Chapter 15: Big Trouble in Little Chenghai
---D-Day+169, Goridine 12th, 2nd Wednesday Morning---
---Chenghai---
*BOOM* *pang* *skrrrrrch*
My boots grind against the stone dock after the bullet hits Tormentor’s blade. Hard. Hard enough to push me back several feet. Fat fuck’s angry red face pales as he realizes his sneak attack has failed.
Of course I can't help but grin and give my best Jack Burton line.
"It's all in the reflexes."
[Super Senses] had locked onto the incoming shot as soon as the assassin pulled the trigger. On the roof of a five story tall building blocks away which just so happened to have a clear line of sight to this pier.
[Bullet Time]
‘Geesh, haven’t used this cheat in a while.’
The world around me slowed to a crawl but really I just sped up. A lot. Felt the pin poke in my mana water balloon as the cheat started draining me. Barely noticeable in my ocean of magic fuel but it's there.
[War Machine]
The leak gets ten times larger as I pour pixie piss from my astral reservoir straight into my veins. Pretty much turning me into an isekai iron man.
'You're a fucking wizard, Harry.'
And while cutting the lead, with my name on it, in two would look super cool. Fragments might hit the girls behind me.
So drawing Tormentor, I swing it into the ball’s path. Blade flat instead and hold the tip with my other hand to brace it.
Impact.
The shock wave ripples through the blade. Down into my arms. A hell of a lot of power was in that shot. Probably a magic bullet or something.
Can feel tendons tearing. The ripping stops at my elbows as war machine mode pushes back. Stitching me back together as I grind across the ground.
There isn’t even a scratch on the demonic blade. But I can feel exhaustion in its will. Took a "hell" of a lot out of it to block that blast.
With so many guards and servants pushed aside or knocked down by my earlier qi infused shout. I can see the yanese princess again. She's staring at me. Her indecisive look first flashing to shock. Then transforming again. This time into outrage.
The only thing worse than assassinating someone in front of lots of witnesses? Is failing to assassinate someone in front of lots of witnesses.
“Uncle! You tried to kill xingan!” She looks at the ranking yanese soldier. “Guardsman, arrest Magistrate Zhan!”
The lamellar armored guys with plumed helmets are rousing themselves. But not a one makes a move on the old beaurocrat. Instead they warily eye me. Dozens of polearms pointing my way makes it clear who they consider the bad guy to be.
Fat fuck sighs before he speaks to Little Li.
“Xiao Li… How can you expect your mother to accept this? Her swan might wed a frog, if it is royal enough.” Uncle’s looks at me with disdain again. “But a common dog?" Shakes his head sadly. "Never.”
Before Li can reply a loud snort sounds from beside me.
“Ha!” Red taps her sword against her shoulder. “So you are a coward and a fool!” Lifts and points the blade at the oriental magistrate. “Call my husband a dog? Well, then you can watch this bitch rip your throat out!”
Hitomi slides up to my other side. Both short swords drawn and ready. Glancing at me before showing off her pop culture reference knowledge off with a grin.
“This is gonna take crackerjack timing Wang.”
I laugh and reply. “Total concentration. You ready Jack?”
“I was born ready.” She nods with a gleam in her eyes.
All my girls are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. Weapons drawn. Mana gathering for techniques or incantations.
Fat fucks soldiers are angry too. Glaring at us like we cannot live under the same sky. Dozens of halberds and glaives point our way.
Wait, I know what this is.
‘Chinese standoff. Don’t… make… a sound.’
“Hiyaa!” Shouts the snarling Foundation Establishment officer and his troops charge.
“Kill them all!” Prego-raging Red screams as we also attack. The yanese may have numbers, training, and experience on their side. But I’ve got a bunch of seriously pissed off ladies on mine.
‘Those poor bastards.’
*CRASH*
The two sides smash into each other as qi surges around me. Making the differences between elemental and draconic magic obvious again.
The tourinese, and everyone else around there, “externalize” magic. They tap into the mana reservoir within their astral form and directly fuel spells. Usually a magical construct created through one of the elemental languages.
Enhancement is the most common, and cheapest, “school” of elemental magic. A.k.a. “body magic.” Using spells that only buff themselves. At first I figured they were quasi-mages. Lacking the mana to cast “real” spells.
Now I think of them as knock off brand cultivators. Able to temporarily increase their strength, stamina, speed, etc… Abilities the daoists gain permanently as they follow the xiandao, immortal way.
Yanese, on the other hand, “internalize” magic. Instead of a mana reservoir, they develop astral organs. The dantians and meridians. And feed them through another astral organ. Linggen. Spirit roots.
Curiously, everyone has that organ. Even me. It’s how the mana reservoir slash lower dantian is refilled. By ambient mana being absorbed through them. They just don’t matter much to elemental magic where the size of your mana pool is everything.
It's a different story for draconic magic. Dragons cast with their bodies more than their voices. Channeling “qi,” yanese for mana, along particular paths, with particular motions, to “write” the incantation.
[Super Senses] shows the guards lighting up like christmas trees. With lines of different colors as the daoists among them start using martial arts techniques.
The non-cultivators break out the kung fu too. Theirs just looks lame. Compared to the light show my cheat is getting from the cultivators.
Normally mana is hidden behind your “aura.” Your astral skin. But [Super Senses] lets me peek inside and watch the magic happen.
And thanks to Jin and the twins, plus Lurch, I’m seeing and understanding more and more.
‘Beautiful.’
It really is.
Like the second in command of the yanese warriors. His robes are fancier than the rest. And covered in golden lamellar instead of silvery grey. All of it decorated, etched, and embossed. While wielding a long glaive.
Whose business end, at the moment, is slicing my way.
I see the ribbons of qi coursing from his dantian and through several meridians. His body also moves in a particular way. Driving the glaive’s long curved blade up before sweeping downwards.
Writing [Red Grass Cutting Wind] with qi.
‘Feels like a third realm skill.’
*ting* *chang*
Tormentor’s been sheathed to rest so the divine rapier Sanctity springs into my hand and deflects the heavy polearm, guandao. Earning a triumphant smile from fancy man as he spins the glaive. Using the hook on the back side to trap my sword.
‘Dumbass. I've got two hands.’
[Fist of Scales]
*POW*
Using a first realm punching technique from the Jade Dragon Flame martial art. Qi surges and my left fist slugs mister dressed to impress in the face.
*crack* *whoosh* *crunch*
Yeah we are both in the third realm. Zhuji. Foundation Establishment. But I’ve got a shitload more “qi” and my body is used to being soaked in mana. On top of the physical improvements from the first and second realms I’ve cultivated.
So I’m not only rewarded with the sound of his nose breaking. But also the sight of a very richly outfitted fantasy china dude flying away. Up and over the crowd. Leaving a trail of blood behind in the air. Before barely clearing the carriages and crashing into the ground beyond them.
A halberd stabs in from my right.
[Horn Pierce]
*slich*
Slide to the right as I channel a Star Dragon Sword art first realm stabbing technique. Puncturing the qi gatherer’s lamellar chest piece and popping his heart like a water balloon.
*swish*
Drop into a low crouch as several polearms invade the space my own chest was just in.
[Roaring Tail]
*crunch*
And into a counter clockwise spin with my left leg way out. The second realm takedown, in Jade Dragon Flame, sweeps the legs out from under the bad guys. Their screams tell me some of those bones broke instead of bent.
Using the sudden breathing room, I check on my haremites.
*pof*
[Two Long Claws]
'Wow!'
My naughty ninja rips her blades out of one kill and vanishes in a cloud of smoke as a halberd tries to impale her. Only to reappear next to mister stabby an instant later. Her body and qi writing the second realm piercing skill from the Twin Steel Dragons dual wielding swords art.
The technique helps both blades cleanly puncture through the guardsman’s thick scale mail and pop out his back. Shishkebabing him.
"[Reaping Torch]"
*foosh*
"Aiyee!"
Frankie’s three ring dark school spell turns another yanese into a human torch. The advanced level DOT actually sets the target's soul on fire. Not fatal to the spirit but incredibly painful and very lethal to those with flammable bodies.
While she refuses to get left behind. So cultivates as hard as a certain half japanese half dark-elf high schooler. My cult's self proclaimed high priestess still prefers elemental magic.
Red deflects a glaive. Then spinning her burning blade around to decapitate the bastard. Blue freezes two with ice magic. Lili crushes a third's skull using the earth school. Milti also gets in on the action. Melding with Juri to become a half-dead and using the Star Dragon Sword art to cut up a big bruiser.
After the close quarters stuffy hell that was battling in the Jinshibo. This open wharf and sunny afternoon, even with the noisy seabirds, feels downright spacious.
I notice Elder Baiyu and her two apprentices have stayed back. All three look apologetic but, yeah, I don't do halfsies. You're either mine or you're not.
No, I'm not mad. Just disappointed.
[Quick Dragon Kick]
*crunch*
Use a third realm skill to show that disappointment by crushing the ribs of the next fool in my way. As murderous shadows descend on the fallen.
"Necromancer!" Someone screams as my minions join the fight.
Yeah, had to leave the skellies and golems, including Agrag, back in Elluine due to weight. But my shadows are basically weightless and I'm their anchor to this plane.
Would say that turns the tide but even my softest girls have gained a sharp edge by now. They've been getting "buffed" by me regularly and training hard. So this is a fight they are more than ready for.
A fact that quickly becomes obvious to the enemy as a voiceless voice echoes in the back of my mind.
~Archon, unleash me.~
'No, not yet-'
"Stop!"
A qi infused shout from "uncle" blows through the melee and pauses the clash. The battle is only a minute or two old but already two dozen plus yanese corpses litter the ground. Including almost all their daoists. Many more are injured. There is fear in the survivors' eyes as they back away.
My women are bloodied too. But most of it isn't theirs.
Behind the enemy lines I see fat fuck holding a jian to Little Li's throat. He's looking pretty shaken.
"M-monsters! Wh-what are you?! Stop k-killing my clan!"
Yanese princess doesn't look afraid. Nor angry. She appears perfectly calm. Which, of course, means the girl's super pissed. Her quiet voice cuts through the background noise.
"Uncle. You should run now."
But fat fuck still ain't listening. He looks downright pathetic standing behind the 5’3” Li and using her like a human shield. With a large shudder the magistrate finally settles down some.
"Fo-forgive this foolish servant of the state, your royal highness. I will require your company for a little longer."
The shocked captain angrily looks at fat fuck. "Senior, you assured me this would be an easy task." He glances at me. "Now half my men are dead and you are threatening a princess of the Tiang. The Zhan cannot condone this action."
Chenghai's magistrate nearly growls back. "Brother daoist, even tigers hunt patiently." Glancing back at the city. “As long as we retrieve her daughter. We will be forgiven.”
The wharf is now mostly open and bare under the afternoon sun. Littered with abandoned crates and carts after the sailors and dockhands fled. Only the North Jade Dragon Palace sect hopefuls and local bureaucrats remain.
Creating a peanut gallery for this wuxia tragedy.
Uncle Zhan starts backing up towards the leading carriage. Only the maids who were helping to corral the princess remain by his side. The bureaucrats have already retreated back and are now being joined by the remaining guards.
Pulling Little Li with him he smirks at me.
“A dog can never be a dragon. No matter how sharp its claws or ravenous its appetite.” As he insults me, the four “maids” draw sabers hidden under their flowing robes and stand in between us. Taking up kung fu poses.
‘Son of a bitch.’
I catch glimpses of qi. A lot of qi. And their auras are hard. Almost as hard as mine. Hiding their cultivation well and explaining why I didn’t notice they were daoists sooner. Can’t actually tell what realm they are.
‘This could be trouble.’
All four lock onto me as my women and minions get ready for round two.
“Don’t need to be a dragon.” I sheathe Sanctity and begin casually walking towards the wuxia maids. “Don’t need to be a dog.” Fat fuck has almost reached the first wagon. “Just need to be the last motherfucker standing.”
‘Now.’
*whiny-*
*CRUNCH!*
Like in the movie Jaws, a tooth filled maw rises up from the surface. But this huge fang filled mouth looks reptilian and built of smoke and ink. So massive and high, that both horses tied to the front coach are inside it.
An equine scream of terror is cut short by the enormous jaws snapping shut. A voiceless rumble is felt as much as heard before the terror sinks back down into the street.
All happening without disturbing a single stone. Leaving only some puddles of gore and splinters behind as proof that it was real.
Hear the isekaied brit, Lizzy, snicker behind me.
"Hehe, bollocks. They’re gonna need a bigger wagon."