡°LIGHTNING ARC SCYTHE!¡±
Energy burst through his meridians and he channeled it into the heel of his foot. A bolt of lightning as thick as a tree trunk swept outward as he performed the spinning kick. It crashed into the dogs and the tree line with a thunderous boom, flattening the forest in an arc fifty feet wide.
Blood erupted from his mouth as he fell to the ground, seeing stars.
As the back of his head hit the ground, the sky flashed red and a huge formless shadow loomed over him. It took him a moment to realize that the shadow was not close, but the silhouette of something miles away and high in the dark red sky. The shadow then shifted, undulating in a serpentine motion before the world went completely black.
* * *
Kenji awoke with a start to find both Olja and Shinoto leaning over him.
He wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed but he didn¡¯t hear the dogs or whatever they were any more. Shinoto had a crease of worry on her brow, but Olja was scowling and didn¡¯t look amused in the slightest.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± she said angrily.
Shinoto thankfully seemed to have a more sympathetic tone. ¡°Are you alright?¡±
Kenji touched his doma and the radiating heat and pain he felt said he had once again taxed it beyond the limit of its constraints. ¡°I think so. I think I saw¡¡±
¡°That was a dumb move,¡± Olja chided him. ¡°You could have killed yourself. And who knows what other damaged you¡¯ve gone and caused now too.¡±
He was about to mention the shadow he¡¯d seen when she cut him off. But now he was thankful she did. Mentioning that would have only reinforced her point. He didn¡¯t need to see it fully to know what it was. He recalled the Bakunawa he¡¯d summoned in the spirit realm. But had he now just seen it in the real world as well?
¡°That was a hell of a risk you took.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Kenji said. ¡°I realize that.¡±
¡°No, I don¡¯t think you do,¡± she said testily.
Why was she reacting sharply to this? ¡°Those things were all over us,¡± he retorted. ¡°And you were in trouble, Olja,¡±
¡°They weren¡¯t even that tough. And I was fine.¡±
¡°Yes, perhaps. But we weren¡¯t. Neither of us had weapons or techniques.¡±
¡°I was getting to you!¡±
¡°By when?¡± he shouted. ¡°The summer festival?¡±
¡°Maybe you two need to calm down,¡± Shinoto said.
¡°Calm down?¡± Olja fumed even more. ¡°I¡¯m going to take that belt from you, I swear. You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing.¡±
Kenji met her gaze with defiance. ¡°You just try and take it.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°I said you¡¯re not. Taking. It.¡±
¡°Do you think I need your permission? You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re dealing with,¡± Olja said. ¡°Using it to defeat the Bloody Duke is one thing. But using it any chance you get is not a smart move.¡±
¡°Not a smart move?¡± Kenji seethed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have used it if I didn¡¯t think it was necessary, Olja. You think I don¡¯t know the risks? I know them more than you do!¡±
¡°Do you now?¡± She pierced him with a stare. ¡°So I guess you¡¯re the one who has spoken personally to the Holy Seer of the 8th realm, am I right?¡±
Shinoto sighed again, rested her palm against her forehead. ¡°You both sound like eight year olds, you know that?¡±
¡°Look,¡± Olja said, ignoring her. ¡°If I¡¯m going to train you, you need to heed what I tell you. That artifact is going to bring you nothing but trouble. If it doesn¡¯t outright kill you first.¡±
¡°They were about to kill us,¡± Kenji said. ¡°What else was I supposed to do?¡±
Olja sighed again but didn¡¯t really seem to have an answer.
¡°What I¡¯m saying is, you need to focus on honing your own skills,¡± she said eventually. ¡°Your own power. Shortcuts like that will only lead you to bad ends.¡± And then she added smugly. ¡°Just ask your predecessor.¡±
Kenji¡¯s smirked. ¡°Nice. That was real low blow, princess.¡±
¡°I said don¡¯t call me¡ª!¡±
¡°Quiet, you two!¡± Shinoto said cutting her off. ¡°Something else is coming.¡±
A new presence filled the air, and all three of them looked towards the now flattened tree line. The corpses of dog creatures were vaporizing into the air and just beyond them a group of figures emerged. They moved quickly with Qinggong and when they got closer, Kenji saw there were half a dozen people dressed in blue robes.
¡°Let me do the talking,¡± Olja said, and then she glowering at Kenji she added with a whisper. ¡°And no more ropes, Li Wan Fu.¡±
Kenji merely shook his head.
The people in blue robes stopped a distance away and seemed to confer with another for a few moments before stepping forward as a group. For some reason, they felt more threatening than the dogs-creatures, as they slowly fanned out around them, circling them while casually displaying their weapons. Three of them appeared to be Sword Masters, wielding double-edged jian. The other three comprised of a Spear Master wielding a large halberd and two soul masters perhaps, as Kenji could see no obvious weapons on them at all.
A woman at the center, a Sword Master with short cut hair and scar across her chin spoke first. ¡°Did one of you do this?¡±
¡°Yeah, me,¡± Olja said casually with a leer. ¡°I sneezed.¡±
The group didn¡¯t seem to know how to take Olja¡¯s joke, but if anything it put them more on guard and one of the Sword Masters reached for his sword. The scar-faced woman at the center, however, darted him a quick look and the man stayed his hand.
¡°Who are you outlander?¡± the woman asked.
¡°Just a traveler looking for a way home,¡± Olja said. ¡°As you can tell I¡¯m not from around these parts. I¡¯m hoping to find passage via ship. The port city of Kurogane is close by, is it not?¡±
Kenji marveled at how quickly Olja used deception to deflect the conversation, avoiding the woman¡¯s direct question with one of her own. He supposed her history as the Iron Queen, the top sellblade in the Iron Company mercenary guild was the cause of that. And perhaps also her ridiculous manner when it came to training and communication in general. He absently wondered if she had actually ever trained anyone before.
¡°It is close by,¡± the woman answered. ¡°But you picked a sore time to travel.¡± She then gestured to the smoldering bodies around her. ¡°I trust I don¡¯t need to explain why.¡±
¡°What are these monsters?¡± Shinoto asked.
The woman looked Shinoto up and down, as if testing for her doma and perhaps she was as she seemed to study her for quite a while. ¡°Corrupted spirits from within the mines,¡± she said after apparently satisfying herself with the inspection. ¡°Half the commerce within Kuragane has ground to a halt as a result. And half the population has gone with it. You¡¯d be lucky to find a single ship in port right now.¡±
¡°Because of these things?¡± Olja questioned her incredulously, as if she were referring to a bunch of ants instead of the savage beasts that had just attacked them.
¡°These are only the little ones,¡± the woman said. ¡°The true corrupted spirits are much stronger. And smarter. Remnants of human souls. Some think even true demons.¡±
That sent a chill up Kenji¡¯s spine.
¡°You were lucky to have encountered these during the day,¡± the Spear Master said. He was a middle aged man with a thick beard and round belly. ¡°At night they become much stronger and bolder.¡±
¡°You would do well to travel with us now,¡± the woman said. ¡°That pack was a relatively small one, but there are others that still roam during the daylight hours.¡±
¡°I appreciate the offer,¡± Olja said. ¡°But we¡¯re travelling by river. So no need.¡±
¡°That¡¯s all the more reason to join us,¡± the woman said with a subtle smile. ¡°The waters around Kuragane have also been infected by the corruption. I¡¯d hate to think what you would find further down river.¡±
Olja didn¡¯t respond right away and looked instead to Kenji. ¡°Seems like we¡¯ve stumbled upon some good fortune after such a grave encounter, no?¡±
She said it in a strange tone. Overly cheery.
¡°I suppose,¡± Kenji said with reluctant agreement.
¡°And,¡± the woman added, gesturing to the fallen trees. ¡°If you truly did do this, then we owe you a debt. We were tracking that pack of lizard-hounds since early morning.¡±
¡°Is that what you call them?¡± Kenji asked.
The woman nodded. ¡°That is the name of the animals they spawned from. Much smaller in their natural state and normally confined to the depths. But now they roam free under the influence of the corruption.¡±
¡°What is this corruption exactly?¡± Shinoto asked.
¡°We don¡¯t really know,¡± the Spear Master said. ¡°The corrupted lizard-hounds and lesser demons began appearing about a week ago. It¡¯s something down in the mines, but no one¡¯s found out what it is yet.¡±
Kenji¡¯s insides shuddered. Surely this couldn¡¯t all be because of him. Could it? He gave a glance to Olja, but her ¡®I-told-you-so smirk¡¯ said it all.
Curse my fate¡
¡°Apologies,¡± the woman said as she straightened herself and pressed her fists together in a bow. ¡°My name is Kiara, Vice-leader of the Kurogane Blue-Sapphire sect. It would be my honor to offer you hospitality on our sect¡¯s behalf and a safe escort to the city of course.¡±
Kenji shared glances with Shinoto and Olja. ¡°Ah¡thank you? I suppose.¡±
¡°Yes, that would be most welcome,¡± Olja said again with a strange cheery tone.
¡°And what are your names, honored visitors?¡± Kiana asked.
¡°Xing Li,¡± Olja said. ¡°These are my students, Wei and Xhu. Brother and sister. Orphans whom are under my care and charge. They will be joining me on my trip home to Xjian.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Kiara said, eyeing Kenji and Shinoto oddly, perhaps noting no familial similarity between them.
¡°We have different f--mothers,¡± Kenji offered. He was about to say different fathers, but being so close in age that wouldn¡¯t have made sense.
¡°Please allow us to collect our belongings from the boat, honorable Vice Leader,¡± Olja said with a bow in that strange forced tone again. She then ushered them both towards the boat, leaving the group of newcomers behind them.
Once out of earshot of the sect members, Shinoto whispered. ¡°Why are we lying?¡±
¡°I¡¯m pretty distinctive if you didn¡¯t notice,¡± Olja said. ¡°And that general knew my name. I¡¯m not sure what happened after we left Amatsu, but they could have sent word by sparrow by now. The military could be looking for me here.¡±
¡°Yes, I realize that,¡± Shinoto said as she reached into the boat for her pack. ¡°I mean about us being brother and sister.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Kurogane, but I know port cities. Those are rough towns. I don¡¯t want to scare you, Shinoto, but a pretty little thing like you would be better off hanging onto the arm of your brother rather than your fianc¨¦e. If you know what I mean.¡±
¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°She means they¡¯ll likely kill me more easily if I¡¯m not your blood,¡± Kenji said.
¡°Ah ha¡¡± Olja snapped her fingers at him. ¡°So you do have some smarts. Anyway. Besides that though, sects aren¡¯t normally this accommodating. At least not where I¡¯m from. I¡¯m not sure how you operate down here in the south, but past the wall, sects usually kill non-sect members on sight and then ask questions later.¡±
¡°That¡¯s barbaric,¡± Shinoto said aghast.
Olja shrugged. ¡°So you southerners keep telling us.¡± She then looked to Kenji and rolled of her eyes. ¡°And I¡¯m going to have to eat my own words and thank you now for using that stupid rope.¡±
Kenji looked up at her with a furrowed brow. ¡°Huh?¡±
The giantess then glanced over her shoulder at Kiara and the others again, who appeared to be conferring amongst themselves as well. ¡°They¡¯re all around 18th Dan or so as far as I can sense. They could have easily killed us all. But that damage you caused probably gave them pause.¡±
Kenji looked at his belt again stupefied.
¡°Not that I¡¯m giving you permission to use it again,¡± she said. ¡°But if things go south. Be ready.¡±
Kenji looked at the group of practitioners with new eyes. Were they indeed not so far removed from the beasts they had just slain? Olja certainly seemed to think so. And she knew the outside world far better than him.
¡°We¡¯re coming!¡± Olja called out to them again in her fake, cheery tone. She then looked back to them.
¡°Just play it lightly until we reach the city,¡± she whispered. ¡°Avoid conversation as much as you can. And whatever you do¡don¡¯t let any of them out of your sight.¡±