Fatherly Asura

🀁

Shuidi was first to offer her observations. “The Virtue’s gem mirrors what was seen within the House of Ma’s [Inner Realm]. Impressive that there is such a talent - to create [Bloodlines] with the turn of a hand.”

An envious power.

Even as lightning crackled about the Virtue’s body, Anfang and Quiqui did not cease their attack.

A further deluge from their sky-creating [Dao] arrived to confirm all suspicions.

The Virtue’s blood absorbed each unseen bolt, transmuting the energy as though a lesser copy of the [Shrine of Final Skies] and dampening the onslaught before it reached even a stride from her body.

Fu Gao pushed a resonance through his brooch, inspiring his junior to overcome so worthy a challenge.

“Cheap tricks. Hah. How shameful that the House of Ma must mimic my own power merely to stand against me,” laughed Anfang, her voice a blur amidst motion. “A legacy of theives is all you’ll leave behind, Virtue.”

Perhaps Renunciation’s nose wrinkled.

Perhaps it did not.

The realm’s bloody floor suddenly surged skyward in a wave of oceanic proportions, ever growing until Fu Gao himself had to leap from his vantage at the monolith’s peak. Despite [Water Qi’s] inclusion within [Blood Qi’s] composite nature, it would be foolish to enter such an abundance of this Virtue’s [Affinity].

[Senses] expanded.

Anfang visibly slowed within the churning expanse of blood, and her subtlety was cast aside so she might navigate further. A shroud of blackened lightning enveloped her, barely able to push back the pressure as she sought the Virtue that had melded with this flood.

Or so Fu Gao predicted was her course.

Her movements were erratic through the flood.

Vertical twists, horizontal pivots, diagonal leaps in all variations.

Then webs emerged, and a novelty emerged. Twinned beacons upon her body grew on her body in midnight hues, spilling as if ink… and more so, from a pot thick in [Primordial Qi].

With foolish pride Anfang winked at her senior, activating first her [Hollow Ivory Splinter] and another, unknown [Constellation Seed].

“[To Suffer Thunder Leaves No Stone Whole].”

Ten thousand, thousand strings crackled through the flood, jolting with her blackened energy. In truth, a lattice of such finely woven thread that naught but a hair’s hair might escape through the purposeful gaps, for certainly the blood could not.

His junior vanished behind what was no less than a blackened cage.

The flood depleted some heartbeats later.

Less than spectacular. Any longer and I would name this a shame on our Cloud Gathering Division.

First to emerge was Quiqui, only by the grace of unfolding string. What had blocked sight now moved by her subtle manipulation, showing how the myriad threads about her had brought about a queer turn.

Fu Gao descended into the midst of this cradle. “Junior.”

Ahead, the blood-slick strings converged on Anfang, vanishing into her flesh. She was no picture of peerless health, having grown pallid and frail from this unknown effort. “Senior. Our Master’s latest gift… suits me, no?” came her forced laugh.

Hushi twanged a string, curious.

“[Loom of Golden Envies],” she shared, coughing. “Fitting… for a thief. It steals another’s last technique used. When coupled with the [Hollow Ivory Splinter]... with reaping-”

Before further conversation could be had on such secret musings, Shuidi expelled a great wave of [Wind Phantom’s Breath] across the remaining blood to both silence and cleanse any remnants of the Virtue.

Anfang blinked at her foolishness, for she had not yet secured the area.

Quiqui bowed in apology.

“If this is the toll it takes, junior, you must temper yourself further. Still,” paused Fu Gao, pensive. “Another Virtue is slain. That your [Constellation Seed] might counter their [Crimson Tyrant Possession Art] is acceptable. How was it done? An unmaking of their technique, perhaps, reaping the defence that crafted [Bloodline] offered?”

After a long breath, Anfang nodded. “It wasn’t a true [Bloodline],” she said, straining as threads unfolded from her skin to show a darkly crimson gem. “But the essence of a persistent technique.”

The [Primordial Law of Tribulations] offered insight.

“This Gao Shuidi is ponderous,” the [Spirit Crab] said, drawing this gem close in a suspension of mists. “Would these juniors welcome it if it were?”

Blood marbled through Anfang’s gleaming grin. “Oh? Is there such a good thing?”

🀨

[Tribulation] was the embodiment of transformation.

Heaven’s aid and obstacle.

Fu Gao had seen myriad variations of this force, and had delved deeper into what accounts across the Clear Sky had not been lost to secrecy or scandal.

“The possibilities are as endless as the stars above,” he mused, placing such journals back within the [Shrine of Final Skies]. “Where our juniors are concerned however, we must remain vigilant. Heaven favors none, and these gifted [Tribulations] are indeed tailored. Udvah and Anfang currently face trials of advantage and this is not Heaven’s way.”

To be among the clouds this morning brought an expected novelty.

Fourteen [Paifang] had manifested in all corners of the Heavenly Roaming Prefecture, and a shift was to occur in the coming hours.

As with attaining a new realm of cultivation, the difference between densities was like that of Heaven and Earth. Steps would no longer progress one, but leaps, and here on an eve close to [Winter’s] reign they saw the last was underway.

Our twin would know this. A smarter soul would ask if they have laid foundation enough to combat what comes next. The Cloud Gathering will be well in place when our juniors return from their [Tribulation], and yet we must inform Bingbai of all that has and will transpire.

Shuidi sharply turned upon his palm, alert some heartbeats before Fu Gao felt what had caught her attention.

Force rose.

No.

The lands beneath the Heavens…

[Hegemony of Pale Mists] had all clouds bend to their whim, daring not to block sight nor cast shadow upon them. Even still, these three ghosts pushed through the softened puffs to eliminate all possibility of what they saw.

“Do not speak to Kang Jae nor Zhu. This Gao Shuidi would not suffer another argument on the [Divine Cinnabar Tortoise].”

Humor could not rise when faced with such marvel.

In entirety, the Heavenly Roaming Prefecture stretched. From wisteria-rich peaks to the damp valleys far east of Jade Songbird City; from fresh [Affinity]-bearing bamboo in the surrounding forests to the sprawling, shallow rivers strewn about them; from-

As if a languid cat forced to rise, these lands arched their back and spread further.

Spread higher.

Wider.

Lacking words, his thought followed In improper speech and almost dreamlike, childish notions.

For the water turned wetter, his clouds grew cloudier, the earth became earthier, and thus followed for each of the minutiae beneath these Heavens. Fu Gao witnessed… he witnessed the density of Qi - of substance - multiply nature, formation, and pattern in abundance, so that it seemed these very lands were apotheosizing into a thing of fable.

Jade Songbird City was a crown upon these lands, yet now seemed diminished as the swathes of bamboo, earth and grasses about it extended as though pushed distant.

Hushi directed their gaze beyond one shoulder to see there a colossal and profound sprouting from the center of the Golden Bodhi Sanctuary. Their namesake tree had grown from some mere sapling to a wonder that brushed shoulders with the tallest pagoda in their lands.

“Few will have witnessed this wonder. It is a boon. We will share the memory with Fen, for her [Dao] will surely advance against so profound a sight. That we have not fallen into [Epiphany] rings clear that nurture is not our Path, no?”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Fu Gao indulged himself for a heartbeat more, feeling [Arbiter’s Soul] pulse.

He blinked.

He blinked again as the barest formation of [Ink] wisped before him.

“From where does this-” Immense [Spiritual] pain slammed shut his eyes, severing the connection to whatever being had begun to show its attributes. “By the Heavens…” he gasped, amused.

“Do not mention it,” warned Gao Shuidi. “There is mystery aplenty without creating more.”

[Arbiter’s Soul] grew into a steady pulse, almost rhythmic, if subtle. It stretched these threes’ awareness to myriad points across the Prefecture, as was expected with the sudden growth that had just been witnessed.

But it was not the [Ink] of before.

“This shift is sooner than we expected, and already the undeserving take advantage. Do you feel them, sister, brother? Our [Arbiter’s Soul] reveals the growing hundreds,” he said, feeling tugged east and west. “It would not do to give our Master an incomplete report, no?”

🀨

A fresh labyrinth spanned the Chimes of Black Serendipity and unseen serpents moved within. On approach the spatial distortion leading to his Sect’s Clouded Archives presented fresh options, impressed through a susurrus of forked tongues.

The next step had their Master’s palace emerge, though it was only named as such for the scale of it.

Fu Gao had knelt there, cowed by the magma upon his [Primordial Constellation Gate]. Pressure and heat in equal parts born entirely of an unknown envy, for the quantity of [Constellation Seeds] was enough to dam an ocean.

As ever, his pride had swelled.

But this was some many hours prior.

“Again,” motioned Bingbai.

Thin [Spiritual] dragons raged at the Fatherly [Asura’s] fore, ravening for Bingbai’s flesh as they tore forth.

The [Heavenly Spectre’s Shroud] flickered.

“Oh-ho-ho. Old One, you’ve outdone yourself with this triumph. Were I a younger man I might reap you for my own designs. [True Wind God Arts]. Hmm. A shame there are no dragons of my [Affinities] I might sick you upon.”

Manifested in mist, the Old One hummed his acceptance. “From one master to another, this wizened soul acknowledges your appreciation.”

“Just so,” smiled Bingbai, gesturing to the open mats between laden-shelves. “From the [Cloud Dragon Sutra], [Tempestual Phantom Tribulations], and the freshly ascended [Dao] I have yet to witness, I’m satisfied with your growth. Show me your insight.”

Two [Dao Principles] spread from Hushi’s arm, that of [Frostfall] and their most recently attained [Second Pool] insight - the [Dao of Winter’s Seal].

A swift carpet of ivory frost claimed the open area there at the first utterance, and though he intended his Master no harm, Shuidi sulked when he dismissed the rampant growth with a flick of one finger.

The second flurried snow in a place where no clouds could possibly dwell.

Synergy between these [Dao] plunged the archive into a scene not unlike mid-[Winter’s] influence, but no treasure here was so frail as to be affected.

Bingbai tugged his beard. “The [Dao of Winter’s Seal]. Complex. It is [Second Pool], disciple, and liable to change. But, hmm, no. Gao Fu’s humble origins have a hand in this. Repeat this [Dao], alone.”

The three ceased the [Dao of Frostfall], and focused to order their will solely through the [Dao of Winter’s Seal].

Snow fell, and amidst it Bingbai’s [Channels] became clogged in the downpour. Such was the function of their insight - for they knew snow as potential’s death - an end to [Pull] and future growth.

Yet so too did it clog their own.

[Winter], after all, favored none.

“The [Ink]-” began Bingbai, prompting Fu Gao to summon it - if only for his own study.