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Chapter 61: "At Least it Can't Get Worse."

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Swiftly leaving Long's domain while actively using a power that only works inside a domain turned out to be a mistake. The backlash hit Shae like running full sprint into a pole. She felt it reverberate through her mind, Dantian, and somewhere else in her that she didn't have a name for yet.

The tumbling roll along the ground only added nausea to the backlash and she began dry heaving as soon as she stopped moving.

A few shaky breaths later, her vision darkened at the edges. She watched the wagons around her for signs of the spirit beast's dust clouds, yet saw none. The ground still shook with its movement and pained vocalizations.

She passed out when its next unbalancing scream made her head spin.

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A sharp minty scent woke her. A hand on her shoulder shook her lightly.

"Shae, wake up, please." The voice was strained.

"Uuhh, Senior Si- sister?" The young woman groaned.

Apollo exhaled with relief and leaned over to hug Shae's prone form. "Thank the heavens. You had me worried."

"Ug-gghh, wha- happene-?" She weakly spoke, then tried to wipe at her mouth. Her limbs fumbled.

"Careful, now. You're still full of qi, get a hold of it first."

She nodded and closed her eyes to focus internally. Sure enough, her personal demigod qi still raced through her channels. Without neutral qi to slow it down, it flowed far faster than she was accustomed to and made her muscles twitch sporadically. She quickly began funneling it into her Dantian, then stopped when she felt her fatigue catching up, and pulled neutral qi back out for balance.

"Ugh, I need to res-, is it o'ber?"

"Shhh, don't worry, figure yourself out first."

"Fuksh. Dat'sh a no, inn' it?" She weakly sighed and turned her attention back inside. She drew out more neutral qi to balance the overactive half-divine-lightning qi, and pulled on more stored enlightenment qi to restore her physical self. Is there... Is there more than I had before?

She tried to pull herself up, but found herself weak. She mumbled, "Up?" And Apollo gently lifted her and supported her back. "Wa'er?"

"Ah, of course." The older cultivator summoned a waterskin from her spatial storage and held it for Shae to drink from.

She spat the first mouthful when she tasted the blood and bile. Then rinsed with the second and spat it out as well, finally drinking deeply from the third. "Bleh. Better." She breathed heavily.

"I thought you had a defensive talisman? Did you use it?"

"Mghmm." Shae shook her head. "Wouldn't have helped... my fault... backlash."

"Backlash? From what?"

"Ugh. Did you see my last arrow?"

The woman shook her head. "I was trying to sense the battle, but Long's domain makes it difficult. It looked like you were inside it?"

"How about you?" The young woman asked, trying to push back Apollo's cloak to see her previous wounds.

Apollo gently resisted her. "I'll be fine, it's just blood. You've lost quite a bit, too." She drew Shae's attention to her own bloody clothing. Dark blood soaked into several places, including the inside of her left forearm, where the bowstring would have been hitting. The cloth was torn and ragged there.

"Ugghh." She grunted. "Pills?"

Apollo shook her head. "I've nothing weak enough for you. Just smelling this one will have drawbacks." She raised the minty-menthol smelling pill bottle. "I had a weak healing talisman, specifically for new recruits that get in over their head." She poked Shae in the nose. "It doesn't do a lot, but it stopped the bleeding and fixed your hearing."

She groaned again as she rubbed at her ear; shuddering at feeling and seeing the blood that had dripped out. "Hmmgh, I haven't heard any more rocks?" She realized the battlefield was relatively silent.

Apollo frowned, then sighed and looked down. "Fine." She carefully scooped up Shae and moved her onto the back of a wagon, to see the battlefield. "Don't try to do anything," the woman warned.

The relative positions of the combatants had changed slightly, yet it still appeared to be a standoff. "Why?" Was all the young woman could say.

The pangodile had turned and backed up against the canyon wall. It seemed to have used its crystal breath and many of the fallen rocks to assemble a large crystalline shell around itself. Shae spotted a considerable amount of blood coloring the bottom of the crystal a deep red, but was unable to see the full damage her arrow or the last falling rock had done to the beast's arm. The fact that it had moved around suggested they weren't as effective as she hoped.

Long had also moved, and was still moving. He stepped through sword stances slowly, like he was casually practicing. A glow surrounded his Jian, and small fluctuations like heat haze appeared before it as it passed through the air.

Shae couldn't see the layers of pressure forming like she had earlier, but she could easily guess that the haze was similar to the ripples she had made. "Ugh, copycat," she grunted. "He's not even taking this seriously, it's like he's using it as training!"

Apollo sighed, then grimaced slightly when Shae glared at her. "Shae. How often do you think something like this happens?"

She scrunched her forehead together, her mind slowly working through the question. "More up here, right? Where there's more qi."

Apollo nodded.

She recalled the swarm of smaller pangodiles. None were anywhere close to the larger beast's size. "I'm guessing that the big ones are rare? Maybe once or twice a year?"

The older cultivator raised an eyebrow, "How long do you think it takes to get to core stage?"

Shae opened her mouth, then snapped it shut. Faster for us, but we have each other to share knowledge with. Even then, they've made it sound like a decade would be fast. She hummed in thought, "Hmm. But there's a lot of wilderness out there? Lots of wild animals?" The question answered itself right as she asked it. Large predators need large hunting grounds.

"That spirit beast is likely hundreds of years old. I'd wager it has been secluded until recently, essentially hibernating."

"But, the town's defenses? It must happen relatively often. Once a decade?" Shae cringed, knowing she was still going to be wrong.

"Across the whole Empire? Sure, a couple times a decade. A single cultivator could go their whole very long lives and only see a handful. They might not even have a chance to participate, though."

"So he is training, using it as practice?"

Apollo sighed again. "Yes. It's not ideal, there are risks, of course. Yet, placing yourself in a dangerous position where you need to overcome a roadblock in your cultivation or style is... Alright, it's stupid. Yet it is generally accepted to be a reliable way to progress."

Shae couldn't hide her disgust, she shook her head slowly, staring at the scene before her. "This isn't that. There's no challenge to this, no risk of failure."

Apollo nodded, "We have already won the fight. Either of us could have ended it much earlier. That Sword Saint Bai that was with the group earlier might have been an even match. He'll be rather upset that he missed this." She took another slow breath and used one arm to side-hug the young woman. "The challenge is if Long can overcome its defenses. For a piercing style like his, strong defenses are always a challenge. He was rather eager when we discovered it was a defensive type. He must be giddy now that it is like this."

Shae wanted to lean into the offered comfort. To just relax and rest. However, the situation was still very wrong to her. "But, but, there is no challenge. Its armor is flawed, its Dao is crumbling. When he finally attacks he won't even feel the resistance."

Apollo frowned at her. "Don't underestimate the... strength of... crystals..." She focused on the young cultivator. "How are you so certain about this? You can't know anything about its Dao."

The young woman shook her head. "Crystals can be strong, sure. Quartz glass is much stronger than regular glass, it depends how it's made. How few impurities there are in the crystal, or how they compliment the structure, like with metals. Does that look like a well made crystal?" She pointed at the pangodile's haphazardly assembled cluster of crystal and rock.

Apollo followed her pointing, holding her gaze on it and pinching her lips closed.

Shae sighed and mumbled, "At least it's not a ranged attack, it won't keep going."

The older cultivator's eyebrows popped up slightly and she looked down at her. "What?"

"Uhh, well if he was throwing the attack it would just keep going, right? With it on his sword, it shouldn't do that."

Apollo shook her head, "That's not a reliable assumption. Sword cultivators can project their attacks."

"Uhhhgh? So, how far through the cliff will his attack go?"

She remained silent for several breaths.

"Uhm, Senior?"

"Mhm, I'm messaging the cultivators on the canyon edge to evacuate."

"And those down here, in case there's a collapse?" Shae asked.

The other woman frowned, and tilted her head at the canyon wall.

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"At least he's facing south... Though he is moving now."

Apollo groaned and muttered, "Demon's ashes and blood of the hells."

"Oo! Haven't heard that one before." Shae cheerfully said, then looked bashful when Apollo frowned at her.

"And of course Long isn't responding to my messages." She huffed.

"Hmm, we could kill it before he does?"

She shook her head, "I can't, well no, of course I could, but I shouldn't. Not worth the political headache for a possible problem."

"Mmmmmgh. Right. We don't know people are at risk, and he might have heard you and just can't respond."

Apollo nodded. "It would be seen as rather petty and maybe as an attack on his cultivation, since he's now using it as practice." She huffed and rubbed the center of her forehead with a knuckle.

"Hah-hah. I'll gladly be petty. Less of a risk for me." Shae chuckled.

"Your bet? I couldn't track your progress, did you have an actual plan for killing it?"

She shrugged and pointed up at the edge of the canyon. "We were doing okay repeating your trick. Though I can't see its weak points for call-outs now." She removed one of her wire earrings; she had been wearing the other two living spiritual tools as earrings since Jani suggested it. Her qi was still running through her body so it quickly showed it had a charge with a few small sparks of yellow lightning. "This on an arrow was the plan, but I had to use it early when the beast was going to use its breath. Where's my bow?"

Apollo flourished a hand and Shae's bow appeared in it. "I got your pack after you ran off, as well. Though, I'm going to have to punish you later for coming back to the fight."

She opened her eyes wide. "Ah! So you were trying to get me out of the area?"

"Of course! What kind of senior would I be if I didn't look out for my adorable Junior Sister!?"

Shae felt her face turn red and she covered it with a sleeve.

"Hah!" The woman laughed and leaned in for a tighter hug. She only squeezed half a breath out of the younger cultivator before pulling back, flourishing the two remaining arrows from Shae's quiver. "Just two left. Do you think you can defeat it?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Well I have two of these pins, too." She raised the bent lightning hairpin. Then frowned in thought for a few breaths.

The older cultivator waited patiently, likely taking the time to send off a few more silent messages.

Shae sighed. "I don't think I can. If I knew more about talismans, maybe I could add one. Or do something with metal and lightning qi to bypass its armor..." She shook her head. "I don't like the other options I'm coming up with, and I probably shouldn't push myself too hard. I'm surprised I'm still conscious."

"Oh, you won't be soon enough. Sniffing this pill is good to keep you alert, but has quite the aftereffects." She presented the same light-red pill from earlier and took a large inhale from the green bottle. "You're right, though, don't push harder than you need to. So, what exactly did you two agree to anyway?"

"Err, he didn't really agree to anything. But he didn't reject it, either." She looked down at the arrows. "I said he doesn't get kill-rights if I shoot all my arrows before he attacks. I was trying to force his hand, to give him a reason to act."

"And did you shoot all your arrows?"

Shae tilted her eyes and gestured to the two remaining arrows. She tried to give her best "well it's obvious" look.

Apollo just leaned her head closer and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh." The young woman spoke through a gasp. "I don't actually need to kill it, do I? Just finish the bet." She didn't need the confirmation from Apollo and grabbed the bow. She awkwardly nocked an arrow and tried to pull it back.

"While sitting like this? Really?" Apollo frowned.

"Uh, well, I don't need to actually kill it, or even hit it."

She frowned harder. "I'll be very disappointed if you can't hit it."

Shae sighed, then began moving to get out of the wagon, her injuries obviously showing her down. "Ehhr, Senior, could you help me get upright?"

The pair awkwardly maneuvered out of the wagon, then moved a bit closer to get a clear shot. Shae ended up half leaning against a flipped wagon for support.

While lining up the shot, the arrow tip wavering significantly, Apollo asked, "It's a hair under eight sets of paces. What are you aiming for?"

Shae immediately relaxed and slouched. "Ugh, nothing really. It's huge."

"If you aim for nothing, you'll always miss."

The young woman worked her jaw open and closed once. "I'm angry that that makes sense."

"Do you want me to pick a spot?"

She shrugged, and was about to accept, but hesitated instead. "What happened after my last shot? I thought it was going to breathe crystal dust everywhere."

"Everywhere? That's far more ability than it showed before." Apollo smirked.

Shae massaged her temple. "Ow."

"Why did you call out lung-five? I assume you shot it there as well?"

"When it stood and began its attack, the same one I saw it use on you. It dropped most of its defenses. That was an easy target."

"Easy for you, harder for them." She pointed up. "Why not its head or back? Surely that could have been lethal."

Shae shook her head. "More armor there, my arrow wouldn't have done anything, even with the help of Long's domain. Its lung meridian was more active, and that's a critical point, on a human, at least."

"And it might fall over, since its other arm was damaged, so that would drop its combat ability much further." The older cultivator suggested.

"Eh, I wasn't thinking that much. It just stood out to me as a weak point."

"Just? You're talking around something. What are you avoiding telling me?"

Shae cringed and lowered her eyes briefly. "It's not particularly believable. Even if you know I'm telling the truth." She pulled herself along the wagon, up to Long's domain. "Easier to show you."

"Careful Shae, if you touch... that..."

She had already put her hand into it, carrying the arrow along and then passing it through created ripples to layer sharpness. She winced slightly at the mental effort and removed her hand while trying to concentrate on keeping the sharpness on the arrow. It wavered and began to dissolve off.

With the obvious time constraint, she nocked it again and took aim. Choosing a gap between crystal and rock near the beast's remaining eye. Knowing the Dao effort and mental focus would quickly take its toll, she rushed and loosed the arrow before her limbs had time to shake.

"Hmgh." Apollo grunted right after the release.

Shae exhaled, relieved that the mental strain hadn't knocked her out again. "I take it that I missed?" She had forgotten to watch the flight.

"Were you aiming for the center of a rock shard?"

"Ugh. No. The seam just above its good eye."

"Hmm. Not terrible then, considering your awful form."

She scanned the beast for damage, but saw nothing. "A chip at least?"

Apollo shrugged. "Maybe a small crack, I can't tell at this distance. Their domains interfere too much." She inhaled stiffly. "So, earlier. You really were inside." She half pointed at the domain.

Shae nodded. "Not the first time, either. So don't assume I was being reckless."

The older woman shook her head. "I don't have to assume anything; I know you are reckless." She smirked, but Shae thought it looked forced. Glancing at the pangodile again, she tilted her head and asked, "If you can do that with Long's... what about...?" She pointed at the spirit beast.

The young woman nodded. "The flaws in its defenses... they are flaws in its domain and Dao. It's falling apart. I'm surprised it hasn't shattered already."

Apollo just barely flinched when Shae said Dao. She nodded slowly after a breath of consideration. "Spirit beasts rarely break from direct challenge. It's one thing that can make them stronger than us, and they stay on their path longer because of it, we think. It's hard to really say. There's always new things to learn." She stared intently at Shae for a breath. "How does it look now?"

She shrugged and swept her gaze over the pangodile again. "Can't tell. It looks how it looks. I thought a seam might be weak but my arrows have no punch to them. Maybe if we got closer."

Apollo shook her head. "No heroics, please. I'm already going to have to work to get us out of here when Long finally attacks."

"Should I get to it, then?" She raised the last arrow.

"Not yet, we don't have confirmation that all the civilians are clear."

She groaned and rubbed her temple. "Mmgghm. There was an old crippled guy stuck in his wagon."

"Heh, a bigger guy? Yes, he's probably slowing them down." She approached the edge of the domain.

Even though Long was moving around, his domain didn't push far into the cluttered caravans. It appeared to get caught on the large objects, like a balloon or bubble trying to expand without popping.

Apollo ran her hand along the edge. "What were you doing with this?"

"Adding more layers to increase sharpness. I think. Huh, and saying that out loud: it doesn't really make tons of sense."

"Hmm. I was surprised he got what should be qi water focused to work with sharpness."

Shae shrugged. "I'm not surprised it cuts and breaks stuff, but yeah, very sharp is weird. Fast moving water hits pretty hard, like from a tall waterfall. Back where I'm from, they have tools that use high pressure water to cut steel."

"That sounds... elaborate. But we have some very specialized spiritual tools, so." She shrugged. "Hmm, if this is pressure focused, as well, couldn't it be used to hit hard instead of cutting or piercing?"

The young woman tilted her head. "Huh. Yeah. I guess so." She looked at her one remaining arrow. "Too bad I only get one try at it." She nocked the arrow and hobbled her archery stance half-into Long's domain, far enough that it kept the arrow completely inside.

"Hmm, what are you aiming for?"

"Ugh, this again."

"Call it out this time, make sure he hears."

"Hah! Okay. That's a good reason." She glared at the gigantic pangodile, trying to find where the crystal looked most erratic. Where it was full of impurities. "Blood." She gasped. "All the blood is definitely making the crystal weaker. None of it formed well."

"Heh. I was wondering if you'd catch that." Apollo chuckled.

"You knew?"

"Guessed. Didn't tell you because, let's face it, those arrows are not going to do anything to it."

Shae huffed. "Oh yeah?" She inhaled and tensed her arms for the shot, "Watch th-" she froze suddenly, then let the shot dip. "Uhm, Senior Sister. How would I call out a strike to its eye?"

"Ah, like you were before? Hmmm." Apollo tilted her head at the crystal covered beast. "Try Stomach-one, it's close enough."

"Thank you." Shae smirked and then pulled a little too much divine qi from her Dantian. "Now watch this." She inhaled, drew back the bow, and yelled out her target, "Stomach-one!" The air in front of her warped and darkened with the intent of her thoughts. Taking on a blue-green tint that felt like depthless lake water. She spread it out into waves, bringing some back towards her. It clung to the arrow and dripped down her bow.

She exhaled slowly and deeply, focusing her aim at the beast's injured eye. It was surrounded by red crystal and she singled out the darkest spot. Bull's-eye. She released the shot.

The next heartbeat flowed like tar. Her arrow bucked as it was pushed by the string, absorbing the sudden energy and flexing dramatically even before it contacted the dark spots awaiting it. The first slowed it further, bending more before its stored energy sprung it back to straightness. Shae willed the waves of pressure to embrace the arrow, to carry forwards with it like a tidal wave or tsunami.

It passed through each of them like they were soap bubbles. Stretching just slightly before they snapped and popped. Only at the final wave did Shae see the change: the arrow head was now navy blue and glistening with a dark liquid depth that rippled and streaked down the shaft.

Shae gasped as the arrow suddenly jumped forward, her mental focus deactivating without her input. Halfway to its target, the arrow had gained altitude, and was now level with the ground, awaiting its final arc towards the spirit beast.

The dark arrow seemed to hang helplessly in the air as the world darkened and it faded into that dark. The darkness only avoided the crystal covered spirit beast, almost casting a spotlight onto it. Ripples crossed the darkness, possibly started off to the side, possibly they had always been there. The air shimmered with the ripples and then as suddenly as it began, the dark world she was observing shattered.

She felt the reverberations from the impact of the two Dao, one crumbling helplessly under the other. Strong hands grabbed her and the world blurred. Then the aftershocks hit the pair, low and erratic thumps that poorly matched the shattering she had felt. As she fainted in Apollo's arms the canyon continued to shake.

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