Savage Divinity – Chapter 681

 

Death Corps and Defiled clashed in the courtyard below, but Sarnai could only watch and wait as these traitors threatened the safety of her most industrious Daughter-in-Law.

 

Fingers curled around her Piercing Star and nails sharpened into Deadly Thorns, she resisted the urge to throw herself into battle and lend aid to the beleagured defenders. There were at least a thousand Defiled here in District Seventy-Eight, which she suspected had been cursed by the Heavens above. The burgeoning township was already grieving the loss of eight-thousand souls, guards, militia, and neighbours who died in a tribal raid not five days past, and now it appeared like the Chosen had come to finish the job. Like using a sledgehammer to kill a spider is what this was, which meant they were here for some other purpose, perhaps to capture Luo-Luo or Sarnai herself, possibly even both. Whatever their mission, the armoured Chosen elites showcased just how different a beast they were compared to their tribal counterparts, somehow slipping a thousand riders past the Western Wall unnoticed to circle around the district and attack from the east. Not only that, but they wasted no time in execution of their attack, charging the walls and slaughtering the patrols in a matter of seconds before moving on to surround the courtyard manor with disciplined efficiency. Sarnai barely had time to don her armour and step foot outside her room before the Enemy leader smashed through the gates, charging headlong into the fray with a voracious howl of victory.

 

So this was the infamous Mitsue Hideo, a young man only a few years older than her son and already well on his way to becoming a Peak Expert.

 

A surge of indignation coursed through her veins as she took measure of the young traitor and gauged his improvement since his match against Dastan during the Imperial Grand Conference. The Father was well known to cheat in His Eternal War against the Mother Above, but this was just too much. With twin maces in hand, Hideo seemed all but unstoppable as he smashed his way through the Death Corps line and pushed into the Royal Guardians, who were equally helpless before his domineering attacks. Every time his weapons made contact with his opponent’s weapon, armour, or body, those twin maces let loose with a dissonant chime that indicated he was utilizing an advanced form of Reverberation. A powerful form at that, one that killed with a mere touch and left his opponents in shambles as they coughed up blood or collapsed into a broken heap. This was no Mountain Collapsing Stomp, but a more focused and deadlier variation, one Sarnai would call the Organ Rupturing Strike in light of the effect it had on its targets, sending deadly shock waves through their bodies to cause massive internal trauma. The only recourse was to either cancel out Hideo’s Reverberations through overwhelming power or dodge the attack altogether, the latter of which was all but impossible in the chaos unfolding in the courtyard. Hideo was not the only attacker, and his Chosen not only outnumbered the beleaguered Death Corps Guards and Royal Guardians, but they were also mounted atop their fierce gajashias which were weapons unto themselves.

 

Even if every available Warrior and militiaman had been waiting atop those walls ready to repel this attack, Sarnai suspected the district would still have fallen without too much struggle. A thousand Defiled were nothing compared to a thousand well-trained and disciplined Chosen, meaning there was no victory here, not for the Imperial defenders. Their only hope was to hold out until reinforcements arrived, which was unlikely to be anytime soon considering these Chosen had made it this far unnoticed, meaning rescue was at least an hour away. No, if Sarnai were free to act, she would have grabbed Luo-Luo and Cloud-Stepped away as fast as she could in desperate hope of survival, but alas, the Enemy was not so willing to let her leave.

 

Aside from Sarnai, there were four other Peak Experts present on her side, Gunan, the weakest, followed by Kuang Biao and two Royal Guardians who introduced themselves as Royal Five and Royal Seven. They weren’t brothers, nor were Royal Guardians constrained like Death Corps guard to only ever be known by their ranked designations, so Sarnai suspected they used those names because they didn’t care to share their real ones with an ‘outland savage’. Not that she cared for their approval, for she didn’t need their love or admiration so long as they upheld their duty, but while five Peak Experts working together might stand a chance of turning the tide against these overwhelming odds, the Enemy had a Peak Expert of their own, and they all knew that his strength dwarfed their own, even with all five of them working together.

 

At first glance, there was nothing so formidable about her foe’s appearance, a tall, lanky monk with a jutting forehead, jagged cheekbones, and a square jaw that left him with a face that could never be considered handsome. Ragged hemp robes hung loosely from his angular frame, and his empty hands were pressed together in prayer, but there was no mistaking the Aura of threat and menace radiating from his presence or the murderous glint emanating from his narrowed eyes. His long, black, bushy eyebrows arched towards his temples before drooping all the way down to his chin, a stark juxtaposition next to his bald head and clean-shaven chin, but they framed his rugged features perfectly and made it impossible for Sarnai to tear her eyes away.

 

Not that she would if she could. If she presented even the slightest opening to this opponent, then her life was forfeit, for this was the monk who exchanged blows with Colonel General Shuai Jiao and came out even, if not with the upper hand.

 

Gunan, Kuang Biao, Little Seven, and Little Five were all of the same mind as Sarnai, all readying to strike against this formidable foe, but despite spreading out to attack him from multiple angles, not a single one of them moved to attack first. It wasn’t fear that held them all in place, but rather a lack of options, for it was clear that it would take all their strength to defeat this powerful foe. It wasn’t impossible, or even unlikely that their combined efforts could overpower the monk, only difficult and costly to the extreme. Sarnai put their odds for victory at fifty-fifty, assuming her allies were willing to sacrifice their lives to pin the monk in place long enough for her to deliver the killing blow, but those were poor odds to gamble the lives of four Peak Experts away on, especially young Warriors with remarkable potential like Sarnai’s comrades.

 

There was also the need to consider collateral damage, as a battle between Peak Experts of this magnitude might well tear the entire district apart and kill countless innocent bystanders in the process.

 

All this and more passed through Sarnai’s mind during the opening seconds of battle, but she had no choice but to bow to circumstance and pray the Imperial Clan soldiers could keep Luo-Luo safe without aid from Sarnai or her peers. Such was the nature of this particular clash between Peak Experts, the strength of each side so evenly matched that the first to act would almost inevitably be the first to fall. The monk was powerful, but not powerful enough to overwhelm all five of his foes in an instant, and dealing with any one would leave him vulnerable to the rest. In contrast, if one of the five Imperials were to fall first without creating an opening for his or her comrades, then the balance of power shifted in the monk’s favour, especially if he had hidden comrades she had yet to account for. Both sides were deadlocked and there was no way around it, for even if Sarnai cared to roll the dice with her life and the lives of her associates, the collateral damage might well be enough to do the Defiled’s job for them.

 

More seconds passed as Hideo spearheaded the assault on foot, his presence alone enough to tilt the scales in his favour even if the Defiled didn’t vastly outnumber the Imperials. There were two-hundred Death Corps garrisoned in the district, as well as another three-hundred and sixty five in Luo-Luo’s personal honour guard, plus a scant thirty Royal Guardians to round it all out. Two to one odds at best, but the Enemy was united and fighting as a single unit while the Imperial forces were scattered all throughout the district. Worst of all, without someone capable of dealing with Hideo’s Organ Rupturing Strikes, the traitor was free to run roughshod over the defenders and tear through their battle-lines unchecked, a wild, domineering Warrior that few under Peak Expert could match.

 

Truth be told, even some Peak Experts might fall to the tyrannical traitor, especially if they were caught unaware by his newfangled Talent. Sarnai herself would not escape unscathed if she were foolish enough to directly trade blows, because Hideo had incorporated the mechanics behind the formidable Mountain Collapsing Stomp into his newfangled ability, allowing him to deliver overpowering Reverberating blows far above and beyond what most of his peers could match. Brother Du spent long hours explaining the theory behind the Mountain Collapsing Stomp, likening it to gradually building waves in a pool, a man on a swing moving higher with each pass, a pinwheel picking up momentum as it went, and many more such examples of exponential growth, but even though she understood the basic concept of utilizing Amplification, Reverberation, and careful timing to build up the force behind a strike, she was unable to make heads or tails of how to make use of this knowledge. Knowing something could be done did not mean she could replicate it so easily, and despite putting a fair amount of effort into studying this Talent, she made no headway at all. The timing was the most difficult part and also the most crucial, because if you Amplified a Reverberation even a fraction of a second too early or too late, then everything you’d built up would be wasted as the discordant forces clashed and slipped out from under your control. Even a famed Runic Craftsman with phenomenal Chi control like OuYang Yuhuan was unable to grasp the timing without creating a static Rune with fixed variables, so how could Sarnai ever hope to match up?

 

Such was the nature of Talents, and while Rain proved that anyone could learn to utilize these Talents, he was a genius that came along once every ten millennia, if that. The Heavens were unfair, but Sarnai was proud of her sweet son, even if he did take his superlative aptitude for granted.

 

So focused on her standoff against the monk, Sarnai heard Luo-Luo’s weapon before she saw the girl move, and by then, it was already too late to stop her. Out went the chain affixed to the haft of her sceptre, the weighted head arcing out directly towards its target, and Sarnai’s heart grew heavy with grief. Hideo’s Organ Rupturing Strike only needed to connect in order to grievously injure his foes, and Luo-Luo’s Spiritual Weapon offered his Chi a direct path back to her internal organs. Even if the strike didn’t kill her immediately, Luo-Luo would likely bleed out within minutes, as the girl was unable to Heal and Sarnai lacked the authority to commandeer a Healer just to babysit a ‘mere’ Imperial Servant. The silly girl meant well and had progressed along the Martial Path by leaps and bounds, but she was out of her depth against a foe like Mitsue Hideo. No shame there, for there were few people his age that could match him outside those most superlative of talents, but now, sweet Luo-Luo’s life would be cut short all because Sarnai was too weak to protect her.

 

The chain unfurled and Hideo reacted, his maces swinging up to intercept the unexpected blow at the last moment, and Sarnai heard the warbling peal which signalled an oncoming Organ Rupturing Strike. The boy’s mastery was so complete, delivering so devastating a blow was almost entirely effortless and without thought, a sound signalling the end of Luo-Luo’s short life. Sarnai fought the urge to interfere or rush to Luo-Luo’s aid, because there was simply nothing she could do to save her. All moving would do was condemn her allies and the district both, just so she could hold her sweet, silly, kind-hearted daughter-in-law as she bled out.

 

So instead, Sarnai watched as chain met mace and death beckoned to sweet Luo-Luo. A clang sounded upon impact, but not a dissonant ring like they all heard many a time before. Instead, this was more of a melodious chime, one that sparked hope in her heart as Hideo staggered back from what should have been an ineffective attack, his admittedly handsome features etched with surprised concern, an expression that soon turned into moon-eyed astonishment as he gazed upon his foe. This delay afforded Luo-Luo a chance for a second blow as she pulled back on her sceptre and used her free hand as a pivot point for the chain, shortening the length of the weapon and changing the angle of attack to bring it careening back down onto Hideo’s head. Given the slow speed of transition, the traitor had plenty of time to recover from the initial clash and again blocked the weighted head with both raised weapons, but this time he held firm as his features twisted in outrage. Erupting into fury and motion without hesitation, he launched himself forward in order to close the distance between them, but Luo-Luo remained unfazed as she twirled back a single step and brought her chain whipping about, the weapon wrapping in a loose coil around her back and free outstretched hand before swinging back out in full force to stop Hideo in his tracks once more.

 

Finally, the others took notice of their exchange and the sea of combatants parted to make way, and while both sides remained wary of the other, everyone on the battlefield now knew that the outcome of this duel might well decide the overall victor of the battle. How they all came to this conclusion at the same moment in time, Sarnai could not say, but she’d seen the monk intervene against Colonel General Shuai Jiao in order to save Hideo’s life, so she imagined he would do so again if Luo-Luo was about to kill the traitor. That was all the opening Sarnai and her peers would need to deliver a devastating blow against the monk, and might well lead them to eventual victory.

 

To think, a year ago, Zheng Luo had come to them as a spoiled, pampered Imperial, and now she was matched against one of the strongest Warriors of her generation in her first ever life-and-death match.

 

Even as she watched with bated breath, Sarnai could scarcely believe how equally matched the two duellists were, with Luo-Luo twirling and dancing about while her chain came to life in her hands. Instead of blocking the third blow, Hideo moved to dodge it instead, the heavy weighted crown of Luo-Luo’s flail smashing into the ground at his side. Unperturbed by the disruption, Luo-Luo’s wrist flicked back once, then twisted and flicked a second time, which somehow sent the crown whirling towards Hideo’s head once again, only this time from a blind angle to the side. The sound of the weapon whistling through the air was all the warning her foe received, and a lesser Warrior would have died then and there, but Mitsue Hideo was not only one of the strongest youths of Central, he’d also improved by leaps and bounds since succumbing to the Father’s lies.

 

The attack still connected with a ringing peal, but Hideo caught the brunt of the blow on his weapon and the follow through bounced harmlessly off his Runic Armour, but to Sarnai’s surprise, the traitor still staggered beneath the glancing blow. There was more to Luo-Luo’s attacks than pure physical power, this much was clear now, and perhaps only Hideo himself was aware of what it might be. Confidence shaken by the unknown, the traitor howled in defiance, but Luo-Luo paid him no mind as she unleashed yet another attack. This time, Hideo dove out of the way, but Luo-Luo didn’t miss a beat and extended her sceptre to one side while allowing the chain to loop around her free hand and elbow. Once, twice, thrice it wrapped around her, only to dart out as she redirected the crown and ‘thrust’ out at her foe as soon as he gathered his nerve and tried to close in. Caught off guard by the unexpected direct attack, Hideo raised his maces to block once more, but this time he jumped back just before it connected, no doubt hoping to mitigate the force of the blow, one which struck with a melodious metallic chime and drove the traitor back into the ranks of his Defiled Chosen.

 

The note cut through the sounds of battle even as Hideo crashed into his waiting troops, and for a moment, Sarnai hoped the boy was dead and gone, but that was unlikely as the monk had yet to move. Not one to let success slow her down, Luo-Luo’s flail continued to whirl about as she gathered the chain around her, keeping the crown twirling about and the tension stored within the gathered chains, ready to unleash once more when her foe emerged from the crowd. Less than a year of practice, and Luo-Luo used her weapon as if she were born with it in her hands, a Martial Warrior deep in the throes of Insight while faced with deadly peril.

 

When Hideo returned to the fray, he did so in complete silence, his expression one of fury and hatred as he stalked towards his foe. The crown hissed as it cut through the air with another powerful thrust, but Hideo side-stepped on a diagonal before diving forward into a roll, neatly avoiding both initial attack and return trajectory of Luo-Luo’s cleverly manipulated weapon. Rather than catching the crown on its way back, Luo-Luo danced aside and allowed it to sail past her before grabbing the chain and releasing it, redirecting her weapon back at Hideo with effortless grace, slowing his calm advance and setting him back two steps for every three he took. The crown howled, the chains chimed, and the sceptre sang as Luo-Luo put her all into the offensive, and it was this symphony of sound combined with Luo-Luo’s rhythmic movements which finally sparked Sarnai’s comprehension.

 

As she noted earlier, Brother Du had explained the concept behind the Mountain Collapsing Stomp multiple times, mostly during discussions they held in the courtyard almost every night after dinner. Luo-Luo had been present more often than not, and while she never claimed to understand or even showed any interested in the discussions, it was clear she’d managed to grasp some basic form of understanding that allowed her to find Insight, for she was utilizing this same concept in her own attacks to not only neutralize Hideo’s Organ Rupturing Strikes, but also incorporate her own Reverberating variation of the same. Only the traitor could say for certain as he was the only one to experience her attacks, but Sarnai could almost hear Hideo’s teeth cracking when Luo-Luo’s cleverly chained attacked forced him to block another strike. Again, he raised both weapons to meet it, and again, he leapt back to minimize impact, and though he didn’t crash into his Defiled Chosen a second time, he was forced to give up all the ground he’d gained thanks to Luo-Luo’s overwhelming offensive.

 

Seeing the traitor’s hands and knees trembling ever so slightly as he struggled to steady his breath, Sarnai was certain she had it right. Some form of Amplified Reverberation was the only possible explanation, else there was no way Luo-Luo’s attacks could be so effective, lacking in raw power as she so obviously was. Dazzling though her dance might be, her movements were neither fast nor powerful, but deliberate and compelling, a show far superior in aesthetics and execution compared to Ishin Ken Shibu’s overrated sword dance. Where the pompous Central brat’s opera show was largely impractical for combat, Luo-Luo’s performance was both beautiful and functional for the battlefield, her movements timed to the music of her weapon and speaking to Sarnai on a deeper level, hinting at secrets she lacked the ability to comprehend, yet was still enlightening to see in action nonetheless.

 

Luo-Luo’s flail seemed to come to life as it whirled and darted about, a fanged snake striking, encircling, and even slamming down on its foe, wrapping around the tree, columns, and enemy alike to strike at Hideo from unexpected angles. At times, the weapon returned to coil around Luo-Luo, but never once did the girl falter in her steps as she demonstrated a mastery of her weapon few could ever hope to match. Even Tursinai, a rising dragon of her generation and a prodigy with her chain and sickle, would be hard pressed to match Luo-Luo’s superlative movements, though allowances had to be made since the girl was currently under the influence of Insight. How much she retained was yet to be seen, but somehow, Sarnai suspected Luo-Luo would have no trouble recapturing this dance in the next few months, assuming she survived the night at least.

 

An outcome which was still up for debate, as she was not the only genius taking part in this duel. Loath as Sarnai was to admit it, Mitsue Hideo was no paper tiger and had earned his place in the Hwarang, a young man who might well have emerged victorious as the Number One Talent in the Empire if the Legate’s contest had been held on solid ground. It was only out of consideration for Imperial Face that kept Hideo from utilizing the Mountain Collapsing Stomp on the prepared floating stage, a handicap he was unable to overcome during his duel against Dastan, but if he’d been free to act, Sarnai couldn’t see how anyone short of Rain could have defeated Hideo in single combat. The traitor here before her today was much improved, and talented though Luo-Luo might be, she still fell short in comparison to the top talents of the Empire when it came to raw ability and experience, a flaw Hideo saw through and exploited.

 

As soon as the traitor changed up his rhythm of attack, Luo-Luo’s dance faltered for a fraction of a second, but it was enough to reveal her inexperience. By mixing feints and false starts into his routine, Hideo was able to throw Luo-Luo off, and while she adapted remarkably well after being fooled once, it was enough to taint her thoughts with doubts and indecision, which was almost as bad as falling for Hideo’s tricks. Step by step the traitor advanced, dodging all of Luo-Luo’s attacks until he finally worked out how to counter her piercing Reverberations. Since the Reverberations were transmitted through physical contact, he simply utilized his Domain Deflection to keep the flail from ever actually connecting with anything but Domain and air, silencing Luo-Luo’s harmonic chiming. Rhythm and melody both impeded, Luo-Luo was forced to shorten her flail as Hideo advanced, looping the chain around one arm, then the next, then trapping a portion underfoot while all the while keeping it taut and ready to use. Alas, despite all her efforts, she was fast approaching the end of her rope as Hideo’s unstoppable advance brought him almost within striking distance.

 

Sarnai could already see how the duel would play out, and it did not end well for Luo-Luo. In close quarters combat, the girl would quickly be overwhelmed by Hideo’s superior strength, speed, and skill, and the Imperial Warriors would no longer be able to hold back. The Defiled Chosen would then follow suit, and the lucky Imperials would die before the Enemy started taking captives, for there were many fates far worse than death. If it came to it, then Sarnai would make sure to end Luo-Luo’s suffering first, before taking her own life as well. Her blockhead of a husband would be inconsolable for a time, and it pained her to do this to him, but she was only hastening her death by a few decades, if that, so at least then he could move on all the sooner.

 

Her heart clenched as Hideo stepped into striking range, but instead of attacking with his maces, he took another step to get even closer. Ready to gamble with the lives of everyone in the district just to save her daughter-in-law, Sarnai ignored the surging Aura of threat from the monk and almost leapt into action, but then Luo-Luo exploded in a dizzying flurry of motion. With less than a forearm’s length of chain still unsecured, Luo-Luo’s weapon sang as she whirled the crown about in a blur and brought it down on Hideo’s shoulder, an attack he Deflected away using his Domain. Wasting no time in recovering from the block, Luo-Luo drew her arm back and down to bring her still swinging weapon around in an arc, but her movements were not fast enough to land a strike. Already, Hideo’s maces were lowering to block the second strike, but then he faltered in place as a green blur darted out from Luo-Luo’s nightgown to snap at his face. Though her poisoned glands had been removed, young Noodle didn’t know it yet, nor did Hideo who flinched at the unexpected sight of a deadly, venomous serpent emerging from Luo-Luo’s undergarments.

 

Which gave the girl just enough time to slam the crown of her sceptre home, with a meaty thunk right between the traitor’s legs.

 

Though his mangled manhood could be healed, Luo-Luo crushed what little dignity the traitor still had left to him as the emasculating blow set him careening through the air with a high-pitched howl of agony. Every man on the field collectively winced in pain, with more than few gasps and giggles following soon after, but pleased as she was with Luo-Luo’s accomplishment, Sarnai was in no mood for levity as the monk’s Aura intensified even further, his rage and menace crushing down on her and making it difficult to even breathe. To her right, she sensed Gunan struggling to even remain standing while Kuang Biao, Seven, and Five weathered the Aura with grace and aplomb, their swords drawn and spirits surging. Some Imperial skill perhaps, something to defend against such crippling Aura attacks, but while Sarnai resented the Imperial Clan for hoarding their secrets, her grumbling could wait for another time.

 

Because while Hideo might have been injured and humiliated, he was not dead yet.

 

Though moving with a noticeable limp, Hideo returned to the battlefield with such alacrity Sarnai wondered if he could even feel pain. Roaring in anger as he set to with his maces, he charged headlong at Luo-Luo who’d let her vigilance slip in the face of supposed victory, yet another sign of her inexperience. Again, she recovered well, but by the time she reacted, Hideo had already closed half the distance and was almost within striking range, and Sarnai could see the desperation in Luo-Luo’s eyes as she struggled to find Insight once more. Without it, the girl still made a good fight of it, and Sarnai even thought she might pull off another victory, but then the monk clapped his hands and started chanting in a deep, resounding baritone, one that stilled Hideo and Luo-Luo both for all of half a second.

 

The monk only uttered a single sentence, perhaps five syllables in total, but then he clapped again and Hideo took up the chant. Though lacking in impact, Hideo’s droning chant was equally disorienting and set the hairs on the back of Sarnai’s neck to standing, but the effect on Luo-Luo was far more devastating. Unable to hear the ‘music’ or find her rhythm, the girl’s movements fell apart as she struggled and failed to put up an effective defence. Pushing through with nothing but speed and strength, Hideo advanced into striking range and the rest of the battle progressed as expected. His mace smashed into her raised sceptre and sent her careening away with cry, only to be cut short as the second mace clipped her ankle and sent her crashing to the ground.

 

Then Hideo cut his chant short to howl in hunger and hatred, leaping upon Luo-Luo with mouth open and avarice in his eyes, and Sarnai could stand still no more.

 

Her spear lanced out to pierce the traitor’s head, but the monk’s empty hand closed around the haft and stopped it in place. Kuang Biao appeared behind him, but the monk avoided the deadly thrust with a careless tilt of the head. Lifting Sarnai off her feet, he utilized her and her spear as cudgel to batter Royal Five and Royal Seven out of mid air while driving the breath out of Sarnai’s lungs in the process. Gunan’s attack arrived late, but rather than target the monk, he aimed his sword at Luo-Luo, if only to spare her the pain of rape and torture. The monk expected this as well and simply booted the poor man aside, and Sarnai could do nothing except cling to her spear and listen to Luo-Luo’s screams of panic and terror as Hideo tore her clothes and bit into her shoulder with voracious appetite, while Noodle latched onto her hated foe with unhinged ferocity.

 

No, no. Not like this. The poor girl deserved better, and Sarnai would not let her suffer so.

 

The scene of Luo-Luo’s magnificent dance played out in Sarnai’s mind once more, and the sounds of the outside world stilled as she listened to the music of Luo-Luo’s battle. The crown howling as it cut through the wind, the chain jingling as they were pulled taut around her, the sceptre singing as it twirled in her hand, all in harmonious accompaniment to the ringing peals of her impacting weapon. This was a melody only Luo-Luo could truly hear, but Sarnai caught snippets of it by simply watching, and a realization washed over her as she listened. Luo-Luo was utilizing rhythm, timing, cadence, and harmonies in her battle, but not solely in a physical sense. The music also helped her regulate the flow of Chi and grasp the timing of Amplification and Reverberation, like a guideline to how to unleash her variation of the Mountain Collapsing Stomp. Follow the notes and the rest fell into place, with the natural melody of the world – no, the Heavens themselves – keeping time for her and showing her exactly how to unleash her subtle yet debilitating attacks.

 

And now Sarnai could hear that same melody, not in the music of battle, but the orchestra of her own body. Her strained breaths, beating heart, pounding chest, and creaking bones, all of it came together and guided her to the proper conclusion, so she drew upon the zither lessons her mother used to teach her and poured Chi into her spear.

 

The Reverberation started as almost nothing, but Sarnai built it up with dazzling speed, like the rapid strumming of the zither strings building up from quiet whisper to earsplitting clamour in the blink of an eye. Sensing danger, the monk released his hold on her spear, but the Piercing Star was aptly named as she Cloud-Stepped on empty air and rammed the weapon home in his chest. All the power she’d built up was released in an instant, the force Amplified a hundred times over into a single, devastating attack, one that struck home with a clap of thunder and broke Sarnai’s wrist upon impact, but it had a far greater effect on the monk.

 

The shockwave blew Sarnai away from her foe, and by the time she recovered, so too had the monk, but rather than use this time to recover or retaliate, he collected the young traitor instead. Instinctively moving to shield bloodied Luo-Luo in her torn and tattered nightgown, Sarnai took up her spear in her left hand and readied to fight to the death, disappointed that her powerful attack had barely pierced her foe’s skin. Though her spear would’ve made short work of his hardened Domain, the monk was simply too fast to hit, dodging back and away from her thrust so that only the tip of her spear touched flesh. Even this much was enough to render his right arm weak however, as the Honed and Reverberating forces wrought havoc on his innards and forced him to carry Hideo like a log rather than hold him up with a single hand.

 

Then the Imperial Experts struck, and Sarnai was once again taken aback by their skill.

 

Kuang Biao took the lead as Royal Five and Seven followed suit, three Experts fighting with such flawless coordination there was no mistaking their familiarity. They’d practised together before and it showed in their execution, all moving in for the kill without hesitation and taking turns risking their lives while trusting the other two to protect them. Killing blow after killing blow was blocked by the monk, but not only were his efforts limited by the coordinated attacks of his foes, he was also hindered by the fact that all the attacks were aimed at Hideo rather than himself. The monk’s flesh was tough and his hardened Domain durable, but the same could not be said of the traitor, and it seemed the monk valued his ward’s life over victory or even escape as he fought three Peak Experts to a standstill.

 

And then Gunan attacked again and drew blood by pure luck.

 

His all out attack threw off the Royal Guardians’ coordination, but to everyone’s surprise, the former Aspirant’s wild swing struck home and carved a shallow furrow into the monk’s left shoulder. The counter-kick caved in Gunan’s chest and ended his life before he could even bask in his accomplishment, but then Kuang Biao’s sword pierced through the same wound and the monk –

 

Changed.

 

Stoic and unflappable. That was how Sarnai would have described the monk’s demeanour, his attitude unchanging even when Luo-Luo’s crushing blow landed between Hideo’s legs, but now… now the monk was angry. Features contorted in wrath and fury, the monk howled with guttural hate as he headbutted Kuang Biao to the ground. Seven and Five appeared a split second too late, and were summarily swatted aside with a single backhand, their armour shattered and bones broken before their still bodies hit the ground. Advancing on Sarnai with purpose and alacrity, the monk paid her no mind as his eyes were fixed on Luo-Luo, his mind already moving on before Sarnai was even dead.

 

A mistake, for she was not the same Warrior she was this morning, not with Insight singing in her veins.

 

Pierce the Horizon shot out, a movement Sarnai had practised countless times before, only this left-handed thrust contained everything she learned about the Mountain Collapsing Stomp. Again, she strummed the strings and built the trilling notes up to a resounding crescendo, but this time, she did not release it as a mere strike. No, impacts were for clubs, maces, boots, and other blunt objects, which was why the Mountain Collapsing Stomp was ill-suited for her weapon, so Sarnai adapted it and made it her own by combining it with yet another skill she’d long since polished, the Deadly Thorns of the Mountain Rose. Originally, she envisioned releasing shards of Chi with her fingertips so that she could defend herself while confined to her wheelchair, since she had no way to carry her spear herself, but now, she unleashed a Deadly Thorn from the tip of her spear, utilizing the full-extent of her Domain to project a Honed, pulsating blade of Chi that stretched well over a metre long. Caught unawares by the range of her attack, the monk misjudged his Deflection and the Deadly Thorn bit deep, exploding into a Thorny Bush of Honed Chi. The Piercing Star drove home as his body staggered back from the Amplified impact and Honed Reverberations coursing throughout his body, bleeding from a thousand cuts both inside and out.

 

Twice now, Sarnai had made the monk bleed, but even this was not enough to kill him. Retreating away with Hideo in his grasp, the monk scowled as blood dripped from his mouth and lacerated torso while Sarnai added yet another facet of his unpleasant appearance, one she had missed until now: crooked, jagged teeth, not to the point of fangs, but it was startling to see so blatant a defect in a Martial Warrior as powerful as he. “Eh-Mi-Tuo-Fuo,” the monk intoned, lacking the calm and serenity of his former brothers as his multitude of injuries knit back together before Sarnai’s eyes. “Little flies, all truly deserving of death for hindering this monk’s Disciple and his progress along the Path.”

 

Though her spirits were flagging and Chi-reserves low, Sarnai’s courage did not fail her as she settled into her one-handed spear stance, her broken wrist left untended since she couldn’t afford the distraction. “Come,” she said, smiling through the pain and exhaustion, for the hymn of battle still sang in her veins. “Let us see who will live and who will die. Twice I’ve bled you now, but I suspect the third time will do the trick.”

 

“Hmph. Arrogant fool.” Though physically nothing changed, the monk seemed to grow three sizes larger in Sarnai’s eyes as his Aura surged with menace, but she would not be intimidated by unspoken threats. “You think yourself my match? You know not the heights of Heaven, for you are but a frog –”

 

A dull crack rang out in the darkness of night, and blood spurted out of the monk’s ruined left eye, and then the monk and the traitor were both gone. The Defiled Chosen still remained, but cloaked Warriors appeared out of the shadows, perched atop the manor walls and ready to rush in. Dozens more appeared inside the courtyard proper, standing between Sarnai and the Enemy with their weapons at the ready and Auras blazing with courage and conviction. A hand reached out to steady Sarnai on her feet, and she almost lashed out in blind panic until she saw who it was, plain, unremarkable MuYang draping his cloak around Luo-Luo’s huddled, shivering shoulders. “Well fought,” he said, his tone dull and flat as ever, but Sarnai took no issue with it here and now. “Templars, clean up what the Imperial Consort started.”

 

And the cloaked Warriors fell upon the Enemy with silent efficiency, killing without passion or fury.

 

Revising her somewhat low opinion of Luo-Luo’s unassuming spymaster, Sarnai considered asking Mila to craft her a Spiritual Gun as well while binding the poor girl’s wound, an ugly bite mark marring her otherwise fair shoulder. Noodle watched her work with a wary eye, and Sarnai made a note to speak with Taduk about undoing whatever he did to the beautiful snake to render her venom inert, for she had proven herself a loyal friend and able guardian tonight. With Luo-Luo’s life no longer in danger, Sarnai watched MuYang’s cloaked Warriors run roughshod over the Chosen, only to realize that almost every last one of them here in the courtyard was at least an Expert, with no less than ten Peak Experts Sarnai could see. What’s more, from what she could hear, the Defiled Chosen stationed outside the manor were no better off, their screams of impotence ringing out into the night before being cut short by death or dismemberment. “How did you know to come here?” she asked, eyeing the spymaster with suspicion. “How many did you bring?” And how was he paying or feeding all of them?

 

Offering the barest hint of a smile without actually moving his lips, the spymaster said, “Junior Yimu informed this one of Consort Zheng Luo’s plans. The Enemy has been frantically searching for information regarding the Legate’s whereabouts, so it wasn’t much of a stretch to assume they would try to capture and interrogate the good Consort here in hopes of extracting the Legate’s location. Thus, I brought out the full force available to me, five thousand Templar Aspirants hailing from all across the Empire, though this one apologizes for the long wait before we revealed ourselves. This one thought it best to move into position to ensure none would escape.” Nodding in appreciation, he added, “Clever of the Bekhai not to contest the Colonel General to make it appear as if the Legate’s situation had grown dire. If not for this, then I suspect the Enemy might have dispatched a more powerful force, though we will have to investigate how they made their way past the Western Wall without notice.”

 

Truth be told, Sarnai had wanted to take up arms against Shuai Jiao and beat the fool bloody, but her block-headed husband sided with Mother-in-Law Akanai and convinced her that Luo-Luo knew what was best for the Empire. If the girl saw fit to back down without a fight, then it was likely the right move, as evidenced by how quickly she bounced back to lend aid to the commoners most affected by the attacks.

 

That aside, five thousand Templars? Was that what the Aspirants called their Warrior division? The last Sarnai heard, MuYang had maybe a dozen silent Martial Warriors guarding Rain night and day, as well as a handful of other Warriors in public positions like Gunan, while the bulk of his spy network was comprised of faithful commoners, but now the spymaster had a veritable army of trained Experts at his beck and call. Sensing the unspoken question, MuYang offered a slight shrug and even furrowed his brow ever so slightly, which for anyone else was like throwing his hands up in confused frustration. “There was a time when the Aspirants’ network stretched all across the outer provinces, the efforts of loyal sons and daughters of the Empire who’d taken up Heaven’s cause. After Goujian’s betrayal, most went to ground and disappeared, but these last few months saw many come out of hiding to support the Legate, while others are new to our cause.” Frowning, he lowered his voice and added, “Oddly enough, they all said the same thing, that they were guided to the cause by the Mother above, claims I had no choice but to believe since they kept finding me in person despite the great lengths I went to in order to stay hidden.”

 

“…Perhaps the Heavens have not abandoned us yet,” Sarnai said, stroking poor, shocked Luo-Luo’s hair in an effort to soothe her fear, hoping this defeat would not poison her mind and ruin her promising future. “First the Stormguard, now the Templar Aspirants, the weapons we have to wield against the Enemy has grown once more.” Not to mention Luo-Luo and her increased strength putting her close to the forefront of her peers, and Sarnai could not be any prouder. Putting MuYang and his secrets out of mind for the moment, Sarnai focused on her daughter-in-law and said, “There, there, girl. Nothing to fear anymore. You fought well, and you are safe now, you hear?” Though she broke down into a wail and cried, Luo-Luo finally returned Sarnai’s hug and buried her face into her shoulder, and for a few minutes, comforting the poor girl was the only thing that mattered.

 

Because even if this Daughter-in-Law had not come to them by choice, Zheng Luo was one of the People, and Sarnai loved her like her own. Now if only Rain would get over his stubborn, mulish streak and give the poor girl a chance as well. Sarnai wasn’t getting any younger, and she wanted at least three more grandchildren to spoil before she was too old to care for them anymore.

 

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