Liye Shu stood in the air with a tense expression, the air around him shifting quietly as his energy moved about. The dark clouds, the rain, the lightning, he knew what their arrival meant. Their target had revealed himself, he had indeed appeared in this city after his long absence.
But why was the lightning crimson? According to the reports he had studied, the lightning should be a dull violet, a dark bolt to match the clouds. But there it was, as crimson as blood, oozing a sinister aura that made his fur stand on end. It was strange, it was unknown, and that made him uneasy. But despite all that, he had a job to do, a duty to fulfil, so he had no choice but to swallow his worries.
"So you've finally revealed yourself, Liang Chen! I am Liye Shu and I've come here o...!?"
Liye Shu's words were abruptly cut off, the air around him bearing down on him like a mountain. He fell from his vantage point and was brought down to the ground, smashing into the earth and sprawling flat. Blood poured from his mouth, his jaws had been clamped shut so abruptly that his sharp teeth caught his tongue and cut clean through it.
He tried to stand up, but it felt as if a giant was pressing down on him, if it weren't for his strong body then he would have already been crushed. He focused all his strength on his head to see if he could raise himself if he focused all his efforts on one area, but it only resulted in his curved horns breaking as he clashed with the oppressive force.
His heart pounded in his chest as he lay there. The only sound around him seemed to come from the pouring rain, a rhythmic tapping that drowned out even the carnage. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was a trump card, a final solution to handle their problems. He was strong even before he underwent the surgery, and when it succeeded he acquired a piece of a lion, the king of beasts. He was a winner, he was supposed to win.
But now he was sprawled there, crushed against the muddy dirt. And an unfamiliar sensation started to ooze out from deep within his chest, a sensation unbefitting of one who should be the king of beasts. Fear. The unease at the unknown situation had completely exploded now, blooming into the horrible flower of fear. His face felt wet, but now he wasn't sure if it was because of the incessant rain or because of his tears. He hoped that it was the first option.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
His ears perked up as a sound reached him, the only other sound audible within this awful rain. He couldn't raise his head, but he could at least move his eyes slightly, just barely peeking over the mud. But as he raised his gaze, he wished that he hadn't, he wished that he had just kept his eyes on the dirt beneath him.
The rain had changed without him noticing it, was it because of the approaching person? Drops that were once crystal clear had become crimson, a reflective sheen to each of them. And in him, he saw himself, reflected a thousand times over. But the him in the reflections wasn't the current him, it was a corpse, decayed and rotten as it faded away, vanishing just as the rain hit the ground. His pupils trembled at the sight, his mind was tossed in such disarray that he couldn't even feel the pain brought about by the crimson rain.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Soft sounds. Calm footsteps, confident footsteps. The source of the sound came into view as Liye Shu's eyes trembled. At first, it was just a silhouette in the rain, untouched by the drops as he moved. But before long his expression became visible, golden eyes that showed no mercy, just anger and an ounce of tiredness.
"You... It's you..."
Yes, Liye Shu instinctively understood it. The once pure rain, the clean water, it was his presence that had tainted it, turned it red. Haemolacria, crying tears of blood, a sign of extreme stress and trauma. Yes, that was what he was doing, that had to be what he was doing. The sky was crying, the heavens shed tears of blood at his arrival, the crimson rain was his herald, it had to be.
"Yes, it's me. Weren't you looking for me, Liye Shu? Didn't you do all this to flush me out? Well? Here I am, so what now?"
Liang Chen slowly walked forward, the red rain cascading around him scorching Liye Shu every time it hit him, burning his sins. Liye Shu struggled to keep his gaze raised, struggled to look at Liang Chen as he approached.
"He...He....Hehe..."
A smidgen of laughter escaped him as he lay there, a broken string of almost manic laughter slipping out from between his lips as tears ran down his face. Was it the pain of burning that broke his mind, or had it been fear that made his mind slip into the darkness to protect itself? Liang Chen wasn't sure, standing there as the lion-headed man giggled and cried.
He felt that the scene was a bit familiar, if he could call it that. Back when he first returned to his own planet after leaving Tripartite planet he had encountered something similar to this. A city ravaged because of him, a family buried in rubble, he lost a friend that day.
Back then he had also approached those who ruined the city, those who had looked for him. And he told them to weep, for now they had found him. But now, now there was no need to say it, it simply happened on its own. They had sought him, and they had found him. And now they wept, for they learned what it meant to find him.
Liang Chen stretched out his hand, Liye Shu's ring finger tearing itself away from his hand and flying into his palm, a metal ring winding around it. He removed the interspatial ring and tossed away the finger, searching through the ring until he found the item he was looking for. A golden orb appeared in his grasp, a branch engraved onto its glossy surface.
Despite his sad ending, Liye Shu was still a strong member of the Golden Branch sect, he probably wasn't too far away from the upper ranks. As such, he of course had a communication treasure he could use to quickly get in contact with the other members of the sect. And in the worst of situations, he could also contact his superiors, or they could contact him to send out orders. Liang Chen poured his energy into the orb, its garish light spreading into the surroundings.
"Worldtree, you can hear this, can't you?"
Yes, Liang Chen was confident of that. Golden Worldtree, the founder and leader of the Golden Branch sect, would definitely be on the other side of this communication treasure. He would be listening and waiting, perhaps he was even anxious about getting the updates as quickly as possible.
"This is the first time we're actually talking, isn't it? Well, we can't really call it talking. I'm going to come for you, Worldtree. You, your sect, the Sky-Piercing Sparrow that you've allied with, I'm coming for all of you. So wait for me, and wash your neck. Feel free to run, feel free to hide, but there won't be any escape in the end."
Liang Chen clenched his hand after he made the declaration, shattering the golden orb and snuffing out its light. This was his declaration, his judgment. Seven years. For seven years they had gotten to run free, gotten to spread as much chaos as they wanted. No more. Now he had returned, now he would allow no more.
Liang Chen raised his head, the lion-headed man at his feet was already fading away, the crimson rain washing away his existence and leaving only a small crimson mist. The dark sky crackled with crimson lightning, his lightning, his wrath. He stretched out his arm, his mind moving along with his limb.
The lightning wriggled and roared in response to his call, it raged in response to his summons. One bolt fell from the sky, arcing out into several hundred strands. A second fell shortly after, arcing out in much the same manner as the first. And then a third. And a fourth. And a fifth. Lightning rained from the sky, a crimson net to cover the heavens.
Lightning and rain fell on the city, their roar loud enough to drown out all the screams, loud enough to gather them all. Their fall was a different type of chaos for the city, a different type of carnage. Those hit by the lightning burned, their sins scorched them from within and they washed away with the rain, only a faint red mist remaining after their passing.
Liang Chen's gaze remained locked on the sky, his golden pupils reflecting the crimson arcs that danced at his command. Did he feel that it was sad? To cause so much death mere moments after regaining his memories? Did he think it was pitiful that a city that was already enveloped in chaos would have to suffer even more due to his arrival? If he did, then he didn't show it on his face, he only looked a tinge weary as he burned sin, as he burned. This city was just the first, there would be many more in the future, he would burn many more times, all the way until he was the final bit of kindling left in the world.
But that goal was one for the distant future, for now, he would have to be satisfied with being the last bit of kindling left in this city. His mind moved again and the falling rain paused, the roaring lightning faded. The black clouds dissipated to reveal the bright blue sky, as if the previous carnage had been nothing but an illusion.
Liang Chen lowered his gaze and turned away, returning with the same calm steps he used to come here. The faint red mist slithered through the city and sank into him, burned him, empowered him. But he didn't flinch, pain was already something he was all too familiar with.
He checked his interspatial ring as he walked, checked up on the people inside it. He had luckily slowed down time as much as possible inside it before he went to meet Purgatory so he avoided repeating the mistake he made with Yi Xue and the first round of disciples. This time the disciples, as well as Yumao and the others, didn't have to suffer for several years inside the ring, barely any time at all had passed for them.
But he didn't bring them out yet, nor did he contact them yet. There were a few things he wanted to do first, it wouldn't be too late to greet them all once he was done.
His steps brought him back to the rubble that buried a mother silently begging someone to save her son. Ching Shih and the others were also still there, dumbfounded and uncertain what to do next. Liang Chen temporarily ignored them and knelt down next to the woman, who looked at him while she quietly pleaded.
"I... I can't save you. Your lungs are crushed and your heart is punctured, the best I could do was draw out your time. But your son, I can save him."
The woman was dead, her fate was already sealed no matter how much Liang Chen wanted to overturn it. He wasn't a god, he couldn't save everyone. And sometimes, just sometimes, he also failed to save those that his hands could reach.
The woman didn't look shocked by Liang Chen's revelation, perhaps she knew her state better than anyone. But still, she smiled, a smile as bright as the morning sun. Her son would be saved, her child would live, and that was all she could ask for right now.
"Do you have a favourite fruit, or tree?"
It was a strange question, one neither the woman nor Ching Shih's group understood the purpose of. But Liang Chen looked intently at the woman. Calmly, sadly, apologetic. He brought death to them, and he failed to save them. Another soul, another innocent scream carved into his soul. The woman couldn't speak her answer, her lungs were too ruined, but she could mouth the answer.
"Plums, that's a nice choice. Lovely flowers. Then so be it. Continue to watch over him in the future, let your shade shield him from the sun."
Liang Chen spoke softly as he took the child from the woman, holding it close to his chest. His other hand landed on the woman's head, his energy quietly seeping into her body. The void bloomed within her, consumed her painlessly.
And as it consumed her, he could feel it within him. Another stream of energy had appeared in the little slice of the void he had acquired for himself, that little land where he was god. It waited for his order, waited for his directions. And he gave it, he pushed the energy into the ground and allowed it to bloom, a small plum tree growing within his void.
In the end, all that remained of the family was the child, the crying baby in Liang Chen's hands. Ao Fentian, that was the name he had read in the woman's soul, her memories. She hadn't been able to say her child's name in the end, but it got across nonetheless, it reached him all the same.
"Ao Fentian... You must live well."
Did he whisper the words to the child or did he whisper them to himself? Perhaps not even he knew. He dipped his mind into the interspatial ring and contacted Jiao Hui Xin, the poor girl with ruined eyes. She was the best choice for taking care of Ao Fentian right now so he sent the child to her, making sure that she didn't notify Yumao and the others about his return just yet, lest they start making a ruckus.
"This... Is this your name?"
A familiar voice cut into Liang Chen's thoughts after he sent away Ao Fentian, Ching Shih looking at him with a somewhat complex expression. He wandered no more, he had said it himself. So he was Wanderer no more, no, now he was that chaos, that furious lightning that fell from the sky. That was his name, his duty.
"Liang Chen, that is my name. And yes, this too is my name."
One was the name he used to introduce himself and the other was the name he had been given, the name that came with a freedom and a duty. Ching Shih had expected the answer, but his smile still turned a bit wry. They had really brought something tremendous onto their little ship, the man in front of him was so far above them that they should never have come into contact.
"Bao... Can you take a look at him?"
Ching Shih felt a bit awkward, but looking at the city around him he knew that there really wasn't anyone else he could ask. Bao was still poisoned and needed treating, but there was a good chance that the doctor they were going to visit was already dead. Liang Chen's expression sank slightly at Ching Shih's question, his gaze drifting towards the wagon holding Bao.
"Doushi. You knew from the start, didn't you?"
He didn't immediately respond to the question, nor did he check Bao's state. No, he first addressed the ship's doctor, Yao Kun Doushi. And as he expected, Doushi's expression turned extremely bitter.
"Even if the poison is removed... The damage is already done. His lungs have suffered the brunt of the damage, they won't even be able to function at half capacity. He should be able to walk just fine, but he can forget about even jogging, he won't be able to do anything strenuous, otherwise, it will cause his weakened lungs to collapse."
Indeed, removing the poison from Bao wouldn't solve the underlying issue. It had already attacked his lungs, etched itself into his body. Even if it was removed, the scars would remain. Bao would never be able to go back to how he was before he drank the poisoned alcohol.
One drop. A single drop of Liang Chen's blood diluted in an entire jar of alcohol had brought about this result. Bao only had to take a single sip of that alcohol and his life was ruined, that was the type of existence that Liang Chen had become.
"Then... nothing?"
Ching Shih's face was pale. Bao was part of his crew, his family, and there was nothing he could do for him? Even if they managed to remove the poison, life would be extremely tough for him, there was no way he would be able to remain on the ship. The despair he was feeling right now, was that why Doushi hadn't said anything earlier? To spare him that pain and let him keep a bit of hope?
Liang Chen didn't say anything and stood up, making his way over to the wagon. Bao was lying in it, his throat so tensed that the veins in it were bulging. He was in pain, Liang Chen's blood was not a pleasant thing to take in. Liang Chen looked at his struggle and placed his hand on Bao's chest, felt the sensation of his blood flowing within him. And he had an idea, a bit of a crazy one, but an idea nonetheless.
"Bao. Tell me, do you want to live? Even if you must suffer through horrible pain, even if you could die at any moment without knowing why, even if you have to move along an arduous task if you want to reclaim your own life, even if the future looks completely uncertain?"
He had an idea, but that didn't mean that he could just go ahead with it, he needed permission first. Bao opened his eyes slightly, squinting as he looked at Liang Chen with murky eyes. He could feel the poison in his lungs throbbing, resonating with the man who spoke to him. Wanderer, that was the source of the pain he felt now, he finally understood that.
But that fact, it didn't matter any longer. It wasn't like he had done it on purpose, it was probably nothing more than an accident, a cosmic joke. He had heard what Doushi said, what his fate would be even if the poison was removed. That was not life, at least not to him.
"I... I want to live... I want to keep following Captain to the horizon... and then beyond."
He didn't just want to live, he wanted to travel, he wanted to be of help to his captain, he wanted to help him reach the scenery that he dreamed of. Liang Chen smiled softly at the answer, Ching Shih had really managed to raise himself a good family.
"Then grit your teeth and suffer for me, Bao. Keep your wits about you and fight for that horizon."
That was the last thing Liang Chen said before he made a cut on his palm and a cut on Bao's chest, pressing his bleeding hand against the wound. His blood, his ruinous existence, poured into Bao through the wound. And Bao screamed, he howled like a man plummeting through hell. Blood gushed out from his mouth and eyes as he tore his throat, the screaming quickly becoming nothing more than a desperate gurgling.
But even so, Liang Chen continued. His blood, his power, it poured into Bao without restraint. The ruined lungs, the scarred throat, they were all encroached on by his power. Bit by bit they were corroded, erased from within Bao's body.
But it wasn't just the ruined parts that were being erased. The healthy tissue suffered the same fate, inevitable corrosion and vanishment. Bao tossed like a wild dog as he lay there, the pain of losing his lungs and throat was worse than anything he had ever felt, it made him think that death was a preferable option.
But he didn't choose death, nor did he close his eyes and allow his mind to drift into the gentle embrace of unconsciousness. He had to fight for that horizon, that was what he said. He needed to grit his teeth and keep his wits about him, if he didn't, then he feared that he would die.
And slowly, he felt a change within him. He felt like his mind was being drawn down into his chest, to where his lungs and throat should be. And for the first time, he felt like he could see his own insides, his veins and the blood in them, the movements of his muscles.
And there he saw it, the horrifying sight of his empty chest. His lungs and throat were gone, eaten away by the blood of calamity. But that wasn't the end, because that very same blood then started to expand and morph, slowly taking on the shape of his lungs and throat. And as they formed, his mind felt like it was getting stretched further, coating the new lungs and throat like an invisible film.
And in truth, that was exactly what was happening. Liang Chen was using the principle of the Ocean God's Physique to alter Bao's lungs and throat, but he was doing it using his own elements. He would provide the energy to fuel his lungs and throat, and Bao would use his own soul to keep everything together. Granted, Bao couldn't control his soul so Liang Chen was forced to do that for him, using his poison to interact with the soul.
It was a risky idea. One wrong move and Bao would die. But luckily, Liang Chen didn't make that wrong move. The lungs and throat were successfully altered, albeit not in the exact same way as Liang Chen's. He then gave Bao the information about the Ocean God's Physique so that he could cultivate it on his own, or at least, the path he had taken in the Ocean God's Physique, that way he could get around the fact that the technique was protected by the safeguard left by its creator.
If Bao one day managed to cultivate it to a stage where he could alter his lungs and throat with his own laws then he would be rid of Liang Chen's energy. But until that day came, a part of Liang Chen would remain within Bao, neither of them knowing what this could end up meaning.
"That should do it, I hope at least. I'll warn you again, I have no idea what sort of changes can occur after this. But if things go as I expect them to, then you should have no problems living as you please."
There wasn't really a need to warn Bao again, he had been ready for any risk when Liang Chen first made the offer. Besides, he was a pirate, the future was always uncertain for him, at least now he would have the chance to head towards it with everyone else.
"Th..."
Bao's words trailed off before he could finish them, his eyes rolling back as he finally fainted. He had resisted the pain all the way to the end without fainting, but now he was allowed to drift away, the pain catching up with him. But Liang Chen didn't look worried, he knew just how horrible the pain of altering your body was, it was almost a miracle that Bao had lasted as long as he did.
"So... what now? I take it you won't keep travelling with us?"
Ching Shih glanced at Liang Chen while the other crew members were thanking him, his expression making it clear that he already knew the answer. Liang Chen was not someone that would travel with them, their paths would separate here. And indeed, their time together had been comfortable and warm, but this would be where it came to an end.
"You said the Wolf Queen was holding a groom selection, didn't you? The storm and the wolf are one, so it's about time I go and give my wife a good whack to the back of the head."
The warmth and comfort he shared with the people of the Sand Sovereign would come to an end, it was time for him to go and share that warmth with those who had already waited for him for far too long. He said his farewells to Yi Sao and the others, thanked them for the kindness they had shown him.
But after that, he turned and left, moving just as decisively as he had when he unleashed his lightning. Ching Shih's eyes lingered on his back as he walked away, his thoughts wandering. It seemed like he would have to start paying more attention to the news that came from outside the Wandering Desert, because a true monster had just been unleashed. The name he chose was Liang Chen, but the name he had been given by Ching Shih was Heaven's Wrath, now it was just a matter of time before the world bent the knee and crowned him with that name.