Chapter 531

Chapter 531

Though delighted by his newfangled success, Goujian was never one to let triumph and accomplishment cloud his judgment, because if life was trials and tribulations without end, then success was merely the bare minimum required to survive.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

Such were Goujians thoughts as he watched the battle unfold on the walls of fort Sinuji, immersed within the moment so as to wholly experience his emotions in accordance with his new Path. A prospect more difficult than he first expected, because after decades of lies and misguided efforts, his mental defences set to guard against emotion were too ingrained to easily let down, much less dismantle entirely. Each time he sought to walk the razors edge, to surrender to his passions while holding on to a single thread of reason, he found himself resisting the influx of emotion and instinctively clinging to Imperial Lies of Balance instead. Whats more, the stifling heat wasnt helping much either, his borrowed robes already drenched in sweat despite the late hour and sleeping sun. If a winters night could reach such sweltering temperatures, he hoped to never experience a hot summer day, but alas all he could do for now was fan his robes and suffer.

Putting the heat out of mind, Goujian took a deep breath and reflected on his next steps. Although hed found True Balance once, hed done so on the brink of death, meaning his triumph was the result of dire circumstances, fortuitous happenstance, and Heavenly intervention as opposed any true effort of his own. As such, it would take time and effort to replicate his achievements, for the razors edge was a most arduous Path to tread, but Goujian had time and effort to spare.

Unlike Falling Rain, whose death had already been set in motion.

How fitting for the runt to meet his end at the hands of a Water-Blessed Transcendent, and Goujians smile widened as he committed every detail and emotion to memory for posteritys sake. The liquid lance hurtled towards Falling Rains heart and his thin, frail hands raised to stop it, but the boy knew it was a futile gesture. His expression said it all, a flash of panic followed almost immediately by grim acceptance, and though this was one of Goujians most hated enemies, he felt a faint tinge of respect for how staunch and steadfast Falling Rain remained when faced with inevitable death. Beside him, the too-talented Dastan Zhandos was already moving to intercept, but the callow youth had let his guard down in the midst of battle and would be several seconds too late to help, while the half-cat girl in Runic Armour had yet to even notice the boys plight. Then there were the many Experts around them, each one too far and too slow to react to the Water-Blessed Transcendents unexpected assault on Falling Rain, because theyd all been too busy preparing to defend themselves instead. A plan carried out to perfection in order to execute the Empires false Hero, removing a most aggravating pawn from the board and dealing a crippling blow to Imperial morale.

So brilliant, this young Emperor, though in truth, Goujian wondered if it was even worth it. Why go to so much effort to kill a cripple?

The lance struck.

Mist splattered.

Soldiers bellowed.

And Falling Rain...

Emerged unscathed, with a look of bewildered confusion etched across his hateful, bony face.

For the span of a single heartbeat, it seemed as if the entire battlefield had frozen in place, with Imperial and Defiled, Expert and Transcendent, ally and enemy alike stopping to gawk at Falling Rain. Then, Dastan Zhandos fell to the ground, an eternity too late with his noble but futile attempt to intercept the attack, and the battle resumed, leaving Goujian with only questions and confusion.

This shouldnt have been possible. The globes of Water launched by the formidable Awakened Transcendent were powerful enough to kill Peak Experts if struck head-on, and the lance was a seemingly more powerful version of such, yet Falling Rain remained unharmed after a direct collision. No, more than unharmed, but utterly untouched, still sitting atop his giant weasel with nary a hair out of place. The boys clothes werent even wet, though the mount beneath him was thoroughly soaked, shaking its fur dry as animals were wont to do and sending a spray of droplets into the air. Being formed of Chi, those droplets dissipated back into Heavenly Energy before ever reaching the ground, but the Water Lance failed to even touch Falling Rains skin before vanishing into nothingness, along with the force of the attack.

How? Was there another Divinity there, Concealed in the shadows and protecting him in secret?

You see? Teeth bared in fury, the young Emperor grabbed Goujian by his soggy, borrowed robes and pointed at Falling Rain from across the battlefield, the young whelp clearly mouthing some profanity or the other while glancing around in convincing befuddlement. You see how he pretends, feigning surprise and confusion? Hateful trickster, even his most trusted subordinates have been fooled, but this Sovereign has long since seen through his lies and deceptions.

My liege is perceptive beyond compare, Goujian replied, meaning every word as the pieces fell into place. No wonder the young Emperor had seemed so wary during his meeting with Falling Rain, even flinching away from the supposed cripple and his two Peak Expert Guards, because the Bekhai runt was playing the pig to eat the tiger. Unfortunately for him, the Divine Son of Heaven was no mere tiger, but a dragon amongst men, one not so easily outwitted. Except... Begging your forgiveness my liege, but this one is ignorant and still does not wholly understand. Even if he is not crippled, how did he block the Transcendents attack?

Snarling in bestial fury, the young Emperor loosed his grip on Goujians robes and shoved him away. Fool. Did you forget? The stupid beast explained the concept not even an hour ago. Falling Rain is also Blessed by Water, so he only need summon Water Chi of his own to nullify the Elemental portion of the attack. Glaring daggers at the Bekhai runt, the young Emperors voice quieted and Goujian had to strain to hear. Better hearing joined his list of needed physical improvements, alongside better eyesight so hed no longer need to Scry at events in his direct line of sight, like the battle raging in front of him. But then what of the remaining kinetic force? the young Emperor muttered, his confusion as clear as the scowl on his face. His lacking vigour and physical frailty cannot be feigned, so even if ninety percent is Deflected, the remaining momentum should have killed him outright or at least thrown him from the saddle. The Devourer carries too many secrets, brings too many surprises, breaks laws this Sovereign once believed inviolable, and for this, he must die.

To this day, Goujian still wasnt sure why the Uniter had dubbed Falling Rain so, but if ever there were a time to ask, it would be now. While the Water-Blessed Transcendent fought off multiple Peak Experts on Sinujis outer wall, Goujian wiped his forehead and voiced his question, and to his great surprise, actually received an answer instead of cryptic mutterings or half-hearted pleas of ignorance. This one, the young Emperor began, using an uncharacteristically humble term to refer to himself, Is the Emissary, for his Talent is to bring the Truth to all. This one speaks, and others listen, or rather others are more open to hearing the secrets of Heaven, and are thus elevated beyond their meagre stations. How, this Sovereign does not wholly understand as of yet, and in truth, we might never deduce the true answer, for the infinite mysteries of Heaven are largely inexplicable, but the how is unimportant so long as it remains effective.

Having recovered from his shock, the Captain drove his spear into Goujians exposed belly, and only the young Emperors warning saved him. Turned aside by Domain and Deflection, the Captains Honed spear bit deep into the floor and plunged down until half its length was buried, a testament to his lacking skills and experience, yet even a warrior as inept as he almost claimed Goujians life. Enraged by his poor showing, he shoved the Captain away to buy room to breathe, but in yet another unexpected turn of events, Goujians foe went barrelling back into the crowd, his limbs akimbo and eyes clouding over in death after the desperate push caved in his armour and chest.

The body has power aplenty at least, to make up for its many failings. The young Emperors tone held approval aplenty, and perhaps even a hint of admiration, but it paled in comparison to Goujians shame. Of which there are still many more to uncover, so enough lazing about dear Martial Brother, for time works against us once more.

Distracted by the young Emperors taunts and Healing his ankle, Goujian failed to heed his surroundings and took a blow to the back of the skull. Though softened by his Domain, the sudden impact rocked his head forward and rattled his brain, leaving him sore and disoriented as he cowered beneath his arms and struggled to his knees beneath a flurry of hacking weapons and hammering blows. Snarling in fury, he lashed out with a sweeping backhand and cleared his immediate surroundings before bringing his hooked-sword to bear, but much like his awkward and ungainly body, his trusted weapon also betrayed him. Having never been the heaviest of weapons, it now felt like a twig in hand and threw off the timing and coordination of his movements, a far more concerning issue than his clumsy and unwieldy new body. The latter he would grow accustomed to given time, but his hooked-sword was utterly incapable of taking advantage of his prodigious strength, a weapon more suited to stealth, cunning, and guile than overwhelming power.

Now, he was akin to a bull with fangs or an elephant with claws, a mismatched monstrosity incapable of making use of his greatest strengths, whether it be his lifetime of Martial training and sword skills or newfangled physical might. Why had the Heavens betrayed him? What was the point of all this power if he couldnt put it to good use? As he was now, any random Expert with a Domain would prove a threat to Goujian and it was only through fate and happenstance that he had yet to face one in this brief and disastrous bout upon the wall.

Giving in to his rage and resentment, Goujian threw himself into the fight as best he could in his current condition, his weapon unwieldy and foot attached only by skin and muscle while it flopped and twisted about. Fighting on one knee, he dragged himself across the wall and swung his too-light sword about like a club, expecting to meet his demise or at the very least be pulled away to safety by his Concealed Transcendent guards, but even disadvantaged as he was, no Imperial Warrior proved his match. A swing of sword or fist was enough to dispatch anyone who came within range, for even a glancing blow was capable of crushing armour and shattering bone. As time passed and anger subsided, he grew accustomed to his debilitation and discomfort with the weapon and worked out the best ways to go about utilizing his new advantages while simultaneously cataloguing his many, many disadvantages.

Joints, tendons, and ligaments were first on his long list, as hed neglected to reinforce them while strengthening the rest of his body. A thicker skull and a layer of fat to guard his brain from impacts would be much appreciated, but more pressing was the need to make up for the inability of his organs to keep up with his bodys other improvements. His heart and lungs were both threatening to give out from over-exertion while his kidneys, liver, and other organs instrumental to the flow of blood were working too slowly and keeping him from reaching his true potential. Then there was the matter of temperature regulation, for hed finally noticed it wasnt that the Central winters were overly warm, but rather his dense muscles and tough skin had rendered sweating ineffective at dispersing heat, and his internal temperature was reaching dangerously high levels which threatened to shut his entire body down.

The young Emperor was right. Goujians new body was riddled with flaws, but try as he might, he failed to conceive any workable solutions. While tendons and ligaments would need reinforcement, how far could he go before impacting his mobility and flexibility? Too strong and even the simplest motions would require great effort, while too weak would leave himself incapable of making sudden movements for fear of injuring himself. Then there was the matter of improving the efficiency of his organs, which left him utterly perplexed. The simplest solution was to make duplicates, but how would he find room for them and how would they connect to the existing framework?

So deep in thought, he failed to notice he had no foes left to fight, for his section of the outer wall had been overrun by the Defiled thanks to his efforts. With room to breathe and fix his ankle, he knelt in quiet contemplation for long minutes before swallowing his pride and asking the young Emperor for assistance. Thankfully, Goujians request was met without ridicule or derision, and the young Emperor launched into a long winded explanation, no doubt gleefully waiting for this chance to educate his Martial Brother. The razors edge between struggle and surrender must be tread lightly, the young Emperor began. Struggle too much, and such are the results. The human body is a finely-tuned device, one crafted by the Heavens themselves, yet you sought to improve upon it with only your shallow knowledge? With age comes arrogance, but such is life.

A minor rebuke in the grand scheme of things, but Goujian still marked it down in memory. The young Emperor had his respect and fealty, but a man could only be pushed so far.

The secret, the young Emperor continued, heedless of Goujians displeasure, Is no true secret, for this Sovereign has said it time and time again. The razors edge, keep to it and all will be well. Like a wild beast, the Energy of the Heavens will buck and kick beneath an unwelcome rider, so you must give yourself over to it, surrender to the torrent and let it take you where it will, while retaining enough control so as to not be thrown off mid-journey. Too much struggle, too much control, and the results are as youve experienced, but take heart, for your physique is far from a failure, flawed though it might be. No, had you failed, then you would have died screaming in agony and torment as your muscles, fat, and organs were cannibalized by the rampant, uncontrollable growth of cancerous tumours.

A chill ran down Goujians spine as he recognized the truth in the young Emperors statement, for this was a fate shared by many an arrogant and aspiring Healer who lost control while practising without supervision. The young Emperor was not done, however, and he continued his lecture with ease and aplomb, a testament to his familiarity with the subject matter in question. This is but one side of the coin, one danger to guard against, while an example of the other stands close by your side. Glancing at the black-armoured Transcendent, Goujian suppressed yet another chill and devoted his full attention to the young Emperors words. The Imperials call them Demons, the Defiled call them Transcendents, but this Sovereign can only see them as failures. Those wretched individuals came so close to embracing the Truth, but they lacked the luck and fortitude to wholly succeed. Though their physical bodies transcended mortal limits, total surrender left their minds unprotected against the deluge of Heavenly Energy used to transform them, searing away their sanity and personality to leave them little more than bestial creatures of rage and fury.

Though it seemed like the young Emperor had gone on a minor tangent, it was only now that Goujian understood it was to broaden his horizons and fill the gaps in his knowledge. Then how are we to walk this fine line between control and surrender?

If this Sovereign had an answer, then humanity would have long since ascended to greatness. Bitter anguish coloured the young Emperors tone, no doubt inwardly berating himself for only having come so far. Such was his pride and haughty conceit, choosing not to look back at how much he already accomplished in so short a time, but instead looking forward to the future at how much he had yet to achieve. Regardless, you must keep to the razors edge, for such is our Path to Divinity, the means with which we avail ourselves to the Energy of the Heavens. Seek Balance, the True Balance which comes from the union between savage ferocity and cunning intellect, for we humans are rare creatures who embody the best of both worlds.

His ankle long since Healed, Goujian knelt on the outer wall and pondered this abrupt conclusion to their lecture, one which left him with more questions than answers, but still served its purpose well. Walk the razors edge, find True Balance, and all his issues would be solved, it sounded so simple yet remained infinitely complex. This final step was more difficult than all others before it, even if multiplied by ten-thousand times since one could not control when one experienced True Balance, for control in and of itself was antithetical to walking the razors edge. The fine line between struggle and surrender, a difficult Path to tread which came with a steep price for failure, but such is life.

An opportunity presents itself and all available pieces moving into play, but this Sovereign lacks a distraction on the battlefield and has no choice but to call upon you, Confessor. Heed your instructions, play your part well, and the Devourer will trouble us no more.

Bowing his head even though he wasnt sure if the young Emperor would see him, Goujian offered a salute and Sent, Speak, and this servant will obey.

And in his heart of hearts, Goujian meant it, or at least until such a time when there was nothing left to learn from the young Emperor and the Uniter behind him and a restructuring of hierarchy grew inevitable. As informative as the lecture was, the most important detail to be gleaned from all this was Falling Rains new Path, one in defiance of Heaven, with one foot firmly on each side, though how this was possible, Goujian couldnt even begin to guess. From the sound of it, this defiant Path was no razors edge, and in truth, going against the Heavens was far more enticing than keeping to a thin, almost imperceptible line.

If only Falling Rain could be taken alive, his answers might prove most enlightening...

Chapter Meme