Interlude-4-H-The Great Balance

"Righteous God or Villainous Fiend, it's your choice in who you'll become. But be wary of both sides. Failure lies in excess. To walk the path of the Dao is to walk the line of balance."

Phrases integral chanted throughout my mind. The ancient final words of the ancestor. An important lesson many chose to ignore or were just oblivious of.

Not that it mattered to me. Their choices are their own. They have their path and I have my path. Though they all failed to sea reason and fell to a failing abyss, I alone managed to climb through.

Walking the tightrope was the most ideal way of following the great ancestor's teachings. I alone managed to infer it all those years ago, mere days after my own birth. God or Fiend.

I opened my eyes for the first time in countless years. A breath of satisfaction left my lips as the virtues of the Great Dao flowed through me.

"Right on time," I mumbled aloud. The purple flickers across my body was truly something worth admiring. At long last, I had accomplished the impossible dream of the chaos godfiends.

It still amazes me they hadn't figured it out even after so long. Pathetic honestly, things were so simple. The cosmic egg wasn't even that far away yet I alone unlocked the secrets of the Dao.

Hongyuan Wuji Luo Golden Immortal. The veil has been pierced and then some. The presence of my corpses within my mind emanated in harmony. Although their physical forms were tragically lost, they still existed within the recesses of myself.

In time, I shall merge all three and myself and achieve true enlightenment. In that state, I should be able to harmonise with heaven and breech the final realm.

Such a pity Luohu, but it just wasn't meant to be. As regretful as that thought was, I cannot dwell on it now. Observing the universe around me informed me of the time passed since my seclusion.

"Hm," I grunted as I read the fortunes of fate. The Jade Fortune Disc manifested before me as I calculated.

"Nearing a million years yet still so calm?" I frowned. The dark clouds of sin was there as it had always been. But the buildup to a tribulation just simply was not at what it should've been.

"That's…heh, figures," my gaze turned eastwards towards a distant island shrouded in mist. "It's my fault, I had too much faith in fate."

"What do you think old friend?" I asked. The present within my Zixiao palace offered up a shrug. It's a wonder how easily the Heavenly Dao can be convinced to ally. Playing to its wants and needs was simply too easy.

"Hm, the dragon is a little too good at governing," I mused. "Unexpected and unwelcome. How are the qilins doing?… Hm, okay. Most impressive of him, is he primed to assume his father's position?"

The Heavenly Dao's intent flowed into me through our shared bond, skimming past the neglected dark presence of Luohu in the process. That fool never really understood how to play with the Heavenly Dao, it was honestly disappointing considering their long friendship.

I signed in disappointment as news of the Primordial Qilin patriarch reached my mind. It would seem I cannot realign things back to schedule, not as they were at least

The qilins are not even a power much less a superpower. The avians are undoubtedly masters of the skies and the dragons run unchecked through the world. The devils play their shadow politics as always and all that was missing were the qilin.

I glanced outside and observed the areas of Mt Kunlun. With my inheritance from Pangu, it was simple to identify the important signs.

"Their time is near. Going by the sequence of events, the time of the demon court and the race of primordial gods known as the Wu clan should be ripe as well. Yet this era is prevailing too long," I said to the Heavenly Dao.

I understood as it shrugged. It had seen and liked my vision for total control by way of the Heavenly Courts. But to get there, things needed to align accordingly. For that to happen, the current world order needed to go.

Standing up with haste, I strolled out onto the balcony. Displeasure immediately came to me as banners flying the dragon's flag came into view in too many places. It was an irritating sight that served no purpose other than being an annoyance.

It reminded me of the people from the Kraz chaos world before I harvested it for materials. Among the many worlds I had lived on and guided, it was among the most terrible.

"Such arrogance, he's extending too far."

My attention turned back to my guest. "This Da Hai, he's behind the changing variables," I mused. That eight headed annoyance had proven himself annoyingly difficult to get rid of. His irrational displeasure with me was also getting in the way.

Unfortunately, he achieved a higher state before I and I was forced to turtle myself in. A shame but considering my situation, it was the intelligent move.

"But there is still some good things in the world. For the very essence of the world demands balance," I concluded reading off the Jade Fortune Disc.

The Devilish Dao, it cannot be understated how cut-throat Luohu's minions became. The man himself was an imbecile but he had gathered some intelligent helpers.

It was quite vexing how big that sect's influence spread despite the lockdown. It was enough for discord to be sowed and negativity to spread.

Unfortunately, the dragon's over reluctance strikes again. "We need a way to push them forward. Else the sovereigns will really overstay their welcome," I mused stroking my beard. Da Hai, it always came back to Da Hai.

A million years of the dragon's reign hadn't seen head nor tail of the sea god. But even so, his presence was felt through the dragons. Their highway currents, their long distance telecrystals, and their broadcast talismans all points to influences from that world. All things introduced over the many Yuanhui the dragon ruled.

But if Da Hai had proven anything, it was that he was a useful tool against Luohu. That alone warranted his gratitude. Because despite all his shortcomings, Luohu was a genuine opponent he was unsure of winning against.

If only I could convince Da Hai to attack the devils. The dragon will follow his lead and the desired result will be achieved. At this stage, things were salvageable.

"Are you alright with letting him back in the world?" I asked. My partner contemplated before giving me an answer. "I see, well looks like I'm due for a trip."

The Heavenly Dao was fickle and childish, not that I'd ever let it know that. World wills with a definite personality often are. But I still had to perform my duties to it. I cannot afford to lose favour now, not after working to get it for so long.

It was set to forbid Da Hai's casual entry. But if I could get him to work for me, then it will allow it. I am not afraid of fighting him, if not total victory, I can at least force a pyrrhic one. But if he and I could join forces, my path against Luohu will be secured.

From what I understood, the master and disciple relationship he had with the dragon was very close. He'd definitely want to physically aid them. His role in the Sea Eye and the invasion of the North Continent was proof enough of that. He cannot pass this opportunity up.

With that set, I stepped through a personalised portal of my own making and exited to find myself atop the east sea. Such was the power of Wuji. Spacetime was mere childsplay at this level. With but a single gesture, even the strongest of Primal Zenith Chaos Immortals will fall.

With arms behind my back, I took the first steps on my new mission. Setting a good pace, I made non threatening steps towards where I'd detected Yingzhou.

The chaos fragment was a fascinating piece of treasure. But ultimately, it cannot compare to my Zixiao Palace. Unlike my own, it is stationary within the primitive world.

Hm? The presences running at my direction were sudden but expected. Loyalties between master and disciples were strong indeed.

The sword wielding girl who'd arrived along with the Dragon Sovereign himself. The constellation dragon had also arrived though the winged one was too far away to make it in time.

Among this group, only the sovereign posed a real threat. The azure dragon was nothing without the other three and the girl was not worth mentioning. Though it was curious how she managed to blend together some phoenix tricks along with her own. It was tempting to test her.

"Senior Hongjun," the Dragon Sovereign greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence in my domain?"

"Your majesty, I am here to seek an old colleague. Allow this old man passage please, time is of the essence," I answered. It was surprising he wasn't picking a fight already considering his master and his personality recorded from the other world.

The three shared looks and appeared to be in full agreement. Their posture saddened me greatly. Oh well, peace to accompany violence.

"Hongjun," Da Hai's familiar voice reached my old ears. My brow raised as the sea god made his presence known. His body was not physically present, but even the Heavenly Dao cannot oppose his conscious will from entering.

"Fellow daoist Da Hai, it's been awhile," I said.

"Why are you here?" He countered with open displeasure. It was not productive to beat around the bush hence I informed him of the possible deal. To further lend credence, the Heavenly Dao even sent down a sign.

Now this had intrigued the dragon brothers. I did not pry but from the looks of things they were communicating with Da Hai. The girl appeared very disgruntled and even sent me glares. Was this how Da Hai taught his disciples?

When she met my gaze, she tightened the grip on her sword. Brave of her all things considered. She, a mere Primal Zenith Chaos Immortal sure thinks highly of herself if she thinks of attacking me.

"Fei'e, come back," Da Hai all but ordered. "Hongjun, let's have our talks inside. I will open my doors for you for now."

With that, the mist parted and Yingzhou manifested atop the ocean surface. Its main entrance gate was where the two dragons took their positions like some sort of gatekeepers.

"Don't try anything," the constellation warned.

"Peace little friend, I am only here to talk to your master," I insisted. Yingzhou really was a special place. I was quite intrigued, a chaos fragment was a very good cultivation site.

"Hm?" I tilted my head. Interesting, very interesting, so this was how he wanted to play. My foot stepped onto the island. Touching down immediately gave me a strong impression. The sheer Primordial Qi here was staggering.

The ground was covered in slabs of stone, lining a path for me to Da Hai's palace. Following this step, I ascended the path passing through numerous fruit trees and gorgeous scenery. Quite spectacular even compared to Mt Yujing.

Reaching the very top, I beheld the man waiting for me. The shorter daoist who'd since aged in reverse compared to when I last saw him.

"This way," he gestured towards the open door. I shrugged and moved through the scene into the next. A massive hall designed for titans greeted me. Da Hai had taken his place on a white lotus throne at the very back.

His physical stature alone could fill oceans. A colossal titan many kilometres tall. I of course grew to such height as well and took several steps forwards stopping just behind where I needed to. Taking a seat across him, I accepted his offer for tea.

Seeing his work made me marvel. Was this his speciality perhaps? Praises where praises were due, this tea tasted authentic. Much better than the fruit obsessed avians my avatar had tried.

"Fellow daoist, it has been some time since we last met," I said.

"You have a lot of gall visiting like this. Has your memory really dulled with age?" He mocked.

How expected of this man, can he not let things go? His obsession of events from so long ago will be the end of him. Unlike the true path ancestor Tai Chu passed down to us, he is walking an unbalanced road.

Even though he'd reached the mythical realm of Wuji, his future is undoubtedly limited. But for now, he can make an excellent assistant against Luohu. Certainly better than old Destiny Demon God or Sichen did.

"Hm," I sighed. "What happened back then was the result of a crossroads. Our paths intersected and he would not stand down. Surely as a seeker of the Dao you understand the logic."

He gave a hostile nod and sent a glare my way. An incredibly petty action, you'd think after million years he'd learn to forgive and forget. After all, the most healthy path to seeking the Dao was such. Seeking unnecessary troubles was just asking to bring disaster on oneself.

"How can one such as you, one who's never understood the concept of connection understand," Da Hai scoffed. "What do you want from me?"

Well, at least he was willing to listen. I eyed the mystic universe around me carefully before I continued.

"I understand your troubles thus far. Your banishment from the greater primitive world must've been very vexing for you, especially with those you've taken in," I explained.

It was a feeling I understood well. I had guided disciples in the past and I could understand the desire to aid them. Though the extremes I witnessed this man take were a little unusual. The bestowment of protective treasures and words of advice should've sufficed.

"You've locked yourself out off…"

"What happened back then is an open knowledge. You should've inferred it with your cultivation base so we both know what happened. Get to the point," he grunted.

"Fine, fine, here's the deal. I can get you back into the primitive world," the revelation I revealed immediately caught his attention. This is good.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"For sure, as long as you aid me in my quest to end Luohu, I can bargain for your entry back into the primitive world. Your movements will not be restricted and your actions will not be scrutinised," I offered.

"Sure," he scoffed. "Do you even know why I am stuck here?"

I did not. The Heavenly Dao did not think it necessary for me to know. What I did gather was that they had a disagreement on how to do things. I surmised as such when they had their brawl all those yuanhui ago.

It was something I had not had the time to investigate during my retreat. But it was not relevant for now.

"Naturally," I replied. "Your battle sundered the world we walked on. Countless perished in that tribulation and it took the better part of this era to restore things back to the way they were."

It'd also made it easier to insert some agents into places.

"But not all hope is lost my friend. Would you not like the chance to visit your disciples again without being constrained here? See what they'd accomplished personally?"

I could see the temptation getting to him. Almost there, his walls were already cracking.

"Ah…mere wishful thinking," he snorted. "Do you really think you have the qualifications?"

"See for yourself," I tapped my abdomen and revealed an inscribed energy signature. One I have since come to realise this man recognised intimately. Though my connection was far more special and far closer than he's had ever been.

"Heavenly Dao," he muttered in obvious surprise. He couldn't even hide it bitter emotions. There were even traces of withheld anger twitching there.

"To think you of all people. Are the heavens blind or do they not care for those who'd violated them," he spat.

"We had an agreement," I said sipping my tea. "What do you say? It is already on board. You know how troublesome the West Continent can be. The enemy of my enemy is my friend so to speak."

Da Hai laughed bitterly on his lotus throne. In the next moment, he stood up and gestured toward me. "I suppose your words are genuine. We agree on much, Luohu needs to go."

Another door opened up on the back of the door and the tea set before me disappeared. "But spoken words are hardly enough. I'll need a signed geas washed beneath the eyes of Grand Dao, follow me."

I stood up from my seat and gave him a deadpanned. This man wasn't even trying to be convincing. It was almost lazy how halfhearted he was treating this new attempt. Seems my words did not go through after all.

"You insult my intelligence," I said to him.

"I am obligated to try," he said drawing his sword. He pointed at the spot in front of him with his index finger and an expecting look.

"Enough," I waved my purple sleeve. Clouds upon clouds washed across the expansive universe surrounding us, puncturing the false walls of reality that have infected the world.

The hallway crumbled away, the delicate architecture crumbled away. The stone road, stairs, fruit trees, and beautiful scenery outside faded and I found myself standing in the space atop the east sea once more.

Only this time, I stood inches before a high cliff face whereupon Da Hai stood. The two dragons and the girl were there, the third had also arrived too. He shouldn't have for at least a few more days.

I marvelled at the complex illusionary particles fading away. "Impressive, although I detected it, my sense of time was still distorted," I complimented his work.

Yingzhou was by its nature an illusionary location. Although he couldn't exit the island proper, he could enforce the illusionary formation of the immortal mountain outwards for a fair distance. It was not harmful, at least not to immortals of my level, but it can still trick the mind.

I turned my head back towards him and gave him a disappointed sigh. "Shame indeed, you would really leave them vulnerable to Luohu? It seems this was all your disciples were worth in the end. "

"I trust in their ability to take care of themselves. They are not children, they can make their own choices in their world even if that choice results in their demise."

"How cold, it seems you are far more fiend than god."

"Cheh, and what the fuck would you of all people understand about my bond with my disciples you bastard?"

"Such language was most uncouth for a godfiend," I lectured.

"And what does being a godfiend ever matter to me," he said blasphemously. "My forefather did have some interactions with you. Always obsessing over that line, 'god or fiend?' My aren't you an insane !@#!!@@!%."

Did he just insult me in one of earth's languages?

"Touched a nerve did I?" He smirked.

My glare must've been too obvious.

"You really are something aren't you. You…"

"Just stop, I feel like I'm losing brain cells just listening to you yammering on," Da Hai cut me off while pointing the Heavenly Cloud Gathering Sword at me. "I don't care for what you have to say. I don't care for what you have to offer."

"I don't for one second wish to be your friend nor ally nor anything under the sun but your corpse at my feat. So if you're too chicken to come in, then I have no more use for you. So take your worthless offer and piss off."

"Hmph, it seems this is farewell," I said. My anger was not for his amusement. My leaving was swift and decisive. I did not spare him nor his ilk another glance.

In an instant, I had already arrived on the coast of the east continent. Another area the dragons were sinking their claws too deeply into. Something had to be done about that.

As I took more steps along the beach, I noticed another presence that caught my curiosity.

He was sitting by his lonesome, on a large piece of rock watching the open ocean. It was an adorable black haired boy dressed in all white. His gaze was an unreadable one.

At that moment, the strings of fate coursed through myself. Hence I approached him.

"Child, what is your name?" I asked even though I already had an inkling.

He was certainly surprised to see me. "Uh…this one's name is Haotian," he said.

"Is that so?" I said rather joyfully. So this was where he'd appear. The records never were clear where or when he'd show up. If he was here, that means Yaochi must be nearby right?

"It seems we are fated," I said. "Follow me, I am in need of an assistant."

…

"Master, was that the right choice?" Yi Fei'e asked, standing across her master on the cliff overlooking the east sea.

"Is that even a question?" Da Hai scoffed.

"But the opportunity. You could walk among us once again."

"I can walk with you on Yingzhou," Da Hai said dismissively. "But you are right, it was probably better to accept. But how can I ever side with that person?"

"I had a friend once, a brother in all but blood. My mentor if anything and my greatest ally. I would be stepping on his memory if I ever sided with him."

Da Hai turned toward Yi Fei'e and gave her an angry glare. "So do NOT ever ask me something as silly as that ever again."

"Apologies master," she said bowing.

"I'll be processing my harvest from the chaos sea. Do not disturb me," he warned before leaving for Yingzhou's heartlands.