《Worldforger》 1.01 - I have come ¡°They say that Immortal Ascension is the dream of all who practice the Way, that immortality is an end in and of itself. But they were wrong. Eternal life¡­ is merely the beginning.¡± ~Unknown Immortal --- [-Origin Plane -|- Sol¡¯s Domain -|- Planet Star¡¯s Cradle-] --- The world was vibrant, blooming with life and color. Children played on cobbled streets paved with gold and diamonds, and merchants sold their wares to anyone who entered the exquisite shops of the city square. Precious herbs, spell talismans, alchemical concoctions and magical treasures were being bought and sold every minute. The atmosphere was brimming with almost tangible liveliness. It was an era of Cultivation and prosperity in the land of Southern Mu. By an extravagant fountain spouting unmuddied, essence-rich waters, a group of children and adults crowded in attentively as they watched a girl of about fifteen or sixteen as she told a story. Her arms waved around vivaciously, making large gestures to emphasize a point as various expressions crossed her face. ¡°And then,¡± the girl¡¯s eyes twinkled like stars, a look of admiration on her face, ¡°Zhurong, the God of Fire himself, slew the ancient dragon with a mighty blow!¡± Her little hands made a chopping motion and she stamped the pavement cutely. The audience had their eyes wide open in amazement, despite having heard this story countless times. Suddenly, the ground rumbled like the breathing of an awakened titan. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me, alright?¡± The girl pouted. --- Seven-colored light sundered the heavens; quivering thunder shocked the land. The skies trembled and the earth split open with deep, rumbling groans. An area of 100,000 leagues was instantly cleared of clouds. On the world beneath, native lifeforms stopped their activities and stared up at the stars. No matter their position in life, no matter whether they were rich or poor, ordinary mortals or immortal cultivators, there were few who could feign disinterest at this unnatural sight. A monumental golden apparition appeared in the skies, ablaze with a sun-like radiance that could be seen from the farthest reaches of the boundless earth. Its presence turned the starry skies of the night into afternoon light, hovering motionlessly for a brief moment before descending upon the land with earth shattering ferocity. An astonishingly dreadful aura enveloped everything in an instant; it was as if a giant hand had grasped the entire planet in its palm. The gaping earth rose up to create a great ring of mountains and valleys; clouds converged and drained into the vast crater at the center. Azure water flooded the basin as white mists coiled thickly overhead. Energy gushed intensely through the mist; instantly, this entire region was filled with a sacrosanct air. Half an hour passed by. Streamers of light crisscrossed the skies as several tens of thousands of figures all flocked towards the epicenter of this event. Soon, these shadows revealed themselves to be the figures of men and women, each of them standing amidst the empty sky. They waited; many eyed the shrouded earth with wanton greed and unspoken desires. Only the birth of a precious heavenly treasure could induce such movement across an entire territory. Not only were there human experts, the elders of prominent ancient races such as the Fae Court, Desolate Race and Beast clans had also arrived, though they hovered in the distance, far from the center. After all, this region was a stronghold of the human race. ¡°Everyone here must have a sense of propriety. Without the ability, what meaning is there to compete? This treasure isn¡¯t something that just anyone can obtain!¡± A voice like thunder rolled across the sky, accompanied by waves of terrible pressure that struck down more than half of the airborne figures. Like ghosts summoned from the void, a heaven-warping legion walked out from between cracks in the skies, led by a violet-armored commander. Their steps were heavy and measured, each footfall causing booming thuds more shocking than earthquakes. The imposing general spoke again. ¡°Gentlemen, today my Great Xia dynasty will be claiming this treasure. This king will remember your favor greatly.¡± He clasped his fist and performed a slight bow towards the people who had managed to stay airborne. At his words, the less than ten thousand experts still remaining withdrew resentfully to a further location, yet all of them kept their gazes on the cloud-covered mountains. Another half hour elapsed. --- Three enormous shadows arrived from the north, encircling the gathering like sharks drawn to fresh blood. The size of each shadow was as large as a country, blotting out the sky. Savage roars and unearthly screeches echoed across thousands of leagues, piercing the heavens in their wake. The fabric of space distorted and undulated along their towering silhouettes. A True Dragon and True Phoenix appeared above, quickly followed by a Heaven-Devouring Python. Divine flames roared out from the phoenix¡¯s body towards the dragon, scalding its purple-black scales. A terrifying suction force accompanied by grey light emanated from the serpent¡¯s spread jaws at the other two beasts. Divine runes filled the sky as dense violet light covered the dragon. Each one was battling viciously for sole possession of this region. All three gazed at the surrounding tiny figures with anger and disdain. ¡°These foolish creatures actually want to contend with us! How audacious, how overreaching!¡± ¡°Abhorrent humans, their reproduction speed is so fast! They populate this world like ants. I¡¯ll massacre them all and dye the earth red in rivers of their blood!¡± ¡°Yes, we must raze this area to the ground to silence these creatures! Let¡¯s purge the entire territory! None will survive!¡± The three divine beasts ceased their mighty struggle at once. In unison, their attentions turned towards the humans below. Divine light covered the nine heavens with glowing splendor as ancestral techniques crashed away in all eight directions. That true dragon brandished a titanic paw, sharp claws glinting with deadly intent. Dark violet light flourished and transformed into the ghastly spectre of a giant claw, slashing down towards the armored legion. The commander¡¯s eyes flickered darkly as he flung out a formation of protective sacred talismans. That violet claw continued downwards and ignored everything in its path, penetrating through the formation and crushing bodies into drizzling red mist. This was a display of prestige, a declaration of irrevocable might! The three giant creatures began slaughtering with their full strength, no longer holding back any scruples and revealing their innate divine abilities. Rich golden flames churned into a flame sea, seething with virility and incomparable heat! The flame sea scorched myriads of living things into grey chaff, each death fueling wisps of fire to burn even brighter. Holy mountains and mystical valleys became blackened wastelands, numerous cities and millions of lives reduced to ashes and dust in a single breath. Space rippled like seawater as cavernous wormholes devoured their prey hungrily. The humans that occupied these vast lands could hardly be considered weak. Many sects and clans possessed several million members, and there were even mighty countries with more than one billion! Experts who had bathed in precious elixirs and devoured the flesh of pure-blooded primordial beasts since birth ascended into the sky, dazzling like afternoon suns. Their bodies gleamed with valiant courage, each one strode forward with the bearing of a god of war. As the humans flew towards the divine beasts, their weapons and armor glowed like embers in the twilight, bewitchingly beautiful. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. But before they barely approached even one thousand meters of the colossal beings, stray beams of light and mystical abilities struck them down. Broken viscera and bloody mist scattered to the winds. No one could withstand these forces of nature, they weren¡¯t something that mere numbers could compensate for. Pitiful cries rang out, and fallen warriors were as numerous as the clouds. An absolute calamity! The greed of the human experts caused their own downfall, and even their kinsmen were not spared! Murky grey whirlpools manifested at random locations within a circumference of 100,000 leagues. Fleeing men and women were drawn into their spiralling depths and shredded into blood essence, subsequently devoured by the great serpent. ¡°Why?! Why are the Heavens punishing us so?! Have they come now to collect the debts of our forefathers?!¡± An elderly man cried out, hands outstretched to the skies. ¡°Please! Father, brother, save me!¡± A young woman¡¯s eyes widened in terror, only to lose their fleeting light as both she and the small child in her arms were brutally disemboweled. Desolate wailing rang out in succession only to be snuffed out as quickly as it began. The mortals who lived under the governance of powerful cultivators could do nothing but watch aimlessly. Their protectors, those who sought enlightenment in the Laws to gain great power, were but fluff in the wind in the face of true might. Any who escaped the whirlpools¡¯ suction were either burned alive or crushed underfoot. Obliterating force howled unimpeded through the air, uprooting cities and strongholds. Entire clans and their ancestral lands became history, forever ceasing to exist in a moment. Violent gales erupted with each earth-shaking movement, enshrining the world in ravaging chaos. Once the land was cleansed of all life, not a single blade of grass remained. No longer did the great beasts waste their energies. They rushed towards the confines of the white mist without the slightest hesitation. They¡¯d found each other to be roughly equal in power during the battle earlier, and continuing to fight among themselves wouldn¡¯t bring about the desired outcome. Yet at that moment, a diagram of planets and suns spread out like Heaven¡¯s net, obstructing their path. The surroundings became liquid darkness apart from formations of glowing celestial bodies; it was as though they were trapped inside an infinite galaxy of stars. It became neither day nor night, a space completely cut off from the world. Those incomparably fearsome divine beasts stopped and turned around. ¡°Meddlesome creature, let us through!¡± they roared. Grimly staring at the three leviathans, a silver-haired, middle-aged man stepped out from a rapidly deforming gateway in the void. Boundless green and silver light radiated out from his body and illuminated the darkness. Thick ruby blood dripped down from his right index finger, dissipating into the surrounding void. His long purple robes billowed around him wildly as they began fraying at the edges. ¡°You heinous beasts! Slaughtering the innocent, aren¡¯t you afraid of the Ashina¡¯s punishment?!¡± His eyes shone with grief and madness as he roared back. ¡°Why should the Heavens scare me? They can¡¯t touch me, I am almighty!¡± Three hideous voices overlapped into a thunderous cacophony; divine light charged at countless stars as the great beasts unleashed forth innate abilities at their dark prison. The planets and suns trembled, several instantly collapsing into ethereal shards as the blackness began to fracture. Puchi! The silver-haired man coughed out one mouthful of precious blood after another. Scattered within this blood were fragments of internal organs. The golden and silver light surrounding his figure lost some of its luster, and he tumbled backwards several meters. He glared hatefully at the three beasts and shouted out in wrath. ¡°Even if the Heavens won¡¯t punish you today, there is still me! My descendants¡¯ deaths can only be repaid using your lives!¡± He chopped down towards his own right hand, severing it at the wrist. Blood cascaded out from his wound and leaked into the fracturing shadows. Innumerably dense runes suffused the dimming astral bodies, causing them to shine with undeniable power. His remaining hand ripped into his own heart. Precious lifeblood flowed out endlessly and the man¡¯s face grew pale. His features withered and his skin became dry and cracked. Yet within the man¡¯s eyes gleamed a pernicious, baleful light. His own grandson was dead without leaving behind a whole corpse. Right now, he must kill these wicked animals at any cost! ¡°Big Bang!¡± An irreconcilable howl shook the heavens. Deafening crackling sounds ran up and down the man¡¯s skin as the surface of his body began to fragment. Each sun and planet in the dark galaxy shuddered and fluctuated with terrifying black light. Time seemed to stop for an instant. Then, that terrifying black light submerged everything. The three great behemoths fought back with ceaseless divine radiance even as the whole world exploded in an eruption of primordial might. When the heat and debris withdrew, emptiness filled the space between heaven and earth. Three gigantic shadows drifted unstably towards the diffusing white mist. The divine beasts had surprisingly prevailed, but at a great cost. Precious essence spilled endlessly from their broken forms, nourishing the earth with vigorous energy. Triumph coursed through their hearts; they had won, and the heavenly treasure was theirs. And yet, their hopes were not realized. Upon contact with the mist, their already battered bodies were completely extinguished, their souls scattered. Nothing was left behind. The earth stood still once more. --- White clouds of mist converged rapidly towards the center of the newly-formed lake, as if time was flowing in reverse. Standing atop the water¡¯s surface was a magnificent, supple youth that might have passed as human were it not for the color of her eyes. They were a luminous azure-gold, peeking out mirthfully above high, sculpted cheekbones and sultry crimson lips. Waist-long hair spilled over her shoulders in luxurious, gold-spun waves. Her skin itself was the color of light honey, with a complexion as smooth as polished mutton jade. The young woman surveyed the scene of destruction surrounding her with fiery, impassioned eyes, as though gazing at a masterwork painting to which she was the virtuoso. Already, the flames of war were dying, and the lifeblood of Immortals had watered the earth. An indescribably smug grin lifted the corners of her mouth, revealing small, pearly white teeth. ¡°Cultivators, mortals¡­ they¡¯re all the same, and they never change. Always so eager to throw away their lives for nothing but a mere dream.¡± Her head turned towards the sun rising on the horizon. An expression that was simultaneously expectant and filled with melancholy appeared on her face. ¡°Sol¡¯s Domain, Ashina Clan, I have come.¡± Only a whisper on the wind remained as her figure blurred and vanished from sight. 1.02 - Comet of Legend ¡°Like a shooting star Across the midnight sky Wherever you are You¡¯re gonna see me fly¡± ~ Bang! --- My dusky blue talons tear open a path into the fragile shell of the egg-like Cosmos, slipping past as easily as a knife through melted butter. I clamber through it gingerly, eyeing the firmament of a destabilized rift. It closes in on itself just as my tail brushes past the maw. Moments later, the all-too familiar yet pleasant feeling of being encapsulated by buzzing, prickling energy draws a delicious shiver along my spine. The Celestial Void, the Final Frontier, the Beyond; the planet-locked natives of this reality attach a great many names to outer space. But to me, it isn¡¯t a place of mystery, nor an empty darkness; it is the place of my birth, a second Grandmist. From one ocean to another. I am home. Shooting past system after system, galaxy after galaxy, my form casts a resplendent shadow over each planet I encounter. Time is not of relevance, nor do I keep track of it. Time holds no sway over those who possess eternal life, and I am content to simply marvel at the silent grandeur produced by the breath of creation. Not far off in the distance, perhaps no more than twenty or so lightyears away, a blue supergiant star scatters apart into coruscating filaments of stellar dust and gases, settling into a nebula vaguely reminiscent of a blooming flower. I pause my journey and take a long look. A slow-burning warmth alights on my chest, prompting me to continue onward. The medallion calls. I raise the piece of flat, chiseled crystal up to my eyes, holding it between two claws. There are two words etched across its surface, a name ¡ªAshina Sol¡ª my father¡¯s name. It is a reminder of my origins. Solar winds buffet my face with all the gentleness of spring showers as my speed soars into the FTL domain. It isn¡¯t long before I see the point of my destination. A system of exactly twelve planets orbiting a sun, four that sustain life, which I discover with a sensory sweep. They are like marbles of green and blue, with the occasional touch of brown and the white of swirling clouds. At the center of it all, the Solar Star dangles plumply in the void of space, a radiant ball of heat, gold and tangerine and scarlet. I draw closer to the third planet in orbit, shrinking drastically to minimize the gravitational pull my body would otherwise create. Transmogrification, mother called it. When the transformation is complete, my less majestic form is unveiled. At this point my physical appearance could not be mistaken for anything but a human, one of the dominant species of this realm. I smirk at that thought¡ª me, a mortal? I¡¯m anything but. Without hesitation, without fear, I take the plunge. The clouds make way for my arrival with great haste. A fiery golden sheen encases my surroundings as I relish in the gut-wrenching sensation of atmospheric insertion. In this moment I am like a diamond in the sky, a blazing meteor turning night into day. When the stories of this day are told, they will call me many names¡ª god, demon, titan, disaster, but most of all, the Golden One. Mountains rise. Water falls. The curvature of a crater manifests and fills with water, cushioning my drop, large enough to be considered a great lake. World essence gathers into immeasurable maelstroms of energy, flooding the waters with great fortune and spirituality. I have no doubt that in the coming days, profiteers will come and drain my bathwater for its beneficial properties. Trails of water curl around my neck and trickle down my back as I return to the surface. The smooth edges of my crystal medallion nestle snugly between my breasts, having shrunken down to the size of a child¡¯s palm. Its silver chain clinks softly when I move. Beads of water linger on my skin, glittering like little jewels lit by my own brilliance. They are quickly vaporized and I am dry again. It is then that I hear thunderous booms rending the air, a testament to the horde of living souls scurrying to my location. They are as tenacious as ants and just as easily enticed by food, or in this case, cultivation treasures. A pity. I hear treasure-hunting is one of the more volatile occupations. ¦¸ Past the ring of mountains there is only ruin where life once stood. Drying blood clings to the ground like thick black tar and a deathly air permeates through the earth itself. There are no bodies left untouched, only bits and pieces of what had once been living creatures; no, people. Scorched flesh and bone fragments lie alongside the still-steaming splatter of minced organs. Even the vultures turn up their beaks at this meal, making their rounds in the skies above before leaving. At the base of a mountain, facing me, there is a complete head with all of its black hair still attached, eyes forever widened at some unspeakable terror. I shake my head at the ugliness of this display, disgusted by the crude brutality these cultivators have wrought upon themselves. Their powers and techniques are wasted on them. They sacrificed all of these lives, yet not a single one of them gained any benefits from it. Well, that¡¯s to be expected. They aren¡¯t part of the system after all. These mortals claim to be cultivating immortality and seeking reprieve from earthly suffering, yet they throw their lives away without a second thought in the hopes of striking gold. Even the immortals are no different, fighting tooth and claw for every scrap. If only they knew of the limitless energy available in the Beyond, their shattered souls would rattle in anger. Magical spells, mystical talismans, spiritual arrays; understanding of the Dao and the universal Laws; none of these can be applied without Power. And Power is what they truly seek. Only by possessing enough of it can one entertain the lofty aspirations of defying fate and fighting the heavens. Following the Dao is merely an afterthought. Power. It is present in all living things, springing forth from the breath of creation to saturate the cosmos. From the Grandmist came the first breath of creation, which became cosmic energy; and later, world essence. Heaven-earth yuan qi, demonic miasma, mana, desolate energy¡ª all derivatives of world essence. It¡¯s unfortunate¡ª for them, that is. I must cleanse this world of heretics. The medallion warms again against my chest, glowing like a beacon of light. My thoughts wander to the reason I am here, on this planet called Star¡¯s Cradle. ¦¸ It was one of those days, where I was sitting at the edge of the River of Paths, pondering on the meaning of my existence. A decidedly futile act, yes. My feet kicked up pirouetting waves of frothy white and aquamarine as I absentmindedly fished with one hand. Whichever unlucky soul got snatched from his or her timeline, past, present or future, would be running through my mind today. Those who knew of us weren¡¯t many. It wasn¡¯t every day that a hopeful Ascendant found their way into the Grandmist Region, only to be kicked back down to their own plane of existence. They called us the Fateless Ones, we who were born with everything and nothing. Eternal life, infinite power, profound knowledge; we had everything except a story to call our own. Frantic movements in my right hand drew me back to the riverside. I looked down. A third the size of my hand, the small figure struggled fiercely. Her large emerald eyes searched around in confusion before settling on my face with a resentful glare. A glimmer of annoyance scrunched my brow. Only the wayward ended up passing through this river, and our meeting was simply fate. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She uttered a chant anxiously, rapidly performing hand seals with her free arm. When the wisp of rainbow-colored lightning struck the tip of my nose, I froze dumbstruck for an instant. The inherent force behind her lightning far surpassed the heavenly tribulations which various cosmos sent down against their defiers. She widened her eyes when the lightning fizzled out with a snap, and me, unharmed. Her long, pointed ears burned red with shame. ¡°Release me at once!¡± she spat at me, half in fear and half in rage. An expression of pure wrath marred her lovely features. Even in such a situation, her arrogance knew no bounds. I gazed down at the pitiful creature. ¡°If you want someone to blame, blame yourself for coming here. At least you have the honor of dying by my hand.¡± She would die anyways if I let her go; the Grandmist simply extinguished anything that was foreign to it. Better me than it, at least then her passing would serve a purpose. The River of Paths. Whether it was gods or mortals, anyone who attempted to travel across different planes of existence was liable to become trapped in its waters. This had made it a popular place for Grandmist Entities looking for lives to experience. The others came often, and in the past, so too did mother, or so I¡¯d been told. I¡¯d never seen her here. The elf fought, pounding at my hand with tiny fists and then, biting my thumb. When that failed, tears flowed unbidden as she wailed. I remained unmoved. ¡°Adieu, cherie,¡± I purred. The first inhalation splintered her body, leaving behind only a soul divinity, the very essence of her being. My fingers closed tight around it, preventing my target from escaping. The final spark before oblivion. She struggled ever more fiercely, clinging on to that dearest hope of escaping. I almost contemplated releasing her. My inner voice whispered in my ears, feeding me dark temptations against my will. She should not have come here. Don¡¯t let her go. Eat. I complied like an eager slave to satisfy my cravings and popped it past my lips. In its final moments I caught sight of it, a perfect orb the exact same shade of emerald as her eyes. Rolling down my throat, the orb dissolved. Immediately, a feeling of euphoria rushed through my veins, sending spikes of pleasure to every nook and cranny of my body. My eyelids fluttered unconsciously and my hands curled into fists while I trembled, helpless. This was the cost of being soul-drunk. For me at least. Occasionally, I would lie sprawled by the river, convulsing for days on end while I flitted through different lifetimes. A momentary respite from my bland, grey world. The older they were, the more they¡¯d experienced, the greater the high. A few of our brethren were so addicted that they spent every moment fishing. The supply never dwindled, after all. A sudden sound pierced into my mind, disturbing my reverie. ¡°Ashina Snow.¡± Mother¡¯s voice called out to me, deathly quiet and filled with a deep serenity that told of a harsh rebuke. I stumbled back, hesitant like a child caught doing something wrong. My core was still reeling in the throes of pleasure, dulling my senses. Through a haze of numbness, I managed to straighten my heap of jumbled limbs and stand straight up, meeting her gaze at eye level. Looking at her was like seeing a mirror image of myself, minus the eyes. Hers were a pure gold and mine, sapphire-flecked gold. A strange look flashed past her eyes; I could have sworn it was disappointment. She half-turned away and her gaze fell upon the river. She sighed. If I had a heart, it would have jumped out of my throat by now. I¡¯m so childish. I was an adult woman, however young, at two hundred millennia and still going. And yet, mother could still bring out my deepest insecurities. ¡°Why do this? This isn¡¯t healthy for your mind, my little Snow. If not for yourself, then think about how your father would feel if he knew about your ¡­ ways.¡± As she continued to stare at the river, pointedly refusing to look at me, I was unsure of what to say. Why did my mother¡¯s words stab me in the heart so much? I replied back to mother, defiant, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a lost soul? She was never going to find her way back home. So what if I ate it?¡± The slap blindsided me, strong enough to knock me to the ground. My right cheek stung even though my flesh was supposed to be impervious to any damage. This time, it was I who cried tears, the tears of a child wrongly punished. I stayed on the ground and bawled. I cried for a long time before mother kneeled down and took me into her bosom, running her hands through my tangled hair just like when I was a little girl. When the tears stopped, the ache in my heart remained. I didn¡¯t know what I had done to make her angry enough to hit me. Mother continued to hold me in her embrace, whispering, ¡°My little Snow, your father once found himself in the same situation as that person you just ate. It¡¯s how we met, and he¡¯s never really gotten over it.¡± ¡°H-how?¡± I managed to croak. In all of the years since I¡¯d been born, this was the first time I came to hear about this. I only knew that he was a powerful figure who came from the Origin Plane, a grand Cosmos. He looked imposing, his hair was dark as raven¡¯s feathers and his eyes a mix of blue, red and silver. I didn¡¯t remember much of him, considering that I was only four years old when we left. She continued with a wistful smile, ¡°Once, I was like you. We Grandmist Entities are born with everything but a family, a history, experiences to make. When I was created by the Grandmist, I was already fully formed. Our perfection is also our imperfection. And so we search. One day, while fishing just as you were, I caught a man.¡± At this, mother giggled like a newlywed speaking fondly of her lover, as a flush crept into her cheeks. ¡°He was a strange one, this man. Unafraid of true death, as if the annihilation of his entire life wasn¡¯t something that concerned him. I haven¡¯t met anyone quite as proud or unwilling to back down ever since. Surprisingly, just before I was to eat him, he asked me about my life, who I was. It only made me more jealous when he shared stories of his own life¡ª his family, his childhood, his past loves, his adventures. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of it. He regaled me with his tales for a thousand years, and afterwards I couldn¡¯t bear to eat him anymore.¡± ¡°We fell in love after many aeons. The man I caught that day became your father. The sights he showed me, the things we did together ¡­ I was young then, barely older than you are now, little Snow. It was only after you were born that he confessed to me how afraid he was at that time, his entire consciousness held at the mercy of my hands. He said this to me after I confessed he wasn¡¯t the first¡ª no matter how many memories you see, no matter how many you steal, they will never truly be yours. Soon after, I returned here with you.¡± With a final pat on my head, mother stood up. Her eyes were filled with her love for me, and something else, hope. I wasn¡¯t sure I would be able to live up to her expectations. ¡°What about this?¡± I gestured at the River of Paths. ¡°It¡¯s my only connection to what lies beyond.¡± Mother smiled painfully, as if she knew I¡¯d ask this question. She removed the necklace that she always wore and gave it to me. There was an eight-sided crystal plate attached to it. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time for you to meet your father.¡± ¦¸ That was weeks ago, decades if you count how long I¡¯ve spent travelling through this cosmos. There¡¯s no rush. Before leaving, I decide to clean up the field of death. Never liked the sight of blood and corpses, even in memories. The wind takes me up into the sky, where the ugly sight of countless miles razed to the ground fully rears its head. Heaven and Earth bends to my will, as all the blood and gore melts away and the toppled buildings turn into sand. Scattered rubble becomes sand, coalescing into a great desert with the lake at its center. After weaving a series of illusions I depart. This is only the beginning, this world merely the first. 1.03 Chapter 3: Lofty Aspirations 25 Kalpas ago, everything changed when the ¡®System¡¯ descended. It began on the Atlantis continent of Star¡¯s Cradle, ancestral homeworld of the void-dwelling Ashina. Cultivation made easy, the untalented rabble would claim. It was utter lies¡ª those fools knew nothing! Back in the day, cultivation was all about self-improvement. A journey forged through blood and hardships, the apogee of martial endeavors. Enlightenment of one¡¯s spirit, gaining of power that far surpassed the secular world, and rising above the mundane to attain perpetuity of existence. In those times, one required complete mastery over the nomological truths to reach the top. Sadly, this golden age didn¡¯t last. The secret manuals that our forefathers safeguarded so painstakingly became useless overnight. Our mystic arts and great Daoist magics were reduced to relics, replaced by ¡®Tier Magic¡¯. Yuan qi, spiritual energy and elemental essence were all superseded by the introduction of mana. Worst of all, cultivation became something almost anyone could practice! With enough time and resources, even a complete wastrel could attain Immortal Ascension. Alas, it is only in the Bitternorth Wastelands where the spirituality of orthodox, true cultivation continues to persist. Even then, they are constantly at war with the Cambrian Wilderness, and my own two hands are tied. Planetary surfaces are forbidden grounds to Godkings and beyond, offenses punishable by extinguishment. Lord Sol shattered the meaning of the Dao, forsaking the ¡®eternal¡¯ realm and forcing everyone to choose between two paths. Of the Exalted Celestials, I am the last. ~ [---redacted--] Tianzun ¦¸ Grandmist Region A single chessboard floated beside the two people, who were seated on beach chairs, seemingly engaged in a deep discussion. 64 black and white squares. The roaring of the mist-shrouded river drowned out any words they spoke. An even smaller chessboard occupied each of the 64 squares, of which the squares held even smaller chessboards where games were taking place. 4,096 chess matches proceeded at speeds unseen to the naked eye, a battle between two wits. One of the two, the gold-haired young man gestured at the river with his right index finger. His other hand drummed lightly in a staccato fashion on the armrest of his chair. Almost instantly, as if pulled by some invisible force, two doll-sized figures were dragged out kicking and screaming from the river. They shrunk and flew into the man¡¯s hand, wailing nonstop. His hand was like the hand of Buddha, his fingers a giant cage that entrapped the whole world. No matter how much they struggled, the two beings in his hand couldn¡¯t break free. ¡°Mere godlings, how could you dare think of running from yours truly?¡± His voice deep and rich, the man chuckled as he watched their futile attempts. A beautiful couple, a man and a woman. Who knew from which Cosmos they¡¯d come from? They ran to the north, then south; east, then west. But no matter how far they ran, the pair could not escape the endless expanse of his palm. Crunch! The shrieks of shattering glass sounded from within the man¡¯s hand as he squeezed down. When he opened his hand, all that remained were two, glistening orbs, like glittering jewels that shone brightly in spite of the grey mist that permeated everywhere. They clinked softly against one another, as if they were alive. ¡°Care to join me, little sister?¡± He held one of the orbs out to the other person. The woman sitting on his right remained as impassive as ever, her features barely flickering at the sudden temptation. Long, flowing hair like burnished silk spun from the purest gold. A scattering of very faint freckles across her cheeks. Large eyes of molten gold that tilted upwards at the corners, set slightly wide apart above a high, pert nose. Creamy skin with a tinge of gold and a mouth-watering figure, full of ample curves, ending in long, supple legs. She was his twin, second of their kind, as well as his other half. They were truly inseparable, after all. This girl-heh, she tries so hard to deny it, he thought. Though her expression never wavered while she gazed at the contents of his hand, her eyes gave her away. They dilated; pearly teeth bit down on tender lips as she reached out a hand, only to stop herself midway. Her breasts quivered from the effort. ¡°Tell me. Why do you torture yourself so?¡± He smiled benevolently at her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you, Hong.¡± She gritted her teeth, but the hungry longing in her eyes couldn¡¯t lie. Nothing about her could. He knew her far better than she knew herself. Perhaps that insolent rascal Meng¡¯er calls husband put this foolishness into her head? ¡°Fine, another question then. Whose path do you think little Snow will choose? Yours, or mine?¡± Her back arched proudly as she stared him right in the eyes and replied, ¡°I believe in my child. I believe that she will choose to do what is right.¡± He laughed softly, a laugh thick with the ancientness of countless aeons lived. ¡°Right and wrong depend on from whose perspective you see things. Everything is grey, just like this world of ours. You can¡¯t run away from what you are.¡± After hearing this, she huffed angrily with a heaving bosom and departed from his side. Most likely to sulk somewhere. What did she ever see in that silly puffed-up dragon? The games had ended. The gold-haired man began devouring the two radiant orbs. With every bite, streams of memories would flow into him, and he would know a bit more about living. Ah, this is why we live. To sample the fruits of our labors, as is our RIGHT. Atop the empty chessboard, two pieces now stood. A black king and a white king, opposite to one another. ¦¸ Giant¡¯s Abode Inn, Belmar border city, Estea Each word rolled off her lips in dulcet tones, as charming as the notes of a lute. Her eyes were just as mesmerizing, a kaleidoscope of sapphire and gold. She could be a minstrel or a bard, charming men and women alike with her tales. She had a lot of tales. After all these years, how could she not? Every one belonging to her was¡­ a remnant, of what had once been others¡¯. But the elven woman sitting opposite her wanted nothing of her silver tongue. Her head was turned to the side, emerald eyes downcast and avoiding her gaze. Understandable, given the circumstances that had brought them together. Resurrection from true death was something so few had ever experienced. Silky brown eyelashes trembled ever so slightly, as if in remembrance of past horrors. It feels almost as though I¡¯m being treated as a wrathful demon. She mused to herself. Mana lanterns hanging from the ceiling like cathedral bells cast a warm yellow-orange glow evenly across the room. The actions of the elf, so fragile and ambiguous, only served to draw out an instinctual desire to tease her. ¡°Isolde, darling? That scowl isn¡¯t doing your face any favors. Smile.¡± Knowing full well that the elf hated to be addressed in this manner by she, her captor, Ashina Snow nonetheless continued to display a dazzling smile in the face of such grim adversity. The elf¡¯s name was Isolde de LaRoche. A wanderlust-stricken deity and sovereign of the Fae races during her time. Of course, now that her soul was bound for all eternity to Snow, returning to her old position would be an impossibility. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. It seemed that they¡¯d met only yesterday. To immortals, yes, decades could pass in the blink of an eye. Within the confines of her consciousness drifted the discarnate souls of those she¡¯d taken, bereft of their sense of self. Isolde had been¡­somewhat better, she admitted. The elf had managed to cling onto a name and identity after losing everything else, unconsciously binding herself in service to the Grandmist entity known as Ashina Snow¡ª becoming a part of her. Their memories were now shared. Thinking back to the nuances of their association, Snow entertained the possibility that perhaps the elf had gained the upper hand. Rather than being in an expressly master-slave bond, it would be more apt to call their current relationship one between a patron and client. Isolde was certainly obliged to follow her commands to some extent, but she couldn¡¯t order the elf to undertake tasks she judged as demeaning to personal dignity. Things like telling Isolde to prostitute herself or to lap freshly-discharged urine from the ground could be disobeyed. I suppose certain degrees of freedom can be allowed as long as she keeps my best interests at heart. Snow reached over the table and pinched the blonde-haired elf on both cheeks for attention after downing another mouthful of malt whisky straight from the spirit-ore flask. Saltpeter¡¯s Distillery. These two words graced the front side of the handspan-tall container in crisp amber text, a sharp contrast to its opaque silvery surface. While playing with her golden curls, she never forgot to keep drinking. Drinking was, after all, good for the body and soul. The whisky burned a liquid trail along her throat, managing to be soothing and fiery at the same time. Its bespoke flask could supposedly hold up to a hundred barrels¡¯ worth of alcohol, having been imbued with spatial enchantments by an artificer. It cost a pretty penny to match. The pub owner seemed almost unwilling to part with it. If there was one area where mortal minds shone the brightest, it was in superfluous inventions such as this that made life easier for the common people. It was only the effortlessness of transmuting her Grandmist energy into condensed forms of this world¡¯s power that kept Snow from taking it by more direct means. There was a trusty old adage: ¡°What¡¯s yours is mine and what¡¯s mine is mine¡±. Fortunately, power ¡ªfree energy, and not the thermodynamic sort¡ª meant everything here. Power was enticing, power was money, and gold¡­ though it wasn¡¯t to the point that gold coins were worthless, they didn¡¯t hold anywhere near the value of low-grade mana stones. The elf glowered in silence, red-faced from embarrassment, but did nothing otherwise to stop her. If anything, her ministrations and Isolde¡¯s pouty expression appeared to be an endearing scene between a pretty pair of friends. Unfortunately, nothing in life is ever so simple as it seems. --- Apart from the two of them, the pub was empty of customers. At the back of the establishment, behind a row of burnished wood barstools and the smoky marble countertop, the lone bar owner polished aimlessly at the glass mug in his hands with a clean rag. On nights such as this, his pub would usually be spilling at its seams with Adventurers weary from the day¡¯s travels, here to seek fine alcohol, food and women. The owner of Saltpeter¡¯s, one of the more distinguished rum and whisky producers in the Kingdom of Estea was an old friend, and this inn, ¡®Giant¡¯s Abode¡¯, was a popular destination for those laden with coin. Out here on the northern frontier, it was one of the only places that offered both security¡ªhe was a retired Mithril-ranked Adventurer¡ª and magic artifact repairs. The rowdy atmosphere was something he enjoyed and the influx of people brought news from other countries. Raucous cheers would ring out whenever someone bought drinks on the house, usually a high-ranking party returning from a successful Spirit Beast subjugation. Not tonight. Tonight, even the usual band of musicians was missing, the lid of the piano closed. The air in the room seemed stale; dead, even. Oh, he would love to tell the two foreign visitors to leave and take their business elsewhere. But they had already paid, and finely, too. A small pile of mana crystals the size of large glass marbles rested on the counter, giving off ethereal grey light. They were of the purest grade, worth more than the inn made in ten or so years. They were also more than he should take, but who was he to refuse the generosity of rich fools? He could either keep them for his own use or earn a small fortune for these crystals from the Wiseman Syndicate, free of tax. Putting aside the thought, he looked askance at the two women. The contents of their conversation were hidden from his prying ears, no doubt courtesy of ambient sound wards. They were both peerless beauties, easily the type storytellers would claim ¡®capable of destroying countries¡¯. Thoughts of the pair, flushed pink and whimpering lusciously in his bed, came to the forefront for a brief moment before being whisked away. An entertaining fantasy, nothing more. When they had first come marching in, earlier in the evening, they had also frightened off his usual clientele, much to his righteous outrage. The elf, with her stormy, jewel-toned eyes, had manifested the mana pressure of a Heaven-stage ¡®Ranker¡¯¡ª someone equivalent to the adamantite adventurers from Guild Headquarters or the royal family¡¯s Grand Magister. A single spell would have been all it took to bring everything down (including his own little life), yet surprisingly, no violence occurred. Most importantly, she at least had the good graces to reimburse him for the loss of business tonight. Drawing her ire now was a choice that only a lust-filled simpleton would make. What is a star elf of all things doing in human lands? The bar owner shook his head. Such questions were better left to others. The sooner both women were satisfied ¡ªand gone¡ª the better. --- ¡°Don¡¯t worry, about a thing, ¡®cause every little thing, gonna be all right.¡± Snow hummed a spry little tune she¡¯d picked up somewhere. Right now, she was happy. As long as she was happy, everything was all right. Even if the world collapsed around her, it would still be okay. That was the kind of truth she lived by day by day. Isolde began to protest, tears forming in her eyes. It looked as though she still hadn¡¯t recovered from the traumatic experience of being turned into food. ¡°E-Easy for you to say! You EAT me like a piece of candy, then I wake up to feel you fondling my body. Tell me¡ª how is any of this fair!?!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your panties in a twist, Isolde. Every cloud has a silver lining. You survived where everyone else went¡ªPoof! Isn¡¯t this alone something to be thankful for?¡± ¡°But¡ª ¡° ¡°No buts. You¡¯re fine, aren¡¯t you?¡± Isolde sunk back into silence. When she opened her eyes again to look at Snow, the tears were gone, like an impossible weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It didn¡¯t matter if she was formerly empress regnant of the Fae Court or the ¡®Eidolon Fairy¡¯ that once slew ten thousand Demon Immortals¡ª such things meant little to a natural-born Supreme Being. And said Supreme Being was now her master. She should really be angry. But her life was also given to her by Snow. This made everything needlessly vexing¡ª how was she supposed to treat the person who was both her murderer and savior? So she asked the question to which the answer she desperately needed to know: ¡°Who am I to you?¡± ¡°¡­Someone whose soul I can¡¯t eat anymore. A little sister I guess, since we¡¯re stuck with each other now?¡± There was a splendid light to Ashina Snow¡¯s eyes, as if they contained countless twinkling stars. Just staring into them, Isolde felt her heart start to race. She could tell from one glance that her master was overcome with joy. But why? Isolde¡¯s face darkened into something between shame and anger. She wasn¡¯t a complete fool. The reason instantly became clear to her, but she¡¯d rather not dwell on it as a fellow (former) casualty. Comrades-! Her heart wept silently. Snow was happy because, compared to fishing by the river at home, there were far more souls in this world ripe for the taking. It was a similar concept to Iberian ham, which tasted better after a careful aging process. As long as the souls were suitably matured ¡ªat least a century old¡ª she could harvest them without guilt for choosing a lesser product. As Snow dreamed about all the delectable souls she¡¯d collect, her expression began to loosen into a lasciviously inviting smile. Eyes glazing over, she muttered under her breath, ¡°all mine¡­ ¡°