Book 2: Chapter 81: Jun''s Dawning |
Their Ancestor stood from his contemplative lounging and pointed toward a northerly general direction. That way. Da Ruis is over yonder.
Jun and the rest of the party all rose from their own seats.
She could hear Shui speaking, yet she couldnt listen to her words when the She-Devil stood beside her. Unwilling to leave her side and unwilling to speak to her. Something had happened. Or maybe something had arrived into the world that she could not sense but it could.
It guarded her from the same direction their Ancestor had pointed.
Jun had tried to keep a positive face filled with joy to distract Shui, but she doubted Mr. Mo Mo hadnt warned her already.
Not that she was going to stop.
She would do all that was in her power to protect Hu Shui, even if it meant death. It was what was expected of her. The duty she had carried for years upon years during their escape on that fateful day. Yes, her Ancestor made the whole thing much simpler and easy, but it held true no matter what. She had given an oath and Hu Jun was not an oath breaker.
Yin Hu moved and they followed. Pushing deeper into the forest without pause along the way.
His pace was increasingly difficult to keep up with for even Zhong Da and his wife. Always a step faster than all of them.
Jun nearly tripped.
She fought against her stumble as best as she could as her Ancestor came to stop before a bunch of trees that looked like every other grouping.
He held his hands behind his back and frowned. An expression that rarely graced his ageless and eternally stoic face. She could feel waves of disgust and disappointment radiate from his body as he reached out and poked at the air.
Jun gasped as the world shattered.
Yet, it wasnt the illusion that shook her cultivation and made the rest of the party move closer.
Zhong Da grabbed his wife, then Shui, and finally huddled around Jun. His Qi roared to life to protect them from the surging intent and domain that flooded the world. The very fabric of the reality vibrated violently around them as flecks of black flames and illusion Qi clashed in the surroundings.
Jun closed her eyes.
Struggling to keep her core intact from the sheer presence of the monsters before her.
Forgive me, Lady Jun, Zhong Da whispered quietly to her. I only have enough Qi to fully protect Lady Shui. Please bear with this until the Patriarch solves this soon. I hope.
She couldnt open her eyes, but nodded weakly nonetheless.
Jun and everyone else in their party knew full well what they had encountered. What monster they had the misfortune of finding.
Shui pressed her head into her chest, crying quietly as the intent and Dao filled with arrogance and tyrannical pressure slammed into them even though it wasnt focused on their position at all. She could see the eyes of a dragon in her minds eye. Black flames leaking from its maw. Hunger in its vision, promising to consume her as soon as its master decided she was a worthy meal.
For now, she escaped only because she was nothing but an insect unworthy of dying to the blade of a true Calamity.
And that was exactly what they were facing.
I-Is this the Calamity that made all of the sects hide? How are we going to escape this? Why did Ancestor bring us here? Who could fight this? How could they fight against something like this? Its impossible. It has to be impossible.
Just standing there was too difficult to imagine without even being noticed.
Ha! You run? Of course you would run from this Hei Gu! his every word made her core threaten to collapse.
Yet, there hadnt even been a single word uttered by her Ancestor since he destroyed the illusion. Jun couldnt help but remember the disdain in his expression. The disappointment at what he was seeing. Curiosity got to her. Jun struggled against the intent, shaking as she exerted every ounce of effort in her body to open her eyes only to find her Ancestor a dozen steps away.
Standing before a milk white bunny.
Go on, little guy, her Ancestor smiled. Eyes filled with kindness and mercy. He waved the cute rabbit away. Im about to deal with an arrogant young master. It might get messy.
D-deal with an arrogant young master?
Jun couldnt believe what she was hearing. This was the Calamity. The reason she and Shuis life had been derailed.
Her Master had said many times that his power was limited and sealed.
She looked back up at Zhong Da who was as pale as she was. His eyes locked onto the frame of the Hu Patriarch, clearly waiting for something. Black flames scorched his cheeks, yet he refused to look away and miss witnessing what was about to happen.
He knows something.
Jun looked back at the scene before her, locking back into the conversation.
When did you get here? the Calamity that turned the world on its head said with an arrogant smile.
It was only then that she noticed Da Ruis. The old ghost launched himself toward Yin Hu and hid behind him. Black flames had eaten large parts of his presence already just by being in the Calamitys domain. Flecks of illusion Qi made his body shimmer ever so slightly.
Jun had no clue what that last part was supposed to mean.
P-Patriarch! Save me! This man wants to kill me
This pathetic insect is your patriarch? What a shame. Almost as disgraceful as the
Jun snapped her eyes shut as his voice assaulted her senses. His intent was focused closer now and it affected her even more. Thankfully, Zhong Da was protecting Shui or she would have died just standing there as the Black Dragons power assaulted everyone and everything in the area.
I cant look away now! Master His expression never changed? Why?
Blood leaked from her mouth as she forced her eyes open, needing to use every ounce of her Qi, cultivation, Dao, and even the help of the She-Devil once she felt her intention.
Hu Jun gaped as Yin Hu stood there without saying a single word. His disappointed and clearly disgusted expression only grew deeper the longer the Calamity spoke. It had reappeared only a few feet away at some point while she struggled to merely survive. Its entire aura, domain, Dao, intent, and everything else was crushing the world around her ancestor. The very ground caved underneath them slightly, trembling and shaking as though an earthquake was about to arrive.
...all these seniors suddenly appearing out of the wood work? Is this a mortal senior home or something
Yin Hu backhanded him.
The intent vanished.
Hei Gus cultivation shattered. His Dao turned into nothing. The Black Dragon in her mind disintegrated.
The entire world went silent. The pressure on her and the rest of the party disappeared and they stumbled forward as a group. Struggling to find their feet because they felt so light and unburdened by any power.
Hei Gu dropped to his knees.
Learn your place, child, lest I put you down without mercy, her Ancestors voice echoed not in the world, but directly in her mind. He leaned closer and whispered words she would not have been able to hear even if she had been pressing her ears to his mouth. The once Calamity trembled as a trail of blood leaked out of his mouth and nose. It nodded without saying a word. Accepting whatever passed between them without having anything to say edgewise.
All of them stared at Yin Hu. Unable to understand what had happened or how it had happened.
One moment, Jun was fighting just to keep her cultivation alive even with the help of Zhong Da and the next there was nothing. As though it had been merely a nightmare.
The She-Devil huffed behind her. Worthless dragon. Not even capable of withstanding a basic, Qi-less, smack from our ancestor. Learn your place.
Hei Gu snapped his head toward where her She-Devil stood. Only through Juns connection could she hear the conversation between them.
Qi-less power? H-How? Ive lived hundreds of thousands of years! Killed monsters you couldnt imagine! Accomplished things that should by all rights be impossible! How? How did he? Hei Gu trembled as he begged for an explanation.
You arent even a worthy dragon, the She-Devil scoffed. And you think you should be able to stand before a being that has lived and conquered the Dao as Master has?
Worthy Dragon?! I am of the Elite members of the Black
Hei Gu snapped his head up. His face paled and his body struggled not to collapse.
Jun couldnt understand what was happening, but she had an inkling. The Six Dragons of Ancestors spear made an appearance.
Imagine, young arrogant dragon. Imagine a being so powerful his very Qi could shatter the void? That could wave his hand and the fabric of entire worlds would open rifts for him to comfortably walk through? Imagine a being so ancient he predates the very primordials you originate from. A being that has conquered more Daos than years youve been alive. I pity you to have found yourself before him as an annoyance. Fortunate you are for he hath decided mercy and kindness are his Greatest Dao!
Hu Jun turned her head to the back of her Ancestor as he walked away. Reprimanding Da Ruis for wasting time in this area and not hurrying to return to the camp.
Well? Yin Hu stopped and turned to him. Are we camping here or are we going back to our original area?
Hurry, little dragon, the She-Devil whispered with a menacing smile. While he is still in a good mood.
Wait! He Gu jumped to his feet, following its suggestion. He shouted behind him. Wait! Please! Wait! You cant leave me here! Please.
Yin Hu remained silent as he continued to walk pleasantly toward their base camp.
He approves! Rejoice, little dragon! Rejoice! You may have succor after all!
It didnt miss her how mute the entire situation was. A crushed core should have caused a super nova and with the amount of Qi within the core of the Calamity, it should have destroyed the entire planet without a doubt. Yet, there was nothing. Not even a tremble. Just vanishing without any signs. Disintegrating before their eyes before anyone could figure out what had happened.
All from nothing but a backhand.
How powerful is Ancestor?