RuffWriter
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Chapter 612
🕑 Added 2020-07-27 00:53:20 +0000 UTCSorry about the lateness. I thought 13 hours was enough writing for yesterday, and slept an hour early. SHould've kept writing that extra hour, smh. Shame Ruff, Shame.
:)
Enjoy!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lBJhp06Lx6nUkbskPQ0392nKzDa_8tz9oDXatvYFXVE/edit?usp=sharing
Core Creation, Aura Condensation, Natal Palace Formation, and Domain Development, these four milestones served as the foundation of the Martial Path. For more than half a century, Du Min Gyu guided countless students and a handful of Disciples how to properly achieve each of those goals, learning as he taught and refining what he knew until he soon became known as Great Teacher Du. He was a man whose lectures on the Martial Dao could turn a nameless Warrior into a crane amongst chickens, and while he had yet to give rise to a dragon amongst men, many believed it was only because he was so picky about choosing Disciples.
Take his goddaughter, Ryo Dain for example, who attributed so much of her success to his lessons, but he only ever lectured her on theoretical matters like best angles of attack and when to advance or retreat, how to read your opponent and devise a proper counter to their style, things like that. Never once did he show Dain how to adapt the Forms for her own use or guide her one the usage of Chi skills, which he saw as the foundation of her strength. No amount of theory could help a rabbit overcome a lion, and it was clear from her first breath that Ryo Dain was a dragon born.
Min Gyu had long since come to terms with the fact that much of his reputation was inflated and undeserved. Commoners did so love to hear about the downtrodden overcoming their trials and tribulations, for it gave them hope they might overcome their own, but regardless of what might be, Min Gyu still believed he was a better teacher than most, simply because he was one of the few Martial Warriors who dedicated their efforts towards teaching, rather than self-improvement. It wasnt difficult to stand out from a small crowd, but since Min Gyu was a man of pride, he went to great efforts to live up to his inflated reputation and become a great teacher in truth, and for a time, he truly believed hed succeeded.
Until today, when he discovered everything he knew about the Martial Path, everything hed studied and taught, was inherently wrong, and he couldnt be more excited to learn more.
Well, wrong was not entirely correct, but much of what he knew had been built on flawed premises and could be improved. Mentally reviewing young Rains notes for the umpteenth time, Min Gyu took his time absorbing and analyzing the information contained within. Though supposedly written under the influence of Inspiration, he could not take everything as undisputed truth, for the Mother was not one to give things freely. This was not Her way, and instead She guided Her children so that they might discover the correct answer themselves, so that they might one day grow strong and independent. In contrast the Father gave freely, but not wholly, feeding twisted half-truths to those poor fools who grovelled at his feet so that He might retain control over his reliant minions.
That was how Min Gyu saw things at least, but Rain was of a different mind. There was no reverence in his notes, no reference to the Divine, only statements backed by verifiable facts or guesses based on his own personal experience. His notes raised many questions and delivered few answers, but it was difficult to argue with his logic, which Min Gyu realized was not the point here. These notes were not presented as an argument, merely a collection Rains personal knowledge and experiences stripped of any religious tones, but despite doing his best to keep an open mind, Min Gyu almost felt obligated to defend his beliefs from what he perceived as an assault. The Martial Path was a Divine miracle, a blessing which allowed humanity to stand tall before the Fathers foul minions, and it was all thanks to the Mother Above. How could Rain not see this and try to make it all about facts and theories?
Was this a test of Min Gyus faith? Could Rain be a Demon in human flesh meant to draw him away from the Mothers embrace? Or had he wasted his whole life living a lie? Or perhaps it was a bit of both and neither at all, and Rain was here doing the Mothers work, teaching Min Gyu as She once taught humanity. The Enemy was united as one and evolving with each passing day, fielding armies of disciplined, well-equipped, highly trained soldiers in addition to their hordes of savage, bestial auxiliaries, while the Empires tactics, strategies, and policies continued to stagnate as it had for centuries before. It was difficult to see malice in Rains words or actions, for he had always been a firm believer in progress and distribution of knowledge, and this... demystifying of the Divine was merely a byproduct of his inquisitive nature.
Because why was it necessary for the Martial Path to remain shrouded in mystery? Throughout his career, Min Gyu had always been careful not to divulge too much about the Martial Path to his students, because hed seen firsthand what happened when Martial Warriors knew too much. Take Natal Palace Formation, for example, which was the demarcating line between common Warrior and Expert of the Empire, a title made solely to obfuscate the milestone behind it. The Natal Palace was simply an inner sanctum, a mental retreat one sought in the deepest throes of meditation, but what made the Natal Palace special was its permanence and realism. Theoretically, every person in the world had complete control over their imaginary inner worlds and could shape anything within at will, but by creating a mental area which remained in perpetuity and followed the laws of the natural world, this allowed Martial Warriors to practice their Chi skills with a modicum of realism without spending the majority of their day replenishing their drained Chi reserves.
The most common issue which arose from too much knowledge of Natal Palace Formation was Martial Warriors claiming false success. Most were not malicious, since those who knew too much about Natal Palaces also knew it was easy to prove the existence of one. All one had to do was memorize the contents of a page in a single glance, and that was usually enough to clear up any doubts, but the human mind was a powerful tool, and mistakes could easily be made. Min Gyu had heard of more than one aspiring Expert whose future was ruined due to a simple mental block. What usually happened was those individuals knew too much and tricked themselves into believing theyd successfully Formed a Natal Palace. Easy to believe when you want to believe, and even easier to celebrate before verifying the entire truth. From there, it was easy enough to imagine the rest, as the humiliation of a false claim was hard to shake, no matter how innocent or mistaken the claim might have been. Then, the fear of failure and the existential dread of a second false success could easily mentally cripple all but the most determined and iron-willed individuals around, and alas, those were few and far between.
The other milestones were even more difficult to explain, and doing so would be no help at all. Knowing an Aura was their sole defence against the palpable and overwhelming killing intent emanating from Demons was all good and well, but that only explained what an Aura did, not what it was. The same went for Domain, because telling someone it was an external expression of your internal Natal Palace did nothing to help develop one, and might even lead someone astray as they focused on the wrong issues. In its nascent stages, a Domain was unrecognizable as an External Natal Palace, and Min Gyu had heard it best described as a layer of Chi which covered the Martial Warrior. It was only later on that a Domain took on hints of the Natal Palace, when the Martial Warrior was able to bring more of it out into reality, but even saying this was something of a misnomer, since the external Natal Palace was only visible to the practitioner themself.
For the above reasons and more, Min Gyu had always accepted that the less said about the Martial Path, the better, but now, he was not so sure. He could help but reflect on Rains words, spoken so many months ago when Min Gyu and other trusted Peak Experts gathered to try and help Rain find his way. Young Gerel had just finished explaining how the Martial Path was a holy calling, and Rain, in his unique, infuriating way, simply shrugged and said, Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the Energy of the Heavens is simply a natural force at work, like how sunlight fuels plant growth or gravity keeps our feet on the ground. We have yet to understand it, but that doesnt mean its utterly incomprehensible.
And true to form, here he was, treating the Dao as an inviolable rule of nature, for if there were rules, then they could be studied and understood. Who knew what new discoveries might be waiting for them ahead, especially if the boy could solve the mystery of Core Creation. It was admirable how the boy kept his convictions even in the face of so many others telling him to change, but to be fair, Min Gyu and his peers had not exactly been convincing with all their talk of faith, using one indecipherable concept to explain another. That would never satisfy the boys curiosity, so of course he spurned their advice, and from the looks of things, he might have been right to, but not for the reasons he believed.
For hidden within these notes was Falling Rains faiths, one Min Gyu felt was wholly appropriate for someone of his inquisitive nature. The boy claimed he lacked faith, but he was wrong, for he had faith in the intelligence of man, and he believed that it was not strength of arm which reigned supreme, but sharpness of mind. Science and mathematics were his Dao, a Dao of what he could test, quantify, perceive, and evaluate, and it was a Path Min Gyu could understand. The marvels of modern shipbuilding which the boy alluded to had originated from his hometown of Yantai by the sea, and he also saw firsthand how Rain made steps towards rediscovering how the Walls of old were built. Then there was the matter of all the new discoveries he pioneered, such as cast iron, clear glass, cheap paper and more, not to mention his innovative business practices such as compound interest, futures contracts, and War Bonds. None of his ideas were particularly strange or inconceivable, for they were only unheard of because Rain was the first to try it, which meant Min Gyu was excited to see where the boys new Path might lead. As such, Min Gyu reminded himself that he was not here to argue with the boy about the correct Path, but to help guide him along this new one, the core tenets of which were neatly outlined in these thought-provoking notes.
Young Gerel once told Rain, The Dao is everything, and the Martial Dao is merely the means through which we explore it, and now Rain had come back with, Why limit ourselves to the Martial Dao? Indeed, why limit ourselves at all? Zheng Luo had already proven that the Dao of Music was alive and well, while the Guardian Turtle was living proof of the Dao of Animals, so what other neglected Paths to Divinity might there be? It was all so fascinating, Min Gyu could hardly bring himself to focus on the task at hand, which was why he took this time to calm his heart and organize his thoughts. Though this Path was new and unheard of, every Warrior must forge their own, so Min Gyu was well equipped to guide Rain down his Path. It was the same as always; the best teachers helped their students arrive at the correct answers on their own, so it didnt matter if Min Gyu didnt know the answers himself. All he had to do was to point Rains thoughts in the right direction.
Even if he lost sight of his own Path in the process. New waves must overtake the old after all, and there was none more promising than Rain.
Opening his eyes, Min Gyu looked up from the notes sitting in his lap and took in the eager, amber eyes of this most promising young man before him. There he knelt, in the grassy courtyard of his manor, with the Divine Turtle on his lap and a rabbit on the cusp of becoming a Spiritual Beast in his arms. There was something in the boys demeanour which made him seem older than his years, wholly lacking the callow innocence and hungry ambition of youth. An able minister and courageous hero who cared nothing for wealth or reputation, if given the choice, the boy would hole up in his mountains and study to his hearts content. There was no one else quite like him, or at least none Min Gyu had ever met or heard of, and he was quite pleased with this filial grandson-in-law who would undoubtedly love little Yan with all his heart.
A shame the boy was so lusty and was obsessed with keeping pets, but no one was perfect...
Taking a deep breath, Min Gyu said, Let us start from the beginning.
Nodding in answer to the prompt, Rain launched into his explanation without hesitation. Core Creation.
No. Smiling as he caught the too-clever boy off-guard, Min Gyu asked, What does Balance mean to you?
Now it was Rains turn to fall silent and contemplate his thoughts, so Min Gyu waited with bated breath. Balance was the linchpin of the Dao, so without a better understanding of how Rain perceived Balance, it would be difficult to progress any further in this discourse on the boys Path. For a long time, Rain began, hesitant and unsure for once, I thought Balance was about... good and evil. Take and hold the good emotions, while ridding yourself of the bad. A common mistake many children make, but one usually quickly corrected. Then, I was shown that Balance has nothing to do with morality, and has everything to do with... well, everything. Balance in all things, thats how it goes, right?
Though the boy looked to him for confirmation, Min Gyu was careful not to give anything away, for his guidance was not yet needed. The boy knew the answer already, else he would have never progressed so far along the Martial Path, so it was merely a matter of putting that answer into words. Seeing no comment forthcoming, Rain returned to his thoughts before repeating the question. What does Balance mean to me? Balance is... Balance is first and foremost a path to freedom. Without strength, nothing is truly mine, not even my life, so I must be strong to be free, to remain unfettered from conflict and struggle to do whatever I so choose to in accordance with my morals and desires. Thats what Balance means to me, the ability to be true to my self and desires, no matter what others might demand of me.
There was a bleak certainty to the boys tone, and Min Gyu saw in his haunted expression a sorrow and suffering long buried deep. What happened to Rain to hurt him so? Whatever it was, he hid it well, but it still spurred him forward to this very day, pushed him to become the warrior he was. Make no mistake, even with his shattered Core, Falling Rain was a warrior, there was no doubt in Min Gyus mind, and now, he finally had an inkling of what drove the boy to seek power. Freedom. Oh what a lofty goal that was, for there were few beings in this world who possessed the sort of freedom Rain yearned for, a fact he already knew, judging by his determined, but pessimistic posture.
Unaware of Min Gyus thoughts, Rain continued with his declaration, no longer answering a question, but reaffirming his beliefs. Balance in all things, but Balance is not about quantifiable effects. You cannot have courage one day and be a coward the next and call this Balance, nor can you set fear against courage on invisible scales and adjust things until it levels out. Charok once told me that fear would not keep me from attaining Balance, but that being controlled by my fear would. I never really understood him before, but I think I do now. Fear will always exist in me, as will anger, hatred, love, and happiness, but to retain Balance, I must master my emotions in a way that allows me to experience them, without succumbing to their whims. Sighing, Rain closed his eyes and hugged his rabbit close, seeking solace in its warm embrace as others sought solace in the Mother Above. This doesnt mean ignoring all my negative emotions and only indulging my positive ones, nor does it mean I should seek out a neutral, equalized state, but rather... I should do as I please, so long as it fits within my morals? No, thats not right.
It was here Min Gyu chose to inject, seizing the opportunity before him. Why not? Rains eyes opened wide to reveal a troubled mind, so Min Gyu prompted, Why would that be wrong? Is that not what you seek? The freedom to do as you please?
Because... Furrowing his brow in confusion, the boy fell silent for long seconds before speaking again. Because its... I dunno. It works for one person, but if everyone in existence did whatever they pleased, then there would be chaos and anarchy everywhere.
Oh? Inwardly laughing as he raised an eyebrow in question, Min Gyu asked, And what is it that keeps you from causing widespread chaos and anarchy?
Uh... consequences, I guess. Shrugging, Rain added, Morals? But not everyone has the same morals as I do, so this cant possible be the right answer.
Leaving aside the fact that there is no right answer, why must your answer be fit for everyone? It was rewarding to see the boy pick up on what Min Gyu was trying to say, so he drove the point home. I asked what Balance means to you, child. The answer differs depending on who you ask, because what is Balanced for one is usually not Balanced for another. We are all unique beings, with unique perspectives, so how can a single answer be fit for us all?
...And that is why cultivation means to seek the truth. His voice almost a whisper as realization dawned upon him, the light in Rains eyes died as he quietly mourned for some unknown reason. There is no immutable truth, because what is true for one might not be true for another. Its not about defining the Dao, but rather discovering how you personally fit into it, or more simply, finding your place in the world. The boy sighed as if he had more to say, but held his tongue and hugged his bunny tight.
The change came so quickly, Min Gyu didnt understand what went wrong. The boys answer was so perfect it almost seemed practised, but somehow, it discouraged him to the point where even the lazing Divine Turtle perked up to offer the boy comfort in the form of an encouraging squeak and an incomprehensible burst of Loving Aura. Taken aback by the sudden change and confusing Aura, Min Gyu stalled and sputtered before finding his voice once more. Indeed, that was a fine answer, a fine answer indeed. Knowing he was floundering, he wavered between asking the boy what was wrong or pushing past to let him deal with this private matter alone, Min Gyu finally settled on the former. Is... there an issue I am unaware of?
Which gave the boy just enough room to agree without forcing him to reveal all his secrets. Despite knowing so many damning secrets about him, Min Gyu knew Rain, Yan, and the Bekhai were still keeping many secrets from him, but he didnt begrudge them for it. In fact, he almost wished they were more suspicious of him because hed certainly done little to earn their trust, and while he would never betray them, it made him wonder if there were other untrustworthy individuals who knew too much.
Flashing a small, sad smile, Rain met Min Gyus gaze and said, Well, Im pretty sure I dont actually have a place in this world, because I dont belong here.
Despite the mournful, sombre delivery and evident pain in the boys eyes, Min Gyu couldnt help but burst into laughter. Not just a simple bark, but a heaving, wheezing laugh which started in the belly and set his aged body to shaking. Wiping away his tears, Min Gyu gasped and wheezed before finally reining in his laughter, though it was difficult with how hurt and pitiful the boy looked. Im sorry, he said, mussing Rains hair with a smile. I do not mean to make light of your turmoil, but it just caught me off guard. Only a few minutes ago, I marvelled at how mature and wise beyond your years you seemed, only for you to present this this... youthful dilemma. Shaking his head, Min Gyu smiled at the boy and said, We all feel this way at some point in our lives, that we have no place to rest and nowhere to belong, but you could not be more wrong, boy. You are Falling Rain of the Bekhai, and you belong with your family and loved ones. Nothing else matters, not where you were before, or where you will be in the future. This alone should be enough, and if it isnt, then I believe little Yan will be more than glad to set you straight.
Min Gyus words had a profound effect on the boy, more so than he expected. Eyes filling with tears, Rain nodded, swallowed hard, and said, Thank you, Grandpa Du. Its good to know youre here with us.
Unused to displays of affection and familial love, Min Gyu mussed the boys hair a bit more before sitting back and clearing his throat. Right, now where were we? Gesturing for sweet Kishi to come sit in his lap, he spent some time fussing with the growing quin to get his thoughts in order. Right. Balance. You have a fine grasp of what it means to you, and I have no doubt you will hold to it, so let us move on to Core Creation. What is a Core?
Similarly having composed himself with help from Mama Bun, the boy nodded and said, According to the Legate, the Core is the medium through which Martial Warriors harness Heavenly Energy.
Do you agree?
Well... tentatively, yes, but thats really more a description of the Cores function, rather than an explanation of what it is.
Then what is a Core?
...I dont really know.
Good. Nodding in approval, Min Gyu smiled at Rains confusion and said, I am glad to see you can admit ignorance, especially to a question there is no widely accepted answer to. The Core simply is. It differentiates Martial Warriors from commoners and allows us to wield the Energy of the Heavens by converting it into Chi. Agreed?
Yea, sure. The boys tone said otherwise, and at Min Gyus silent urging, he said, Well, Im not so sure about converted anymore. See, the Abbot has this whole thing about labels needlessly complicating matters of Heavenly Energy, and I think I agree. Chi and Heavenly Energy are one and the same, a difference without a distinction.
This too was in the boys notes, but it was a point he did not expand upon and Min Gyu did not agree with. How can there be no difference? There are quantifiable limits to Chi which are too numerous to name here, but youve seen them for yourself. In contrast, we know Heavenly Energy allows Spiritual Beasts to create entirely new bodies to inhabit, which is merely the most obvious use of Heavenly Energy we can point to.
Mm, Im not so sure about the entirely new bodies part though. Pointing at Ping Ping, who took this as an invitation to nip at his fingers, the boy smiled and said, Keep in mind, there used to be a whole lot more turtle here. Where did all that body mass go? It didnt just disappear, burn up, or evaporate, so I think a lot of it was used to fuel her transformation.
Meaning... Frowning as he looked down at the silly Divine Turtle, Min Gyu asked, You think she cannibalized herself? But that would be sacrilege...
Err, sort of, but not in the manner youre thinking. Stopping to think, Rain breathed out and said, Oof. Okay, this is gonna be a whole spiel. Have you ever heard of conservation of mass? Essentially, its a principle which states that in any closed system, mass can neither be created or destroyed.
After clarifying what the boy meant by mass and closed system, Min Gyu shook his head in vehement disagreement. Impossible. Your principle is proven faulty by the mere act of eating.
No, because the mass remains constant, it simply transforms into energy. Thats the whole purpose of eating, to fuel our bodies and store excess energy in the form of fat and muscle, which we burn off when we exert ourselves. Theres more to it, but thats the broad strokes as I understand them. It took some more questions and convincing, but eventually Min Gyu came around to the principle, for it fit well within the scope of Balance, only on a larger scope than hed ever considered. The boy was full of surprises, but he was not yet finished. So thats why I think animals instinctively grow larger without limit, because theyre storing energy in preparation for that final stage. Shrugging, Rain added, Its probably also why Martial Warriors are generally so much bigger than normal people, but we both know there are people who buck the trend like me, Mila, and Yan.
Even Min Gyu himself wasnt particularly large, though he still stood head and shoulders above the boy. However, despite presenting a logical argument regarding mass and closed systems, Min Gyu still wasnt entirely convinced regarding the matter which sparked this all off, namely that Chi and Heavenly Energy were the same thing. When he pointed this out, Rain smiled and said, Right, right, but this all ties in together. See, I think Chi becomes less effective because when we gather it into our Cores, we are essentially removing energy from the closed system that is this world around us.
Though Min Gyu sort of understood what the boy was getting at, he wasnt entirely sure what this signified. Even if this is the case, why is it significant?
Because we, as Martial Warriors are not wielding Heavenly Energy as a whole, but only a finite amount of it instead. Shrugging, Rain said, I dont have a perfect explanation for it, but the way I see it, its the difference between a full gourd and a raging river. Theyre both sources of water, but the potential energy in each one is significantly different. We can do less with Chi simply because there is less, and its possible there are certain... I dunno, thresholds or breakpoints for Heavenly Energy to do certain things, like create new bodies. Like trying to power a waterwheel with a single gourd would never work if the water evaporates faster than you can fill it, you know?
It wasnt the first time the boy used water as a metaphor, but thus far, the significance seemed to elude him. Not Min Gyu, though he kept this to himself, lest he accidentally send the boy in a self-destructive spiral which had him grasping at straws for more metaphors. Thinking it through, another parallel struck Min Gyu and he brought it up without thinking. Perhaps this is another function of an animals Spiritual Heart? Not just to facilitate the use of Heavenly Energy, but also its storage for later use?
Oh, I never thought of that. Makes sense though. Looking down at the Divine Turtle once again, the boy asked, Does Ping Ping still have a Spiritual Heart?
At one point, Min Gyu would have said yes, but now he was not certain of anything anymore. Difficult to tell without testing, and I fear she might not take kindly to being prodded with Honed blades, no matter how gently.
Oh Mother in Heaven, is that how you test it? Poor animals. Giving Mama Bun a kiss, Rain whispered, Im so sorry, sweet bunbun. I wont let that mean Guard Leader test you ever again.
A clearing throat had Min Gyu and the boy scrambling to their feet and ready to fight until they noticed the aforementioned Guard Leader standing nearby. Infuriating woman, always sneaking about like that, somehow even evading Min Gyus attempts to find her with Wind Chi. As far as he could tell, it wasnt that she avoided his probing bursts of Wind, but that she somehow Concealed herself from them and fooled his senses into believing his Wind Chi continued through her unimpeded. Though theoretically possible since some masters of Concealment could even bump into people and remain unnoticed, Min Gyu had no idea how she managed such a thing and resented her for refusing to discuss it.
Suitably cowed, Rain helped Min Gyu back to his seat before settling down in the grass once again, only for his sweet wifey Mei Lin to come bounding out of her room. They say a girl changes eighteen times between childhood and womanhood, but in Min Gyus eyes, Mei Lin must have changed thrice that in the time hed known her. He first saw her at the Northern Wall some four years ago, and she was nothing more than an adorable, pig-tailed waif hed almost overlooked, save for her black hare ears and honeyed skin which marked her as the Medical Saints kin. Now, Mei Lin had blossomed into a lovely young woman with enough good cheer and happiness for both her and Rain, which was likely why she held the key to his heart. Try as he might, Min Gyu could not resent the girl for taking the man little Yan loved, because she was most certainly a treasure like none other.
Hi Hubby, Mei Lin called, hugging the boy from behind. Hi Grandpa Du. What are you two doing?
While Min Gyu wouldve simply told her they were discussing the Dao, Rain went to the effort of explaining everything from start to finish. It was fine though, since the boy had to take a break to make Mei Lin breakfast anyways, and Min Gyu used the time to play with Kishi, muse on his own theories of the Animal Path, and listen in on Rains explanation in case he missed something the first time around. What surprised him the most though was Mei Lins response, which was to listen intently and even ask insightful questions which touched on the core of the issues at hand. Eventually, Min Gyu even had to stop playing with Kishi as Rain and Mei Lins review went beyond what theyd already discussed, all thanks to Mei Lins quick grasp of the concepts and surprisingly insightful replies.
So if a Core is in a different system, she asked, speaking around a mouthful of scallion egg pancakes, And the Core sits in the void, does that mean the void has no Heavenly Energy? Makes sense, right?
Min Gyu didnt follow the leap in logic, but Rain most certainly did. Huh, I never thought about it like that. Fending off animals from stealing any of Mei Lins sizable first breakfast or Rains second, he took a bite out of a meat bun and didnt speak again until after he swallowed. That would explain why Chi replenishment is fast on an empty Core, but slow on a full Core. Were literally gathering Chi in a vacuum which progressively gets filled with Chi. Stuffing the rest of the meat bun into his mouth, the boy reached for another, a good sign in Min Gyus eyes. The boy had a hearty breakfast this morning, eating more than anyone else at the table, and now a few hours later, he was already hungry again. Going by conservation of mass, was this not proof that the energy was being used in some way?
After a long pause, the boy swallowed and said, Hmm... If the Void has no Heavenly Energy, then maybe thats why the Spectres are so desperate to break in and turn Martial Warriors into Demons. I mean, as far as I can tell, Spectres hang out in the Void, but they cant get into anyones Core or Natal Palace without an invitation. Why is that? Theyre born from negative emotions, so why would they feel at home in the Void?
What? Speaking more sharply than intended, Min Gyu leaned forward and grabbed Rains hand before he took another bite. Explain.
Oh, I never told you? See, it all started when Jorani er, you know Jorani right? The half-rat with a rope weapon? Anyways, he was going through a downward spiral and...
Hanging onto the boys every word, Min Gyu caught a glimpse into a side of the Enemy hed never even realized existed. Truly, humanity was the bane of their own existence, for without the Spectres and Defiled, the Enemy would have no armies to march with. More than anything, if Spectres were a creation of human emotion, then this lent credence to the boys idea of creating a combined Human Path, for they truly were two sides of the same coin. Despite it all, Min Gyu found that his faith held strong, for everything still fit within the lessons hed learned. The Father poisoned humanity against the Mother, that was what every child in the Empire was told, and now, Min Gyu understood how He had done it.
Which meant there was hope that maybe, just maybe, they could finally put an end to the cycle of trials and tribulations against the Enemy.
Just as Min Gyu was about to clap and cheer, the mysterious Guard Leader came to her feet. Come, she said, and the manor guards appeared beside her, all armed and ready to fight. Your father needs you.
To his credit, Rain didnt hesitate, though he still found the time to ask, What happened?
The Guard Leader didnt respond, but Min Gyu received a Sending from Nian Zu which cleared things up. Baatar has been arrested by the Disciplinary Corps, he said, his heart growing cold as he watched the fires of rage and hatred ignite in Rains expression. By order of the provisional Legate, Yang Jixing.
Trials and Tribulations a plenty. Though the Enemy stood camped outside the gates, the Empire might well tear itself asunder before the Defiled ever have the chance to breech them
End of Volume some number here
Comments
Uhh... nuclear fission does not destroy mass or matter. When Rain's talking about a closed system, he's talking on the level of the universe.
Adrian Gorgey
Hm. This Yang Jixing guy is striking out at the Legate through Rain, and at Rain through Bataar. I wonder if the Legate will really let this proceed as is?
Aaron Martinez
Rain's got the science here very wrong. The only thing that destroys mass are things like nuclear fission and black holes, everything else is down to violating "closed system". If you put a fire in a sealed box then that box would have the same mass the moment it was sealed and after the fire burned out. If you put a person and food in a sealed box and left them for a week, the mass would be unchanged. Divinity transformation may destroy mass, dunno, it's magic. But the other examples misunderstand "closed system" as well as how energy and mass relate. Conservation of mass and conservation of energy are two separate immutable facts in Newtonian physics (i.e. every day life).
Tycho Green
Yes, that’s him.
Who is this Jixing? Was he the guy interested in Rain's comcubine, the son of some highly influent noble (Son of the Prime Minister?) ?
CentaureHeart
Dammit, this guy really needs to disappear
Jabari Lambert
Damn Ruff was like which volume is this again. I wonder if the legate, shen Zheng wu, passed away; I hope he didn’t.
LoL "You know Jorani right?" The notorious Hangman Jorani who proved his worth in Sanshu and now before the armies of the United Front. Silly Rain.
ppbrro
Thanks for the chappy, didn't Rain and the Abbot talk about how food might be how animals gather chi and/or heavenly energy, that might be part of the whole equation right?
I considered like... not having that line in there cuz it felt so obvious. Good to know it wasn't a dead giveaway :D But yea, it's been less than 24 hours, though its technically the next day
The Defiled were not united then.
Pacnether
Thanks. This clarified a lot
lala jhones
Wow can't believe i missed that. I thought the chance of Baatar being in trouble was a throw away line, who new Jixing would use what happened to the legate so quickly. It hasn't even been a day yet, right?
ffs, this jackass. how has this empire lasted this long?
Andrew
Thank you!
