The black clouds covered the sun, and a feeling of nightfall lingered in the minds of the soldiers. A raindrop surged from the cloud, making its way to the ground, cutting through the air, and it made contact with the ground. At that moment, two figures rushed for each other's throats.
Ro Lin's glaive head straight for Si Yan's neck, and the rain pouring down made the blade wet with water from the heavens. The glaive couldn't cut through Si Yan's neck; his tremendous Ki had made an impenetrable armour that blocked any blade.
SFX: THRACK!
"Kuh! The ki!", Ro Lin withdrew the glaive. He understood that his ki was impenetrable.
"Why the!!"
SFX: THRASH!
Si Yan's fist made its way to Ro Lin's chest. The surging Ki destroyed all his ribs, and he bled from his mouth.
"Is this the power of a Zen user?"
Typically, the Ki energy inside humans can evolve with training. The most common type of ki that a normal man can awaken is called the 'warrior's ki' or 'Ken'. The Ken can evolve into 'En' an advanced ki than Ken. The next evolution of En is to its final form called 'Ten', or the 'final Ki'. For 99.9% of humanity, this is their final form, but 0.01% can evolve to the rarest and most heavenly form of Ki called 'Zen'. The people who use the Zen ki are called Zen users. Zen can't be awakened with rigorous training alone; it requires the three karmas of the mind to align with the body.
Ro Lin was still standing. As a Ten user, he was humiliated; he couldn't believe that the gap between Ten and Zen could be this overwhelming.
SFX: THUCK!
"You know, someone who is using women for pleasure, falling into their hands, slave to alcohol, and a man without any aim other than to just recklessly confront his enemy will always lose, no matter how great you are"
Si Yan declared it in front of Ro Lin. But far away, he was sensing it again, that presence, and now it was different.
"Two, eh?"
SFX: GRAB
He grabbed Ro Lin by his neck and lifted him in an instant. Veins emerged from Si Yan's hands, and the muscles bulged as he mustered that demon strength in his hand.
SFX: CRSSHKK!
Ro Lin couldn't think of him or moan. He just saw his past self having pleasure with women and drinking alcohol. His breath ceased, and pupils dilated, his neck got crushed, but still that regret remained in his lifeless body.
"A warrior who prioritised pleasure is inferior to a pale whore"
Si Yan dropped Ro Lin's body, and he fell onto the cold ground. His eyes opened, staring directly into the sky. Si Yan closed Ro Lin's open eyes.
"May the heavens redeem you", he said to Ro Lin's corpse.
Si Yan's messenger came running, his pale face conveyed something that Si Yan didn't see...
"My lord, the tide has been turned", the messenger told.
"It's that presence, I thought something was wrong", Si Yan had already figured it out.
*************
In the deep forest, Zenshi and his unit sat, waiting for the right moment to unleash their plan...
"Zenshi, our group, they are moving on their own", the lieutenant told.
"Own?"
"It's as if someone can see the whole battlefield"
Zenshi quickly climbed to the top and saw something he hadn't predicted.
He didn't see that coming...
"They are moving on their own...wait, they can't do something like that on their own. Someone else is here", Zenshi told everyone in the first group.
A member from the third group came running to all of them. He was panting, as if he had seen a monster.
"Commander, the second unit has successfully reached the destination and has requested the reinforcements"
"Good, I guess the first phase is done!" Zenshi could now move along with the plan.
"But Commander, they refused to send reinforcements under the king's orders!!"
The moment Zenshi heard that, something burst inside him. Perhaps it was rage, but it was something different.
"He wants to meet me..."
"Huh? What are you telling Zenshi?" asked the lieutenant.
"He wants to meet me, that is the only explanation for this", Zenshi told.
As of now, Zenshi's third unit was fighting with the Wei army, but the terrain advantage in that region was due to the Shuwa trees. The Shuwa tree leaves have a peculiarity that is, if the leaves rub off against someone coming from the West, it would cause a disease called the 'rose itch'. The people will itch their skins, to the extent of tearing them, making a rose pattern in their skin.
The soldiers' units of Wei who approached from the West were destroyed by the Shuwa trees. All of them had become the victims of rose itch.
"This aura, he is heading for the hill!" Zenshi told the lieutenant.
Zenshi got on his horse and headed for the hill. Cutting through the woods, he headed like a polished arrow. The hill had come into view, and he continued to ride.
The soldiers guarding the hill assaulted Zenshi. Zenshi didn't falter an inch; he unsheathed his sword.
"Kurotsuchi..."
Zenshi's Ki surged abruptly, causing the enemy soldiers and their horses to fall. A commander approached to slash him.
"First Hell...", Zenshi muttered.
The dark Ki enveloped Zenshi, in an instant, in a slash, the commander's head flew in the air.
SFX: THUD
*************
From the East side of the hill, Wan appeared, ascending the hill. The soldier units stationed on the East side rushed to slay him.
"There he is!! Attack him!!" the commander ordered.
Wan Heian drew his twin blades, and they shone in the sunlight. He muttered their names...
"Ohirume...Ao"
"First heaven...", whispered Wan.
SFX: SLASH
The moment he drew out his blade, the commander fell. Blood pooled on the ground from his chest.
He could see the top of the hill, just a little more nad he would be on the top.
*************
Si Yan stood staring into the battleground, observing Zenshi, who was ascending the hill.
"General, two men from the Han side are approaching", the messenger informed Si Yan.
Si Yan smiled...
"Identity of the second one?" asked Zenshi.
"It's a bounty hunter from Han, Wan Heian...", said the messenger.