Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Li Yu departed from Fulgurite Town the next morning and immediately took to the sky. The eternal thunderstorm of The Shattered Sky plateau raged overhead as he navigated through the thick canopy of dark clouds. Jagged lightning flashed continuously across the horizon and illuminated the barren stone landscape far below him. He set his sights on the northern region where the local mayor had indicated the Lumin faction headquarters was located.

He maintained a steady pace through the turbulent winds while projecting a King realm aura outward. The heavy spiritual pressure acted as a visible warning to any beasts or wandering cultivators that he was not someone to be trifled with. The harsh environment of the plateau meant that danger could lurk behind any rock formation so keeping a strong deterrent active was simply the most efficient way to travel in peace.

He flew over a deep canyon carved by centuries of aggressive storm water running off the high peaks. The air in this specific region felt unusually dense with killing intent and sure enough before Li Yu could fly past the canyon a sudden burst of energy erupted from the rocky crevices below.

A group of six Moth warriors shot upward into the sky and fanned out to block his path. They wore dark armor marked with the jagged purple insignia of the Venin faction. These cultivators wielded curved blades coated in a shimmering toxic powder and their four delicate wings beat rapidly against the wind.

Li Yu halted his flight and let out a tired sigh. He was already sick of dealing with these chaotic rebels. What baffled him most was their sheer audacity, as if they had no brains at all. He was actively projecting the aura of a King realm expert yet these six warriors were only hovering around the Core Formation and Soul Formation stages. Attacking someone multiple realms above their own cultivation was a foolish tactic that usually resulted in instant death.

They did not bother to demand his wealth or ask for his name before launching a coordinated strike. The Venin warriors let out shrill battle cries and swung their curved blades through the air. Dozens of toxic wind blades formed from their weapons and flew directly toward his chest.

He did not bother dodging the incoming attacks as they were much too weak. Li Yu simply raised his right hand and gathered Qi in his palm. He crushed fingers together and sent a shockwave of rippling energy outward. The toxic wind blades shattered upon impact and the shockwave slammed into the Venin warriors with bone crushing force. It couldn’t even be called an attack as he was just crushing them with his Qi alone.

The six ambushers coughed up blood and their natural Qi defenses shattered instantly. They plummeted toward the canyon floor like broken dolls with their strings cut off. Li Yu summoned a barrage of Abyssal Javelins as the dark spears shot forward and pierced their chests, ending their lives before the warriors even hit the ground. He then used a gentle spatial pull to retrieve their bodies and took their storage rings before tossing the lifeless bodies for Heiyuan to devour.

He hovered in the stormy sky and wondered why the group had attacked a King realm expert so brazenly. It really did not make any sense at all. A thought crossed his mind and he decided to test a theory regarding their behavior. He reeled in his robust energy and intentionally dropped his projected cultivation level down to the Soul Formation realm to appear as someone around their strength.

He continued his flight at a much slower pace while pretending to struggle slightly against the harsh winds. A short time later, another group of Venin warriors emerged from a cluster of tall stone pillars. They were clearly waiting for travelers to come by this area. This group consisted of five members and they rushed forward with greedy expressions on their faces as before.

Li Yu stepped sideways to avoid a thrusting spear coated in lightning Qi and countered with a swift palm strike to the attacker's ribs. The sound of shattering bone echoed through the rain and the warrior died instantly. The remaining four tried to surround him using speed techniques but Li Yu moved like a ghost through the downpour. He snapped their necks one by one using physical strength and collected their bodies as before.

Li Yu used this as a bit of training for his strength control, trying to kill them just enough but preserving their bodies for Heiyuan. The pattern continued over the next few hours of his journey. Small groups consisting of three to five people would emerge from the rocks to ambush him. They attacked without hesitation and Li Yu killed them all just as quickly. He had tested a few different cultivation levels and it seemed to make no difference at all, he was attacked all the same.

‘This makes no sense at all. Why are they just attacking no matter what? Are they always successful so they fear no one?’ Li Yu felt deeply confused by the situation and wondered if the Venin faction was just attacking anyone traveling along the main roads regardless of their strength. It made no sense but that was what he saw.

If they were so bold and numerous on the path to the Lumin headquarters then where were the Lumin patrols to secure the area? This deep canyon was much closer to the Lumin headquarters than the Venin borders. A ruling faction should not allow rogue bandits to operate so freely near their own capital unless they lacked the manpower to stop them. It painted a grim picture of the ongoing civil war.

The steady stream of ambushes provided a grand feast for the black serpent. Heiyuan consumed over twenty cultivators during the journey to the headquarters. The young snake unhinged his jaws and swallowed the bodies whole using his internal void space each and every time.

However, the vast amount of raw spiritual energy finally overwhelmed the serpent's internal buffer. Heiyuan swallowed the last Venin warrior and let out a long contented burp before growing incredibly drowsy.

'I need to sleep,' Heiyuan mumbled across the mental link as his dark scales lost a bit of their usual luster. 'The energy is too thick. I need to digest all of this before I burst.'

The snake began to fall asleep right there on the fabric of Li Yu's robes. Li Yu guessed that the digestion process for such a large meal would leave the serpent vulnerable and lethargic for a long while. He opened a spatial tear with a wave of his hand and gently brought the sleeping beast into his Koi Sanctuary. Heiyuan could rest in peace within the inner space without worrying about the harsh storms or unexpected battles outside.

Li Yu flew alone and continued the slaughter of groups that stopped him, collecting more bodies for Heiyuan to eat when he finally woke up. After a bit of time, a grand fortress finally appeared on the horizon. The Lumin headquarters was a sprawling citadel built from white stone and conductive glass. Tall metallic spires caught the endless lightning strikes and channeled the raw energy into a series of defensive arrays protecting the high outer walls. A glowing blue dome of energy hummed softly over the central courtyard.

He landed near the main gate and walked forward while the rain washed over his protective Qi barrier. A squad of heavily armored guards stepped out from the gatehouse and crossed their long halberds to block his path. The guards possessed pale blue skin and four delicate wings folded against their backs just like the mayor from the town.

"Halt traveler," the captain of the guard called out with a firm voice while keeping his weapon raised. "State your business in the Lumin citadel."

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Li Yu decided to forgo the games and released his suppressed energy. He allowed his aura to flare upward until it locked firmly at the Law Seed realm. He went with the level of the hidden ancestor within the swamps from before. The sudden surge of pressure forced the guards to take a step back and their expressions shifted from stern authority to cautious respect mixed with fear.

"I wish to see the leader of your faction," Li Yu stated clearly over the sound of the rolling thunder. "I bring information regarding the Venin patrols operating near your borders and I have business to discuss as well."

The captain nodded his head and quickly sent a glowing message token flying over the high walls. There was nothing he could do to stop such a person so the best course of action was to get their leader. "Please wait a moment, senior. We will notify the commander immediately. Someone of your prestige is a rare sight."

A few minutes later the heavy metal gates groaned open and a tall figure walked out to greet him. The man was named Skarn and he served as the primary leader of the Lumin faction. Skarn was a Storm Astral Moth just like the guards but he possessed distinct features that set him apart from the rest of his people.

Four grand wings dusted with shimmering silver powder extended from his back and a mane of fine gray fuzz rested around his neck. However, he also bore harder insectoid traits that highlighted his martial prowess or perhaps power. Thick chitinous plates covered his shoulders and chest acting as natural armor over his pale blue skin. He had large compound eyes that shimmered with a golden hue and a pair of sharp mandibles resting near his jawline.

Skarn radiated a stable Law Seed aura and he studied the human visitor with a cautious gaze.

"I am Skarn," the Moth leader spoke with a voice that clicked and hummed. "My guards tell me you bring news of our enemies. What are your true motives for coming here, human?"

"My motives are simple," Li Yu explained while keeping his hands visible and relaxed at his sides. "I am a wandering traveler seeking a way back to my home. I came to your headquarters to request access to your historical archives. I need detailed information on Dragon Core to plan my next journey there. Once I have the information, I will not bother you any longer."

Skarn visibly flinched at the exact mention of the central continent. The golden compound eyes widened slightly and the leader took a deep breath to steady his nerves before answering. The fine gray fuzz around his neck bristled with sudden tension.

"The Dragon Core is not a place for travelers," Skarn advised with a grave and serious tone. "I strongly advise you to never go there if you wish to keep living. The dragons do not welcome outsiders and those who cross their borders never return to tell the tale. There are only stories of people going there, never one of them coming back. It is a land of death for anyone not born with their blood."

"I appreciate the warning but my path leads there regardless," Li Yu replied firmly. He did appreciate the man warning him though and his opinion of him increased.

Li Yu reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a large cloth sack that he had been collecting the tokens in. He tossed the heavy sack onto the wet ground and the fabric opened to reveal dozens of jagged purple tokens.

"I collected these during my flight from Fulgurite Town," Li Yu told him while gesturing to the spilled loot. "Your rival faction has littered the path with ambush parties. They are attacking anyone who travels along the main roads without hesitation. I slaughtered several of their groups and brought these tokens to prove my words. How can you allow this to happen?"

Skarn looked down at the pile of Venin insignias and let out a long humming sigh. The tension in the leader's chitinous shoulders relaxed slightly as he realized the powerful human had actively harmed their enemies. At the very least, it did not seem like Li Yu was an enemy working for the traitors.

"You have done us a great service today," Skarn said while gesturing toward the open gates. "The rain is heavy out here and you bring valuable news. Please come inside and we will talk properly."

Li Yu followed the Moth leader through the grand courtyard and into a warm reception hall decorated with glowing runic stones. They sat across from each other at a polished wooden table and a servant quickly poured them cups of hot tea that smelled like roasted bark.

The two men chatted about the state of the plateau and Skarn decided to speak honestly about their dire situation since Li Yu had already seen the truth on the roads.

"I must admit that our side is losing this war," Skarn said while staring into his tea cup after the two had chatted for a while. "The Venin faction has recently become much bolder and they have gotten stronger somehow. Their warriors are fighting with a reckless abandon that we have never seen before. It is almost like they have lost their minds completely and are in some sort of berserk state. They have pushed past our defensive lines and established hidden camps near our capital. We do not have the manpower to secure the outer roads because we are forced to keep our best warriors here to defend the citadel and other areas on this continent."

Skarn looked up and his golden compound eyes focused intensely on Li Yu. "You possess a Law Seed strength and you have already proven you can handle their patrols with ease. I have told you all of this because I want to ask for your help in this conflict. If you assist us in striking a heavy blow against the Venin, I will grant you unrestricted access to our archives. Nothing would be restricted from you."

Li Yu took a sip of the hot tea and considered the request in silence. While he could easily force his way into the library using his true strength he preferred not to act like a mindless tyrant unless provoked. They offered him a path to get the information he needed and since the situation presented itself this way, he decided to help them.

After all, one could not just always take things without giving something back in return. That kind of behavior did not sit right with his personal code and his understanding of karma. Furthermore, getting rid of the chaotic faction that had attempted to kill him several times was not a bad idea anyway. They had annoyed him enough during his peaceful flight to warrant a proper retaliation, another balancing of karma.

"I will agree to your terms," Li Yu said as he set his cup down on the table. "I will help you deal with the Venin threat in exchange for the knowledge I seek."

Skarn clicked his mandibles in obvious relief but he remained a cautious military leader who carried the weight of his people. "We just met today and the stakes of this war are too high for blind faith. If we are to fight together, we must form a mutual pact. It is the only way we can truly trust one another in the heat of battle since treachery is common in these lands."

Li Yu nodded his understanding since the request was standard practice among cultivators forming alliances. They both took a mutual vow via the soul to ensure neither party could betray the other during the upcoming mission without suffering a severe backlash to their cultivation foundation.

"With trust established, we can proceed to the strategy," Skarn said while unrolling a detailed map of the plateau across the wooden table. "I already have a plan in mind and it is quite simple. I just needed more high level strength to execute it and now I have you by my side."

The Moth leader pointed a clawed finger at a jagged mountain range located on the far edge of the map. "We will bypass their outer camps entirely and attack their supposed headquarters directly. Taking out their leadership in one swift strike will cause the rest of their forces to scatter in panic."

"A direct assault against a fortified stronghold is risky," Li Yu noted while studying the ink lines on the map. "They will have dense defensive arrays and killing formations protecting their base just like you have here."

"They do indeed," Skarn agreed while reaching into his robes. He pulled out a smooth jade orb that pulsed with a concentrated disruptive energy. "But I possess a unique treasure I have been saving for the perfect moment. This orb is designed to unravel complex energy networks. It will break through their outer formations and shatter their defensive arrays in an instant. Once the barriers fall, we will strike hard and fast before they can regroup or get them back up."

Li Yu smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. He liked the straightforwardness of the strategy immensely as straight forward plans had the least likelihood of someone failing their portion of the plan. There was no need for elaborate decoys or prolonged siege warfare that could drag on for months. Smashing through the front door and eliminating the problem directly appealed to his roots and it would also save him a significant amount of time.

"A simple plan is usually the most effective one," Li Yu stated while looking at the glowing jade orb. "We will end this conflict together and then you will show me your archives."