The next morning, Karl woke up aching. His back leaned against the railings, every part of him stiff — back, hips, neck, and even his leg cramped.
"...No wonder," he muttered with a deadpan face, reaching down to pinch his leg.
"Oh come on." He pinched harder, but instead of pain, he felt nothing. It was like the blood in his leg had simply stopped working.
"Need help?" a calm voice asked. Turning his head, Karl saw Jingliu staring(?) at him.
"I would be grateful—"
STOMP.
"AHHHH!!!" Karl screamed as pain shot through his leg. He jumped up, crouching and clutching his thigh.
"What was that for?!" he snapped, glaring at her.
"You said you needed help, so I gave you my heel. Shouldn't you be thankful?" Jingliu said flatly, arms crossed.
"You didn't even let me finish my sentence!" Karl groaned, yanking up his pants leg. A dark bruise had already formed.
"Look at this! Do you have money to compensate for this injury?!" he whined, massaging it—only to make it hurt worse.
"...Be grateful I helped you stand," Jingliu replied with a sigh, before making a tactical retreat.
"Damn you…" Karl muttered, tempted to shove Longinuslanze Testament at her head just to share the pain.
Sighing, he straightened up, wincing as his leg still throbbed.
"Where are you going?" Jingliu asked blankly.
"Hunt." Karl gave a single-word reply and hobbled away.
Jingliu said nothing, quietly returning to her spot.
---
When Karl reached Cloudford 2, the place crawled with Mara-Struck Cloud Knights—and beside them, a hulking wolf-like beast. He walked forward, Longinuslanze Testament materializing in his hand.
As if the world itself recognized its arrival, a blinding light shot out. It made no sound, yet pierced the wind with impossible speed, disintegrating every monster it touched. Flesh and armor alike turned to ash until nothing remained.
Karl let the spear dissolve the last enemy before planting it in the ground.
Bad move. It sank straight through, vanishing beneath the earth.
"...Sigh." Karl stared at the hole. "This spear is too OP. I swear, the author who made it must've been drunk."
—
"And I missed Tingyun's warm embrace…"
Recalling the spear in his hand, he twirled at his finger before he throwed it towards the random direction- no, it wasn't random at all, the spear impaled the monster who was hiding, its invisibility undone.
"Dang…" Karl stared at the disappearing monsters, he shook his head in amusement before walking away Cooley-
"Ackk!" A pain surged out, he crouched his leg as the bruise swells.
"I forgot about this one…" his cheeks tainted with redness, his head snapped in every direction and sighed in relief.
"Good thing no one saw that." With that, he continued his way while massaging his leg.
"Damn that Jingliu…" he thought, before disappearing.
Just as Karl disappeared, Jingliu emerged from the shadows. She held the severed head of a Mara-Struck Cloud Knight before tossing it aside, then stepped forward and began following Karl in secret.
That spear… it reeks of death. Destruction. Powerful, yes—but far beyond anything I've seen, Jingliu thought, her eyes never leaving Karl's faint limp.
To destroy Mara-Struck Cloud Knights, creatures that can resurrect once, with a single strike… that spear prevents even their revival. Unfathomable.
Yet no one could ever truly comprehend its nature. After all, it was once just an ordinary spear—until it pierced the body of Jesus Christ and was bathed in holy blood.
—
Karl kept walking until he reached another sector of Cloudford 2. But there, a new threat emerged.
A massive, overgrown gorilla lumbered into view.
"KING KONG!" Karl shouted, instantly drawing its attention. The beast roared, pounding its chest before leaping skyward. For a moment, its form shrank against the sky, then it plummeted down with crushing force, fist aimed at Karl.
But Karl only leaned back, gripping his spear over his shoulder. "Don't come to a fight without a weapon!"
"ZOOOMP!"
The spear launched—not simply appearing, not bending distance, but truly traveling. It turned into radiant light, cutting through the air with impossible speed. It pierced the gorilla's fist, then drilled straight through its torso, tearing half its body apart as the beast crashed lifelessly to the ground.
The impact shook the earth with a thunderous bang.
Karl raised his weapon high as it returned to his hand. "TEN POINTS!" he declared triumphantly.
While Karl celebrated his inevitable conclusion, Jingliu watched from behind the containers, her gaze fixed on the lifeless gorilla slowly fading into nothingness.
"As expected… anything that touches that spear faces the same truth—existence erasure." Her thoughts reached their conclusion, and with a single step back, she vanished into the shadows.
Satisfied with his grinding, Karl returned to where Jingliu was waiting. She leaned against the railings, her head turned toward the horizon.
"I wonder," Karl muttered, staring at her, "how can you even see that far when you're wearing a blindfold?"
Without turning, Jingliu replied, "...I'm not looking far away. I'm following the air, where it comes and goes." Crossing her arms, she moved to another sector.
Karl trailed after her, but his eyes soon caught something swelling in the distance—something massive, growing larger with each passing second.
"Looks like the Ambrosial Arbor has awakened," Jingliu said evenly, watching the colossal tree stretch upward despite the distance between them.
Karl took a step forward, eyes narrowing.
"Where are you going? Planning to stop that thing with your spear?" Jingliu asked, her voice calm as ever.
"Stop?" Karl scoffed, shaking his head. "No. I'm just gonna watch."
And with that, he disappeared from Jingliu's sight.
Seriously—how the hell does she always know when he's gone? Creepy…
———
Karl arrived at the Divination Commission just in time to witness Caelus chasing after Kafka, only for her to leap below, Blade following right after.
"Dammit!" Caelus cursed, halting at the ledge. He clenched his fists, then let out a long sigh before trudging back toward March, who was already pale with worry.
"Sorry… I let them escape," Caelus muttered, lowering his head in shame.
But March quickly shook her head, pointing at the distance. "That doesn't matter now! Look at that!"
The Ambrosial Arbor loomed, its roots writhing and its crown expanding, alive in a way that was both majestic and horrifying.
"We should report this to General Jing Yuan," Welt said evenly, adjusting his glasses as if steadying his nerves.
"I'll guide you, benefactors," Tingyun(?) added cheerfully. The Astral Express crew exchanged brief nods before following her lead.
---
Elsewhere, Fu Xuan stood before Jing Yuan, arms crossed, her expression sharp.
"General, you knew this would happen, didn't you?"
"Me?" Jing Yuan chuckled softly, feigning innocence. "You give me too much credit, Fu Xuan. My eyes don't reach beyond the horizon."
"General…" Fu Xuan's voice sharpened. "That excuse again? You always hide behind it. But fine. If you truly didn't foresee this, then the Disciples of Sanctus will no doubt be emboldened by the crisis. What's our next step?"
Jing Yuan turned, tone deceptively casual. "Plan? I'll leave that to you. From now on, you'll be leading the Cloud Knights."
Fu Xuan blinked, stunned. "W-what?! General, have you lost your mind?! Why are you giving me that title?!"
"Because your eyes do see the horizon," Jing Yuan replied smoothly, tilting his head with a faint smile. "You know better than anyone how to counter traitors." With that, he stepped away, leaving Fu Xuan in the center of the room, fuming but trapped by duty.
Before she could argue further, hurried footsteps echoed.
"Miss Fu Xuan!" March panted, pointing frantically toward the Arbor. "Did you see that thing? It's still growing!"
"Oh… Astral Express. Perfect timing," Fu Xuan murmured, forcing her tone into calm authority.
"And… General Jing Yuan?" March asked hesitantly, her eyes darting as Jing Yuan approached with a faint laugh.
"Indeed," he said, folding his arms. "And I have a task for you. This time, the Loufu itself requires your help. Will you accept?"
Caelus narrowed his eyes. "What's the commission?"
Jing Yuan smiled knowingly.
---
Meanwhile, Karl sat alone at the Divination Commission, exhaling a long sigh. Rising to his feet, he vanished from sight and returned to Cloudford, where Jingliu was waiting silently by the railings.
"Well?" she asked, her voice calm, yet edged. "Did anything catch your eye?"
"Why would you ask that?" Karl replied, leaning against the railing, eyes narrowed.
"Why wouldn't I?" Jingliu countered, her tone clipped but deliberate.
Karl clicked his tongue inwardly. This woman's impossible. She talks in riddles, and I'm left to guess her meaning.
Karl tore his gaze away from Jingliu and fixed it on the Ambrosial Arbor. A strange aura pulsed from the colossal tree — golden, or perhaps green-gold? He couldn't even decide on the color. It throbbed like a living heart, spilling energy that warped the air around it.
Then a cheerful notification chimed from his phone — the one Madam Yukong had given him. Karl pulled it out, only to see a message from Tingyun(?).
[Dear~, look! The Ambrosial Arbor is alive! Isn't it amazing?! So much energy — they say even touching it could drive someone insane!]
Karl skimmed the text and typed back quickly.
[It is beautiful. But stay safe, okay? Don't get too close. I don't ever want to see you hurt.]
A moment later, the reply came:
[I won't~. Bye then~]
Attached was a picture of her smiling sweetly, her fingers curled into a fox-sign pressed against her cheek.
Karl's lips curved into a shaky grin. "My wife's beauty is perfection itself…" He lowered the phone, nodding solemnly. "Phantylia, I'll forgive one of your million sins… all because of this picture."
He tucked the phone away, as though the image alone had restored his fractured peace.
"What will you do now? The scattered energy from the Ambrosial Arbor won't go unnoticed. Sooner or later, consequences will arrive," Jingliu said, her tone calm, almost detached, as if the chaos before them was beneath her concern.
Karl gave no reply. He straightened his posture, turned, and began to walk away.
"The game of the Gods has already begun," Jingliu continued, her voice carrying through the wind. "We are nothing more than pawns on their board. When their clash reaches its peak, everything—everyone—will be erased. Forgotten, swallowed by the vast expanse of the universe."
But Karl didn't turn back. He didn't care about gods, pawns, or the universe. All that mattered to him was Tingyun. That was his only wish.
And then he was gone, vanishing into the distance, leaving Jingliu alone at the dock. Her snow-white hair stirred in the restless breeze, rising and falling like the silence that followed.
—------
By the time Karl arrived outside the Commission, Caelus, March, Welt, and Tingyun were already in the middle of an argument with Gongshu.
"You—don't come any closer! Feigning kindness, trying to lure me out so you can ravish me?! Fools! No one can take me away from my creations!" Gongshu shouted, pointing an accusing finger as mechanical fish and toads blocked their path.
"Master Gongshu, please calm down. We mean no harm, we just want—" March tried, but he cut her off.
"You even know my name! Hah! Then you must be targeting me because of my genius!"
March sighed, exhausted. She looked at Caelus. "Switch with me, I'm done."
Before she could complain further, the mechanical fish and toad lunged. March yelped, twisting out of the way, an icy bow appearing in her hands. With a sharp release, her arrow pierced the fish cleanly. The toad met Caelus' bat and shattered on impact.
"My children!" Gongshu wailed, running to the broken scraps. He sobbed loudly, clutching at the ruined parts.
"Why destroy them?! Beyond repair! Compensation! I demand compensation!"
"Don't blame us—you attacked first!" March barked, hands on her hips. "We came here because your disciple asked us!"
Gongshu froze mid-sob. "Awei?"
"Yes," Caelus answered flatly.
Welt stepped in calmly. "We were sent by General Jing Yuan and Diviner Fu to reach the Alchemy Commission. We were hoping you could guide us there."
At the mention of the General, Gongshu's mood flipped instantly. "O-oh! A misunderstanding, then! Don't worry about those little things, they're easy to fix." He puffed up with pride again.
March leaned toward Caelus, whispering, "This guy… the enemy of common sense. And they call him a master?"
Gongshu continued proudly, "But I can't help you much right now. The Artisanship Commission has been seized—an evil demon tree took our most precious possession, the Creation Furnace."
While they spoke, Karl crouched above on the rooftop, watching. Without a word, he stepped back into shadow and vanished.
—
He reappeared at the Alchemy Commission. The scene was chaos: monsters swarmed the streets, overflowing in numbers. Smoke belched from a massive furnace far ahead, guarded by hulking figures Karl had never seen before.
His eyes locked onto one of them: a Mara-Struck knight carrying spear and shield, its frame warped with unnatural bulk.
"Disciples of Sanctus Medicus… Shape Shifters," Karl muttered, grip tightening around his weapon.
The first knight let out a guttural grunt and charged, but Karl's spear sliced through it as if it were paper. Its body vanished before it even hit the ground.
The cry drew the rest. Weapons raised, they closed in, while airborne Mara-Struck hurled seething seeds down toward him.
But their formation shattered in an instant. Sliced cleanly in half, their bodies blinked out of existence as though their very proximity to Karl had betrayed them.
He pressed forward, focused—too focused to notice the air tremble behind him. Reality cracked, splintering like glass, and an unnatural hum bled into the space.
Then came the strike.
"GAHHH!" The blast tore into his shoulder, blood spraying as pain ripped through him. Karl staggered, spinning on instinct, and hurled his spear toward the distortion.
The golden light pierced straight through, impaling the Imaginary Weaver before it dissolved into nothing.
Karl hissed, clutching his shoulder, blood dripping freely between his fingers. Just then, the ground shook with a low rumble. Karl's ears twitched, catching the rhythm of marching boots.
He clicked his tongue. With his wound still bleeding, he had no choice. Gripping his spear, he vanished into the air just as the tremors grew louder.
Moments later, Fu Xuan arrived with an army of Cloud Knights, surrounding the battlefield. Their eyes scanned the ruined streets before charging forward, spears raised.
"Protect Diviner Fu!" the Knights shouted in unison, their formation tearing into the Mara-Struck ranks. Blades clashed, spears thrust, and corrupted flesh scattered into ash.
"Diviner Fu, leave this to us! Head toward the plaza!" one knight called, skewering a Mara-Struck before kicking it aside. Fu Xuan gave a curt nod, a small escort breaking off to surround her as she advanced.
Then, her sharp gaze caught something on the ground—dark streaks of blood, still fresh, seeping into the broken stone.
Her eyes narrowed. "Search the area for survivors! Someone was here moments ago!" she barked. "If you find them, secure them and bring them along once you're done here!"
Without another word, she turned, her escorts keeping pace as the battle roared behind her.
—--------
Karl staggered into Cloudford, the sharp tang of blood carried on the wind. Jingliu, long accustomed to battlefields drenched in iron scent, neither flinched nor frowned. She simply watched in silence.
Clutching his shoulder, pale and trembling, Karl tried to stem the bleeding with his hand—only to feel an icy sting. A block of frost pressed hard against the wound.
"Ack—!" he hissed, teeth clenched as Jingliu's hand drove the cold deeper into his flesh, sealing the flow.
Her voice cut through, calm and sharp: "Did you pick a fight with an Emanator?"
Karl grimaced, jaw tight. "What kind of question is that—ugh! Don't press it harder! And no, I'm not suicidal enough to fight one!".
Sighing at his misery, Karl muttered under his breath, "Dammit… who would've thought an Imaginary Weaver was hiding between reality…"
Just then, a notification rang from his phone. He shifted his body, only for Jingliu to press the ice block harder against his wound.
"Move, and this ice will slip inside your body." Her tone was flat, yet sharp enough to freeze him in place.
Reluctantly, Karl used his left hand to fumble for the phone. He unlocked it and read the message.
[Dear~, look! A Peach of Immortality! Such a shame the Astral Express destroyed it… Tell me, if this fruit were given to you—granting true immortality—wouldn't that be tantalizing?]
Karl skimmed it, then typed back with one hand:
[Peach of immortality? Tingyun, Dear, what are you doing there? That's dangerous! And also… it does look amazing.]
Feigning ignorance, he pressed send.
Almost immediately, another reply popped up:
[Right~ Anyway, I should go now since we'll be heading to the Alchemy Commission to team up with Diviner Fu~]
It was followed by yet another picture—Tingyun(?) posing with her fox-hand sign, lips pursed in a playful kiss, eyes locked on the camera.
"Sigh… soon…" Karl thought to himself as he relaxed his body.
"Atziluth…Acta… Est… Fabula…" Karl said ominously, his eyes shone, two serpents logo entertwined together baring it's fangs to each other.
--------
A/n: Hi, it's me author! I was planning to make it 5-6k words, but I realize if I did that, then the chapters would be fewer and it might destroyed the writing since it was dump all dialogue and monologue in a single chapters. I was planning to make 15 chapters to cover up all Xianzhou Loufu story while another 5 for the side quests. So I top at 2834 words, and also It's kinda rush due to my school homework WHICH I never plan to answer or do it. Lmao (*´ω｀*)
Also YEY, THIS FANFIC GOT 6K VIEWS!!
...I THINK? ANYWAY, THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THIS DEADASS FANFIC!