Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though it was infinitely faster to teleport using Alaya's assistance, Vahn opted to fly whenever he set out for battle. He enjoyed the sensation of the cold air against his skin, the feel of the wind through his hair, and, most importantly, the rising anticipation he could feel welling within. Even if there was a vast disparity between him and his opponents, he couldn't help but get excited every time he set out.Seeing a massive storm on the horizon, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he mused, "I wonder if they prepared any surprises for me..."Following his musings, Vahn accelerated to several times the speed of sound. The golden aura that generally lingered around his body became suffused with a vermillion glow, and, despite the dark black clouds ahead appearing incontestable, he cut through them with tremendous force, waves of energy rippling out to annihilate the building storm in an instant.With clear skies marking his passing, Vahn couldn't help but release an uninhibited laugh, his voice carrying for several thousand meters with ease. Even the people who had been seeking shelter from the storm were able to hear him. Some even went as far as to kowtow, lowering their heads and bodies to the ground as they prayed to various Gods, none of which were him...Though it didn't really bother him, as he hadn't done anything to be worshipped, Vahn felt slightly annoyed whenever he heard people praying to other Gods. This wasn't due to any enmity, however, but, due to the prayers being directed at his actions, he was able to hear their murmurs like hushed whispers in the back of his mind.As there were several thousand people who proactively worshipped him, Vahn had already gotten used to hearing the voices of his believers. Still, it slightly grated on his nerves whenever other Gods were mentioned, as, for one reason or another, their names were a lot louder in his mind than the contents of the prayers themselves. It was as if the World was snitching on the people that attributed his feats to other Gods, allowing him to bestow curses upon them if he was so inclined...Vahn would obviously never go around arbitrarily cursing people, so, while it was mildly annoying to hear the prayers of random people, it did little to spoil his mood. He actually found their ignorance somewhat amusing, giving him a strong urge to descend upon the world just to see the reactions on their faces when they realized who they were praying to...Fortunately, while he was prone to teasing others, this was largely directed towards people he was close to, not random people. He had more important things to do than mess around with a bunch of people minding their own business, so, rather than pay much attention to them, Vahn cut through the atmosphere like a golden meteor, tracking the location of Shirou and the others using the String of Fate.---Averaging around 4,300km/h, Vahn reached his destination in just under two hours. He was a little surprised to see where the strings were directing him, but, guessing there was a reason behind the choice in location, a smile spread across Vahn's face. This would be his fifth battle with the Heroes Faction since their establishment. The previous four battles had all taken place in expansive Bounded Fields, so, while he was certain they had something prepared, it was a welcome change of pace.After considering whether or not he should just 'drop-in', Vahn decided to go with a more subtle approach. He never liked destroying landmarks, something the Heroes Faction was, no doubt, aware of. There was a chance they had prepared the venue for that specific purpose, but, as it didn't really matter, Vahn slowly descended until he encountered an invisible membrane.Feeling the Space attempt to repel him, an amused smile spread across Vahn's lips as his right hand became clad in golden scales. This allowed him to grab the Space itself, ripping a large hole in it, and the invisible barrier.With a degree of ease that would leave most Formation Masters shaken, Vahn forcibly entered the Spiritual Formation that surrounded the Forbidden City. He found the interior even more impressive, as, compared to the rather thin concentration of Mana outside, the inside was several hundred times denser. In fact, it seemed like the Forbidden City had been built atop a leyline, colloquially known as a 'Dragon Vein' to Taiji Practitioners. This allowed them to draw from a functionally infinite supply of Mana, but, as if not content with this amount, the formation maintaining the barrier seemed to draw in everything for several hundred kilometers...Shaking his head, Vahn muttered, "How greedy...instead of trying to nourish the land, they treat it as nourishment for themselves...makes me want to break their little toy..."Though he had been slacking over the last few years, Vahn actually had a considerable amount of experience with arrays and formations. He had recorded the knowledge for tens-of-thousands of books on the subject, so, even at a glance, he could see through the nature of the array being used. It was a type known as a 'Grand Spiritual Gathering Array', a means to concentrate energy from the environment to power more powerful formations. Though powerful, it had far more detriments than merits, and, if not for the leyline providing a functionally infinite supply of energy, the surrounding land would have likely died long ago.Had they been more patient, establishing a 'Five Elements Array' would have been able to achieve a similar result, but, instead of siphoning the vitality of the land, it would have increased it. Though this was a process that would take decades to achieve, the effects would be permanent, allowing various plants and animals to be cultivated within. In fact, while the start-up may take a while, the final result would be far greater, as, with a leyline feeding it, Beijing would have become a Spiritual Land in less than a single generation.Vahn could tell that the people who created the Grand Spiritual Gathering Array were infinitely more concerned about their own progress than the well being of their people. They siphoned the energies that would allow others to grow stronger, refining them into various treasures and pills for their own consumption. To make matters worse, this type of formation was able to siphon Mana, not just from the surroundings, but the plants, animals, and, most problematically, the people.Unless they had the ability to control and regulate their Mana, people would experience a variety of health issues if they were exposed to such an array for a long period of time. Vahn even speculated that the Grand Spiritual Gathering Array was responsible for most of the health issues that had been rather common in Beijing. Most people attributed this to environmental conditions, as China had the highest carbon emissions of any other country, but that didn't seem to be the case now that he was seeing it first hand...Though they weren't in direct violation of the Common Law by taking advantage of the leyline and siphoning Mana from the environment, it was a grievous violation to be stealing it from others. The array had obviously been set up to create some kind of equilibrium with the environment, but, even if that were the case, the effect it had on people was unforgivable...Deciding he would address the matter of the array later, Vahn began to descend towards what he knew to be the 'Palace of Heavenly Purity'. It was the largest of the three halls that represented the Inner Court, the region in which the Emperor and his Officials would have governed the nation. The other two halls were known as the Hall of Union and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, but, with the Strings of Fate pointing towards the double-eaved building in the center, Vahn decided he could always explore the others at a later date.Almost immediately after touching down within the central courtyard, Vahn sensed the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. All sound around him seemed to fade away, and, as if emerging from the void itself, a lithe female figure with sleek-black hair and golden eyes appeared out of nowhere. She was attired in what appeared to be a form-fitting bodysuit that was concealed by a velvety-red, thigh-length kimono. This matched the red scarf that followed her movements like a pair of wings, but, as he was more focused on the tanto aiming towards his neck, Vahn didn't have time to wonder about the peculiarities of its movements...Just as the pitch-black blade attempted to pierce his neck, Vahn's figure vanished from view, his form seeming to disperse into the surroundings. This caused the woman's eyes to sharpen, her spinning in an unnatural motion to reverse her blade as she swept it towards seemingly empty space. In the next moment, Vahn's figure manifested in the new location, but, rather than dodge a second time, he had a slight smile on his face as he caught the blade with his bare hand, saying, "It is good to see you as well, Danzō. I imagine you were sent to escort me...?"Despite nodding her head in affirmation, the woman, none other than the legendary Katō Danzō, twisted her body at an impossible angle, a blade protruding from the tip of her toe as she attempted to strike his temple. Vahn was able to deflect this with his free hand, but, as if it had been her intent to occupy both hands, a compartment in Danzō's abdomen opened, an 'upgrade' from the last time she had attempted to assassinate him.From within the mechanical compartment, several shadow shuriken tore through the air without making a sound, covering the short distance in an instant. Unfortunately, despite the success of the attack, Vahn was left entirely unharmed as, even with the Shadow Element's ability to penetrate both physical and magical defenses, he was immune to most attacks under A-Rank. Unless it was a Light Elemental attack, or another form of purified energy, there was little hope in breaching his defenses through normal means.Seeing her attack fail, Danzō muttered in a cold monotone, "You are tough..." before giving up any resistance. She could still continue fighting, but, as her primary mission was to act as Vahn's escort, going all out was impossible. The only attack she had that could reasonably harm him required she detonate her core, but, as this would result in her death, she could not activate it for fear of failing her mission.After chuckling in response to Danzō's taciturn statement, Vahn returned her tanto while eying her body with an appraising gaze. Though she was a Kunoichi from the Warring States period, her true nature was that of an Artificial Human that, with the exception of her core and brain, was completely mechanical. This allowed her to freely modify and upgrade her components, each concealing deadly weapons that made her a feared, ever-evolving, Assassin.As a craftsman himself, Vahn was very interested in Danzō's masterful design. Not only was she an extremely powerful combatant, classified as a B-Rank Heroic Spirit using Da Vinci's system, but her aesthetic was very pleasing to the eye. At times, he had even been tempted to summon her creators, but, as Kashin Koji and Fuuma Koutarou both had Chaotic*Evil alignments, they didn't seem suited to the task of working alongside the Heroes Faction...Noticing Vahn's gaze, even with her back turned to him, Danzō emotionlessly stated, "Staring...is not polite..."Though Vahn hadn't actually been 'staring' at her, he still offered an apologetic smile in response to her accusation, answering, "Sorry about that. I can't help but be interested in your design. One day, when things have calmed down, I'll introduce you to a masterful Doll Maker. She has developed her craft to the point of being able to emulate humans with 100% accuracy, without sacrificing the perks that come along with being a mechanical life form."Still with her back turned to him, Danzō issued a light hum before surprising him slightly when she said, "Touko Aozaki...we have searched for her...she must be in Avalon...?"Adding a bit of inflection to turn her statement into a question, Danzō turned around to look directly into Vahn's face, seemingly trying to ascertain the truth without requiring a response. Since it wasn't exactly a secret, however, he just smiled and said, "Yes. She has been staying there for close to eight months at this point. You'll need more than A-Rank [Presence Concealment] to break into Avalon, however, so I'd advise against it. Even if you did manage to track her down, she is more than capable of holding her own against a B-Rank Heroic Spirit."Sensing no falsehood in Vahn's words, Danzō showed the briefest hint of a frown on her face before turning around and muttering, "Troublesome..."Hearing her remark, Vahn couldn't help but lightly chuckle, even as a thin, virtually invisible, needle tried to puncture his eye. Danzō didn't enjoy having others laugh at her expense, so, with his habit of teasing 'women' with cold personalities, Vahn had grown accustomed to her sudden assassination attempts, many triggering imperceptibly, even to him.After stowing the sheenless black needle in his Inventory, Vahn decided it was time to stop playing around. He could sense a powerful force resonating through the surrounding Space, and, though it didn't exactly concern him, he still had a face to uphold. There seemed to be a few hundred sings of life in the surrounding area, including more than twenty relatively powerful figures. Thus, while it was certainly fun to tease Danzō, he decided to restrain himself until her next assassination attempt...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Casually destroying storm systems*','OnLy ThE cHoSeN cAn OpPoSe ThE hEaVeNs...','A mechanical waifu? Sounds like an Otaku's wet dream...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

While following Danzō deeper and deeper into a complex underground system, Vahn was using his domain and enhanced senses to perform a comprehensive scan of his surroundings. Though there were a number of countermeasures against this, his senses had only ever increased after his arrival in the Nasuverse. Some things were still able to block them, especially if they were related to Innates or higher Tiers, but, here, beneath the Forbidden City, he could spread his senses with relative impunity.Vahn was sometimes tempted to go into a situation completely blind, as it made things slightly more interesting, and, by proxy, more exciting. However, this was only ever an inclination, not something he would ever commit to. He believed there was never a situation when you should arbitrarily look down on your opponent, so, while there were times when he was lackadaisical, Vahn forced himself to overestimate, never underestimate, his enemies. It was better to assume they had some tricks up their sleeve, often in the form of Innates, than assume there was 'nothing' they could do against you.As this thought ran through his mind, Vahn's aura began to gradually increase. This was enough to get Danzō to send him a cautious glance, but, seeing the smile on his face, she continued leading the way in silence. This was only her second time experiencing Vahn's aura up close, but, as she was an entity that prioritized the 'mission' over her life itself, Danzō was able to suffer the burden without showing any discernible discomfort.After being led to a large antechamber, Vahn observed a set of massive double-doors, each set with a golden, four-clawed, Chinese dragon. The doors were approximately nine meters in height, making the two lifelike dragons appear both majestic and intimidating. They were even enchanted to put a fair amount of pressure on anyone who entered the chamber, but, with his own surging outward like an unstoppable tide, Vahn just lightly smiled as he muttered, "I suppose I'm expected to just saunter into the trap...is that right?"Rather than refute his words, Danzō nodded her head in affirmation before forming a seal with her hand and disappearing in a rapidly dispersing cloud of smoke. This left Vahn lightly chuckling, but, as he had already guessed the intentions of the Heroes Faction, he didn't mind playing along. At times, he was rather fond of showing off, so, while it was obvious they had taken this into consideration, he wouldn't be the 'supervillain' people made him out to be if he didn't enjoy a little theatrics.With that thought crossing his mind, Vahn raised his hand towards the massive set of doors, sending an invisible pulse of energy crashing into them. Each was more than a meter thick, largely comprised of enchanted Gold, but, as if they were sheets of paper, Vahn used his telekinesis to crumple them in an instant. This caused a violent and thunderous sound to echo through the area, but, compared to the booming crash that occurred when he sent the pseudo-sphere flying, it was rather tame...Once the echo began to fade away, Vahn made his way slowly into a large chamber that appeared to be around 500m in diameter. The chamber itself was circular in shape, but, located at the very center, a large octagonal arena could be seen suspended above a seemingly bottomless pit. He could sense Space and Time distort within the abyssal depths, indicating it had been constructed in such a way that, if anything fell inside, they would continue falling for eternity.Though Vahn had been admiring the rather complex setup, a light frown replaced his neutral smile as an elderly man, with a white beard nearly reaching his waist, shouted, "Those doors were artifacts that have been passed down for three thousand years! You claim yourself an Emperor, but lack the dignity expected of the title! Do you have any idea where it is you-"Before the surprisingly fair-skinned man could finish his outburst, Vahn appeared before him like a phantom, towering over the elderly figure by nearly twenty centimeters. This caused the man's eyes to widen, but, before he could retract the finger he had been using to point in Vahn's direction, the entire hand seemed to simply 'vanish'. It was only at that point that the man seemed to realize who he had been accusing, his face paling as he instinctually activated a strange technique that allowed him to 'glide' across the floor in an instant.Others might have trouble keeping up with the man's movements, but Vahn's golden eyes followed him with ease. This caused a primal fear to well up within the man's heart, especially when he heard the words, "Wrong choice..." pierce through the void, shaking him to the core.If the man had kowtowed or apologized for his actions, Vahn would have temporarily afforded him a bit of leniency. Instead, the man took evasive action, and, though it was largely the result of muscle memory, the fact he had drawn a shortsword from the jade ring on his finger made him an 'enemy'.Seemingly moving in slow motion, Vahn extended his hand towards the man, who, despite using a high ranking movement technique, now appeared to be stationary. Everyone was able to perceive his movement, but, due to the nature of the Laws, they were unable to take any action as he slowly closed his hand, chaotically twisting the Space around the man so that his arms and legs rotated a total of 720 degrees. This wasn't enough to kill him, but it would leave him thinking twice before he decided to arbitrarily offend an Emperor that had effectively conquered the World...Unable to defend against an attack that directly bent Space around him, the elderly man released a feral-sounding scream, startling his compatriots to the core. Some, specifically those from the same family, had thought to intervene, but, fearing the consequences of doing so, they could only pale as their kin was dropped like a ragdoll after losing consciousness. They were too fearful to even try and confirm his death, waiting until Vahn dully said, "Treat his wounds..." before finally moving.Turning his attention away from the group of ancient men, Vahn matched gazes with Hou Yi, finding the man smiling wryly with an intricate wooden bow in hand.Prior to Vahn's arrival, Hou Yi had made it clear to the Xiantian Elders that they should remain silent and observe. He didn't expect one of them to feel emboldened enough to try and lambast Vahn, but, in hindsight, he realized it was largely their fault for not sending someone to open the doors. Even if he was an 'enemy', Vahn was still an Emperor, so, while they were basically asking him to walk into a trap, dismissing with courtesy was a mistake on their part...Understanding what must be going through Hou Yi's mind, Vahn offered an almost indiscernible hint of a smile before adopting a more serious expression as he said, "We have accepted the challenge of your faction, presenting ourselves out of due consideration. Tell us, Hou Yi, what challenges has your faction concocted to test this Emperor's mettle and might...?"Though Vahn's words contained a certain 'whimsy' to them, the tone he used was forceful enough to cow the majority of Xiantian Elders. Each of his words seemed to pierce through them, straining both body and spirit in equal measure. In Taiji terms, this was a phenomenon known as Spiritual Pressure, but, compared to what they were capable of outputting, it was like comparing a bucket of water to a vast, seemingly infinite, ocean. The weakest among them nearly fell to their knees, but, out of a vain sense of pride, they would rather bleed from their seven orifices than lower themselves to another...Fearing Vahn's presence would cause every member of the Xiantian Elders to collapse, Hou Yi gave a respectful bow before indicating towards the octagonal arena in the center, explaining, "This place is known as the Divine Battlefield of Heavenly Ascendance. It is a totem gifted to Qin Shi Huang by the Jade Emperor, a means by which the Chinese people might ascend to the realm of Divinity in a world absent of Gods..."While he was somewhat interested in the history of the place, Vahn lifted his hand, stating, "We have made arrangements for later today. Though the history of this place intrigues us, the purpose of our visit is to do battle, not make idle conversation. Now, who will be my opponent?"As it actually provided them with a slight advantage by not disclosing the significance of the arena, Hou Yi didn't insist that Vahn remain patient. Rather, he knew the latter was actually just playing the part that had been 'assigned' to him, as, during their past confrontations, Vahn was generally very amicable. He had even visited the Terrestrial Moon Palace on several occasions, staying for tea and conversing on the subject of archery while Chang'e served them both tea.Hou Yi was actually very grateful for everything Vahn had done, but, understand the 'necessity' of the Heroes Faction, he remained a part of it. Thus, even if he felt compelled to make things 'fair' by giving a proper explanation, he ultimately gave an understanding nod before saying, "Very well then. At Your Imperial Majesty's behest, we shall proceed to the main event. Put simply, we would like you to fight against our representative within the Divine Battlefield of Heavenly Ascendance. Should you emerge victoriously, we have prepared a tribute attesting to Your Imperial Majesty's prestige...as for the terms regarding each individual battle, that is for the contestants to decide. Are these terms to your satisfaction?"Going by Hou Yi's words, Vahn speculated there were certain restrictions that would be placed on him during the battles, but, so long as things were kept 'fair', he didn't particularly mind. Thus, after a brief period of contemplation, he nodded his head, stating, "We accept." before vanishing from the viewing platform and reappearing in the arena. He immediately noticed that the Space within began to increase in density, but, compared to what he was used to experiencing during his training, it was almost negligible...As this thought crossed his mind, Vahn heard a voice suddenly resonate through the surroundings, its tone deep and powerful as it stated, "Heaven's Will is Eternal. The Path of Eternity is wrought with Trials and Tribulations. Thou who seeketh to oppose Heaven's Will, prove thine might against those who would bar your passage. Only the Mighty may oppose the Heavens."Immediately following the words, Vahn felt an oppressive force press down on his entire body, much like a mountain attempting to bring him to his knees. At the same time, an Eight Trigrams formation began to light up along the periphery of the arena, powered by the Mana that had been gathered by the Grand Spiritual Gathering Array. He could much of his power being suppressed by the mounting pressure, but, no matter how intense things got, his knees didn't so much as tremble, much less give way.Rather than panic, Vahn showed an expression of mild intrigue as he observed the powerful sealing array. He could tell it was a special seal that affected everyone within the arena, but, while the inside experienced a significant amount of pressure, it also seemed to prevent attacks from the outside. It was structured in such a way that, were you to try and attack from the outside, your attack would be amplified greatly before being thrown back at you with greater speed and intensity.Vahn suspected there was more to the array than met the eye, but, with his first opponent appearing on the opposite side of the arena, he adopted a slight smile as he said, "You know, it's really unfair to me to have you as my first opponent. Does Brynhildr know you are here...?"Before answering, Vahn's opponent pushed up his black-rimmed glasses, icy-blue eyes shimmering as he said, "We told her the battle wasn't until next week..."Restraining the urge to laugh, Vahn's smile curled up at the edges as he pulled out [Lævateinn α], igniting its brackish-flames as he mused, "That makes things a lot easier for me. Now, draw your sword. Show me the power of the King of Warriors...!"Rather than immediately adopt a battle stance, the intellectual-looking man, Sigurd, pushed up his glasses a second time, plainly stated, "We have to set the terms before engaging. If we fight without respecting the conditions set, we will be thrown to the Abyss below..."Feeling like the wind had been taken out of his sails, the flames around [Lævateinn α] extinguished in an instant. Though he managed to maintain a calm expression, Vahn was complaining inside the back of his mind, recalling Hou Yi's words about the 'terms' for each battle. It seemed like he had to make a wager against his opponents, and, depending on the terms agreed to, the Divine Battlefield of Heavenly Ascendance would place even greater restrictions on them...Vahn was never fond of being restrained, but, so long as they didn't try to 'cheat', he was willing to humor them. Thus, after resting [Lævateinn α] on his shoulder, he gave a curt nod, asking, "So? What are your terms? I'm certain you have already thought of something, correct?"Nodding his head in affirmation, Sigurd explained, "Our lives are intrinsically related to Dragon kind. I wish to contend against the might of your complete transformation, contesting it with my own. We will determine which is stronger, my [Dragon Kind Modification: EX], or your full transformation..."Not expecting Sigurd to challenge his Huánglóng transformation from the onset, Vahn felt slightly confused. It was possible they simply intended to overtax his reserves, but, unless he held himself back a considerable amount, the fight would be settled very quickly. Sigurd was certainly powerful, worthy of his title as the King of Warriors, but, compared to the might of the Yellow Dragon, there was a vast disparity between them...Shaking his head, Vahn set the matter aside, deciding to, instead, ask, "So, do we also get to set a condition?"Somewhat surprisingly, Sigurd also shook his head, answering, "Only the challenger has the right to issue a condition. As the person being challenged, you are the representative of Heaven's Will within the Divine Battlefield of Heavenly Ascendance. I do not understand the specifics, but it is designed to allow the strong to refine their skills against opponents that would normally be too weak to prove a challenge..."Hearing Sigurd's explanation, Vahn was tempted to release a heavy sigh, but, instead of complaining, he decided to just humor them for a bit. He could break through the array whenever he pleased, so, rather than shatter it immediately, using the arena for its intended purpose seemed marginally more interesting. Besides, he rarely had the chance to use his Huánglóng form outside of training. This was a rare opportunity, as, more often than not, the battles simply never escalated to that point.Having made his decision, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation. As a result, an invisible forced tried to surge into his body, seemingly with the intent to force his transformation. This caused him a mild amount of annoyance, but, after snorting through his nose and 'shattering' the invasive force, Vahn's body began to rapidly increase in size. Fortunately, the arena had a similar function to the one used during Artoria's and Lorelei's duel, allowing the battlefield to be much larger on the inside than it appeared to be from the outside...After several tense moments, Sigurd found himself staring up at a majestic and, admittedly, terrifying golden dragon. He felt like the Heavens themselves had fallen on him, but, compared to the Xiantian Elders in the stands, he seemed largely unaffected. They had all fallen to their knees, disbelief visible in their expressions as, despite Vahn's appearance resembling a western dragon, it was impossible to ignore the eastern influences in his design. As a result, the most powerful among them gave voice to the thought that was running through all of their minds, shakily stating, "Yellow Dragon Emperor...".(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Knock Knock','Do you know the breadth of the Heavens!?','Well, alrighty then. Maximum no-chill it is...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though it paled in comparison to the Supercolonies being constructed by the Empire, several walled cities had already been constructed in the aftermath of The Fall. These were meant to be bastions for humanity, places where chosen survivors could escape the ever-growing population of monsters that now roamed the countryside...A stark contrast to the nearby metropolitan ghost town, one of the most prosperous cities to come into existence, Post-Fall, was the former residence of the Emperor of China, the historical landmark known as the 'Forbidden City'. It, much like the Clock Tower in London, had previously served as a public face to conceal greater secrets. Now that the world had descended into chaos, this facade was no longer necessary, so, while much of the surrounding cities had been brought to ruin in the wake of The Fall, the Forbidden City stood proud like an unblemished gemstone.Unlike the Magecraft and Sacrament used by the Mage's Association and former Holy Church, China had been practicing a unique method of energy manipulation known as Taiji for millennia. This was a philosophy that predated even the most ancient Chinese civilizations, founded upon the principles of Yin-Yang theory, the Five-Elemental Forces, and, more recently, the Chinese Zodiac.Users of the Taiji Arts were colloquially known as Practitioners, but, due to recent trends, many had adopted the term 'Cultivators'. They were the very same people most Chinese fantasies and folklore was derived from, so, compared to orthodox systems of Thaumaturgy, they relied heavily on the use of physical arts, principally represented by hundreds of martial schools.The ultimate goal of every Cultivator was to oppose a concept known as 'Heaven's Will', represented by Gaia and Alaya. They believed that, by refining their 'Qi', the combination of physical and spiritual energies referred to as Mana by Magi, they would be able to strengthen their Soul directly, elevating themselves beyond mortality and allowing them to enter the realm of Immortals.Unfortunately, 'opposing Heaven's Will' was not a simple feat, so, while the average Cultivator was far stronger than Magi of the same level, they plateaued much faster than skilled Magi. It often took hundreds of years for a Cultivator to break through the Houtian level, achieving a state where their Spirit Body fused together with their Physical Vessel. This state, known as Xiantian, allowed them to achieve a form of biological immortality, but, without the aid of various treasures, achieving this level was something many could only dream of.In all of China, there were a total of thirty-seven Xiantian-Class Cultivators, the vast majority of which belonged to one of three ancient families. Of these thirty-seven Cultivators, thirteen belonged to the Aisin family, nine belonged to the Zhou family, and seven belonged to the Khun family. As for the remaining ten, they were the patriarchs of various families, some with records predating the Shang Dynasty, a period between 1570-1045 BCE.Due to the availability of rare materials and resources, most ancient Chinese families had been at odds for centuries, if not longer. They proactively hoarded materials to cultivate their Descendents, proactively interfering in the Martial Paths of other, less-established, families. This had allowed them to strengthen the foundation of their own families, but, as a result, China had never been able to rise to prominence before the Modern Era.Now, setting aside past differences and representing a more unified front, twenty of the thirty-seven Xiantian-Class Cultivators had gathered together within a massive Spiritual Formation. This was their version of the Bounded Fields produced by Magi, but, instead of using Magic Circles and powerful Catalysts, they relied on various treasures to gather the 'Energy of Heaven and Earth', powerful seals, and runic symbols. This achieved a similar effect to the Projection used in Avalon, but, rather than refer to it as such, the colloquial term used to define the interior space was 'The Realm of Spirit and Illusion'.Though each of the elderly men gathered within the chamber was a powerhouse that had achieved biological immortality, none of them were bold enough to speak out in the presence of the trio that had gathered them. This included a young man with white hair, a robust Chinese man with fair skin and handsome features, and, most hatefully, a Japanese woman with soft-pink, almost silver, hair...Due to past conflicts, most orthodox families in China had a fair bit of hatred toward the Japanese, regardless of their origin. They were also a strictly patriarchal society, placing heavy emphasis on the development of males over their female counterparts. This was a byproduct of various female figures bringing entire dynasties to ruin, so, despite the beauty and skill possessed by the woman standing before them, the majority refused to truly respect her...Annoyed by the hateful looks sent her way, Musashi began to lightly tap the hilt of her katana, her eyes squinting slightly with a taunting smile on her face. This was enough to cow most of the men present, who, in spite of their pride, knew better than to 'seek death' against a far more powerful foe. She had already beaten most of them rather severely, so, even if they resented her quite a bit, they lacked the courage to openly state the disdain they concealed in their hearts.Shaking his head at Musashi's antics, Shirou said, "Leave them be, Musashi. They might be bigoted, but they aren't evil. The people still need their leadership so just ignore their petulant pride..."Hearing Shirou's remark, Musashi began to laugh uninhibitedly, much to the chagrin of the twenty elderly figures gathered in the room. One, no longer able to bear the 'indignation' in silence, gripped his hand into a fist, stepping forward to ask, "Lord Shirou, Ancestor Yi, are you certain that man will even bother to show up? What if he decides to lay waste to the Forbidden City? Though we would never doubt the strength of the Heroes Faction, are we not risking too much by exposing ourselves like this?"Turning his attention to the elderly man with streaks of silken black and white hair, Shirou couldn't help but frown slightly. Fortunately, Hou Yi was present as he had grown tired of dealing with these relics of the past, the youngest of which was more than three hundred years old.Freeing Shirou from the burden of having to answer, Hou Yi adopted an amicable smile as he said in a soft tone, "The Esteemed Patriarchs and Lords need not worry. While the Sage Dragon Emperor is a terrifying foe, he does not engage in wanton destruction. Despite his past actions, he is an honorable man who fears no challenge. So long as we are forthright in our actions, we need not fear his wrath."As Hou Yi was one of their Ancestral Gods, even if he had previously been stripped of his title by the Jade Emperor, the Throne of Heroes gave him an effect similar to [Charisma: EX] amongst those of Chinese descent. His presence had been instrumental to the meteoric rise of the Heroes Faction in China, and, though Shirou was the 'official' Leader, the difference in their treatment was like that of Heaven and Earth.With shimmering eyes reminiscent of young children meeting their Hero, all twenty Xiantian figures nodded their heads in understanding, many openly commenting on Hou Yi's wisdom. This brought a slightly wry smile to the former God's face. As for Shirou and Musashi, they exchanged exasperated looks, both finding it senseless that they were 'hated' for no better reason than being born Japanese.Deciding to interrupt the elderly group's never-ending praise, Musashi released a bit of her Sword Intent, silencing everyone in the room. Then, with an uncharacteristically neutral expression, she said, "It is almost time. I can't imagine the Emperor showing up late to an official challenge. You all might be useless in the upcoming battle, but you should still be able to provide some form of protection to the surroundings, right...?"Though they wanted to rebuke Musashi for her 'thoughtless' words, none of the Xiantian figures had the courage to step forward when she was still releasing her Sword Intent. She was a 'barbarian' that wouldn't suffer reproach in silence, so, unless they wanted to spend several days recovering in a bed, they had little choice but to grind their teeth in silence.This time, it was Hou Yi's turn to shake his head, but, rather than comment on Musashi's behavior, he said, "Lady Musashi is correct. After extending an invitation, the Sage Dragon Emperor will not afford us additional time to prepare. We have been preparing for forty days, let's not waste our efforts over insignificant squabbles. We have gathered here as allies, unified toward a common goal. If we allow past grievances to divide us, the path to Heaven will be close off."As if they hadn't been sending murderous glares toward Musashi just moments prior, each of the elderly figures nodded sagely in response to Hou Yi's words. They acted as if they had been given some great enlightenment, some even stroking their beards with distant looks in their eyes.Seeing the reaction of the old fogeys, Musashi just rolled her eyes before turning to Shirou and saying, "I'll be going ahead. If the Empress shows up, I'll do my best to draw her attention. Will you be fine...?"Hearing Musashi address Artoria by her title, Shirou couldn't help but adopt a bitter expression as he said, "I've already accepted reality. Don't worry, even if she shows up, I'll be fine. Do what you think is necessary to secure victory. We'll be relying on your skills to buy us some time."Nodding her head in understanding, Musashi gave Shirou a light pat on the back, a vain attempt to comfort his weary soul. She knew the drastic changes to Artoria still influenced him even to this day, as, compared to the sentiments that had been present during their reunion, the only emotion shared between them seemed to be disdain. Artoria had even severely injured him on one occasion, visible scorn visible in her countenance as she seemed to consider striking him down permanently...After leaving the mausoleum-like room behind, Musashi was finally able to breathe easier. She couldn't stand the stuffy feeling of being cooped up in the same room as so many relics, especially when the majority hated her guts. If they were stronger than her, she had no doubt they would see fit to 'punish' her for daring to slight them, something she found rather laughable considering they were supposedly 'righteous' Cultivators.Recalling how some of the men looked at her with covetous eyes, Musashi released a tired sigh, her fingers twitching on the hilt of her katana. She often found herself wondering why she bothered to stay with the Heroes Faction, but, remembering the changes to Artoria's personality and the effect it had on Shirou, she never found the resolve to partake of Vahn's 'offering'.With this thought crossing her mind, Musashi found herself holding the bottle of [Shōjō Sake] in her hands, tempted to just drink it and be done with it. All she had to do was remove the cork, and, after a single swig of the legendary alcohol, her fate would be tied to the Vahn. She would no longer have to run around at the behest of a bunch of old men who viewed her greater disdain than they would a stray dog. She would be able to spend her days idling about in Avalon, drinking sake, lazing about, and fighting powerful foes whenever she pleased...After absentmindedly loosening the cork, Musashi allowed a bit of the heavenly fragrance within to tickle her nose. The only thing that prevented her from drinking it was the feeling of guilt that would plague her whenever she thought about how Shirou and the others would react to her 'betrayal'. She could easily imagine Alice and Abigail crying for hours on end, their sorrow slowly giving away to far more negative emotions.Though she considered herself a pretty selfish person, Musashi didn't want to be hated by children that looked up to her as a big sister. Just thinking about it made most alcohols taste bland, so, even if she was highly tempted by the lifestyle promised by the Empire, she ultimately tightened the cork before placing it into her deep cleavage.As an immortal being, Musashi knew there was no need to rush into anything. Though they were at odds with the Empire, it wouldn't be long before most conflicts ceased entirely. One of the purposes of today's battle was to give an example of Vahn's power to the old fogeys that had been gathered, as, despite being globally resented, few people feared him as much as they should. This had caused the Heroes Faction a number of problems, as, with the passage of time, more and more people had begun to demand they take action against the Empire.No matter how much they insisted it was better to focus on surviving in the changing world, there would always be a subset of the community that mistakenly believed it was possible to return things to 'normal'. They were an exceptionally vocal part of the community, so, every time a Hero stepped in to defeat some terrifying monster or prevent an uprising, demands for a 'revolution' would sound out for weeks on end.Knowing most of these events had been set in motion by the thirty-seven Xiantian figures that ruled over China, the Heroes Faction had decided to try and settle the matter by displaying their power in comparison to the Emperor's. They had set a multi-layered trap that, by design, should even be able to seal away a God. This was one of the benefits of being able to 'summon' Vahn to a location, but, even if they set hundreds of such formations, Musashi knew they would be useless in the face of his 'Infinite'. Thus, despite more than a month of preparation, she would undoubtedly have to face off against the rather domineering man once again, a battle that was as frustrating as it was fun...Remembering her last duel against Vahn, a small shiver ran through Musashi's body. Following this, she could feel her body begin to heat up slightly, culminating in a hot sigh escaping her lips. Even if she tried to forget, her body still remembered their battle. It was like a part of his existence had been carved into her own, the echoes of their exchanges still present within her bones. She knew this was the result of his peculiar energy wreaking havoc inside of her body, but, as there was little she could do to resolve it, Musashi often found herself looking forward to the next time they crossed swords...As this thought crossed her mind, Musashi began to slowly draw her katana, exposing a small part of the blade as she muttered, "It looks like I'm in for another restless night..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Someone mixed a CN in my EPIC!','Smells like bigotry up in here...','Echoes of battles past, sounding far into the future...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1480: Entering the Forbidden City