Immortal Paladin

[POV: Liang Na]

Liang Na had long since abandoned the elegant banquet dress in favor of attire far better suited to her profession. Draping her body was a set of matte black robes produced by the Workshop, painstakingly engineered after countless observations of the Dark Veil itself.

The fabric absorbed light rather than reflected it, blending seamlessly into darkness while muffling sound, spiritual fluctuations, and even killing intent. It was one of the Workshop's proudest creations, designed to deceive every conventional method of detection.

A soft crackle echoed inside the earpiece resting against her ear.

"Lady Liang Na," Gao Fu's calm voice came through, "do you require reinforcements?"

Liang Na kept her eyes fixed on the distant silhouette.

"Negative."

"As expected."

"You'll only slow me down."

The transmission ended without another word.

The earpiece itself had become another indispensable invention of the Workshop. Compared to cumbersome communication talismans that required spiritual energy and deliberate activation, these tiny devices allowed effortless conversation over tremendous distances without betraying one's location. They had already become standard equipment among the Holy Ascension Empire's intelligence operatives.

Liang Na slipped from one shadow into another as the moon illuminated the sleeping capital. Rooftops, narrow alleys, and abandoned courtyards blurred together beneath her feet.

Ahead, Loki wandered with maddening leisure, occasionally taking abrupt turns through unfamiliar streets before doubling back through winding passages. Whether he had already noticed her pursuit or simply possessed the instincts of a consummate trickster remained impossible to determine. Every movement forced her to second-guess her own deductions.

She had witnessed everything beneath the palace.

Loki had slaughtered five of the Supreme Heart's chosen champions without the slightest hesitation.

Only one had survived.

She never believed the Holy Emperor had hired Loki to eliminate the competition. Such methods simply were not His Holy Majesty's style. If Da Wei wished someone dead, he would accomplish the deed personally.

Should circumstances require subtlety, he would consult Gu Jie, or more commonly, entrust the task to Liang Na herself. Hiring an unpredictable existence like Loki to dirty his hands was unthinkable and completely contrary to his nature.

The Holy Emperor might not even know who Loki was.

A skeletal hand suddenly clasped her wrist.

"Stop."

Liang Na instinctively reached for a blade before recognizing the holy skeleton standing beside her. It was one of the Ezekiels. Its holy flames burned quietly inside hollow sockets.

"Let him go."

She frowned.

"I can't."

"It is His Holy Majesty's order."

Liang Na pulled free from the skeleton's grasp.

"I need to know whether he's leaving the Human Empire. Better yet, whether he's leaving the Greater Human Realm altogether. Keeping track of his whereabouts gives us breathing room. No matter how I look at it, Loki is an invaluable source of intelligence. I'd rather keep my eyes on him than wonder where he'll appear next."

The Ezekiel gave an exasperated shake of its skull.

"He's playing with you—"

The warning never finished.

A kick descended from nowhere.

The holy skeleton's skull exploded into countless fragments, scattering across the stone street like shattered porcelain.

Loki stood where empty air had existed a heartbeat earlier.

His grin stretched from ear to ear.

"Now, now," he said cheerfully. "Don't ruin my game."

Liang Na vanished.

She abandoned every thought of confrontation and immediately shifted into evasive movement. Her body dissolved into overlapping shadows, blinking from one patch of darkness to the next. Entire streets disappeared beneath her rapid succession of shadow steps as she crossed impossible distances in moments. She never looked behind her.

The Embassy finally appeared.

She emerged inside the main hall.

"That's overreacting, isn't it?"

Loki's voice came from directly behind her.

Liang Na reacted without thinking. Her arm swept outward. Six concealed daggers shot toward his face. Loki casually caught every blade in one hand. His other hand reached forward. Her braided hair tightened painfully as he seized it. He yanked. Her balance disappeared. His knee slammed upward.

The impact struck her face like a battering ram.

Liang Na flew backward, crashing violently into reinforced walls. Barrier formations rippled beneath the collision, strengthening the architecture against the tremendous force while cracks spread across the polished stone.

Pain surged through her body, yet one thought overwhelmed every other.

Why?

Why were the embassy's defensive formations completely ignoring Loki's presence?

Every ward protecting the building should have identified him as an intruder, but none had activated.

Loki leisurely examined one of the captured daggers.

A small crimson serpent emerged from around his wrist, its scales gleaming beneath the lantern light. The snake opened its mouth and coated every blade with shimmering black venom before retreating beneath his sleeve.

"I would've liked to enjoy this a little longer," Loki said almost apologetically. "Unfortunately, I can't have anyone learning about my little mischief. Don't worry. It'll be painless. Immortal-slaying venom and all."

His wrist flicked. Four poisoned daggers screamed through the air. Liang Na immediately analyzed the trajectories. Most of her body had long been replaced with mechanical components.

However, it was not enough. Several vital organs remained entirely organic. She had only one remaining option.

Sikao Biaoji's warning echoed through her memory. Never draw directly upon the primordial essence. Not unless absolutely necessary. She reached for it anyway.

Brilliant golden light erupted from within her body.

Her shadow swallowed her whole as she plunged into a strange golden dimension where countless flowing streams of primordial radiance stretched endlessly in every direction.

It was a fleeting instant, but she escaped, until a hand seized her wrist.

Loki smiled as though they were old friends meeting unexpectedly.

"That was unexpected."

He looked over her rusting mechanical limbs with open curiosity.

"You just tapped into the primordial, didn't you?"

The golden radiance rapidly corroded portions of her artificial body. Fine rust spread across gears, joints, and intricate mechanisms faster than she could suppress it.

Loki sighed.

"I suppose I should bring you home."

A crimson flash suddenly sliced across the golden space.

Loki's arm separated cleanly from his shoulder. His severed limb spun through the air before dissolving into harmless flames. Scarlet threads erupted around them, transforming into hundreds and then thousands.

Each one gleamed like strands of blood-red silk as they converged upon Loki from every direction. He danced through them with effortless steps, narrowly avoiding every lethal strand before accelerating toward Liang Na once again.

Her shadow exploded.

Hei Mao emerged.

The young man stepped forward calmly, his crimson scarf unfurling around him before transforming into a raging storm of countless razor-sharp blades. Every fragment screamed through the air with enough force to shred mountains into dust.

Loki disappeared.

The attack struck nothing.

Liang Na slowly exhaled. "Did you get him?"

Hei Mao observed the empty surroundings for several moments before shaking his head. "No." He narrowed his eyes. "That guy was at least a Ruler of Laws."

A chill ran down Liang Na's spine.

"I'm going to chase after him," said Hei Mao.

Liang Na stared at him. "Aren't you being too reckless?"

Hei Mao smiled with complete confidence. "I'll go easy on him."

Liang Na blinked. "What?"

…

..

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[POV: Loki]

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Loki had genuinely expected this little excursion to be unbearably dull.

His favor to the Supreme Heart had been fulfilled. The champions were dead, save for the monk who had been deliberately spared. All that remained was to quietly leave the Greater Human Realm before anyone pieced together the truth. It should have been a mundane conclusion to an otherwise amusing evening.

Instead, he found himself intrigued.

A mere immortal had tapped into the primordial.

That single fact occupied his thoughts far more than the assassination itself.

The primordial forces stood above ordinary laws. They were powers that predated countless universes, existing before cultivation systems, before civilizations, and perhaps even before the Supreme Beings themselves. Only the asuras possessed a natural affinity for such forces, while the strange creatures raised by the Supreme Taboo occasionally demonstrated the same impossible gift. Beyond them, perhaps a handful of ancient Lost Gods could manipulate fragments of the primordial through forgotten means.

Certainly not an immortal, yet Liang Na had done exactly that.

Loki replayed the brief encounter in his mind as he departed the imperial capital. The golden dimension she had entered was unstable, almost violently rejecting her existence, while the primordial essence had immediately begun corroding her mechanical body. She had neither mastered it nor understood it, but she had reached it nonetheless.

"Interesting," he murmured to himself.

The city's massive port eventually came into view, its countless docks stretching into the sea beneath the moonlight. Merchant vessels from every greater realm rested quietly upon calm waters while enormous dragon-shaped statues overlooked the harbor like silent guardians.

Loki glanced around once before his body rapidly shrank.

Dark hair receded into gleaming scales. His limbs disappeared. Within moments, a remarkably ordinary salmon splashed into the sea.

The ocean concealed far more than fish and sea beasts.

Beneath its depths flowed an immense dragon vein, one of the countless spiritual arteries connecting worlds throughout the Greater Universe. Greater dragon veins intertwined with lesser ones to form an unimaginably vast network, and long ago the asuras had discovered how to navigate those hidden passages. By swimming through the veins themselves, they could travel between distant realms without relying upon warp arrays or spatial gates.

Normally, Loki would have summoned his personal mount. Or perhaps his beloved ship. Tonight, however, neither accompanied him.

Swimming would suffice.

The salmon darted downward until it reached the glowing current of the dragon vein. Brilliant spiritual energy rushed around him like a subterranean river as he surrendered himself to the flow.

Without warning, the current violently shifted.

Instead of carrying him deeper into the vein, an overwhelming suction dragged him sideways. The force proved so sudden that even Loki failed to resist immediately. His small body shot out of the dragon vein altogether.

Above him floated an absurd creature.

It resembled an enormous black blob with tiny ears vaguely resembling those of a cat. Its mouth had expanded into a bottomless abyss, swallowing entire sections of the ocean with astonishing appetite. Water, fish, sea beasts, and even spiritual currents disappeared into the creature as though existence itself had become dinner.

Loki instantly abandoned his disguise. His human form returned in a burst of golden light. Sword already drawn, he slashed downward. The cat-like monstrosity divided neatly into two halves. The tremendous suction ceased immediately.

Momentum carried Loki forward until he landed lightly upon a nearby island.

Behind him, the severed creature rapidly shrank.

Within seconds, the enormous abomination became nothing more than an ordinary black house cat. The feline lazily stretched before trotting across the sand as though nothing extraordinary had happened.

Loki stared.

"...What?"

The cat ignored him entirely.

After a brief silence, Loki simply shook his head.

"There are stranger things."

He returned to the shoreline. Another splash.

The salmon reappeared.

Just as he prepared to dive, a calm voice echoed overhead.

"Frost Smite."

The sea erupted into ice.

An enormous section of the ocean froze solid almost instantly, trapping waves, currents, and marine life within crystal-clear glaciers. Even the dragon vein beneath the seabed momentarily slowed beneath the overwhelming chill.

Loki sighed. His salmon form dissolved. Standing atop the frozen sea once more, he looked upward.

A young man descended slowly from the night sky. Dark robes fluttered behind him. A crimson scarf rested loosely around his neck, swaying gently despite the still air. Perched upon one shoulder sat a pristine white cat. The black house cat casually leaped onto his opposite shoulder, curling itself comfortably as though returning home.

Recognition dawned almost immediately.

"I know you," Loki said with genuine surprise. "You're Hei Mao. One of Da Wei's disciples."

Hei Mao's indifferent expression hardened.

"Do not speak my master's name so lightly, you cur."

The air suddenly grew still. A single note resonated through the island. Then another. The elegant melody of a zither drifted across the frozen sea despite no instrument being visible. Each note rippled through heaven and earth, causing the surrounding laws to resonate in perfect harmony. Invisible pressure descended upon the island as the melodies intertwined into an ancient composition.

Hei Mao's cultivation no longer remained hidden.

The aura of an early Ruler of Laws gradually unfolded around him. It did not explode outward with reckless dominance. Instead, it spread with quiet inevitability, as though the world itself naturally accepted his authority.

Loki clicked his tongue in annoyance and his relaxed smile slowly disappeared. "No wonder you were so confident."

…

..

.

[POV: Da Wei]

I hovered above the summit of the Tower, the place that had been designated as the battlefield for the contest. The Hollowed World stretched endlessly beneath us, concealed beneath its mantle of black filaments, while Athena remained poised between Supreme Heart and me, acting as the representative of the Supreme Fate. Her composure had recovered after our earlier exchange, though I could still sense the lingering tension hidden beneath her dignified expression.

My gaze settled on Heart.

He looked far too smug.

A thought surfaced in my mind, and before I could suppress it, irritation overtook me.

“Heart, what is the meaning of this?”

He turned toward me with a look of innocent confusion that would have fooled almost anyone unfamiliar with him.

“What do you mean?”

“My subordinate just informed me that five out of your six champions just died.”

Liang Na's report had arrived only moments ago through the Ezekiel. According to Liang Na's findings, the six champions Heart had painstakingly assembled over countless years had nearly all been assassinated before the contest even began. The timing was too convenient to ignore.

Heart merely shrugged.

“That just means I will have to send someone else in their place. It's unfortunate.”

I stared at him for several moments before replying.

“Those were your children, Heart.”

He did not answer.

His expression remained as relaxed as ever, almost as though the loss of five children was no more significant than misplacing a handful of chess pieces. It was difficult to tell whether his indifference was genuine or merely another layer of deception. With Heart, both possibilities were equally likely.

I let out a slow breath.

Parts of my preparations had just become meaningless.

Liang Na had devoted an enormous amount of effort infiltrating Heart's domain, tracing bloodlines, observing cultivation methods, uncovering combat habits, and assembling detailed profiles on each of the six chosen champions. I had intended to study every report and pass along useful advice before each confrontation.

Now all of that work had become obsolete.

Fortunately, I had never trained my own champions solely to counter Heart's original selections. My intention from the beginning had been to bring out their greatest potential rather than build them around specific opponents. Precognition had shown me many possible futures, but I had learned long ago that relying upon those visions alone was the fastest path toward defeat.

Even so, I could not help feeling disappointed.

Liang Na's efforts deserved better than becoming irrelevant before the first battle had even begun.

Heart folded his arms casually.

“Shall we begin?”

Athena stepped forward before either of us could continue.

“You shall each whisper the names of your chosen champions to me. I will summon them simultaneously once both selections have been confirmed.”

I narrowed my eyes.

Ophanim stirred within me.

Countless futures unfolded before my vision, branching into possibilities that extended far beyond ordinary causality. I searched for the names Heart intended to submit, allowing the eyes of prophecy to peer through the river of fate.

I did not like what I saw.

The future shifted endlessly, but one possibility appeared often enough to make my expression harden.

Using Qi Speech, I contacted the two champions I intended to field first.

“Fan Shi. Zhu Shin. Fight together. Do not underestimate your opponents. Separately, neither of you will be enough. Trust one another, cover each other's weaknesses, and force the enemy to fight both of you at once.”

Their acknowledgements reached me immediately.

Without another word, I directed my thoughts toward Athena through Qi Speech alone, ensuring that no sound escaped into the surrounding space. I quietly informed her of the champions I had selected for the opening battle.

Moments later, Heart did the same.

Athena closed her eyes briefly before opening them once more.

“Both parties have submitted their champions. The selections have been confirmed. It is now time for fate to determine the terrain upon which the first battle shall be fought.”

The summit of the Tower responded instantly.

The enormous platform beneath us trembled before its surface dissolved into flowing geometric patterns. Mountains sank into nothingness before rising elsewhere. Stone became fertile earth. Rivers carved themselves through empty space before vanishing again. Trees erupted from the ground with astonishing speed until an endless forest spread across the battlefield, ancient trunks rising toward the heavens while dense foliage concealed the terrain below.

Within seconds, the entire arena had transformed into a vast primordial forest.

Columns of light descended upon opposite ends of the woodland.

Fan Shi stood calmly beneath the canopy. Beside her stood Zhu Shin, his posture relaxed yet alert, already preparing himself for whatever emerged from the opposite side.

Another pair materialized across the forest. The first was a monk. I recognized him immediately. The second figure made my eyes narrow. It was Loki.

"Damn you, Heart!"

…

..

.

[POV: Loki]

Only a few seconds earlier, Loki had stood upon the frozen shoreline of a lonely island while facing Hei Mao across an ocean imprisoned beneath endless sheets of ice. The zither's invisible melody still lingered in the air, and the quiet pressure radiating from the young disciple steadily merged with heaven and earth. It would have been an entertaining fight. A Ruler of Laws was not an opponent one encountered every day, especially one raised personally by the Holy Emperor.

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed directly within his soul.

"Loki."

He immediately recognized the speaker.

"The Supreme Heart?" Loki answered inwardly. "What is it?"

"I have another job for you."

Loki nearly laughed.

"I've already paid my debt. Five champions dead. One spared exactly as you instructed. Our bargain is finished."

The Supreme Heart remained as calm as ever.

"Then consider this a new bargain."

"I don't work for free."

"You won't. You'll earn another favor from me. More than that, should you survive, I will owe you beyond a single favor."

Loki narrowed his eyes.

"You're suddenly generous."

The Supreme Heart's next words carried an unusual weight.

"I need you to represent me."

"Represent you?"

"A contest has begun. Between myself and the Supreme Bearer. You will fight as my participant. Should you accept, I promise the return of your wounding wand."

Loki remained silent. Ordinarily, he would have refused immediately. Contests involving Supreme Beings never remained simple for long. The Supreme Heart seemed to anticipate his hesitation, offering even the treasure he lost to him a very long time ago.

However, to his surprise, the Supreme Heart even had more to offer. Each word became impossibly alluring, weaving itself around Loki's thoughts like the sweetest melody ever conceived.

"Win, and I shall open paths that have remained closed since before your homeland faded into myth. I shall reveal truths your ancient gods spent eternity seeking. The chains limiting your future cultivation will no longer exist. I will show you roads beyond the Realm of Laws. I will give you opportunities even the oldest deities from your birthplace would surrender everything to obtain."

Loki's breathing slowed. His homeland. Its forgotten pantheon. The ancient gods whose names had become legends even before he began cultivating. Every promise struck precisely where temptation became irresistible.

Any one of those rewards would have driven entire civilizations into madness.

Together, they became impossible to reject.

The thoughts alone of learning more of his lineage, the ⁠Jötunn, was most tempting.

A grin slowly spread across Loki's face.

"You certainly know how to negotiate."

Across the frozen sea, Hei Mao watched silently as Loki's expression shifted several times in the span of only a heartbeat. Whatever conversation was occurring, it remained completely hidden from outside observers.

Then something utterly inconceivable happened.

Without warning, Loki raised his own hand. His fingers pierced straight into his chest. Countless Laws immediately gathered around him to destroy himself. The Laws obeyed their master without hesitation. They turned inward, and his cultivation shattered.

The perfectly stable foundation of a Ruler of Laws fractured under its owner's deliberate command. Layer after layer collapsed upon itself as immeasurable power dispersed into the surrounding world. Every realm he had painstakingly cultivated through countless ages crumbled one after another. His perfected understanding of the Laws unraveled, returning to heaven as streams of pure light.

Hei Mao's pupils contracted.

"What...?"

The transformation happened far too quickly.

Before he could intervene, Loki had already torn apart everything that made him a Ruler of Laws. His aura plummeted. Realm after realm vanished. The overwhelming pressure dominating the island disappeared completely.

By the time the collapse ended, only the faint cultivation of a single-layered immortal remained. It was the minimum qualification required to participate in the contest. Loki calmly brushed nonexistent dust from his sleeves.

"Quite painful," he muttered. "It's been a long time since I've done something that stupid."

A mysterious power suddenly descended.

Unlike ordinary spatial transportation, this force ignored distance, dimensions, and every known Law governing reality. Gentle streams of crimson radiance wrapped around Loki's body as though welcoming him into another battlefield prepared specifically for him.

Hei Mao instinctively stepped forward to capitulate with the sudden changes. However, he was too late.

Loki looked toward him one final time.

A carefree smile returned to his face.

"Until next time."

The crimson radiance swallowed him whole.

In the next instant, Loki vanished from the island without leaving behind even the faintest trace of his presence, departing to represent the Supreme Heart in a contest that would decide the victor between two Supreme Beings.

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