“Feeelix! You said the girls were in this direction!” said Edward.

“I said ‘I thought’. It’s not my fault that these woods are impossible to navigate! This is exactly why I didn’t want to go in but then Daiyu just had to go sprinting in. Better than facing those soldiers I suppose.” said Felix.

“That would be safer than letting you navigate...,” said Edward.

“What was that?” snapped Felix.

“I said thank goodness we lost those soldiers. I hope the others are alright,” said Edward.

“...as do I,” said Felix.

Nice recovery. This is on me for not going with someone with a better sense of direction. Navigate to the north by the sun, my ass. We can only hope they are alright though. This isn’t a fairy tale, unfortunately. They are probably dead just like our guide… and why the hell are there so many imperial soldiers in the woods? Only an idiot wouldn’t connect them to the missing spirit beasts. Are the spirit beasts missing because of all the soldiers or are the soldiers here, knowing the spirit beasts aren’t?

“I heard something over here!” said a voice from behind them.

Felix cursed. He grabbed Edward by his shoulder and pulled him beneath the thick brush. Both pressed their bodies into the dirt and Felix could feel Edward trembled as two figures rushed by mere meters away.

I suppose even cultivators can overlook things when they are in a hurry.

Then one of them stopped and scanned the area. Felix tensed but then the other soldier grabbed the first, pulling him along.

“Come on, we need to find those murderers. The army will be clearing this area in a second anyway.”

The army?

Their two pursuers faded into the woods. Felix began to rise but a loud crash made them both duck back down. A beat of marching feet accompanied the crashing, both noises rising together in a crescendo of noise.

“Felix! What do we do?”

“We run of course.”

“Maybe we should just hide?”

Felix hesitated but then heard the voices of more scouts from different directions. The crashing sound got louder and louder. They started to rise when a horizontal line of light washed through the area right above them. Felix's eyes widened with horror as the surrounding greenery slowly fell. Even as a few freshly cut hairs fluttered before his eyes, more crescent shaped waves of light came through the foliage all around them. Then there was a moment of stillness before the trees in a five meter area began to fall.

Felix was left staring across a stretch of freshly cut stumps at a column of imperial soldiers. Five men wide and adorned in black armor, the men moved in perfect synchronicity. Their number appeared endless as each man mirrored the one in front.

Whoa… that’s sweet.

The first soldier’ foot in each line would glow an earthy color as they pulverized whatever plant matter was before them. Each subsequent soldier contributed afterwards with a similar attack until the pulverized land was flat as a road.

Move you idiot!

Felix grabbed Edward by the scruff of his robes, dragging him away. They desperately tried to remain below the trunk height as they scurried through the mess of fallen trees.

“Enemy on the ground!”

Felix looked back to see one entire line of soldiers had each raised a sword in unison. Then they brought it down together. From the tip of the sword came a line of red that formed a crescent by the end of the slash. The repeating pattern of half-moons rushed between the soldiers toward them in unceasing waves.

All pretenses gone, they left the cover and fled at full speed. Felix sent out a desperate Ragnarök strike toward the upcoming attack. It shattered on the first wave.

Bullshit.

His form blurred to the side, yet the procession of attacks changed directions to match.

That’s not fair!

Felix felt small hands grab him and he was hoisted into a sitting position, a familiar scent filling his nose. Elder Zhenzhen had arrived.

Elder Zhenzhen watched the incoming attack and snorted. She waved a dainty hand and a ghastly palm appeared and met the attack. It obliterated the first red halfmoon without even pausing. Her attack almost reached the soldiers themselves, but it finally began to falter.

The soldiers didn’t even blink. Two adjacent lines in the column raised their swords together and sent their own tides of half crescents.

“Annoying,” said Zhenzhen.

Her cloud began whisking them away, even as the green hand crumbled. Three waves of half moon attacks spilled forth in pursuit.

“Really annoying,” said Zhenzhen.

She pointed two fingers toward the army and the image of two gnarled fingers shot out. They didn’t head for the soldiers directly but circled around to the army's flank. Yet men in the line shifted in a practiced motion, raising their shield to form an obscure patter pattern while simultaneously sending out more red half moons toward the incoming attack. The first of the two fingers were snuffed out by the wave of half moons but the other made it to the soldiers.

The shields glowed, a light leaking from them to combine into what appeared to be a giant sheet of scale armor. The scale barrier bent slightly under the attack, but the pressure was shared by hundreds. Even then, a few soldiers nearly lost their footing. With a combined yell of defiance, they shoved back against the two fingers which shattered under the recoil.

Elder Zhenzhen’s little cloud was already far away even as the soldiers attempted to coordinate more attacks.

“Wow little disciple, you really do know how to find trouble. I leave your group alone for a few days to help solve that fiasco in Pale Hill City and you go and challenge the imperial army. Did you ever think of how much that inconveniences me? Selfish.”

“Are Xue and the others safe?” said Felix.

“Stop talking and pull me up! Pull me up!” yelled Edward.

Felix finally looked around and found that Edward wasn’t on the cloud. Instead, he was dangled beneath it. A cloud hand protruded from the bottom of the cloud and held him up by his legs. Felix sat comfortably in front of Elder Zhenzhen.

“Elder, maybe you can bring Edward up here with us? He is making a lot of noise.” said Felix.

“Don’t you worry Felix. All the imperials already know we are here now. So, it is okay if he is a little loud. Besides, there is not enough room on the cloud.” said Zhenzhen.

What are you talking about? He could easily fit. Stop scooting closer!

“Besides, I heard what he said about me. Calling me old! Hmph! You two wouldn’t believe how young I am!” said Elder Zhenzhen.

“You insufferable hag! Pull me up now.” said Edward.

“See?” said Zhenzhen, ignoring Edward’s continued cursing. “Now stop bringing up unimportant things. There are some nascent souls on their way, and I need to lose them.”

Elder Zhen changed their direction toward the north where the land began to rise. They just crested a cliff when a giant gold character appeared in front of them. Elder Zhenzhen blanched, raising both hands to send out a wave of green energy to meet the character.

Felix’s world exploded and only stopped spinning when he landed on the cliff below.

Owe…

He struggled to his feet but paused when he found two people standing only ten meters away. They ignored him and instead stared at the sky.

Ah shit, justiciars. The large one is intimidating but wearing an outfit two sizes too small. He can’t be that important. That one on the left is definitely high up in the echelon based on how much gold is on his uniform. He gives me a bad feel… Wait, long glowing red finger, that crazy jawline. It’s just liked the report. That’s fucking High Imperial Zactus! Fuck!

Zactus’s arms blurred, and a golden halo formed above his head. A barrage of golden characters and chains appeared, shooting out from his hands to fill the sky.

What is he doing… Elder Zhenzhen!

Her tiny cloud could be seen weaving between the increasing number of obstacles, the occasional green hand or slash knocking away those that came too close. Yet Zactus’s attacks didn’t fade, and the net slowly closed. Soon she disappeared from view and it almost looked like a giant sun of gold had formed in the sky.

“Stop!” said Edward.

The attacks actually stopped. The giant boy in ill-fitting clothes gave them an incredulous look as Zactus pulled out a pocket watch. He stared at it for a minute before putting it away.

“We are already so behind schedule…” said Zactus.

Then he turned to face Felix as well.

“Karma is quite interesting, don’t you agree?” said Zactus. “To think only hours ago I received reports detailing a group of Thousand Season disciples not only thwarted plans in Pale Hill city but forced us to move up our timetable. Then only moments ago I received a second report of my scouts dying and those same disciples being the culprit. Not only making a fool of us but somehow avoiding capture.”

“I- I don’t think that’s very funny,” said Felix.

“I never said it was funny. Breaking the law, is, not, funny.” said Zactus. “I was simply pointing out the strangeness of it all. Now, please surrender and you will be treated with dignity.”

“NOPE!” said Elder Zhenzhen, her voice filling the sky.

Eerie green flashed through the golden characters and chains, bathing those below. Then the sphere ruptured.

Felix was forced to a kneeling position by the shockwave as golden shrapnel impacted the surrounding earth before dissipating.

Elder Zhenzhen was surrounded by green mist that seemed to move almost like fire. The mist reformed into one giant spear that came down upon the still standing High Justiciar. He watched it with a bored look on his face and raised his extra long glowing finger to meet it.

An even larger shockwave washed outward from the clash. Felix and Edward found themselves unaffected this time, the small figure of Elder Zhenzhen standing in front of them. Everywhere else was devastation with trees cracked in half and boulders sent bouncing away.

The only other unaffected location was immediately around High Imperial Justiciar Zactus. Even the large boy was unharmed though his eyes had gone wide for the first time.

“A sneak attack on Elder Zhenzhen? Well, it was a good try.” said Zactus, eyes bored. “I have to admit, our information on your strength was wrong. You should have been sealed in there for a while.”

Sneak attack?

He finally noticed the tens of shattered green hands on the ground around Zactus. They were covered in red lines and were smoking.

Oh…

“A big strong justiciar like yourself shouldn’t mind a weak woman doing what she can to survive,” said Zhenzhen.

“It matters not. Now give up.” Said Zactus.

“I can still fight, and I can certainly still flee old man!” said Zhenzhen.

“Perhaps, but what about those disciples behind you? You can survive my attack, but they won’t.” said Zactus.

“...”

“Surrender Zhenzhen or leave your disciples behind.” Said inquisitor Zactus. “Once my men are here, you will be apprehended regardless of what trump cards you bring to bear.”

From the cliff could be seen the columns of the incoming army below. Above that, black dots could be seen speeding toward them.

Shit… he’s not lying.

“Elder, just flee.” Said Felix. Edward gave him a horrified look, but he ignored it.

“I think I would rather die here than face Elder Brother Rong after abandoning you two,” said Zhenzhen.

“My patience is wearing Elder Zhenzhen. I shall give you ten seconds to surrender.” Said Zactus. He pulled out his pocket watch again, its ticking echoing in the stillness.

“10” said Zactus. “9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4

3…

2…

1”

“I will take the third-”

A howl ripped through the air, the trees bending with the power of the noise. Zactus sighed, flipping his pocket watch close. He turned to face a line of silver light that barreled in their direction. It moved much faster than the incoming nascent souls and soon Felix could make out a man with a mane of silver hair. He landed between the two parties with so much force that the cliff shook.

Felix steadied himself and absently extending a hand to help Edward to his feet as he beheld the new arrival. Bare chested except for a pair of pants, the man stood taller than even Zactus. His muscular physique was overshadowed by the scars that seemed to criss cross over his entire body. A mane of silver hair cascade down his back and his golden eyes swept over them with obvious disdain.

Are those wolf ears on his head? But, he also has normal ears. Oh, and why are those eyes familiar?

“Beast Lord Lang Ji,” said Zactus. “May I know what has warranted this visit?”

The man’s lips pulled back into a smile with teeth just slightly too pointed.

“High Imperial Justiciar Zactus… you have erred.” Lord Lang Ji. “Thankfully.”

“Beast Lord Lang Ji, I am afraid I must disagree. I have an agreement with the Viper king, the Vole King, and the Mole King,” said Zactus. He raised his hand and a document appeared. “Per this agreement, we are allowed access to this corridor of the endless woods for the period of the invasion and permission to reuse this corridor in case of retreat. We shall not build any more than two forts and shall aid and replant every tree killed during the campaign. I have heard of your… reputation and know not to push the limits of such an agreement.”

The beast lord Lang Ji stared back and then began to shake. A growling noise started to leak out as the reverberations increased in strength.

Okay and now he is growling and laughing. The world has gone mad!

“You’ve been had, human,” said Lang Ji.

“Please enlighten me, Senior.” Said Zactus.

“Right beneath this cliff, is an area I’ve allowed those weaklings to occupy. It is improper for them to allow you through.”

“…I see.” Said Zactus between gritted teeth. “They will know my displeasure for their deception. Then could I ask senior for the chance to negotiate for safe passage and compensate you for our intrusion?”

“No, human. Your path through the lowlands below would have been acceptable. That is still technically not the region our honored ancestor tasked us to defend. That territory starts at this cliff. You erred when you not only sent scouts up it but actually fought! Such disrespect… it cannot be allowed to go unanswered. Would you human allow those to go unpunished that defile what you considered sacred?”

“No… no I would not. Yet we have a rational mind as well. On rare occasions one must consider the intent over the letter. Can we not discuss this more?” said Zactus.

A sea of howls sounded out from the forest, their combined might even outshining Beast Lords, Felix looked down from the cliff and an endless horde of wolves started to make themselves known.

“I think not Zactus. We restrain ourselves with good reason but it means my people lack tempering. How can I deny them such an opportunity?”

“I will give you one more chance, Beast Lord Lang Ji!” said Zactus, his face warping in rage. “If you force our hand, I will make sure you pack suffers for it.”

The surroundings of the beast lord began to vibrate as he rose into the air.

“Do not worry, little nascent soul. I have just broken through to the next realm, but you and the little trespassing woman will serve to help consolidate my realm. If you perform well enough after my pack's claws have been sharpened, then perhaps you will live.”

“Wait!” said Zhenzhen. “Could I ask senior to allow these three to run?”

“I don’t kill children.” Said the wolf. “Those two and that one with the strange technique will be allowed to flee into the woods.”

“Thank you elder.” Said Zhenzhen performing a small bow. “Felix, this is for you and Edwards ears alone. You need to flee as far as you can from here. More of Zactus’s nascent souls are on the way and I should be able to flee in the coming mayhem. Don’t give me that look, go, now!”

The large boy besides Zactus had already fled into the woods and they followed after.

Well… I suppose that was lucky. Wait! Those eyes, therefrom that night on the road. Maybe he remembers me from that night. Wolf buddy for the win. We just need to get far enough away then.

“However,” said Beast Lord Lang Ji, his voice spreading for kilometers. “I may not kill children but they are perfect to stimulate my unawakened descendants. Let the strong live and the weak die!”