Chapter 185 - Ruler's Influence

Shijian walked past the kneeling people and transformed into her human-form. "Master Ming, you can release them from the trance by focusing your mind at them and say 'release'."

"What? Master? Who are you?" Ming said as he whirled around, gazing with puzzlement at this unfamiliar beast who became a woman. 

"You better release them first, Sire." Shijian calmly said with a voice as soft as the wind.

"Oh… ah yes," Ming said, trying to shake from the confusion this new person brought to him. "Release." 

The group caught a breath and pondered why they knelt but curiously regarded the gold-shaded eye, dark-brown skinned lady, wearing a bronze-colored bun of hair on her head, who sauntered toward Ming with her chin up and back straight. Her every step emanated the dignity of a majestic being than being a woman.

"The power influencing them was from the power you and I now shared. After my awakening, you, as my master, now possess my powers as I possess your wind power."

Ming was speechless for a minute there and breathed deep, "Apologies, but I'm still disoriented. You haven't answered my questions yet, and how come I am your master?" 

Shijian spread her flower-embroidered brown dress and took a knee at Ming's feet. "I am Shijian, master. I was the small Qilin living in Xionmao's cave and the sole Legendary Qilin alive today."

Ming gazed up at the ceiling and back to Shijian. 'Qilin? Was she that deer Xinyi was so fond of? If that's the case, it was no deer but a young Qilin.'

"How did I become your master?"

Shijian hid nothing and told him what occurred at the fierce fight in the cave and on how her bloodline chose him to become her master.

Ming listened with great attentiveness while giving Shijian a once-over. The fortune he mysteriously gained while he was in a life and death state amazed Ming. 'Ah, without a doubt, I would endlessly regret it if I didn't come back,' he thought.

Thankfulness coursed through Ming as he beamed at Shijian, extending a hand at the kneeling lady. "Stand up, Shijian. I'm honored to be chosen as your master. I hope I'll live up to your expectations. But we'll talk about this later. Okay?" 

"Okay," Shijian smiled back as Ming carefully helped her up to her feet.

Ming then quickly moved toward Lofey. "Big brother," he said while giving him a bear-hug and a hard slap on the shoulder. Unknown to Ming, that slap ultimately shocked the veteran general because of its heaviness, leaving a numbing pain on his broad arm. 

Lofey winced. "Brother Ming, I'm jealous. What bizarre, overwhelming power you got there. I felt like you were an exalted being and had no way but to kneel, yet I felt that joy to serve you. And… that slap was so painful..." said Lofey, massaging the painful shoulder.

"Are you joking? How can I easily hurt you?"

"I'm not joking. I never expected it too. I think you're not yet aware of the sturdiness of your body now." And embraced Ming back. "Setting that aside, I'm glad you're back. I thought you died but thanks to your persevering wife who dared to take all risks just to bring you back. You have a brilliant wife, brother."

"Yeah, my wife is the best." Ming said, grinning at Xinyi with pride while the latter chatted happily with Shijian about her new look.

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While this touchy reunion went on, Tyriece remained silent, standing behind Lofey, hiding his presence from Ming's sight, but the latter saw him, regardless.

"Brother Tyriece, why are you standing there alone? Come…" Ming jovially embraced Tyriece with no reservations. "I'm happy to see you again, brother."

Ming's words gave Tyriece joy, but it also brought a pricking guilt in him. He smiled and returned the hug back, nonetheless. 

"Welcome back, brother. Sorry for not greeting you soon. I was also lost with your new power." Tyriece said, but deep within his heart. 'Please forgive me for falling in love with your lovely wife.'

They spent the following time introducing the unfamiliar faces to Ming. Nianshi and Meirga got a congratulation and a short teasing from Ming, sending everyone into bubbling laughter. 

Before darkness settled at the peak, the entire group hoped to have a magnificent feast of meat from games and fish, but Tubli's entrance shut them from speaking. But to their surprise, Tubli's guards laid down three two-meter long dead fish and an immense pile of fist-sized fat crabs in front of them.

Tubli had expected this and snickered at their stupefied reactions. "Don't worry. These are ordinary beasts that my guards hunted for you. And let us be clear, I'm not a vegetarian. I need to eat as much as I can to replenish my lost strength after decades of hibernation."

The tensed men chuckled and screamed their enthusiasm to hunt for games before twilight, while the women prepared the large fish and crabs for Lofey's fire when he came back from hunting. 

Xinyi didn't help with the preparations as she felt her belly churned with the thought of cooking an animal that could speak to her. Somehow, Tubli already knew this part of her and laid a pile of clams at her feet. 

"I think you haven't talked with this kind yet." 

"Ah… yes! That's true. Thank you." She smiled and bit her lower lip. 'How considerate of him but how did he know this?'

Tubli sat beside Ming and Shijian, and looked back to Xinyi. "I know most about you and your predecessors, but we can talk about that later."

This was shocking news to Xinyi and was looking forward to that talk.

As for Ming, he gaped at this powerful being sitting beside him on the grassy ground. 'That voice. It was the voice who helped me why I was in that desert of despair.'

Ming was oblivious of Tubli's deep gaze and was taken aback when saw the powerful being's intense stares. However, peace settled in when Tubli gave him an assuring smile like a father does to his son. 

"Hi, I'm Tubli. I'm the river spirit being. And yes, I'm the one who talked to you when you were in despair." He didn't explain more, expecting Ming knew what he meant, leaving the onlookers to their bafflement.

"How…? Wait! Can you read minds?" Ming loudly said.

"No, I don't but I've lived long enough to understand a person's thoughts based on the events and, mostly through human reactions. But as one of the spirit beings of Chiji that owned vast life essence, I can talk to another powerful being to whom my water touched, the same way I did to you. But it won't work for ordinary beings." Tubli said to Ming and let his words sink in first to the listeners.

"If you have that much power, then why are you in that sad state for years?" Xinyi said. 

The hunters walked in with their captured beasts on their backs at this point and heard the conversation. They gave the boars to the ladies and sat around the large bonfire Lofey ignited to hear more. The roasting began while the serious talk continued.

"It is because the world has suffered much and only relies on the spirit landforms to keep the power chain alive. Without us, this world would stop living and become a dead stone in the endless skies above." Tubli looked heavenward with profound sadness in his expression.

Cloud of confusion settled in Ming's mind on what he heard because this was the first time he heard about the power chain. Thus, Xinyi had to whisper to him the shortest summary she could tell about the Kore and the rest while Tubli went on with his tale.

"There are more major landforms like this sacred river that is giving life to the power chain, but if this goes on with no other source of help, all the spirit landforms will die, eventually. So, m'lady?" Tubli faced Xinyi, cutting her explanations to Ming. "This is the unfortunate outcome of the Chiangda Clans failure to pass down the importance of the ritual. Same as this long-lost rock Chiangda clan who once lived in this land. But telling you this is only one of the reasons for my visit tonight. My first reason is..." 

Tubli's head bowed. "Thank you, m'lady. It was an honor to meet you and be healed by you." He switched his eyes to everyone and bowed again. "And thanks to all of you for assisting the Sorceress to heal this sacred river. All the river beasts and I could have died if you hadn't come." 

"That was nothing. What you are doing to the power chain is far greater than what we did. Thank you for persevering all this while to keep this world alive." Tyriece spoke sincerely. 

The rest nodded in agreement.

Then Tubli faced Ming. "My second reason is for you, Sire. I want to let you know about your newfound power."

Ming's pupils dilated. "What about it?"

"Actually, this power is not only from your mount, the Qilin. I believe you drew one of the rarest two-edged powers of this world called Ruler's Influence," and added, "this power could either be a blessing or a harbinger of destruction depending on you, Sir. So, you must be careful with this power or it will devour you. You must learn to harness it by not letting pride to rule inside you."

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