The Strongest Creature (5); The Sage and The Empyrean

"Are you truly willing?"

The gentle voice boomed. Goldilocks viewed the scene from the perspective of a stranger. She realized it the moment she saw it— her memories.

While she, currently, had no form, the form in her memories looked hesitant and glanced in the direction of the Dark-haired golden-eyed man with a dignified expression as he nodded, "It is a blessing to revert one's bloodline. Evolution is an envious fortune but under the heavens, this fortune comes easy to humans than beasts despite whatever we may consume— we are destined to mutate but not evolve."

Though unresigned, the beast eventually agreed until a frightfully calm voice broke her attention from the scenery.

"Mutation? Only humans allowed to evolve? Boy, with a leader like this, no doubt the entire Star Dou Great Forest is getting explored by humans. If it was me... heh, Well, no point in thinking since I'm not your leader."

Goldilocks 'looked' to the side and even if she couldn't see anyone, she could sense Ja Sun next to her.

Her mood instantly turned foul as his boisterous laugh shook the surroundings, causing the memories to fade as Goldilocks suddenly began viewing a youth similar to Ja Sun in a pool large enough to contain a 'small' shark, fighting the beast as both grew bloody.

"Ah, good times," Ja Sun smiled, "Don't be so glum, Locks, you can either try and constantly reject good things coming your way or accept them and make the best use of it. Come on, we're already in the middle of the process."

Process?

What Process?

Golden Lion's confusion was justified as she didn't know what was going on. The previous array allowed her to keep a hold of her consciousness but Ja Sun adopted a different strategy in a manner of tradeoff so, for Golden Lion, this was a different experience. She could, however, understand that the both of them were having their memories exposed as Ja Sun brought her up to the speed, "Although the array is not designed to make one of us devour each other, it is designed to set one alpha from the two of us."

Her thoughts froze once she heard Nik and she couldn't help but whine helplessly at this moment.

"Why?" Ja Sun smiled, "It's better than to just kill you. I'm a fan of living resources and think about it for a second, what if I'm bored and want someone to play with? You can fulfill that role easily once you get stronger... although, I bet there are stronger sparring partners to be found within my own team."

"It doesn't make any sense!" Goldilocks snapped. She didn't think much that she could speak human since both of their minds and bodies were connected.

Ja Sun fell silent for a second and then replied, "Fine, we have time. What part of this doesn't make any sense?"

She hadn't expected such a response but seeing Ja Sun willing to converse, she continued, "Why must my freedom be at the line of your goals?"

"Freedom?"

Ja Sun's mumble sounded like a daze as their surroundings involuntarily changed once again. Golden Lion's words had made him recall one particular memory of his... which, to his twisted senses, was one of his best moments since he had met her for the first time.

---

"What to do next! You must have pursued me out of interest. How could I be accompanied by so many spirit beasts? But you know my Martial Soul. You know why. Now, you're probably thinking about what to do with me. Well, there are three options that are the most direct and easiest.

1) You kill me and continue with your life.

2) You let go of me and let me live.

3) You find a good buyer for me because I can be worth a lot.

Now, the decision doesn't lie in your hands. Do you know what will decide my fate?"

Golden Lion found her consciousness fleeting within the dense vegetation of forest under darkness with a sliver of moonlight brightening the surroundings to reveal an almost otherworldly beauty that claimed refreshing blue-colored hair and sapphire-like pupils. The woman held Ja Sun under the coil of blue silver grass. Golden Lion didn't know what was happening but she felt that this was an extremely important memory for Ja Sun.

How could it not be? He died at that moment a second time and was brought back to life the next instant. The only woman to ever touch his heart directly with her actions no less and left him wanting more of her flavor in his life— Ah Yin.

Ja Sun's intent softened as she viewed everything. This was the first night he met Ah Yin and eventually scammed her. Not to mention, he also robbed Oscar, Jun'er, and their previous team clean.

Goldilocks, however, wasn't privy to his thoughts but only emotions.

It was weird when she felt something so warm and fuzzy from Ja Sun, who, if given chance, would spit at Di Tian even. It was almost foreign to Ja Sun but he accepted this wholeheartedly. He did so from the moment Ah Yin decided to protect him with her life...

Not that he would admit it but only Goldilocks felt the most natural, yet unconquerable conflict in Ja Sun's life.

In this stream of memory, Ah Yin pursed her lips. She was starting to feel extremely uncomfortable by the lack of initiative. She had threatened Ja Sun twice but he seemed indifferent to death! What else should she do? Torture? The thought of it filled Ah Yin with discomfort.

"What?" She finally sighed and questioned as to what Ja Sun thought would decide his fate in that moment of vulnerability.

"Your morals and upbringing." He replied.

Ah Yin narrowed her eyes.

"You... really are just trying to talk your way out of it," Ah Yin smiled. She felt like she hit the mark this time. "You want to control the flow of conversation and then control my thoughts indirectly. It's not simply as rattling someone when it comes to you. Your aim is to revert the situation with your indifference to demise."

Goldilocks felt that the woman with blue hair was onto something... however...

"If you think so, sure. Let's drop it," Ja Sun smiled and agreed. Instantly, Ah Yin felt as if something eerie was crawling up her legs and she scowled, "Fine, tell me how my morals are not part of my decision!"

"Easy. Upbringing carves morals. And there is no individual who has ever grown by himself. The world... our life, our experience with other individuals. All of this acts as our upbringing. And this shapes our morals. It's quite simple really."

"Then you think your actions are based on your own morals and thinking?" Ah Yin crossed her arms.

"Oh... hahaha," Ja Sun chuckled, "I could never think that. I love to place the blame on some other entity. Sometimes it's the world, and other times, it's the lack of sleep."

"Now, lady, be quick about it. Death, Life, or enslavement. Decide."

"Before I decide... tell me why the Spirit Hall doesn't know that you have a variant Three-eyed Silver Lion as your twin spirit? Twin Spirits are extremely rare. Their rarity is as high as my innate domain. And yet, they only know about your evil body martial soul. And if you still haven't obtained your first spirit ring, why can you fight someone like Zhao Wuji."

Needless to say, Goldilocks didn't understand who Zhao Wuji was or how it was connected to this memory.

"My wits and charm." This was the quickest response Ah Yin ever got and Goldilocks ever heard.

"There's nothing charming about your wits," Ah Yin groaned and the lion agreed.

"Story of every handsome man's life." Another quick response.

"Fine," Ah Yin shrugged. Her smile looked rather peaceful.

"I'll kill you," she waved her hand as the drill instantly pierced through Ja Sun's body.

"Heh!" Ja Sun coughed. Blood spurted out of his lips as he seemed pleasantly surprised than shocked, "That's..." his gaze rooted deeply in Ah Yin's eyes, "... painful..."

He groaned weakly before his palms tilted down weakly and his head leaned down.

---

The stream of memory ended. Although 'entertaining' and dramatic, Ja Sun had given Goldilocks a lot to think of.

"So... was I never free? Even while being able to control threads of Destiny itself?" She mumbled her inquiry, this time, not openly declaring Ja Sun of robbing her freedom as if she could empathize with what he had said. If their experience truly carved their response, were they free in the truest sense?

"Maybe... maybe not. It depends on how you value freedom," Ja Sun replied.

"Value?"

"Do you want to live your life achieving goals and feeling satisfied without caring a rat's ass about freedom or other illusions and philosophies... Or...

Do you want to spend years brooding after what freedom is?"

"The former," Golden Lion replied and felt that Ja Sun was directing her unintentionally towards the answer already known to her for quite a while now.

"Then... what do you want?"

"I want to grow better. You feel it same as me... our species allows others to grow at a pace divine but we can't have the same benefits? Why? Maybe... if we could just evolve our bloodlines, we may have the same growth if not an even higher pace!" She admitted to her truest desire. She didn't want strength, or some rule over the world...

She just wanted the same benefits.

"If your goals come at a price of your mobility, then what?" Ja Sun continued with ease.

"As long as I evolve... my curiosity satiated, I feel anything short of death and cruel slavery is worth it..." As she said so, she fell stunned.

"Then there is your answer."

Ja Sun's deep words rang as their surroundings brightened too much to the point Goldilocks had to 'close' her eyes but his voice continued to accompany her, "What Freedom? What honor? The two of us were so far apart but now you share a bone closest with me. You can sense me as well as I sense you.

Goldilocks, I don't want you dead. It's boring. It's dull. I can't communicate with the dead.

So, I'd have you accompany me. If you do have a problem, I guess you can just fight it out, heh!"

Although she felt like she was being turned into a pushover and his 'pet', she bared her teeth and growled, "I'm not Goldilocks... call me Ja Yin!"

"Nope."

"Ja Yin."

"Fuck, no!"

"If I am to be with you, sensing all that twisted emotion at the risk of losing my pure thoughts— I deserve a name better than just some pet's nickname!"

"Pure thoughts? You made use of Di Tian and the lady of the lake until I came around before sticking to my thighs! You're a gold-digging golden beast!"

"Then don't make your thighs so juicy. That's the most delicious part of a human being. I've eaten a few," Self-proclaimed Ja Yin scoffed as the blinding light that had a source of gold and silver in the middle took over their very being, interrupting the battle of names and finalizing the process of evolution.

---

Ja Sun's two lives flashed before his eyes. This array propelled the benefits in a manner his own experience was suited for the most thus it didn't just take the essence of the Three-eyed Silver/Golden Lion, the Silver Dragon King, The Golden Dragon, and the Myriad Blood Mango into account but his own development, too.

*Grrr*

"You're not it," Ja Sun looked at the gargantuan Three-eyed Silver Lion crouched in front of him in a silverish space. Behind the silver lion was the giant shadow of a winged beast whose form couldn't be made out completely.

The past and the present were laid out in front of him. One made to serve the cultivation of others and the other one too distant to be relied upon.

If it's so...

Ja Sun turned around.

The only method in his books was to take the step himself towards his goals.

Like Ja Yi— Goldilocks, Ja Sun desires his own unique personification of the silver beast. Not a mutation where the bloodline adopts hints of external skills but an evolution!

Heck, in Ja Sun's eyes, humans are even more perceptible to mutations than evolution. After all, the process of mutation of a martial soul starts from the very first Spirit Ring!

As Ja Sun took a step forward, the Three-eyed Silver Lion behind Ja Sun stood up and began following him but its steps felt forced.

As Ja Sun said, 'it' wouldn't cut it.

Not only its most innate abilities, but also its form itself.

Ja Sun had always made use of larger physiques to attack precise regions but if this continued, his own True Spirit Avatar would turn out quite chunky, too. While Ja Sun walked forward unimpeded towards the source of light as threads of bloody energy whisked past him, the image of his martial soul was pressured by a divine silver, gold, and bloody glow.

Its form began to compact as Ja Sun silently recalled his experiences.

Control.

He has always placed greater emphasis on control of himself. To be crazy when he wishes to and not let his darkest emotions get the better of him. After all, that's one thing 'Teach' hadn't been able to accomplish and that was his goal. To surpass the man not in strength but in achievement. After all, that was who Ja Sun was— a being who loved forming objectives, goals, and accomplishing them. But this objective was simply too Personal to be cheapened out to his trait.

His Martial Soul was molded under the conflicting energies and his will. From its bestial form, the martial soul's phantom grew smaller... human. Its wolfish face lost the longer muzzle and broadened up while his mane grew out, forming the actual face of a lion!

His constant connection with the Evil-Eyed Sage Tiger brought pitch-black stripes on the once pure silver coat of fur but this was only the beginning.

The three emerald vertical pupils shrunk while a golden and silver brilliance began to seep into the martial soul and thus his bloodline.

From the gold, Ja Sun felt unimaginable, raw strength. It whispered in an effort to seduce him. The might it brought unimaginable as if the tyrannical strength was nothing short of personification of unimaginable heavens.

However, despite being of far purer quality, the silver radiance was... soothing and demure. Yet, in its hold was the world of diversity. Elements overjoyed, comprehension resonating with the essence of Evil-Eyed Sage Tiger within him that propelled his personal resonance.

A smile instantly touched Ja Sun.

His entire body instinctively craved the strength that Golden Dragon whispered but he looked sagely as he looked calm.

'Strength... is merely a by-product. I want to develop arrays of all kinds. Communicate with forms of energies present all around me... physical strength wouldn't cut it.'

The Three of his martial soul's eyes, as if moved by his will, devoured the golden brilliance. Just because he didn't need strength didn't mean he would reject good stuff. He merely won't be moved by such freebies, that's all.

Instead, a silver cocoon grew around Ja Sun and his martial soul, i.e., the very image of his part of the bloodline, and began the process he craved for so long— evolution.

---

Unlike Ja Sun, Ja Yin found herself in a world of liquid gold where she stood on a vast golden ocean. In front of her lay an equally vast body of a Golden Dragon. Its eyes closed and its wings pulled back yet each of its scales looked extraordinarily mighty.

The ancestor of her bloodline.

She knew it that very instant.

Myths and legends were confirmed in her heart— Three-eyed Golden Lions descended from the Golden Dragons themselves.

Yet, she wasn't moved.

Born sentient, Ja Yin craved growth in the form of evolution than reverting the bloodline. What made her kind special wasn't the scales of a dragon, but the ability to increase cultivation. In fact, she was an even more peculiar case who could fool destiny itself.

Was she destined to revert her bloodline?

Even if she is... did she need to accept such a fate?

Without looking back, Ja Yin began to walk in the opposite direction— forward.

The body of the giant golden dragon began to fade as if it was a mirage and turned into an overwhelming tide of golden might that rushed towards Ja Yin.

At this moment erupted the silver glow.

Although it clashed with the golden might, Ja Yin could distinctively feel a sense of resonance between the two the same thing she felt from herself and Ja Sun as if the two were related.

'Oh, well... I want it all!'

With a mind that would please Ja Sun the most, Ja Yin shamelessly confessed to her greed as both the glow entered her body. Yet, unlike Ja Sun, she chose to adopt more in the gold.

A golden cocoon began to cover her body as her gaze grew the slightest bit crafty, "I must not let go of that thigh..."

Her body began to compact greatly as she reveled in the might of the Golden Dragon, an ultimate attribute— Strength.

The might of heavens, Empyrean, fueled her entire being while the might of elements crafted her body anew. A body resilient to elements as well as beloved by them to the point she could use pure strength to impact metaphysical realms.

While Ja Sun chose the Sage, Ja Yin chose Empyrean. Both of them got their fair share of benefits and didn't conflict with one another's portions but as Ja Sun revealed in the beginning, in doing so, Ja Yin had truly fallen to become his follower.

As they evolved, the energy of Ja Yin's Bloodline Core which was minuscule compared to the essence of the dragons crafted the bond deeper than those shared by the ones of blood, and lastly, both of their bodies complemented one another, completing the evolution in the most stable manner, fully digesting each other's benefits despite the difference in origin due to the Myriad Blood Mango.

The entirety of the King's Lair was painted in Silver and Gold as if announcing the birth of divine beings in the mortal realm this day.

***

Shoutout to Shoutout to Cup of Happy, Diego Doren, Dylan the Villain, Diabet0s, Isaiah Mitchell, Christopher LaFerney, Shadokarma, Ethan Kennett!!

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