Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds

Sakura Paste, northwest of Miyazaki Prefecture, Pinghe Park.

Setting aside objective factors like its small land area and frequent earthquakes, Japan’s temperate maritime monsoon climate is actually quite pleasant.

The frequent rainfall washes away surface dust and dirt, and combined with the bright sunlight, it gives everything a fresh, crisp feeling. It’s as if the world itself has a filter on it.

The park’s environment was serene and filled with an ancient charm. Visitors strolled about in twos and threes, and foreign tourists took photos to commemorate their visit, heading deeper into the park with great anticipation.

After following a few stone paths and winding around two groves of trees, a stone tower dozens of meters tall came into view.

"This is the Eight Vast Universe Tower!"

"How majestic! How magnificent!"

"The Eight Vast Universe Tower, the Tower of Peace." A tour guide in the crowd pointed to the stone tower and said, his voice swelling with pride, "This is the only stone tower in the entire world whose foundation is built from stones collected from all over the globe!"

"Wow!" everyone gasped in amazement.

The phrase "Eight Vast Universe" means "the whole world as one family," or it can be interpreted as "a righteous unification of the world."

The term "Eight Vastnesses" originates from the ’Tang Wen’ Chapter of the *Liezi* and also appears in the *Huainanzi*, where it refers to the eight furthest extremities of the world. This just goes to show that the cultural roots of Sakura Paste are found entirely in Celestial Xia.

The Eight Vast Universe Tower was built over eighty years ago and was proclaimed the tallest of its kind. The stones for its foundation were supposedly donated from various places—all precious stones of great historical significance. In reality, they were all plundered during the war.

And stones from Celestial Xia made up well over half of the foundation.

"Miyazaki Prefecture is the birthplace of the Heavenly Emperor Clan, and this tower symbolizes the Emperor’s supreme status."

The guide continued his introduction, "The body of the tower itself is made of stone from Miyazaki Prefecture, but the foundation’s stones come from all over the world. There are some from Kuye Island, the Peninsula, Maple Country, and South America... and, of course, stones from the shore across the sea."

"Yandu, Jinggang, Shanghai, Jinling, Jiang City..."

The guide reeled off the names of major Celestial Xia cities, his eyes gleaming with pride and fanaticism. "At least fifty percent of the stones in the Eight Vast Universe Tower’s foundation are from Celestial Xia, supporting the majestic body of the tower."

Most of the tourists in the group were of Asian descent. A few of them cast subtle, curious glances toward a man and woman standing nearby.

The couple, however, seemed completely oblivious. They continued to gaze at the Eight Vast Universe Tower with expressions of adoration, nodding repeatedly as they listened to the guide’s explanation.

"Exactly, exactly!"

"How impressive!"

Several others in the group exchanged strange glances, their lips twitching in faint, mocking smiles.

Among the tourists, a teenage boy who had been listening impatiently couldn’t hold back any longer. "These are the stones you collected when you invaded Celestial Xia, right? Now that Celestial Xia is strong, aren’t you afraid they’ll come take them back?"

The expressions of everyone present changed drastically. The guide glared at the boy, a vicious glint in his eyes. "Are you a Celestial Xia Descendant?"

The boy puffed out his chest. "I am!"

The boy’s parents quickly pulled him behind them. His father forced a placating smile and said, "He’s just a kid, he doesn’t know any better. He speaks without thinking. We’re very sorry."

The boy’s mother looked at the couple, trying to change the subject. "You’re Celestial Xia People, right?"

The man curled his lip. "Yeah."

The woman immediately chimed in, "Sakura Paste is so much better than Celestial Xia. The system in Celestial Xia is terrible, and the rabble has no class. We actually came here this time to buy a house in Sakura Paste. We plan on living here for good."

A flicker of contempt passed through the guide’s eyes, but he nodded nonetheless. "Sakura Paste welcomes civilized people."

Meanwhile, the boy’s father whispered a few words in his ear, and the boy fell silent.

The guide narrowed his eyes and snorted. "Them? Come take the stones back? We’re thinking about making the foundation of the Eight Vast Universe Tower even bigger!"

However, the moment he finished speaking, he wasn’t met with the chorus of agreement he expected. Instead, everyone was looking up at the sky behind him, their eyes wide and mouths agape in shock.

Only the teenage boy looked thrilled. He pointed and shouted, "A Daoist! It’s a Daoist from Celestial Xia!"

"Nani?"

The guide whipped his head around to see a figure flying toward them through the sky. He wasn’t flying very high or very fast, making his form clearly visible. Gasps rippled through the crowd as the other tourists scrambled to pull out their phones.

The figure had an aged face, with long white eyebrows drooping past his eyes. He wore a magnificent golden-yellow robe and stood unsupported in the void. The biting wind whipped his hair and the corners of his robe into graceful arcs, making him look like an Immortal descended from the heavens.

Those familiar with Celestial Xia Daoism recognized his golden-yellow robe. It was the kind of ceremonial attire high-ranking Daoists wore when performing rituals and praying for blessings—a Magical Robe donned only for the most formal occasions.

Taoist Shen Hao’s expression was stern and solemn, his white eyebrows fluttering in the wind. He gazed down at the Eight Vast Universe Tower below, a flicker of reminiscence in his eyes.

’He had experienced the events of that war firsthand. Unfortunately, his skills had been lacking back then. He couldn’t slay the enemy to save his country; he could only heal the wounded and save lives.’

’That was why, when it came to the mission to Sakura Paste today, he would yield to no one!’

...

Yesterday, when Taoist Ming Chong proposed bringing the Eight Vast Universe Tower back, Gu Zhao had said it was an excellent idea.

But when it came to who should be the one to retrieve it, the assembled senior Daoists nearly came to blows!

Taoist Yi Hong said that since his White Cloud Temple was located in Yandu and was also the Quanzhen Dragon Gate Ancestral Court, he was the most suitable choice.

Taoist Yan Ling said that he had relatives among the soldiers who marched out of Shu all those years ago and never returned, so it was only fitting that he go.

Taoist Qingwei said that a senior from Zhenwu Mountain had died for the country during the war, and he wanted to be the one to bring the stones home to Jiang City.

Taoist Xu Ning said that Sakura Paste had ravaged Lu Province back then, so she insisted on handling this matter personally.

Finally, Taoist Shen Hao spoke up. He said that Sanmao Mountain was right next to Jinling, and he wanted to take the tower there to console the souls of their fellow countrymen who had perished in that city.

After that, no one argued with him anymore.

’What about sending a few more people?’

’Absolutely not! That would be giving Sakura Paste far too much credit. They don’t deserve the honor!’

And so, early this morning, Taoist Shen Hao had changed into his most formal Magical Robe, crossed over, and then flew through the air toward Sakura Paste. The moment he entered the airspace of the Sakura Country, he revealed himself, no longer bothering with concealment.

Thus, by the time he was hovering in the sky above Pinghe Park, his image had already been captured by many people and was spreading like wildfire across the Sakura Paste internet.

Some people had only managed to capture a blurry, human-like afterimage. Others had recorded a video of him slowing his descent. And, of course, those near Pinghe Park had gotten a clear shot of his entire person.

Before the news had even finished spreading to the various Sakura Paste military bases, before the alarms could even sound, Taoist Shen Hao had already arrived at Pinghe Park, materializing above the Eight Vast Universe Tower.

Taoist Shen Hao swept an indifferent gaze over the tourists in the park, then drifted down to land gently on the very top of the Eight Vast Universe Tower.

Seeing Taoist Shen Hao’s actions, many tourists in the park were both shocked and furious, but none dared to say a word. Some of the more perceptive ones even turned and fled after snapping a quick photo, terrified that the man might suddenly decide to eliminate them.

Although most Sakura People loudly proclaimed their denial of history, claiming they had never invaded Celestial Xia, this was the internet age. How could they truly be ignorant of the truth?