Chapter 4: Council Drums and Destiny Branches

The Heavenly Oba remember o!

In fact, e write am for book, dey check every year.

Remember am well!

Any small meeting, he go drop reminder. 'Ngozi, you still dey follow heartless path.' Ehn, thank you, I know.

After he see say I don dey engage to Ifeanyi for two hundred years and I never even grow small feelings—not even one red string—Heavenly Oba vex!

Him face squeeze like person chop unripe mango. I know say wahala dey come.

He no gree say na him son no get charm, he just dey find my fault!

Typical elder style. Instead make dem check their side, na your head dem go blame.

Three hundred years ago, he talk: "If immortals fall in love, the three realms go scatter!"

That time, dem use fear catch everybody. Nobody wan become scapegoat, so we close heart like padlock.

With that one talk, he block eighty percent of cultivators, leave only small heartless ones fit ascend!

Competition reduce, but joy reduce too. Na only few fit reach that level.

Three hundred years later, he change mouth:

"How people wey no get heart wan understand all beings? From now, heartless cultivators no go ascend!"

He tap his ivory staff on the ground, the sound echo like masquerade drum for village square. Na turn of event! Na so person dey change rule as e like. People begin murmur.

As he finish, all the immortals for upper council look me!

Dem eye dey hot, like pepper enter am. E be like say dem dey wait make I fail.

Na only me dey that place wey ascend as acquired immortal, and na only me dey follow heartless path!

Na big spotlight. Sometimes I wish say I just fade enter background.

Heavenly Oba give me fake smile: "War chief, you go lead to enforce new law, abi?"

E dey do like say e dey praise me, but na setup. Everybody sabi the game.

He wan make I go mortal world, and only if I grow feelings I fit return as immortal!

Everybody understand the meaning. Go mortal world, come back if you sabi love. Na exam, but the answer book dey with examiner.

Imagine!

Abeg, na pure spiritual nyash opening be that.

New style of wicked dismissal!

Nobody wan carry that kain load. Even the wind for council stop blow.