Ten days later, I managed to breakthrough to level 2 of Yellow Realm. Not exactly an impressive pace, especially when compared to protagonists in cultivation web novels, but I would take it.
By this time, I hadn't just learned cultivation and martial arts, but also how to survive in a jungle as well. Kai Li Si had taught me the basics of hunting and differentiating edible plants and stuff. I curiously asked him about that – but apparently the plants and stuff in the Celestial Realm were identical to those on Earth.
"I mean, the spirit beasts are different because they absorb qi and mutate, but there's no magical herbs or whatever in the Celestial Realm, so the plants and fruits are identical."
That was…convenient.
"There are monster plants, though."
"…say what?"
"Oh, you'll find out when you go to the Celestial Realm one day."
"Speaking of which, how will I get there? You said I died in the original timeline before I ended up there. But your presence here might alter everything, and I might not end up in the Celestial Realm?"
"That's…" Kai Li Si paused for a moment, looking completely confused. Then he shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it. I don't know."
That didn't sound good.
"I'm sure we'll figure it out, though," Kai Li Si assured me, though he looked less than sure. Evidently none of the cultivators considered the repercussions of time travel, paradoxes and the butterfly effect when they came back in time. Then something else occurred to me.
"How do you intend to return to the Celestial Realm when your mission is over?"
"Oh, that's simple." Then Kai Li Si's eyes brightened. "That's right! Why didn't I think of it? That's also connected to how you'll eventually travel to the Celestial Realm."
I waited for him to explain.
"The cultivators in this world. I don't know, but my mission entailed that once you're sufficiently powerful enough to protect yourself, we should seek them out. They'll know more about this than I do, especially regarding the gateways between worlds."
He then paused and looked sheepish.
"Honestly, I don't know if I will be returning, though. I heard that traveling through such gateways will be risky. Like coming here from the Celestial Realm. Less than 10% chance of success or survival. I always knew that this would be a one-way mission. That I wouldn't be returning."
I realized Kai Li Si's dedication to the mission. His loyalty, and determination to ensure my survival, so that I would live to lead the Heaven and Earth Sect in future. I still wasn't sure how true all this was, but if it was, he was one hell of a soldier. Faithful to the resistance and willing to do whatever it took to complete his mission.
"All right. Thanks. I guess we'll figure it out."
"Yeah, we will. For now, you should resume training." Kai Li Si gestured toward me and I obeyed. While I practiced the breathing methods and physical techniques he taught me, he turned away. "I'm going to scout, check the village for news and information. I'll be back."
"Okay, thanks. I'll be relying on you."
The technique that Kai Li Si taught me was called Heavenly Flow and Earthly Paths.
Apparently this was a technique that allowed me to read the flow of my opponent's qi and either avoid his attacks or stop them before he could execute them. According to Kai Li Si, it granted me a sixth sense, which allowed me to detect an enemy's attack even before he executed it. It was supposed to be the best evasive technique, with potential for me to counterattack when I reached the later stages. However, even in the lower stages, it would allow me to at least stand a chance against a stronger opponent. To avoid his attacks and escape.
Basically, it was the best technique for ensuring the survival of a beginner like me.
I also recalled how Kai Li Si fought against Ba Bai in school that day, over a week ago. He was using this exact technique, Heavenly Flow and Earthly Paths. That allowed him to evade, parry and deflect Ba Bai's attacks. I was impressed by it and was delighted to find out that I would be learning it.
I was so absorbed in my training that I didn't realize that a few hours had passed. The next thing I knew, when I was lying on the ground in exhaustion, Kai Li Si appeared. The moment I saw his demeanor, I knew something was wrong.
"Bad news," he said without any preamble. I caught sight of a roll of newspaper in his hands, which he tossed to me. "I don't know how Ba Bai found your parents or address, but apparently there has been an attempt on their lives. Fortunately, they were protected by the police. Even though he seriously injured a few cops, there were too many of them and he left. At least that's the official story, but…"
He turned away. While he was telling me everything, I had flipped through the newspapers and searched for the article. I finally found the headlines and was quickly scanning through the article. While I did so, Kai Li Si finally spoke up.
"I suspect that cultivators in this world showed up."
"My parents, are they okay?" I couldn't help but sound worried. Kai Li Si nodded.
"They aren't hurt. The police intercepted him in time. They had kept your family under watch after that incident in your school."
"Thank goodness." I confirmed that information in the article itself. However, I didn't know how accurate the news report was. Were they perhaps covering things up? But they would have no reason to lie about the wellbeing of my parents…
The casualties the cops sustained were pretty high. Once again I felt guilt at involving innocent people in this. Pushing my glasses up my nose, I contemplated.
"Will I be able to…make a difference now?"
Kai Li Si glanced at me, understanding my question. He sighed heavily.
"Honestly, I don't think you're ready, but…I know you'll still go. Your parents, they are important to you, aren't they?���
"Of course."
"Yeah…in the future, you were always quite the filial person. You would often tell us how you wish to return to this world and help your parents. Except that…" he hesitated. "In the original timeline, before you died, your in-laws schemed something and had them murdered."
Wow…my original life was a stupid drama straight out of a trashy son-in-law web novel.
"You wanted revenge. But the Nine Heavenly Temporal Tribulation was just too risky, and you also had to lead the orthodox sects against the demonic sects." Kai Li Si smiled sadly. "You really sacrificed a lot to protect the Celestial Realm from evil and tyranny."
Yeah, well…from the manner he said it, it sounded like it was easy for me to throw everything away and gamble on this small chance to return to this world to save my parents from the evil schemes of my in-laws, but I chose to fight for the living instead of risk the fate of the Celestial Realm over a tiny chance of success.
Of course, this was assuming he was telling the truth…or that my future self was telling him the truth. Honestly, it was entirely possible that I made the whole story up to troll my future disciples because I was bored or I thought my real life story was too dull and so I needed to make up something more interesting. I mean, seriously, all those trashy son-in-law stories were too ridiculous and unrealistic. Why the fuck would I marry into a family who abused me and eventually murdered both me and my parents? This made no sense whatsoever.
Then again, there was a running joke about the male protagonists in son-in-law stories being simps (in Chinese they called them licking dogs, because they always metaphorically lick the female leads'…uh, something). And I was no simp. What kind of idiot allowed himself to be bullied, insulted, abused and looked down upon, just because the other party was a woman? Fuck that gender bullshit. I was an advocate of gender equality.
However, whatever the truth, right now I knew I couldn't idly sit by while this bastard attacked my family. Kai Li Si seemed to notice this as well.
"Yeah, I won't be able to stop you. You'll find a way to get back and try to help your parents." He took a deep breath. "If that's the case, then I will help you. Two people are better than one. And the longer we let him run about, the higher the chances that more victims will fall prey to his predations…and he will grow stronger while absorbing their qi essence."
"We can't let that happen."
"Yeah…especially after this setback, I suspect that Ba Bai will realize that he will need more strength to fight off the cultivators in this world, so he'll go back into hiding and begin using his demonic techniques to absorb innocent people's qi essence to recover his cultivation. Also…if he was wounded in this last exchange, then it means we might have a good chance of defeating him!"
"Good." I took a deep breath. "Thank you. Let's do this."
"On one condition."
Kai Li Si smiled darkly and I suddenly received chills. He strode toward me, his qi curling around him like a golden lion.
"You can only go if you pass a test. If not, I won't let you go…you'll have to continue training until you pass this test."
"What test?"
"We'll spar. You'll do your best to avoid my attacks and fight back if you can." Kai Li Si raised a finger. "After all, if you can't even pass this test against me, what makes you think you'll be able to fight against Ba Bai?"
"My job is to distract him, right?"
"Yeah, I'm not telling you to win against me. However, if you can't even evade properly, if you can't survive a few blows from me, then what makes you think you'll be able to successfully distract Ba Bai?"
"Fair enough." I took a deep breath before dropping to a stance that Kai Li Si had taught me. "Let's begin."
Kai Li Si's first attack almost took me by surprise, but I dodged to the side, his fist blowing past the space where my face used to be. I could hear the sonic boom, get buffeted by the shockwaves generated by his punch, but I avoided the worst of it.
Soul Crushing Strike was really a fearsome attack.
Spinning about, I then jumped above Kai Li Si's leg, which he had swept out under me in order to kick me off my feet. Relying on Heavenly Flow and Earthly Paths, I did my best to read his movements and anticipate his next attack.
That spike in his qi…another Soul Crushing Punch?
I dove to the side, avoiding the lethal attack. Rolling to my feet, I responded with a Soul Crushing Punch of my own, which Kai Li Si evaded.
"You're telegraphing your attacks too clearly!" he snapped before he threw a kick at my head. I jerked it back, narrowly escaping his deadly foot, and then whirled away to avoid his elbow. Pulling back, I wondered if it was far more effective for me to focus completely on evasion and forego attacking.
After all, it wasn't my job to go on the offensive. And I would leave myself open to a counter.
So I concentrated instead on dodging the next two punches, moving my body just enough to escape the strikes by a hair's breadth. While I did so, almost rolling my torso about and shifting my legs to widen the distance between us, I heard Kai Li Si sigh in amazement.
"I almost couldn't believe it when I spotted you dodging Ba Bai's attacks last week…and you weren't even a cultivator then. But it seems that you're truly suited for Heavenly Flow and Earthly Paths. No wonder you were able to rise through the ranks and become the leader of Heaven and Earth Sect."
"Running away isn't going to win me any battles, though," I pointed out skeptically as I hopped away from his follow up kick.
"Actually, successfully running away ensures you survive. And survival itself is a form of victory. After all, the moment you're dead, everything is over. As long as you are alive, there will always be hope."
There was a wistful tone to his words, almost as if he was quoting someone else. From the gaze in his eyes, I gathered that it was likely that my future self was the one who taught him that.
How ironic. I was being taught by a person who I would teach in the future.
Yet the future was not set.
"Don't get distracted, you haven't passed the test yet!"
I snapped out of my stupor and returned to my reality, jumping away to avoid another strike. Kai Li Si land on the place where I was standing on a second ago, the force of his foot carving a crater into the solid earth.
Seismic Step. Another technique that Kai Li Si had demonstrated to me once, but one I had yet to successfully execute despite my constant practice.
Skidding away, I couldn't help but smile. Adjusting my glasses, I straightened up and met Kai Li Si's gaze evenly. Raising a hand, I beckoned toward him.
"Fine. Bring it on."