Chapter 1
It was truly the dog days of summer. The sweltering sun made working twice as hard and even more unrewarding than usual, but thankfully, Jun didn't have to lift a finger.
After all, who would make a dog till the fields?
Besides, he had paws, not fingers.
"Jun! It's time for supper!"
An old, grumpy voice shouted from inside a shoddy house made of mudbrick and thatch. With a sigh, Jun stood up, stretched his body, and slowly walked inside. The place was far from big, especially by Jun's standards, but it had a certain rustic charm to it.
Entering the kitchen and looking up, he saw a balding old man with a long, white beard. It was so unkempt that Jun sometimes thought there was an entire ecosystem living there. His clothes were worn and rugged, a classic brown to blend in with the surroundings.
"Look at you, Jun. You just sleep and eat, sleep and eat. Other dogs at least herd sheep," old man Wei wagged his finger as he put down a plate of rice, eggs, and a tiny scrap of pork. A generous portion considering most of the villagers ate less.
'Grumpy old bastard.'
Jun once again thanked the gods that dog food hadn't been invented yet. He wasn't sure this stuff was safe for him to eat, but he had lived so far, so what did it matter? Once he was done with the food, he moved to lap up some crystal clear water. As he did so, he glanced at his reflection, and a golden retriever with luscious, golden fur looked back at him. Two big, watery eyes blinked at him.
Most days, this wouldn't bother him, but today marked the fifth year since he was reincarnated. And, yes, he counted. What else was there for a dog to do?
Jun's real name was Michael. He was a twenty-two-year-old digital artist fresh out of university, dealing with the constant problem of trying to find work. It took serious will and effort not to start drawing some very questionable things, although if he knew he was going to die so soon, he would have rather died rich and in comfort than poor and with ethics. Alas, life wasn't fair.
And now, here he was. Perhaps this was bad karma for shoplifting when he was five—some god probably didn't like how he took that chocolate bar, thus cursing him with a dog's fate. Or perhaps it was when Jun was feeling tired and he didn't stand up for an old lady on the bus. She must have harboured a grudge for life, muttering curses with her dying breath about "rude youngsters". Either way, he was stuck here in the middle of nowhere.
"Fuck me. Five years in a run-down village filled with old people and brats! Where is my cheat?! Do you know how long it took me to even learn this damn language?" He suddenly yelled out, on the verge of tears.
"Gah!"
Jun's shouts must have startled the old man because soon enough, he stood up and hit Jun's head with a karate chop. "Stop barking up a storm! Are you in heat?"
On top of everything that was already going wrong, Jun couldn't even properly speak the language. All that came out of his mouth were barks and howls. He had tried for months on end, but a dog's anatomy was simply too different. Truly a wretched fate.
"Your mother is in heat. Your whole family is in heat! Don't provoke a dog with nothing to lose!" He once again barked, which prompted another karate chop from the old man.
"Who taught you manners like these? I bet it was Chen Hao, the rascal that he is. Both of you need to learn some politeness."
Once he had finished huffing and puffing, old man Wei sat back down on a chair, continuing to mutter under his breath. He was a stubborn fool at times, especially when it came to etiquette. According to him, manners were what separated men from beasts, and his dear Jun was certainly no beast.
'Whatever. Let's see who gets the last laugh when a dog outlives you.'
Just as he was about to lie down, he smelled a familiar scent coming from far away. The vibrations suggested it was Chen Hao, and a minute later, Jun was proven right. A young boy burst through the door like a bulldozer, panting and out of breath.
"You have three seconds to explain this behaviour before you get the beating of a lifetime!" the old man yelled, already pissed off by Jun's previous actions.
Before Chen Hao even spoke, Jun could smell that the boy was both happy and stressed about something. A tangle of smells suggested that he had been in a crowd recently.
It never ceased to amaze Jun how he could do that. His sense of smell would be considered a modern-day superpower if it didn't come with partial colour blindness, and, well, being a dog.
"Grandpa! Grandpa! There's an immortal in the village!"
Immediately, a commotion broke out in the house.
"Holy shit. They're real. Praise the gods!" Jun yelled, his tail reaching unfathomable speeds as it swished through the air.
"Stop lying, brat. Everyone knows immortals are a myth." Old man Wei shouted, grabbing his beating stick.
"Nuh-uh. He had a cool flying sword. He punched the air and a dragon made of fire flew into the sky!"
Chen Hao dramatically looked up. Then, with all of his might, he punched towards the sun, mimicking a whooshing sound.
"A common charlatan, no more, no less," the old man muttered under his breath, but he was too stubborn to admit any wrong.
"We don't have time. He said to gather everyone between the ages of 13 and 15. Those with 'spiritual roots', whatever they are, can join the sect."
With that said, the boy bounced in place for a few seconds and then looked at Jun. "Come, let's go."
Jun didn't have to be told twice. He sprinted ahead, sticking out his tongue while panting. Neither the sweltering wind nor the blistering heat could wipe off his grin.
"Spiritual roots. I knew reading so many different novels would pay off. No shot a con man would know anything about those. This is the real deal!"
He ran along wide fields and weaved between squat buildings, following the mixed scent of numerous people. Usually, people would be working at this hour, but the news had spread quickly. Children giggled as he dashed past them, their parents dragging them along by hand. Everyone was heading towards the village centre.
There, hundreds of people, young and old, stood in a circle, discussing the strange event. The wooden tables and chairs that were usually present in large gatherings were all pushed to the side, save for a single table. Nearby sat a dashing man who couldn't have been older than twenty, sipping a cup of wine.
Many things could be said about his symmetrical face, his long, black hair, or his demeanour, but what stood out most to Jun was the ornate black robe. Any peasant could tell that it was made by a highly skilled craftsman using superb-quality silk, which, alongside any magical properties it might have, likely made it cost more than the entire village combined. In a place full of peasants, he looked like a wandering emperor.
A few minutes later, Chen Hao finally caught up. Just like the other children, he lined up to stand before the immortal, reeking of stress and nervousness. In comparison, the immortal's scent made everyone else smell dirty and impure, as if they were 'tainted by the mortal world'.
Chen Hao stuck out amidst the sea of brats. He was tall and lanky, with short, dirty blonde hair. It was wild and dishevelled, a bird's nest for any crow brave enough. His hands were calloused, and his clothes were dirty, but none of that took away from the brilliance of his gaze. Where others were scared, his eyes were filled with constant optimism and hope, no matter the situation. Jun was also sure he was one of the oldest gathered here—on the edge of reaching fifteen.
The commotion continued for some time before the village elder confirmed that no one else would be showing up. Then, the immortal clapped, and the sound travelled through the village like thunder.
"Right. Now that everyone has gathered, I will repeat what I said. I am an immortal from a renowned sect. Which sect or who I am doesn't matter."
Although he was not shouting, his voice was perfectly clear to everyone present. His arrogant bearing provoked some whispering, but none dared to raise their voice.
"No, I am not here to steal your children. If they have spiritual roots, their status will rise above mortal kings and emperors, and they, too, can attain immortality."
One of the villagers who was previously whispering blushed a deep red at the immortal's words.
"As for proof—here it is."
As he finished speaking, a sword by his side started soaring through the sky, moving like fish through water. With a simple gesture, the sword disappeared from view. When it reappeared, someone shouted, and everyone turned towards a nearby house. It was sheared in half, and so was everything behind it.
"Hey! That was my house!" Old man Ma, the town's drunkard, shouted in outrage.
But before he could cause any trouble, the immortal formed a hand seal, and the earth moved as if it were alive. The entire building shook, and when the tremors stopped, the house was in a better shape than before.
"It's magic! A miracle! Can you also conjure some wine? What about some fine, busty women?" The drunkard yelled out and laughed, but a single, piercing glance from the immortal made him drop to his knees. His bladder decided to give out at the same time.
'Who wouldn't want an alcoholic husband who can't hold his piss? Prime marriage material right there,' Jun thought to himself.
"Regardless, it is good fortune for your village to come under our sect. Now, let's begin," he said, turning to the teenagers. "Hold out your hand, your palm facing the sky. Do not be afraid. This won't hurt."
As expected, his previous words had the inverse effect on children. He reached his hand out towards the first girl, and when their hands touched, blue light coursed through her body. She screamed in mortal terror for a few seconds before realising it didn't hurt.
"No spiritual roots. You may go back to your parents," the immortal said, letting the girl run away.
The whole procedure was incredibly underwhelming. Twenty brats were sent back to their parents, both relieved and disappointed by their lack of talent. When a spiritual root eventually popped up in one of the girls, it turned out to be the worst one—the Five Element Dispersal Spirit Root.
"Unfortunately, the sect doesn't accept those with no chance of breaking through to Foundation Establishment. Still, you may try joining a lower-ranked sect or try your luck as a loose cultivator."
The villagers didn't quite understand what it meant, but Jun let out a sigh of relief upon hearing the words. At least the cultivation terms were still familiar to him. Still, he couldn't help but pace back and forth in worry. If none of the kids had any talent, then how was he supposed to escape this cruel fate?
Fortunately, the heavens always found a way. As the immortal linked hands with Sun Ping, blue light instantly covered her entire body, turning into a silver-grey hue that nearly blinded everyone present. From the corner of his eye, Jun saw the immortal grin.
"The heavens have blessed our sect—it's none other than a Pure Metal Spirit Root. No doubt many elders will want to accept you as a disciple. Congratulations in advance, junior sister."
Before the excited murmurs could grow in volume, the girl let out a piercing wail before breaking out in tears.
"I-I don't want to go. I want to stay with my family. Aaaaaaah-," her mother emerged from the crowd, grabbing her by the hand. Despite that, she didn't stop crying.
"We'll be leaving in two hours," the immortal said, pinning Sun Ping's mother with a look that wouldn't take no for an answer. Then, he tossed her a small pouch. It didn't take a genius to figure that it was some sort of payment.
'In ten years, she will be able to level a hundred of these villages with a single technique. With any luck, she could even buy some miracle pills that would extend a mortal's lifespan.' Jun sighed. 'Still, it's all too abrupt for someone who is only thirteen, even if this is a blessing in disguise.'
The sombre mood quickly passed as the next teenagers were tested. Those who failed now let out sighs of relief. The previous promises of grandeur were all but forgotten. Finally, it was Chen Hao's turn.
"Go on, brat. You can now stop hiding your extremely unique cultivation physique. Let the world see your Extreme Yang Body or your Heavenly Thunder Immortal Root," Jun said, but no one paid attention to his barking.
To his shock, the blue light that flew into Chen Hao's body split in two. The first stream of light flowed to his heart and tinted it light blue, while the second became a spiral of green light that twirled around him like a ballerina.
"The Dual Water Wind Spirit Root. Although it can't compare to a Pure Spirit Root, you still have decent potential." The immortal nodded. "It all depends on how hard you work. Now, take this, resolve any private matters, and say goodbye to your family." He tossed Chen Hao a similar pouch, moving on to the next person before the kid could say much.
The crowd parted where Chen Hao walked, looking at him with complicated expressions. Jun's mouth was still open in shock when he made his way back to the boy. Truthfully, he never expected that Chen Hao could actually cultivate.
"Good shit, boy. I believed you from the start! Not a single doubt in my mind," Jun said. The brat looked back at him with a sullen expression on his face.
"Oh come on. It's called the Hidden Extreme Yang Body for a reason. I'm sure you can beat that Sun Ping girl in no time once you awaken."
Alas, Chen Hao couldn't understand him. Still, he squeezed out a smile.
The village was desolate as the sun began to set. Even Jun began to feel melancholic as they walked through it all. Five years was a long time, and the memories he had made here were dear to his heart despite all of his complaints. He would miss all the brats that used to tease him, sit on his back, and pull at his fur.
When they finally made their way back to their house, old man Wei was waiting for them. He likely wanted to join the commotion, but he was too stubborn to go.
"So? Spit it out! Judging by how sad you look, you must not have been chosen," he laughed, slapping the wooden table a few times.
"It's the other way around. I've got something called the Dual Water Wind Spirit Root. He said I could become an immortal," Chen Hao said, desperately blinking to not cry.
"And you're sure it's not someone trying to scam you?"
"I'm sure. The entire village saw it."
The old man sighed. Chen Hao put a small pouch on the table. Inside glinted several golden coins, enough to buy the entire village twice over. Someone who could casually give this amount of money had no reason to scam a few village kids.
"Is this what you truly wish to do? If not, we can smuggle you out of the village. He won't stick around for long if he's as important as you say," old man Chen Wei bit his lips as he asked.
A few seconds of tense silence passed before a determined look lit up on the boy's face.
"Teacher Li is always telling us about how big the world is and how many wonderful things there are. I want to see them all," Chen Hao said, sniffling and wiping away a small tear. "Besides, I want to go look for dad."
"Ah, my little boy. You've grown up too quickly. If you wish to follow your dreams, then I have no reason to stop you. Just remember, you can always come back."
The next hour consisted of old man Wei teaching his grandson how to behave and what the world would throw at him, emphasising his safety again and again. Chen Hao packed a small burlap sack full of personal belongings, but in truth, it wasn't much. A woven straw doll, a fang necklace, a small, rusty knife, and other various knick-knacks he was fond of. When the boy was done, he rushed towards his grandfather and tightly embraced him, not letting go for some time.
"Alright. I'll be heading out now. Remember to take care of Jun and feed him often. I'll miss the both of you."
As he said that, he reached over to ruffle Jun's fur. Jun, in return, stared blankly at Chen Hao.
"What the fuck?"
Chapter 2
"Are you stupid? Did I miss someone dropping a rock on your head and giving you brain damage?" Jun yelled, staring at Chen Hao with genuine anger.
"Now, now. I know you'll miss me, but I can't take you with me," Chen Hao said, kneeling next to Jun. He reached out to pat the dog's head, and Jun had to resist the urge to bite into his fingers.
"Did he fucking say that? 'Oh, by the way, you can't take dogs with you.' No? Shut up then. Let's go." Jun shouted, biting the hem of the boy's pants and dragging him outside. Chen Hao awkwardly hopped along, doing his best not to lose his balance.
"No! Stay!" Chen Hao cried out, but it did nothing to stop Jun. "Grandpa! Hold him down."
When Jun released his grip on the pants, Chen Hao reached out to grab him, but he was far from a dog catcher. Jun slipped to the side, running circles around him. Old man Wei hobbled out of the house, but even with the both of them combined, they were no match for Jun's agility.
"What do we do?" the brat asked, lying on the ground to catch his breath. It didn't help that it was still scorching hot despite the sun going down.
"Stubborn bastard, that's what he is. Well, what else can we do? Since we can't catch Jun, let him come with you."
"But... Won't the immortal get offended?" The boy looked down, worry written all over his face.
"Bah. If he chases Jun away, then so be it. And if not, you could use some company."
'Not like they could say or do anything to stop me. I'll fight to death with the first bastard that suggests I stay behind.'
The old man awkwardly bent down, bringing his face next to Jun's. "You better protect him," he said, staring into the golden retriever's eyes.
"Aye," came the response, and whatever the man had heard, it apparently satisfied him.
After a few additional minutes of preparing a few day's worth of food and drink for Jun, the two of them set out. They walked through the village, saying their goodbyes to the villagers who had accompanied them from birth. Although the crowd had dispersed from the village centre, no one had gone back to work. In a small place like this, this sort of event would be discussed for years to come. No one would miss it just to till the fields.
Along the way, they stopped by Teacher Li's house. It was one of the biggest buildings in the village, and it was thanks to him teaching the village's children that Jun could speak, read, and write the language. But, oh no, the horror! A whole squad of assassins waited to ambush him right behind the corner!
"Jhun. I whell mwiss yeuu," a girl no older than five buried her face in Jun's fur, crying uncontrollably. A crowd of children surrounded him, lifting his paw and shaking it as if to say goodbye.
Teacher Li was there as well, but his focus was instead on Chen Hao. The two stared at each other, and, finally, the teacher sighed.
"I'm sorry to crush your hopes this early, but the world of immortals isn't what you think it is. Harden your resolve, steel your heart, and show weakness to no one. I've heard enough stories in the capital to know it isn't all fun and games."
The teacher's solemn look made Chen Hao freeze, but he soon nodded, placing his hand against his chest.
"I can't expect you to understand it now, but you will in a few years. Don't stand out too much, keep a few cards hidden. The real winners are those who can live to enjoy the most of their immortal lives."
'How the hell does he know this?' Jun thought, sensing a plot in the air.
Teacher Li's past was shrouded in mystery, which caused many to think he was of noble birth. While Chen Hao engraved these words in his heart, Jun snuck behind him, curiously sniffing his butt. While the smell wasn't nearly as overwhelming as the immortal's, Jun could smell some of the "purity" on him.
"Aha! I've got you figured out now! Nothing can fool my detective's nose!" he said, indulging in his own thoughts.
"You were probably a highly talented disciple with a promising future in a prestigious sect. Then, you dared to court death by being engaged with another beautiful disciple." Jun narrated, excitedly running around. The children trailed behind him like a pack of bumblebees.
"But that's when a young master took interest in your fiancee. Unfortunately, you weren't blessed by the heavens, and you got crippled in the process. With nowhere left to go, you left your sect and came here, slowly piecing together your dantian."
It all made so much sense. This was exactly like one of those novels he used to read before.
"You taught kids here in order to pass on your heaven-defying talent to any promising apprentices. That's when you saw our Chen Hao and recognized his Hidden Extreme Yang Body. Now, all your hopes are placed on another future disciple. Come on, spit out the name of who crippled you. We will help you take revenge." Flames of righteousness burned in Jun's eyes.
Both Teacher Li and Chen Hao looked down, a weird expression on their faces.
"Ah, sorry about his barking. Jun can probably tell that I'm going away. He won't stay put." Chen Hao bowed, making a shushing noise at Jun.
"Well, he's always been a smart dog." Teacher Li laughed. "It always seemed like he was paying more attention than even the kids at my lessons."
A moment of contemplation passed before Chen Hao spoke up.
"I'm sorry, but I have to ask. How do you know so much about the immortals?" he inquired, and that's when Jun knew they had struck gold. Any minute now the teacher would pass down his inheritance.
"Ah, it's only a small secret. I didn't want other villagers to treat me differently, so I lied a bit. I was the tutor of the fourth princess of the Yao Dynasty. Royalty dealt with immortals on rare occasions, and upon my exile, I was taught a minor technique to expand my lifespan."
Chen Hao's face lit up as he heard the secret that was always on the mind of so many kids. Deep down, Jun knew the man was lying. His deductions couldn't be wrong.
"Alright, it's time you go now. Remember, be careful." Teacher Li said, ruffling Chen Hao's hair. He collected the still crying kids, shepherding them inside his house.
'It can't be. Well, whatever. Maybe he's shy and wants to wait until we reach a higher realm.'
When they reached the village square, Sun Ping was already there, her eyes completely red. Her parents were in the distance, both of them holding back tears as they watched their daughter. Nearby, the immortal was trying to console the young genius, but his words had no effect.
"Alright, you're both here. It's time for us to leave," the immortal said when they arrived, paying no attention to Jun's presence.
Without any further delay or spare words, he made a complicated hand gesture, and without a moment's notice, the wind picked up, howling like a demon through the village. From above the clouds descended a ship of majestic proportions, illuminated by the glow of a thousand golden runes. The ship's prow was sculpted in the image of a flying dragon, each scale a work of a lifetime. It was as if a second sun had risen in the sky, gracing the mortals below with its presence.
The immortal pointed at the two disciples, and from the tip of his finger emerged another rune. It hit both of them in the chest, blooming across their bodies like fireworks in the night sky. At the same time, a surge of energy flooded Jun's body, and his instincts screamed at him—if he didn't grab onto Chen Hao, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
Jun scampered, practically climbing Chen Hao's leg. Both his teeth and his claws were firmly attached to the boy's clothes, and in response, the brat screamed out in pain. But, before he could do anything, a pillar of white light engulfed the both of them. Like a bad hangover, it made Jun's world twist and turn, nausea overtaking him in seconds. He vomited all over the floor.
After a few seconds of recovery, he glanced over to Chen Hao and Sun Ping and saw that both of them fared no better than him. Seeing others suffer had the magical ability to make one feel better. He shuddered, and then realised it was much, much colder here.
The first thing he saw was that they were standing on a smooth wooden floor. All around him were strange phantoms, rushing to be the first ones to clean up the mess. Two jade lion statues turned to them, their red eyes shining with a dangerous light, daring them to do anything malicious. Further past that, the vast plains stretched on and on until they merged with the forest, the trees' leaves a strange shade of purple.
But all of that was secondary to the crowd of twenty or so teenagers standing on board the ship. Some looked bored, others scared, but no doubt that most were like the two brats by his side—abducted from a random village. Despite that, two figures stood out from the crowd.
The first was a young girl with long, blonde hair. Her curtain bangs partially covered her eyes, but they did nothing to cover up her smile. Her robe was murky grey, but based on the embroidering of a great phoenix, whose feathers reached out to softly caress her sleeves, Jun guessed that it was probably red. It was leagues above what everyone else was wearing, which was probably why she was standing alone.
'Curse this damned colour blindness.'
The second was a strange boy with similarly long, grey hair. His eyes were slitted, his piercing green pupils glinting from the light of the runes. His robe was pitch-black with motifs of white ghosts reaching up, looking as if they were about to tear the clothes apart. That was what he was able to gather from a second glance, as his first glance was drawn by the massive serpent sitting on the boy's shoulders, wrapped around his neck. It flickered its tongue as it noticed Jun, staring at him as if he were nothing more than prey. Jun could've sworn he saw it gulp when it looked at him.
'Ah. That's why the immortal didn't seem to care about me. Crap.'
Chapter 3
The young boy ran his hands alongside the snake's scales, softly whispering to it. "Look, a dirty mutt alongside a peasant."
The snake whispered back, and the boy nodded. His eyes narrowed on Chen Hao, observing his appearance. Meanwhile, the snake was doing the same to Jun.
'What the hell? We haven't even done anything yet. At least get into an argument with Chen Hao before plotting his demise!'
His thoughts were interrupted by the immortal loudly coughing, drawing the attention of everyone on board.
"This is the last of the villages we'll be stopping by. It's time to head back to the sect."
With that said, he approached the two disciples by Jun's side.
"I wasn't able to disclose much information previously, but let me amend that. My name is Huang Jie." He waved his arms around like a director of an orchestra in some sort of greeting, smiling at them.
"There's a certain persona you have to maintain when dealing with mortals. Trust me, I am much different in the sect."
The two of them blankly nodded and shied away. Perhaps the previous intimidation was a tad too much for kids.
"Welcome to the Abyss Treading sect. There should be unoccupied cabins below the deck. Make yourselves comfortable."
Chen Hao bowed, and Sun Ping remained as expressionless as before. The immortal sighed before taking a step back. As he raised his arms, the ship began to glow, golden runes swirling through the air. Jun felt a lurch, and then they were rapidly ascending above the clouds.
Jun joined Chen Hao by the edge of the ship, looking down at the lands below. The clouds turned transparent as if they did not dare obstruct the vision of those on the ship. Villages dotted the plains like little stars, lanterns being lit as the sun set beyond the horizon. Thick forests, like great beasts, spread throughout the land, housing beasts not too dissimilar to Earth's. Far, far ahead, a gigantic city with palaces and towers shone like a crown jewel.
Above, the three moons peeked through the night sky, dancing amidst a sea of stars. They were much clearer here, where light pollution was still minimal. Jun wondered if his home was out there. He missed it, but he had long since squashed any desire to return. Immortality appealed to him much, much more. Besides, with infinite time, anything was possible.
Chen Hao was much more moved by the sight. It made sense that someone who had never flown a plane or seen an image from above would cherish the memory. Jun let the boy enjoy himself, scanning his surroundings instead. Several small groups had formed among the future disciples, and the more they talked, the more they smelled of stress and worry.
For now, they didn't matter much. Some would reveal themselves to be geniuses in the upcoming months, getting a proper chance at the spotlight. Instead, Jun turned to the two "young masters."
The girl had moved near the edge of the ship, staring down at the villages below. Her smile faded, a melancholic look in her eyes. In comparison, the boy was calm, but upon further inspection, his eyes seemed to be darting between all the disciples, brimming with hate. It was especially intense when he looked at the girl. Jun shuddered, recognizing it as a special kind of hate for when someone truly and utterly despised another. The snake was still staring at Jun, the scent of a predator becoming stronger every minute.
'Well, fuck you too.'
After a few minutes of boredom, a plan slowly pieced itself together in his head.
"Watch this, brat. Grandpa Jun is about to bestow upon you the chance of a lifetime"
Jun "said" a few words to Chen Hao to draw his attention, and then slowly waddled in the direction of the girl. He curiously sniffed around her, and when he was sure he had her attention, he sat on his haunches and looked up.
Widening his eyes to be as round as possible, he squeezed out the tiniest tear just to make them look extra watery. Then, he cutely stuck out his tongue and smiled. It was truly a performance worthy of an award. If she remained unaffected, then Jun would throw himself off this airship.
A huge smile broke out on her face as she kneeled down, vigorously petting his head. "You're sooooo cute," she said as he started wagging his tail. Jun had to admit, getting scratched behind his ear was triggering all of his dog instincts.
'I'm better than this. I can resist it. I don't like getting petted and scratched,' he chanted the words like a mantra in his head despite his tail moving at supersonic speeds.
Finally, after a long wait, Chen Hao ran up to the pair, mortified at the dog's actions.
"Stop! Come here," he yelled to no avail. Jun stayed in his spot, smugly looking back.
The young girl giggled, continuing to pet the golden retriever. "What's his name?"
Chen Hao looked at the girl and instantly flushed red. His eyes darted between her and Jun, and several seconds passed before he could gather a response.
"He's Jun. I'm sorry about his behaviour."
"Sorry about what? He's done nothing wrong, and last I checked, being cute wasn't a crime," she laughed, turning her attention to the young boy before her.
"H-he doesn't typically like strangers," he said, not meeting her gaze.
'Boy's never seen a girl this pretty. He's never even been outside his village.' Jun sagely thought.
"Well, maybe he sensed something special about me. My mom always said that an animal is the best judge of character," she replied, turning back to Jun.
Several seconds passed in awkward silence, and when it seemed like she wouldn't say anything else, the boy finally gathered his courage.
"My name is Chen Hao. What's yours?"
"Li Xia," she said, looking at him with eyes that sparkled like diamonds. A few more seconds passed, and Jun sensed her focus shift from petting to Chen Hao. Perhaps she enjoyed seeing him awkwardly struggle.
"It's a nice ship that we have. Never seen anything like it. The view below is really pretty as well," he said, his eyes focusing on the floor.
'Absolute moron. A god-given chance, and this is what you say?' Jun wanted to curse.
Her voice rang out like a wind chime as she laughed, drawing the attention of others on board. She ignored them all, focusing on Chen Hao.
"It sure is. Tell me, is Jun a magical beast? His fur is too luscious not to be."
'Uhh," Chen Hao's brain worked overtime. "Yeah. Totally. He's the smartest dog I know, and let me tell you, Jun's parents and grandparents have been protecting the village since it was founded."
'Absolute bullshit. Old man Wei found me washed up by the river.'
"Really? That's amazing," she said, playing along.
"Y-yeah. And that's not it. One time, our village got attacked by bandits..."
It looked like Chen Hao regained his courage as he fabricated an unbelievable tale of friendship, adventure, treachery, and love. Jun slipped between Li Xia's legs somewhere halfway along the story, neither of them noticing him gone.
'Good luck, soldier.' He mentally waved at Chen Hao, knowing nothing important would be said during this time. Still, at least the two of them were talking—Chen Hao would never have approached her on his own. Just like the other peasants, he likely thought she was "too important."
Instead, Jun made his way towards a silent corner of the ship. The noise of conversation faded, and all other sound from the outside was blocked by the barrier of runes, preventing anything else from disturbing the lonely figure. In the corner sat Sun Ping, her knees drawn up to her chest, practically curled up like a ball. Her tears had long faded, but Jun had smelled her sadness even on the other side of the ship.
He had never gotten to know Sun Ping as well as the other children. She didn't seem to have any other friends, and she left Teacher Li's house immediately after the lessons, heading back to her family. Her mother was the local seamstress, and from time to time, he saw the two of them working together, either repairing or making something anew. Still, she was from his village, and a child at that. How could Jun let her suffer alone?
He walked next to her, but she didn't lift her head. Jun wished he could speak, to tell her what he knew of the cultivation world, to reassure her that everything would be fine. Instead, he stood beside her and slowly licked her cheek. It was salty, and his inner self protested at the action, but this was how his dog consoled him when he was young.
Sun Ping looked up, her eyes red and her stare blank. He nuzzled her cheek until she pushed his head away, but he didn't stop. Eventually, despite her protests and emotions, she let out a laugh.
"Stop... It tickles," she said, once again pushing his head away, but Jun wouldn't budge. Instead, he jumped, awkwardly landing on her knees, his fur covering her entire face.
'Tactical manoeuvre! Dog in the face!'
"Bleh," she coughed and spat out fur, her knees buckling from the weight. That was the moment Jun was waiting for. He plopped down on her lap, pinning her legs with all of his weight.
'I wanted to sit down, but you were in the way. How unfortunate.'
As it turned out, having a dog lay on you was a miracle cure for many things. Although her sadness didn't completely disappear, she was now focused on petting the golden retriever instead of silently brooding.
"I don't want to be an immortal. Give this stupid "spirit root" to someone else," she vented, not expecting a reply.
"It was all going so well... We had our own house, and Mom would be properly able to retire after I finished learning all the lessons. I didn't tell anyone, but she has a baby on the way. Now, I'll miss it all due to something stupid."
There Jun lay, listening, and from time to time, he turned his head to look at Sun Ping, flashing her a reassuring smile.
'It's tough being the good guy.' He sighed, curling up on her lap.
Chapter 4
Eventually, Sun Ping had to move. The sun had long since set, and darkness swallowed the ship. Huang Jie, the immortal, had ordered them to head to their cabins. Despite the runes protecting them, the shadows harboured evil ghosts and grudges that sometimes slipped through.
Jun followed Chen Hao's scent to his room, barking outside the door until the boy let him in. He had motioned for Jun to follow him earlier, but the dog opted to stay outside for as long as he could. The room itself was small, with a bed, a table, and nothing more.
Chen Hao was in the middle of eating a combination of jerky and dried fruits, taken straight from his rucksack. A portion had already been laid out on the ground for Jun. A few moments of blissful silence passed as the both of them potentially ate their last meals as mortals.
"You won't believe it, Jun. The girl you went up to is the daughter of an elder," the boy spoke with excitement, his eyes practically glowing.
"No shit. Or do you think she wears phoenix robes just for fun?" Jun replied. He wasn't sure of the specifics, but it was clear she was someone important.
"And the other guy is from something called the "Nine Yin Sect". She said that their sect lost a war, so he has to come here as a captive."
Well, that certainly explained things. If Jun was in his position, he wouldn't be awfully fond of his captors. Still, there was something eerie about both him and the snake, something that couldn't be quite put to words.
"It's a shame we couldn't talk more. She was really nice," Chen Hao said, sighing. "And lovely," he added as an afterthought, his head in the clouds.
Those words caused a shiver to run through Jun's body.
"Emergency! Code red! He used the L word. Abort, abort!" Jun yelled, running circles around the room.
"What? Do you agree? I think so too."
Jun abruptly stopped, speechless.
"It's over. Didn't you learn anything about Teacher Li's tragic tale? Love never goes well in the cultivation world. Wait a few hundred years before you court death by romancing an elder's daughter."
This was still under control. Jun just had to make sure Li Xia treated him like a brother. Perhaps he had to introduce a love rival, though it never ended well with those.
"I can't wait for tomorrow," he said, rolling around on his bed. Jun, like an arrogant noble, occupied a piece of it for his own use.
The boy continued talking for quite some time, but eventually, the day's exhaustion caught up to him. A lot had happened today, and more would happen tomorrow.
The next day, both of them woke up to the sound of Huang Jie's words.
"Everyone, get up. We'll be arriving in the sect soon."
While Jun yawned, Chen Hao frantically packed his things, scampering to get everything off the table. He had apparently thought it would be a longer flight. A few panic-stricken minutes later, everyone was gathered on the deck of the ship, staring into the distance. Between a thick forest and a dense jungle sat open plains, prime for any would-be settlers. It was completely desolate, with not a single beast or human in sight. Jun bet that was their destination.
True enough, after a couple of minutes, the immortal pulled out a small medallion. Depicted on it was a strange, leathery face with three horns, its forehead pierced by a golden sword. For a moment, Jun thought the face twisted in pain, but his attention was drawn to something else.
One moment, he was flying below an open plain, the next, the ship pierced some sort of veil, and a wave of energy blasted him off his feet. The very air he breathed became crisp and filled him with wondrous power.
Standing back up, Jun took in the sight below him. A black lake drew in light like a piece of reality ripped out of this world, and surrounding it were numerous majestic buildings, rising stories above the ground. Here, gold flowed like water.
However, it was another fact that astonished Jun. He could clearly see that the sect formed an eight trigram formation, octagonal in design. It was as if an artist took a brush and painted the city. The buildings acted as lines, drawn not in ink, but in stone and gold, and the empty space transformed into busy streets and shady alleys. Even more impressive was the fact that construction was still ongoing. This "formation" had the capacity to grow and expand.
'Amazing.'
That was all that Jun could think about. As they descended further into the sect, they saw immortals flying around using whatever treasures they had—swords, sabers, leaves, and boats. They all respectfully bowed to Huang Jie when they saw the ship, but Jun noticed it was his robe they were staring at.
They landed in an open plaza north-west of the city, a formation lighting up below the ship. Thankfully, they didn't have to go through the dreadful teleportation process again. Instead, they hopped off, and some strange force made them gracefully float down.
"Alright. Once again, I welcome you to the Abyss Treading sect. This is where you'll stay until you reach the inner sect. Now, you need to be written down in the sect records and receive your outer disciple badge."
Like a farmer leading a herd of sheep, Huang Jie led them past a dragon gate and into a building called "Hall of Legislation." The inside was spacious—the walls were carved from jade, and the pillars that held up the ceiling depicted fights between humans and demons. The very air here felt stifling, as if they were unwelcome in this sacred hall.
In front of them sat a huge mahogany table, and on a large chair lounged a bored looking disciple wearing a grey robe. Just like Huang Jie, he looked to be in his twenties, his skin perfectly clear. On the wall behind him, written in ink, were words that burned themselves into Jun's mind.
"Without Law, there would be no Civilization."
The man behind the desk looked up and nodded towards Huang Jie. After a quick conversation, the man began to usher the disciples forward. Nearby, a flying brush frantically wrote down on a bamboo slip.
"What is your name, where were you from, what is your spiritual root?" He quickly asked the first disciple, a look of annoyance on his face.
Jun eagerly eavesdropped, but what was truly surprising was that there was only one person with a Pure Spirit Root, and that was Sun Ping. Dual Element Spirit Roots were rare, but both the young masters had them, and so did Chen Hao and three others. Jun memorised their names, ignoring everyone else that came after them.
"This is your badge. It can be used to ascertain your identity, store contribution points, take on missions, borrow scriptures from the library, and much more. Your magical beast, Jun, has also been registered to your name. You will be responsible for any actions it commits." The cultivator said in a droll voice to Chen Hao.
"It. Your mother was an it. Fuck you," Jun yelled at him, sensing the cultivator's disdain.
With a new badge in hand, the merry bunch of mortals left the Hall of Legislation, most still fiddling with it, in awe of its design.
They started walking through the city, and it was only at this moment that it hit Jun. They were in the sect. This is where it all began. They passed by quiet teahouses, busy markets, medicine halls, cultivation villas, and much more. Cultivators bargained about shoddy medicine pills and magical artifacts, yelling out prices in spirit stones, and from time to time, a dispute ended up being settled by a quick clash of magical techniques. Of course, those that fought in the city would be quickly taken care of by the Hall of Justice. Still, the air here smelled pure, and the wide variety of different scents made Jun's mind foggy. He would have to memorise it all again.
The cultivators here had a strange ranking system. Most of the people here were wearing grey robes, which he deduced to be common disciples. In certain parts of the city walked black-robed cultivators, which were given respect—disciples immediately moved out of their way, bowing low until the cultivator passed. Those wearing white robes were treated the opposite. It was not uncommon to find them carrying out menial tasks, grovelling before regular disciples. The first time they saw such a sight, Huang Jie turned toward the teenagers following him.
"One year. That's the amount of time you'll be provided free housing, an exemption from missions, and free cultivation resources. If you fail to reach the third stage of Qi Refining in a year, you will be demoted to a servant. And trust me when I say that you don't want that."
Eventually, they reached the centre of the eight trigram diagram. The massive black lake was walled off by a barrier of light, a contrast of yin and yang constantly clashing with each other. Being this close to it was like being near a hurricane. The air smelled of both purity and death, and he could feel his pores absorbing what he assumed to be spiritual energy. All around it, palaces no lesser than those belonging to emperors rose from the ground.
'The closer you are to the lake, the richer the neighbourhood gets. Spiritual energy capitalism," Jun thought to himself, dizzy just by being near it.
"And here is the Bottomless Lake, a gateway of sorts, and the source of all spiritual force in the outer sect. Every outer disciple strives to one day enter the inner sect, which resides there. Well, you'll learn more about it when you're qualified, but it's sufficient to say that everyone with potential or a high cultivation base resides there."
'We're the peasants of the sect. Amazing. Just you wait, inner sect. One day, this grandpa will show you what's up.' Jun smugly thought while everyone else was busy being awed. It was quite a lot for these kids to take in.
"Enough with the boring stuff. Everything in this world depends on your cultivation. Power, money, fame, and, most importantly, immortality. Let's head to the Scripture Pavillion to pick your cultivation method."
Chapter 5
The Scripture Pavillion was located close to the Bottomless Lake, on the southeast side of the city. Perhaps the proximity to the formation centre afforded it more protection during an attack—it certainly stuck out like a sore thumb. A square tower, pitch-black and dotted with white stars, stood several stories tall before it suddenly stopped. It was as if a giant had come and sheared it in half, tossing the other half who-knows-where.
The inside was dark, barely lit up by the occasional floating wisp. The lights sputtered randomly, devouring each other on contact, and when one ran into Jun, it sent a cold spark through his body. The walls of the tower were adorned with inlets holding jade slips, and next to them, the name of the technique was inscribed on the wall. Further inside, he could make out a grand staircase, climbing up into the darkness.
From the shadows emerged an old man, hunched over and carrying a lantern. Inside was trapped a grey fairy, though Jun could only guess its true colour. It desperately knocked on the confines of its cage, silently calling out.
His sudden appearance scared the crap out of the disciples in the front, and even Huang Jie appeared to be disturbed by the old man. Jun instinctively growled at the strange figure, his ears pulling back and his body low to the ground.
"New disciples. I see. Come here, hand me your badges," he said, his voice like a dying whisper.
'There is no reason for a librarian to be so creepy,' Jun thought.
"Cultivation techniques are to the left, magical techniques to the right. You may only choose one of each. Only death awaits those who venture to the second floor." With that said, the darkness swallowed him whole, and he was gone. Even his scent disappeared.
"You heard him. Choose something that corresponds to your spirit root. You've got an hour here before your time runs out." Huang Jie added, standing to the side.
The kids scattered across all directions, Chen Hao included. Jun curiously followed him, committing to memory all the strange names.
"Wings of Acheron, Shapeless Wind Mantra, Art of Hurricanes, Profound Melody Art," Chen Hao pondered, taking the jade slips.
As he did, he paused for a few seconds before putting them back.
"Weird... The information about the technique is already in my brain. I didn't even read the thing," he said, slightly dazed. A moment later, he shook his head, regaining the spark in his eyes.
There were truly a large number of cultivation techniques. After the boy was done with the wind section, he moved on to the water cultivation techniques, but even after he was done with those, he couldn't make up his mind. How could someone who had never seen the cultivation world be able to make a wise decision? Even if Jun wanted to help him, he had nothing to base the information on due to those damn jade slips.
'Tch. He's got such a great source of information a few steps away, yet he chooses to ignore it.'
With those thoughts in mind, Jun followed Li Xia's scent to the fire section of magical techniques. She was carelessly strolling through, and he watched her pick a technique by closing her eyes and spinning in a circle.
"Juuunnn," she squealed with delight. "What are you doing here? Did your owner abandon you?"
"Come and guide the helpless bastard, please," he said before quickly running off. Li Xia shouted in surprise, trying to catch him. And so, an epic chase ensued.
"Wha-" Chen Hao whirled around as Jun slammed into his leg, nearly knocking him to the ground. Behind him was Li Xia, who grabbed Jun with all of her might. She lifted him like a prize, spinning him in the air as she laughed.
"You need to pay more attention to Jun. Why are you taking so long to pick out a simple technique?" she asked, putting the dog down.
"There are so many different techniques, and they all seem so good," Chen Hao smiled, holding four different jade slips in his arms.
Li Xia quickly scanned the names of the water cultivation techniques. Then, she pointed at a technique called the "Ninth Abyss Lake Art."
"If you can't choose, pick that one."
Chen Hao took the jade slip, scrunching his eyebrows as he thought. After a very long time, he came up with an incredibly profound question.
"Why?"
"Because I know a senior in the inner sect who cultivates the same technique. Besides, it's an art that comes from 'that place', which will help you blend in on your first expedition once you join the inner sect," Li Xia said with full conviction, unaware that her answers had raised even more questions.
"That place?"
"Mhm."
Jun let out a laugh. The brat was getting played like a fiddle. No matter how much more he asked, Li Xia simply pretended to be dumb. After all, what could he do if she didn't want to answer. Eventually, Chen Hao settled for the cultivation art. He was also learning, because it didn't take much encouragement for him to ask Li Xia what magical technique to pick.
"The techniques here aren't particularly good. Besides, you can't know what arts or artifacts you will encounter while cultivating. I would just choose something versatile."
Jun thought the advice wouldn't lead Chen Hao astray, but, as it turned out, he was completely wrong. The brat had the audacity to pick something called the Water Mirror Technique. According to his words, it was a highly versatile technique that, at low levels, would allow him to scry on both locations and people, and at high levels, it would even allow him to read fate and ask questions of the heavens.
"What happened to the classics? A defence technique, or, even better, a movement art. Treading Water Steps, Ice Barrier, or even Ocean Splitting Sword. Hell, there was the entire wind section as well." Jun howled in discontent, and even Li Xia looked at the brat strangely, but ultimately, she remained silent. While a fate technique in theory was powerful, it would take a long, long time to master it. He wasn't sure they even had a year.
Happy with his choices, Chen Hao idly chatted with Li Xia as they waited for everyone to finish choosing. During this rare moment of boredom, Jun realised an extremely important issue.
'Wait, what the heck am I going to cultivate? Not a single technique named "Golden Dog Art," or "Miraculous Canine Transformation." Besides, I don't even know what my spirit roots are, so how could I choose a proper technique?'
This thought sent him into a deep and painful spiral. What if dogs couldn't cultivate? What if he was the first dog to ever attempt it?
"It's over, brat. You'll go into secluded cultivation, and once you emerge, your dear friend will be a pile of bones." Jun hung his head low, sulking and whining.
Despite that, the damn kid didn't pay any attention to him. He was too busy with girls to even notice Jun's existential crisis.
"From today on, I'm a free dog. No chain can bind me, and no master can call me his own. No, Chen Hao, don't even try to stop me," he sighed, side-eyeing Chen Hao. Even this was not enough to draw his attention.
"I'm really going. Any moment now. Three, two, one..."
Not even a single look back from brat. Jun was really tempted to snatch the jade slip and play fetch with it.
"Whatever. You'll be begging me for help when I become the first dog immortal in the world. One bark from me and you'll be singing."
The hour quickly passed as Jun listened to Chen Hao's lame stories. He had no clue how the boy was coming up with them—he hadn't set foot outside the village. Still, Li Xia enjoyed them. Eventually, the old, creepy man appeared once again, creating copies of the jade slips on bamboo strips for the disciples to bring along.
Then, the great tour was almost done. Huang Jie once again led them through the busy streets, heading to the outer edges of the sect. This journey was the hardest one so far. Each step was a gruelling fight with oneself, and, despite the sun shining bright, the group was clad in a heavy aura of depression. It all stemmed from one factor—they had gotten too used to the spiritual force in the air. Now that they were heading away from the Bottomless Lake, the spiritual force dimmed, and it was like someone was draining their very life away from them.
Finally, they reached a long, rectangular building, carved from simple stone. Basic in design, it lacked the grandeur they had seen throughout the city. A large sign, worn with time, said "Outer Disciple Quarters."
"This is where you'll be living for the next year unless you choose to find a source of spirit stones and move out early. In your rooms, you will find a beginner's manual explaining the various cultivation terms, how to start sensing spiritual force, and how to transform it into inner qi."
The faces of the common disciples were a sight to see. They had been given a tour of the most majestic places in the city, breathed in the best spiritual force, and then had it all forcefully taken away from them.
"As outer disciples, you shall receive ten low-quality spirit stones and three Meridian Cleansing Pills every month. From now on, my job here is done. I will be returning to the inner sect. I hope that one day, some of you may also join it."
When he finished addressing the group, he walked up to Sun Ping and grabbed her arm.
"One of the elders will want to take you as a disciple. Come, let's head to the inner sect."
Without giving her time to even say goodbye, Huang Jie shot through the air, leaving a burning streak through the air. Jun had the feeling that Sun Ping was waving goodbye to him, even from that far away.
"There goes that. I was hoping to show her how her parents were doing once I learned the Water Mirror Technique," Chen Hao sighed, looking into the distance. What a surprise. Jun had truly thought he didn't care for her.
The rest of the disciples were still standing in shock, though Jun noticed the snake man had disappeared at some point. Ominous.
"I'll be heading out as well. Find me once you settle in," Li Xia waved goodbye, starting to walk away.
Jun saw Chen Hao's expression flicker between confusion, hope, and then disappointment.
"You won't be staying here?" he asked.
"Although I said to my mother that I want to climb from the outer sect myself, I've still got a few contacts. One of my friends has a place closer to the lake," she said, turning back.
"And how can I find you?"
She shrugged, and he likely didn't notice how her eyes lingered on Jun for a few seconds. Chen Hao let out a huge sigh, struggling with his defeat as he watched her leave.
'She's too smart for him.'
"Well, I guess it's just us from now on." Chen Hao said, looking up at the giant sign. Hope reignited itself in his eyes, making them sparkle under the sunlight. He never was the person to stay sad for long.
"Shall we give this cultivation thing a try?"