Chương 126: Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 71 – Exchange and favours – Part One

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 71 - Exchange and favours - Part One

 

Watching proceedings from the opposite end of the small island, I was reminded of the question I had deliberately avoided during our last meeting four days prior.

 

What was at the top of the Labyrinths?

 

I had already pushed the absolute limits on how far I was willing to trust a stranger. A stranger with incentives to see me dead and take everything I had. However, economic co-dependence was a powerful motivational tool in its own right. Now that we had a better understanding of how we could both profit from one another without the need for aggressive overtures, I felt confident that I could press for answers without triggering an irreparable diplomatic incident.

 

Of course, I was assuming Yi Gim had the answers I was looking for.

 

I had defeated the Divine Patriarch, Yi Gim’s long-term rival, which presumably placed me on at least a similar level of combat capabilities as Yi Gim himself. And I was as far from reaching the top of a Labyrinth as I had ever been.

 

I was also assuming that our Labyrinths would be the same, despite little evidence to support such a theory.

 

<Judging by how possessively his niece is clutching at your gift, I believe you have made the right choice, Great One.> Sebet praised with unapologetic and painfully blatant sycophantry.

 

The efforts of her clones had met with unexpected difficulties in recruiting local bandits to serve as cover and misdirection in their plan to free Enslaved Ogres en masse.

 

Put bluntly, someone seemed to be aware of what they were trying to do and was taking steps to eliminate every bandit hideout, haven and bolthole within striking distance of the country’s borders.

 

With each failure, it became increasingly apparent that outright military intervention would be required. Causing Sebet’s potential contributions in the matter to decrease in equal measure.

 

Not that I blamed them for it. Sebet and her clones’ failures were not from a lack of effort.

 

<My Tyrant, the trade representative of Monarch Yi Gim has requested payment involving the exchange of dimensional territories.> Gric reported dutifully. <The Monarch is willing to negotiate, but not with me.>

 

<Very well.> I replied, pleasantly surprised by the opportunity to gain even a single territory without the need to fight for it.

 

I made my approach toward the centre of the small sandy island with Sebet dutifully following a short distance behind me.

 

Yi Gim did likewise. However, his grand-niece was practically champing at the bit, earnestly matching pace with her Monarch in what surely would have been considered a serious breach of impropriety. The fact that Yi Gim did nothing to correct her behaviour was not necessarily a bad thing. If our places were reversed, I may have kept a tighter leash on Pete or Suzy’s behaviour. However, my actions would have been motivated by caution and concern.

 

The fact that Yi Gim allowed his grand-niece such latitude was probably due to a combination of pride and confidence in his own abilities and position to protect her. That, or it was a ploy to demonstrate a deliberate lack of formality to make himself more approachable and set himself apart from our peers.

 

Like a CEO wearing upscale casualwear at a shareholder meeting.

 

Yi Gim bowed his head slightly in greeting and his grand-niece bowed stiffly at the waist, all the while cradling the small jade pot that contained one of Hana and Jin’s modified midnight lotus flowers.

 

I nodded in reply and allowed Yi Gim the opportunity to explain himself, despite already being informed by Gric.

 

Smiling pleasantly, Yi Gim gestured to the jade pot while seeming to take great care with his actions. Possibly fearing they may be mistaken for an attack, or perhaps required by the multiple layers of ceremonial robes and extravagant clothing he was wearing. “I must offer my sincerest thanks for the gift provided to my niece. I must also admit that it is far greater than I had any right to expect. I had thought that perhaps my gift would prove too much, but now I fear that it will pale in comparison...” He shrugged self-deprecatingly and produced an ornately carved wooden case the size of his palm from within the left sleeve of his robes.

 

<There is something alive within that container.> Sebet warned.

 

Yi Gim offered the case with both hands. “A rare Abyssal Serpent egg,” he explained courteously. “As an aquatic celestial beast, it possesses an innate Water Affinity. I had originally intended to hatch the beast myself. However, the most suitable locations within my realm have proven too dangerous to make the attempt.”

 

Yi Gim’s innocuous comment initially passed me by as I waved Sebet forward to accept the gift. However, as my mind began forming the words to inquire about the conditions required to hatch the egg, and what care the beast would need, Yi Gim’s words silently ran through my head once more.

 

“There are places within your realm that are too dangerous for you?” I asked clumsily, prioritising the meat of the question itself over the precise phrasing in my rush to get at the answer.

 

Yi Gim sighed and nodded. “There are several such locations I dare not enter lightly,” he admitted with a hint of bitterness. “Oh, in my youth, I Conquered many territories. But my realm was young then. However, while I governed and pursued my Cultivation, so too did the beasts, and there is only so much lesser men and women could accomplish on their own. Inevitably, beasts within the most isolated and Chi-rich locations began breaking through to higher levels of Cultivation.” He chuckled wryly and shook his head. “Materials obtained from such beasts are important to the development of future generations of Cultivators, but it is a perilous balancing act. If my presence was detected, it would no doubt trigger a beast wave to descend on nearby cities. Which is a price I do not wish to pay for the sake of my own empowerment and vanity.”

 

“And you couldn’t just...lock those territories away? Or trade them off to an enemy?” I asked, trying not to reveal my suspicions.

 

“Walls can only be built so high,” Yi Gim replied, shaking his head and releasing a bitter sigh. “Walls of such scale would lack in the strength necessary to stop or even stall the strongest beasts. So such methods are immensely impractical.” He gave me a commiserating and apologetic smile. “I fear it is a reality you will no doubt need to address in due time. Culling the beasts in their infancy will provide security but at the expense of the resources they would provide. Stagnation is the death of Cultivation and presents a greater threat than the beasts ever could. At least, that has been the prevailing opinion amongst our peers and is one I personally share.”

 

<The girl wishes to say something.> Sebet nodded toward Yi Gim’s grand-niece.

 

“You do not agree?” I asked, looking down at the young woman.

 

“Ah...” Hu Hae looked to her grand-uncle for reassurance and permission.

 

Yi Gim nodded and motioned for her to answer, seemingly curious to hear her answer for himself.

 

“Hrm, well, what of the hidden worlds?” Hu Hae asked nervously. “Honoured uncle, you have told me that other realms subsist on the resources obtained from the confines of such treasures...”

 

“This is true,” Yi Gim agreed. “However, heaven has not seen fit to grace us with such a treasure.”

 

“They can’t be made?” I raised my right wrist and revealed the Divine Patriarch’s Storage Ring hanging from a thin chain.

 

Yi Gim just stared blankly at me for several moments before slowly shaking his head. “I am not familiar with the methods of constructing a Spatial Storage Ring, but I can only imagine that the skill and power required to create a hidden world would be many times greater. Comparing one to the other is akin to comparing rafts to warships...”

 

“And you possess no other means to partition those territories to isolate the danger?” I asked, now all but certain that the differences between our two realms were far greater than I had initially believed.

 

“Alas, no,” Yi Gim shook his head and shrugged.

 

I decided to change the subject to cover for my line of questioning. “I was told you wanted to discuss terms of trade,” I prompted.

 

Yi Gim nodded amiably. “Indeed. The Cultivation materials you have provided have exceeded our initial expectations by a not-inconsiderable margin. Passing up such an opportunity to acquire materials of this quality is unacceptable.” His demeanour intensified tenfold. “Would you be amenable to accepting territory in exchange or perhaps as collateral for a future payment?”

 

“I am open to negotiation,” I replied while doing my best to avoid sounding overly eager. To avoid revealing that Yi GIm was offering something far in excess of what I had originally wanted.

 

“I am glad,” Yi Gim smiled appreciatively and turned aside, conjuring a massive table. “I have several territories that, while undeveloped, may prove adequate as compensation...” A large pot of ink appeared on the table. Flourishing his right hand, Yi Gim sent ink flowing across the recessed surface of the table with his Chi. Within a few moments, the ink began taking on familiar forms, representing mountains, forests, plains and roads. “Unlike the wastes that I ceded during our last meeting, these territories hold considerable potential,” he motioned to the far right side of the table with his left hand, drawing my attention to what looked like an expansive mountain range. “These mountains contain several low-quality spiritual jade veins and low-quality ores. I am aware that the jade likely holds little value to you...but perhaps the ores will make this territory worthy of your consideration?”

 

“What value do spirit ores hold?” I asked, wanting to be sure my assumptions were not misplaced.

 

The jade itself presented immense value, provided Ochram could refine it into higher grades. But I wasn’t so certain about the ores. Although, technically, the ores were just a different composition of minerals. So Ochram may be able to do the same with them. The Mould Earth Spell, combined with Shape Stone, increased the scope of both Spells. But Ochram possessed senses I did not, so I knew better than to think I could accomplish anything close to what he had done already.

 

I made a mental note to ask him to try after I returned.

 

“Weapons and armour forged from such ores more readily accept Chi, allowing them greater durability and a higher efficiency in channelling certain Techniques,” Yi Gim replied happily, no doubt pleased to upsell the value of the territory.

 

“Can they hold Affinity like the plants? Or are they more neutral, like the jade?” I asked, still uncertain how the natural laws of the alternate system functioned.

 

Yi Gim smiled wryly and slowly nodded. “Indeed, spiritual ores and metals ‘can’ contain natural Affinities, but it is immensely rare...More often, the ores are artificially impregnated with a desired Affinity from other materials during the smelting process. However, the methods cause the loss of significant degrees of the materials’ Affinity during the process...”

 

“Making naturally occurring Affinities superior,” I observed, increasing the priority of discussing matters with Ochram by several degrees.

 

“Just so,” Yi Gim agreed. His amiable expression faltered for a moment and his eyes wandered over myself and Sebet, curiosity growing increasingly obvious as he did so. “If I may ask?” He motioned to Sebet’s armour. “Why do you wear armour made of stone? I must admit, I cannot sense any Chi within. Are they perhaps treasures from your world?”

 

“Not as such...” I replied hesitantly, unsure how much I wanted to trust someone I had spoken with only once before. “I made them with magic or sorcery...I’m not sure what ‘you’ would call it...”

 

Yi Gim’s eyes widened in surprise and admiration. “Is that how you defeated Chen? Did these sorcerous stone plates turn his Sword Chi?”

 

“I wore no such armour at the time...” I replied dryly, snuffing out the distant flickering embers of lingering guilt with ruthless pragmatism. The Divine Patriarch had made actionable threats against my family and was responsible for massacring his own people. His memory deserved no pity from me.

 

Yi Gim’s eyes widened further still, “No armour?...” He had obviously misunderstood my meaning, but I saw no benefit in correcting him. “Apologies, I had forgotten that your unique position would afford certain unforeseen advantages...” He paused and appeared to be thinking things over. “I intend no offence. However, are you a sorcerer then?” Yi Gim asked.

 

Technically, I supposed I was.

 

I nodded.

 

“A sorcerer with such a body...” Yi Gim smiled wryly and shook his head. “Forgiveness, please, but stories from the great war portrayed such individuals as frail or even sickly in constitution. To my eyes, you appear as a warrior in the prime of his life.”

 

“I am something of an exception,” I replied, readily admitting to the obvious while keeping the details to myself.

 

“I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge a desire to trade for any unwanted treasures you may possess,” Yi Gim stated with unreserved longing, causing me to wonder what exactly the stories had promised to stoke such desperate yearning.

 

“Many items would hold little practical value,” I warned, tempering his expectations. If Yi Gim was serious about trading such items, I would prefer not to jeopardise a long-term trade deal over a simple misunderstanding. “Their extreme durability can also be compromised by certain Techniques, and without mana, you would not be able to repair them...” He wouldn’t be able to resize them either, but that was a minor detail in comparison.

 

“Ah, I see...” Yi Gim’s excitement ebbed somewhat.

 

“However, assuming the items work as intended within your realm, there are other items that may interest you.” My items had continued to function without issue within the territory of the Challenge, but there were no guarantees that the effects would survive within a Cultivation Monarch’s realm outright. “Resistances to Disease, Poison and the elements, just as an example.”

 

Yi Gim’s interest grew again. “If the rumours from the highest ranking realms can be trusted, such treasures would be invaluable.”

 

I was capable of gaining just about any Resistance I wanted through Summoning and Synergies, so I didn’t carry such items. However, Sebet did.

 

Without being asked, Sebet removed one of the rings decorating her right hand and held it up for all to see. “This is a ring of Lesser Poison Resistance,” she purred. “Its effects, as self-explanatory as they may be, are magnified by the wearer’s Toughness. A child given possession of this ring would easily possess the resilience of a grown man of considerable constitution. Worn by a healthy adult, even the most potent Poison’s effects would be considerably reduced or potentially negated entirely. Of course, Poison should not be mistaken for Venom-” Sebet removed another ring. “-which is why I wear this for Lesser Venom Resistance.”

 

Yi Gim stared at the rings with unabashed awe and a covetous gleam in his eyes.

 

“Is your need for such items so great?” I asked warily, disturbed by the implications.

 

“Need? Ah, perhaps not...” Yi Gim admitted sheepishly, “However, I will admit that certain beasts, Techniques, even entire clans and a few Monarchs, would present a greatly reduced danger with such treasures on hand...”

 

“Ten territories,” Sebet demanded bluntly, rolling the rings through her fingers with impossible dexterity, speed and flexibility.

 

The sheer audacity of Sebet’s demand brought my train of consciousness to an abrupt and chaotic halt.

 

“T-Ten territories?...” Yi Gim gasped, no doubt as incredulous as I was.

 

“Each,” Sebet amended casually as if it was an afterthought.

 

“Done!” Yi Gim roared emphatically, very nearly pouncing on Sebet.

 

Even through my shock, I could feel intense satisfaction radiating from Sebet’s telepathic link to my mind.

 

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 71 - Exchange and favours - 2 of 6

 

It took several moments for me to overcome Sebet’s sheer audacity. However, once I did, I was forced to admire her initiative. In the span of a few seconds, and at the cost of mere trinkets, Sebet had secured twenty territories.

 

“Uncle?!” Yi Gim’s niece baulked, expressing the outrage and concern that I had expected from Yi Gim himself.

 

“Hush Hae’er!” Yi Gim replied firmly, waving her to silent obedience. “This investment has value beyond your understanding. Trust that I know what is best for the realm.”

 

Hu Hae bowed her head respectfully. “Of course, uncle...”

 

“See that your esteemed father has Usan province evacuated,” Yi Gim ordered, conjuring a wooden plaque from his Storage Ring and pressing it into her free hand. “You may tell him that there is no cause for alarm and that the costs of relocation will be covered at the expense of the national treasury. Also, express my desire that the relocation be completed with expedience.”

 

“Yes, uncle,” Hu Hae bowed again and retreated to a discreet distance.

 

“I expect the territories will be available within four to five hours,” Yi Gim announced cautiously. “I trust this delay will not prove too great an inconvenience?” He asked with an unmistakable hint of nervousness in his voice.

 

<The Divine Patriarch was only one rival of many.> Sebet explained confidently. <We learned as much from the retainer while he was indisposed. But the value of the items has exceeded my initial expectations. Perhaps the boy had misunderstood the depths of his Monarch’s enmity toward this particular rival?>

 

I had expected to spend at least some amount of time negotiating and haggling before arriving at a final deal. “I am content to wait,” I replied aloud before turning my attention to the telepathic link. <Which rival?” I pressed sternly, annoyed that Sebet had not informed me of her intentions in advance.

 

<A Monarch known by the title of the Demon of the Fog.> Sebet explained hurriedly, suitably cowed by the reproach. <She is a Cultivator that is said to specialise in poisons and...and is responsible for crippling Monarch Yi Gim’s first daughter...>

 

I didn’t know what to say.

 

Yi Gim conjured further furniture and an assortment of fresh fruits accompanied by bottles of what I assumed was alcohol. Of course, there he didn't have a chair large enough to accommodate my size, so I contented myself by dragging stones from the beach and shaping them into a throne with magic.

 

I abstained from eating but Yi Gim appeared to take no offence. Most likely, he had expected it.

 

As time began to drag and small talk grew thin, Yi Gim suggested the inspection of the materials and manuals that had been arranged for trade before they had known the value of what I would offer.

 

With little else to do to pass the time, I agreed.

 

Unfortunately, it quickly became obvious that there was little I could engage with directly. I couldn’t read the languages contained within the manuals, and while some of the plants and other materials looked familiar, they were otherwise alien to me.

 

Irritated, I gathered my MP and Summoned Jin, surprising Yi Gim and his niece in the process.

 

“Can you identify these materials?” I asked bluntly.

 

Jin nervously eyed the Cultivators across the table and began to shake violently.”I-I-I-I...” He stammered ineffectually while trying, and failing, to shrink in upon himself and hide from sight.

 

“Sebet...” I sighed with irritation.

 

“I will fix him,” Sebet promised, having gathered her MP in anticipation of my request even before I made it.

 

All at once, Jin stopped trembling. His eyes grew unfocused and all signs of fear fled his face, replaced with a dazed expression of contentment. Without being asked, at least not aloud, Jin turned back to the table and inspected the materials.

 

Yi Gim and Hu Hae both shifted uncomfortably, eyeing Sebet warily. An understandable response considering the extreme personality change that took place in front of them. Especially given both of them had also experienced Sebet’s telepathic assault previously, and the Ability she had used on Jin was fundamentally similar.

 

“Lions grass, veilberries, ginseng, ironwood, sageleaf, serpents kiss...” Jin obediently rattled off the names of the materials one after another, barely pausing for breath.

 

“Your servant appears quite knowledgeable,” Yi Gim commented conversationally.

 

“I was hoping he would,” I replied, noticing too late that I had allowed my impatience to taint my words with audible irritation. “Jin is an Alchemist,” I added, volunteering the information and softening my tone as a means of apology.

 

Yi Gim’s niece gasped in surprise.

 

“An Alchemist?” Yi Gim exclaimed, “And you can summon him with only a wave of your hand? Impressive, on both counts.”

 

I shrugged. “I acquired Jin’s allegiance comparatively recently.”

 

Yi Gim nodded in understanding, “A sign of the heavens' favour to be certain,” he commented approvingly. “I suspect his Cultivation will grow in time, but I have been told it is not as important for Alchemists. Skill and secrets are said to hold far greater sway in successfully plying their craft.”

 

I could only take his word for it.

 

“You mentioned earlier that beasts are used as materials,” I observed, motioning toward several preserved items now laid out on the table and stored within wooden cases of varying sizes. “Could you explain why?”

 

“Certainly,” Yi Gim agreed amiably. “I am no Alchemist, but it is rather common knowledge that certain traits of the beasts can be passed on through reinforcement, enhancement and recovery pills. In a similar fashion, hide, bone and tendons may be turned toward the creation of armour and weapons. However, that is an undertaking of a different calling altogether.”

 

It made sense but I was somewhat disappointed. Given the fantastical nature afforded to the plats and minerals, I had expected the same of the beasts as well. “So a beast's Affinity could not be passed along in a similar manner to the plants?” I asked, wanting to be certain.

 

“It is possible,” Yi Gim admitted, “But I would stress that it is closer to the exception rather than the rule. Few Alchemists are skilled enough to develop the Affinity-rich beast materials into Affinity fortification pills. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Affinity fortification pills rely heavily upon the experience the Alchemist holds with the prospective materials. As I stated earlier, skill and experience mean more to an Alchemist than their level of Cultivation.”

 

With my initial curiosity sated, I was reminded of the question I had forgotten to address previously. “Last we met, we spoke of the Labyrinths,” I commented, shifting the subject with the subtlety of a bull.

 

“I remember,” Yi Gim confirmed, motioning for me to continue.

 

I nodded in thanks. “Do you know what lies at the highest level?” It was a simple enough question, but I noticed a subtle shift in Yi Gim’s bearing.

 

He was afraid.

 

“I was never so bold to try for the peak...” Yi Gim admitted, deflecting the question. “Pressures from without, the chaos of the great war, held my focus on protecting what territories I held already...”

 

“You heard no rumours from those who tried?” I pressed, refusing to let the opportunity slide.

 

Yi Gim’s lips pressed tightly together, disappearing beneath his beard.

 

“We can assist you in curing your daughter,” Sebet’s promise blindsided Yi Gim, catching him completely off guard. To a lesser extent, she had surprised me as well. However, I trusted in Sebet’s talent for ruthlessly seeking out and capitalising on social advantage.

 

“Wh-What?...” Yi Gim gasped breathlessly, desperation, incredulity, hope and doubt warring within his eyes.

 

“The toxins that ravage your daughter’s body and spirit can be purged,” Sebet repeated, elaborating on her original statement with absolute confidence.

 

Yi Gim’s eyes narrowed dangerously, his body tensing in anger. “How?!...” He glanced toward his grand-niece and realisation dawned on his face. “How?” Yi Gim’s tone had softened, asking rather than demanding.

 

“My master has powerful healers,” Sebet replied, bowing her head in deference toward me as she did so. “Healers capable of traversing realms and performing even miracles when they must...”

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I was unsure whether she was referring to Orphiel and Ophelia, Wrathe, or all three.

 

Yi Gim remained silent for several minutes, eyes downcast as he slowly came to a decision. “What is your price?” He asked quietly.

 

“Information,” Sebet replied without skipping a beat.

 

Yi Gim’s face contorted several times, shifting emotions like waves in a storm.

 

Throughout the exchange, Hu Hae watched silently, seemingly too stunned and uncertain to act.

 

Yi Gim looked up, but not at Sebet. Instead, he levelled a determined stare up at me. “I demand an Oath.”

 

“Only if you swear in kind,” I replied evenly. “I have said as much during our last meeting, but I will say it again. There is much I do not know and I value information. If curing your daughter will secure that information, then I am willing to swear an Oath to uphold such a bargain.”

 

Yi Gim slowly nodded in agreement.

 

After exchanging Oaths, I removed a two-foot-long stone rod from my belt and passed it down to Yi Gim. “The head at the far end lies on a threaded screw. Tightening the screw will Summon Wraithe, one of my healers. She may not be able to completely fulfil my Oath on her own. However, her insights will determine how best to proceed.”

 

Yi Gim accepted the crimson stone rod. “There is something inside...” He commented quietly, the hint of distrust in his voice.

 

“They are Manastones. A source of power that will Summon Wraithe in my stead,” I explained patiently. “You may remove the head of the staff by turning in the opposite direction. However, I must warn you, the Spell will not work without the Manastones. So do not lose them.”

 

Yi Gim nodded grimly, and after briefly investigating its contents, he stored the rod inside his Storage Ring.

 

“Now, it’s your turn,” I prompted.

 

“You must understand, I do not speak of these things lightly,” Yi Gim cautioned, hesitating even as he readied himself to speak further. “I have not seen the peak with my own eyes. That much is true,” Yi Gim confirmed. “However, the lieutenants and retainers of allies now passed, made sure to pass warnings of what lay within,” His face paled. “Heavenly demons...Fallen gods of immense power and boundless cruelty...They brought death, destruction, and ruin upon all that dared trespass in their realm...” Yi Gim shivered and his hands trembled. “Once they were awakened, their servants and lieutenants rampaged across the land, leaving nothing but ruin in their wake...Nearly too late, we learned that the heavenly demons could not enter Labyrinths that were not their own. So we retreated to our strongholds and defended our realms as best we were able...”

 

What he had said didn’t quite fit with what he had told me already. “You said that you were not added to the rankings until the Labyrinths were finished taking in your world,” I commented, still uncertain what form that absorption was meant to take.

 

“I believe...I suspect...it is the heavenly demons and their minions that prepare the world for the change...” Yi Gim replied quietly. “Other Monarchs, from other worlds, have confirmed as much. Yet, I have not seen it for myself...”

 

“So reaching the peak is to doom the world...” I had no guarantees that the fate of these other worlds would be shared by the one I tangentially occupied.

 

A shiver ran down my spine.

 

How would I know if someone was close to reaching the peak? How would I defend my people?

 

My eyes were drawn toward Sebet.

 

<I do not know for certain...> Sebet answered in response to my unspoken question. <Heavenly demon has several potential interpretations...However, Demonic Cultivation is sufficiently terrifying that I believe your assumption may prove true...Angels, Daemons, and Devils...it is our kind that may occupy the peaks of the Labyrinths in our world. My memories of my beginning are...vague...and others I am forbidden to give form...But I suspect that the Angels at the least may occupy the peak...Or perhaps their more Evolved brethren.”

 

“I see it weighs on you,” Yi Gim observed, nodding slightly in approval. “It will be many nights until the memories of that time subside once more. However, I hope that this knowledge will prove useful to you and your people.”

 

I bowed my head slightly in thanks and then motioned to Sebet. “My second has other questions. I would appreciate it if you could answer at least a few more questions while we continue to wait.”

 

Yi Gim agreed and was relieved when Sebet’s line of questioning was directed away from the Labyrinths and toward Cultivators and Monarch politics instead.

 

It was depressing to learn that many Cultivators held callous attitudes toward anyone they deemed weaker than themselves. Worse still, to learn that it was believed to be an inescapable aspect of pursuing Cultivation.

 

In purifying their bodies and concentrating their spirit, character defects and negative emotions would be amplified during meditation unless purged regularly. However, the purging process generally took as much time as meditation, delaying the progress of an individual's Cultivation. As such, less scrupulous Cultivators skipped the purging rituals entirely, relying on spiritual suppressants to avoid catastrophe while ascending to higher levels of Cultivation.

 

These defects and concentrated negative emotions were the heart demons that the manuals had spoken of. The more powerful the Cultivator, the more real the heart demons would become. Malevolent spirits could corrupt a Cultivator from within, consuming them and then puppetting their body to unleash incredible devastation.

 

The required rituals for purging the heart demons had been included in the prepared manuals, which proved quite the relief after learning of the destruction a possessed Cultivator could inflict before being subdued.

 

The politics between Monarchs were less interesting, more or less falling in line with my existing expectations from what Yi Gim had told me already.

 

With precious few exceptions, the Monarchs were ruthless. All desired to add territories to their realms and rise through the rankings. However, it was the intended means and methods that varied. Some Monarchs were content with seizing small gains as the opportunities presented themselves, all the while hiding within alliances or paying protection to more capable Monarchs. Others gambled heavily, leveraging their land and people aggressively against their targets. Often losing as much as they gained.

 

By his own admission and insistence, Yi Gim considered himself and his cabal of allies to be moderates amongst their peers.

 

With only the Divine Patriarch to serve as a comparison, I could only agree and mentally prepare myself for the inevitable deluge of Challenges that were sure to come my way.

 

Despite Yi Gim’s overt awe regarding the subject of sorcery, I quickly learned that many Cultivators had Techniques that should be considered magic in their own right. Telekinesis was painfully common, especially amongst the more martially inclined Monarchs. Allowing them to attack with potentially dozens of weapons simultaneously in a whirlwind of overwhelming violence.

 

Elemental attacks were even more common. Launching fire, ice and even lightning at their enemies.

 

However, Yi Gim claimed it was the niche specialties that posed the most significant dangers. Techniques that impaired or stripped away the senses. Illusions that were indistinguishable from reality. Strikes that paralyzed their victims. Swords that cleaved through matter like water...and poisons that savaged the vitality of the victim...These and many more besides.

 

There seemed to be no end to potential Techniques a Monarch could possess. Making it impossible to prepare for all potential eventualities.

 

Much to my surprise, Yi Gim animatedly advised against it. Insisting that developing a small number of reliable Techniques and playing to my advantage would prove far more effective.

 

Cultivators, and by extension, the other Monarchs, specialised with a burning passion. Limiting themselves to a handful of Techniques to prevent stagnation from divided focus. Techniques could be discarded, but it was a truly rare occurrence due to the requirement of obtaining a Technique the Cultivators themselves believed to be superior and then investing the time to master it.

 

The sharing of techniques was a strange subject. Simple, beginner, Techniques were considered fair game and often passed to servants and friends as gifts. However, the Techniques of the clan and family were to be kept an absolute secret, guarded with one’s life. Simultaneously, those same Techniques, when plundered by a rival, may be offered in trade or sold outright. Rarer still, knowledge of a Technique might be deliberately destroyed to prevent a rival’s descendants from benefiting from it.

 

The ruthlessness of the Cultivators created a substantial degree of waste, encouraging short-term benefits and gains at the expense of collective progress and stability.

 

Yi Gim claimed to do his best in curbing the worst of it, but I came to realise that his control within his realm was considerably weaker than my own. Yi Gim was the Monarch, wielding the political power and authority of a king.

 

A king with rivals amongst his ruling aristocracy.

 

It came as a considerable shock to Yi Gim to learn that every one of my subjects had sworn Oaths of loyalty and obedience. His shock only increased upon learning the limits of my laws and how little I imposed upon the greater population.

 

“I don’t understand...” Yi Gim admitted, shaking his head in confusion. “How do you support infrastructure without taxes?”

 

I suppressed a smirk, “I have resources they want, and I offer it in exchange for what I want.”

 

“It can’t be so simple...” Yi Gim challenged incredulously. “Surely greed would make such a practice untenable...”

 

“Not when someone else will do it,” I countered. “That same greed, or personal need, will compel someone else to seize the opportunity before the first person reconsiders and comes to their senses. I rarely make such an offer to just one person, and if I do, that person is usually inclined to agree because they are returning a favour or want to bank one for later.”

 

“I see...” Yi Gim replied pensively before letting out a sigh and shaking his head. “If I attempted to extract even a handful of Oaths, it would cause an open rebellion...How did you manage such a thing?”

 

“I saved their lives,” I replied dryly.

 

Yi Gim was quiet for a minute or so, just looking up at me with a piercing stare. “All of them?” He asked incredulously, “You aren’t exaggerating?”

 

“Not all of them-” I agreed.

 

Yi Gim relaxed.

 

“-But definitely most,” I insisted firmly.

 

Yi Gim gave me a wry look. “I am certain there is a story there,” he commented with overt interest.

 

I shrugged.

 

I hadn’t thought of things from that perspective before. Everything had just sort of happened...

 

Yi Gim looked disappointed. However, he quickly rallied. “Another exchange then?” He offered, “My story for yours? We still have at least an hour before the required relocation effort is completed.”

 

Hu Hae turned toward her grand-uncle and raised the wooden token in her hand. However, before she could say anything, she was silenced by a weighty look from Yi Gim.

 

Technically, I could probably leverage his Oath to compel Yi Gim to provide his origin story without revealing anything further about myself. But I felt no compunction to sour our relationship. Especially since we seemed to be getting along so well.

 

Which was odd, since I was reasonably confident I hadn’t given Yi Gim my name.

 

“Fine,” I agreed, making no attempts at concealing my reluctance.

 

Yi Gim beamed and turned to his grand-niece. “Hae’er, my memoirs, please!”

 

Hu Hae hesitated, glancing warily at myself and Sebet before relenting and withdrawing a thick twine-spined set of books from her Storage Ring and depositing them on the table.

 

The thin leather covers bore characters I couldn’t read but bore a simplified but strikingly accurate portrait of Yi Gim’s face on each cover. Comparing each in order revealed that the portraits each represented Yi Gim at different stages of his life, with the odd exception of the first and last volume bearing nearly identical portraits.

 

“So you may read at your leisure!” Yi Gim insisted enthusiastically. Conveniently ignoring the significant discrepancy in scale.

 

“You just so happened to have your biography on hand?” I asked dubiously.

 

“Uncle has me make copies for practice...” Hu Hae muttered quietly, cutting her grand-uncle off before he had the opportunity to reply.

 

“Writing practice?” I pressed, reasonably certain that a Cultivator wouldn’t waste their time perfecting calligraphy.

 

“Ah! Water Affinity practice!” Hu Hae elaborated hurriedly, moving her hands and drawing ink from the pot on the table with her Chi. “Uncle says it builds control...” I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was profoundly embarrassed.

 

I looked pointedly at Yi Gim.

 

“It does!” Yi Gim insisted adamantly. “And it also builds character!”

 

Hu Hae groaned in disgust and shook her head.

 

Yi Gim looked up at me expectantly, no doubt waiting for me to hold up my end.

 

<It was a joke...> Sebet explained wearily. <The Monarch is waiting to see if you share his sense of humour...>

 

The young woman’s reaction now made a great deal more sense, and I was inclined to agree with her.

 

***** Wraithe ~ Yi Gim’s Interdimensional Plane ~ Bay of Tranquility *****

 

Staring at her surroundings, Wraithe felt somewhat at a loss. She was surrounded by human soldiers on all sides and wasn’t sure what she was meant to do.

 

The primal instincts locked away in the hind sections of her brain clamoured for release. Demanded Wraithe rip, tear and gorge her way through their ranks until her bloodlust was satisfied.

 

Only, Wraithe knew that there was no satisfying those particular instincts and urges. The only way to control them was to starve them out and keep them under tight lock and key.

 

After all, losing control during a critical moment in surgery would have horrific consequences for everyone else involved.

 

All the same, Wraithe couldn’t help her claws from twitching, which caused the soldiers to draw their swords in turn.

 

“Aehrm...” Wraithe scanned the crowd of faces and looked for someone in a position of authority. If she was shorter, she may not have seen him, but standing over seven feet tall, Wraithe spied an older man standing by the bedside of a middle-aged woman on the opposite side of the room.

 

Directing her senses toward the far side of the room, Wraithe’s nose twitched excitedly.

 

She could smell the faint scent of the Tyrant on the old man. More importantly, Wraithe could smell corruption and decay emanating from the bedridden woman.

 

In a blur of motion, Wraithe leapt into the air and used the ceiling to bounce over the soldiers and toward the bed.

 

Blades whistled through the air behind her, but Wraithe ignored them. She was aware that her current self was merely a projection, and no matter how badly her projection was harmed, her true self would endure.

 

What mattered now was attending to her patient.

 

Wraithe stepped aside just in time to avoid disembowelment.

 

The old man now carried a sword and its blade occupied the space her abdominals had occupied less than a fraction of a second before.

 

“If you would step back,” Wraithe insisted firmly, “I need to assess the patient!” She shooed the old man backward with a sternness only someone who had worked a hundred work hour day in the span of twenty-four hours could manage.

 

The old man backed away. He quickly realised what he was doing and prepared to advance anew. However, it didn’t matter, Wraithe was already taking the woman’s temperature and scanning her body with a powerful detection Spell to identify the cause of her poor condition.

 

“You are the healer?” The old man asked the tip of his sword levelled three inches too low to strike her heart.

 

“I am a Surgeon!” Wraithe replied automatically out of reflex before catching herself. “Ah, yes, I am a healer...” She amended distractedly. The detection Spell was returning a disorienting tide of information and Wraithe was struggling to keep pace and make sense of it all.

 

“Can you truly heal her?” The old man asked, his sword falling to pointing at the floor, seemingly forgotten despite his tight grip on the blade.

 

“Hrmmmm...” Wraithe scratched at her large ears and fussed at her whiskers, carefully considering her reply. “I can neutralise the Venoms and Poisons...” Wraithe hedged and assessed the remaining MP reserves of her projection. “I can reverse the necrosis...” She carefully weighed her options against the theoretical leftover MP. “I could remove the Spirit Possessing her, but it will cause a small amount of damage...A Shaman would prove a better choice.”

 

Wraithe preferred giving options when there was permanent damage involved in the prospective treatment plan. Especially when the patient’s condition appeared to be relatively stable.

 

Their Surgeon hadn’t been competent enough to heal the poor woman, but they had at least stalled the deterioration.

 

Wraithe’s eyes drifted to the pair of magical rings adorning the woman’s left hand and her approximation of the local Surgeon plummeted. Magic items were keeping her stable, not the bizarre bowls of smouldering herbs and foul-smelling unguents lathered on the poor woman’s body.

 

“She will need a bath drawn,” Wraithe demanded, “To remove all of-” She pointed at the foul-smelling paste, “-this!” Wraithe’s nose twitched in irritation, “And I shall need a mortar and pestle and the best medicinal herbs you can provide!

 

Nobody moved.

 

Wraithe glowered, extending her rear jointed legs and rising another two feet higher than the surrounding soldiers. “NOW.” The word carried every ounce of authority Wraithe could muster, and she was satisfied to see several of the soldiers immediately running to leave the room.

 

“Go! Do as it demands!” The old man commanded, sending the remaining soldiers falling over one another as they rushed to obey.

 

A young woman entered shortly afterwards but came up short as she laid eyes on Wraithe.

 

“It is the healer,” the old man explained, motioning vaguely toward Wraithe with his sword.

 

Wraithe began experimentally dabbing at the thick foul-smelling paste covering the bedridden woman’s fingers and hands. The toxins within her body were so potent that they had saturated and contaminated the paste, rendering it utterly useless and counterproductive.

 

Wraithe could feel the toxins attempting to soak through her skin and gain purchase in her flesh and blood. This would have caused her a certain degree of concern, but Wraithe was immune. All the Daemons would have been. Anything short of the most caustic concentrated digestive venom would only prove a momentary inconvenience.

 

“Uhm, my name is Hu Hae,” the young woman bowed, the veil covering her face slipping briefly and revealing a small patch of burnt skin.

 

“You, stand still,” Wraithe ordered, wiping her fingers clean and closing the distance between them with lightning speed. She snatched at the young woman's shoulder with one hand and pulled away the veil with the other.

 

The young woman screeched in alarm and kicked at Wraithe’s legs.

 

Wraithe ignored the pain and angled the young woman’s face to one side, revealing more of the scar. “Who treated this?!” Wraithe demanded angrily, “All this scar tissue and not a single sign that someone attempted so much as a moisturising salve!”

 

Wraithe removed a projected copy of the burn cream from her satchel with her tail. Its effects would be severely reduced compared to the original, but her confidence in the local humans’ medical supplies was nearly non-existent.

 

Still holding the young woman tightly with her left claw, Wraithe removed the cork lid and took a large dollop of the paste with the fingers from her right hand.

 

Ignoring the young woman’s cries of fear, Wraithe patiently applied the salve to every inch of scar tissue she could find. Taking care to obstruct the old man’s view with her own body to provide the young woman with a measure of privacy.

 

Thoroughly battered, Wraithe spent a small measure of MP.

 

The young woman’s cries stopped and a flash of golden light briefly illuminated the room. As the gold light faded, Wraithe felt a surge of intense satisfaction.

 

Releasing the young woman, Wraithe returned to the bedside of her original patient and willed her body not to waste MP restoring her body. Tending to the young woman had already drawn the margins tighter than she would have preferred. Besides, the pain would be temporary. Barely more than a flicker in the conscious mind of her true self.

 

Wraithe glanced over her shoulder.

 

The old man had helped the young woman to her feet and restored her dress to preserve her modesty. However, the young woman was paying him little attention. Instead, she was staring intensely into the distorted reflection afforded by a polished silver platter on the wall and gingerly poking at the pale white skin that had replaced the gnarled scar tissue on her face and neck. Tears ran freely down her face and she had to cup a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobbing.

 

Wraithe turned back to the unconscious older woman and allowed herself a moment to indulge in the satisfaction of changing a young woman’s life.

 

This was what made the pain worthwhile.