Inside the Hall of Yama.
Chu Mo sat upright in the seat of honor, toying with an object in his hand. Its features were finely sculpted-it was a head, Nine Sorrows' head.
With its help, he had all but "eaten" Nine Sorrows clean. Naturally, Declining Fate's little schemes had not escaped him either.
Still, it was strange. [All Beings Aspect] could seize another's fate, but taboos were otherworldly arts that had gained sentience, not truly living beings. Naturally, they had no fate to speak of.
By rights, his life-bound divine ability should have been useless against them.
Yet [All Beings Aspect] could turn them into [Other-Self Aspects]. What it seized was not fate, either, but something strange that Chu Mo had never encountered before. If he had to describe it, he might loosely call it "existence force."
"Tsk."
Chu Mo clicked his tongue. Whatever the reason, so long as it worked. He studied the head in his hand, pondering. Origin spirits can also become other-self aspects. What would happen if someone refined such an origin spirit?
Wouldn't that person's dharma form be composed of an other-self aspect?
"Interesting."
He chuckled, put the head away, and set the matter aside for now. Raising his eyes toward the hall's entrance, he considered briefly before calling, "Di Yang."
A moment later, Di Yang hurried into the hall and bowed. "What are your instructions, Teacher?"
Chu Mo rose and walked outside with his hands behind his back. "Come with me for a stroll through the Mortal Folk settlements."
Di Yang paused in surprise, then quickly followed.
Ever since the Underworld had established itself in North Gui, countless members of the Mortal Folk had migrated there, willingly or otherwise, putting down roots and raising families.
Chu Mo and Di Yang traveled above the clouds, looking