Critical: Ages Below Critical - Chapter 10.1

Chapter 10: Soul-eating Beasts (Part 1)


A large beam of light shines from the tops of one’s head,
as if coming from the depths of the heavens,
here to punish the evils and misdoings of the mortal realm.
All secrets start to worm their way out from beneath the surface of the ocean.
The seawater is turbulent as it surges, it pushes forth,
countless sharp black rocks interweave with each other,
as if the mouth of a monster attempting to devour all sources of life.


[Seven Years Ago]

[West of Aslan Empire – Surrounding waters of Rennes]

The bonfire crackles wildly in the sea wind. The wind constantly picks up specials of fire and carries them towards the distant surface of the ocean before they disappear into the darkness of the night.

“We’ve been searching for over four years. Finally we have something to show. If not, we’ve really wasted so much of our time.” The Disciple of Earth, Zang He, says as he adds more wood to the bonfire.

“I don’t really think it’s been a waste. We’ve basically covered most of the territories of Aslan in these few years so we can be said to be experts o it now. At least we discovered many interesting places.” The Disciple of the Sea, Shu Hai, looks at his brother who has almost identical features to him and says, “At least we know that the fushengquandi* allows us to breathe underwater. Such wonders. Thinking back, when you first fell into it, I was so scared I almost died.”

“About the mouth of the spring at the bottom of the lake, I actually want to return to check it out because I sensed an extremely high concentration of golden soul mist there. Since I can’t use the fruit of Sishya underwater, I was unable to make sure. What if there’s a powerful soul weapon or soul beast down there?” Zang He massages his brows. The sea wind blows at the tips of his hair and the light from the fire illuminates his face brightly. He looks to be in high spirits. “However, ge**……do you think it’s been worth it for us brothers the past few years? Our lord takes Lu Jue with him everywhere and teaches him all forms of soul bending, instructing him on how to employ them, even helping him capture Dian Hu***, what about us? All we’ve done for the past few years is to search for the Sixth Lord and we barely spent any time with lord Qi La……”

“Don’t think too much, Zang He. Lord treats us all equally. Don’t you feel that in our wandering of the past few years, we’ve encountered so many dangerous situations and powerful soul beasts that our soul powers are improveing as well?” Shu Hai glances at the sad expression on his younger brother’s face and his heart tightens in pain. There are times when he feels the same as Zang He, that in Qi La’s eyes, there is only Lu Jue, and that the brothers are just strangers passing by.

“Ge, I heard people say that……” The flickering of the fire is painted in Zang He’s eyes. In the criss-crossing of the shadows and the light, his expression seems surreal yet a hint of melancholy is revealed through his voice. “The recent few generations of Top Lords, they all allowed the Disciple of Heaven to inherit the seat of a Noble Lord, and the Disciples of Earth and Sea all died……no one remembers them……is it like that?”

“Don’t say things like that.” Shu Hai reaches out to ruffle his younger brother’s hair, the regret in his eyes thickens even more, “Also, as a disciple, isn’t that our destiny? Remember when we first became the Top Disciples the year we turned sixteen? Qi La had told us that, lords and disciples must be constantly vigilant, constantly prepared to sacrifice their lives for the Silver Priests and the emperor. That if the throne is not stable enough, then we’d use our blood and corpse to lay the foundation.”

“This I know. To be beheaded, to have my blood spraying out, to die in battle, to die alongside soul beasts – I will not regret any of that. However, if we die silently just because Qi La didn’t choose us, and if no one will ever mention us or remember us……” Zang He’s voice gradually softens before he sighed and stares quietly at the bonfire.

“Even if it is like that, that is our destiny. If our death is required to propel a new lord to his peak, then there is nothing to regret. That is the spirit of the lords and disciples.”

Zang He turns and looks at Shu Hai’s face that is currently illuminated by the light of the fire. They are the same age, but since young, he was always the one who was more mature and who took care of him. Zang He nods slightly. As if infected by the expression of Shu Hai’s face, a small smile spreads across his face.

“Then again, gege, don’t you think it’s weird, about the strength of the Sixth Lord’s soul powers……” Zang He changes the topic and looks sincerely at Shu Hai.

“Are you talking about this field of it?” Shu Hai’s expression becomes serious as well.

“Yeah……we traced the fleeting soul powers here, and the closer we got to this island, the stronger the strength of soul powers. It’s obvious that the Sixth Lord, Xiliuer, is on this island. However, the amount of soul power is really……much too grand……much too powerful to be within the abilities of a typical Noble Lord, it’s almost as if……as if……” Zang He pauses, as if unable to believe his words that will follow as well.

“As if that this entire island is the body of Xiliuer, that is the only way that the force can be so tremendous, am I right?” Shu Hai finishes Zang He’s sentence.

“Yes!” Zang He nods seriously, then he shakes his head, “That’s ridiculous. No one’s body can be so massive……even Qi La’s soul powers have never been so much.”

“Well, Qi La and Lu Jue will be arriving when dawn breaks tomorrow. We’ll be able to ask our lord then. We need not worry as long as Qi La is there. Let’s sleep early today.” Shu Hai tells Zang He.

“Heard that Lu Jue captured Dian Hu. Haven’t had the opportunities to see it yet, this time I can. How cool is that? Not sure when Qi La will let us capture our soul beasts. I’d have to catch a dragon then! Haha~” Zang He lets out a laugh. On his face is the playfulness of a handsome young man.

“Oh please, knowing you, you’d probably only be able to capture a little kitty that follows you around.” Shu Hai jokes.

The ocean breeze caresses the young men’s faces. The smell of the vastness of the ocean is infused in the air.



When the bonfire dies down, only the remnants of red embers are being carried away by the wind.

Zang He and Shu Hai sleep in a naturally formed cave on the side of a cliff. Shu Hai had originally wanted to find some dried grass or leaves to sleep on, but the island is extremely strange in the sense that only rocks can be found and not a blade of grass can be seen. And so, they can only lie on the hard metamorphic rocks. It’s a good thing that both of them do not mind as, in the years they spent in search of Xiliuer, they have been in much more horrid conditions than now.

Crackle------

Shu Hai who is the lighter sleeper is startled awake by a sound. It sounds as if someone has stepped on a rock. Shu Hai sits up in the dark and glances at Zang He – his breaths are deep and even, obvious still deep in slumber.

Lifting himself up, Shu Hai exits the cave slowly, his expression tensing with every step.

The dark night outside the cave is illuminated by the starry sky, presenting a strange and unsettling ink-like navy. In the surrounding darkness, he senses a few strands of soul powers, a kind that Shu Hai has never encountered before. The golden patterns emerge on the surface of his skin, as if a layer of golden tattoo has been inked onto his arms.

“Hello……” A woman’s voice calls out softly in the night, as if a night-blooming cereus has blossomed grandly in the night.

Shu Hai turns and sees a woman’s figure faintly on the dark, high cliff. She’s cladded in a long and dark chiffon dress with high slits up both sides of it. The wind blows at her dress. As if a water lily that has blossomed, her pale and lean legs have a soul-stealing sensuality to them. Her chest is as pale as her thighs, perching high in her clothes, like soft clouds filling up her clothes. She has an expression caught between pain and joy painted on her face, filled with an evil teasing.

Shu Hai shifts his gaze away in embarrassment, “Who are you?”

“Me? I’m here to tell the two of you something……” The woman bounces on the cliff a few times before jumping before Shu Hai.

“The two of us?”

“Yes, in that cave, isn’t there another one……” The woman lifts a hand to cover the corners of her mouth and smiles as if she is embarrassed.

A silver of surprise passes through Shu Hai. At this moment, Zang He is quite some distance from him, coupled with the fact that he is in deep sleep, there is barely any flow of soul powers within his body, for the woman to sense his presence……

“That’s alright, I have a friend who’s going to inform him anyway. You need not worry. You will know it t the same time. No one will be left behind.”

Shu Hai hears that and dashes towards the cave. A faint inkling of danger crosses his heart. He does not want much to do with this woman.

Buzz------

When Shu Hai sees the complex golden array beneath his feet spanning out, his vision is blocked by numerous white silk that wraps around his body layer by layer. He reaches out towards the distant ocean and clenches his fist. Instantaneously, countless arrows of ice pierce towards the silk. The strange thing happens then. As if heavy rocks settling in the ocean, all the ice arrows are enveloped in the silk and then they disappeared.

“Oh you……” He feels a soft and sweet-smelling body pressing against him from behind. Without turning, he knows that the beautiful and alluring woman is currently holding herself tightly against his back. The soft touch causes Shu Hai’s heart to race.

“Why are you so careless? Exposing such an important thing to someone else so easily……” With a pitiful sigh, the woman whispers into his ear softly. Her arms are like two soft water snakes that swim into Shu Hai’s robes, encircling his muscular waist.

“What thing?” Shu Hai asks, distracted.

“Your lord’s seal, of course.”

Before Shu Hai had the time to react, he feels blades of coldness sinking into the position where his seal is at with lightning speed. The sharp pain shoots through to his mind and his entire person falls forward heavily.

The woman pushes her hair out of her face and her eyes gaze into the nothingness of the night. White mist is turbulent in her pupils, making the smile on her face appear horrifying.

What is even more horrifying is that, within the dress on her chest, a few sharp blades reflecting harsh cold light are retreating back into her body with a splattering sound, as if a large shelled insect is tearing through her chest and crawling inside it.

“Ai yah, this man, it’s been so many years and he hasn’t changed a single bit. So bloody……” She gazes into the distance at where the cave is located and smiles.

The white silk covering the skies return to their place wrapped around her body before morphing into the black train of a dress.



“My lord, we will be reaching that island in a few moments” Lu Jue is perched at the head of the boat as he tugs on the sails. The wind blows open his robe and the sunlight shines onto his tanned and firm chest. His sweat reflects the light to resemble jewels resting on his chest. He turns to look at Qi La, his dark and long eyes looking like a black valley under the strong glare of the sun.

“Lord Qi La, you can create chess pieces, can’t you? Why must we spend so much effort in taking a boat here? Why not just teleport using a chess piece?” Lu Jue wipes at the sweat on his body. His face is red from prolonged exposure to the sunlight. His smile is mature and charismatic. In comparison to the youth he had been five years ago, the him at present time has grown into a fine young man.

Qi La looks at the sweaty and half-naked body of Lu Jue’s that resembles a muscular carving from marble before smiling as he replies: “Chess pieces only lead to places that the creator has been to before. If the creator hasn’t been to a place, then it is impossible for him to create a chess piece that will reach the place directly.”

Lu Jue nods before sighing and he glances at Qi La.

As if the burning heat of the sun has no effect on him, Qi La sits quietly at the side of the boat. He still resembles a god carved from ice, his features delicate and eye-catching. No matter how stifling or overwhelming the air surrounding them is, he will always resemble the water flowing down the spring from a glacier, bringing along coldness with fragrance. Sensing Lu Jue’s gaze, he turns to smile and nod at him.

Lu Jue lifts his head and looks towards the coast, failing to see the two handsome man he had expected to be waving at them from the shore.

The Disciple of Earth, Zang He and the Disciple of the Sea, Shu Hai has both disappeared. The empty beach filled with black rocks is silent under the glaring sun.

“Where are Zang He and Shu Hai?” When Lu Jue turns to ask Qi La, he sees the tension on his face.

After alighting the boat with Qi La, they walk slowly along the coastline. As Qi La walks, he senses the soul powers present on this island. His brows are furrowed slightly under the hot sun. No one knows what he is thinking.

A large beam of light shines from the tops of one’s head, as if coming from the depths of the heavens, here to punish the evils and misdoings of the mortal realm.

All secrets start to worm their way out from beneath the surface of the ocean.

The seawater is turbulent as it surges, it pushes forth, countless sharp black rocks interweave with each other, as if the mouth of a monster attempting to devour all sources of life.

Qi La whips his head back suddenly. At the corner of his vision, a black shadow had disappeared quickly behind a piece of rock, as if monitoring them.

“You stay here. There’s something wrong with this island. Wait for me to return. If anything happens, seek me through the lord’s seal.” Qi La exhorts Lu Jue.

Lu Jue nods. Before he has the chance to reply, Qi La’s silhouette has shot forth like a flash of lightning towards the distance.



“What a familiar speed……”

Standing atop a distant peak is a lovely and beautiful woman. A dismissive smile is present on her face; it hints at the freshest temptation in the mortal realm. The wind blows at her gown, wrapping around her voluptuous bodyline.

“Ai yah, such a familiar physique. Five years ago, it was this speed as well. It’s been so many years, master Qi La, you’re still as polished as before……or should I say, you’ve never improved?” The alluring woman lifts a hand and uses her luxuriously decorated sleeve to cover her face as if embarrassed by her own words, “then master Qi La should find me familiar, right? Five years ago, a young boy and I smashed Tong Que into pieces in an array you created, at that time, if it weren’t for us escaping so quickly, you might have killed us then and there, do you still remember?”

“Why are the two of you here?”

“Because two of your disciples are here. We followed them.”

“Why are you seeking Zang He and Shu Hai?” Qi La demands coldly, the blood vessels tick under his skin on his hands.

“Of course to kill them. What else?” The young woman chuckles, as if stating an obvious fact.

Instantaneously, a blinding array forms beneath Qi La’s feet. The rotating light seems to envelope the entire island. Countless explosions of light rise from the ground towards the sky.

“Ai yah, don’t scare people. He was the one who killed them. I’m just here to pass on a message. What do you think you’re doing?” Light spins in the beautiful woman’s pupils. The smirk at the corner of her lips is captivating.

“What message?” Qi La asks.

“Oh, it’s nothing important. Just dropping by to tell you that you’re no longer the Top Lord. You’ve been demoted.” The woman ruffles her black dress and moves her body into an even more alluring posture, “He’s the little boy you almost killed back then. He’s now above you. This means that you no longer need to keep your three disciples. Only the Top Lord has the authority to do that. Of course, two are already dead, the last one, of course he can live, but he can no longer call himself the Disciple of Heaven, if not, he will be killed. Hehe~”

“You mean, I am now the Lord to the Second Degree?” Qi La bites out a laugh. Despite that, a layer of sweat has crept into his palms. However, he is confident in his abilities, as until now, even the Silver Priests may not be aware of his true capability.

“Of course not!”  The captivating woman stands amidst the rays of the array, her dress in chaos “You’re not the Second Lord, that youth right there, he is now the Second Lord. What you are now is merely the Third Lord!”

She pauses and looks at the disbelief on Qi La’s face and seems even more joyous. She is basking in the confusion she brings to Qi La. “He was going to be the Top, but what a pity, a monster even more powerful than him has appeared, he couldn’t defeat him,and so he can only be the Second, which makes you the Third.”

“Oh, and by the way,” The woman smiles slyly as she covers her mouth, “I forgot to say this, maybe because I feel embarrassed doing so, but whatever, I’m the now Forth Lord. My name is Thalia. That youth, his name is Nether.”

Thalia smiles lightly. The strong sea wind that blows from the distant dark ocean stirs her robes, making her resemble an erratic ghost at midnight.


“How is it? Our names are quite nice, am I right? Oh, I forgot to say this as well but, that monster, you know, the new Top Lord, his name has an even better ring to it. His name is Gilgamesh.”


The vast and bare island gives off a dank feeling as no grass ever grows. Despite the harsh sunlight beating down on everything, yet in the twisting waves of heat under the light, there always seems to be ghosts and ghouls lying low.


*lit. Floating life at the bottom of the spring.
**Older brother.
***lit. Electric fox.