Paradise of Infinity

Chapter 189: Lake Laogai (3)

Chapter 189: Lake Laogai (3)

It's not known what came first.

Sentience or Dhi.

It's not known if all spirits, primordial or scamps, came before or after Dhi.

An enigma worth research.

A strength worth aversion of the idea.

The Spirit of Cognition is wise, but cognition is never to be mistaken for cold logic and rationality.

I know ten thousand things.

It is said to have known existence itself.

So, this fool will bow his head. This fool's tongue shall confess.

Dhi is what allowed Wan Shi Tong to know ten thousand things.

— Wan Shi Tong.

---

Unlike Koh and Wan Shi Tong, primordial spirits don't have any glaring weaknesses. They cannot be destroyed for they represent an aspect of reality. Koh's mother, the Mother of Faces represents the identity and is the reason why each creature sentient or not has a unique identity. Dhi, on the other hand, represents cognition and in some excerpts from Wan Shi Tong, is said to also represent wisdom. As long as a single sentient creature remains, Dhi will, too.

Nik took a deep breath and relayed the identity of the spirit to others. In fact, Nik had a sneaking suspicion that... even if he had managed to 'see' Dhi's reserve that was easily dozens of times larger than his own, its raw power would not be the problem but its enigmatic abilities. Just the fact that it could see Nik as he probed the spirit was a good indicator of the fact.

"Maybe we should leave," June frowned. With how much Nik had explained, she understood that this spirit was even more terrifying than the goat butcher spirit haunting her. She unconsciously patted Nyla's head, allowing Nik to realize that even she had individuals she worried about greatly.

"Hmm, indeed. It's not worth it," Suki nodded.

"Let me get this straight. You are afraid of ghosts?" Azula sighed and groaned, "Can we stop this play? I may be new to this group but this is getting boring."

Nik glanced at Azula. No matter their relationship, at least, Nik didn't wish for a mysterious spirit to stick onto Azula much less a primordial.

"Let's—" Nik was about to agree when the other silent being within him had a different idea.

"Don't..." the soft plea came from deep inside him, "Don't... leave... it be..."

Nik blinked and looked utterly complicated now.

---

"This is it," Nik whispered and observed the dark tunnel with only two torches set against the wall on either side of the large wooden gate.

"What's the situation ahead?" Azula frowned as Nyla let out a whiny whimper as if he wasn't feeling too good. In fact, Nik could start to understand why that's so. Although his sense of smell isn't as diabolical as Nyla's, Nik practically felt the many, many men on the other side of the door but more than that, he could... sense it. Without any dispersion of chi, at that. It overflowed— the pressure. But the three aside from Nik and Nyla didn't seem to feel anything.

"You guys should go back," Nik spoke once again. This was highly illogical of the girls. In fact, they knew that should they enter his personal space, Nik would have no problem escaping should things go south but even the usually callous June scoffed and crossed her arms. Her verdant green pupils alight with frustration, "And I'm telling you for the last time, I am not."

Nik frowned but adding to the problem, Suki shook her head and held his hand, whispering softly, "We are with you till the end. This time... I don't want you to face this situation alone."

No, Suki on any other day would responsibly retreat. She isn't a child but a hardened warrior who has battled a short war. She knows the consequences of a wrong decision.

"If they are coming, I am, too," Azula took off her mask and spoke with an uncharacteristically somber expression. Her cheeks flushed ever so slightly as she leaned forward and allowed her conspicuous curves to grow more noticeable in the dim lightning while her deep-neck crop top revealed her enticing, sweaty cleavage glimmering somewhat.

Nik's knit brows tightened and he pursed his lips.

*Grrr*

Nyla growled again.

Nik felt that among all of them, only Nyla was the one acting the most responsible... because Nik felt persuaded for some reason... and it was wrong.

He was angry at Sokka back when he wouldn't let go once Koh brought him into the spirit world. Sure, it made Nik grow fond of the incorrigible brother with a genius intellect but... that didn't mean Nik wanted the same to happen again. There are better ways to nurture a relationship, like a playdate they had planned for the rest of the day but risking lives wasn't a good way.

"Come in," a desolate, mature voice emanated from the other side of the door as the earthen entrance slid open by itself. Nik's breath hitched up and he hurriedly snatched the mask from Azula's face and covered her face promptly.

Something is definitely wrong here and he was sure that he himself was somehow affected but could resist whatever was happening somewhat.

And he noticed a little too late that aside from the growling Nyla, others looked quite dazed. Yet, when Nik touched Suki with his left hand and intended to send her back, she managed a soft, almost desperate whisper.

"No..."

She actively denied entering the personal world. June was the same, and Azula, too.

And Nik wasn't foolish to send Nyla back who was the only other being to be in their right state of mind, somewhat.

As the doors fully swung open, Nik silently stared at the number of familiar Dai Li agents silently kneeling on the ground on one knee with their heads lowered. Their stance was utterly relaxed but Nik couldn't feel calm. While he trusted Mokshi for the most part, it was hard to feel calm in such a situation. After all, Nik viewed one of the most unnerving 'things' in his life.

He has seen the images of many spirits because of Wan Shi Tong's memories but still... this was fucking nuts!

He silently locked his eyes with the only source of light in the 'final' room of the headquarters.

He used seismic sense with a shallow tap of his foot to realize that unlike him, Toph's group was really doing better. Chilling, even. What he wouldn't give to exchange teams now... he sighed internally.

There it is levitated over an old, ruin-like rock platform with evident cracks— a single skull-sized eye.

Grey flesh covered most of the eyeball and it was this veiny patch of flesh that gave a gentle but powerful glow that didn't sting the eyes of the viewer. As if paralyzed with its own poison, Nyla lowered his body when he saw the crimson pupil within the yellowish-blue eyeball.

"Hey, it's alright. Happy thoughts, Nyla... happy thoughts," Nik whispered and crouched over Nyla, helping the beast feel better as it nuzzled its muzzle against his hand and took deep whiffs of his scent before calming down.

Working up his courage, Nik stood up and looked towards the eyeball.

"Spirit Dhi..." Nik muttered and exhaled, "H-hello." He stuttered slightly inevitably. This was no Koh. That beast was crazy, yes... but fear always emerges from the unknown, and Koh's position was replaced by Dhi.

As if sensing... no, definitely sensing his emotions, Dhi's coo echoed once again, "Fear not, traveler. Consider this a stroke of fortune. Beings have died to gain wisdom but here it is present in front of you like a book open and ready to be read, understood, and digested."

"Can you free them?" Nik questioned softly.

"These men of Dai Li wish to serve. Those women behind you wish to follow. My existence... merely magnify such emotions and thoughts. Those who can resist are beings of high will or low cognition... or those who nurture freedom in their hearts. Fret not, I am a guest to this site and soon shall return." Dhi explained patiently and continued, "But it is not wise to keep you under the misunderstanding that I wish harm upon you or Mokshi."

"What are you doing here then?" Nik questioned.

"Answers clear mind. It is a powerful concept that I wish not to share without a price. Yet, for Mokshi, I shall answer one of your questions, not briefly but in detail. Think carefully, traveler. What is it that you desire? Knowledge of my untimely summon here? Or something else?"

Nik blinked in surprise...

Dhi was surprisingly easy to converse with but he didn't question without thinking. Why did Mokshi want to meet with Dhi?

Instead of stupidly asking that from Dhi, Nik would rather ask Mokshi, and as if appreciating his intention of not wasting the chance at knowledge, Mokshi added slowly, "Protector... Dhi is... from back then... A kind one..."

Nik took a deep breath.

He had many things he wanted to gain better clarity of. But... there were many things from the library and Wan Shi Tong's memories that made Nik clear about his situation so there were two things he wanted to question Dhi about.

How could he communicate with Mokshi better?

And, was there an energybending skill that had a similar hypnotic effect to the Dai Li's work? And how to get it.

Nik wanted such skill because it would make things quite easy in his homeworld since he was a man without identity there and it had a well-developed administration system, unlike this world. If Nik had such a skill, he could easily have his identity legalized and it would be helpful in worlds similar to his homeworld.

But... there was one another question that felt more urgent.

So, he had three questions and only one free slot. But Dhi said that its knowledge came with a price. Maybe he could trade for other questions?

"I have three questions," making sure he doesn't accidentally trail his statement into a question and allow the spirit of cognition to make use of some loophole, Nik stated decisively instead, "I wish to trade for two more questions."

"Hmm, a trade? Wonderful venture indeed. As it happens to be, you do have something of interest."

Nik rolled his eyes. He almost questioned in return— I do? What a stupid mistake it could be.

"Please name it," Nik remarked while keeping his caution regarding the kneeling Dai Li agent.

"To a spirit, only other spirit's essence and husk are of interest. The library cannot be extracted. Wan Shi Tong's husk is long devoured by Dungeon Crawler. The essence of La remains hidden in your veins, waiting to be utilized. What you can give is the husk you cannot use."

Nik frowned. Just this answered a few of his questions. Wan Shi Tong was indeed dead and its essence was now with someone else. Not to mention that even spirits enjoy the essence of other spirits which make La's, Tui's, and Flower of Fertility's act of bestowing their essence quite a great one.

But... what did Dhi mean that La's essence remained hidden? Didn't the essence allow him to have a better understanding of the element water? If it was something more... why didn't La say anything at the time?

Putting away these thoughts, Nik took out the stone mask with indentions for facial features. This was Koh's husk indeed.

But Nik didn't dare speak anything useless and seeing him not falling for the obvious trap, Dhi let out a mischievous chuckle and agreed, "Koh's husk, yes. A spirit who devoured others to reach the strength capable of a primordial but could never become an actual one with its own identity being its enemy. What an ironical end it had."

"This husk is capable of forming another spirit of Koh should you place it on any intelligent being." Dhi explained, "A Koh that will be impressionable for it would be a newborn. Are you willing to trade this for your questions?"

His questions were more important to him. As for Koh? Newborn or not, the spirit wasn't any problem to him. In fact, now that Nik had killed and had blood on his hand, he found death a better fate than Koh's face stealing.

"I am."

Dhi nodded as the mask of Koh began to tug away from his grip. Letting the mask go and choosing to believe Mokshi's judgment, Nik waited for Dhi to inspect the mask and then keep it on top of his head. Strangely... Dhi did not transform into Koh as the mask rested. The eyeball looked at Nik with great interest, waiting for him to start his questioning.

Instantly realizing that it was again the very display of Dhi's will being greater than Koh's mask and not getting transformed into another Koh, Nik took a deep breath and matched his gaze.

"How... can I communicate with Mokshi?"

Without missing a beat of having to think for an answer, Dhi replied, "Communication comes in many forms. A verbal one requires both parties to be willing. But a spirit and a vessel are capable of another form of communication. Just as Mokshi knows you in and out, you may do the same. This communication transcends speech and thoughts. It is primitive. Instinctive. A man and spirit become one."

As it said so, the lower portion of Dhi's flesh suddenly let out two fleshy protrusions that began to extend without end and reach for Nik who stood silently. The two tentacles covered the few feet of distance soon enough.

One of the two tips touched his chest over his heart and the other one tapped the center of his forehead.

"Let yourself become one." Dhi suggested as a humongous wave of energy filled Nik. Dhi's eyes gave a forceful glow as Nik suddenly felt the previous force... Mokshi's force, accepting the surge of strength and persuading Nik to provide no resistance against the pressure.

Violet filled the room as Nik's eyes gave two rays of bright light while his parted lips revealed that his body glowed from within.

The room was painted in it.

Of everyone, only Nyla was conscious enough to look away.

***

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