74- Slaying the Beast

Krahllak writhed crazily before Mason, but his healed hand was an inescapable vice. Mason and Krahllak had been about as strong as each other when he had just broken through, so it found itself unable to muster up any resistance this time, especially since it still only had one arm.

Because of the size difference between the two of them, and because Mason was holding his arm straight forward, Krahllak was forced onto its knees.

Upon understanding it would not be able to wriggle itself out of Mason’s grip, it finally stopped struggling and screamed, "This can’t be!"

Mason tightened his grip, letting go of his Spiritual Domain as he filled his hand with enough Chi to make Krahllak’s skin sizzle as he said, "I told you I would kill you."

Krahllak gritted its teeth, the fury within it finally exploding. "Who do you think you are, trash! I am an immortal being, billions of years old! I have seen mountains collapse and form, the seas boil and fill, the infinite green turning into a desert, and you are nothing but a human. Your existence cannot even be called a speck of my existence, beings far stronger and better than you tried to kill me and failed! They all failed!"

Mason’s Chi flared, and so did the Sunfire around his hand. It not only started digging into Krahllak’s skin, but it also infiltrated its very being, eating it from the inside.

Feeling this, Krahllak’s searing rage was instantly cooled as he bargained, "L-listen, Mason. Think for a moment. What happens if you kill me? I have friends in all kinds of places, what do you think they will do to my killer? O-or even that cunt, the Jade Emperor! You humiliated him, and if there is one person not to humiliate, that’s him. If I’m dead, all that anger will go to you. But- and listen carefully- if you decide to spare my miserable existence, I would become your shield. So long as I live, and I can promise you I won’t die easily out there, you won’t have to worry about him."

Mason smiled and pulled Krahllak’s head off its shoulders.

There was no blood. Not only because Mason’s Sunfire burned everything, but because Krahllak’s existence was a special one, somewhere between physical and spiritual. It was partly what made it so difficult to kill.

But there was a reason Martial Artists had become part of the trifecta defenders of the Eighth City, despite their most powerful members not even possessing a fraction of the power of either Sorcerers or Gods.

It was because Chi, by its very nature, was the most powerful weapon against an extra-dimensional demon. Had Yao, or the Jade Emperor, two beings Mason was certain were still far stronger than he was even after his breakthrough, they probably would have been unable to kill Krahllak for good.

Not Mason.

Krahllak’s severed head attempted to speak one last time, but Mason did not let it. He poured his Chi out of his body, transforming it into Sunfire that burned the demon’s body to nothingness. It was not absolution like the tortured human souls, but true annihilation. He also punched his fist through its heart before that, for good measure.

Mason was watching the last flickers of Sunfire when a deep voice spoke beside him, "Yinglong thanks the Honored One for freeing him. I shall be eternally in your debt."

Mason glanced at the dragon, remarking, "So you can actually speak."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Yinglong nodded its massive head, its mouth remaining closed as it spoke in its rumbling voice, "I, too, was once imprisoned in the Eighth City for fighting against the Heavenly Court with the God of War. I understand the presumptuousness of my asking, but may I ask for one further favor?"

Mason, intrigued, looked toward the Immortal Beasts nearby, who watched without saying anything, and nodded. Yinglong took to the sky, twisting its body in what appeared to be delight as it said, "I was sentenced to eternal imprisonment for my crimes a million years ago now, both by man and gods. All I ask is for the Honored One to deliver me from this accursed life."

Mason was not surprised by the request, he did not know how long the dragon had been imprisoned, but considering the conditions with Krahllak, any length of time would have one prefer death over imprisonment.

He looked towards the other Immortal Beasts first, asking them, "What is your opinion on the matter?"

The seven remained silent at first, before Shou-Lao coiled ahead, speaking the human tongue also, "Yinglong was but a nascent Immortal Beast when she was inducted by Chiyou. But I would not presume to make any decisions for the Honored One."

Mason smiled, nodding at the old dragon, and asked Yinglong, "How about it then? Do you have any interest in living? In living freely, that is."

Yinglong tipped its, or rather her, head, replying submissively, "I have no purpose, Honored One."

Mason shrugged, turning around. "I’m sure you’ll find one. If you truly want to die, do it yourself, I’m not some executioner. If you really want to repay me, just don’t go around killing wantonly, and I’ll be satisfied. Beyond that, you can go live in isolation in the middle of nowhere or get worshiped, I really don’t care."

Yinglong stared at his back silently, before slowly following as Mason stepped into the middle of the seven Immortal Beasts. Brushing his shoulders, he asked, "What’s going to happen to you now?"

Again, it was Shou-Lao who spoke for the group, "The same thing as always, Honored One. A new champion will be chosen, and another generation of Immortal Weapons will be born."

"And your past champions?"

"You delivered their souls by slaughtering the Beast. Not only their souls, but the souls of everyone of his victims, free to join the proper afterlife."

Mason nodded, inevitably thinking of Danny. Mason respected a warrior’s death, and for the same reason he did not weep for Izo’s apparent death, he did not feel any regret for Danny’s either.

Raising a hand, Mason called out, "Let’s get out of here then."

The seven Immortal Beasts flew around Mason, all emitting their Chi outward as they formed a symbol not quite unlike the one on the door on the way in. And surely enough, quickly, that very same door formed in mid-air, and this time, Mason did not stop its opening.

As Mason and Yinglong both stepped through, leaving the Eighth City forever behind, the seven colors on the door faded away, the phantoms of the seven Immortal Beasts finally flying away to their respective homes.

While Yinglong flew into the open sky with an excited roar that betrayed her true feelings, Mason looked at the hundreds of martial artists kowtowing in the snow.

"We greet the Honored One!"

Mason was a little taken aback, to say the least, but he recovered quickly enough, asking, "What are you all doing here?"

None of them raised their heads, and Yao, the only one still standing, smiled as always, answering for them, "The disturbance to the Spacetime Continuum also opened all of the Seven Capital Cities of the Heavens. They came as soon as they could to pay their respects."

Mason glanced at her, and the amulet on her neck, which was no doubt the Eye of Agamotto, snorted, "Somehow, I got the feeling you knew exactly when I would be coming out."

Her expression did not change. "Let’s just say many futures pointed in one particular direction. Congratulations, by the way, both for your ascension and for finally slaying Krahllak. I believe there could not have been a better inauguration for the Honored One."

Mason rolled his eyes because he knew she was teasing him about the title, but he said nothing about it, instead turning to the martial artists. He felt tired just looking at them, they were clearly awaiting a command. The Honored One was supposed to lead martial artists in the same way that the Sorcerer Supreme led Sorcerers, but martial artists were a bit more rigid than Sorcerers, so Mason was sure that if he told them to jump off a cliff, they would actually do it.

Except that cultivation was never about this for him. He had absolutely no desire to lead the martial arts community, but since he had their attention, and they probably would not simply take no for an answer, he proclaimed, "From this day forth, martial arts shall no longer be gate-kept. Whether you are from the Capital Cities of Heaven or recluse organizations, you are to open your doors and teach. I, for myself, shall start a pilgrimage to celebrate my breakthrough. I will walk the world, teach those who will accept my teachings, and make the world a better place, for that is my purpose."