Immortal Connections - Chapter 42 preview

Chapter 42 - Tou He

There were only a few more hours before sunlight ended, and though they could have pushed further, the small army that joined Tou He had come to a stop. The various army personnel had set up their encampment with practised efficiency, only the occasional perfunctory shouts and recriminations from sergeant at arms highlighting the occasional mistake. 

Now, the members of the army were in a nearby empty field - the reason for their early rest - practising drills. Pivoting in place, putting their shields up, rushing back and forth deploying large copper braziers that smoked with empty power. No enchanted talismans were utilized at the moment, though starting the braziers to ensure they were both hot and heavy made for good training.

Or so the continued shouting of sergeants and officers said as much, as soldiers stumbled, fell over or were a touch slow in pivoting to the next post in their formations.

Five groups, each of them with a heavy, shoulder-height copper brazier born on four wooden sticks by eight different men in the center were the core of the formations. Each of those units were further protected by additional soldiers bearing man-sized shields and hefting short spears, moving in conjunction with the brazier bearers as formations were called out.

At the same time, smaller groups of independently moving units in groups of five circled the brazier units, meant to block and divert demons and other potential hindrances. Each of those units had their own positions they were meant to be at, such that the brazier units were never left uncovered at any point of time.

Over and over again, the groups shifted to the orders of the officers, sweating under the slowly dying sun as they built and repositioned the braziers. In Tou He’s mind’s eye, he saw what they were meant to do, a formation built of incense and chi, of dao inspirations and stored chi released by the burning. In numerous chests behind them, multiple such inscriptions awaited the fateful day when they reached the open portal.

It was a different kind of formations, much more fluid and focused upon the weaving and alteration of environmental chi rather than the formation flags he was more familiar with. The incense itself and the inscriptions used would empower themselves further by drawing forth the demonic impurities and would, eventually, be left embedded in the nearby surroundings to slowly purify the surroundings.

All of which, of course, dependent upon them being able to close the portal itself.

“They are working hard,” Tou He said softly to Hua Ren, so as not to distract the guards.

“As they should. We will only have one opportunity.” He gestured down at the braziers. “The longer they last, the more that we cleanse, the weaker the demons will grow. The first day will be the hardest, after that, it’ll grow easier.”

“Day?” Tou He said, surprised. “Do you expect this to continue?”

“I don’t expect anything,” Hua Ren said. “I just plan for the worse outcomes. And in this case, a demonic army that has situated itself on our side of the portal would be the worst case scenario. One with sufficient numbers to block even you.”

Tou He shook his head dolefully. “Unlikely. At worse, a settlement of refugees like those we have slain are what we will encounter.”

“Most likely, certainly. But if the army and the demons they have been fleeing from arrive…”

“If that’s the case, we do not have enough people,” Tou He said, gesturing at the group before them. A full regiment was nowhere near enough to take on an army, even if there were hundreds of soldiers in the number, some of whom were in the Energy Storage stage. After all, most were at the basic levels of cultivation at Body Cleansing.

“That’s why we are here, no?” Hua Ren said.

The sideways glance that Tou He sent Hua Ren did not phase the other. While Hua Ren was in the mid-Core Formation stage, an entire level below Tou He’s own Nascent Soul, he was also a martial cultivator which made his aid in the upcoming battles more important. 

“What do you know of him?”

There was no need for Tou He to specify which him, for the only other cultivator of import in the area was the colonel of the army that was overseeing the fight. A high-tier Core Formation cultivator, he should have been a general at the least, and yet, he was relegated to a lower rank. Even Tou He understood that such signs were concerning.

“A good fighter, better commander.” Hua Ren lowered his voice. “He’s the bastard son of one of the bastard princes of the kingdom. Because of his ties – and kingdom politics – he’ll never rise further, not unless he breaks through.”

At that point, of course, it would not matter what relations he had. All kinds of sins could be forgiven when sufficient power was acquired. No kingdom could turn away the support of a Nascent Soul cultivator, for each such individual was the equivalent of an army in themselves.

Walking calamities, one and all and if not for the greater age and focus on climbing that final hill of immortality, they would be a major obstacle to work around. As it stood, few enough cultivators at the highest level ever involved themselves in the running of the government, as conflicting daos – conceptions of the universe and who they were within it – and the necessity of paperwork and power drove them away.

“His dao?” Tou He asked, curiously.

“Uncertain, something about strength I believe.”

“Muscular strength?” Eyeing the slim figure standing before the soldiers, Tou He found that hard to reconcile.

To Tou He’s mild surprise, the aforementioned colonel turned his head and met their enquiring gazes. His lips moved a little as he sent a spirit message to the pair.

“Strength through unity above all. Now, quit nattering like a pair of old men in a tea shop or help my men train.”

Hua Ren winced, bowing his head to the colonel. Rather than help though, he turned away, only to come to an abrupt halt as he realized that Tou He had not moved. In fact, he was gently stretching.

“What are you doing?” Hua Ren said.

“Going to help, of course.” An eyebrow on a bald head raised. “What are you doing?”

“Choosing not to dirty my armour.”

“Isn’t that what your servants are for?” A snort. “Or aura control? If they can lay a finger on you, maybe it is time for you to practice more.”

Hua Ren narrowed his eyes, that mustache twitching into a reluctant smile. “You know, I can see you goading me.”

“Is it working?” Bouncing on his toes a little, Tou He then reached down to tuck the trailing edges of his robes into his belt, showcasing his trousers beneath scandalously. He did not seem to care one way or the other, as he whispered enquiries to the colonel.

At the same time, Hua Ren let out a long sigh. He looked around, reaching over to a nearby tree and breaking off a branch, chaneling his chi into the branch. A burst of steam rose in a cloud above the stick, leaves and branch itself drying out as he swished the newly created cun (9) wide weapon around.

Content with the whooshing noise and flexibility, he followed Tou He into the field, a grin breaking out on his face as he continued. “I bet I can break more formations than you.”

“Not the point,” Tou He said, mildly, not surprised that the colonel was giving the equivalent admonishment at the same time. He immediately launched into an explanation of what he wanted from them, spirit speech revibrating through the air such that the soldiers could not hear the orders that were incoming.

A good thing too, or else they might have fled.

Though if they were that weak, Tou He really would like ot know now. After all, he would need to have them at his back in the future, and if they were going to break that easily, he too would like to know. And if not, well, training them up could only benefit him.

Footnote: 

9 - Chinese inch, equivalent to about 1.3 inches or 30cm