Mortal and Divine Physiques

Yes and no." MeiYing's gaze held an enigmatic glint as she met Gojo's questioning eyes. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation.

"Saint Physiques, or physiques in general grant superior cultivation aptitude. They allow a cultivator to surpass their natural limits. But their abilities depend on the physique's affinity. A Divine Physique, however, is something else entirely." She paused, as if searching for the right words. "Divine Physiques don't just enhance cultivation, they grant divine abilities that make the user seem like a god. That is the difference."

Gojo's lips curled into a small grin, intrigued. Silence settled between them as he mulled over her words. It was a rare moment of quiet understanding, but he knew it wouldn't last. There was something he had to say, something she deserved to hear.

But he couldn't.

The Voidforge Titan Bloodline and the Void Codex were his greatest secrets, tied to a history of war and chaos that no one could afford to be entangled with. Not even her.

I can't tell you anything about my bloodline or my Divine Physique," he admitted, his voice steady but laced with an unspoken weight. "It's a tangled mess of responsibilities, burdens, and chaos… And I wouldn't want you to be a part of it.

His words made her turn to him, and for the first time since they met—she smiled. Yet, it wasn't a joyous smile. Gojo could see it, the faintest flicker of disappointment buried deep in her gaze, masked behind that practiced expression.

He understood.

To reveal her Great Empress' Physique and heritage was no small thing. She had entrusted him with something that could shatter her life if it fell into the wrong hands. It was like two people gripping each other's hands, ready to leap off a cliff together, only for one to hesitate at the last moment, leaving the other to fall alone.

He had done that to her. Without thinking, his hand reached out, fingers wrapping around hers in a firm, reassuring grip. She flinched slightly, caught off guard, but didn't pull away.

"Instead of that," Gojo offered, a playful glint returning to his eyes, "I'll let you ask two questions about my eyes. Anything you want."

For a moment, MeiYing blinked, before her expression shifted—curious, intrigued, and perhaps a little too eager.

Her ears perked up like an inquisitive little bunny, and Gojo chuckled. She wasted no time.

"What exactly are they?"

Gojo smirked. Too broad.

"That's too general." He shrugged. "Ask something more specific. That's one question gone already."

MeiYing's face scrunched in annoyance as she wrenched her hand free. "Fine. Tell me everything about them."

Gojo almost denied her again, but when he saw the sincerity in her gaze, he sighed. Lying back onto the grass, he let the cool breeze wash over him before he began.

"They're called the Six Eyes," he said. "I don't know if they have any connection to the Dual Pupils you mentioned before, but I do know that they only appear in my bloodline once every 400 years. There can't be two users at the same time—it's that rare."

MeiYing listened intently.

"They grant me a wide range of abilities," he continued. "One of them is the ability to perceive Yuan Power down to the atomic level."

A sharp gasp escaped her lips.

"Perceive… Yuan Power… down to the atomic level?" Her voice trembled slightly.

Gojo smirked. He hadn't even told her everything. He wasn't about to break the poor girl's mind just yet.

When he glanced at her, her expression said it all. "Are you even human?"

Gojo couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"An ability like that…" MeiYing murmured, shaking her head. "It's enough to place your eyes within the Saint ranks."

Gojo only nodded. "Exactly what I thought."

"No wonder you were so confident against Luo Ping," she mused, lying back onto the soft grass, gazing at the sky.

Gojo chuckled lightly. "I'm confident against anyone."

She turned to him with a raised brow. "Anyone?"

He smirked. "Well, I'd need some prep time if their cultivation is much higher, but—meh."

MeiYing's gaze lingered on him for a moment, a strange light flickering in her eyes before she turned away.

"There are people with power beyond imagination," she said softly. "God-like figures who could tear down this world with a flick of their finger. To them, parlor tricks mean nothing."

Gojo wasn't sure if she was warning him or trying to humble him. Either way, he didn't care. He simply smiled to himself before slowly drifting off into sleep.

When he woke up, the sky had darkened. The warmth of the sun had faded, replaced by a cold breeze that made him shiver. Silver blood stains still covered his bare skin.

Sitting up, he turned his head—MeiYing sat cross-legged by a small campfire.

She had changed. Instead of her usual regal robes, she now wore an icy blue battlesuit that accentuated her mesmerizing figure. Her sword rested on her lap, her eyes closed in quiet meditation. Gojo grinned. "Look at you—dressed up for me?"

His teasing remark barely left his lips before a sword tip was suddenly pointed at his temple.

"You can see it, can't you?" MeiYing's voice was calm but sharp. "The horde of Spiritual Beasts heading towards the hub of the region. This means tonight is our only chance to complete the mission. We'll cut through the beast horde, kill the Flaming Striped Python, take what we need, and get out."

She looked like a war general preparing for battle. Gojo sighed. "That's… what? 300 to 400 beasts? Isn't there a better way?"

His gaze peered into the distance, his expression shifting. He could see it. A thick, malevolent Demonic Qi surged within the forest. The ground trembled with shockwaves from the countless stampeding beasts.

MeiYing's voice pulled him back. "We're not killing all of them—just finding a way through. Right now, the beasts are in a frenzy, aiming to overthrow their overlord and claim its flesh. We won't be their priority."

Gojo exhaled. "I see." He stretched lazily. "Well, I should freshen up first. Can't go into battle looking like this."

With that, he strode back toward the Iron-Spiked Warthog's territory, heading for the icy pool.

As he walked through the dense leaves, hands behind his back, his mind wandered. This feels too familiar…

The chaotic energy of this beast horde—it reminded him of Geto's Night Parade of a Thousand Demons.

Where there was a disturbance, there was always a hidden conspiracy. Gojo shook his head. There was nothing he could do about it now—except move forward. Plunging headfirst into the lake, he let the freezing water bite against his skin.

Ten minutes later, a new figure emerged from the forest.

Hands in his pockets, his upper face hidden beneath an impossibly white blindfold, spiking his silver hair upwards. His black martial gi, high-collared and form-fitting, sat snug beneath a dark gray sleeveless robe, tied together by a red sash. His sleek black boots completed the elegant yet practical look.

A small, confident smile played at his lips as he walked back.

MeiYing's eyes fluttered open—and for a brief moment, her expression faltered.

"It looks good on you," she admitted before she could stop herself.

Gojo smirked. "I know. Just had to modify the sect's robes a bit. Hope I don't get punished for it."

He struck a playful pose. MeiYing rolled her eyes before gripping her sword. The two stood side by side, staring into the depths of the forest. "It's going to be one hell of a night," Gojo grinned.

"Shall we?"

MeiYing's sword flew into her grasp. With a nod, they dashed into the darkness.

A/N: I just realized that there's one thing I still need to improve on. Word Count. So I don't know what I'll do with already written chapters but you guys will start seeing an improved word count. Probably around (3k- 4k) words per chapter. That's if I still have the motivation to keep writing this fic. I honestly can't think of a reason as to why my new books aren't getting promoted on the app. Sigh.