Immortal Paladin

516 Provocation & Preparation

[POV: Jue Bu]

In the Hollowed World, a lone floating head hovered silently amid the ruins. This floating head was none other than Jue Bu.

Below stretched a vast wound in the earth itself, an entire continent torn from its roots, exposing the abyssal Dark Veil that yawned like the maw of an ancient beast. Any unwitting soul who wandered too close would find their qi scattered to the void, lost for eternity in its boundless depths.

"What were they even thinking?" Jue Bu muttered, his voice echoing with a mix of disbelief and restrained fury. “Are they idiots?”

Beside him, Ren Xun reported. "According to the reports from the Four Pillars, led by Tian En himself, the invaders sought to forge an artificial Arch Gate. Their aim was to flood our realm with a legion of Outsiders, tearing open the barriers between worlds in one fell swoop."

Jue Bu released a deep sigh, the sound laced with irritation that rippled through the surrounding spiritual energy.

Ren Xun continued, his tone measured yet grave. "The creation of the Outsider Subjugation Force has encountered unforeseen complications. Two of the primaries within the Council have shouldered this sacred duty, yet political tempests brew beneath the surface. I fear an internal conflict looms on the horizon, one that could fracture our unity at the most dire hour."

He paused, looking more and more troubled by the second. "Tao Long, representing the Ward, possesses unparalleled expertise in confronting Outsiders. Through ancient exorcism rites and spells unique to the Ward's legacy, he has already begun weaving countermeasures that could seal breaches and purge the invaders from this world. However, Yi Qiu of the Martial Alliance wields influence like a blazing sun over the masses. As a heroic figure whose deeds echo across the lands, his followers flock to him in droves. This has sown division within the military ranks of the subjugation forces. Subordinates clash heads in open discord, forcing the two councilors to endure the fallout. It’s starting to annoy me, too…"

Jue Bu could feel the headache intensifying. If Da Wei learned of this squabbling, he would certainly not approve, since his straightforward nature had little patience for such petty power plays amid existential threats.

In the beginning, the army gathered by Famine had merely strained their logistical veins, for the Dark Veil had barred true entry into the Hollowed World. Yet somehow, Famine had unearthed a secret passage, allowing his forces to seep through like poison in a spirit vein.

Nongmin and Daji had theorized that the Supreme Void stirred tricks even in his slumber, manipulating fates from the depths. Now, with armies from the Greater Universe pouring in, their defenses are strained to the breaking point. They possessed too few Ascended Souls among their ranks, and their prolonged stand owed much to the players, the Guardians, and the surging might of Radiant Losten. The Mana Cultivation Method, disseminated within Losten's borders, had allowed their numbers to swell with unprecedented speed, bolstering the war effort beyond what any primary could have foreseen.

Ren Xun pressed on with his report, his draconic aura steady. "My Dragon Court and the Adventurer’s Guild have labored tirelessly, scouring the veiled pathways for the enemy's hidden route. We have mapped fragments of the breach, yet it remains elusive. I suggest we draw more players and Guardians from their deployments in the Greater Universe to reinforce our lines here."

That would prove far too difficult. The war on the front lines in the Greater Universe raged with unprecedented ferocity, its tides turning ever more perilous. He knew this all too well, since his body below his neck toiled there even now, serving as general of their armies.

He could scarcely believe the words forming on his tongue, yet they burst forth with raw exasperation. "That damn Ru Qiu! Why did he have to kick the bucket and leave this mess to me!?"

“He’s alive, though. Isn’t he setting up base on the Sixth Layer?” Ren Xun sighed and slowly realized something. "Ah, you can’t pull out the players or any number of guardians, can you? Shit. This could be bad for us. But the thing is, we can’t catch two rabbits at once.”

As one who bore the heavy burden of governing the Hollowed World in Da Wei’s name, Jue Bu knew how tough the pressure could be. Not to mention, he was also juggling as a general for the army in the Greater Universe and governing sovereign here in the Hollowed World.

“Ah, damn it! I’m being overworked like an ox here!”

Jue Bu explained rationally to Ren Xun why they couldn’t pull their army now.

“We could pincer the Seventh Realm from both sides, attacking from Ru Qiu’s front and from ours simultaneously. To achieve such a grand maneuver, however, we would require overwhelming numbers capable of shattering their defensive formations in one decisive push. Without sufficient forces, any attempt would only invite catastrophic counterattacks that could swallow our remaining strongholds in the Eighth Layer.”

Yet even as he voiced the strategy, Jue Bu sensed the precarious balance tipping. The Hollowed World teetered on the edge of being overwhelmed. If they failed to divert reinforcements from the Greater Universe’s frontlines, the Dark Veil itself might fracture under the relentless tide of Outsiders.

“Can’t we ask the Holy Emperor to summon more Ezekiels?” asked Ren Xun.

Jue Bu let out a slow, heavy breath. “It would place an unbearable burden upon him. Moreover, there exists a finite limit to the number of Ezekiels he can summon, for faith itself is not infinite. Beyond that, the fool possesses the gall to have engaged in a Binding Vow of War with War himself. Now, he cannot raise arms against any other foe without invoking dire consequences. That means he cannot summon an Ezekiel if its purpose strays beyond confronting War directly.”

Ren Xun’s expression darkened. “What kind of consequences? Knowing Da Wei, he could shrug off most heavenly tribulations, so I fail to see him simply breaking under the strain.”

“It is not that simple,” Jue Bu replied evenly, treating the Dragon King with the respect due to an equal. “A Binding Vow is absolute. It is bound directly to the Heavenly Dao. Furthermore, the vow Da Wei forged with War was a blank contract. Whichever party violates its terms must suffer whatever demand the other imposes no matter how severe or unforgiving.”

Ren Xun’s face twisted as though suffering from violent stomach cramps. “Why is he so darn reckless?”

Jue Bu’s tone softened just a fraction. “That is the price one pays for becoming too strong too quickly. He is improving mentally, at least. This time he did not hurl himself toward the Supreme Death at the first opportunity, right?”

Ren Xun shook his head slowly. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

Suddenly, space rippled before them. A familiar figure materialized out of thin air, his posture relaxed and utterly out of place amid the ruined continent and exposed Dark Veil.

“Yo, I’m back,” Da Wei announced casually, flashing a grin that belonged more to a traveler returning from a short trip than a Holy Emperor entangled in cosmic war. “Also, who wants to hear my awesome plan to deal with War and Famine at the same time?”

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Both Ren Xun and Jue Bu let out simultaneous, heavy sighs.

Da Wei blinked, tilting his head in genuine confusion. “What? What’s the problem?”

“The problem? The problem is you, you reckless, paper-dodging, responsibility-fleeing Holy Emperor!” roared Ren Xun, jabbing a finger toward Da Wei with enough force to stir miniature whirlwinds of qi. “You vanish off to the Greater Universe, play hero against cosmic threats, then pop back here like some wandering rogue cultivator with another ‘awesome plan’ while the rest of us drown in endless governing affairs!”

Jue Bu’s floating head bobbed forward, his voice rising in anger. “Indeed! While you gallivant across realms forging blank Binding Vows with primordial forces and chasing glory on the frontlines, we are left buried beneath mountains of jade slips, logistical formations, and sect disputes that could fracture the very dao of this Hollowed World! You should be handling the paperwork of empire, the tedious decrees, the endless council mediations—not dumping every burdensome scroll onto our shoulders like some lazy outer disciple avoiding his chores!”

Ren Xun let out a thunderous laugh laced with fury. “Exactly! This so-called Holy Emperor treats governance like a discarded spirit herb, passing it off to whoever is closest while he runs off to punch fate itself in the face. We’re not your personal secretaries, Da Wei! One of these days we’ll revolt and force you to sit on the throne signing decrees until your hands cramp worse than after a hundred heavenly tribulations!”

Jue Bu’s ethereal form pulsed with irritation. “You speak true, Dragon King. He struts around with the confidence of someone who has transcended mortality, yet cannot even be bothered to review a single report on spirit vein allocations without vanishing into the void. Stop dumping your sacred duties on us like yesterday’s refuse!”

Da Wei raised both hands in a placating gesture, his expression shifting to something more earnest as he tried to deescalate. “Hey, come on, guys. I trust you two completely. You’re family anyway, we’re all in this together. You know I wouldn’t dump stuff on you if I didn’t believe you could handle it better than I ever could.”

Ren Xun and Jue Bu exchanged a single, synchronized glare before their fury only intensified, now blooming into the most colorful insults the Hollowed World had likely heard in a long time.

Ren Xun thrust his finger forward again. “Family? You call this family when you treat us like overworked oxen pulling your imperial cart while you chase glory? You trust us? Then why do we end up neck-deep in your abandoned jade-slip mountains, you vow-happy, consequence-blind, throne-dodging calamity magnet!”

Jue Bu’s voice cut in sharply, laced with biting humor beneath the anger. “Precisely! This man possesses the audacity of a thousand young masters yet the administrative diligence of a slumbering rock spirit. He forges blank contracts with War itself, then smiles and says ‘trust me, family’ as if that erases the oceans of bureaucratic blood we spill daily! If you keep fleeing your governing duties like a coward before a minor qi deviation, one day we’ll bind you to the throne with chains forged from your own discarded decrees!”

The two continued pointing fingers in unison, their combined spiritual pressure creating swirling eddies around Da Wei as colorful insults flew like unleashed sword qi.

…

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[POV: War]

In the blood-soaked halls of the Slaughter Palace, where the very air pulsed with the thick qi of endless carnage, War lounged upon his throne. The Lord of Conflict listened with half-lidded eyes as his subordinates delivered their reports.

Suddenly, the grand doors burst open with a wave of scorching spiritual flames. Heavenly Flame rushed in, her form wreathed in blazing phoenix-like qi, clutching a pale skull in both hands. She dropped to one knee before the throne, extending the macabre object with reverence and urgency.

“My Lord War,” Heavenly Flame declared, her voice burning with intensity, “I have received a message from Da Wei.”

War leaned forward slightly, his imposing frame radiating an aura that made the Slaughter Palace tremble faintly. “What is the meaning of this?”

Heavenly Flame held out the skull higher. “This is an Ezekiel. Da Wei uses them to supplement his military forces—a Holy Spirit summoned from his own power. Word is, he also employs them as his heralds, sending messages directly to his enemies. Speak, Ezekiel. Tell my lord what you told me.”

The skull’s empty sockets suddenly glowed with a soft, holy light. In a voice that carried an unmistakably casual, almost cheerful tone utterly alien to the Slaughter Palace’s bloody grandeur, the Ezekiel spoke:

“His Lordship wanted to see through the Binding Vow you made with each other, a fight to the death, a duel that would decide who was the strongest between the Lord of War and the Holy Emperor. Come to the Hollowed World. His Holy Majesty shall prepare a fight worthy of your greatness!”

A commotion erupted across the court. Whispers and outraged exclamations rippled through the assembled generals and warlords like a spreading wildfire across dry spirit grass.

“A mere trick! The coward has dodged our lord for ages after forging that vow. He seeks only to keep War chained from the battlefield!”

“How dare he summon us with such arrogance? This Holy Emperor plays games with forces beyond his comprehension!”

“We must not underestimate him. His eccentricity hides cunning. If this is another scheme…”

Doubt, barely contained anger, and calls for immediate retaliation clashed in the hall, filling the Slaughter Palace with turbulent spiritual pressure.

War knew the truth behind the provocation. Da Wei had indeed been evading direct confrontation for a long time after crafting that Binding Vow, a sly maneuver designed to remove War from the wider field of battle. It was a strategy that War both disliked and secretly admired. In truth, he liked it more than he would ever admit aloud. It forced him to exercise the subtler arts of war, to scheme, to maneuver legions with intellect rather than raw slaughter, sharpening his mind like a blade tempered in heavenly flames.

A deep, resonant laugh suddenly boomed from War’s throat, silencing the entire court in an instant and shaking the very foundations of the Slaughter Palace.

“Excellent! Excellent!” War declared, his eyes gleaming with battle-hungry joy. “He’s definitely playing a trick on me! Let’s bite!”

Yet even as excitement coursed through his veins like fresh war qi, War did not act rashly. Da Wei might not appear threatening at first glance, but the man was unexpectedly sly. His eccentric and bizarre acts often served as perfect cover for such cunning. War also had to attribute some of that wit to the Holy Emperor’s rumored power to glimpse fragments of the future.

War rose slowly from his throne, his presence alone causing the surrounding qi to bow in submission. “I shall accept this invitation,” he announced. Turning his gaze to the glowing skull, he demanded, “Where exactly shall this duel take place?”

The court fell into absolute silence, every subordinate holding their breath.

The Ezekiel’s voice rang out once more, still carrying that light, casual inflection. “Find Da Wei in the Hollowed World, where he’ll prepare the stage for you and him—”

Suddenly, the skull flared with brilliant holy light and began to declare, “Heavenly Punish—”

It never finished. War’s hand shot forward like a descending judgment from the heavens. His fingers closed around the skull and crushed it into fine powder between them, the fragments dissolving into harmless sparks of dissipating qi.

War stared at the crumbling remains in his palm, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face. “I look forward to this, Da Wei. Let us see whose path reigns supreme when the final blow lands. A duel worthy of immortals shall decide the strongest under the heavens.”

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[POV: Da Wei]

Ha ha ha ha… I might’ve screwed up.

I let Jue Bu and Ren Xun vent their frustrations completely. I stood there calmly, arms crossed, not even bothering to posture or defend myself while the two of them unloaded every colorful insult they could think of. Their spiritual pressure swirled around me like a storm, but I just took it all in stride. When they finally ran out of steam, Ren Xun let out a long sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Sorry about that, Da Wei,” he said, his voice still carrying a trace of lingering irritation. “I spoke those words for the sake of us all. You are already exerting yourself greatly in searching for your disciples and my son. I am aware of the reasons behind all that transpired in the Underworld. Those actions were taken for the sake of our future, a larger design woven into the dao of fate itself, and I understand this now. I can only blame my own naivety into foolishly believing that the Hollowed World would remain untouched and safe from the chaos of the Greater Universe. Clearly, such peace was but an illusion.”

I nodded, keeping my tone sincere. “Thank you for all of your hard work.”

Jue Bu suddenly faked a loud cough, his floating head bobbing theatrically. “I’ll forgive you… if you allow me to have a harem.”

I sighed deeply. I had almost forgotten about this pervert’s inclinations. “No.”

“But your disciple has one!” he protested immediately. “Yuen Fu, right?”

I glared at him hard enough that even a floating head should have felt it. “You know why!”

He finally shut up, looking utterly disappointed.

“Of course, I won’t stop you from having a love life or whatever,” I continued, “but not a harem. Not you, okay? We can’t handle that kind of complication right now…”

Jue Bu clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Boring.”

Ren Xun crossed his arms, clearly eager to move past the ridiculous detour. “So, what is this plan you have in mind? I mean, taking down War… and Famine at the same time?”

I shook my head quickly. “Not at the same time, but consecutively.”

Jue Bu focused back on the task at hand, his tone shifting to something more serious. “What do we need?”

I couldn’t help but grin as I answered. “A very special arena. Somewhere I could beat War’s ass fair and square. Oh, I think you are gonna love this.”