Chapter 47
The news came like a lightning bolt out of the blue. Their entire day was spent in nervous anticipation, wondering about what the "chance" would be. Well, neither of them had expected this.
"Yeah. We're fucked," Jun barked, still in shock about the notice. "This house is cursed. That's the only explanation."
"I didn't think…" Chen Hao's words trailed off as he remembered his previous conversation with the elder.
The sound of wind howling throughout the sect was oddly fitting. All that was missing was a rogue tumbleweed, which would accurately describe their state of mind.
"It's fine. I wanted this. This is a chance given by the elder. I just need to survive and develop my skills further," the boy hastily said, his cheeks red from all the slaps he had given himself.
Jun didn't quite believe his words, but what was there to do? Go back and beg the elder to let them stay in the sect? The boy's pride would never allow that, especially after all that he said. Besides, the boy had been itching for more fights after the tournament.
Moving with haste and purpose, Chen Hao started clearing out the house, starting with the qilin-hair brushes, white canvases, and colourful paints. Portraits of Li Xia, Jun, and Guan Yu, together with various paintings of day-to-day scenes from the sect, all went into the storage ring. So did the bamboo slips hung around the room, which featured inspiring quotes written in powerful yet beautiful brushstrokes. After that, he started removing all the crossbows, poison darts, and other traps from the house. They could still be reused wherever he was going.
Meanwhile, Jun dashed to the pill-refining room, startling the white rabbit, who was currently in the middle of working the furnace. Leaping high into the air and letting out a yelp, Guan Yu hastily ran into the corner and put on an innocent but stupid face.
'Me? Making pills? No way. I'm just a silly rabbit who loves how warm it is here.' Or so he probably thought. The dog didn't have time to care.
Jun swept through the room at record speed, taking leftover pills, recipes, manuals, and rare herbs. Everything that could even remotely point to a dog and a rabbit making pills was gone. And just in time too—Chen Hao suddenly barged into the room, looking over Guan Yu and Jun, who were just peacefully lying on the floor. The room was empty save for the pill furnace, the flame, and them.
"Pack your bags, Guan Yu. We're going on an adventure," Jun said as the two began trailing behind the boy, who had too many things to do and not enough time.
The very first thing he did was spend all of his spirit stones and contribution points. In order, the things he purchased entailed the Turtle Breathing Art, a modified formation to conceal the ring, formation flags, new defensive and utility techniques, magical artifacts, and various healing and cultivation pills. Months of getting paid by the Lu family, all gone in an hour.
Meanwhile, Jun wrote notes to both Xu Peng and Wang Lei. To the first, he explained that he had a grand mission as an elder and that he was taking the guardian dog with him for some time. The formation and pill-making were to continue like usual, and the boy was to focus more on learning about the various crafts, as well as continue working on the secret He family project, taking the opportunity to network and rise in the family ranks.
To Wang Lei, he merely said that he was going into closed-door meditation, and that it might last for some time. Jun would still expect proper income and expenditure reports to be written every month, and he would continue taking a share of the spirit stones, even if they accumulated and he didn't claim them right away. As always, Jun advised the boy to reinvest his earnings back into the business, look for close partners and investors, and scout skilled disciples. You could never go wrong with that.
Once he was done with that, he accompanied Chen Hao on a visit to the Half-Moon Inn. The boy could have chosen to visit many friends or acquaintances, but throughout this year in the sect, he had only made two "true friends." One of them was here, serving dishes to rowdy and drunk thieves, moving like a serpent throughout the inn.
He Ming had also changed during these four months. He would frequently go missing from the place for hours on end, only to return bruised beyond belief. Another horrible scar had been added to his face, which made him seem even more intimidating and withdrawn than usual. An aura of lethality constantly surrounded him.
When the boy walked in and motioned towards the kitchen, he followed Chen Hao with a smile. It quickly vanished once the foolish disciple began retelling what had transpired with the elder. By the end of the story, He Ming was fuming, staring daggers at Chen Hao, who merely had his head hung low.
"Why the fuck would you do that? You were guaranteed to get into the inner sect in a few years' time. Instead, you had to go and talk to that madman. And then you had the audacity to beg him? Tell him you'd do anything?"
He Ming clutched his head in his hands, looking like he was on the verge of stabbing someone.
"I made my choice when I decided to go to him. Even if it is stupid, it's my choice," Chen Hao responded, emphasising the last words with a strange pride.
"You go tell that to the devils. I'm sure they'll clap as they slowly roast you over the fire and nibble on your toes."
The server sighed, slamming his hand against the counter in frustration.
"What's done is done. Wait here," he said, quickly vanishing into the shadows. When he came back, he was holding a small, rugged pouch.
"Here. I was saving it for dire circumstances, but you'll need it more than I do. It's called Miracle Dust. A sprinkle of this on anything and it vanishes. Kills someone and hides the body at the same time. Breaks formations like they're nothing. Just be careful with storage rings and other artifacts, unless you want to explode along with them."
"I… Thank you. I hope I won't have to use this, but I'm not so naive to think I won't run into any danger," the boy said, putting the pouch in his storage ring.
"I'll kill you again if you dare to die out there. Now, listen. The Lu family has contacts in the City of War. Just follow the written instructions, and you can get in touch with someone who will know more about the situation there," He Ming grabbed Chen Hao's hands and secretly passed on a small piece of paper. "Don't open it now. Keep it in your ring."
"Don't worry. I fully plan on returning. And when I'm back, I'll be an elder's disciple. Still, I don't have words to say how much I appreciate this. Thank you, He Ming."
Seeing Chen Hao on the verge of tears, He Ming wryly smiled and awkwardly glanced away. Jun could smell that he was faring no better than the boy.
"Unlike a certain someone, I have work to do. Keep safe. I believe in you," he said, fleeing back into the common room. Here was another person who'd rather die than let someone else see them cry.
The next hour was spent saying goodbyes to the chef, the innkeeper, and other patrons he had befriended during these months. When Jun and Chen Hao left, they were accompanied by a cheerful drinking song about a lad heading into the wilds to seek his own fortune. In a way, that was exactly what they would be doing tomorrow.
'And a brave young lad he was,' Jun hummed along as they made their way to the final destination of the night. Intimately familiar to the both of them, they stood outside of Li Xia's house, knocking on the door as the sun set behind them.
The girl wasn't expecting visitors at this hour but invited them upstairs regardless when she saw Chen Hao's expression. With a heavy heart, he retold the same story to her, watching how she got angrier by the second.
"That bastard! Let's see if he dares to say anything when my mother comes knocking," she said, angrily sitting down at her desk and dipping her brush in ink.
"Stop. Didn't you hear the story? I was the one who asked him for it!" he started yelling once he saw her begin to write.
"And? Does that mean you're going to go and risk your life for a crazy bastard's approval? Stupid, stupid, stupid," Li Xia cried out, her hand trembling.
"I've had some time to think this through. I'm sure he would listen if you wrote a letter, but what would that make of me? He's right, you know. How am I special? How am I different from any other disciple in the sect?" Chen Hao softly said.
"At the end of the day, I want to prove myself. To him. To everyone else. To the world. It's so silly, and it's really, really dumb, but I want to come back victorious, having said that I've lived through something others wouldn't dare to talk about."
Drops of ink mixed with tears as both dripped onto the bamboo slip. Despite everything, she didn't stop writing.
"I can't, no, I won't accept the letter. Besides, I'm much tougher than you think. I could have easily beaten everyone in the tournament if I didn't want to practise my skills."
Most of the time, it was the girl doing the talking, and Chen Hao sitting on the bed, quietly listening. Now, it was the other way around. She didn't look at him once as he continued reassuring her. The bamboo slip was completely wet now.
Still unable to look at his face, she took off her necklace and placed it around the boy's neck. It held a single vermillion gemstone, resembling an upside-down teardrop. It sparkled in the light so beautifully.
"Just promise me you'll be safe, alright?"
"I promise."
Chapter 48
The two continued talking for hours on end. Chen Hao didn't ask about the necklace, but the girl reassured him that it would protect him when the situation was most dire. He did look quite silly with both a necklace and an amulet, but his life was more important than any fashion choice—after all, the amulet had already saved him from Wu Qiang's mental attack.
When morning came, more tears were shed, and eventually, Li Xia hugged the boy goodbye, wishing upon every star for him to come back safely. Jun rounded up Guan Yu, and the strange procession solemnly made their way towards an open plaza northwest of the city. There, a huge crowd of chattering disciples mingled together, practically overwhelming Jun's nose with how much stress they were exuding.
"Amitabha. Brother Chen! Have you come to see us off?" Zhao Bin shouted from across the plaza, and soon after, a whole group of monks encircled them. Jun felt balder just by being here.
All in total, there were thirteen monks, who, besides their tools such as khakkhara staves, singing bowls, and vajras, had nothing else with them. At their forefront was a tall and muscular, yet oddly calming man. He had a wide nose, plump lips, and dangly earlobes.
"Meet Brother Jing. He's the head of our temple, and the one closest to Buddha amongst all of us," Zhao Bin reverently bowed towards the tall Buddhist, who merely laughed.
"Not at all. I've merely memorised more of his teachings, that's all. Anyone can become close to Buddha as long as they step on the right path," he said, his voice echoing through the plaza like a loud bell.
"Greetings, Brother Jing, Brother Zhao. It's a strange fate for us to meet here. Just three days ago we were talking about heading to the ravine, yet somehow, I've managed to get sent there myself," the boy chuckled.
"It seems that Buddha had different plans for you after all. Fate has led you to us, and we will lead you to salvation," Zhao Bin laughed, but was quickly interrupted by Brother Jing.
"Nothing happens by chance, by fate. You create your own fate by your actions. The future depends on what we do in the present."
The rest of the monks wisely hummed along, nodding their heads at the saying. Jun wasn't entirely sure he agreed—how else would a common dog begin to cultivate if not by chance—but that was an argument for another day. Besides, Chen Hao literally had a technique relating to fate.
Seeing no one else that was familiar, Chen Hao quickly fell in with the group of monks, looking like the ugly duckling among regular ducks. Or, better yet, everyone else was the ugly duckling, and he was the only normal one there. Regardless, there was strength in numbers, and from what Jun could smell, Brother Jin was likely in the Grand Circle of Qi Refining.
His happiness lasted for all of three seconds before he saw someone he rather wished to forget about. A handsome young man stood apart from the crowd, his eyes slitted, his hair grey, and his robes covered in ghosts and demons. While that was enough to make him stand out on its own, he also had a massive serpent coiled around his neck. It was coldly eyeing everyone around them. When their eyes met, an electric spark ran through Jun's body. He wanted nothing more than to flee and cover.
"Fuck you. You're a snake born to five generations of incest. Ugly and deformed freak. My bloodline is pure and untainted. I'm an emperor amongst dogs," he shouted, lowering his body and assuming a defensive stance. His ears went flat against his head as he eyed the snake's every move.
When the thing flickered its tongue, Jun had to resist the urge to channel qi and charge straight at it. There was something menacing in those eyes that told the dog it wouldn't end so simply. It whispered in its owner's ear, and the strange boy glared at Jun, hiding a scowl behind his hand.
"What are you looking at? Your mother was probably a dog as well. Walk along now before Grandpa Jun teaches you a lesson," he entered a glaring contest with them before realising that one was a snake, and thus, couldn't blink, and that the other was a half-snake freak.
"You better watch out when I get my backup here. Come on, Chen Hao, Guan Yu!" He yelled, but one was busy with the monks, and the other had somehow escaped from the plaza and gone to hide in a corner. Well, it was probably for the best that a snake didn't see the rabbit.
After an hour or two of more posturing, a hush fell onto the disciples. An impressively handsome cultivator, dressed in an exquisite black robe and featuring prideful yet relaxed features, parted the crowd by his mere presence. Jun immediately recognized him as Huang Jie, the immortal who elevated them from mundane lives and thrust them into the cultivation world. Just like before, the immortal made several complicated hand gestures, and from the sky emerged a golden giant of a ship, a second sun made of wood and steel. This time, Jun was able to fully appreciate what a marvel of artificing and formation crafting it was.
"Alright. Listen up. I get that many of you might be angry or scared, but I am simply the middleman in all of this—I am bound by duty to transport you to the City of War and nothing more. Blame the sect or the elders if you must blame someone, but do not take it out on me. I do not wish to dispose of anyone while on the airship."
Such was the gap in their abilities that even simple words spoken by him forced Jun to bow his head and not dare to look up. After Huang Jie's show of force was done, he switched back to smiling and chatting with familiar disciples while guiding each of them onto the ship.
"Ah, tough luck. I wish you the best in the ravine," was all that he said to Chen Hao, recognizing Jun more than the boy—he had changed too much for anyone but his closest family to remember him.
Once on the airship, they settled in the familiar cabins. Time passed as disciples went into meditation, likely not even planning to emerge until they arrived at their destination. Jun wished he had something more to say about this journey, but they were too high up to see anything besides mortal empires and slightly strange terrain features. Everything related to the cultivation world was either far away from mortals or hidden by formations.
As for Jun, he spent his days gnawing on bones and watching over the snake villain, who was too cowardly to make any moves here. Chen Hao, on the other hand, tried to resume his habit of spying. Unfortunately, the sect had defences against that, and his own family was too far away for the technique to work. The only thing he could do was vaguely read his fate, which in the short term was neutral.
Several days later, they began their journey over a massive jungle that spanned further than the eye could see. They were still on the "civilised" side here, yet despite that, the airship activated its cloaking features and ascended higher and higher until they could see the curvature of the planet.
It was only at this point that Jun realised how much bigger this world was when compared to Earth. He wanted them to keep climbing, to see how the planet looked from above, but it was past this altitude that they would start encountering "Atmospheric Winds," which could tear even Nascent Soul cultivators to shreds if they weren't careful. Yet, despite that, he fully believed there was a way to ascend past this, especially considering how powerful cultivators could get. One of the many theories relating to the Human Emperor's disappearance was that he simply left this world and started to explore the vast cosmos.
'Can I do the same one day?'
They followed a great river that wound throughout the jungle and slowly began to turn purple. The trees grew gargantuan, twisting into unnatural shapes, touching the clouds, and from time to time uprooting themselves to walk over to a different spot. The colours below them turned darker, yet somehow more vibrant. If they could zoom in from this height, they would find monkey tribes teaching themselves techniques and formations, battling overgrown beasts, sentient plants, fungi creatures, semi-humanoids, and massive insects. Here, where spiritual force was abundant, everyone and everything thrived.
And then, the entire horizon vanished from view, replaced by a wall of fog that stretched on and on, seemingly forever. It was like a part of the world had been simply cut off from view, replaced by wailing souls and strange faces, struggling in the mist. When their airship approached the wall, thousands of ghostly hands linked together, all reaching out towards the living disciples.
Instead of stopping, they accelerated straight ahead.
Chapter 49
The screams of disciples who desperately held onto the railing for their dear lives reverberated through the ship. More and more people flooded out of their cabins, only to join in with the chorus as their surroundings became completely engulfed by blue and white fog. Ghostly limbs grabbed a hold of them, pinning them to the floor. Even the pets weren't spared. A deathly chill passed through Jun's body as a hand grabbed him by his scruff, daring him to move a muscle.
When they finally passed through the fog, everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Then, they saw hundreds of black crystal towers, rising through the jungle like spears of giants. Thousands of bloodshot eyes ran along the structures, snapping open and focusing on the intruding ship. As if that wasn't bad enough, on top of every tower was a cultivator wearing heavy-duty armour, made from the same crystal, but somehow even more menacing. Crossbow-like artifacts, five times the size of a human, were being pointed straight at the disciples by every one of the soldiers.
From one of the taller towers, a cultivator conjured forth an illusory horse and rode through the air to meet them. Not a single inch of the man's skin was revealed, and through the helmet, his eyes glowed red.
'His armour has spikes. I repeat, it has spikes! No good guys in history have had spikes as their motif.' Jun mentally shouted, still warily lying on the ground. A lot of disciples opted to crawl out of sight before they could be shamed for practically soiling themselves when the ghosts arrived.
After a lengthy examination process of Huang Jie and everyone else, they were quickly ushered through the death trap that was known as the "third layer." Now, having a name like that naturally brought up questions. What was the second layer? Well, after a few more hours of flying, and after passing through a less terrifying yet still ethereal barrier, they quickly found out. Or, better yet, something found them.
A wingless dragon thousands of feet in length coiled around their ship, bringing its head face to face with the immortal. Deep blue scales that were covered in thousands of scratches reflected the sunlight, and a single eye, larger than the entire ship, seemed to strip the disciples of their deepest secrets. The very air around them became charged with electricity as Jun's fur stood on end. He could vividly smell the pungent smell of ozone. Everything around him gained a blue haze, like he was peeking into a world he had never experienced.
"Oooooh… It's the ship from the Abyss Treading sect. You may pass through."
The last part of the sentence was relayed to them by Huang Jie later. The very first letter instantly burst the eardrums of every single living thing on the ship. It was like a bolt of lightning had struck them, and the deafening noise of thunder shook their very core. The horrifying monster looked like it was laughing or saying something sagely to Huang Jie while the disciples dropped to the ground.
The dragon eventually left, and the monks healed everyone else on board, but this experience would stay with them for a long time. And yet, there was still more to see. A humongous Peng, whose wings covered the skies, freely floated in the Atmospheric Winds, each flap carrying it thousands of miles ahead and creating hurricanes below it. An entire mountain range shifted in response, carried away on a turtle's shell as the creature relocated somewhere where it wasn't as windy, each step causing an earthquake. Then, a few minutes later, a white tiger roared at the flying ship in a challenge, and a single swipe from its claws cleaved the clouds asunder, barely missing the ship. Activating every formation, they prepared to flee, but before they could do so, a swarm of ten thousand scarlet-red jellyfish descended onto the unfortunate beast, incinerating it to dust before it could even blink.
Jun squinted his eyes until they began to water in order to look at the strange sights below them. How many of these beasts were intelligent? How many had awakened their bloodlines? How many could transform into humans at will, but chose to stay here? The questions would lay unanswered as they moved past the breeding ground of monsters and passed through the final barrier guarded by hundreds of cultivators. And then, there it was—the first layer of defence. A city of metal surrounded on all sides by an infested jungle, cut in half by the River of Decadence.
It was hard to begin to describe something so foreign to his eyes, so he took in the things he understood first as they began to descend. Majestic pleasure crafts, dragon boats, lantern ships—they were all anchored in the middle of the river, featuring a constant stream of smaller boats ferrying cultivators to them. From this altitude, they were like tiny ants, slowly mingling with each other, making deals that seemed so insignificant. Small canals and waterways featured cultivators setting up shop, selling to those travelling the waters.
The buildings were the lifeblood of any city, and the ones here were extremely well-fortified. Labyrinthian streets wove together with dark steel structures, featuring even more spikes, parapets, and watchtowers. Despite it being nighttime, not a single street was engulfed in shadows. If it wasn't magical lanterns, it was the blue moss and fungus that had infected every building, illuminating every corner. Even from here, he could spot armoured cultivators, constantly patrolling the busy streets.
There was still much, much more to describe, but Jun simply didn't have enough time to observe it all. Much too soon, they landed in the busy port, almost smashing a one-man boat to smithereens when they docked at the pier. Wary-eyed cultivators moved out of the way as a procession of soldiers encircled the airship, their weapons high despite the disciples passing through three layers of security checks.
"You already know the drill. Take the disciples—I don't want to stay any longer than needed in this cursed place," Huang Jie yelled in annoyance as a soldier pointed a sword at him. Then, someone who looked like an officer stepped out from the crowd.
"Move off the ship one by one," he addressed the disciple, and then turned to another soldier holding a bunch of bamboo slips. "Standard procedure. Compare them with the records that the sect sent. Run them through the usual techniques and issue them a badge with the appropriate sect."
Jun thought the security measures were too extreme until he remembered the doppelganger they had met in the inner sect—a single person could do a lot more harm in this world than on Earth. The line slowly moved forward, and he saw the disciples being rounded up in small groups and taken away by the soldiers in every direction. The band of monks was split in five, which caused an interesting "trial of faith" amongst the Buddhists who were once so zealous about this journey. They vowed to quickly find a place of worship in this place.
When it was their turn, five different cultivators cast techniques on Chen Hao, the dog, and the rabbit. And that's when it all went wrong. You see, there was something wrong with this ragtag group.
"Colonel, there's an extra rabbit," a soldier said, grabbing Guan Yu by the ears and hoisting him up in the air. Immediately, weapons were drawn and an officer marched straight towards them.
"He's just… my pet. Just like Jun here," Chen Hao nervously said as dozens of eyes beheld him for the first time. The rabbit kicked and flailed in the air to no avail.
"The dog is registered with you. The rabbit is not. Take it away," the colonel barked an order at the soldier.
"Wait! Hold on! He's just a small rabbit. What threat can he pose? What will happen to him?" the boy shouted, growing more agitated by the second.
"Calm down. Do not become agitated. We are going to lock him up, run a few tests, and observe his behaviour. Your memories are not to be trusted. A devil could have snuck on board and manipulated your mind, making you think that this 'innocent rabbit' has been your friend for years. This would not be the first time this has happened," the colonel said, keeping his hand close to his sword.
"As for you… The techniques didn't detect any false memories, charms, or illusions, but one can never be too sure. I don't know whether you're lucky to have the rabbit or not. Head over to the Black Wind Barracks—you'll be assigned a proper squad, and I will inform the squad leader that you and your dog must undergo a few extra tests."
With that, the colonel rigidly turned and went to examine the other disciples, the duo sadly watched as Guan Yu was carried away, letting out a lonely shriek. The soldier with the bamboo slips handed them a hexagonal badge that had their name, a number, and their sect attached to it. Similarly to the sect badge, it also had something called "Valor Points."
"Newbies have it tough, but you're the unluckiest one of this batch," the soldier chuckled, slapping his gauntleted hand against the boy's shoulder. "The rest there will have some time to settle in. You, on the other hand, have been assigned to the biggest barracks there are, reserved for the elites of the sects. More fights, deadlier missions. You get the idea."
Jun cursed the entire nine generations of Guan Yu's family. He was the most unfaithful disciple he had ever seen.
"Good luck. You're going to need it."
Chapter 50
They were escorted through the serpentine streets by a seven-foot-tall behemoth of a man who glared at anyone daring to stand in their way. The towering walls of every building made Jun feel claustrophobic, and there was always the vague sense of something watching them.
Despite its intimidating nature, the city was interconnected with nature like no other. Vividly-coloured mushrooms grew on top of wrinkly mahogany trees that bent in strange ways to catch bits of sunshine. Yet, it wasn't only the trees. The moss, the vines, and the roots—everything here was desperately trying to fight the fungal infection. They were losing the battle, or so the mushroom trees and spore-covered streets would imply. And the freaky mushroom men. That too.
The first time Jun saw a one-foot-tall mushroom hopping alongside a cultivator, he nearly ran for his life. Long and thin and with a white cap, it wiggled every time it jumped, making adorable squeaky noises at the person accompanying it. He couldn't properly see them when he was tens of thousands of feet above ground, but now, Jun realised that every single corner was occupied by these strange creatures. They even had a miniature society going on; three old and wise-looking mushrooms pretended to drink tea as they sat on little rocks and pebbles.
'They call a rabbit a security risk yet the entire city is overrun by mushrooms. Mushroom privilege is real.'
When the soldier announced that they had arrived at the Black Wind Barracks, Jun didn't believe it. A grand display of several menacing buildings spanned the length of a prison complex, surrounded by a thick wall constantly sparking with black electricity. Shouts and groans of pain could be heard even from here, and the explosions that rang out shook the ground unlike anything else. Above, great winged beasts that resembled men perched on top of the buildings, letting out low-pitched screeches.
Inside the courtyard was every type of sparring and training arena one could think of. One cultivator was balancing on top of a rope above a thousand sharp swords, while another was sitting inside a hole that burned with hellfire, absorbing the flame through his skin. Teams of five fought with each other inside deep pits, and when they were done, they fought against captured monsters and devils, often to the death.
'What the hell? This is where they raise supervillains. We're supposed to be the good guys! Why does everything here look so menacing?'
As they made their way inside the first castle-like structure, they were promptly escorted to someone higher up the chain of command, citing security reasons and all that. Greeting them was a young man with glasses, wearing every kind of weapon imaginable on him. Never let it be said that cultivators didn't know proper fashion.
"Suspicious lot, is that right? From the Abyss Treading sect? I know just the guy. Qin Long has finally paid off his debt and has been promoted to Platoon Chief. Got every other sect but that one under him. I'll send a Thrike and relay the message to them."
And with that, he stepped outside, let out a whistle, and a winged man descended from the sky, curiously listening to what the officer had to say. Taking a small coin as payment, the creature noiselessly flew off, traversing half the city in seconds. For the next hour or so, the soldier watched over them, leaving the duo with nothing left to do but examine the courtyard and take in the strange atmosphere.
When the first person stepped through the gate, it was with surprise that both parties shouted out loud, recognizing each other at a single glance. It was none other than the bard who frequently played in the Half-Moon Inn before sleeping with everyone's wives.
"Salutations. Chen Hao and Jun—I remember you both so vividly. Jun used to dance to my songs, and you used to ask me for lessons on how to make friends. Strange times those were, eh?" Yang Ming said in his familiar sing-song voice. Gone was the green cloak and feathered cap, replaced instead by the slim crystal armour that looked way more elegant than it should have.
"The Lu family went crazy trying to search for you, but they said you were gone from the sect before night even fell. You escaped here?" the boy asked, his surprise more than evident.
"Of course! The delegation's mission was to head here regardless. So what if I arrived a few months ahead of time? It only gives me more time to prepare for the opening of the Demon Prince's Ravine and the Four Demonic General Inheritances. Say, which one will you be choosing to enter?"
Before Chen Hao could answer, three other figures emerged from the courtyard, all of them in similar armour. The one in the lead was an older-looking man with short ginger hair, sporting a magnificent moustache and beard alongside his bushy eyebrows and stern face. A sabre was loosely hanging by his side, and he had a similar ring on his pinky finger as Chen Hao. He walked with confidence, each stride the same distance as the one before it.
The second was a young woman with extraordinarily long black hair that nearly reached the floor. With wide eyes, a creepy smile, and a horrifying long tongue, she resembled a creature that would show up in Jun's nightmares. While everyone here wore the same armour, she had made an effort to stand out—bone hairpins in her hair, a necklace trapping a dead insect inside amber above her armour, beaded amethyst bracelets on her gauntlets, a silver chain with bells and charms around her waist. Various dolls, tied up using strings, were hung upon the crystal armour, which was painted red with closed eyes.
Lagging behind the two others, a teenager with short, spiky blue hair stopped for a few seconds before shaking himself and quickly sprinting to catch up. Then, he did it again and again, seemingly stuck in a never-ending loop. The dark circles under his drooping eyes, which he struggled to keep open, overshadowed the boy's feline features. His armour looked a few sizes too big for him, and he was tightly hugging an incredibly long sword, a purple and blue blade interwoven with gold, creating lightning motifs throughout.
The soldier keeping watch over them quietly whispered to the leader of the squad before taking off, leaving only the five of them to stand in a circle.
"Right. They've informed me you may be a security hazard, but if you're here, you're either innocent or way above my pay grade. Thus, I'll just assume the former," the stern man quickly said with his bass-like voice.
"Before we introduce ourselves and all that, let me lay down some basics. This is the City of War, a bastion that separates humanity from the devils. Everything from here till the ravine is our territory. Everything beyond that has been infected by devils, who have crawled out of their plane and are playing pretend by imitating humans and building their empires. All you need to know is that devils are evil, and their favourite food is human souls."
Both Chen Hao and Jun nodded along like dutiful students. Here was someone who understood the importance of being on the same page.
"There's a lot of history behind all of this that you may pursue in your own free time, but the crux of the matter is that at some point, the local sects banded together to contain the 'infection.' Thus, this city and all of its strict measures were born. A place where everyone is equal, no matter if you're from the four big sects, from numerous smaller ones, or even if you're a loose cultivator like me. We're all united in our hate against those soul-sucking bastards."
"And from the city, the military system was born. I am a Platoon Chief, and from this day, you are a Recruit in my squad. Be proud of that! Have fire in your hearts! I will do my best to protect you as long as you listen to my orders!" The man passionately shouted, looking both the boy and the dog in the eyes. Just the fact that the leader included Jun made the dog the happiest he had been in a while. No one usually included him.
"Where was I? Right. Five people per squad—one from each major sect, and another one from the rest. From time to time, we get assigned missions that relate to devils, and more often than not, we get to fight with them until one side is gone from this world. In turn, the badge keeps track of our kills, and we get rewarded valor points, which can be used to claim rare treasures and mythical artifacts. Get enough of them, and even you can become a leader of your own squad."
At some point, the bard had begun stomping his feet against the ground to imitate drums, making them louder with each and every word of their leader. By the end, Jun's heart was pounding out of his chest with excitement. He was ready to march to the beat and slaughter devils by the handful! Jun was not going to be a merciful emperor, nay! He was going to be a warlord!
Chapter 51
"That's about it. And since I'm already talking, let me introduce myself. My name is Qin Long, and I was a recruit for five years before being promoted. I've never had a sect and never will. I'm a few months away from breaking through to Foundation Establishment, so let's work hard and earn some Valor Points."
Chen Hao and the rest joined in as Yang Ming began to clap and excitedly whistle. He stopped with the drums and began a low, haunting hum as Qin Long turned to the creepy girl. As she opened her mouth to speak, the wind ominously howled all around her. The background music really added to the ambience of them being in mortal danger.
"Hey! I'm Ning Mei. Super excited to meet the two of you. You don't know how awfully droll this place is. Just make sure that you ask for customised armour when they give you one—the regular one looks so boring. Also, I feel like your hair could use some accessories. What do you think of a tarot card motif? I'll give you an extra reading if you feel like it as well," she said in a high-pitched voice, startling the two. The low hums faded as the bard laughed, and he quickly imitated peaceful bird noises and a folk song.
"Mei. Get to the point," Qing Long said.
"I'm from the Nine Yin Sect, seventh layer, shadow and wind elements. Is that good enough? First impressions are more than just bragging about your cultivation stage," she grumbled back at him. Then, the music stopped, and the bard began to talk.
"We are already acquainted, but it never hurts to be properly introduced. Yang Ming, at your service. I'm a bard from the Harmony Sect, specialising in every instrument and able to recreate any sound you throw at me. While I may only be at the sixth stage of Qi Refining, my techniques in battle can make you fight at more than your best," the man said, giving an elegant bow to the boy.
Then, everyone's attention turned to the blue-haired disciple, who had not moved during this entire time. Their leader gave a quick cough, and when that didn't work, he grabbed the man's shoulder.
"Wha- I'm here. Ready for anything," he said, dragging out every word. When it was clear that he didn't understand what was going on, Qin Long whispered to him again.
"Oh. I'm Wu Zheng. Celestial Sword sect. Eighth stage."
With that quick introduction, he went back to zoning out, hugging his sword even closer.
"Don't mind him. He's much more reliable in battle than it might seem. The sword skills that he has are not to be belittled," Yang Ming said, taking out a tiny harp and strumming a few strings in an upbeat tune. A cheery background for Chen Hao's words.
'This is like those school introductions. Name three hobbies and sit down. You can do it.' Jun thought to himself, not wanting to ruin the boy's moment.
"My name is Chen Hao, and I'm from the Abyss Treading sect. I'm at the fifth stage, specialising in water and wind techniques, alongside various knife skills. And here, beside me, is Jun. He's… a regu-"
Before Chen Hao could even finish his sentence, Jun's fur began to burn with a golden flame. A few seconds of silence passed before he made it stop. Chen Hao had a defeated expression on his face.
"Fuck you. I'm one step ahead of your plans," Jun barked, already predicting what excuses the boy would use to potentially leave him behind while he went on dangerous missions.
"A spiritual beast. Still young and weak," the boy continued, laughing as he petted the dog. Jun gnashed his teeth at his loss, unaware of how others now looked at him. Yang Ming, in particular, eyed his storage pouch with some interest, smiling at the spectacle before him.
"We'll see more about that when we spar. True teamwork will require years of effort, but a few fights won't go amiss. Now, let's see you to your room and get your armour ready."
And then, they did exactly that. It was mostly Qin Long doing the talking, explaining more about the devils, the missions, and what he was expected to do. Making their way to the armourer, the magical craftsman altered an already existing set to perfectly match Chen Hao's height and build. Thanks to Ning Mei's constant talking and "fashion advice," his armour ended up looking lean and almost futuristic.
When put on, the whole thing adjusted itself to not leave any gaps that could be broken through. Any regular metal would've made him blind, but instead, a myriad formations allowed him to breathe clean air and see through the purple crystal visor like it wasn't there. As for Ning Mei's modifications—his vambraces were thick, covered in thousands of spikes, designed to catch opponents' blades and magical artifacts, and the pauldrons with blue crystals that rose like flames were just for style points, but they looked cool as hell.
Complementary, he received two crystal daggers, which, after long deliberation, he put in the storage ring. They were good for armour piercing against devils that had specific bloodline abilities, but his two knives were still better.
When they went to spar to get a feel for everyone's techniques, Chen Hao looked genuinely terrifying. His techniques were sinister by nature, and, now that the armour was enhancing all of his capabilities, he truly moved like the wind. Instead of a young man, it was a wild monster of black crystal that rampaged through the battlefield.
Well, for all of the praise, he still lost against everyone but Yang Ming, who wasn't a solo fighter in any way, shape, or form. Perhaps he would be able to defeat them if he used all of his artifacts or set a trap, but it was a friendly spar, so what did it matter?
At the end of the day, the duo entered their new room, which already had various formations pre-carved into it. A proper water qi gathering formation worked wonders with Chen Hao's already monstrous cultivation speed, which came from his dual roots and the Art of Gluttony, supplemented with Foundation Establishment crocodile meat.
The boy's paranoid habits made it so that he spent hours setting up mechanical traps and placing down formation flags. Only after everything was done did he collapse onto the bed, beginning to snore almost immediately. With a sigh, Jun lay on the bed next to him, chewing crocodile bones, watching the door, and immersing himself in cultivation.
"This one room is nicer than our entire house. Shame all these military perks involve frequent combat," he thought glumly, reminiscing about home. In a way, it wasn't that dissimilar.
Truth be told, Jun hadn't fought in a long time —he couldn't even place himself on the cultivation scale if asked to do so. Yet, for some reason, he still believed he could easily beat Chen Hao. Perhaps it was the hubris of a man who thought he could take on a kangaroo in a solo fight back on Earth. For the record, he totally could have done it at his peak condition.
When he went to sleep, Jun was even a bit excited about fighting devils. What was the point of practising a move called the "Disemboweling Claw" when you weren't going to disembowel someone? Ridiculous.
The next day, their leader announced that their next mission would be in a week. Thus, three times a day, vigorous sparring sessions would occur between the team, and every day, they would have to fight wild, captured beasts. After the first day, Qin Long called a meeting, unsatisfied with their teamwork thus far. Thus, he devised something called the "fast-track friendship plan." Essentially, besides training to fight, each of the team members would spend an entire day with Chen Hao in an effort to bolster morale, cohesion, and all that. Not wanting to waste any time, the very first day of the plan was to be spent with Yang Ming, and it began early morning with a conversation like this.
"Now, we could go on all these fun activities, but we know each other already. What's the point? We've got the greatest teamwork there is. Instead, how about this? I will teach you how to get any girl to swoon over you with a song and a gift after I'm done visiting all of my mistresses. Trust me, it will be a blast."
Chapter 52
"Listen, boy. You're always so serious. You've got to relax a bit. That mood will naturally transfer to the one you're speaking to," the bard said as they walked out of the city centre, following the river north.
"Tell jokes, laugh a lot, and listen carefully. People love talking about themselves, so all you've got to do is nod along and ask a question or two at the right times."
They walked past small canoes and bigger ships to a place where mushrooms had overtaken civilization, and humans had taken it right back. Here, fungal trees grew to be hundreds of feet in length, which was exactly the right kind of weird to house every type of cultivator.
"Positive memories. At the end of the day, you want to make the person you're talking to think 'I had fun today. We should do that again sometimes.' That's the very first step to making friends. Now, I said friends, not lovers, but we'll get to that."
Chen Hao nodded along before they suddenly stopped. Then, they gathered their qi and jumped, landing on top of a gargantuan oyster mushroom. Here, a whole row of houses stood without any regard for structure or safety—the only important thing was that the spiritual force here was much higher than average.
Yang Ming halted before a small house with a yellow roof and wide, circular windows. He faintly knocked on one before breathing in and stretching out his hands in front of him. Gently, like holding an infant, he caressed the air, causing the wind to twist and twirl before it materialised in front of him as a transparent harp. As the shadow of a woman fell onto the window, the bard looked up, singing with a quiver in his voice.
My dear, open your eyes,
Your smile is my greatest prize.
So wake, my love, and greet the dawn,
With you, I'll find my sorrows gone.
So if they wonder about my days,
Say I was lost in your loving gaze.
Tell them it was all worthwhile,
For you are the reason why I smile.
Both Chen Hao and Jun listened from a distance, watching how a young woman with long, wavy black hair and freckles on her face warmly smiled at Yang Ming. The bard continued singing, and they both truly looked like they were in love. She spoke of her troubles, and he carefully listened, getting angry when she did, and sighing when the story reached its end. With a kiss on the cheek, he promised he would visit more often, and that he was awfully busy nowadays, but he would make time just to listen to her talk.
When he returned to the boy, he looked slightly exhausted, but there was still a beaming smile on his face.
"See? That wasn't so hard. It takes practice to keep the conversation entertaining at all times, but I know you've got talent, kid. Alright, now, we've got a few more houses to visit today, so let's pick up the pace. You would be surprised about how much you could learn about the city by doing this."
The bard skipped along, but upon seeing Chen Hao not matching his enthusiasm, he turned back to him.
"What's wrong?"
"I thought… It seemed like the two of you loved each other."
"We do. I love her more than anything else in this world."
"So, why are we visiting more houses?"
To that, Yang Ming sighed.
"It might seem arrogant as to what I'll say, but, at the end of the day, I'm a hopeless romantic. My heart falls for every woman—every tear-ridden story, every happy moment shared. I cannot be shackled down by just one Daoist partner like many old-fashioned cultivators might believe to be right. It would be like clipping a bird's wings and asking why it doesn't sing its beautiful song anymore."
"Yet, I've never lied to anyone. They all know it, and I know that they shed tears at night thinking about it all. But each and every time my heart burns with passion, so does theirs too," he said, once again sighing.
"But, let's save the more serious talks about emotions and all that for nighttime. Now, normally, I would have a lot of advice for young cultivators on how to talk to women, but none of that matters when you look like you do. Just be confident and stay true to your beliefs. Besides, I can see that you've already got someone you're thinking of, isn't that right?"
Chen Hao blushed, hanging his head low as they walked along. When the boy needed silence, Yang Ming allowed him to think, and when there arose the need for conversation, he was there to fill the air with laughter and joy. For the first time in a while, hours felt like minutes, and before they even realised it, the sun had set in the distance.
"Alright. Last one for the night. I've taught you a lot today, haven't I? I've got a tiny favour to ask of you. See that big guy over there? Just distract him for a few seconds while I slip inside the cabin."
The two of them stood on a majestic dragon boat that softly swayed on the river. If the city was threatening and menacing, then this was where people went to let loose a little. Currently, they were hunched down, close to the prow of the ship, where a section of it had been turned into a restaurant/tavern mix. A VIP section, so to say, was past the bolted-down tables and the general rabble that had gathered around. There, in front of a cabin door, stood an eight-foot-tall man, completely bald and with bulging muscles. His face looked like the mightiest of pit bulls, and his arms put tree trunks to shame.
"Him?"
"Yeah. Just for a few seconds. Here, I'll give you a little help," he said, pushing the boy forward, making him stumble right into the menacing bodyguard. The man grunted like a pig.
"Watch where you're going. There will be no next time."
"A-aha. Sorry about that. I was just looking for the bathroom. My…my dog's sick," Chen Hao quickly improvised, pointing at Jun, who froze like a deer in the spotlights.
"What the fuck? What you mention me for?" Jun quickly barked, backing away in haste.
"Really sick. Look at him," the boy continued, awkwardly laughing.
"Looks fine to me. Maybe you're the one that should get checked out," the man said, pushing Chen Hao away, making him stumble back a few paces. The boy wildly glanced around for Yang Ming, letting out a sigh of relief once he didn't see the man.
"Warn me the next time you do stuff like that. We could've had a better plan," Jun scolded the boy, starting to walk back to the tables. Unfortunately, Chen Hao's acting was so bad that the huge man suspiciously glanced back and slowly opened the door, where he promptly saw Yang Ming holding the General's daughter's hand.
"You BASTARD! Her father told you to never approach her again! I'll skin you alive if it's the last thing I do!" The bodyguard roared with anger, circulating qi and turning his body to steel in an instant.
"Ah, darn. I'll see you later, okay? I miss you a lot," he said to the woman before stepping on air and somersaulting above the charging cultivator. The beautiful woman said something in response, waving off a few shadows that were beginning to chase the bard. She also began yelling at the bodyguard, but he was too enraged to see any reason.
"Crap. It's always that stupid bull who doesn't see reason. She's got proper protectors, yet he insists on hanging around everywhere she goes." He complained, plucking an invisible string and causing a crescendo of wind to impact the man, pushing him back.
"Screw this. I'm not a fighter. Let's run!"
As he said that, Yang Ming grabbed Chen Hao's hand and leapt off the boat. The boy stumbled, but upon stepping onto solid air and not falling, he began to use his Typhoon Steps, conjuring a mighty hurricane behind them. Like a solid steel rocket, the bodyguard leapt off the boat and soared through the air, drawing two oversized sabres from his waist. In the process.
"Remember, boy. Always have a backup plan in case something goes wrong."
With that, he put two fingers to his mouth and let out a shrill whistle before mimicking the sound of a flute. The river below them began to ripple and stir, and a moment later, a gargantuan sturgeon, more than a hundred feet in length, leapt above the water. Opening its terrifying jaws, it devoured the steel man in one bite before plunging back down with a huge splash.
"Ahahaha. That's what he deserves. Don't worry—someone will get him out in an hour or two. At worst, he'll just be wet and grumpy," Yang Ming laughed and laughed until tears were running down his face as they both dropped down into the city proper.
"A fish? How did you get it to listen to you?"
"Everyone's got to have their secrets, however big or small they might be. Don't worry about it too much," he said, straightening his clothes as he began to proudly walk throughout the streets. "Did you have fun today?"
"Yeah. Though you could've gone less into detail about some things," the boy said, scratching his chin as he remembered the various "tips" he had given him regarding a certain girl in his mind.
"Well, at the end of the day, that's all that matters. Make sure whoever you're with has a fun time," Yang Ming laughed, pulling out a small, white bottle of rice wine.
Though they spent a bit more time together, the adventure-filled day had to come to an end at some point, and eventually, Chen Hao went back to his room, settling into meditation.
When morning came around, the very first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a frozen-over handprint on this window. Next to it was a message written in blood.
"We'll be seeing each other a lot today."
Chapter 53
'Whose idea was this? Are we in a cliche horror movie now?' Jun idly thought as Chen Hao warily looked around.
A few moments later, they saw a waterfall of hair cover the entirety of the window. A loud thunk revealed a hooded figure, which was upside down for some inexplicable reason. It hastily waved at them.
The boy let out a sigh of relief and opened the window, letting in Ning Mei, who promptly darted from corner to corner, inspecting their room.
"Woow. Look at all these traps. But, it's a bit bland, don't you think? A nice rug would couple well with a few paintings, and maybe you could even start some sort of weird collection," her quick and bubbly voice assaulted both of their ears.
"Personally, I like collecting hair from everyone I meet—I weave it all together in the shape of a doll. Then, it doesn't matter if we have to part, I'm still carrying around a piece of them," she said, pulling out a small, multi-coloured doll, which frankly looked like it was suffering just by being here.
"I've got a collection of paintings and calligraphy, though I haven't had the chance to decorate this place yet," Chen Hao said, thinking of a way to return the conversation to normalcy. Yang Ming's previous tips didn't seem applicable when the other person was beyond weird.
"That's a really pretty doll. Goes well with, uhh, everything else. Very… magical." Those were the words he eventually settled on. Jun's mouth was so open you could stick a whole fist in there.
"Thanks! I've had a whole day to think of what we should do, and I've written down so many fun activities. You'll love them. Let's start with some fortune-telling first," she said, clearing out a table and grabbing two chairs before placing them on opposite ends.
Beckoning for Chen Hao to sit, she pulled out a tarot deck from who-knows-where. spreading it out like a common magician.
"You can never go wrong with tarot cards. Now, let me set the scene."
She waved her hands around and the surroundings suddenly got dark. Black fog swallowed them whole. Shadowy figures leapt from side to side, pointing and giggling at the boy and the dog, who were both in shock at the speed things were developing.
"Now, listen to me carefully, for I am telling a tale as old as time. You are a lost hero, searching for an adventure, and I am but a mere fortune-teller to guide you on your path."
Her smile faded as her hair began to tangle together, revealing two figures. A small boy with a pointy sword walked through a cursed forest before arriving at a desolate hut. Then, the same figure sat down where Chen Hao was sitting. Ning Mei knocked on the table, and the stone turned to old, stained wood.
With a wry smile, Chen Hao sighed before settling into his role.
"Oh, great witch! I wish to know my fortune!"
"Then you've come to the right place. Sit here, my dear child, and I will deal to you three cards. The first is of the past, of things already gone. The second is of the present, that which you're living in right now. The third is of the future, which is yet to come. All three influence each other, weaving a grand net of destiny."
The girl's voice was now slow and high-pitched, resembling the cracks and pops of burning wood. Little imps flew around the room, repeating everything she said.
"Let it all lay bare!" Chen Hao screamed, then looked around, a bit embarrassed.
"Let it be so."
The deck began to float in front of her, and as she closed her eyes, a shadowy figure, with eyes as cold as ice, overlapped with her figure. Ning Mei beckoned the boy, and he unsteadily touched the deck, recoiling at the blue flames that surrounded it. Then, he drew the first card.
"An upright four of wands."
The card that he placed on the table was of two people dancing, a wreath of flowers in their hands. Behind them, a lavish mansion. Shining brightly in the sunlight, it had its doors wide open for any would-be comers, inviting everyone who approached.
"Before you came here, you were a part of a tight-knit community. I see a family that dearly loved and supported you, that offered stability and security. Who you are today has been influenced by the place you once called home. Perhaps you should revisit it one day," the girl said, and now, Chen Hao was no longer playing around. He stared at the card with longing.
Before he could say anything, the deck began to glow again.
"The present is here. Quick, grab it before it slips out of your grasp!" Ning Mei yelled, and the boy did exactly that. The flames singed his fingers, and the card dropped upright, revealing the three of pentacles.
The scene depicted a craftsman standing in a temple, conferring with a priest and a nobleman, all eagerly talking to each other. The building was yet to be finished, but the craftsman worked with diligence, chiselling stone into beautiful patterns.
"You've walked down a narrow road, sharpening your skills time and time again. Now is the time for your mastery to shine, to take pride in your work and dedication. Yet, even the mightiest of heroes needs his companions. As long as you take care of those close to you, and you all work towards a common goal, even the impossible might be achieved."
For a moment, Jun saw the card twist, revealing him, the boy, and the rest of the team. The image quickly disappeared. Once again, Chen Hao did not have words to properly describe his emotions.
"Do not rest easy yet. Focus. Draw the last card," Ning Mei said, her eyes rolled back to reveal nothing more than white.
As he began to reach out, the blue flame sputtered and died, replaced by a violent blaze that rippled red. The deck exploded into a thousand pieces, scattering across the room. Just as luck would have it, one card remained unscathed, landing softly in an upright position right before Chen Hao.
"The tower," the witch whispered.
The card depicted a spire nestled on top of a mountain. A green and red lightning bolt was frozen in a single moment as it hit the tower, shattering it to pieces and setting everything ablaze. Men and women could be seen jumping out of windows, trying to escape the turmoil and the destruction.
"The world will come crashing down at some point. You've been building a tower of illusion and lies, thinking the unstable foundation to be rock-solid. When the lightning strikes, it will bring with it upheaval, chaos, and change. Yet it will also bring insight and clarity. And when the dust settles, you will be able to rebuild, so that lightning may never strike it down again."
With those last words, she collapsed in her seat, exhaling putrid air. The shadowy figure behind her extinguished the flames before merging back together with Ning Mei. Chen Hao picked up the tower card, staring daggers at it.
"What does it mean? Illusion and lies? Who's been lying to me?" he frantically asked, staring past the card and fixing the girl in place with intensity like none before. She merely shrugged.
"You'll have to see. Besides, the future is ever-changing, and my predictions aren't that accurate. Just take good care of yourself so that you'll be able to weather whatever sudden change might occur," she said, making the shadows retreat. The room turned back to normal in a split second.
"Well, wasn't that fun? I think that those kinds of stories are very interesting. Shame that heroes don't exist in real life. But, we should do that again sometimes."
The girl laughed, letting small imps pick up the scattered tarot cards, watching how they swallowed them with glee.
"Come, come. Do not dwell on something that hasn't happened yet. Let's do something more fun and not as intensive. Why don't you ask something about your dog this time?" she said, bringing out a still-steaming teacup from thin air.
"Drink, drink, and then give it a nice swirl. The tea will calm your nerves, and the leaves will tell the future."
Ning Mei practically pushed the teacup into the boy's hands, and he looked at Jun, who was currently in the process of shrugging. Of course, dogs couldn't shrug, so he just looked weird while doing so.
"If this is my future, then I wish to know Jun's future," he said, chugging the tea in one mighty gulp, scalding his tongue and his throat in the process. No one had told him to do that. Even Ning Mei looked surprised as she pulled out another cup of tea and slowly sipped hers.
Chen Hao gave it one swirl, and everyone in the room curiously peered inside the cup. There, a small leaf had settled in the middle of a massive circle, which rippled outwards until it reached the edges of the cup. While the two tried to puzzle out the meaning to no avail, it was Jun who quickly came to a conclusion.
"That's the sun. I'm in the middle of it," he barked, deep in thought.
"Am I truly a heavenly genius? The sun's only child? Will I turn into a second sun when I awaken my bloodline? To be honest, hanging around in space for 12 billion years just to burn away doesn't sound fun."
He quickly shook off the ridiculous notion. There was no way in hell that could be true. Turning his attention back to the other two, he saw that Ning Mei had pulled out a large, cloudy crystal ball that was currently swirling with mist.
"The last one. Give me your hand," she said. Chen Hao cautiously reached out. Ning Mei grabbed it, and, as the boy slightly blushed, she placed both on the crystal ball.
"Tell me, crystal ball. How will this relationship work out?"
While Chen Hao was practically bursting apart from the choice of words, glancing anywhere else but at the ball, Ning Mei carefully looked at the mist and how it swirled. Both Jun and the girl watched as the fog split apart, revealing a dark, deep ocean. A misty figure was flailing around, gasping for air, trying to find any salvation it could. And then, out of nowhere, a second figure appeared. It gently knelt down, offering a hand.
The image faded away before they could see if the other had grabbed the hand.
"What? Is it over already? What did you see?" the boy asked, suddenly curious.
"Hmm. Well, maybe it's better that you didn't see anything. How interesting… I wonder who will be saving who?" Ning Mei whispered, smiling mysteriously at Chen Hao.