Chương 721: Chapter 713

Tide goes in, tide goes out. Can't explain that. Least I couldn't, not really, and I still can't. Sure, I understand the basic concept of ebb and flow, that tidal forces cause bodies of water to rise and fall, but that's like saying humans breathe air and drink water, more of an observation rather than an explanation.

Though I'm sure there are people out there who are perfectly capable of providing a scientific explanation for tides, I myself am wholly incapable of understanding any explanation that goes beyond the generic.

Something about the gravity of a celestial object exerting its pull on a body of water in a manner which is not constant, due to the rotational force and differing distances to said celestial object at any given moment in time, resulting in the water closest to the celestial body being attracted more strongly than water further from it.

All things I know and could observe if I took the time to study and think about it, but here in the Azure Sea, I can feel the tidal forces at work pulling and pushing in every which way at once. This is not the only force at work either, with buoyancy propping my body up while gravity pulls it down, the latter winning ever so slightly due to my gilded steel armour.

The deeper I sink, the more force pressure exerts upon me, my ears popping as the air inside my ear canals gives way to the heavier water, but this is merely scratching the surface of what is at work. The differing pressure gradients brought about by changes in temperature, underwater geography, creature movements, sediment flow, blowing winds, and more all contribute to the creation of currents which drive the movement of water underneath what might otherwise appear to be a mostly static body of water.

Some currents begin at one side of the Azure Sea and end at the other, others turn back in upon themselves, and still others terminate after working their way into an obstruction, whether it be a coral reef, undersea cave, or some other barrier to its forward progress. And still, there is more. Water is happy to go with the flow and conform to whatever shape its container is in, but it also takes something from everything it touches due to its properties as a solvent.

Silt, minerals, chemicals, and nutrients, it dissolves and absorbs all these and more yet still remains water, which makes it vital for so many very different systems. To ensure these essential systems have constant access to water, the water cycle is in place to ensure delivery, as water evaporates and sublimates into vapour and clouds, only to turn into precipitate which is then rained down from high above, providing usable, potable water to any and all within its vast range.

Then, any unused water is drawn together through gravity, attraction, and a myriad of other various forces, resulting in the inevitable return to the initial source of water as it flows through creeks, streams, rivers, and more, all the way back to the Azure Sea. Concepts Elder Ming understood and wrote down in his death poem, but it is only now that I can appreciate the depths of his comprehension.

Just goes to show how complicated the Dao truly is, as I had all the answers laid out for me to read years ago, but it took years before I could begin to even understand what it all meant. There's still more to the Blessing of Water than what I've already outlined. Water is malleable. Water is absorptive. Water is cohesive. All properties I know of and have made use of without even knowing, for my Blessing of Water affords me far more powers than I previously realized.

These properties and more are what enable me to to Devour with impunity, not only Spectres and Ichor, but even the Energy of the Heavens themselves, all thanks to these properties of Water and forces I have yet to consciously identify, much less understand, but as I Devour to replenish my Chi, my mind is made aware of so much more going on than I ever knew.

Water is Cleansing, which is why Blobby is able to purge the negative emotions incorporated within Spectres, a feat I am now able to replicate, but I have no idea how I was able to break through the restrictions which I have always known were present, yet still do not entirely understand.

There is a fundamental difference between Chi and Heavenly Energy, and with only access to the former, I should not be able to Cleanse Spectres as I have been, not without assistance from Blobby, but after my three-day stint in Nan Ping Bay, I somehow incorporated the droplet of Heavenly Water not just into the Azure Sea, but with the core of my very being itself.

Not my Core, which had since been shattered and reformed, but the root of my existence, my eternal soul itself, something which cannot be lost or destroyed, only changed from within. I am Blobby. Blobby is me. One with the Elemental Spirit. Add another One to the books! In doing so, I have bound the Azure Sea, but this does not afford me complete control over this vast body of water, for I lack the power to harness it in its entirety.

As I've stated myself many a time before, an Elemental Awakening does not enable a Martial Warrior to control said Element, but rather grants their Chi similar properties to that Element instead, as well as the fundamental forces inherent to said Element.

Binding physical water is an entirely different process altogether, one that I now understand to be the merger of metaphysical Water Chi with physical water itself, a procedure not all that different from creating a Spiritual Heart, only this time with an external object as opposed to my physical body. I doubt I could've accomplished such a feat without an Elemental Spirit, as others have taken to calling Blobby, and I can sense his familiar presence here in the Azure Sea.

It's not as distinct and conscious as he once was, but his presence is there nonetheless, one that resists my attempts to seize authority and defy natural law as is my first instinct. That's not to say Blobby or the Azure Sea as a whole is alive in any way, shape, or form, but I can sense an underlying awareness that works against me here, though not in any hostile manner.

This is simply the nature of water, to settle into a rut and stay there until circumstances force it to adapt, a habit I myself am sometimes guilty of, which means I must provide those circumstances if I am to make use of the Azure Sea to my advantage.

Thankfully, there are hints of congenial goodwill mixed within the currents and waves, telling me that though it refuses to be directed and controlled, it is willing to work with me in some limited capacity to Cleanse these foul presences from its waters so long as it doesn't take too much effort, though the terms of our agreement are left ill-defined. Vague, lazy, and not at all dependable, that's Blobby in a nutshell, just... less distinct than I remember.

Probably because he's spread out all over the Azure Sea rather than condensed into one little droplet, though the series of events that led to this outcome are a mystery to be sure. Seconds pass as I immerse myself in Insight and comprehension with Blobby's help, seconds which stretch into eternity as I delve deeper into the mysteries of the Blessing of Water and the fundamental forces of nature which it represents.

Simply identifying these mysteries is enough to advance my progress by leaps and bounds, because I have a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw upon from my past life's memories, as well as underlying Insights I have until now left unexplored. The best example of this is Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

A surprisingly simple concept that grows in complexity once you know what to look for, but one that explains so much I should've already known. The Four Primal Blessings of Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire each represent the myriad of unique forces of the universe broken down into four fundamental 'units', but no singular Element can stand on its own. The universe is in perpetual motion, which by definition is only possible because there is a force being exerted upon it.

Thus, we know there must also be an equal and opposite force to oppose it, and it is the interaction between these opposing forces that brings about the natural laws we all must follow, including the third law responsible for the formulation of those forces to start with. A complex tangle of information which I find difficult to unravel, but considering time is of the essence here, I focus on the important parts first. What does all of this mean for me in terms of real world application?

This is where words begin to fail me, for even though I understand what must be done, I find myself unable to frame it in a way my mind can interpret as fact. Push and Pull, Contraction and Expansion, Ebb and Flow, Hot and Cold, these are but a few of the basic interactions needed to do something as simple as lift myself out of the sea atop a pillar of water, yet the pieces all fall into place in a tapestry of motion driven by little more than my Will.

Countless variables and counter-forces interfere with my efforts, from natural ones like gravity and currents working to drag me down into the depths of the sea, to the frantic movements from Kuang Biao and other Royal Guardians struggling to dive down and carry me away, but Water is nothing if not adaptable.

Despite all the obstacles barring my path, I simply go with the flow and Visualize my Intent, and Blobby takes care of the rest as he flows freely in an out of my Core, both here, yet not here, in the physical and metaphysical both. Rising up on a stream of Water Chi, I burst out from the surface of the sea and leave a group of wide-eyed, waterlogged Royal Guardians behind me. Still immersed in my Divine Senses and aware of nothing and everything at once, I take stock of the situation before leaping into the fray.

The tides have turned against the Imperials as Defiled, Demons, and Demonic Warriors alike press in from all sides, the freighter anchored and stationary while the pirate fleet is free to deliver wave after wave of fresh combatants to replace those that have fallen in battle. Thus, my first order of business is to remedy this imbalance, but destroying the pirate fleet is beyond my capabilities, even with Blobby's assistance.

Not because the sea can't destroy the fleet, but because I lack the strength needed to stir those destructive forces to action. Instead, I focus on the anchored freighter itself, floating helplessly in place atop the Azure Sea while buffeted from all directions by a near infinite number of opposing forces. The currents work against the weighted anchors which pull and push on the ship's pliable frame.

The freighter's cargo shifts and sways while the passengers pace and fret, helpless to do anything save listen to the battle rage on overhead and pray the stomping boots belong to Imperial bodies and the thumping corpses Defiled. Gravity pushes down from above while buoyancy keeps it afloat, all while the wood itself breathes and groans under the stress of all these forces and more, each one in delicate balance that thus far has yet to exceed what the ship can withstand. So all I need to do is change that.

Exerting my Authority upon the world around me, I watch as reality ripples as my Domain Manifests, the physical and metaphysical overlapping here in this small portion of the Azure Sea. On the surface, nothing changes, but now I stand within my Domain, for beneath my feet lies my Natal Lake.

Or perhaps I've been calling it a lake incorrectly all this time, when in fact, it's been a Natal Sea all along, a detailed representation of the Azure Sea made to scale inside my Natal Palace with help from Blobby and Pong Pong both, the latter's shared lifetime of memories helping to shape this most massive and complex of Keystones. The clouds, the air, the waters, and even the ship, nothing changes on a fundamental level, but the sea becomes more real, yet also less real at the same time.

There are too many changes to note, but the important part is that while physical law has not been overwritten, it has been mitigated in some manner, allowing me more control and authority of what remains.

"Disperse," I command, and the Energy of the Heavens surges forth to obey, transformed into Chi the moment it enters my Manifested Domain for Blobby to make use of. The gentle waves turn into a whirling torrent of Water Chi that rend the Imperial freighter asunder, a feat only made possible thanks to the weighted anchors holding it in place.

Ally and Enemy alike are left without a ship to stand upon as the waters rise up to engulf them, but here within my Domain, I hold ultimate authority and my Will is to be obeyed. Sailors and soldiers alike are swept up in the raging currents, roughly handled yet carefully protected at the same time, each one caught in the flow and carried away from danger as the ship and its cargo comes apart all around them.

The Enemy are treated with far less care as my Water Chi sets to work, dragging my foes down into the dark depths of the sea where their lungs fill with water and their minds fill with panic, their desperate struggle to survive destined to end in ultimate failure. Those more adept Defiled who have no need for air to breathe eventually die all the same as the freighter's 'precious' cargo of stone and lead finds its way over to smash into them alongside a torrent of broken ship parts and discarded metallic junk.

Water sustains life, but it can also claim it, for we require Balance in all things. As for the Demons, they are all too easily dealt with once they've been dragged into my Domain. Most fall with the ship, and those quick enough to escape to the air are bombarded with Water Chi launched from the surface of the sea itself, the jets and cannons within my aquatic park put to more militaristic use.

More Insights I failed to make use of until now, the means to control Water Chi laying well within reach for months now, yet left wholly untouched due to my inability to recognize the secrets hidden within my Natal Palace. Once the Demons are brought low and submerged within the sea, my Water Chi scours away the unnatural forces holding their amalgamated bodies together and dissolves that which they require to manifest in reality, leaving them wholly vulnerable to Blobby's Cleansing properties.

These once formidable avatars of destruction are naught but stains to be sterilized and sanitized as their bodies crumble apart and the Ichor neutralized into usable Heavenly Energy, which is then drawn in through Devouring and put to much needed good use. The Half-Demonic Warriors offer a unique challenge to face, neither wholly human nor Demon, but something in between.

Since the moment I took action, Huanhuzi has been fighting tooth and nail to escape, his deployed Domain emerging to contest against mine, but restricted by the limits of his new form. These Half-Demonic Warriors are something of a failed experiment no doubt, one Zhen Shi has turned to his advantage, and I can sense in the bestial Huanhuzi a similarity to Wraiths which goes beyond the mere physical.

It has to do with their presence here in reality, neither wholly within the waking world or Void at any given time, creatures that are neither here, nor there. This transient property is where they draw much of their strength from, their armour serving as a quasi-Manifested Domain that is always in effect, but one that falls woefully short of the real thing.

Even then, this is enough to fend off my own Manifested Domain and keep it from affecting their Half-Demonic bodies, so after a few seconds of struggle, I deem the Bandit King and his Half-Demonic Warriors enough of a threat to resort to extreme measures. Despite my ability to Devour Chi at speeds never before seen, it is still unable to match up with my rate of expenditure, protecting a veritable army of Imperials while drowning a second army of Defiled, and I can tell I am fast approaching my limits.

Thus, reluctant as I am to tap into my newly restored reserves, I've no choice but to use the Heavenly Energy obtained from so many Demons to secure a victory here today. The Energy of the Heavens surges out into my Manifested Domain, empowering it to levels beyond my mortal comprehension, but I need not understand what it does in order to make use of it.

Nineteen Half-Demonic Warriors came into existence here upon these seas, and I intend to kill each and every last one of them, the means through which is provided through Visualization as I Hone my Domain into nineteen blades that crash heavily against their defenses.

The fear and panic which ensues is delicious to behold, a heady rush of power and superiority which is as sweet as it is addicting, and I watch as the Bandit King Huanhuzi is powerless to act as the waves drag him ever deeper as my Honed Domain makes its way slowly through his defences. The Water presses in. My Honed Domain cuts deep. The Demonic armour cracks. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

And the Bandit King is no more, leaving behind a malformed, mutated, bestial carcass leaking unholy Ichor I cannot Cleanse. To the human eye, Huanhuzi's life's blood is sickly green like Ichor from any regular Demon, but to my Divine Senses, it is blacker than the darkest of nights and the antithesis of creation. This is Anathema, albeit in an unrefined form, and I shudder to think what it might be like once Zhen Shi gets his hands on it.

The corpses of the other eighteen Half-Demonic Warriors emit the same abominable gunk, which I gather up with a thought to contain within a water skin I picked up from the nearby debris. If not for my Water Chi, the unrefined Anathema would eat its way out of the leather container in a heartbeat, and it takes an effort of will to keep even this much in check, but leaving it to desecrate the Azure Sea is simply unacceptable.

The waterskin in hand, I gather up the Half-Demonic corpses and send them careening to shore for later study. Glancing down at the soldiers to reassure myself that they're all still alive, my gaze locks on to Dad whose eyes are filled with pride and joy as he treads water next to his old friend Naaran. The amber-eyed Sentinel exhibits similar sentiments, though his emotions are laced with conflicting feelings of remorse and regret as well, and I am unable to perceive why.

The important thing is that they're still alive, along with most of the army I brought here with me, though we still suffered a number of casualties to bring the Bandit King low. Nor did I manage to kill every last Defiled, with the survivors already setting sail for the deep waters of the Azure Sea, though I did kill the majority of Demons and the entirety of the Half-Demonic forces that spawned here today.

Such is life, however, and though I mourn for the dead, I also make an effort to take pride in my accomplishment as a concerned Li-Li demanded, pride which pales in comparison to Pong Pong's approval. Resting in my hair, his turtly eminence emanates an Aura of smug satisfaction as he pats me with his tiny claw, a reward for finally figuring out what he thought was obvious all along.

'Just use the Heavenly Tear stupid, just like I do', that's what he seems to be saying, though I still have no real idea how this works. Intertwined within his praise is a none-too-subtle request to go play, and maybe even go exploring through our home and Domain, the Azure Sea, as it's been far too long since he swam here. Would love to, but can't. Maybe later.

Thoughts and emotions which are difficult to convey, but I think Pong Pong gets the gist as he sinks into my hair with a little huff, but I have more pressing matters to attend to than his nib's poor mood. The pillar of water drops out from beneath my feet and I Lighten as I fall back to the water's surface, all choppy and disturbed now that I've stopped supporting the entire army and left them to tread water by themselves.

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have destroyed the freighter since not everyone can swim, but there's plenty of floatsam bobbing about and the shore isn't too too far away, though we really should get moving." Can't stay long," I Send to Dad, as I plunk down in the water next to him.

Tired and drained, I sink further than intended but my reliable father grabs hold of my arm and drags me back up to the water's surface as I continue, " All the blood and corpses are gonna attract unwanted attention, so we probably want to get out of the water before they arrive."

Although I've long since released hold of my Divine Senses and Manifested Domain, I have a faint and fading recollection of unpleasantness on the horizon, so to speak, but hopefully Pong Pong can lend a hand if things take a turn for the worst." I'm going to sleep now," I add, my eyes already closed and my body weightless as I drift in the cold waters of the Azure Sea and dread the onset of the headache which I know will soon arrive." Probably for a few days, so no need to worry.""

Rest easy, my son," Dad Sends, and my world fades to darkness as I settle into his warm embrace." I will handle the rest." Not a bad fight, though I'm a little annoyed by the fact that I'll probably need to carry around a giant gourd from here on out if I want to utilize my bound water. Inconvenient is what it is, but I suppose it's better than nothing. Ha. Look at that. Not even a full minute after an incredible victory and I'm already complaining. Some things I fear will never change.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arms wrapped around his precious and powerful son whilst adrift in the Azure Sea, Baatar readied for death and faced it head on. There was no time for joy or regret, no moment of calm to process his thoughts and emotions or even take a breath before the coming calamity arrived, one he foresaw as soon as the boy rose up out of the Azure Sea, stood atop a pillar of water and wielding more Chi than Baatar previously thought was humanly possible.

Before sallying forth to engage Huanhuzi's pirate fleet, the greatest military minds of the Empire made plans for every possible contingency, with Mother, Nian Zu, Binesi, Han BoHai, and several other prominent Peak Experts stationed in the general vicinity with Peak Experts standing ready to intercept any fast-moving Enemy forces.

Though they failed to account for the previously unheard of possibility of a veritable army of Demons and Half-Demons spawning in at the same time, the trial and tribulation before them at this very moment was something they'd anticipated well in advance, so Baatar stuck to the plan and prayed. For there was little he could personally do when faced with a Divinity's wrath.

The air grew heavy and the water cold as the Defiled Ancestral Beast made her presence known, emanating a domineering Aura that made it difficult to breathe, much less stay afloat in the Azure Sea. Emerging from Concealment without pomp or pageantry, the Ancestral Badger Shih Yang appeared before Baatar with an outstretched hand, a slim, willow woman whose fine, noble features were twisted in rage and fury.

For this once respected Territory Lord to turn traitor and support the Uniter came as a surprise to all who knew her, or at least this was what Baatar had been told. Even Mother wasn't privy to the comings and goings of most Divinities, but Shih Yang had been one of the more well-known upholders of the Treaty, having done more than her fair share to ensure it remained in place.

This was before the West fell of course, during which her true allegiance was revealed when she led a group of her traitorous peers to ambush and assassinate no less than six Divinities in succession before word of her betrayal got out.

All free-holding Territory Lords of course, ones who refused to stand idly by as the Defiled rampaged about the Western Province and thus supposedly broke the Treaty first, a flimsy justification which held up because neither Imperial nor neutral Divinities were willing to die to avenge their slain peers.

Even those peak existences were unable to muster a defence against a surprise attack from Shih Yang and her ilk, and though Shen ZhenWu worked hard to quash this information and keep it from spreading, the Emperor's Mandate proved little deterrence to the Ancestral Beasts of the Saint's Tribulations Mountains, who by and large were a free-spirited and unrestrained bunch. Which was why it'd been so difficult to convince them to come along on this pirate extermination, but the important thing was that they were here.

His bony hand clamped around Shih Yang's wrist, Lao Lang bared his teeth and growled in open threat, a rumbling sound which stirred up a sense of primal terror within Baatar's chest and demanded his complete and utter obedience. Despite his hunched back and wizened frame, Lao Lang was still a formidable sight to behold, his majestic, white-furred tail lashing about as his wolf ears turned this way and that in an alert fashion.

"See this pup?" Lao Lang asked, gesturing at Baatar with a jerk of his chin.

"See them cute furry ears on top of his head? Ain't much to look at when they all soggy and wet, but those mark him as one of mine." The rumbling growl grew in both volume and intensity as the Ancestral Wolf drew himself up to full height, which admittedly still fell short of Shih Yang's willowy stature to say nothing of Baatar's own.

"So where in the fuck do you get off attacking one of my pack, you dirt-grubbing, worm-eating, fur-stinking badger bitch?" Lao Lang's declaration marking Baatar as one of his came with conflicting emotions, as the Ancestral Beast had never once behaved as a father should, but one could not deny that they were biologically related.

That being said, any discussion regarding their estranged relationship would have to wait until this calamity was behind them, but Baatar felt safer once the other elders made their presence known as well, even if their suffocating Auras added to the strain of staying afloat. There was the Ancestral Tiger, Machali, a woman of few words and foul tempers, standing with her gentle, hulking husband Da Hui, united in purpose despite their tempestuous relationship due to the Ancestral Grizzly's adulterous habits.

Of course, it didn't help that the hot-headed Machali had only recently decided to repay her husband in similar coin, striking up a relationship with a human that resulted in the birth of Baatar's own beloved daughter, but grateful as he was for his little treasure, he knew better than to bring Alsantset up in front of these two married Ancestral Beasts.

Then there was the Ancestral Gazelle Ling Lu, her curved horns glistening in the sunlight as she stood ready to pounce, the youngest of the bunch and visibly excited by the prospect of battle, which was hardly reassuring considering how Baatar and every other mortal in the vicinity would likely die in the first exchange should these Divinities come to blows.

Also present was the golden furred WuKong, whirling his staff about in a dizzying display of acrobatics as he somersaulted about the Azure Sea, unable to remain still long enough for anyone to catch a glimpse of his face. Last, but far from least, was Sarnai's fool of a Mentor herself, veiled as always as she stood protectively before Taduk, who was quietly fussing over little Rain. Seven Divinities in total, though the scatter-brained Ancestral Hare hardly counted considering his aversion to violence.

Then again, while most treated the Ancestral Rabbit Hua Lie as the most powerful of the bunch, Mother claimed Taduk might well have her outclassed, should he ever find reason to fight. A Cloud-Blessed Cloud Chaser Hare who could call the winds and summon the rains, it was difficult to match this image with the eccentric and off-beat Healer Baatar knew and loved, but appearances didn't count for much.

Previously, Taduk's ability to single-handedly drive an entire Defiled army to retreat was the most impressive display of an Elemental Blessing Baatar had the pleasure to witness firsthand, but what little Rain accomplished here today handily topped Taduk's exploits, if only because the death and destruction appealed more to Baatar's bloodthirsty nature. This momentous gathering of Divinities was making him light in the head, so Baatar focused his thoughts on the matter at hand.

Clearly unwilling to back down despite being handily outnumbered, Shih Yang pulled her hand free from the old wolf's grasp before striking a calm and collected pose.

"This hateful child slew one of mine, and I am entitled to my revenge."

"Killed him in battle, fair as fair." Turning his head to spit before thinking better of it, Lao Lang's lip curled in a mocking sneer.

"Or do you think that only yours can kill ours without any reprisal?"

"Fair?" Emanating icy threat as she curled her fists until they cracked, Shih Yang glared daggers at little Rain and Baatar shifted so as to block the boy from her murderous gaze.

"That runt made use of powers far beyond what a mere mortal should wield, beyond what most of us here can match in skill and finesse, and you call this fair? He has broken the treaty, and I will have his life."

"Treaty stands." Unwilling to budge even a millimetre, Lao Lang's tail took on a playful clip as it wagged this way and that, leading Baatar to wonder if he looked equally as ridiculous when unable to contain his glee, with hips swaying from side to side without even realizing it.

"T'was written for Divinities, and any fool can tell the boy is still mortal yet." The stifling pressure increased and Baatar sank deeper into the water, struggling to keep little Rain's head out of the water to say nothing of his own, until Taduk's reassuring presence enveloped them both to ward off Shih Yang's rage.

"By definition perhaps," she insisted, her bared teeth gnashing as if ready to taste the boy's flesh, "But left unchecked, his strength could bring disaster down upon us all."

"He's impressive, sure enough, and can do some mighty complex workings, but he's far from matching any one of us in pure destructive ability, which is why the Treaty was drawn up in the first place." Still standing tall, Lao Lang huffed and said, "The boy is mortal. End of discussion. Touch him, and I will kill you before heading West to wreak havoc unlike anything anyone living has ever seen. The line has been drawn, so cross it or fuck off. I ain't in the mood to stand around all day."

Having heard the tales of what Lao Lang did in his youth, stories that made Smiling Slaughterer Guan Suo seem tame in comparison, there was no doubt in Baatar's mind that the old wolf could make good on his promise.

"We should just kill her now," Ling Lu whispered, though still loud enough for all to hear, and Baatar found it disturbing to see how unhinged Yaruq's dam had become, her wild, bloodshot eyes making her appear a step short of Defiled herself.

"Kill the traitor and take her strength, while she has no allies to save her."

"Ye might want to check again on that account." The thick, folksy accent was far too familiar for Baatar's tastes as the Ancestral Bristleboar Zhu Chanzui made his presence known, flanked by four other Divinities to match the Imperials. An Ancestral Mammoth and the Mataram Ancestor, both of whom little Rain met at the Brotherhood's monastery, as well as two others who Baatar only knew by reputation.

The first was a noble stag who went by the name Ba Khe Zhu, stately and imposing with his massive antlered crown as he stared at Ling Lu with lust and avarice, his appetite for womanly flesh second only to Zhu Chanzui's. The last Divinity's presence was so faint Baatar almost overlooked him, a pale Defiled Human Divinity with grotesque, mottled features and so much loose skin that it seemed ready to fall off his frame.

This creature was supposedly the progenitor of all Wraiths, and known only as the Phantom according to the Imperial reports. A deadly assassin who played a pivotal role in Shih Yang's ability to assassinate so many neutral Divinities, the Phantom was a foe to be wary of no matter what level of strength one obtained, for the deadliest dagger was the one that went unseen.

With the numbers close to even on both sides, they fell into something of a stalemate as neither Shih Yang nor Lao Lang uttered another word, and Baatar's son became the fixture of everyone's focus. Ready to sell his life dearly, Baatar cradled his unconscious son and glared back at each and every Enemy Divinity for as long as he dared, trembling beneath the increased pressure of their Auras that even Taduk could not wholly mitigate, but it was a small price to pay to show the depths of his conviction.

Then, without warning, the Enemy Divinities disappeared and the pressure abated, so sudden Baatar almost fell to pieces trying to withstand a burden that was no longer there, but it was still too early to relax.

"This one thanks these Venerable ones for their assistance," he said, unable to actually bow while swimming, "But little Rain warned us to move away from here before aquatic predators gather in numbers too great for us to fend off, so time is of the essence."

"Don't think you got anything to worry about on that account." Gesturing west where Baatar presumed the Enemy Divinities retreated, Lao Lang chuckled and said, "With all the Aura them lot were throwing around, I doubt there's a predator alive daring enough to make their way over any more." Brow furrowing in thought as he glanced at the tiger Rakshasa, who even now was happily paddling towards shore with a Defiled corpse in his jaws, the old wolf added, "Then again, maybe the boy knows more than this old wolf.

Times be changing, after all, new waves overcoming the old."

"Then this one will excuse himself first."

"Hang on a tick, pup." Running his fingers through his long, voluminous beard, Lao Lang pursed his lips in thought while studying the sleeping boy. It grated Baatar to hear the old wolf call him by the same affectionate nickname Mother and Father used, especially when lacking any and all affection, but there was no sense getting angry at the Ancestral Wolf.

In his eyes, baby Baatar had been nothing more than a worthless runt who would never survive to adulthood, so leaving him alive was already better than what most Ancestral Beasts would tolerate. Unlike the other demi-humans, Baatar never once cared about establishing a relationship with his sire, treating him as a stranger with shared blood, nothing more, nothing less.

However, ever since Lao Lang took a personal interest in little Huushal, Baatar had been fighting feelings of jealousy and indignation, ones his mountain rose called him foolish to harbour, and she was right. It still hurt to see them together, but Baatar had his own parents and family to lean on, including the son fast asleep in his arms, who Lao Lang was uncomfortably fixated on.

"You think he did it on purpose?" Utterly lost as to what the old wolf was talking about, Baatar simply raised an eyebrow in question, a trick little Rain was most fond of, and after a few seconds, Lao Lang explained, "I heard about what the Abbot told the boy, that he was ready to take the next step and ascend to Divinity. If that's true, do you think he stayed mortal on purpose? So he could keep fighting without running afoul of the treaty?" Ah.

Without really needing to think on the matter, Baatar shrugged and said, "Perhaps he did, though I doubt his actions were so... well planned. The boy's Path is convoluted, and even he is not clear about the steps he took, so if he meant to do this, then it was likely more by instinct than design, if not happenstance to begin with."

"Damn." Sputtering in overt frustration, Lao Lang sighed and turned to Taduk, who was still fussing with little Rain's hair and clothes as if it mattered while he was soaked to the bone.

"You should have a talk with him when he wakes then. Make sure he don't overstep. Last thing we need is for him to accidentally Ascend to Divinity and break the Treaty in the same breath." Still stroking his beard, Lao Lang took in Taduk's dismissive attitude and muttered, "Or maybe I should have a talk with him instead."

Truth be told, Baatar would feel much better if Lao Lang took matters into his own hands, but knowing how stubborn little Rain truly was, no amount of advice or warning would sway him from his Path. At least the boy was safe, sound, and as an added bonus, returning to the Citadel with a resounding victory under his belt.

Enough soldiers, sailors, and Peak Experts had survived to tell the tale of Falling Rain's valour, and while the boy was still a ways away from being able to defeat Shuai Jiao or Bai Qi in single combat, even all the Colonel Generals combined could not match little Rain in talent or destructive potential. Twenty-two years young and wielding power beyond a Half-Step Divinity, Baatar could not be any prouder of his beloved son. Chapter Meme