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Grandmother, her good eye rolling, had offered a child who had shown up to watch the battle a goat ride if he intervened in her behalf against “the Bald one”

The child had obliged.

The escalation had prompted Bald Shu to offer sweets in retaliation to a pair of brothers who had come to watch the battle.

Now there was a miniature war in the streets, as snow flew every which way, and dragged more and more people into the chaos.

Chuckling, he reached his destination, landing on the Grand Coop of the Lord Magistrate. Before, this had been the biggest building he had ever known.

Now, he knew how small it really was.

He had all the answers that he had sought. Yet instead of a puzzle completed… it only revealed a larger puzzle to solve later.

He had been given a map…. And now through a series of events, a spirit thought he was to be the Master of the Azure Hills.

And yet the task was one that Bi De thought could not be completed. Apologize to Tianlan? He would convey the message to her as soon as he was able. Repair and protect her? To his dying breaths.

Reform an Empire?

He did have to admit that something deep within him found the idea appealing. To have an entire province as his flock. To rouse them with the sun, and protect them from the foxes and the wolves. It was in his nature. He was a rooster, the greeter of the sun… and it was his duty to protect and lead.

He was interested as well, in the lessons Xiaoshi would see fit to impart on ruling and politics. The subject matter, whenever his Great Master discussed it with Disciple Xiulan, was most intriguing.

But... did he really want to rule?

No. No he did not.

But the Spirit had been unstable. Extremely unstable. Politely refusing was likely to damage its essence as its purpose for existing would remain unfulfilled. He needed a good reason on why he could not become some manner of emperor.

He sighed, and looked down at the giant coop again. The giant that was now small.

He mulled over what he was going to speak to it about.

Deep in the depths of a crystal, the spirit that was given the name Shenguashi took stock of itself.

A new Lord and Master. Its purpose would be fulfilled. A sense of rightness formed over the construct.

But… there were problems to be attended to as well.

The Spirit knew it had been in stasis for a long, long time. Asleep, to prevent any degradation of itself… but it appeared that those measures had not proved wholly affected. There was corruption in its bits of ‘self’. Like some other being had been stored beside it. Entire swathes of time were missing.

Missing missing missing—was it missing anything important?! Would it fail in being a teacher? Would it fail in its duty—

The spirit shuddered, as something flickered within it, and the sudden tide of emotion stopped.

It was troubling, the missing time. But it was nothing to be truly worried about. Additionally, different parts of its matrix were still activating.

The time was irrelevant. The time that had passed outside was immaterial. All that mattered was the present, and that its maker’s will be done in the present.

Even Shenguashi’s new Lord and Master, the Heir to a glorious, prosperous, and beautiful Empire was.. Well, a chicken.

It was not ideal. Not ideal, not idealnotidelnotideal—

But it had to teach anyway.

Teach! Make Emperor! Command of Creator! Purpose!

But it was fine. It was going to be fine. Nothing to worry about. The rooster was noble. A true Lord!

And Spirit Beasts could turn into humans, anyway. Many chose not to, preferring their own forms over being small. However, the noble rooster would surely see the wisdom in having a form better suited to ruling.

The spirit shuddered.

It shook itself.. And then there was a feeling. Another consciousness suffused the crystal.

Its Lord, Its Master had returned.

Its purpose was available.

The spirit’s matrix shuddered.

“Young Master!” Shenguashi shouted eagerly, as it manifested before Bi De. “Greetings, Young Master. This one has been preparing for your arrival! I trust you have given your purpose all due consideration!”

The spirit saw the resolution in the rooster’s eyes. It was true! He had the bearing of an emperor.

The rooster took a breath. “I must apologise, Spirit. But this one cannot become Emperor of the Azure Hills.”

“Excellent we can begin—” The words processed. The Spirit shuddered.

That.. wasn’t right. It wasn’t right it wasn’t right it wasn’t right—

Rejection. Rejection. Rejection. It would not be able to complete its purpose.

Why? Why the rejection?!

“Is this about your form? Worry not! You can turn into a human! Though you are indeed a magnificent specimen, it is no issue!” Shenguashi tried, its Qi bubbling erratically even as it babbled to stall for time to think.

The rooster shook his head. “It is not my form. There are several reasons. Firstly, I have meditated upon what I have seen, in your creator’s crystal. One reason for the fall of these hills was that there was a sole pillar holding it up. Strong, but if that pillar falls, then so too does the rest. This Bi De would request that, instead of myself being the sole inheritor of your Master’s will… That the august spirit before me teaches several people in the ways to make this land prosper. That way, if something unexpected happens, then not all is lost.”

That.. that was actually a good idea. The Rooster had no heir yet, so teaching another would be a wise idea! Teaching many would be even better. Even now, the rooster proved his forethought! But refusing outright to be Emperor?

The spirit’s matrix spasmed.

That was not ideal. But he was offering to introduce Shenguashi to others!

That was ideal!

If the Rooster refused to be Emperor… But still wished to learn. It matched all the criteria of Shenguashi’s creator.

In time, the Rooster would come around! It was fate! To follow the request of a future Emperor while trying to convince that same person to be an Emperor was a quest most ideal! Two tasks done at once!

The spirit would say two birds, one stone, but ah… that seemed… less than ideal.

“The second reason, however, is by far the more pressing issue, on why none can become emperor of the Azure Hills. What do you know of the Crimson Phoenix Empire?” The rooster asked.

The name did not register for Shenguashi. “A rival state from the Great Beyond?”

The rooster grimaced, and then breathed out silver light.

A map formed, from nothingness. The Azure Mountains, as seen from above. Shenguashi grimaced, his creator’s pain a phantom. Pale Moon Lake. The Grass Sea. It was where the most people had lived, and consequently, some of the most damaged places by the fall.

“This is the Map I have of the Azure Hills.”

“The Azure Hills?” Shenguashi asked.

“Yes. And this… this is a map of the Crimson Phoenix Empire.”

The map, to Shenguashi’s surprise, started expanding.

There were other lands, beside the Azure Mountains. That much was known for certain. The Great Beyond was surely home to them.

But Shenguashi was unprepared just for the extent of things, as borders formed, and names swam into existence. The Howling Fang Mountains. Yellow Rock Plateau. Green Stone Forest. Raging Waterfall Gorge.

The spirit could only stare at these places… and yet the map kept expanding. Phoenix’s Rest Plains. The Alabaster Karsts. The Goldgrass Steppes. Soaring Heaven Archipelago. Storm Breaker Coast. Forge Bellow Volcano. Seeping Water Swamp. The Amethyst Caverns. The Sapphire Strand—

It just kept growing, and growing, more and more and more names appearing. Rolling Dune Desert. Emerald Leaf Jungle. Poison Fog Valley.

The map expanded until it once more touched the ocean, forming a complete landmass.

It utterly dwarfed Shenguashi’s known world. It expanded east, west, and south, to the extent that it could hold over fifty Azure Mountains within it.

The Spirit’s matrix buzzed.

“And this.. this all is the Crimson Phoenix Empire?” Shenguashi whispered.

“Every province upon this Map is a part of the Empire, including The Azure Hills. And it has been for thousands of years.” The rooster before him let out a breath. “It is enormous, is it not?”

The World of Shenguashi’s master…. Was so very, very small.

Something in the spirit’s body spasmed.It went through a hundred thousand scenarios, provided by its lord. It went over rebelling against another unjust ruler. It spoke of uniting the hills.

But this? This big? This many enemies?! This many, that would likely fight against the Azure Maountain’s ascendancy?

All at once, everything stilled. The corroded parts of its matrix pulsed.

Oh. Of course there could be an Emperor of the Azure Hills.

They just had to be the Emperor of the Crimson Phoenix Empire.

The bubbling panic faded.

“Your Servant sees, Bi De. That is indeed a problem. But This one has no objections to your current plan. I wish to meet those who would see this land prosper!”

The rooster blinked, clearly shocked, but a tentative smile overcame his face.

“I see. Thank you for being so understanding. I shall go and Call my Master. He wishes to meet you as well, and listen to some of this tale.”

With that, the rooster disappeared from the crystal.

Shenguashi turned to the map.

Overthrow an Emperor, and install a new one.

That was how his lord became Emperor.

The Spirit would most certainly have to learn more.

But it had waited for thousands of years. A few more wouldn’t hurt!

Bi De reentered the crystal, along with another. Another, that made Shenguashi’s essence thrum.

“May I introduce my Great Master. Rou Jin.” the rooster announced.

The man, who was filled with Golden Light. The light of Tianlan. The Master of the Earth.

The Spirit stared in awe. Its ancient matrix activated, forcing out a question.

“Will you be the Emperor?”

The man stared directly at Shenguashi.

“No.” he replied.