13 Excess Soul 01 (1/2)

In a place filled with darkness, loud thunderous noises could be heard beating erratically. 3 people could be seen looking at what seems to be a mirror, with their faces full of curiosity. 2 of the people in the darkness were the Gods that were stuck in Viel's dantian or core. These were Demon God Xanthus and the Lord God Lu Ying Yun.

”O-oi, I almost died in shock there!”, Xanthus said jokingly while covering his ears.

”This is… the sound of thunder!? What is this predicament we are currently in right now?”, Lu Ying Yun glanced at Xanthus for a while before shaking her head in disappointment. She knew that this Demon God is stupid and will certainly not know what is going on with their situation right now. So, she looked at the man who would probably have an answer and once again asked the question.

”Does thou have answers, Judge of Karma?”, Lu Ying Yun asked the man with respect.

The man didn't really have any distinct features. He was not handsome, but he was not ugly either. He doesn't look young, but he doesn't look old either.

The physical appearance of this Judge of Karma could be said to be the epitome of ordinary. And the more they look at him, the more ordinary he gets. It is as if their minds are telling them that this man is faceless.

”None”, the Judge of Karma said while wearing a smile on his face.

”I-is thee sure?”, Lu Ying Yun was flustered. No matter how many times she sees the Judge of Karma's smile, she will always experience an uncomfortable feeling crawling down her skin. Especially when he says something negative with a smile on his face.

”Yes, I am sure. But what I do know is that it has something to do with that man in front of us”, the Judge of Karma pointed at the mirror with a smile on his face.

”You mean our baby's combat professor? He is but a puny human!”, Lu Ying Yun mocked the man inside the mirror.

”Oh shit, the creepy old man doesn't have answers, we're doomed!”, Xanthus laughed hysterically as he placed his hand on Lu Ying Yun's shoulder.

Although one could not really discern the age of the Judge of Karma, Xanthus have called him a ”creepy old man” ever since they came to discover that this seemingly ordinary looking man was the main entity that was responsible for whether you reincarnate or be forever erased from the Cycle of Life. He still remembered the first time the Judge of Karma introduced himself to them.

-- -- --

4 years ago, when Viel was just recently adopted by the Ling.

”Greetings, God Souls.”

Xanthus and Lu Ying Yun could be seen groveling in front of a smiling man, as if they just woke up from a long slumber. Their breaths heavy and their looks pitiful. The last time that they were conscious, they remembered being sucked by the darkness and no matter how they tried to struggle, they couldn't fight back. And yet here they are right now, ”alive” and well.

They redirected their confusion to the smiling man in front of them. Without a doubt, this man was the owner of the eyes that was looking at them whenever they try to use their powers.

”Y-you, speak! Who art thou!?”, Lu Ying Yun summoned a blade of light, and with every strength on her body, she pointed it to the smiling man.

”Very well, I am the Judge of Karma. The one that judges if souls should be cut from the cycle of life or be reincarnated into one of the infinite number of worlds.”, the smiling man replied without hesitation and pause.

Hearing this, Xanthus shivered in fear, Lu Ying Yun even more so because she was the one who arrogantly pointed her weapon at the Judge of Karma. They could not confirm the authenticity of the smiling man's words, but they do know that the man is strong, maybe even stronger than both of them combined. And seeing the situation they are in, there really is not any merit in lying.

Lu Ying Yun immediately turned to Xanthus, as if asking him what they should do. However, when Xanthus noticed that Lu Ying Yun was looking at him, he slowly turned his head away. Xanthus clearly did not want to get involved any deeper in the situation.

Lu Ying Yun twitched in anger, 'T-this devil! What was the ”Lu Ying Yun, Hold my hand!” all about if he is just going to ignore me when I need him right now! How preposterous! The nerve! Imbecile!'.

Before Lu Ying Yun could finish ridiculing and curse Xanthus in her mind with every bad things imaginable, the Judge of Karma spoke again.

”Do you have any more questions, God Soul from World 352169?”, Judge of Karma said smilingly.

Noticing that the attention of the Judge of Karma was once again in her direction, Lu Ying Yun gulped and wiped away her sweat. After a long while of them just staring at each other, Lu Ying Yun finally calmed down and nodded.

”What do you mean by God Soul?”

”God souls, as the name suggests, are souls that have reached Godhood. Meaning, they were very powerful during their stay on the cycle of life. In this case, the both of you are God Souls, and may I say the strongest I have seen so far in my existence, and I know every soul there is in this universe”

”Why have you brought us here, inside this baby's core?”, Xanthus, who was keeping quiet the whole time, suddenly asked a question with a serious expression.

”That is because I needed help. Your souls are the only ones powerful enough to hear my voice inside this irregular… thing”, when the Judge of Karma said this, the smile on his face faded for a while.

”W-what does thou mean!?”

”Someone… something that should not be in the Tower Of Souls slipped by our defenses”

”What thing?”

”I do not know”, the Judge of Karma shook his head in dismay while still keeping his smile.

”Then did you lie when you said that you knew every soul in the universe?”, Xanthus knitted his eyebrows.

”Yes, I do. God Soul from World 24512. But the one who trespassed the Tower of Souls is not a soul, it does not harbor life”

”T-that… then why is thee here in the first place?”

”As the Judge of Karma, it is my duty to retain balance. So I followed the irregularity to this realm and to my surprise, it absorbed me. I tried to escape, I could not. I needed help, so I lured your souls here. For that I apologize”

”If you really wanted to escape, then why did you always appear whenever we were trying to break through this core?”

Hearing this question, the Judge of Karma suddenly burst out laughing. This obviously made Xanthus and Lu Ying Yun uncomfortable to their bones.

”I was trying to help you. The heavy pressure the both of you felt was me injecting my mana or qi, into both of you.”

”I-see. Then do you have any idea how we will get out of here?”

”None. And if I am right, we will never be able to get out…”

”So we might as well make ourselves comfortable. Once again, I am the Judge of Karma. That is my name and I have no other”, the Judge of Karma clapped his hand as he revealed an even wider smile.

-- -- -- -- --

Present Day