- This is the article on the rulers of Kotaku. For the race of experimental immortals, head to Tensen.
Lord Tensen (てんせん
To the Hōko, they revered Lord Tensen as gods, and believed that the seven members came to be after a Sennin split himself into seven entities after achieving enlightenment. This, however, was admitted to be a fabricated legend created by Lord Tensen as part of their research on the Hōko.
Goal[]
The group's purpose is to continue on Jofuku's research in creating an Elixir of Life, as well as gain perfected immortal bodies through diligent training through the ways of Tao. Once completed, the group would set out to Japan to create more of the elixir by releasing the Paradise Butterflies and turn every human into Waitanhua flowers through Arborification. In doing so, the bloomed humans will congregate to create the giant flower known as the Banko and allow Lord Tensen to harvest more of the elixir.
In secret, Rien's true goal for Lord Tensen would be to transfer the stolen Tao over to Jofuku's preserved corpse in order to resurrect him.
Members[]
| Lord Tensen | ||||
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| Rien † | ||||
| Members | ||||
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| Gui Fa | Ju Fa † | Mei ‡ | Mu Dan † | Ran † |
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| Tao Fa † | Zhu Jin † | |||
| Allies | ||||
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| Aza Chōbei ‡ | Butterfly Dōshi † | Centipede Dōshi † | Lettuce Dōshi * | Tentacle Dōshi |
Click here to see the legend of the symbols used
- †: the character is deceased.
- *: the character's status is unknown, or show additional information. Hovering the symbol may give further details.
- ‡: the character is no longer part of this group.
History[]
Past[]
Having successfully created a new body to use using her own Tao, Rien used her Tao puppet to create an artificial female named Mei to help assist her and her husband's, Jofuku, research in trying to unlock the secrets to immortality through Tao. Along with Mei, Rien would proceed to use her Tao puppet to create six artificial infants that would become a part of their research, giving them the name Tensens. Presumably, since Jofuku was the one leading the research, Rien had Mei come under the notion that her husband was her creator and master, which she would pass on to the newborns.
After many years had passed, Jofuku died of old age and from Arborification, which left Rien heartbroken. Seeing as how she could not fully accept her lost, Rien vowed to revive Jofuku and took over his research, as well as kept his passing a secret from the Tensens. With her as the leader, Rien trained the six young Tensens through the Five Training Methods of Immortality and formed the group known as Lord Tensen where they presented themselves as gods to the island's inhabitants known as the Hōko. As part of their immortality research, Lord Tensen observed the Hōko's way of life, since they were subjects with long lifespans, by creating fabricated religious beliefs and had the Sōshin guide them. After viewing the Outer Way of Tan to be more effective, Rien sacrificed the Hōko by extracting their Tao in hoping to create an Elixir of Life and allowed the Tensens to thrive off of their Tao. Having thought that she was taking things too far, Mei tried to stop Rien from going any further but ends up being severely punished for her objection. She eventually escaped from Rien's clutches and her whereabouts became unknown to the Tensens.
After 200 years passed, Tao Fa, Mu Dan, and Ju Fa plotted to lure in humans from Japan to the island after the Hōko were on the verge of going extinct, leaving the Tensens without a steady source of Tao to keep themselves alive. After several centuries passed since Tao Fa, Mu Dan, and Ju Fa sent an Arborified Hōko to the outside world, Lord Tensen encountered the first group of humans that landed on Kotaku. Upon ambushing them, Lord Tensen came to learn how valuable a human's Tao is and, throughout the years, began to extract the Tao of the humans that came to the island using the same luring method. As a result, the seven managed to create the prototype elixir known as Tan that would supply them with endless amounts of Tao until they finally manage to create a perfected Elixir of Life. Rien also made use of the humans to create the Banko within her laboratory to produce a far greater quantity of Tan, to which by then she had already developed her plan to revive Jofuku.
Edo Period[]
During the Edo period, Lord Tensen dealt with six expedition teams sent by Japan's shogun to retrieve the rumored Elixir of Life and used the same luring method. The shogun then decided to dispatch a group of criminals and executioners to Kotaku with the same mission. Upon their arrival, Ju Fa and Tao Fa encountered Aza Chōbei and Aza Tōma while engaging in Bōchū Jutsu. Ju Fa quickly defeated the brothers and threw them down the Tan pit. Zhu Jin then went out to investigate and found multiple Sōshin corpses within Eishū. After arriving on the beach, Zhu Jin encountered Nurugai, Yamada Asaemon Tenza, and Yamada Asaemon Shion. They managed to effortlessly kill Tenza and forced Nurugai and Shion in retreating. Having already dealt with one group of humans, Zhu Jin returned to Hōrai but encounters another human named Gabimaru at the gate. Zhu Jin engages in battle with Gabimaru, who notices that he is not an ordinary human based on his abilities, and becomes overwhelmed by his strength. With no other option, Zhu Jin transforms into their Kishikai state and manages to almost bring Gabimaru to the brink of death. However, Zhu Jin finds Mei by Gabimaru's side and helps him to escape by creating a crater leading them down Hōjō. Zhu Jin's Kishikai form ends and is reduced to a weaken state while wondering why Mei helped Gabimaru.
Shortly after, Lord Tensen gathered for a meeting to discuss matters on the humans currently traveling on the island. Seeing as how multiple Sōshin were killed after two days, Zhu Jin being weakened, and a Mōnshin found dead, Rien concluded that the humans on the island were unlike any others they encountered in the past and that they may pose as a threat. Despite this, Rien says that they will be ready as long as they are united and toast to their goal of achieving eternity and to their master. As a precaution, Lord Tensen sends out the Dōshi to the humans locations.
The next day, Mu Dan becomes aware that Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, Yuzuriha, Yamada Asaemon Senta, and Hōko have arrived at the gate and allows them to enter with the intention of capturing them. Mu Dan fights against the three humans and gains the upper hand but has his tanden cut by Sagiri's Wood Tao, causing him to resort to using his Kishikai with what little consciousness he had. He then fights against Shion and ultimately meets his end by him. Upon coming outside to the gate, Rien finds Mu Dan's corpse and decides to investigate further. After arriving at Hōjō's deep valley, Rien encounters and fights against Chōbei, who showcases his new abilities after escaping from the Tan pit, which causes Rien to become fascinated with his success in fusing with the Tao of the Waitanhua. She then takes him back to Hōrai unconscious and engages in Bōchū Jutsu with Chōbei to understand his Tao better, believing that his Tao could be the key to completing her research and offers him a position in Lord Tensen if he were to cooperate. Chōbei agrees to affiliate with Lord Tensen and helps Rien by going through experimentations.
During the dissection process, Chōbei reveals to Lord Tensen information about the group of humans on the mission and how it is possible that they are preparing themselves to invade Hōrai. Knowing that each one of them are inhuman, Rien believes that they will provide exceptional Tao for Jofuku and initiates the Rite of Just Consumption. Each Tensen then enters their respective temples ready for the humans arrival, with Chōbei as support, as per their agreement to leave his younger brother Aza Tōma alive. While handling the first human group, Rien deploys the Dōshi to deal with the second human group that recently made landfall. After finishing with her experimentations, Rien presents the perfected Elixir of Life to Jofuku gilded corpse and announces that it was time for her to depart to Japan and begin her next phase of turning every human into Tan.
Ultimately, Lord Tensen is bested by the humans and left the group with only three members alive. In an unexpected turn of events, Hōrai is invaded by the second landing party, which results in the palace turning into a battlefield. While having the Dōshi handle the chaos outside, Rien orders Gui Fa to protect the Basin in the Main Temple Annex. Rien is then confronted by Shija, along with a squad of Iwagakure shinobi, and tries to stop them from burning the ships carrying cargo containing the Paradise Butterflies. Hōrai then becomes more chaotic after Zhu Jin makes the decision to fuse with the Banko in order to gather more Tao for the Rite of Just Consumption. However, the Tensen's ambition comes to an end after being dealt by Chōbei.
After finishing off the shinobi that were in her way, Rien sails off to Japan on a burning ship, despite having the Elixir of Life stolen from her and the rest of the ships being destroyed. As she makes her way out through the entrance of the floodgates, Rien finds herself confronted by Shugen on her ship, who plans to stop her from leaving the island. Rien defeats Shugen and luckily reclaims the Elixir of Life that was on his person. Rien's ship then becomes under attacked by Gantetsusai, who secretly jumped onboard the ship before it left the island, and manages to give enough time for the surviving humans to reach Rien on their ship. Rien defends her ship from being hijacked and ultimately proves too much for the humans to handle, however, upon Jofuku's corpse being destroyed by Shugen, Rien left herself wide open for Sagiri to come in and destroy her plant ovule after becoming distraught. Nevertheless, Rien manages to survive the damage done to her and gives in to her anger by declaring vengeance upon the humans, starting with Gabimaru who tried to make the first attempt at destroying Jofuku. After remembering how he ceased his assault, Rien demanded an answer from Gabimaru as to why he did not commit to his action, to which the shinobi replied that it was due to the fact that he could sympathize with her since he is also married. Having heard his words, Rien is brought closure to her loss after remembering the loving times she had with Jofuku and chooses to have both her puppet and main body crumble away into the afterlife.
Trivia[]
- Lord Tensen (with Mei included) are based off of the Eight Immortals, a group of legendary immortals who are revered by Taoists in Chinese mythology.
- Lord Tensen's constant consumption, harvest, and dependence on the Tan elixir greatly references the poem Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup written by Du Fu where he depicts the Eight Immortals' love for alcoholic beverages.
- Lord Tensen might also be influenced by the seven loyal retainers of Jofuku according to legend.