Immortal Paladin

509 Six Queens

[POV: Cherish/Gao Fu]

In the secluded pocket realm granted by Da Wei, the Holy Emperor, Gao Fu moved through the mist-veiled valley with quiet grace. She, once known as Cherish among the faithful, now stood as the newly appointed leader of the Origin Faith’s remnants.

The hidden sanctuary stretched across rolling hills dotted with crystalline springs and ancient spirit trees that glowed softly under an artificial sky. It was a place of gentle qi flows and protective arrays, far removed from the endless wars and betrayals of the outer realms.

Gao Fu paused at the edge of a wide training field where several hundred survivors practiced their forms. These were the remnants of the Origin King’s once-mighty army. There were loyal cultivators, spirit beasts in human guise, and a handful of lesser gods who had chosen to follow the old banner rather than scatter or swear fealty to the Supremes.

Only IF they managed to escape the Hollowed World first.

Under her guidance, their days had settled into a peaceful rhythm that none of them had known in a long time.

Mornings began with communal meditation beside the Origin Springs. The waters carried faint traces of primordial essence, enough to nourish their foundations without the cutthroat competition for rare pills or heavenly treasures.

Young disciples sparred lightly under the watchful eyes of veteran captains, their laughter mixing with the clash of training weapons rather than the screams of battle.

In the afternoons, scholars and artisans worked together in open pavilions, transcribing half-forgotten Origin Arts and crafting simple but elegant talismans. Evenings brought shared meals around glowing lanterns, where stories of past glories were told without the bitterness that once colored every recollection.

Gao Fu watched a group of children chase glowing spirit butterflies across a meadow. One little girl stumbled, and an older boy helped her up with a gentle smile. The sight eased something tight in Gao Fu’s chest.

She continued her walk toward the central shrine, a modest structure of white stone and flowering vines, as she observed the rest of the queens tending to their duties.

Queen Heart (of the Human Realm), soft-spoken and radiant, tended to a bed of spiritual herbs while humming an old lullaby. She gently brushed her fingers over the leaves, encouraging their growth with a soft pulse of qi.

“A little more sunlight, my dears,” Queen Heart murmured warmly. “Grow strong and steady, just as our children do. There is no need to rush anymore.”

Nearby, Queen Jade (of the Heaven Realm) sat with an elegant posture, carefully embroidering a ceremonial robe with golden thread. Her needle moved with precise, heavenly grace.

“This stitch pattern was favored in the old celestial courts,” Queen Jade said quietly, more to herself than anyone, though her voice carried a note of nostalgia. “Perhaps one day we can wear such robes again for celebration. The heavens have waited long enough for peace.”

The two women exchanged occasional gentle glances, speaking in low voices about the coming harvest and the quiet hopes they still dared to nurture after so long.

The remaining Queens oversaw different aspects of the sanctuary. Queen Desire (of the Hell Realm) stood apart with folded arms, her expression cool and distant as she observed the training field. Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly at a young cultivator who stumbled during form practice.

“Straighten your back and stop hesitating,” Desire called out, her voice sharp yet controlled. “In Hell, we learned that weakness invites suffering. Here, at least, you have the luxury of learning without dying for every mistake. Use it.”

Queen Passion (of the Animal Realm, feline lineage) lounged gracefully on a stone bench, her long tail flicking idly while she supervised the spirit beast handlers. She let out a playful, purring laugh as one of the younger handlers struggled to calm a skittish moon-deer.

“Oh come now, little one~” Passion teased, her voice silky and teasing. “Stroke its neck like this, gentle but confident. Beasts can smell fear faster than they can smell blood. If you want loyalty, give them pleasure, not commands. That’s how we tamed the wilds in the old days.”

Queen Relish (of the Asura Realm) moved with restrained power among the scouts, her muscular frame tense as she inspected the defensive perimeters. She tapped a formation stone with one thick finger, testing its stability, then grunted in mild disapproval.

“These arrays are too passive,” Relish muttered, her voice low and gravelly. “If enemies come, they will not knock politely. Strengthen the outer nodes or we’ll be relying on the Emperor’s mercy again.” She paused, then added with clear resentment, “As if we haven’t already bent the knee enough.”

A thousand years had passed since the Origin King was felled, and Gao Fu had kept her word. She had led the remnants here and pledged their subservience to Da Wei, the Holy Emperor, in exchange for this protected realm. Some of the Queens had accepted the new order with quiet sympathy for her burden. Others remained neutral, content to simply exist without the old endless wars. A few, however, still harbored resentment toward her for what they saw as surrender.

Later that evening, the Six Queens gathered in the central pavilion for their daily council. Soft lantern light bathed the open-air structure as they sat around a low table laden with fresh spirit fruits and fragrant tea. The gentle sounds of laughter and music from the square below drifted up like a pleasant backdrop.

Gao Fu began the discussion with a calm, measured voice. “The southern orchards yielded more than expected. We should distribute the surplus evenly among the families and set aside a portion for preservation. The formation masters also report that the eastern barrier is stable for another decade.”

Queen Heart nodded warmly, cradling a cup of tea between her hands. “The children in the lower valley have been helping with the herb gardens. Their qi is still weak, but their enthusiasm makes up for it. I believe we can expand the teaching circles next month without straining our resources.”

Queen Jade smiled faintly, her embroidery needle paused mid-stitch. “The celestial weaving patterns I have been teaching the artisans are progressing well. Several new robes and banners will be ready for the festival. It is… comforting to create something beautiful again, rather than instruments of war.”

Queen Passion stretched lazily on her cushion, tail curling with contentment as she popped a spirit grape into her mouth. “The spirit beasts are thriving. The moon-deer herd has doubled since last season. My handlers say the creatures are calmer here than they ever were in the old wilds. I suppose even beasts appreciate not being sent to die in pointless battles.”

Gao Fu allowed herself a small nod of satisfaction. The conversation flowed easily for several minutes as they reviewed the day’s affairs from crop yields, training progress, the health of the younger generation, and minor repairs to the pavilions.

Then the atmosphere shifted.

Queen Desire set her teacup down with a sharp click, her crimson eyes narrowing. “How long must we continue this charade? Tending gardens, stitching robes, playing at being content little farmers. We were Queens of the Origin King. Our names once shook an entire world filled with legendary and unspoken terrible things. Now, we sit here like obedient pets in the Emperor’s pocket realm, discussing fruit harvests as if we were mortal housewives.”

Queen Relish grunted in agreement, crossing her powerful arms over her chest. Her voice carried a low, bitter edge. “Desire speaks truth. A thousand years have passed since the King fell, and what have we become? We pledged subservience to Da Wei for this so-called safety. Safety? It tastes like chains. Every day we grow softer while the outside world moves on without us. I did not survive the fall of an age just to waste away pruning spirit trees.”

The air grew heavy with tension. Queen Heart remained quiet, sipping her tea with a neutral expression, choosing not to involve herself. Queen Passion simply flicked her tail and watched the exchange with mild amusement, as though it were an entertaining but unimportant game.

Queen Jade set her embroidery aside and spoke up in Gao Fu’s defense, her voice steady and elegant. “Enough. Cherish has kept us alive and protected when many others perished or scattered to the winds. This realm was given to us because she honored her promise to Da Wei. Without her leadership, we would still be hunted or forced into servitude under far crueler masters. We should be grateful for the peace we have, not spit on it.”

Desire’s lips curled into a cold sneer, but before she could retort, hurried footsteps approached. A young attendant rushed into the pavilion, bowing deeply.

“Lady Cherish,” the attendant said breathlessly, “the Holy Emperor Da Wei has arrived in the realm. He awaits you at the main gate and wishes to speak with you privately.”

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The tension snapped instantly. All eyes turned toward Gao Fu.

Gao Fu rose smoothly from her seat, her expression composed. “Very well. This council is adjourned for tonight. We will continue our discussion tomorrow.”

As she turned to leave, Queen Desire’s voice cut through the air like a whip, sharp and venomous.

“Running off to your master again? How fitting. Tell me, Cherish—do you spread your legs for the Holy Emperor every time he snaps his fingers, or only when he demands it?”

Gao Fu rose from her seat with measured calm.

The pavilion fell into a brittle silence, broken only by the distant laughter of children and the soft rustle of spirit leaves in the artificial breeze. She turned slowly, meeting each queen’s gaze in turn.

She could have walked away. She had done so many times before, swallowing the barbs to keep this fragile sanctuary intact. But tonight the weight of a thousand years pressed too heavily, and the attendant’s message about Da Wei waiting at the main gate only sharpened the moment. If she was to face the Holy Emperor, she would not do so while leaving this fracture unaddressed.

“I couldn’t take this anymore,” Gao Fu said, her voice steady yet carrying the raw edge of long-suppressed exhaustion. She stepped closer to the low table, palms resting lightly on its surface as she looked directly at Desire. “I know my sister-queens are jealous of me being the second in command to the Origin King. I also know a part of me loved that man, and the same was true for all of you.”

The words hung in the lantern light. Heart looked up from her tea, eyes widening slightly. Passion paused mid-stretch, tail flicking once. Even Relish uncrossed her arms.

“The Greater Universe is a terrible place,” Gao Fu continued, the memories of endless wars and betrayals flickering behind her eyes. “Being at the Origin King’s side changed that for us. While we had our obligations to each of our realms, we sincerely believed in our parts here… within the Origin Faith. We played the role of his queens, his most trusted generals, and his subjects. It gave us purpose amid the pain.”

She drew a slow breath, her qi flowing evenly despite the turmoil inside. “Cherish is not my name. It’s Gao Fu. The time of the Origin King is over, and I loved that man! Even if he just saw me as a tool in the end. Still… we need to pick a side. We need to survive.”

Heart set her cup down carefully. “You know we all had our sides from the beginning, correct? We all have a Supreme Being to serve—”

“Yet none of us queens here decided to run off the Hollowed World and return to our own realms,” Passion cut in smoothly, her voice silky with a hint of genuine reluctance. She popped another spirit grape into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “I for one don’t want to return to the Animal Realm.”

“And I feel the same. No shit,” Desire added, her crimson eyes flashing. “No one wants to stay in Hell.”

Heart sighed softly, the sound carrying centuries of quiet endurance. “My point being, you are asking us to betray the Supreme Beings we served for Da Wei. It doesn’t change a thing if he’s a Supreme Being himself.”

Jade set her embroidery aside completely now, her elegant fingers folding in her lap. “I don’t like the Supreme Hope if that counts. He’s too overbearing.”

Desire’s lips curled. “Oh, same goes for the Supreme Taboo. He’s… hm… He’s evil…”

Passion flicked her tail again, a low purr underscoring her words. “I don’t know about the Supreme Monster, but considering how the elders back home paint him, I am more inclined to not like him already. But do you really think liking and not liking things are easy?”

Relish grunted, leaning forward with restrained power. “I liked home. I also liked the Supreme Fate. But ultimately, I just want a good fight. And the Origin King had never failed to deliver that both on the battlefield and in bed.”

Heart added gently, “I guess the majority is that we don’t like the masters we served. I for one don’t like the Supreme Heart. He’s… weird. However, that’s not the point. What difference does it make, anyway? We’re just trading one terrible master for the next. Tell me, did the Supreme Death treat you any better?”

Gao Fu met Heart’s gaze without flinching. “No. I am more afraid of my brothers than him, if anything. My brothers were practically children. They don’t know about the Age of Divinity like I do, and they act like they own the universe. Since they are made from father’s essence, their tyranny might as well reflect the Supreme Death’s true self.”

She paused, letting the weight of her next words settle. “Regardless, I believe in the Supreme Bearer. Unlike most of you here, I at least have the open mind to see the world he leads. I am sorry, but I think he’s a better master.”

The pavilion grew quieter still. Gao Fu pressed on, her voice softening with honest vulnerability she rarely allowed herself to show.

“I understand you would want revenge for the Origin King. I feel the same. After all, we shared his dream too—to return things the way they were. To return the universe to the Origin. However, when a better alternative presents itself to you, you take it. All we’ve known in our lives in the Greater Universe and the Origin King’s Losten… we’ve only known pain and destruction.”

She gestured around them at the glowing lanterns, the flowering vines climbing the pavilion pillars, and the distant meadow where children still played beneath the false sky.

“But look at this sanctuary we have now. We have a chance to make this last. I know the deal I made with Da Wei didn’t have your approval, but it’s different now. I am asking you to be with me. Because I don’t think I can do it alone. Compared to the grand beings out there, I am dust. I am the bloody scab that the Supreme Death shed and was suddenly made alive. I’m that kind of being. In order for me to have any meaningful impact, I need all of you.”

Her eyes swept across the five queens once more, lingering on Desire’s defiant stare and Relish’s tense shoulders.

“I understand that I am asking you to betray your realms, but at least… we get to do it together, right?”

Gao Fu stood motionless after her words, the weight of her plea hanging thick in the lantern-lit pavilion. The artificial night breeze stirred the flowering vines overhead, carrying the faint scent of spirit fruits and distant meadows. For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then Passion broke first.

A low, throaty chuckle escaped her, quickly blooming into full, silky laughter that made her long tail curl and flick with amusement. She threw her head back, ears twitching, as genuine mirth lit up her feline eyes. “Oh, Cherish—Gao Fu,” she corrected herself between laughs, wiping a nonexistent tear from the corner of her eye. “You really went and bared your soul like that? ‘Bloody scab that Supreme Death shed’? That’s the most poetic way I’ve ever heard someone call herself a discarded afterbirth. I can’t—”

Her laughter proved contagious. Queen Jade covered her mouth with delicate fingers, but soft giggles escaped anyway, her usual elegant composure cracking into something warmer and more human. “The imagery… it is rather vivid,” she admitted, shoulders shaking lightly.

Even Queen Heart, ever the gentle one, let out a quiet, bell-like laugh, her radiant face softening further as she shook her head. “You’ve always had a way with painful truths, Gao Fu. Dust and scabs… yet here you stand asking us to build something real.”

Queen Relish didn’t laugh outright. Instead, a deep, rumbling chuckle rolled from her chest like distant thunder. She uncrossed her powerful arms and leaned back, a rare, toothy grin splitting her face. The resentment in her posture eased just a fraction. “Hah. Bold. I like bold. Never thought I’d hear the second-in-command call herself a bloody scab in front of us all.”

Queen Desire was the last to react. Her crimson eyes narrowed first in irritation, lips pressed into a thin line as she fought the pull. But even she could not fully resist. A sharp, mocking snort escaped, followed by a short, bitter bark of laughter that lacked true warmth but still carried reluctant acknowledgment. She leaned forward, elbows on the table, shaking her head slowly. “Unbelievable. You stand there, voice all soft and sincere, calling yourself trash from your own father’s essence… and somehow make it sound like a rallying cry. Pathetic. And yet…”

The laughter gradually faded, leaving behind a tapestry of expressions around the table.

The silence returned, softer this time.

Queen Heart was the first to speak again, placing her hand gently over Gao Fu’s on the table. “We have followed worse paths for lesser reasons. If you truly believe the Supreme Bearer Da Wei offers something better than endless pain… then I will walk it with you.”

Jade nodded gracefully, folding her hands. “I have grown tired of stitching only for survival. If we can create something lasting here, together, then yes. I stand with you, Gao Fu.”

Passion stretched languidly, flashing a playful wink. “As long as there are soft beds, good food, and the occasional exciting hunt, I’m in. Betraying one realm for another? Done worse for less. Count me with you, sister.”

Relish slammed a heavy palm on the table, making the teacups rattle, her grin widening. “Fine. You want a fight worth fighting? Then I’ll give you my strength. But I won’t pretend I like bending the knee. Still… together it is.”

All eyes turned to Desire. She remained silent for several heartbeats, staring into her now-cold tea. Finally, she exhaled sharply through her nose and pushed her cup aside.

“Damn you and your earnest little speeches,” she muttered, voice low and edged but no longer venomous. “I still think this is foolish. Da Wei is no different from the rest. He’s another Supreme playing at benevolence. But if we’re going to trade chains… better to do it with eyes open and blades ready. And if you fall, Gao Fu, I’ll be the first to say ‘I told you so’ while dragging your dusty scab-ass out of the fire.”

She met Gao Fu’s gaze directly. “So yes. I’ll follow. For now.”

Gao Fu felt a knot loosen in her chest, relief mingling with the lingering ache of old wounds.

Heart spoke for them all, her voice gentle yet firm. “We will follow you, Gao Fu. But every time a decision has to be made from this point forward… we will do it together. No more solitary burdens. No more carrying the weight alone while we smile and tend gardens. We are queens still. We stand as one.”

“Together, then.” Gao Fu straightened her robes. “I must go meet Da Wei now. When I return… we begin anew. As one.”

With her sister-queens’ unified resolve at her back, she turned and walked toward the main gate, the night air suddenly feeling a little less heavy.

…

..

.

[POV: Da Wei]

I stood at the main gate of the pocket realm, arms loosely crossed behind my back, the artificial night breeze brushing against my imperial robes. The sanctuary’s protective arrays hummed softly around us, a gentle reminder of the fragile peace I had granted these remnants.

“What’s taking her so long?” Alice complained beside me, tapping her foot impatiently. Her voice carried that familiar mix of boredom and mild irritation I had grown used to over time.

I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. In truth, I had seen the entire scene unfold through my Ophanim. I watched Gao Fu bare her soul, calling herself a bloody scab, and her sister-queens slowly shift from mockery and resentment to reluctant unity. Their dramatic sisterhood bond, practically swearing loyalty to me… it was embarrassing, really. The Six Supremes didn’t really have that good of an image, huh? I guessed I shouldn’t disappoint the Six Queens.

Still, it felt rude outing them. Some moments were meant to stay private, even for a Holy Emperor like me.

I turned slightly toward Alice, curiosity getting the better of me. “What do you think of—”

Gu Jie cut me off sharply, stepping forward with a warning glare. “Don’t. Please, father. Just don’t. If you resurrect the Origin King, I swear to you, bad things are going to happen.”

I raised an eyebrow, genuinely amused. “Worse than me practically summoning the Warden again and forcing him to beat the Origin King with me? As a consequence, the Warden would see through the promise he made me and destroy the Empire for pulling that trick on him?”

Gu Jie looked confused for a moment, then shrugged, her face settling into that familiar mix of exasperation and reluctant fondness. “I can’t say. I did see faint images of you getting beaten up by an old man with slippers.”

“…”

The silence stretched for a beat. I blinked once, processing the casual prophecy of domestic violence delivered so matter-of-factly. An old man with slippers? That sounded… painfully specific. And annoyingly plausible.