Chapter 834

Chapter 834

A single attack to turn the tides, a single strike to end this war.

Thats what I was going for, but it turns out Im not that guy.

The Eternal Emperor is just better. There. I said it. The bitter admission does little to affect my courage and resolve, but its something which has to be said in order to temper expectations as I crash into the desert sands below. The impact alone might well have been enough to kill me, but thankfully Pong Pongs protective sphere of flowing water cushions my landing enough so as not to exacerbate my already grievous injuries. My limp frame slides a fair distance before coming to a gradual stop, and my broken bones shift ever so slightly leaving me in an agony so complete I can barely form a coherent thought except to lament my miserable state.

So yea. Im a little out of my depth here. No shame in admitting it.

The Energy of the Heavens flows through me in accordance to my Will, Healing what ails me as quick as it can, but with my chest caved in, lungs punctured by broken ribs, and upper spine shattered into literal pieces, itll be a minute or two before Im ready for the next round. Probably much longer actually, since I failed to factor in my new and improved physique, one which will take significantly more effort and energy to Heal despite offering no real advantage against my formidable foe. My tough skin, dense muscles, and sturdy bones might as well be made of wet paper for all the good it did me, though in hindsight, I suppose theres a good chance I wouldve died if Id taken this attack before Ascending to Divinity.

Whoop-de-doo. I can survive a single punch, a haphazard, impromptu counter delivered carelessly without a proper follow through. In contrast, I spent several seconds putting everything I had into a single Chi bullet which I unleashed with the barrel literally in the Eternal Emperors face, but he took it like a champ and put an early end to any offensive momentum I mightve built up. Pretty sure thats all she wrote now, because not only do I know hes better and faster at Healing than I am, but now that I think about it, he probably doesnt even need his body to be in full fighting condition before he can get back up and end my existence. You know, on account of how hes puppeting a meat suit rather than walking around in his own skin, which is just totally unfair.

I mean cmon. Ive powered up like three times today and Im still out of my league, so in over my head I cant even see the surface. Not because Im weak, but far from it in fact, because as far as I can tell, I could probably put up a decent enough fight against most Demonic Divinities even without relying on Pong Pong or Cleansing. Im not saying I can cut them down like chaff, because that is most definitely not the case, but Im confident I could keep myself safe while fighting your standard feral Demonic Divinity, with enough attention to spare to keep it from nuking me to oblivion. Again, this is without Cleansing, and with it, I could end every Demonic Divinity here in Shi Bei in under a minute so long as they dont scatter and run. Buddy has already shown what he can do, but hes a dumb dog acting on pure instinct, meaning he is approaching this in what might well be the stupidest and most inefficient way possible. Rather than seek to isolate the Demonic Divinities in ones and twos, I would instead work with my allies to corral our foes all into one group so I can get in real close, Manifest my Natal Palace, and drag them all down into the depths of my Natal Sea in one fell swoop. Once there, their corporeal bodies will promptly be Cleansed and dissolved into goop while their Spiritual bits are rendered into usable Heavenly Energy for me to squander as I please, ending the Demonic Divinity threat and freeing up my allies to resume battle against the Defiled Divinities still lurking about.

Id love to know how I measure up against a regular Divinity too, but in spite of my not better, but more complete Ascension, I doubt Id fare too well against the Enemy Divinities here in Shi Bei. While Demonic Divinities are formidable, theyre largely feral and stupid to boot, so even if they are stronger and less restrained, once you remove the risk of incidental nukes, a regular Divinity makes for a far more dangerous threat. Only the desire to minimize the risk to their lives has kept the Defiled Divinities from joining hands with the Demonic Divinities to slaughter the remaining Imperial Divinities of Shi Bei, an outcome which might well have already come to pass if not for the latest addition of the Empires newest Divinities.

Who I helped Ascend, so technically, I should get at least half the credit for their efforts.

First and foremost is the formidable Shooting Star Nian Zu, with his meticulously groomed beard in impeccable condition despite enduring a siege for the better part of two weeks and fighting for the last several hours without rest. The same cant be said for his signature and now battle-worn gold and black armour, or his fluttering cloak embroidered with the Situ crest. Both have seen better days, yet this does nothing to lessen the imposing presence of the highest-ranking Officer on this battlefield. The first time I met him, I likened him to a hero straight out of a kids book, a robust, aged gentleman who exuded power from every fibre of his being. His presence alone demanded obedience and threatened violence without having to so much as move a muscle in threat, yet when he finally spoke, it was accompanied by booming laughter and a warm expression, while his subsequent words and actions told me he was a man of principle I could trust without having to utter those actual words.

And today, he proves it yet again, not just to me, but to every soldier in Shi Bei as he hurls the Shooting Star clean through the head of an unsuspecting Defiled Divinity and injures four others standing nearby with the resulting explosion.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

The hostilities between Divinities came to a crashing halt so that they could all watch my Ascension, but Nian Zu is a grizzled veteran who knows it is always best to strike first, strike hard, and show no mercy. As a Martial Warrior and Peak Expert, he rose to fame with this signature move, one powerful enough to flatten a palatial manor as a mere mortal. Now that hes Ascended to Divinity, Nian Zus offensive capability has improved by leaps and bounds, but his pride, honour, and adherence to the treaty keeps him from unleashing hell upon the mortal Half-Demons threatening the lives of his soldiers in Shi Bei. The frustration radiates off him in dark, malignant waves as he charges shield-first at the Demonic Divinities he only just scattered with his mace, leaping feet first into the fray with a heroic bellow of rage and fury both as he himself becomes the Shooting Star. The air shakes, the sand explodes, and the fabric of reality itself threatens to unravel and implode as he descends upon the desert below as violence incarnate. Before the dust has time to settle, his target shoots out in an arc through the air, ostensibly leaping away from the point of impact with help from its quick reaction, but even then, the Northern Colonel Generals attack forced the Demonic Divinity to leave its two legs behind.

This marks two and half Demonic Divinities hes killed since the battle began, which doesnt seem like much until I remember that theyve only been around for a few minutes at most. Nian Zu himself has only been a Divinity for a little longer than that, and his achievements are all the more impressive when compared to most other Imperial Divinities. Not necessarily the ones who Ascended alongside him, but rather those supposedly formidable Ancestral Beasts who acted all high and mighty in Nan Ping. The Ancestral Bull Niu Mowang makes for an impressive sight in his full suit of Runic plate armour, but even though the hostilities have only just resumed, hes already being battered around by two Demonic Divinities whove surrounded him. While the Imperials are outnumbered by the Demons in the battle of Divinities, Niu Mowang only has his own lacking combat sense to blame for his lamentable plight as his foes lead him about by the nose, taking turns to capture his attention while the other deals him a heavy blow. Despite falling far short in terms of skill, timing, and preparation, the Ancestral Bull tried to emulate Nian Zus actions rather than support him from behind, and in doing so has landed himself in a hot mess which the Weasel Divinity Fu Zhu Li is fighting to help extricate him from.

Which just goes to reinforce everything I said about Fung being a more suitable main character than me, because he even has a Divinity for a manservant.

I always knew there was more to the half-weasel manservant than meets the eye, especially after he admitted that even Guard Leader couldnt stop him from killing me if he pleased, but despite his agile and spirited movements on the battlefield, his prowess in actual combat leaves much to be desired. This isnt to say hes weak, because far from it, but rather that he could be using his formidable speed and strength in a much more effective manner if he spent a few hours every day practicing the Forms. Even though his movements are fluid, natural, and graceful as can be, its clear that its been a long time since Fu Zhu Li has been in a fight. A moment of hesitation here, a hair too slow to react there, his actions give off a general sense of indecision and unfamiliarity as he fights with twin daggers that I suspect arent even Spiritual Weapons, but just regular steel weapons Plated in Domain, without any Dagger Force or whatever to support him.

The same general lack of skill and familiarity can be seen in many other Imperial Divinities as well, like Mama Gam dancing around three Demonic Divinities and has yet to utilize her Blessing of Earth because shes too focused on dodging the next attack to plan ahead, or Matchali and Da Hui, the Ancestral Tiger and Ancestral Grizzly from the Saints Tribulations Mountains who throw slow, powerful haymakers or telegraphed, sweeping kicks and wonder why theyre unable to hit the Bristleboar Divinity, whose bulky, rotund frame is more agile than it appears. In hindsight, I shouldnt be so surprised since most Divinities lack the opportunity to test their strength and hone their skills, as opposed to the newly Ascended Nian Zu who dedicated most of his century of life immersed in bloody conflict, be it against Clan, Society, rival, or Defiled.

Of course, there are exceptions, like the golden-furred WuKong, Argat and Jochis father who fights like a Warrior born with a dazzling smile etched across his handsome, round face. Though hes only killed one Demonic Divinity so far, hes also under more pressure than Nian Zu as Mataram YuKon has the Monkey Divinity set in his sights. The traitorous Divinity makes his move as WuKong is mid-way through what would be a killing thrust delivered towards a helpless Demonic Divinity, if not for the fact that it was all a feint meant to bait his cunning opponent in. Staff meets spear with a resounding clash, and they exchange moves faster than my eyes can follow, though my Spiritual Senses paint a picture in my mind which offers far more details than I can process. Mataram YuKon exhibits consummate skill while WuKong counters with unrivalled familiarity, their sublime movements concealing a myriad of subtle and not so subtle nuances which speaks volumes to their expertise. Theres a manufactured deadliness to the Mataram founders movements, for in becoming One with the Weapon, he has himself become the spear, yet this stands in stark contrast to WuKongs approach to the same step. Rather than become the staff, it would be more accurate to say that the staff has become a part of him as the golden-furred trickster twirls and flings it about, treating it no differently from his limbs or tail. As he backpedals away from YuKons offensive, WuKong pushes the butt of his staff against the sand like a paddle to hasten his retreat, only to jam it down to stop him in place and spin about to avoid an otherwise unavoidable thrust. Placing both feet against the planted staff, he uses his weapon as a springboard to propel him to one side before utilizing the same motion to fling a wall of sand at his foe, which he follows up by delivering a blind, yet accurate thrust through it. Even though Mataram YuKon is wholly capable of matching these movements, hes never seen anyone fight like this in an actual life-and-death match, which means that he is slow to react to his opponents unpredictable style and takes the thrust head-on without raising a defense. Alas, the traitors instincts are razor sharp and he twists at the last moment to turn it into a glancing blow, while his Runic armour is enough to ward off the remaining force and use the momentum to beat a hasty retreat while the Demonic Divinity keeps WuKong from chasing after.

The Old Wolf would be equally impressive, if not for the significant handicap Buddy entails. Powerful as my doggo might be, he doesnt know how to pick his moments, meaning the Old Wolf has his hands full keeping my sweet puppy safe as he runs headlong into danger in pursuit of his delectable Demonic treats. As for the remaining established Divinities, few stand out enough to notice, though the ones still fighting are heads and shoulders above the cowards whove already booked it, like Gang Shu and the stupid Ancestral Rhino with all his talk of righteousness and justice. As such, even though she has only recently Ascended and was grievously wounded by Zhen Shi shortly after, the Sword Empress Jeong Hyo Lynn has become a core fixture of the Imperial defenders, one even more significant than Nian Zu. While the Colonel General boasts of unmatched offensive prowess, Jeong Hyo Lynn fights in a more defensive style as she flits from one encounter to the next to lend aid to her beleaguered allies. Her trio of swords form a scintillating storm of steel and sand as they descend upon Demonic and Defiled Divinity alike, parrying, Deflecting, or outright blocking what could potentially be killing blows while setting her ally up for success.

Though she still grieves for her fallen brother, Ryo Dain finds comfort in the happiness her little sister has found on the battlefield, and has committed to finding her own happiness no matter the cost, one she will bear on her own shoulders if she is able to, or die trying. Though she has yet to work out all the details, her willingness to follow her heart has enabled her to become One with the Self and One with the Sword as the Sword Princess shows the Enemy why she has long since been considered the undisputed Number One Talent of her Generation. Whereas Fung is on the cusp of forming Sword Intent, Dains Domain erupts with it, Materializing a whole armoury of radiant swords in the skies the same way her father did in the Central Citadel, when then rain death down upon her foes to keep her little sister and her lover safe.

The sight fills Kyung with warm pride and eager yearning, one he embraces as he Cloud-Steps over to Dains side, cutting down a Half-Demon intent on mutually assured destruction to bring down the new Sword Queen. Their eyes meet for all of a moment before they both turn away out of embarrassment, but neither one retreats as they fight side by side, for they are both finally willing to face their fears and risk it all for love.

There are countless stories like this, and many more that end in tragedy as Imperials and Defiled alike die in droves on the walls of Shi Bei. Unlike the match between the Eternal Emperor and myself, the battle below is still anybodys game, so Im putting my last-ditch efforts to use where they might actually make a difference. I know this sounds like Ive given up and called it quits, but I havent. Ive only acknowledged the fact that I have no way of defeating my monstrous foe, which means Im probably gonna die and become the newest prisoner in his court of souls. As such, I am doing everything I can to make a difference before my inevitable end, because the battle for Shi Bei can still be won so long as my opponent adheres to the Treaty and leaves the mortals to their own struggles. A part of me hopes the Eternal Emperor will be content with his victory and leave my loved ones alone, a small, quiet, stupid part that the rest of me envies, because I know my foe is a petty, small-minded, vengeful asshole who will delight in tormenting me because I dared to challenge him.

A challenge I will soon lose despite having given it my best shot, meaning I have failed to live up to the expectations of everyone who supported me.

The price of my failure will not be borne by me alone however, so I am not ready to give up just yet. I will struggle to the last breath, but given the limited window of opportunity left to me here in Shi Bei, I dont have time to indulge in feel-good moments. I need to focus on those struggling to survive and punch out as many problems as I can before the Eternal Emperor stands up again, which will be long before I am ready to do the same. I havent exactly been just twiddling my thumbs all this time, as Ive been Healing as quickly as Panacea will allow, but this is nowhere near quick enough given the speed at which my foes face knits itself together. Thats the difference between guided direction and just letting the body take care of itself, but given my lack of practice with Healing, any attempt I make to speed things along will almost certainly end in tumorous disaster. To make matters worse, Taddy and Hua Lie havent been standing around either, and have in fact been trying to end the Eternal Emperors reign once and for all, but despite missing a good three-quarters of his face, the rest of him seems more than capable of avoiding their attacks, while simultaneously Concealing himself to hide for a moment or two before being discovered yet again.

Seriously, why wont the Emperor just die? Hes been around forever and done nothing worthwhile with his life, so I dont see how he hasnt just shrivelled up and died out of sheer shame.

Short of another miraculous bout of Balance heralding yet another Ascension for me to partake in that will power me up enough to finally defeat the Emperor, Im pretty much screwed. Rather than dwell on my impending defeat and spiral into doom and depression, Ive decided to focus on managing my army of Natal Souls and solving the problems they bring to me. Alas, they are me, which means any problem they cant find a solution for is probably beyond my abilities tas well, meaning that Im mostly running circles around inside my head trying to go beyond my meagre reach. The limited omniscience of my Ascension has long since faded and gone, though when I lost it is difficult to say, yet I fear that even if I were able to find it again, the Heavens Above wont have a solution in store for me. As far as I can tell, the Eternal Emperors status quo is an acceptable form of Balance to the powers that be, or more accurately to the natural fail-safes set by the laws of the known world.

A slow and suffocating Balance that makes light of humanitys nigh endless potential, but a Balance all the same.

As if to punctuate the accuracy of the statement, the Eternal Emperor arrives before my still mangled body and picks me up by the throat, forcing me to look him in his disfigured face which has still yet to wholly Heal. Honestly, doesnt look half-bad for a guy who took a bullet to the head, with most of the meat and bones all back where they belong, though still missing some chunks here and there. A lot of skin too, which makes his wide-eyed stare the creepier, almost protruding out from the sockets and kept in place by veins and nerves alone. Your futile struggle will now end, the ghastly, half-healed Eternal Emperor declares, his upper row of teeth and gums exposed due to a lack of nose and skin.

Using this time wisely to check on Taddy and Hua Lie, I find them being kept at bay by two Demonic Divinities, except I can tell my Teacher is only holding back so he can buy time to prepare a more powerful attack. Hoping to distract the Eternal Emperor and delay him a few moments longer, I scour my scrambled brain for a witty retort, but after pushing through the searing agony and the flood of information being sent back by my Natal Souls, the best I can come up with is, Oh good. I was getting real sweaty lying in the sand.

The courage of youth and ignorance, comes the Eternal Emperors predictable reply, so happy to gloat and preen whenever he has the upper hand. But this Sovereign shall soon teach you the true meaning of regret. Casting an arm out to gesture at the battle below, he offers me a smug, ghastly grin so full of teeth and bones. How does it feel to know all your efforts have only served to doom them all? Though it is almost certain you have no intentions of seizing a new host to inhabit, this Sovereign will not risk having to contest against your Natal Souls after another century has passed. The seeds you have planted here will not be allowed to flourish, your hopes dashed and your isolation complete, for everyone you know and love will die before your eyes. Sacrificed, in truth, the first of many lives to be reaped in the name of this Sovereigns progress, but not before they suffer through agonies beyond your feeble imagination. As he looms over me for full effect, patches of skin crop up and radiate outwards in no discernable pattern, showing that even his half-hearted Healing is beyond anything I can match. Oh? Nothing to say, worm? No clever gibe or insolent retort to pass along in your moment of defeat? Come now, this Sovereign expected more from a foe so troublesome to defeat.

You thought I was troublesome? Psh. Yea right. I troubled you? Me. Trouble you. Wow. Shaking my head in honest disbelief, I chuckle beneath my breath while coming to terms with this simple, yet honest truth, one delivered straight from the horses mouth. The Eternal Emperor, who has been around for Mother knows how long and has strength beyond anything I can match, found me troublesome to defeat. I mean, I lost in the end, but thats still nice to hear. Seeing his confusion, I offer him a genuine smile that I couldnt keep off my face if I tried. You asked me how I feel? Honestly, relieved now. I did my best and got some good hits in, which is really all anyone can ask for. Gesturing at the Warriors below, I reiterate the truth the Eternal Emperor only just admitted, but from a different perspective. More importantly, I showed you and the world the potential humanity has to offer, which is a truth you can try to erase, but even if everyone here in Shi Bei doesnt live through the day, the ideas and possibilities Ive introduced will still persist, ones which will eventually raise a generation of heroes strong enough to succeed where I have failed.

Judging from his gaze, its clear the Eternal Emperor thinks Im referring to crossbows, Spiritual Rifles, and Runic Cannons, but Im talking about so much more. Paper money, fair wages, better working standards, compound interest, glass, concrete, the list goes on and on, but even if we take away the inventions themselves, theres still the general concept of improving ones lot in life by way of technological progress. Maybe most people wont realize it, but Ive given them a glimpse at how I see the world, atop the shoulders of giants who came before me, one the Cao-Caos, Liu Xuandes, Diyakos, and other geniuses of the Empire can use to shape the future before them, one which will no doubt deviate from the Eternal Emperors vision. Then theres the fact that Liang Wu Di no doubt intends to use the wealth of the Liang Family to pump out Runic Cannons en masse, else why would the Liang Baldy and the Yang Prime Minister be lurking in the wings, watching the Tyrant OuYang Yuhuan like a hawk?

Even though my efforts as a Martial Warrior and True Divinity have come up short, I accomplished plenty in my time here in this world. In fact, I daresay I accomplished more as a cripple than I could ever match as a Warrior with a lifetime spent on the battlefield. Its not much, but its an accomplishment I can take pride in, so even though I have ultimately failed the people who have come to rely on me and my story will soon end in abject defeat, I can take solace in the fact that my actions have already planted the seeds of eventual victory, ones which will flower into trials and tribulations even the Eternal Emperor cannot overcome. I am only a man, and no man is an island unto himself, both in the army and in the collective human race. I see this now, accept that I alone would never have been enough to turn the tiller of progress, but with enough like-minded individuals working towards a goal and an inordinate amount of time and bloody, hard-fought revolutions sprinkled into the mix, then maybe, just maybe humanity has a chance after all.

That being said, I have never been one to give up without a fight, and this revelation has even inspired me to try one desperate last resort, a scheme based on so many wild assumptions and hinging on a multitude of optimistic hopes that it has almost no chance of success. With nothing left to lose however, I figure I might as well give it a shot, because whats the worst that could happen? While my foe is still busy trying to puzzle out the meaning of my words, I task a few Natal Souls to pass along my last will and testament before steeling my nerves for one, final Hail Mary of a play.

Its a long shot, but when the bases are loaded with two outs in the ninth, it doesnt matter how many times youve struck out or fouled before. All you can do is swing for the fences and hope for the best, so here goes nothing.

Chapter Meme 1

Chapter Meme 2

Chapter Meme 3