CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: WAR PATH PT4 —NINE HEAVENS

Reigning even above the heavenly cities, at the peak of the atmosphere of the planet was another sanctuary, this one did not align with any of the Heavenly Cities, acting more along the lines of mediators and watchers tasked to watch over the world and prevent calamity. But over the years, this sanctuary had forsaken its duties and the most high power of the world had forgotten their roles.

But that was to change.

Marquis sighed as he walked across the lavish corridor crafted from gold and jade emeralds. Underneath his eyes was the sign of exhaustion—he had been up all night for the past three days trying to get an audience with the Nine Heavens and on the third day, his request was approved.

Behind him walked his secretary—the woman looked at her boss and couldn’t help but feel sympathetic to him. The events of the heavenly cities had pushed him to exhaust his options and mental fortitude—she knew him, he was not a man who would let things go without intervening.

Their guide stopped before the door and knocked, an answer came from the other side and the guide stepped to the side after opening the door allowing Marquis and his secretary to enter the massive room.

They found themselves in an area that a complete contrast to the outside—in simple terms they found themselves outside, standing in a courtyard surrounded by cherry blossom trees and koi ponds, surrounding the koi points were mountains and atop of each mountain was an individual.

Marquis tightened his tie, his nerves cracking underneath the intense pressure of nine, digital Immortal Cultivators staring down at him—he steeled his nerves and took center stage. "Esteemed Heavens I have come before you on this day, to seek your assistance in helping end the peril that has plagued our home."

The woman wearing a strawhat looked down on Marquis with her golden eyes. "We have explicitly stated that, matters regarding the heavenly cities and the rest of the world do not concern us, why not solve your trivial matters yourselves?"

Marquis bit the insides of his mouth in frustration. "The duty of the Nine Heavens is to oversee and bring order when chaos arise, you have to intervene. The state of the world has changed, you all felt it didn’t you? The massive surge in energy and the calamities across the world, ever since then, problems had come our way and you are our last hope, the last resort."

The woman scoffed again. "Sympathy will not garner you any favors from us, it is your own doing that led to such events, why involve us?"

Marquis wanted to scream, reasoning with the senile fools was beyond impossible, they all took the majority rule approach and the worst of them? The woman that was answering him. " We need your help! The world as we know it is perishing—" He took a deep breath, preparing for what he is going to say. "—or you can sit here on your comfortable asses and die like cowards you are. For a higher power designed to help the weak, I’m sure your predecessors are rolling in their graves as we speak cause you trample and spit on all that they stood for."

The youngest of the Nine Heavens watched the discord happen after Marquis said that—a smirk appeared on his face and he stood up from his seat, the man standing across from him had the tenacity to talk back to the heavens and even insult them.

He jumped from the seat and landed beside Marquis—his red hair swaying in the wind, his red eyes glaring at the others. "Well, I guess that’s that, the lad has grit. So I will help him."

The woman glared at the man standing with Marquis. "Ri, what are you doing! We don’t associate with those lowly peasants you should know that."

Ri wore his hat and smirked at the woman. "Let’s say, maybe these so called peasants we look down upon can be the ones to set our heads straight." He took center stage. "We have grown complacent acting like gods and keeping a pacifist nature. Have we kept our job?..." His eyes gleamed when no one answered him. "Figured, we keep riding our status and do nothing well it changes now and I resign."

RI turned around and left the room despite the pleas not to leave from the others.

Marquis followed after him—he picked up his pace to walk side-by-side with Ri. "Thank you."

Ri looked at him from the corner of his eye. "Don’t mind it, I wanted to leave for the longest time, I did not have any idea how to do that but you gave me a perfect excuse to resign."

Marquis went quiet—the glorified Nine Heavens were not as their disciples preached they were, out of the nine only one found compassion to help? Even though Ri had his ulterior motives, his help was appreciated.

Ash flew everywhere, suffocating the soldiers that took to arms—Baihan watched from his elevated point—the people that were stopping them were weak, they had no chance in winning again him.

"I have a report general."

Baihan turned around to look at one of the sentries kneeling before him. "Speak."

"The east has been stopped, Kishi and his squad were annihilated. We have suffered a great deal of casualties but the enemies too have."

Baihan returned his attention to the battlefield—Kishi losing with his men would surely put a pause in their assault, but it was expected. The man was as incompetent as incompetent becomes, priding himself in being the master’s lap dog—Baihan knew he had to wrap up before any more resistance arrives.

ASH HYDRA

His Neuro-Qi flowed in his conduits allowing him to create more ash at will. He knelt down and placed his hand on the ground turning the rocks, and sand into ash which dispersed per his command forming a massive serpent with gleaming red eyes and eight heads—the serpent hissed and dove into the battlefield, swallowing the Dravnel soldiers with its advent causing massive casualties within moments of it being present.

Baihan’s lips thinned when he felt a massively powerful aura come from above.

Ri grinned seeing the massive serpent reeking havoc. Veins appeared on his hands as he gripped the black and red scythe tighter—his body was free falling and he stabilized it as he fed the scythe his Neuro-Qi activating its passive ability.

REAP

A Gleam of red flashed in the sky illuminating as if it was the sun itself—He swung down. "Take this."

Ri knelt down after his flash slash, his scythe held away from him and his eyes closed—a massive slash reflected on space cutting through the ash serpentine clearing the dangerous beast in one attack. Where his scythe traveled created a miniature fissure that swallowed the ash as it closed.

He got to his feet and glared at Baihan, his scythe pointed in the direction of the latter.

"You are next."