The sky above Coralspire Harbor was clear and blue, the first truly peaceful day the city had known in months. The oppressive tension that had lingered for so long had vanished with the news of the Asset Duel's decisive, brutal conclusion. A current of joyous, almost manic, relief was flowing through the streets.
It was into this atmosphere of celebration that a new, impossible spectacle appeared.
A shadow fell over the city. From the direction of the open sea, a vast, dark object approached, flying silently through the air. As it drew closer, the citizens of Coralspire Harbor fell into a stunned, awestruck silence. It was an island, a massive, circular platform of sand and beach, held aloft by an invisible, absolute power, and upon it stood hundreds of people and beasts.
The floating island drifted majestically over the harbor before coming to a gentle, impossibly smooth halt, hovering a hundred feet above the city's grand central plaza. At its head stood two figures: the portly, beaming Guild Master Kui, and the divine, white-bearded ancestor they now knew as Grand Elder Khaos.
Branch Master Jing, Elder Quan, and a recovered Captain Valerius rushed to the plaza, their faces a mask of pure, unadulterated shock.
"The fruits of our righteous crusade, Branch Master Jing!" Kui's cheerful voice boomed down from above. "The Riptide Legion's nest was not just a fortress of pirates, but a den of slavers! These are the poor souls we liberated from their clutches!"
Khaos simply waved a hand. The massive floating island descended with the gentle grace of a falling leaf, coming to rest in the center of the plaza. The platform of void energy dissolved, leaving the crowd of bewildered, freed slaves standing in the heart of the city.
For a moment, there was a stunned silence. Then, a wave of profound, overwhelming gratitude washed through the crowd of freed people. They prostrated themselves on the ground, their cries of thanks echoing off the white stone buildings of the plaza.
Branch Master Jing, his composure quickly returning, stepped forward, his own voice booming with authority. "People of the southern coast! You are safe now! The Jade Sea Pavilion will see to it that every one of you is cared for!"
For the rest of the day, the Pavilion and the Golden Shell Guild worked in perfect harmony. Jing's staff handled the immense logistical task of identifying and arranging transport for the hundreds of freed people. Kui, meanwhile, moved among the crowd, assessing talent and offering opportunities.
Many of the freed captives, it turned out, were not simple villagers. There were skilled craftsmen, experienced sailors, and even a few wandering cultivators. They all came to Kui and Khaos, offering their deepest thanks and pledging the allegiance of their families and clans. Kui accepted their promises with a humble, beaming smile, planting the seeds of a commercial and political network that would span the entire southern coast.
As the day wore on, a number of the freed captives whose homes and families were gone approached Kui, begging to join his service. They were directed to two separate tables where Kui's clerks and a watchful Xylia evaluated them for positions in the Guild or the Company. By evening, the southern branches of Li Yu's two companies had gained over fifty new, deeply loyal members.
Later that evening, in the now-bustling Silver Shoal Spire which was serving as a temporary headquarters, Kui approached Li Yu, who had been observing the day's events from a quiet balcony.
"Wise Host, the day has been most productive!" Kui said cheerfully. "But I have one final piece of 'loot' from the Maelstrom's Eye to present to you."
He gestured, and a figure stepped out from the shadows. It was the Ancestor of the Riptide Legion. He was back in his human form, an ancient-looking man with skin like dried parchment. However, he was no longer withered and frail. His time in his true form, followed by his subjugation, seemed to have restored some vigor to his vessel. He now stood tall, his presence that of a defeated king, his ancient eyes holding a complex mixture of fear, resentment, and a profound, soul-deep awe. A small, intricate black seal shimmered faintly on his forehead.
"This is the former Legion Ancestor," Kui announced. "A 7th core formation expert, a Gargantuan Spined Sea-Dragon. He has wisely chosen to dedicate the remainder of his long life to the service of the Wise Host. I have taken the liberty of naming him 'Spine'."
Li Yu looked at Spine. He could feel the immense, ancient power coiled within the old man's form, now completely suppressed by Kui's master-servant seal. It was a power that, if uncontrolled, could level this entire city. "You have done well, Kui. An asset of this caliber will be… useful."
He turned his gaze to the defeated sovereign. "Spine. You will come with me."
Li Yu raised his hand, and the shimmering, watery portal to his Koi Martial Spirit materialized in the room. He stepped through, and after a moment's hesitation, a wide-eyed Spine followed his new masters into the unknown.
Spine emerged on the central island of the Koi's Sanctuary. And his world shattered.
He was a being who had lived for over a thousand years, who had seen the deepest trenches of the ocean and commanded storms. He thought he understood power. He was wrong. Before him stretched a vast, endless lake of abyss-black water shot through with veins of gold, thrumming with a life force so pure and potent it made the spiritual energy of the outside world feel like thin, stagnant gruel.
He saw a Skyshroud Leviathan resting in the distance, its power a calm, deep sea. He saw Lirael, the Naga princess, her noble aura making his own draconic bloodline feel crude and brutish. He saw Xylia and Kui in their true, colossal forms, their power now completely unrestrained. And then he felt Khaos. The ambient pressure of the void, the feeling of space itself bending around a single, arrogant will, was enough to make his ancient spirit tremble with a primal fear he hadn't felt since he was a hatchling.
This was not a cultivator's secret realm. This was the divine kingdom. His defeat was not a humiliation; it was an inevitability. To serve the master of this realm was not slavery, but the a great opportunity. He fell to his knees, his ancient pride broken, replaced by a wave of pure, absolute reverence.
Li Yu gave a nod of satisfaction and left Spine to contemplate his new reality. He found Khaos already in his colossal, galaxy-shelled form, preparing to absorb his new prize.
"The task is complete," Khaos's voice rumbled, a rare hint of satisfaction within it. "This king has paid his debt and cleansed the insignificant stain upon my honor. I am returning to my refinement."
Li Yu watched as Khaos absorbed the second Void Core fragment. The profound transformation began anew, and the feedback loop of pure, starless black Qi flowed from the sovereign, through the Koi spirit, and into Li Yu himself. The abyss-black water of his spiritual sea became even heavier, his nascent soul absorbing the void essence, perfecting his foundation. His condensed 1st-level Core Formation power was being forged into something terrifyingly potent.
He opened his eyes in the real world, the last rays of the setting sun casting long shadows across the now-peaceful city. His southern journey was complete. The Azure Shell Chamber was broken, their assets now fueling his own growth. The Riptide Legion was annihilated, their fortress and their Ancestor now his property.
He had powerful allies, his companies were staffed and poised to dominate. And he, the quiet gardener at the heart of it all, was more powerful and more secure than ever. He looked out at the vast, peaceful ocean, a genuine, contented smile on his face. The southern foundation was laid. Now, it was time to simply watch it grow.