Depthless Hunger-Chapters 493-496

Chapter 493: Seizing Fortune

Kai didn't find the qilin on his first attempt, or his third, but he wasn't about to let that stop him, and he also didn't run himself ragged and search ineffectively. He returned to check on everyone, spent the night with Omilaena and Zae Zin Nim, then headed back out with his head clear.

His plan wasn't to wander and try to find the qilin by normal means, not when he was sure it would reject him. Instead, now that he knew exactly where it roamed and had a feel for it, he began to track other hunters. He circled the area where he'd encountered the qilin, finding those who were closest and then tracking them from a distance.

When fortune favored them, he would harvest that fortune.

First he discovered a party of about a dozen surrounding a young master, the new heir to the Purple River sect. He was clearly a poor successor to the Poison Prince, at least based on his cultivation, but all his aides assured him that he was blessed by the heavens. After half a day, Kai decided they were too noisy for the qilin to approach.

Instead he assumed they would push it a little further east from its former location and headed into the deeper woods. There, he searched fruitlessly until he nearly ran into a party of one.

Xir Xan Khan was hunting the qilin as well.

The young master of the Coiling Island sect traveled alone, without a coterie or luxuries, according to the traditional methods. Worse, he was smart and perceptive enough to potentially notice a pursuer. Kai retreated to a safe distance and lurked for a while before he dared to examine the other man's soul as subtly as possible.

<

Name: Xir Xan Khan

Total Power: 1585

Cultivation: Sky Soul (1000)

Physique: E-2 (86)

Heavenly Body (+100)

Immortal Body (+250)

Soul Level: 7 (49)

Coiling Presence (+100)

>

It seemed that Xir Xan Khan had bet even further on the immortality elixir, presumably a reward for his participation in the battle at the Verdant River sect. He also, almost uniquely among cultivators, appeared to be training his Physique again, though it was too late for him to make massive gains.

If Kai attacked right then, he was reasonably confident he could win, and he actually considered it. Even if that scared the qilin away, it would eliminate one of their chief opponents. This man might technically still be Zae Zin Nim's fiance, and Kai wanted to kill him for his own sake in addition to hers. It would be another step toward her being truly free.

But in the end... Kai let go of that anger and waited.

If he'd learned anything during his time on Cloudspire, it was that more young masters were waiting around every corner. The qilin was a once-in-a-generation opportunity that he wouldn't give up for the sake of a petty rivalry. There wasn't even any guarantee that he could kill his opponent, since this one had a greater flight technique and would flee if he was losing. Besides, now that Zae Zin Nim was stronger than Xir Xan Khan, she wasn't really afraid of him anymore.

So Kai continued to lurk, following his erstwhile rival. Just in case, he kept the Starvation Wraith essence fully prepared, since it might happen at any moment. Still, as day slipped on to day, he began to think about the incursion again...

And, when he wasn't thinking about it, Xir Xan Khan encountered the qilin.

It was almost exactly the same as the previous meeting: man and beast stood on opposite sides of the clearing, staring at one another. The qilin seemed even more beautiful than before, its horns shining in the light with an otherworldly presence. After sniffing the air, it tossed its head... and then lowered it, grand horns facing forward in an invitation.

Xir Xan Khan took a step across the clearing, then another. His eyes glittered with satisfaction and the desire to possess, certain that such treasures were his destiny. One hand extended and the qilin did not flee, so he edged closer to the sacred beast.

Kai landed on the qilin's back. and opened his maw.

Immediately it retaliated, bringing its grandiose presence down over the clearing with such force that Xir Xan Khan was driven to his knees. But this time Kai drew on the Starvation Wraith's essence, an unholy power that respected nothing and could not see beauty.

His teeth clicked together. The qilin's head vanished, horns thumped to the forest floor, and the rest of the body slumped lifelessly, all presence gone.

"You... you ate a qilin?" Xir Xan Khan leapt to his feet, staring at him in horror.

"Seems like it." Kai wiped his mouth, trying not to get caught up in the rush of new essence. He'd been concerned about absorbing a sacred beast, but he knew he'd gained something, so he couldn't lose focus against a dangerous opponent.

"First you violate Zin Nim, then slaughter a qilin... did you come here to profane everything sacred?"

"I really don't like you talking that way about my wife." Kai stepped off the body and raised his hands as claws. "You've gotten stronger... care to test it against the strength of a qilin?"

Xir Xan Khan stared at him, seemed about ready to fight... then dissolved into purple light and shot into the air. Kai had hoped to lure him into a fight, but it seemed like he was too smart for that. When he came back, he'd have reinforcements... and unlike some of the other fools, he might actually be able to track them down to the waterfall hideout. He was from the Heavenly Mountains and Lakes region, after all, and might have other mechanisms for searching.

So Kai shoved down his satisfaction and moved fast: he threw the body and the horns into his spatial ring, since he presumed they would have special properties, and then hurried back. He tried to combine Mutefang's Stealth and Thunderbird's Wings using mana to travel quickly but invisibly, just in case he was being monitored.

After circling several times, Kai was convinced that Xir Xan Khan had actually retreated instead of waiting to track him down. Trying to chase him right then would only have tilted the odds against him, so it would have been a bad strategy in any case. Once Kai was satisfied that he'd slipped all pursuit, he returned to the waterfall.

When he got back, he was surprised to find that his wives were actually the ones out by the Clanless instead of inside the cave. They saw him and smiled at first, then they must have seen something in his face or his aura, because they both got to their feet.

"Did you do it?" Zae Zin Nim asked.

"I did," Kai said. He'd planned to say more, but somehow anything else felt unnecessary.

"Great work." Omilaena moved to embrace him and Zae Zin Nim followed her, so for a moment he had them both in his arms and was more satisfied than during the hunt. "I'm guessing the qilin didn't decide to bless you?"

"No, not really. Oh, but I have gifts for you."

"Is it-"

"I will shove these horns into your mouth if necessary." Kai revealed the rack of horns from within his spatial ring and presented it to Omilaena before she could repeat the same lewd joke.

However, he'd underestimated his wife. Omilaena was only briefly startled by the curling horns in her face, then she leaned down and licked along the side of one before sucking the tip into her mouth.

"There's no need for that." Zae Zin Nim shoved the horns into her mouth, nearly choking her, and Omilaena fell back, spluttering and laughing.

"I already got enough essence," Kai told them as he brought out the body as well. "Do the parts of a qilin have special properties as well?"

"I don't know if anyone has ever found out," Zae Zin Nim said, shaking her head. "But I suppose it's worth trying."

"In all seriousness, these horns seem like a great material." Omilaena made them vanish into her spatial satchel and patted it cheerfully. "The parts of sacred beasts generally have all kinds of useful properties and I doubt this one is any exception. Usually, though, there's no use for the meat but to eat it."

"Yes, I suppose so."

Zae Zin Nim didn't seem particularly bothered by him killing the sacred beast and was now just interested in what she could gain, which was a very cultivator attitude now that he considered it. They carried the body back to camp and Omilaena removed the scales, bones, and several other components. After that they roasted the meat, which soon created savory aromas that drew all the others. By that evening, everyone's mouth was watering.

Omilaena tested the first cooked meat and thought that it would have a positive effect on Physique, but not one that scaled significantly based on volume. Since there was plenty to go around, they might as well share, though Kai only took a small amount since he'd already eaten the entire head. It did taste good, but not as good as the potent essence within him.

This wasn't a group he would ever have expected... Omilaena and Zae Zin Nim, of course, but also Inafay and Orotaisin sitting together on a log, and Cragrila and Nirka on opposite sides of the fire, and even Grandpa Wan Fei sitting at a distance. After Zae Zin Nim swatted the old man's hand at first, she softened and let him have some, since there was plenty to go around.

In that moment, Kai should have been fully satisfied, yet he found himself drawing the qilin essence into his soul and trying to use it. He wasn't overwhelmingly effective at first, just extending a sense of grandiose presence over the campfire. This aura felt like a noble and ancient beast, clearly different from the Starvation Wraith he was going to combine it with.

Using that might ruin the mood, but he was definitely going to try, first chance he got.

Chapter 494: True Monstrous Presence

That comfortable meal around the campfire was their last relaxed moment. As Omilaena preserved and stored the remaining meat, the warm atmosphere seemed to be packed away as well, as they all faced a battle that was likely inevitable. Kai had already told his wives, but now informed the others about how Xir Xan Khan knew he was alive and it was only a matter of time before they needed to fight.

Everyone set about their own training, moving in different directions. Kai trusted them to handle themselves and went with Zae Zin Nim when she said she wanted to train under one of the waterfalls, and Omilaena trailed along with them.

As far as he could tell, the water was relatively normal, it just slammed down from the cliff above with crushing pressure. A cultivator would sit on a rock underneath it and endure the water flooding over them, which would both train the body and enhance focus. He'd tried himself and it seemed interesting, but not his top priority. When Zae Zin Nim sat under the waterfall, her body was entirely lost in the froth.

Instead he sat nearby and focused on his new essences. He'd trained most up to a reasonable level and now he worked on the qilin essence, trying to refine it into exactly what he needed. They were all clearly effective abilities, and they would merge into one another easily, he just wanted them all to be ready.

<

Banchlain's Aura - XIII (nu)

Redtree Betrayers - VI (zeta)

Qilin's Presence - V (epsilon)

Starvation Wraith - IV (delta)

>

An almost physical wall of fear from Banchlain's Aura... rage and revenge from Redtree Betrayers... awe and majesty from Qilin's Presence... and the terrifying supernatural existence of the Starvation Wraith. He could easily merge them into a normal aura, but he thought he could do a step better than that. All of that power could be manifested in his body, making him a physical embodiment of that spiritual might without losing any of the effect.

Before he could get the balance exactly right, Zae Zin Nim emerged from the waterfall. The water had plastered her robes to her body, but Kai was concerned about the scowl on her face. Clearly things hadn't gone as well as she'd liked.

"I don't think I can make any major breakthroughs here," she said. "There are better waterfalls further west, larger or sacred, and I think I would require one of the most prestigious to advance."

"Do you want to go to one?" Kai asked.

"No, I think that would be too much of a risk. The Heavenly Waterfall sect controls the best waterfalls, and they may have ties to the Coiling Island sect." Zae Zin Nim's scowl softened as she looked at them. "Both of you have helped me achieve great breakthroughs... I can support you now. I want to help."

Omilaena had already looked up from her work and now smirked. "You're helping me with that look. When those robes get wet, they really don't hide anything, do they?"

For the first time Zae Zin Nim realized that her dark robes clung to her body like a second skin, revealing almost everything. She squirmed, but she didn't try to hide herself. "None of the others are here," she said quietly, "so it's okay."

Even when they made love, it carried an intensity and urgency that it hadn't before. For all Zae Zin Nim's excuses about dual cultivation and Omilaena's innuendos, the physical intimacy really did continue to strengthen them, so it helped prepare for the battle. Physique would be one of their greatest advantages when they went up against the patriarchs.

But they couldn't rely on Physique alone, so when they returned to the main camp, Kai also returned to getting his presence technique right. It took a little more training, a little more meditation... eventually he could visualize all four essences as statues within him and everything felt right.

When he first fed Banchlain's Aura to the Starvation Wraith, it immediately began consuming it, more voracious than any monstrous power he'd ever felt. Before the Banchlain could be burned away as power, Kai desperately threw in Redtree Betrayers and Qilin's Presence as well. The combined meal of monstrous, bestial, and human power managed to blunt the hunger temporarily, and the fundamental essence began to transform into something new.

Kai opened his eyes and felt the world ripple around him.

<

Famished World - I (alpha)

>

The new technique was called Famished World and it seemed to seize control of the space around him. It was another essence that had been reborn at the alpha stage, suggesting it had great potential for growth in the future. Kai was so pleased with himself that he didn't hear the shouts and screams at first.

"What the fuck is that?" Cragrila was staring at him from a distance, crystals lighting up defensively all over her body.

On the other side of the camp, Inafay stared in shock and Orotaisin had instinctively put himself in front of her.

Nirka had fallen down and was scrabbling backward, eyes wide with terror.

Grandpa Wan Fei coughed up a mouthful of blood and retreated out of his range.

Before Kai could draw the ability back, Zae Zin Nim and Omilaena moved closer to him. The pressure in the air kept them back, but they didn't seem affected by the waves of fear that flooded from him. In fact, Omilaena just looked excited and Zae Zin Nim seemed proud of him.

As Kai embraced them both, the aura withdrew into his body. It was so powerful that it wanted to explode outward, but in theory he thought he could restrain it to himself and keep the spiritual benefits to his body, though that would require more training. For now, he was too satisfied to test any further and didn't want to terrify his allies.

"How are they immune?" Inafay asked, edging closer. "That felt... that was bad, Kai. Worse than the Starvation Wraith. I know you, hell I fought you to satisfy myself that you weren't a monster, and I still couldn't see you as human for a bit there."

"Clearly it's immunity via fucking," Omilaena answered, reaching down to grab his ass.

"I don't think so." Zae Zin Nim frowned like she disapproved, but didn't pull away. "While it's possible that it relates to exposure to this sort of power, it may also have to do with Kai. A true presence technique can target enemies and not allies, and Kai would instinctively avoid targeting us."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Cragrila grimaced. "Then I hope you're not trying to tell me something." She stalked away, throwing herself into her own training furiously.

The others recovered in time and Kai avoided using it on them, since it seemed to have been traumatic for some. He saw Grandpa Wan Fei looking at him in a new way and he wondered if this had made a difference: the patriarch had seen something that he believed could stand against the Masterful Crown's greatest presence techniques. Regardless of whether he had changed, he was still a cultivator, and cultivators respected power first and foremost.

And now Kai had power. Not just Physique, but the transcendent presence that cultivators craved.

Over the next days he trained at a distance and focused on control. Such an overwhelming technique was useless if it created liabilities, and more precision was always good. Yet no matter how much he trained, even when he made real progress, he couldn't manage to bring Famished World up past beta rank.

To increase it further, he'd need to test it against a real opponent... and that time was likely coming soon.

.

..

.

After she left the others in bed, Omilaena returned to her work room and stalked around it fruitlessly. For all that she was truly happy for her partners, she couldn't be satisfied with this. It wasn't even that she feared they would abandon her, just an enduring competitive spirit that hated falling behind.

With this advancement, Kai had brought his monstrous soul to its peak, which made him an equal to the greatest patriarchs on the continent. As Zae Zin Nim's Blackblood Physique continued to grow, she was entering the same range, and at its full potential she would surpass them. Omilaena would put herself up against most Sky Souls, but she was still far below the peak.

And what infuriated her was that she didn't see any way forward. Though she'd pretended to have tons of time and helped the others, in her spare moments she tried everything and it just wasn't enough. Every part of her soul worked together smoothly, just as she'd intended, but the result was only incremental progress, as always.

For a time she'd focused fully on cultivation, but she eventually abandoned that path: her tattoo was currently at the equivalent of the Body Refinement stage and the gap to Nascent Foundation was huge, not something that she could cross in the time remaining to them. The Path of Venomsteel had grown effectively up to Step 10 and then stalled. She thought she was missing something... the Path made it easier to poison needles, and strengthened her Lethal Artisan constructions, but she wasn't really employing its full potential, just using it as an enhancement.

What that would mean, however, escaped her.

She wasn't willing to harm her long term development with a premature Physique advancement, which didn't leave much left. Her Azure Core strengthened her spiritually, and it had been useful against all these presence techniques, but could she actually bring it up a significant amount?

That was a likely possibility she wished that she had thought of earlier. If she had been pushing her Azure Core from the beginning she wouldn't have needed to use injections against all the presence-using cultivators. Stupid, stupid. Even though she could keep all the details in her head at once, she clearly wasn't capable of truly reflecting on all of them.

If none of those could work in the remaining time, what did that leave? Omilaena slumped down against the stone slab and dropped her head into her hands, as motionless as the corpse.

Chapter 495: Deeper into the Heart of Poison

After his breakthrough with Famished World, Kai felt like he was mostly ready for the battle. He continued training his Physique, just to get his body and mind into peak condition, but spent more time scouting and checking on the others. There hadn't been any retaliation or signs of searching yet, and in fact there were still cultivators hunting the dead qilin, but it was only a matter of time.

While he had been focused on the presence techniques of their strongest opponents, Omilaena had been thinking about something that had evaded him: wind techniques. Zae Clen Ban's defensive sphere of wind was a problem at any level, and apparently the Brightwind sect had even more wind techniques that could prove troublesome.

Now, however, Kai sat and watched as Omilaena triumphantly presented a potion she'd refined from Juray's. They started with having Cragrila drink it, just as a neutral test subject... and as soon as she did, a sphere of wind burst around her. Zae Zin Nim tried to use conventional Brightwind techniques and they slid off the side, like it was a mana shield.

"This is incredible..." Cragrila stared down at her hands. "Such a powerful shield, and I'm stronger as well..."

"Bah, this is just the prototype," Omilaena told her. "Now that I have the theory down, I can make better versions from our windy boy and girl over there."

"We're happy to help," Inafay said. "But will those work on us? I can't imagine you can... put our power back into ourselves..."

"Actually, you can! Like concentrating your power from a period of rest and tapping it during battle. Give me a few hours and I can create potions for you two, no trouble."

"What are the limits?" Zae Zin Nim asked. "This is useful, yes, especially against formations of Earth Souls, but against more powerful Brightwind cultivators..."

"Oh, I can do even better than that for you." Omilaena patted her on the cheek. "Your body can take a lot more, so I can go to extreme lengths. I'm going to refine this into an injection and you should get a shield that could even stand up to your father's wind."

Cragrila was still staring, now at her. "I knew you were dangerous back in Krysal, but I never imagined you could be so formidable..."

"Bah, you shouldn't expect anything less from a genius." Omilaena preened exaggeratedly, then waved them off. "Alright, I need to work. You train with this and I'll get upgrades later."

As she left, sauntering unnecessarily, Kai realized that something was wrong. Omilaena had an ego, yes, and she liked attention, but she was leaning into it in an unnatural way. It wasn't something he had realized at first, even after being married, and even now he wasn't quite sure... he rose and followed her into the cave.

"What?" she asked. "Do you need something too? I think your defenses are already strong enough, big guy."

"Is everything alright?" Kai stepped up behind her, not touching her yet. Omilaena blew out a puff of air to make her locks of hair fly.

"Bah, I'm fine. Just overworked."

He reached out and grasped her hips, pulling her back against him, but this was actually a diversion. Omilaena was perfectly comfortable with sexuality and relaxed against him, not suspecting his true motives.

"Are you feeling insecure about your progress?" Kai asked.

Omilaena flinched and pulled away from him, but couldn't escape his grip. Then she hesitated and slumped back against his chest. "Alright, fine. I can help everyone else advance, but fuck me if I can figure it out for myself. I'm stalled and it's obvious to everyone."

"Do you have to figure it out yourself? We may not be 'geniuses' like you called yourself, but you can't solve everything on your own."

For a time he thought that she might reject him, or play it off as a joke, or just lean into the sexuality instead of engaging. But after a long pause, Omilaena nodded slowly. "You may be right. I don't think there will be any easy answers, but we can try some new things. Will you eat a corpse for me?"

Kai watched her suspiciously, but she wasn't deflecting. "How will that help?"

"Come this way and I'll show you." Omilaena gestured for him to follow and took them to her secret work room. "The Poison Prince has venom in his veins, so I've been able to extract that and grow a little. But the strongest poisons are some sort of family secret, probably something built into his body. I was thinking that you could extract the essence and convert it into a form I can use."

He wasn't looking forward to eating the preserved corpse, but... "I will commit cannibalism because I love you."

Omilaena grinned - briefly, but this time the expression was real.

.

..

.

Zae Zin Nim had noticed that her wife wasn't entirely happy, of course, but she hadn't been sure what could be done about it until her husband spoke to her. Once he explained Omilaena's thoughts, all of it made sense and she was surprised she hadn't realized earlier. She was bad at such emotional issues and glad Kai could help sort through them.

Cultivation issues, however... that was her domain.

"Is the Heart of Poison advancing toward a limit?" she asked. They were seated on their bed, though not for intimate reasons. Zae Zin Nim waited on one side, examining her wife, while Omilaena meditated on her own chakra.

"You mean like Goralian Classes?" Omilaena shook her head without opening her eyes. "No, my Heart of Poison had always advanced steadily so long as I have access to new poisons. I wonder if that means there's a limit, if I absorb every poison in the world."

"Perhaps, but I was more concerned about whether it is approaching a phase transition. From what you said, it does not seem likely that you will reach 99 and then break through into new power."

"No, I don't have any power that follows that pattern... well, I suppose I have the cultivation tattoo now, but we talked about that."

"Steady growth is good, but what we need now is a leap forward, a fundamental change."

"Obvious," Omilaena snapped. "That's what I've been bashing my head against."

Her wife was being vicious and acerbic, but that was normal for when she was frustrated. Zae Zin Nim wasn't annoyed, and in fact in a strange way she liked it. What she wanted more than anything was to help her find a way through, but as Omilaena had correctly noted, that was easier said than done.

"What about Lethal Artisan?" Zae Zin Nim asked. "When does it increase from Spinel rank to... Topaz?"

"Topaz is right. That will happen around 350 Power, but it won't be that sort of massive change."

"What is the difference, then?"

That question actually made Omilaena pause for a moment, considering. "The difference between chakra ranks isn't huge, like with cultivation stages, but it's qualitative. When it happened in the past, I gained the ability to absorb and create more types of metal, and stronger ones."

"I see." Zae Zin Nim considered it for a moment, then rose and walked around the bed to stand behind her wife. "Is the Heart of Poison truly concentrated in your body? It is not a literal heart, I take it."

"It's chakra, so it's a concentration of fundamental poison. You already know the ways that I use it."

"I think that you should focus it all." Zae Zin Nim reached to touch her chest just over her heart. "Do not simply absorb more poison, gather it all and force it into a more intense form. This is an essential part of cultivation, and as you said, it should be possible to cultivate chakra as well as qi. I think it will work."

"You sure this isn't just an excuse to grope me?"

"Unlike you, I do not need excuses for such things."

Omilaena rolled her eyes at her... but she considered it. Nothing happened at first, but then Zae Zin Nim felt her wife's chakra begin to coalesce. Just how it could manifest in poison on her nails, or a cloud from her lips, it instead focused inside her body. The power flowed inward, trembling as it strained against itself, and soon it dispersed again.

But, just for a moment, Zae Zin Nim felt the mass of poison throb with new power.

.

..

.

This actually might work. Omilaena had been incredulous at first, but this wasn't coming out of nowhere: Kai had very concentrated poison to give her, Zae Zin Nim was an expert in her own way, and Omilaena had been trying to concentrate and merge her own abilities for years.

Just not like this.

She sat down in the cave, focusing entirely on her body, letting the poison chakra flow through her as strongly as possible. What she needed to do now was not just strengthen the poison available to her, but transform it. Concentrating power to such levels went against her instincts and seemed impossible... though the more she tried, the more it reminded her of the phase training she had undergone on Deadwaste. Without all that experience, it might have been impossible.

Now, however, she thought she had a chance. She didn't know exactly what would happen or if it would benefit her, all she knew was that it felt right. Concentrating power like this was in accord with all her theories, so at worst it wouldn't hurt.

After considering different possibilities, they had agreed that her Heart of Poison ability was the one to focus on after all.

<

Heart of Poison: Level 90 (360)

>

She had increased it to Level 90, providing an even 360 Power. All of that had been gradual progress, without the jumps that characterized almost all other abilities. In theory...

No reason to delay. Omilaena drank the vial of concentrated poison from Kai and tried to compress all of it within her. Like congealing poison in her heart, breathing poison into her own lungs, feeling her entire body throb with the deadly venom.

There was less of a struggle than she expected, no emergency or wild deviation from normal paths. Another woman might have risked being poisoned, but she had been filling her body and soul with poison for years and was unharmed by however much washed through her. All that mattered was that blue core, forcing it down, making it more and more potent...

Suddenly she broke through. All the pressure was gone, her poison felt concentrated, and it was done. Omilaena looked at her soul to see what had happened.

At first she saw that Heart of Poison was still at Level 90 and was dismayed. Had all her progress really come to nothing? Or had she fundamentally misunderstood the deeper rules of power? Dozens of self-accusations swarmed in her mind before she managed to focus and realized the truth of her soul.

<

Name: Omilaena

Total Power: 1730

Heart of Poison: Level 90 (630)

*Prana Jewels: Level +6 (42)

Lethal Artisan: Spinel Rank (310)

Ice Refinement (114)

Path of Venomsteel: Step 10 (150)

Physique: D-9 (245)

Soul Level: 8 (64)

Azure Core (+175)

>

The level of Heart of Poison hadn't changed, but where each level had previously been worth 4 Power, now each was worth 7. It wasn't some new source of power, just a strengthening of everything that she had already earned. Suddenly the years and years of absorbing new poisons, which had seemed to fall further behind more dramatic sources of strength, felt very worth it.

She leapt to her feet, eager to use her new abilities. If she concentrated poison on her nails or needles, it would definitely be more potent, resistant to the raw power abilities others used to resist or purge them. And her clouds of poison... there should be no comparison.

Before she could try anything, Kai embraced her from behind. Omilaena tried to slip his grasp at first - they usually hugged Kai, and Zin Nim always needed affirmation, but she didn't require that sort of thing.

Then Zin Nim hugged her from the front and she was trapped. Omilaena gave in and relaxed in between the only two people in the world who wouldn't be harmed by the new poison emanating from her body and soul.

"Congratulations, Omi." Zin Nim said softly. "Do you... want to do something special tonight to celebrate? I know you always want-"

Omilaena put a finger over her lips, her fingernail glistening bright blue. "As delicious as it is to hear you say that, no. Thanks to this, all three of us are on the level of one of the top patriarchs. What I want is to kick your father's ass."

Chapter 496: The Estate of the Masterful Crown Clan

As much as Hul Ping wanted his vengeance, he was starting to believe that it might never happen. Yes, he had reached Floodisle City and was even inside the Masterful Crown clan's complex, which he thought would be impossible. But there was no sign of Yul Wei Ren anywhere, still off on some unknown continent, and no one else was remotely within his reach.

He trudged around the side of the cultivation courtyard. In theory he was supposed to be training, but he didn't have the heart for it. What was the point, when young masters could gain hundreds of Power just by drinking immortality elixirs? The advancements he had received from Kai and his wives had been a great fortune, but were far greater than anything he could achieve on his own.

Hearing the young nobles gossip, it seemed to be a widespread belief that family standing and good fortune were the only ways to advance in the world. Hul Ping had received his good fortune and doubted he would find any more. He considered chasing after the qilin, like many others tried, but knew it would be futile.

And potentially dangerous. In recent times there had been reports of groups of cultivators disappearing in the forests and not returning. He noticed that only groups tightly allied with the Masterful Crown clan had disappeared, and almost hoped...

Midway through his trudging route, Hul Ping bumped into a large servant. Once he would have insulted or slapped the man, but now what was the point? Compared to the patriarchs and their heirs, the two of them were basically the same. Hul Ping just scowled and moved around the servant.

Only for an enormous hand to close around his arm.

Hul Ping tried to jerk away and to his shock the man didn't even budge. He looked up... and suddenly realized that this could be no servant. The man looked like a normal outer sect member, just a bit tall and pudgy, but bumping into him had felt like solid muscle.

"Kai?" Hul Ping breathed out the name, not quite believing, and the illusioned man nodded.

"I'm back." The voice was much too deep for the chubby servant, and seemed to have a new dangerous undertone to it. "Is it safe to talk here?"

"Let's step into the supply courtyard." Hul Ping pretended to be reprimanding the servant until they stepped into a poorly kept little enclosure beside the proper cultivator's spaces. He wanted to see Kai for real and settled for hissing his enthusiasm in questions. "What happened? I helped your wives and then I didn't hear from them and..."

"That'd be a long story," Kai told him. "But thank you for helping them."

"Of course. I'll do anything to get back at-"

"About that: I have to tell you that Yul Wei Ren is dead. Sorry it couldn't be by your hand, but he got what was coming to him."

Like that, his vengeance was gone. Hul Ping had known it was likely and still felt like the breath had been knocked from his lungs. He hesitated, realizing even through the illusion that the larger man was watching him, waiting for something.

"Thank you," Hul Ping said with a bow. "I assume you want to finish things? Take down the Masterful Crown clan?"

"Exactly. We need information about exactly which patriarchs are still here and where they're presently deployed."

"I have that, no problem. The clan is putting up a strong front, trying to say that their new relationships with sects from the Heavenly Mountains and Lakes or the Eastern Plains make up for the sects they lost, but most know better. There's been all kinds of unrest in the city. It's true that they're making deals with the other sects, but their cultivators aren't usually here."

"And the patriarch?"

"At the very highest level of Floodisle City, like always. Holding court in the grand balcony." Hul Ping swallowed. "You're... really going to attack, aren't you?"

"Yes. You should make excuses and get out." Kai started to move away, then turned back. "You've embedded yourself here, and you aren't so weak anymore. I assume that some cultivators follow you?"

"I'm no one important, but yes, a few."

"With the largest clan in all the Southern Rivers gone, the aftermath will be chaos. Get allies, gather family, do what you can to bring order afterwards."

Then he turned and was gone. Hul Ping stared after him, wondering if that would be the last time he ever saw the heroic barbarian... until he realized that he would no doubt see him over the skies of Floodisle City when the battle began.

.

..

.

Kai stood on the deck of the Clanless - not for the last time, but the last time in the near future. They'd gathered together everyone: not only the close allies they'd trained, but the Krysali and dryads who wanted to return home. Now that he had finally information from Hul Ping, confirmed by Zae Zin Nim and Omilaena's sources, they were ready to move.

There was no need for him to say anything, thankfully. Still, he lingered, feeling somewhat responsible for all those who were on Cloudspire with him. Eventually Inafay came up to stand beside him.

"I know why you'll say no," she said, "but are you sure we can't stay and help?"

"The risk is too high," he told her. "You'd be fine at first, but we can't predict what form the counterattack will take. Here, there's too much chance you could die a pointless death. On Deadwaste, your power could make you a hero who throws back the incursion."

"Ugh, this sucks." Inafay scuffed her foot on the deck and looked away.

"None of it is fair, but all we can do is make the best of it. Survive and you'll be blowing past cultivators within a few years, I'm sure. Make sure to get the Clanless back home... it won't help much here, but it could be valuable there. Get everyone else back if... things go wrong."

"Come on, don't say that." Inafay abruptly hugged him, then pulled away. "We'll get everyone to safety, then we'll be waiting for you."

Kai nodded at her, smiling more wistfully than he expected. She pulled back and looped her arm around Orotaisin, who held her close and gave him a nod. That was all they needed to say. As Kai stepped away from them, he took one more look at their souls.

<

Name: Inafay Corinin

Total Power: 468

Windcutter Class: 98 (108)

Windborn: Twiceswept (115)

Qi Condensation 42% (13)

Physique Level: E-9 (107)

Soul Level: 7 (49)

Highwinds Essence (+75)

>

<

Name: Orotaisin of Mistral

Total Power: 503

Windborn: Thriceswept (291)

Physique Level: E-9 (107)

Qi Condensation 97% (19)

Soul Level: 6 (36)

Highwinds Essence (+50)

>

They'd definitely grown stronger - Orotaisin at 500 Power and Inafay not far behind - but his logic still held. Better to keep them safe while Kai struck with an elite team that could shake even Sky Souls. He looked at Cragrila too, standing alone at the back of the deck - she was stronger thanks to all Omilaena's experiments, but still at too much risk in a fight like this.

<

Name: Cragrila

Total Power: 576

Crystal Cultivation: 9999 (125)

Crystal Dantian (+50)

Acid Cultivation: 1000 (50)

Physique Level: D-1 (205)

Crystalline Blood (+60)

Soul Level: 6 (36)

Jadewood Spear (+50)

>

Kai was glad to have had them with him for so much time, and proud that he was sending back so many forces to fight the incursion. Of course, if all went well, the real difference would be himself. Kai took a deep breath and looked at his soul one more time.

<

Name: Kai Clanless

Total Power: 901

Monstrous Hunger - XV (omicron)

Cultivation: Nascent Foundation 23% (257)

Savage Heart: 21 (218)

Physique Level: C-7 (335)

Beggar King's Robes: +2 (10)

Soul Level: 9 (81)

Behemoth's Heart - X (kappa)

Thunderbird's Wings - IX (iota)

Baleful Breath - VII (eta)

Manticore's Spine - III (gamma)

Void Gaze - VIII (theta)

Famished World - II (beta)

-

Tyrant's Claw - XII (kappa)

Isulfr's Bite - VIII (theta)

Direboar's Strength - XIV (xi)

Mutefang's Stealth - XV (omicron)

Sahagin's Soul - XII (mu)

Lizarkyl's Tail - VI (zeta)

Wallcrawler's Feet - III (gamma)

Abominalgum - I (alpha)

Rose Piranha - III (gamma)

Cloud Piranha - III (gamma)

Bloodtrap - III (gamma)

Slime's Immortality - I (alpha)

Silver Demon - I (alpha)

Voidmaw's Bite - I (alpha)

Great Cetae - II (beta)

>

He felt lean and stripped down, his monstrous essence refined and his human strength in balance. Even though he wasn't sure what they would face, he thought it would be enough. And after that, he would return to the incursion with power that no one had predicted.

His own strength... and the two women who came to stand at his sides. He imagined that it must still look disgusting to cultivators: a Nascent Foundation man with barely 900 Power, accompanied by women with over 1700. In a way, that discrepancy was what had started all this.

But it was time to finish all this: not with any young masters, but the patriarch of the Masterful Crown clan.