The Martial Unity

Rui frowned at Bodhisattva Maitreyi’s words.

“Take Amare with me?” He furrowed his eyebrows. “You really think that’s going to help her reach the Sage Realm?”

“Certainly far more than any other option we have at hand,” Bodhisattva Maitreyi calmly replied. “Traveling around the world should awaken the memories of her previous life.”

She had decided to inform Rui of this fact, largely because she knew he was more than intelligent enough to arrive at this conclusion by himself. Thus, it would be better to establish a hint of goodwill by divulging this fact themselves.

“You really think reincarnation exists?” Rui’s tone was bitter and resentful. “Don’t be naive.”

His eyes sharpened.

“You’re dooming her to despair if you convince her of this nonsense.”

“…” Bodhisattva Maitreyi didn’t miss the subtle shifts in his demeanor and body language.

For whatever reason, this was a highly sensitive and emotional topic for him. “Regardless of whether it does or doesn’t,” she wisely sidestepped the matter, “the fact of the matter is that revisiting places associated with memories can awaken forgotten memories. It should help her unseal the memories of a long, long lifetime buried in the depths of her mind. And that will be beneficial in the long run.”

Rui stared at her with a hint of skepticism. “And why do you want her to come with me, particularly?”

“You’re strong,” Bodhisattva Maitreyi replied easily. “Intelligent. Powerful. Influential. She will be safe with you.”

“She doesn’t need my protection,” Rui reminded her.

“No, she doesn’t. But the fact of the matter is that while you have political protection, she does not,” Bodhisattva Maitreyi replied. “The Gen Temple has its fair share of enemies. Some of whom are Sage-level forces. She may be strong, but she cannot fight a Bodhisattva.”

Rui raised an eyebrow. “So you’re hoping that coming with me will give her protection under the same political protection that I have?”

Bodhisattva Maitreyi nodded. “Precisely. I have no concern about Master-level forces, she can handle them with her own tremendous power. My concern is forces that she cannot handle. And additionally… I’m concerned about her survival skills. Or rather, lack thereof.”

Rui scoffed with a hint of amusement. “As a man who has spent years in the Beast Domain and now voyages through the beast-ridden Human Domain, you’re surely aware that survival entails more than just Martial power,” Bodhisattva Maitreyi continued. “In fact, Martial power may not even be the most important factor. What’s most important are the decisions you make and how they will affect your chances of survival. In that regard, I truly don’t think highly of Amare’s ability to survive.”

Rui couldn’t help but chuckle as he tried to picture Amare in the wilderness. “She’s a bit of an airhead.”

Bodhisattva Maitreyi nodded with a hint of affection as she thought about her granddaughter. “She… gets hyper-focused and hyper-immersed very easily. She spends most of her time entirely absorbed in her tasks without any care for the world around her. In fact, she spends most of her life in the flow state when completing a task. That is why she has zero aptitude for survival skills. In that regard, I do not think I would be able to sleep at night if I knew that she was traveling through the Beast Incursion by herself.”

The source of her strength was also a weakness in other dimensions. It was true that Amare was likely to get herself killed if she traveled through the Beast Incursion by herself. “However, that is the not greatest reason why I seek you to take Amare with you,” Bodhisattva Maitreyi smiled. “The greatest reason is that Amare seems to have taken a liking to you.”

He stirred at her words as his expression softened.

“I wouldn’t have even considered it if it wasn’t for that,” Bodhisattva Maitreyi remarked. “If you find her unpleasant, then feel free to deny her request if she does indeed choose to try and join your voyage.”

Rui stared at her before heaving a sigh.

“I don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“…I don’t find her unpleasant.”

A mysterious smile emerged on her face.

“Is that so? That’s good to know.”

Rui furrowed his eyebrows with a hint of indignation. “We aren’t children, you know?”

“Of course, when did I say that you were?”

Rui glared at her as a hint of mischief entered her smile.

“…You said ‘if’ she requests to join me, right?” Rui shook his head. “This conversation is premature if she hasn’t even made up her mind.”

“You’re correct,” Bodhisattva Maitreyi nodded. “I have tried not pressuring her, but she knows that you’re not staying for too much longer. Right now, she’s trying to process her complicated situation.”

Rui stared at her before making a decision.

“Processing the fact that she possesses the memories of none other than Progenitor herself?” Rui straightforwardly revealed. “The fact that she has the memories of none other than the Martial, the immortal sage who spread the power of Martial Art?”

Bodhisattva Maitreyi’s eyes sharpened. “You know much.”

Rui raised an eyebrow.

“Do I?”

She stared at him with a deep gaze. “I don’t recall telling you the identity of her previous life’s memories. And certainly, I don’t recall telling you the name.”

“You do realize that you have painted the story of the Progenitor on your walls, yes?” Rui scoffed with disbelief.

“A highly subjective painting with heavy artistic license,” Bodhisattva Maitreyi. “One that does not message her name. There is a reason that it is dismissed as invalid evidence for the origin of Martial Art. No normal outsider looks at that and thinks that that is an absolute fact.”

Rui shrugged wordlessly. “It doesn’t matter how I know. What matters is that I know.”

“And why does it matter if you know?” Bodhisattva Maitreyi raised an eyebrow. “Why should I care unless you have malicious intent? Do you intend to blackmail us with this secret?”

Rui scoffed. “I think you guys are the ones with malicious intent. You see, I have more than my fair share of religious crazies. I know how you guys get when you think you have found ‘the one.’ All I’m saying is…”

His eyes narrowed. “I won’t let you turn her into a slave of your religious fantasies.”

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