The people of the Lei Prefecture despised them both; Yun Mu and Xian Mian. They were painted as blasphemers, which was inherently true, given Yun's rebellious nature against the Karmic Enforcers, and Xian's decision to follow him.
They'd long left the village and its storm-ruined environment. It's a shame that the Lei Prefecture was once known as the heart of a divine cultivation route tied to Storm Essence, which was Wukong-style battle cultivation, and ancient beast clans.
It all happened after the Celestial Court cracked down on rebellion centuries ago, and Lei Prefecture was punished, abandoned, and silenced after the defeat of Sun Wukong. Now it is a place of orphans, vagrants, broken cultivators, and descendants of old rebel sects. Mortals trade loyalty to the gods for basic survival, but many are bound by karma debt, not to mention, Lei Prefecture was a testing ground for young Karmic Enforcers. It's easier to practice enforcement on the poor and unprotected.
Staying here any longer would prove detrimental, but there was no easy escape.
Yun Mu and Xian Mian left after the conflict with the Karma Enforcers. Yun managed to take one of the enforcer's Jian with him, knowing he'd need protection when traveling outside the village.
They were both quiet as they walked past the edge of the village, as behind them, people all stared at their departure while the village square, where he'd defeated a Karmic Enforcer, was quiet again.
It was like nothing ever had happened, and as if he'd never existed.
Yun kept walking as the silence suited his deep thoughts.
"To hell with this place…"
As they reached the worn dirt path that should've led out of the prefecture, past the prayer stones and the rusted gong tree, Yun suddenly felt it again.
That same pressure he felt when fighting the Karmic Enforcers. It was like something unseen had just shifted its weight inside his body.
"What's going on with me? My senses are going haywire…"
The road they traveled on was scattered with broken spirit posts, and thin, rotting pillars once used to bind demons in the old days.
Every few hundred steps, Yun passed a shrine too damaged to be holy, or a tree tied with enchanted ropes.
This wasn't a sacred land anymore, it was what was left over after Heaven stopped caring. Xian Mian walked behind him quietly staring. She hadn't said much since they left, and only followed him like a shadow.
"You sure we're going the right way?" She finally spoke in a gentle tone.
Yun pointed to a jagged ridgeline up ahead.
"There, pass between the mountains, that should be the eastern road. It's supposed to lead to Shenmen Province. A place of new prefecture, and new laws." He grinned, facing Xian Mian. "There might even be rice that isn't cursed."
She tilted her head.
"You think they'll let us in?"
Yun exhaled, unknowingly. "I guess we'll find out." They continued their journey through the vast wilderness as the dirt road turned to ancient stone; its patterns were unmistakable, being that of a swirling spiral of clouds and thunderbolts, which were Heaven's Script etched into the very earth.
This was an old divine seal line, one of many woven around Lei Prefecture after the Fall.
"Don't step on the symbols," Yun said to Xian Mian, careful in his steps.
"What happens if I do?" Xian Mian paused, facing Yun in worry.
"Have you ever seen someone have a seizure and start reciting holy scripture backward while puking out incense smoke?"
She blinked confused, though scared nonetheless.
"N-No."
"Let's keep it that way."
She nodded as they moved carefully and weaved around the etched stones.
The path narrowed as they approached the pass, which cut right through the mountains… but then… they saw it.
Something was in the distance, tall and mighty. At first, it looked like a statue. It was large, unmoving, and carved from black stone and gold.
Yun could see it wrapped in thick ropes of prayer cloth as its face was hidden beneath a wooden mask.
"So that's the thing that was driving my senses crazy…"
The air bent around it as gravity itself felt heavier. It was the Guardian of Heaven, left behind to watch the karmic border. Its mask bore the character for "Justice" burned into the wood. Its arms were crossed over a massive blade that shimmered with ink-bright Qi.
Xian Mian froze, hiding behind Yun in terror.
"W-What is that thing? It's massive!"
Yun lifted the stolen Jian and faced the massive guardian, saying, "That thing is the reason why people don't leave Lei Prefecture."
The Guardian took notice of them and opened its mouth, not to speak, but to chant!
A low voice rolled across the pass in an ancient tongue. It was a Celestial speech only the gods and things they made were allowed to use.
Such words were meant for recording karma, weighing souls, and judging trespass.
Around them both, Golden runes lifted from the ground around their feet, swirling in unison like fireflies with knives.
Xian Mian whimpered, clutching onto Yun's leg.
"I-Is it going to kill us?"
"Only if we let it!" Proclaimed Yun, determined to fight back against this giant at all costs.
He looked up at the guardian which stood 30 feet tall, knowing it was nothing more than a slave that had once been a monk. Or maybe something worse.
Yun stepped forward as the Guardian tilted its head, witnessing his bravery.
"Hey, let us through! We don't want to be here in Lei Prefecture any longer! I don't feel like fighting you out of all people, but if you leave me with no choice, then so be it."
Yun felt the Guardian's intense gaze. It felt like the creature of stone could see past skin, flesh, bone, and deep into the soul. Its chant suddenly faltered as the fireflies stuttered around them… then the Guardian's massive blade ignited in flames.
"Shit… I figured this would be the outcome! Mian, gain some distance from behind me!" Yun stood firmly with the Jian in his hand.
"O-Okay!"
The Guardian slowly moved toward Yun, not needing speed or agility; it was fine the way it was, being a tool that was built to punish rebellious fools and weigh the weight of fates.
It towered over them before stopping a dozen feet in front of Yun and Xian… now lifting its blade and swinging it like a judgment bell!
"Hnnn… haaaa!!" Yun braced himself and parried the massive sword. The force of impact nearly swept him off his feet, shaking the pathway, and cracking the stone beneath him.
Birds in the distance scattered as Xian fell to her butt, crawling backwards for safety.
"I'm not going to let you win!" Yun could feel it come back again… that same spark he felt against the Karmic Enforcers.
Deep in his gut, something golden and divine was protecting him.
The Guardian raised its sword and swung the heavy blade toward the rebellious cultivator once again, but Yun ducked and drove the Jian deep into its leg.
The initial impact was strong and mighty, with enough force to drive through the guardian's shin, staggering it backwards.
"You're the guardian of Lei Prefecture… you have the ability to weigh the fate of others, and punish the wicked. All my life, I've been rebellious since birth. I didn't care for the gods or following the correct path to cultivation. But there was always something weird about me that I never understood…"
The Guardian seemed taken aback by Yun's strength, listening to him ramble about his history.
"I always had this weird, mysterious power, deep inside of me, that always came out in dire situations. No one understands me, not even myself… so let me ask you, what is my true nature? Do you know who I am?"
The Guardian raised its free hand, summoning a chain of glowing mantras, each one was branded with Yun's name, but it was wrong, and twisted.
For some reason, the Giant couldn't read his past names, or read his karma and fate.
It was as if Yun Mu existed outside the flow of destiny itself, operating on a logic outside divine law.
It didn't know how to judge him.
"Yeah… I thought so."
Yun tightened his grip around the Jian, pulling it out and lunging toward the giant's face as his eyes glowed golden.
Naturally, Guardians of Heaven were invulnerable to conventional weaponry, but Yun's mysterious power allowed him to bypass such immunity and drive the blade directly into the Guardian's mask. The runes around the giant shattered like glass as the massive creature slowly dropped, falling flat on its back.
Xian Mian stood a dozen meters away, wide-eyed.
"…Woaaah!"
For the first time in a hundred years, the path to Shenmen Pass stood open. Yun smiled at his victory and stood over the unmoving statue, turning to face Xian Mian, who looked at him like he'd just torn open the sky.
"Come on," Yun said, tossing his blade to the side. "Let's go before Heaven decides to update the lock."
She nodded silently with wide eyes and followed him, traveling to the mountain pass.
Behind them, the prayer cloths unraveled, and the wind began to stir. Somewhere, far above the clouds, a golden bell rang once in the halls of Heaven.
The Gods were pissed.