Four days later, the sun beat down mercilessly on the forest, turning it into an oven.
Admist the heat, two massive boars charged at each other, their tusks clashing with brutal force. The ground trembled as they wrestled, grunting and squealing in a savage display of thier beastly nature.
One boar, a hulking beast with matted fur, drove its tusks into the shoulder of its opponent, ripping through the flesh and sending blood spraying. The wounded boar let out a deafening squeal, trying to break free, but the dominant boar slammed its weight down, pinning it to the ground.
With a ferocious bite, it gored the rival again and again, with fresh blood gushing and pooling on the forest floor, mixing with dirt and leaves beneath. As the fallen boar struggled weakly, gasping for air, the victorious beast roared in triumph, a fierce glint in its eyes.
But then, a bright flash ignited in the air above, followed by the roar of flames. A fireball came crashing into the victorious boar with a explosive force. Flames engulfed it, and the ground shook from the blast, sending debris flying everywhere as smoke curled into the sky.
When the dust finally settled, the forest fell quiet, the echoes of battle vanishing into silence.
From the surrounding bushes, two figures stepped out, both drenched in sweat. Zhang Hao laughed haughtily, clearly pleased with himself.
"Not a bad way to secure food," Wei Wushang commented, eyeing the remains of the boar.
Zhang Hao laughed even more arrogantly.
They approached the dead boar. Wei Wushang extended his palm and touched its body. It was in relatively good shape, except for its skull, which had been blown away. The remaining parts were not too burnt, with plenty of meat left. As he activated the mystic seal inscribed on his hand, a dim glow enveloped the boar, and in an instant, it vanished into the storage space.
He then approached the second boar, that was also laying lifeless. With a similar gesture, its body disappeared into the storage seal.
"This should be more than enough to keep us fed until we reach the sect," Wei Wushang said, his eyes drawn toward the distant peaks of the sect's mountain range.
After four days of traveling with the guidance of their jade harmony slips, they were nearing the sect. Wei Wushang estimated they would arrive by afternoon the day after tomorrow.
These four days of travel had been taxing, even for someone like Wei Wushang, who had labored since childhood. They had to remain alert at all times, taking shifts to sleep. Many times, they found themselves in tricky situations with wild beasts, surviving by the skin of their teeth.
On one particular occasion, while Wei Wushang was alone relieving himself, he was a bit distracted when a crippled wolf pounced on him, sinking its teeth into his right forearm. Pain exploded through him. In that moment of crisis, he quickly grabbed a nearby rock with his free hand.
In a split second, he activated the mystic seal and stored the rock before the seal materialized on his forearm. He positioned it just right, allowing the rock to tumble into the wolf's mouth. The beast choked and thrashed violently, trying to shake it off, but finally collapsed dead at his feet.
After that incident, Wei Wushang scolded himself for his carelessness and avoided going off alone. He made it a point to always have either Zhang Mei or Zhang Hao with him.
Zhang Hao and Wei Wushang made their way back to Zhang Mei. With Zhang Hao's martial spirit, they ignited a fire and enjoyed a hearty meal until their hunger was sated. After a brief rest, they continued navigating the tough forest terrain.
As night fell, they eventually located a spot to set up camp. The next day brought an unwelcomed surprise; Zhang Mei had come down with a cold.
Thankfully, it wasn't serious, but she felt drained and struggled to keep up with their pace. This slowed them down, and neither Wei Wushang nor Zhang Hao wanted to waste time in the forest. They took turns carrying her, an act that would have been unthinkable just a few days earlier. The hardships they had faced together over the past few days let them establish a degree of trust among them.
More importantly, they understood that Wei Wushang couldn't survive alone in this dangerous environment. He lacked the necessary strength to safely journey through the jungle alone. He needed them. Likewise, they relied on him, as he carried both water and food supplies. While finding food wasn't too difficult, locating water required much searching. Fortunately, Wei Wushang had the foresight to store water from the waterfall on the day they began their journey. In this way, they all depended on one another. And just like that, another day passed.
In the early morning light, Wei Wushang stood under the golden rays of the sun, savoring the warmth on his skin. The forest around him was slowly coming to life, birds chirping in the trees and a gentle breeze rustling the leaves.
Just then, Zhang Hao walked up from the side, rubbing his eyes.
"You're up early today, or should I say, you couldn't sleep at all?" Wei Wushang glanced at the dark circles beneath Zhang Hao's eyes.
Zhang Hao sighed, shrugging. "We're finally going to enter the sect. I couldn't shake off the excitement."
Wei Wushang nodded, then asked, "How is Zhang Mei faring?"
Zhang Hao shook his head, concern evident. "Her condition hasn't improved. She's experiencing body pain and fatigue. Rest, she still needs more rest."
Wei Wushang looked serious, his tone earnest. "Then we must hasten our journey. Once we reach the sect, she can recuperate. Who knows, perhaps a senior cultivator will treat her."
"Indeed," Zhang Hao agreed, a hint of hope in his tone.
Then the three of them shared a quick breakfast, filling their stomachs before departing.
After hours of walking, they found themselves at the edge of a breathtaking scene. Before them stood a colossal mountain, shrouded in billowing clouds. Winding stone paths snaked down its rugged slopes, accompanied by countless yellow lanterns that swayed in the wind. Hundreds of tiny floating islands drifted around, some carrying people.
The summit was graced by grand halls and ancient temples that radiated a divine brilliance, their majesty undeniable. What truly captivated Wei Wushang, however, was a massive hand carved from the mountain itself, reaching for the heavens as if yearning to grasp the sun and moon. From it emanated an aura of unmatched arrogance, leaving him momentarily speechless.
As they stood in awe, Zhang Hao couldn't contain himself. "Woah, woah, woah! What kind of place is this?"
"The Desolate Harmony Sect…" Zhang Mei, still resting on his shoulder, murmured softly.
"Haha, indeed, sister! We finally made it through all that crap. Almost died a few times, but hey, fuck it!" Zhang Hao spat out with a grin.
Zhang Mei tapped his head lightly. "Watch your language, brother. We're about to step into the land of immortals. You need to behave accordingly."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Zhang Hao chuckled. "Now, let's hurry up! We can rest once we're inside." Excitement had overtaken him, and he moved to take a step forward when Wei Wushang suddenly stopped them.
The siblings glanced at him, puzzled. "What's wrong?" Zhang Hao asked.
Wei Wushang's eyes narrowed. "Do you remember the narrative we agreed upon?"
Zhang Hao recited as if he'd repeated it a hundred times. "Yes, I know. We're already members of the sect. Even though Senior Xu Hanmo helped us, we can't mention it publicly, nor can we speak the truth about what happened. All we know is we were ambushed by a cultivator named Xu Hanmo, who claimed to be Elder Xu Jiulong's brother. As the fight became too dangerous, Elder Xu Jiulong sent us away. After that, we struggled our way through the forest and reached the sect. Anything beyond that, we know nothing."
Zhang Mei smiled in satisfaction, her brother finally got something right.
Wei Wushang nodded, but after a brief silence, his expression grew troubled. Hesitation flickered across his face, something that didn't escape the siblings' notice.
"What is it?" Zhang Hao asked, frowning.
Wei Wushang seemed to struggle for a moment before he spoke, as if gathering his courage. "I know this is a private matter for cultivators, but I must ask… have you both memorized your techniques?"
Both Zhang Hao and Zhang Mei blinked in surprise, finding the question unexpected. It seemed like such a minor issue, so why the tension?
Zhang Hao scratched his head, answering honestly. "Um… I figured I'd study once we got to the sect. With all the traveling, I was too exhausted every day. Didn't have the energy for it. Besides, we didn't have the materials to practice anyway, so what was the point?"
Zhang Mei echoed his words but added, "I memorized the essential Spirit channels, but can't recall the material names or the method to refine the pill."
Wei Wushang's expression turned grim, a deep frown etched across his face. "This is… troublesome…"
Both siblings looked at Wei Wushang, an ominous feeling welling up. Zhang Hao was, once again, the first to ask, "What is it?"
Zhang Mei, her voice softer, followed, "Yeah, what's the problem?"
Wei Wushang sighed heavily. "Don't you think once we enter the sect, they'll at least do some checking? Even if it's just with their divine sense."
Zhang Hao raised an eyebrow, "So what?"
But Zhang Mei, the sharper of the two, suddenly paled. "Are you saying… they'll inspect us? And once they do, they'll find the extra jade slips. If they ask about them, we won't be able to explain… because it's tied to that person."
Wei Wushang nodded grimly.
Zhang Hao's eyes widened, as round as full moons. The realization dawned on him. "Can't we just say it's a gift from Xu Jiulong?" he blurted.
Zhang Mei looked at him in surprise, considering the idea for a moment, but Wei Wushang quickly shook his head. "No, no. That won't work. It messes with the narrative we've already established. Even if we try to change it, don't you think they'll investigate? And Xu Jiulong being a member of the sect for many years, they could easily verify whether the technique really belonged to him. Even if most people don't care to dig that deep, if his family investigates and finds us in possession of those techniques, we're done for."
He paused, letting that sink in before continuing. "Besides, you're missing the bigger issue. It's not just about where we got these techniques. The real problem is, we're too weak to have something this valuable. Some greedy cultivator will definitely try to steal them—or worse, kill us for it."
Both Zhang Hao and Zhang Mei turned pale, Wei Wushang's words shaking them to their core. Zhang Mei's voice quivered, "Have you memorized your other technique?"
Wei Wushang nodded confidently. "Yes. I've memorized it and destroyed the jade slip. And I'll just act as if the technique is my martial spirit. No one will question it. Plus, as the text in jade says, inspecting someone's dantian is taboo. I'll be safe."
He cast a concerned look at the siblings. "But what about you two? Even I can sense the spirituality emanating from those jade slips with my divine sense. Anyone with half a brain will notice."
Zhang Hao began to sweat, clearly not cut out for this level of thinking. Zhang Mei, despite her best efforts, was unable to focus as the pressure and her poor health clouded her thoughts. Wei Wushang also paced, as though trying to conjure a solution.
When both Zhang Mei and Zhang Hao were on the verge of despair, Wei Wushang suddenly stepped forward. "Why don't we store your jade slips in my mystic seal? Once we're inside the sect, I'll return them to you," Wei Wushang suggested honestly.