Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Li Yu continued his journey through the untamed neutral zones for another three days. The dense alien forests gradually began to thin. It was replaced by rocky plains dotted with low slung scrub brush that possessed metallic, shimmering leaves. The air grew arid and carried a distinct mineral scent. This signaled his proximity to the geological formations that defined the Aegis Legion territory.

On the afternoon of the third day he spotted his next destination built into the side of a rust colored mesa that rose abruptly from the plains. This was the town of Oakhaven, the final major settlement before entering the official Ant Empire.

Oakhaven was a significant departure from the silk canopies of Dirty Hollow. Here, the local architecture was dominated by reinforced mud brick and large chunks of natural black stones. The structures were low and sturdy. They looked like they were designed to withstand the fierce, sand laden winds that frequently swept through the plains. The streets were wide and paved with cracked river stones.

The population was heavily insectoid but with a notable lack of winged species compared to Dirty Hollow. The inhabitants were primarily heavily built beetle folks, weevil kin and independent ant groups not affiliated with the Aegis Legion. The culture was efficient and somber. There was very little musical chatter or clicking greetings. Conversations were terse and purely transactional.

Li Yu noticed several unique habits. The shops did not display goods on open tables; instead, everything was secured inside iron bound chests and required specific requests to view. Instead of spirit stones or nectar wine, the primary local currency seemed to be refined mineral ingots and concentrated spore packets.

The air smelled of hot dust, mineral oil and a sharp, earthy odor resembling wet loam. Despite his human appearance, no one bothered him. He bought a ceramic jug of a local bitter ale brewed from cactus roots. He was able to pay for it with spirit stones even though it wasn’t the main currency but had to pay a premium. He found the taste atrocious but it was wet and cut through the hot dust in his throat.

Li Yu was walking toward a large public well in the center of town to explore further. His senses then alerted him to a highly familiar Qi signature.

He shifted his gaze toward a side alley that was adjacent to a large storage warehouse. Emerging from the shadows was a lone ant guard wearing the typical crimson chitin armor. It was now battered, caked in dirt and partially covered by a ragged brown cloak.

It was the one armed guard who had served Raxen.

Li Yu froze, surprised to see the ant alive. He was currently carrying a large leather satchel and moving with a desperate speed that immediately raised Li Yu’s suspicions.

The guard scanned the street nervously, his antennae twitching frantically. He did not spot Li Yu, who had automatically masked his presence while blending in with the crowd. The guard slipped past the well and headed toward the northern gate, clearly trying to sneak out of the town unnoticed.

Li Yu narrowed his eyes. The memory of Raxen’s arrogant blackmail was still fresh and seeing this survivor attempting to flee with such stealth gave him all the confirmation he needed. He followed the guard but was keeping his safe distance. He watched the guard pass through the gate as he was offering a forged travel token and a large ingot to the distracted guards before vanishing into the rocky scrubland outside.

Li Yu waited a few moments and then exited the gate himself. He was following the guard’s fading trail. He caught up to him a few miles outside of Oakhaven, in a secluded ravine filled with jagged basalt formations. The guard was moving with incredible speed now that he was clear of the town.

Li Yu descended from the sky like a specter and landed directly in the guard’s path.

The ant guard stopped violently, his singular claw snapping toward the satchel on his waist in a panic. He looked up and when his complex eyes recognized the human boy from the clearing, his entire body began to tremble.

"You." The guard hissed. "You... you should be dead."

"So should you." Li Yu replied but his voice was devoid of any warmth. The gray light of Destruction laws was already flickering in his pupils.

The guard turned to flee and was attempting a burst of desperate speed. Li Yu closed the distance instantly and knocked down the guard. He pressed his boot against the guard’s remaining arm and was pinning it to the rock. He reached down and yanked the heavy satchel from the guard’s waist.

He ripped the satchel open and poured the contents onto the flat stone. Several low grade cultivation manuals and food packets clattered to the floor but nestled among them was the object that had caused so much bloodshed.

It was the ornate crystal storage ring Raxen had held.

"Raxen died trying to protect this." Li Yu said while picking up the cold ring. "And his dying plan was to set me up as the target so you could sneak away and steal it for yourself."

"No!" The guard screamed. "I... I was going to bring it to his father! I am still on the mission!"

"Raxen was an arrogant blackmailer but at least he was loyal to his family business. You are just a vulture who left your masters to die." Li Yu said but he didn’t really know if that was the truth or not. He had pieced that together from what he had seen.

The ant guard hissed in a furious admission and realized the human would not be swayed. "They were going to be sold into slavery! Their whole lineage was ruined! Why should I die for a dead business when I can take this ring and buy my own freedom! Why should a strong person like you care what happens to a few ants!"

"Because Raxen’s plan resulted in my camp being raided by elite assassins." Li Yu declared while applying a tiny fraction of corrosion Qi directly into the guard’s arm. The crimson chitin began to sizzle and melt. "He tried to force my hand and you two tried to set me up as the fall guy. I am done with all of you."

Li Yu increased the output of his Destruction laws. He did not crush the ant or use a brutal physical attack. He allowed the targeted corrosion to sweep over the entire guard. While Li Yu wasn’t an overly aggressive person, he wasn’t someone to let others go either. These two had tried to kill him and if things went differently, he could have been killed or seriously hurt.

It was not a quick death but it was a thorough one. The guard hissed in raw agony as his entire body rapidly decayed. His armor dissolved into gray dust, his flesh withered and within a few seconds the ant guard was reduced to nothing but a pile of fine sand that drifted into the ravine wind.

Li Yu stood alone in the ravine and was looking at the ornate band in his palm. All this bloodshed, all this misery, was trapped inside this tiny artifact. He felt a deep curiosity. Whatever was inside this ring had ruined a lineage, caused the deaths of twenty six guards and motivated a supreme expert like Moros to enter the neutral zones personally. It had to be a treasure of immense value.

He raised his consciousness and was preparing to break the simple spiritual seal and peek inside the spatial pocket. He wanted to know what was in there.

"Do not break the seal human." A soft and raspy voice whispered.

Li Yu froze. He automatically channeled his Qi and was preparing for combat. He looked up and his heart dropped.

Emerging silently from the void above the ravine were five slender figures draped in dark cloaks. They were already spreading out in a perfect formation and surrounding him.

The five moth assassins of the Eclipse Court had found him. Li Yu gritted his teeth and shifted the Star Crusher staff into his palm. He calculated his escape route since he knew he could not fight all five.

As he prepared to launch his soul domain, a sixth figure descended from the higher atmosphere. He landed gracefully in the center of the ravine, directly between Li Yu and the assassins once again.

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It was Lord Moros.

The Law Seed expert stood there and was observing Li Yu with a stiff posture.

"You." Li Yu grated out. "You are quite the persistent guest, Moros."

"We did as you suggested, human." Moros said.

"As I said before, I do not want to be involved." Li Yu stated. He held up the crystal ring between two fingers. "I only just killed the ant guard who was fleeing with it. I was about to look inside to see what all the trouble was about."

"Do not." Moros said quickly and was stepping closer but then immediately pausing, as if afraid of drawing too close to Li Yu. "Whatever is inside that ring is property of the Eclipse Court. Raxen’s father, General Vant, stole it from our lands. It is extremely important that it is returned to us. It is not something you should be concerned with."

Li Yu sensed the desperation in the moth lord’s voice. This wasn’t just about face; this was a critical operational objective for his empire.

"Important enough to target an independent traveler?" Li Yu mused as his curiosity grew. He lifted his consciousness again toward the seal. "What would happen if I took a look right now? What if I decide it is quite nice and I do not want to give it back? What will you do then Moros?"

It was a test. He wanted to see how far the misunderstanding would hold.

The five moth assassins standing on the ravine walls immediately snapped into aggressive combat stances with their killing intent flaring. They were simple soldiers; they did not understand the danger, only that their target was threatening their lord.

Moros flinched but he didn't attack Li Yu. He whirled around and projected his Law Seed aura forcefully against his own men.

"Stand down!!" Moros roared. "Disengage that intent this instant you suicidal fools!! That is an absolute command!!"

The five assassins immediately released their killing intent and stepped back and tried to hide their confusion once more. Moros turned back to Li Yu and offered a respectful bow.

Li Yu used the fear to his advantage and kept his face calm and expressionless.

"I reported your presence to the Queen this morning, human." Moros said. “She sent a message back. She welcomes you anytime as an honored guest to our empire."

Li Yu internally raised his eyebrows. He had been given an honored guest token from the Hive Emperor and was now receiving an open welcome from their biggest rival, the Moth Queen. He was sitting on a political knife's edge.

"Tell your queen I thank her for the invitation." Li Yu said calmly. He tossed the crystal ring casually toward Moros. "Here. Take your 'worldly trinket'. Hopefully this clears up any misunderstanding Raxen tried to cause. We are even."

Li Yu did not care about the treasure. He didn’t need more resources right now and he absolutely did not need the constant target on his back that came with keeping the ring. Relinquishing it was the safest option.

Moros caught the cold ring and surprise flickered through the eyeholes of his pale mask. He looked at the ring, then at Li Yu. He truly couldn’t comprehend how this human could simply throw away a treasure of this magnitude. It only served to confirm his belief that Li Yu was an entity who had no need for their worldly wealth.

"You have our gratitude, human." Moros said. He tucked the ring securely into his robes. "Please reconsider the Queen's invitation. The Moth Empire has much more to offer you than the crude rocks and mud bricks of the Aegis Legion."

"I am not looking for anything specific right now." Li Yu smiled faintly. "I am simply heading because it is the closest empire border from where I started. I would like to see what their uniqueness is. Perhaps another time."

"May the winds favor your path then." Moros said. He signaled to his squad who immediately vanished into the void. Moros lingered for a mere fraction of a second, offering one last respectful nod, before channeling his Qi and disappearing rapidly. It looked like they were rushing back to the territory with the secured shipment.

Li Yu stood alone in the ravine and was looking up at the now clear sky. The silence was absolute. He had defused a massive bomb.

He chuckled softly to himself. Part of him was still intensely curious about what had been inside the ring. He actually scolded himself for not taking just one quick and tiny peak first. But whether or not that would have caused even more trouble, he wasn't sure. His pragmatic logic won out; the target was gone.

Later that night, Li Yu found a small dense grove of trees with deep blue leaves and decided to set up a minimal camp. He had spent the remaining daylight walking toward the Ant Empire border and needed a proper rest.

He was currently roasting several thick cuts of meat over his small fire. The rich savory smell it gave off was delicious and was making his stomach growl. He sat comfortably on a smooth rock and was enjoying the peace. The simple pleasure of cooking his own meal was something he valued greatly.

Just as the meat was starting to brown perfectly, his senses alerted him to movement. Five figures were nearby. He shifted his internal Qi and was expecting the worst. Then the figures dropped silently into his camp but landed gracelessly.

It was Lord Moros and his five assassins. Li Yu closed his eyes and let out a soft groan. He continued turning the spit slowly when he saw who it was.

"I keep having uninvited guests in my camp." Li Yu commented and did not bother to look up at them for a single second longer. "This neutral zone is truly too busy for quiet contemplation."

When Moros didn’t answer immediately, Li Yu finally looked up. He narrowed his eyes and was confused. Moros and his assassins all looked utterly battered.

The tall slender figures were covered in jagged blade marks that had shredded their dark cloaks. Moth blood was leaking through the fabric and staining the floor. Lord Moros’s left arm hung limply at his side. They were severely injured.

Li Yu looked at the bloody mess and let out another a tired sigh.

"What happened to you?" Li Yu asked. "Why are you here? Are you trying to cause me more trouble?"

"We were ambushed." Moros managed, his voice soft and raw. He collapsed onto his knees on the mossy floor. "Not by the Ant general’s forces. By a third, a different party that somehow knew Raxen’s shipment. They were fast, efficient and their logic was entirely focused on elimination."

"We were able to kill our ambushers." Moros continued while struggling to stand back up. "But we are injured, as you can see. They cut us deep."

Li Yu looked at the injured moths. He didn't ask who the third party was. He didn't care who they were besides the fact that these people might have led them back to him.

"I asked why you are here." Li Yu repeated while gesturing around the camp. "You should be hiding in a cave or something else. Not standing here in an open camp with me. This is ridiculous. You are bringing your trouble right back to me."

"It was a chance discovery." Moros replied. "We detected your fire and decided to rest here. It was happenstance."

Li Yu internally raised his eyebrows. That was a lie. These were elite specialists. They didn’t stumble into camps by "happenstance." Moros was a Law Seed expert.

Inside his head, Lord Moros was thinking something vastly different then what he had said.

'A cave can be found!' Moros screamed internally. 'An array can be broken! But this camp... this is the safest place in the entire realm! Whoever else is after us, if they are foolish enough to approach, they would have to face your people! Standing near you is safer than standing inside the Eclipse Court capital!'

Moros had deliberately tracked Li Yu down and knew that the mere presence of the boy who "commanded" that apocalyptic force was the supreme deterrent. Any sane hunter would never risk approaching. If they did approach they would be killed and he and his people would be safe. He didn't voice it though.

"A chance, yes." Moros continued to lie.

Li Yu looked at the bloody moths and sighed heavily. He couldn't just throw them out in this condition.

"Settle down then." Li Yu groaned as he gestured toward the warm fire. He reached into Xerxis’s storage ring and pulled out several high grade healing pills. "Eat. These will help stabilize your meridians."

Xerxis had received these pills as part of the shared spoils pool from the four rulers. Technically, the Moth Queen had contributed to this very prize. By giving these pills back to her people, Li Yu felt he was returning the Moth Queen's karma, clearing any potential debts between them.

Moros accepted the pills with surprise and gratitude. He distributed them among his men. They consumed the elixirs and sat fitfully around the warm fire. Li Yu finished roasting his meat and ate in silence. He was keeping his senses pushed out into the night.

Just as Moros had calculated, the night stretched on cold and peaceful. The forest around them remained perfectly still. The rival ambushers, whether they had lost the trail or simply didn't dare approach the camp of the human boy, did not appear. Standing next to Li Yu was indeed the safest place in the neutral zones even if that wasn’t true at all.

The three suns eventually rose over the horizon. The injured moth squad stood up and their wounds were already stabilized thanks to the potent healing pills and their own medicines. Lord Moros turned to Li Yu and offered one final bow.

"You have our supreme thanks, human." Moros said but his voice was truly sincere this time. "You have healed us in our moment of need. We are in your debt."

"I told you, we are even." Li Yu waved his hand dismissively. "Just leave my camp and let me continue my journey in peace. That is all I ask of you."

Moros nodded. He signaled his men who activated their stealth techniques and vanished silently into the morning twilight. Li Yu stood alone in the quiet camp and was watching the sunrise. He was exhausted from the constant interruptions.

The only thought he had was how he hoped he would never see any of them again. He finished packing his minimal belongings and headed toward the borders of the Ant Empire, desperate for a quiet and solitary journey.