Return
Qiao Xue tapped Mu Yu on the shoulder then headed over to Ocean Fiend King to fill him on the state of the world.
“Third Heaven Palace did that?!” exclaimed Ocean Fiend King. “We have to inform Green Dragon at our earliest convenience about this, or this world is doomed!”
“Why did Sword Shadow Dust Gale seal you away, then? Would it not haven better to have you assist him protect Third Heaven?”
“He sealed us for our sake. Divine Executioner recorded our qi and was set on punishing us for breaking rules. Sword Shadow Dust Gale’s seal allowed us to play dead. As much as I hate to admit it, it was the best call.”
“Doesn’t that mean Divine Executioner is now aware of your return?” queried the dragon vine.
“As you should’ve noticed, I’m not technically alive upon my release. The seal erased my qi; you could say I’ve been reincarnated.”
“Why wasn’t Green Dragon King sealed, then?” Xiaoshuai questioned.
“Because he’s the strongest amongst us and capable of hiding his presence. At the end of the day, Sword Shadow Dust Gale and our existence is integral to the balance of this world.”
“So that’s why Reverend Xuan Jizi said the fiend kings had to be released.” Mu Yu asked, “What rule did you break?”
Ocean Fiend King fixed his gaze on the puffs of white magic in acres of blue. Voice resolute, he answered, “We… wanted to have control over our fates.”
Enjoying the harmony between the aqua fiends that had set aside their prejudices to get along with each other, the ocean breathed, her surface rising and falling with rhythmic ease. The fiends in their cradle of brine ecstatically welcomed their returning king.
“Hey, there’s your Momo,” the dragon vine kindly pointed out.
Xiaoshuai whooshed into Mu Yu’s pocket, praying, “She don’t see me. She don’t see me. She don’t see me.”
Momo flirtatiously greeted Xiaoshuai when she picked up his smell, triggering a, “Drats!” Because of Ocean Fiend King’s presence, she could only follow him around and not cross the line.
Despite his initial reluctance, Mu Yu came to terms with the fact that the support of the fiend kings was necessary if they were to save Third Heaven from imminent doom as the circumstances stood and, therefore, joined the fiend king’s group as they skied across the water toward Moyun Mountains.
How ironic. I thought I did the wrong thing when I released White Ape Fiend King. Turns out I did the right thing, Mu Yu thought.
“Mu Yu, I’m sure the fiend kings will help you and your shifu,” assured Qiao Xue.
“Yeah. By the way, do you remember the energy you felt when you helped me?”
“Yeah, I don’t like it.”
“You need to attain it. If you attain it yourself, you will retain self-awareness. If you don’t Xuan Ming might force it onto you one day, in which case, you won’t have any control over yourself. We have to set aside the prejudices between our races to combat Third Heaven Palace first and then unite against Divine Executioner. To that end, the five of us must shoulder the leadership roles of the spirit lords on our terms.”
“Where can I kill people to obtain the power?”
“Kill anyone from Third Heaven Palace, Ghost Gate, Shadow Syndicate and any other black sheep in the cultivation world. I’ll help you.”
I feel… he’s changed a little, inwardly noted Qiao Xue.
The group returned to Moyun Mountains after a three-month long journey across the ocean.
“Welcome back, Your Majesty,” greeted Gui Dingtian, having survived Gui Yeming’s attack and spent his days waiting for Ocean Fiend King at the shoreline.
“You also possess my blood?” questioned Ocean Fiend King.
“Your subject and Elder Lu were under Ancestor White Ape’s orders to revive you. You can take my blood now, Your Majesty.”
“It won’t be necessary. I will recover what I’m missing over time. Thank you, both of you.”
“It is your subject’s honour.”
“Take care of him.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” responded Gui Dingtian, going to provide Lu Xiong, who Ocean Fiend King already administered first aid to, with support.
“Ol’ Gui, how did you survive?” the dragon vine questioned, whacking Gui Dingtian in the face with its tail.
“Your subject fell into a coma after sustaining injuries. Luckily for me, a sea turtle took me back to shore. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to locate the island no matter how I tried. As such, I could only wait here for your return.”
“Fiend King, I have something to take care of. I’ll head to Green Dragon Kingdom once I’m done,” Mu Yu stated, referring to sealing the hole at No-Man’s Valley.
“All right, both of you take care. We’ll be waiting,” responded Ocean Fiend King, aware of what Mu Yu’s goal was.
“We will,” Qiao Xue promised, going with Mu Yu so that she could show him the way to Green Dragon Kingdom once they were done.
***
A red human jaw drifting along the blue, salty, formless arms and releasing red qi, said, “Yes, Walk-in Heart Genesis is on Mu Yu!”
“Where are you, Elder Gui Yuzi? How can I find you?”
The individual conversing with Gui Yuzi was none other than his accomplice – Ghost Gate’s patriarch!
“I’m way out in the ocean. There’s not much time left, and you won’t be able to locate me. Find Walk-in Heart Genesis. That’s the only way I can be restored.”
“Understood, Elder Gui Yuzi.”
Gui Yuzi swore, “Mu Yu, I will make you regret spoiling my plans!”
As the skull’s energy dimmed out, the skull turned back to a white bone, disintegrating into powder.
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