Gods scheme but so can I

'Time's running out too fast.'

Xiao Fan couldn't see himself in this form, but his powers were waning without a doubt. Every thought used a piece of his remaining will.

Let alone flying along these inhabited mountain lines in search of a host.

'No! I can't fail. The clan's thousand year old revival plan can't fail because of me. I refuse to be that sinner!'

Reached another mountain town, the translucent ball of gas stopped to hover. 'Search for Champions!' Like lightning in rain, his will extended throughout the bamboo houses, rice fields, and rain forests.

Information rushed in tides to his mind. Yet, the information was significantly less than in the last hamlet he'd searched. The powers had waned once more, and none of this information satisfied him.

Only the town chief's daughter could be considered an appropriate host; however, even she might die from the forceful possession.

About to move on, something at the very edge of his search range caught his attention. Where the Chief's daughter was a drop in the bucket was this the raging torrents of a waterfall.

Xiao Fan disappeared from the spot, cracking in half tree trunks that were in his way before drilling into a mountain, sparing no expense as the rock melted before him.

This would be his last chance. By his calculations, Search for Champions might not even work on the next use. Appearing on the other side with a bang, he found himself at a mountain gorge hamlet. A rundown settlement where all the people lived in ramshackle bamboo buildings.

A boy no older than eight sat by the gorge's edge, his feet dangling into the gorge. Xiao Fan need not use any precise methods to know he was the one. The boy's gaze deep as the gorge told him everything. That gaze bore even some resemblance to his master's. 'Hmph, your talent will never shine here, so allow me to use it as a stepping stone!'

'Era Bridge Possession!' The translucent gas entered the boy's ears, and from there into his mind, which to Xiao Fan formed as a vast darkness with a seven coloured ball floating in the middle.

"Who disturbs my White Lotus Giant's reincarnation!"

'A grand expert's reincarnation? No issue!' Xiao Fan charged without responding to the voice echoing in this space.

"Insolent ant!" White Lotus Giant separated into seven streams before counter-attacking Xiao Fan from all directions.

At first, Xiao Fan could resist but soon the momentum he had slowed, and eventually turned to retreat. 'Dammit! If I was still at the peak of my power, this White Lotus Giant couldn't even touch me. No, that is just hubris now. Persist. Persist. Persist!' Acknowledging his enemy's power, he changed tactics.

"Xiao Fan of the Xi Immortal Clan greets White Lotus Giant!"

The seven streams formed back into a revolving ball. "Begging for mercy already?"

"Who's begging for mercy? If you so wish, we can both die here."

"Brat!"

"Brat? When your great grandfather wasn't even born, I roamed the worlds and heavens. Allow me to show you what I have seen!" A strand flew from one ball to another.

"This… This…" There was great uncertainty in White Lotus Giant's tone.

"Back to business." Xiao Fan withdrew the strand. "I already know you can't control this boy till he reaches a certain level; however, because of this location, he will never reach that level. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"..."

"So allow me to possess him and—"

"No. Impossible. I have no way to restrict you from breaking this."

"You think too highly of yourself, White Lotus Giant." If he could, Xiao Fan would have shaken his head in contempt. "This body might be amazing to you… but to me, it is only so so."

"The Seven River Body is only so so? Who do you want to be? The Heavenly Emperor?"

"The Heavenly Emperor? A ruler of some mortals? My Xi Immortal Clan has no such aspirations, you know this. You saw."

The mood turned solemn as silence set in the vast darkness, which itself produced no sounds either. Xiao Fan stood his ground with calm. He could guess White Lotus Giant's thought line. He wasn't completely gone yet, although this would be his best chance. Were these negotiations to fail, the situation would force him to possess a peasant from this hamlet.

White Lotus Giant transformed once again.

"You'll regret this." Xiao Fan hovered to leave. The negotiations broke! "Ugh!" The seven streams pierced through him one after another, making his translucent gas ball shrink in size. "If I survive, I'll repay this grievance a thousandfold!"

"Then die for me!" White Lotus Giant laughed. "Once you have entered, there's no way out after all."

'This man is a raging fool!' There was no point in talking anymore, and while his enemy might not know, he knew how this special space worked to a degree. Just a bit more and—As they were speeding through the void at unimaginable speeds, the special space's power also waned and it showed a crack to the outside!

Xiao Fan pushed through the crack while White Lotus Giant stopped in his tracks. 'He must think this will kill me as it has done to all his probing.' But, of course, the owner can't leave like an intruder can when the house is on fire.

Outside, the small boy's limbs were shaking like he was at the brink of death as white foam dripped out of his mouth.

"Du'er! What happened to you?" People gathered around the boy by the gorge's edge. The one who called dropped and drew the boy into her embrace. "La Da, did you see anything strange like before?"

"No, I didn't see anything Miss Lin," spoke another boy similar to Du'er. Both La Da and Miss Lin were trying to shake Du'er awake. But how could a mortal boy take the strain of the previous fight? It should take time for him to fully recover.

A time which Xiao Fan would use to his fullest extent. Losing to White Lotus Giant set back his plans. Yet, the current situation could be salvaged as long as he lived. The enemy couldn't attack while he could, and so the initiative was his. Still, with his powers at an all-time low, another gamble was the only option. If he could possess the town chief's daughter, his plans would be a breeze, but even this wasn't feasible anymore. Dare not to think of it too much, he worked on his immediate need to possess a body of the lowest quality possible. One he hadn't even given a single thought before.

'Are the god's aware already? No.. if they were, those lackeys would've already come to torture and laugh at my Xi Clan.' The associated memories caused his blood to boil. Yet for the bigger picture, he had to bottle his feelings and rush to the nearest building. A place dedicated to his greatest enemies: A temple!"

"Father, Sickly Du is having another crazed fit. I don't understand what the elders see in him. Life is too unfair! The Gods are unfair!"

"Don't shout. Who knows who's listening? And what do you know about the gods? Always blaming them for your misfortunes."

"Father…"

"Get back from the window. We need to prepare for the hunt. These arrows aren't crafting or blessing themselves."

"Yes, father."

"Don't worry too much, my son. Life is full of perils. The Gods send these to us. They are meant to hamper us men stronger with each set back. Persist, and you'll be walking on the path the Gods have set you to."

In the shade of a corner, Xiao Fan watched the son and father discuss. Making preparations for what was to come next, for it simply could not fail. Due to the religious preachings by the priest, his boy seemed somewhat strong in the soul. The chances weren't high. Another angle should complement the plan to raise the odds.

'Era Bridge Possession!' Xiao Fan invaded the boy's mind. Unlike last time, the space appeared empty until the boy's figure was pulled in with another move: Soul Talk!

"Your father is right. Good comes to those who wait," Xiao Fan said in the tone of a wise and old elder. "And I am the bringer of good. The spirit god of these mountains."

The boy pushed his forehead against the invisible floor. "Jutun greets the Mountain Spirit! I- I didn't mean the earlier."

Unlike White Lotus Giant, Jutun was just a mortal with no experience towards cultivation or cultivators. To fool such a person was just too easy. If not for his situation, he would have never bothered with such petty tricks. However, to possess Jutun his own willingness would be a great help.

"Rise the son of my mountain. I am in dire need of your help. The beasts deep within the caves have formed into a pack and threaten nature's balance!"

"Whatever the spirit needs, I am willing."

"Good. Good. I didn't judge you wrong!" Xiao Fan's haughty laughter echoed in the space. "Now, follow my instructions. Breathe in deep and focus on this area deep within you." Showing the spot, he injected his will into it.

The two of them worked together to turn Jutun's will into a mix of the two. A mix where Xiao Fan had the lion's share.

"Son?" As time passed, Xiao Fan took over Jutun's bodily functions one by one. At no point did the good son of the mountains resist this, working wholeheartedly towards his corruption.

"Father, something is happening to me…" Xiao Fan said.

"Stay strong. I'm right here."

"No, this isn't bad. Need to…"

"You need to? Need to what?"

"Wa- water…" Xiao Fan's body had lost its water and resembled a mummy. The possession took a frightening physical strain as the eras conflicted with each other. Both were pure human, but much had changed during the long march of time.

Onto his dry lips splashed a drop of water. Its nutrients consumed in an instant. More poured in from a leather-pouch, which pushed into his mouth. This quenched the thirst for a time as the water-pouch had a limit, but he seemed to have none and his muscles burned hot. As if one had trained them for an hour straight. They pulsated in pain as Junta let out his first and last pain-filled shout.

"Thank you, father," Xiao Fan said, grabbing the empty water-pouch from his mouth. "That was… Too close. I must've angered the gods with my blasphemy!"