Haymire

Gu Erin blinked after his selection, only to find himself in a dark alley between two buildings, although the alley was far cleaner than one might find on Earth, there was still some trash littered about. Gu Erin looked at the all too familiar architecture, it resembled the architecture one might have found in the Tang Dynasty in ancient Huaxia, Though if one were to look closely they would notice more than a few differences.

As Gu Erin walked out of the alley that smelled like an old overused towel, Gu Erin breathed a sigh of relief at the clean air, and soon excitement filled his eyes. Although he didn't know as much about Haymire as he did about his first starting town, he knew more than a few key details that would make the start far easier.

First of all, Heaven's Mercy was indeed a magical place filled with qi and new unimaginable sights that would blow the minds of average mortals. So, when Gu Erin saw a cultivator fly through the sky while standing calmly on a sword, as an airship leisurely followed from behind, Gu Erin wasn't surprised.

Gu Erin had his first step in mind, when one started they were equipped with two things. Gu Erin looked down at the robes he now wore, and the ring on his hand. With practiced ease Gu Erin's mind slipped into the ring showing a small three by three meter space, there he found the clothes that he had worn before the transition. They were practically worthless as they were cloth made with material that was not exposed to any qi. A simple pulse of one's cultivation might just disintegrate them. More than one mortal from Earth would lose their dignity as the natives of Heaven's Mercy had fun with them.

Speaking of which the natives were quite…. Different. Although Gu Erin found this out at the end of Heaven's Mercy it was still somewhat shocking. All of these people were once actual people, yet they had one way or another broken an agreement that was overseen by the Heaven's. or they had made a deal with the Heaven's themselves. As such major sects and factions would send dead end disciples and stagnant old monsters to Heaven's Mercy as representative. Even some powerful factionless master would send their inheritance to the heaven's hoping a worthy successor might take up their path.

Although they would find their lives highly limited and bound by the Heaven's, in a way they would enjoy a different form of immortality. However, there was a different type of inhabitant in this world.

They were still a mystery to Gu Erin as he still wasn't quite sure if they were actually native or not. In the end, Gu Erin simply cut off that train of thought. Meeting any of those individuals would be way out. In fact, some of those beings didn't make their appearance till the end of Heaven's Mercy. However, now that Gu Erin thought about it they all appeared near the individuals who showed immense promise and disappeared after Heaven's Mercy.

With this now growing line of thought Gu Erin made his way towards a certain place in town. This building unlike all of the others looked almost alien in nature. It was a spire that rose into the sky made of a white crystal that made it shimmer like the ocean. Floating crystals orbited around this spire as no cloud dared come between it and the sky. This building was none other than the Temple of the Heaven. This was the place in which mortals from a new introduced world could get information, cultivation techniques, and rights.

This was one of the first and most important steps for Gu Erin, just from the get go, when his body started interacting with qi, laws, and concepts he felt the difference. He felt closer to everything, like he had an innate understanding, or he had countless small enlightenments periodically. Gu Erin knew what may be causing this, but it shouldn't be possible. Unless more had happened to him than just regressing.

Approaching the Temple of the Heavens, Gu Erin felt a mixture of nostalgia and excitement. Gu Erin however, felt all of that excitement turn into cold bewilderment as a being met him outside of the tower, just at the base of the steps. No native would go into the Temple of the Heavens unless called, and that was an unprecedented event.

Most if not all of the mortals of Earth once they figured out the importance of this place would swarm to the tower, so all would eventually see this being. This was the Evaluator, the one to test you, to show your affinity and any innate abilities you have, for free. This was a service only found in Heaven's Mercy. Once it ended and a new generation came to be, you would only normally get an idea of one's innate abilities due to your bloodline history.

However, Gu Erin felt something was wrong, the Evaluator whom he had come to see had already come out to meet him? Not just that Gu Erin had only seen this being just raise his hand, touch one's forehead, and produce a jade tablet with in depth information on your talent and capabilities. Not just that, The Heaven's would give you a nugget of wisdom on which path to travel upon. Yet ,this being had come to meet him at the entrance?

Gu Erin stood before the Evaluator; a tense silence descended upon the area. The Evaluator who was clad in a worn grayish black robe stood absolutely still. Shadows covered his face, assuming it was a him anyways. The servants of the Heaven's were all dressed in worn robes of various colors denoting their occupation within the temple. Some had said in the previous life that they were all branching consciousness of the Heavens, but Gu Erin had his doubts.

Within this silence Gu Erin had felt many gazes start to gather, presences unseen to the eyes, no doubt these gazes belonged to cultivators all across the Flood Dragon Kingdom. After one reached the Foundation realm one would be able to use their divine soul with a few limitations that would progressively become less and less with each realm.

Gu Erin was surprised, so surprised in fact that he started to doubt everything, he was not surprised at the gazes, after all most of the natives would have an interest with the newly introduced mortals. What shocked him so greatly was that he could sense their divine souls watching him.

One had to consider that he was still mortal, if one was of a higher realm than you the amount of suppression would be incredible. Each realm was the difference between a hill and a mountain. Which is why crossing realms to fight would cause such a commotion. Yet Gu Erin as a mortal could sense the divine souls of cultivators, who in comparison to his current state would be no different from a god of death.

Gu Erin was starting to become worried, but he did not let an ounce of this concern show on his face, keeping a perfectly intact mask. In fact, he tried his best to look confused at the Evaluator, like a country bumpkin who had just seen the city.

"Um, who are you?" Gu Erin asked, but his confusion was a bit forced, Gu Erin was no actor, and he had never needed to act before. Some of the people who knew him in the past timeline would have actually called him blunt and too honest.

The Evaluator raised his hand and instantly Gu Erin felt the world shift, spin, heave, and flip over on itself all at once. When Gu Erin finally felt the ground again, he immediately dropped to his hands and knees as he hurled, nausea like he had never felt before swept over him.

After a few heaving breaths Gu Erin noticed that he was no longer on the road. He felt wind brush against his face. As he looked around he slightly paled. What the fuck? Why was he on top of the spire?

Gu Erin looked over Haymire, it spanned for miles with tightly packed buildings, following no distinct layout. A few courtyards dotted the endless stone. Outside the town and over its small walls were forests and mountains. Trees were twice the size as they were on Earth. But, this unobstructed view of Haymire was interrupted by the form of the Evaluator.

The being that brought him here looked at him who was still on his hands and knees blankly. Or at least Gu Erin assumed so. Yet, if things weren't strange enough the Evaluator spoke. It was ghostly with countless echoing voices, inhuman in ways that made Gu Erin's head ache.

"I will evaluate you personally." The shadows under the hood shifted imperceptibly, yet Gu Erin could tell when the shift occurred. Without any grace he fell on his face into his own bile. The pressure that descended could be described in one word. Absolute.

Struggle? Ha, the fact that he was still conscious was unimaginable. Some might even say that he was being spared because normally the sheer presence of the being before him now could erase his soul. No, the fact that the matter that made up Gu Erin's being wasn't unraveling was truly an unfathomable mystery, that is if anyone could witness this seemingly mythical event.

He was now most assuredly, in the presence of the Heavens itself.

***

In a cluttered room stood six people circled around a Little Devil who was shamelessly begging for mercy.

"Handsome brothers! This Little Devil knows you are upright and true sons of destiny, such people shouldn't hurt this poor devil!" It screamed helplessly.

The six people nearly spat out a mouthful of blood, what was this little devil talking about? It hadn't shared its insights into the Dao of writing for weeks and it now suddenly has the face to show itself?

Brother Lonnie nearly kicked the Little devil out of anger. But, a new face took mercy on the Little Devil, Brother Dimension threw three stones to the Little Devil who immediately started singing his praises and hugged his leg like a koala.

Following his lead Mister Crazy, and Brother Crusher threw the Little Devil stones of power as well.

Brother Lonnie, Brother Shockwave, and The Son of Fate all locked gazes. They hid their presence and slowly backed out of the room, cold sweat forming on their brow. Heavens help those fellows. Only they knew the shamelessness of this Little Devil. They closed the door and blocked it with all their might.

Soon enough banging could be heard on the door as the three of them tried to escape the shameless devil who had lost any form of dignity as he received gifts.

The three of them looked at a newcomer who had just approached. They knew this fellow. The Father of Trees, they could only think in their hearts that this person was truly lucky to have left beforehand. Then the Father of Trees took out a stone of power that he had meant to give to the Little Devil for his hard work. The three blanched as the door burst open. The little Devil burst out, and to everyone's horror went right to the Father of Trees. Everyone apologized in their hearts and promised to remember the Father of Tree's sacrifice as they used this time to escape as this thick skinned devil bragged, complimented, and sung The Father of Tree's great deeds to the world.