One Law stage battles were set for the next day, and the day's events had come to an end. The moon lay over a bed of clouds, its pearl-white shine reflected over Vera's baiju.
Sat upon the mountain's edge, Vera gazed at the endless forest beneath. The forest's visage melded with that of the demon continent. Its sparse foliage was filled with demons.
He let out a low sigh and took a sip of his wine.
"Maybe I was meant to stay there." His eyelids drooped. He recalled his days back in the Demon Continent. The rushing blood, the constant battle, and the moments of quiet that came at its end.
This wasn't the first time he'd gone too far.
Vera gripped at the rubble on the cliff; its fine sands seeped through his fingers.
The day he sparred against Elem was similar, but...
"I didn't have any killing intent back then. But today?"
No matter how much Vera thought back, he never recalled a time where such an abominable intent emanated from him.
The smell of blood, guts, excrement, and sweat filled his nose.
It was as though he were back in the Demon Continent. The blood of a thousand wildebeest embracing his body. Their insides became a warm carapace protecting him from the world.
As the smell engulfed him, he realised...
"I feel calm."
There may have been a way back if I felt excitement. But calm?
The pebbles in his grip turned to dust.
To feel solace in violence...
"Do I belong there?" His drooping eyes sharpened. The more he thought, the more unmistakable it became.
The fight with Mei and Longwang. The way he tortured the coalition dogs. How he left the humans in the Yaksha camps to die. Vera's fingertips felt warm; a crimson wetness engulfed them.
"Did it become my home the day I met him?"
He took a swig from his flask. The gentle winds eased him. He leaned into the ground; the tufts of grass became a soft bed.
Only soft whistles of wind filling the forest could be heard.
Time passed as he lay down in silence; the moon climbed to the sky's zenith.
Soon dull thrums vibrated through the hill. They were footsteps.
The cadence, gait, and weight behind those steps were unmistakable. A dull thump sounded as a big-built man sat beside him.
Aspartese held out a cup he had brought along, gesturing for Vera to fill it.
He looked toward Vera as the baiju sloshed around in his cup. "You left without saying anything."
As he expected, his remark was met with silence.
He set his cup down and leant back; his gaze met the moon. "War or survival?"
His tone ran low, not cold, just low.
Leaves rustled and a moment of silence passed.
The grip over Vera's throat loosened. His eyes still faced the endless forest. "Thirst."
The word lingered in the air.
Aspartese pulled out two pieces of jerky from his rucksack: one for himself and the other for Vera. "Tell me about the story of your thirst."
Only the rustling of leaves and the brushing of wind followed his request.
Having lived over five centuries, Aspartese's body was engraved by war and battle. "When I saw you fight today, I was surprised. I realised I had only seen one side of you. Tell me, so that I can understand the other half."
The cold that froze Vera's mouth shut warmed up.
"I spent two years in a land void of people, a place where only battle stood in wait. At first it was empty, tiring even. But... as time passed, I grew to enjoy it. The point where life becomes uncertain, but it doesn't matter."
An antagonist that revealed the truth to him, the five demons that solidified it, and those who helped him along the way.
The battle against the Yakshas. An ambush by myriad wildebeest.
His time on the continent was bloodied by conquest and survival.
"At some point, I realised that I missed those times. I am not supposed to be here..." Vera's breath hitched; his fingers gripped the cliff's edge.
"No."
A tired sigh escaped Vera.
"There isn't anything for me here."
Aspartese listened in silence. Although the premise was unfamiliar, Vera's words resonated with scars over his skin.
Although our past isn't the same. It carries the same meaning.
As the story came to an end, so did the flask of baiju. Aspartese gripped Vera's shoulder. His tone was low but also warm.
"There may not be anything here for you. But that is on you, not your nature." Aspartese flipped his cup over. "What you need is here. You just haven't looked at it."
The loose pebbles beneath Aspartese bit into the cliff's edge as he got up.
"Come back soon. Chun and Chang-yu are waiting for you. I will as well."
His turned back was soon engulfed by the mountain's foliage. His footsteps became one with the forest's chorus.
Once again he listened to the wind's whistling.
Vera emptied his cup; the droop in his eyelids had eased. "Have I really not looked at them?"
***
Vera returned to the Heavenly Peng Inn after midnight. His mind was weighed down by contemplation.
The night was thick with clouds; only the sky above the inn was clear.
Jin Jiang escorted Vera to his room when he entered the premises. Despite it being so late at night, Jin Jiang didn't seem the least bit bothered by Vera's late entry.
If anything, he was still in uniform and was prepared to greet other guests.
His thick-heeled shoe resounded through the inn's marble floors. Vera followed from behind; his gaze drifted around the Heavenly Peng's refined interior.
No matter how many times I look at it, I can't wrap my head around its value.
Considering Vera's room was out in the back, Jin Jiang decided to show Vera the inn's amenities on their way.
As they passed through the first hallway, a dining hall appeared. Despite it being closed off, the clattering of utensils could be heard.
"The cooks are preparing for tomorrow's breakfast. If you come early for breakfast, I can get you some 'off-menu' items."
Vera confirmed he would be first in line if lobster were promised.
"I'll ask the cook to prepare some for you."
The two laughed quietly at Jin's remark.
As they reached the stairwell at the first floor, Jin Jiang called for Vera's attention. He spoke while pointing out at the inner courtyard.
"The courtyard was initially made at the Blade Master's request. It was made for martial artists to train. If you would like to train here, just call for me; I can let you in."
Vera looked into the courtyard. At first sight it looked like any hillside training area...
Vera's expression faltered; his mouth gaped.
Why is there a waterfall in the inn??
Jin Jiang understood exactly what Vera was thinking. A subdued grin formed over his face. "Warrior Vera, this isn't just any hotel. You are at the Heavenly Peng inn. Even if you looked through the five nearest domains, you wouldn't find any stay like ours."
Although, even with Jin's explanation, Vera stared at the waterfall with widened eyes.
After some time the two of them climbed up to the inn's fifth floor. The higher up he got, the thicker the air became.
As if the wind were drawn to the fifth floor.
Jin Jiang turned back to face Vera. "Ahh, I almost forgot. Congratulations on your victory earlier today. Most of the guests couldn't stop talking about your fight."
Vera's expression soured at his words.
Ahh... I really didn't want to hear about it again.
If anything, he needed to apologise to that senior.
A moment of silence passed.
Jin Jiang bowed down. "My sincere apologies. I shouldn't have brought it up."
Having spent some time with Jin, Vera didn't want him to think too much of this. He walked up to Jin Jiang and casually lifted his head up.
"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry for making you work so late at night."
After thanking Vera, Jin Jian followed from behind. The chattering that followed Jin's escort was silenced. The two of them walked to the room in awkward silence.
As Vera was to enter the room, Jin Jiang called out to him with his hand outstretched. "Warrior Vera, I received this letter from Lady Chang-yu in your cohort. I was told to hand it to you when you return."
Vera took the letter from him and bid him well for the night to come.
Having tucked the letter into his robe, he entered the empty...
Empty hallway?
From the far end of the room, Vera sensed a subdued presence. He hoped it was Chang-yu, but that was unlikely; she had already left Vera a letter.
Could it be someone from the coalition?
However, that was even more unlikely. If it were someone from the coalition, Sword Dog would have turned them into a mangled corpse.
In truth, Vera already knew who it was.
The moment he sensed the presence, he saw an unending sky.
Vast and overwhelming.
Could it be a high-ranking member from the first branch?
Vera's left arm spasmed; without him directing it, qi flooded his meridians, protecting every inch of his body.
It couldn't be. Aspartese wouldn't let them come here.
The uninvited guest's sky blue eyes gleamed under the moonlight. The air around him was dense enough to distort light.
The thick scar that started at Vera's chest and ended at his back throbbed; cold sweats beaded up on his forehead.
For the first time in a long time, Vera thought that he was prey. His eyes quivered. Each time he denied it, the raucous beating of his heart proved him wrong.
Could it be... him?
His cold voice, though quiet, permeated the air. A voice that overwhelmed all things.
His sheer presence was built on being more – being vast and overwhelming.
"How cold of you, Jiao. To think you didn't even look for me, your benefactor."