Book 2: Chapter 42: Changes
I opened my eyes, finding myself in my room. The smell of herbs was the first thing that I noticed, coming from the salves lathered upon my injuries underneath the bandages covering my right chest and arm. I tried to lift my arm, but found a sharp pain telling me not to push it. The tribulation had left a mark this time. Slowly seating myself upright, I tried to recall what I last remembered. A headache assailed me at the attempt, but the grogginess slowly washed away, and the memories came.
Right. Heavens. Chains. That was a lot.
I still did not understand what had happened. At the time, all I had been focused on was protecting the village from the heavens, everything else… it felt like a blur. Whatever it had been, it was powerful.
I looked around my room. It was nighttime, and the stars were slowly dancing across the sky as Lunar Qi… no, Lunar chi rose amidst the sky. Taizhou no longer had any Qi in it, or the presence of the Heavens above it. Standing up from my bed, I walked to the window to look out at the night sky.
I could see tribulation clouds in the distance, but the sky was clear above Taizhou, scant few clouds covered the night, with the moon bathing the world in its light. I could feel my connection to this place, stronger than ever before. The core of my spirit was connected to this land, and the things that lived within it. I looked at the grass swaying gently in front of me. I focused on my bond with the grass, and let my spirit mingle with it.
I could feel the grass, like a limb that was attached to my spirit. It was a part of me now. A new part, one I could harness if I so wished.
I tried to will the grass to sway, but it remained unmoving. I was doing this wrong, the tree in my spirit told me as much. I closed my eyes, and pictured the grass growing, focusing on every leaf, and every root. Once again, the chi did not move. Something was lacking here, and that thought stopped me.
Zhang's aura pulled me out of my daze, and I turned to see the boy standing behind me.
"Brother Jie!" Zhang exclaimed, rushing closer. "Please sit down, you're still injured," the boy said, grasping my hand. I tried to tell him I felt fine, but his grip was unrelenting and I gave in, taking a seat on the bed. "Are you feeling well? Let me bring Granny Lang."
"Zhang, don't," I said. "I'm alright, thank you. Don't disturb their sleep." I said with a smile.
"You were unconscious for three days, brother. Are you sure?" Zhang asked. His voice was filled with concern, and the sight made me smile.
"I'm sure. I feel alright, and I would rather not wake up the Granny needlessly. She may not show it, but age is catching up to her."
Zhang frowned, before giving a quiet nod as he stepped back from the gate in acceptance.
"Three days, huh. The tribulations hit harder than I had thought."
"We feared the worst. Granny said she could no longer sense your core," Zhang said.
I paused. "My core? Why can't you sense my core? It should be…" my words trailed off as I tried to reach out to my core, and found it missing from my abdomen. I froze, unsure of just what was happening. My core was missing? I reached out to Chi, and found it swirling around my fingers with no effort.
Zhang looked at me, the boy looking just as confused as I did.
"I don't think I have a core anymore," I told Zhang, not sure of what to make of my words. "Though I can use my Chi without any problems."
"You walk a new Path. Perhaps this is merely another step forward," Zhang said.
"Perhaps," I replied.
Zhang looked at me for a long moment of silence. The boy seemed uncertain, and so I prodded him. "Do you want to say something?"
Zhang nodded. "You look troubled brother."
"I did just defy the heavens," I replied with a smile, trying to hide the uncertainty I felt. Zhang did not smile, and I found my facade breaking. I sighed. "I feel afraid. Things are moving fast, and there's a lot happening that I don't really understand. I wish I had someone to guide me, but I have to walk an entirely new Path of cultivation on my own, and figure out how it works. Then there are the people who wish to harm us, and the people of this village. And more so than ever, it is my responsibility to protect them," I replied.
"We willingly choose to follow you, brother. Our wish is never to be a burden."
"You're not. But… never before in my life have my actions dictated how the lives of others will go. Never before was I responsible to secure the safety of not just one or two people, but an entire village. It is so easy to imagine myself standing bravely against danger, facing what enemy may come, but now that I truly have to, I find my resolve being tested, bending under the weight of who I must become," I said, raising my eyes to meet Zhang's.
"Truth be told, I've merely been throwing myself from one thing into the next. First alchemy, then my spirits, then the tournament, then the Lord. Even the beginning of my Path had been that; an escape, a way for me to cling to familiarity. If I was back home, I would not have made any grand changes. I would not have revolutionized the world. I walk on stolen ideals of people greater than who I pretend to be, but when the time comes, can I truly be the great person who people think I am?"
Zhang stood in silence, listening to my words. I felt pathetic, like I was moping around for nothing. I stopped, feeling my words die in my throat. Everything felt like a lie at this moment.
"Brother, do you know why I follow you?" Zhang asked.
I looked up at him for a moment, thinking of what to say, but found the truth slipping from my mouth. "Because you think you owe me. For Silverlight, and for healing your core."
Zhang shook his head.
"I do owe you my life, and everything else. But that is not why I follow."
"Then why?" I asked.
"Because you are like the sun. To me, to us, you bring light. It is not your knowledge, the Path you share, or any of those things. It is your nature, your kindness, your willingness to help those in need of help, and protect them from harm. In that, I see someone worthy of following," Zhang said, walking closer as he put a hand on my shoulder. "I call you my brother, Lu Jie. And no matter what, I know I will stand by your side until the end."
I stared at Zhang, before glancing down at my own hands. "I see. Thank you Zhang."
Zhang nodded, stepping back, and I took a deep breath, before nodding. "I have something to do. Follow me."
I made my way towards the open fields just outside the village and Zhang walked behind me silently, not asking any questions. Upon reaching a clearing that I thought was suitable, I stopped, taking a look around to make sure we were alone.
"Alright. It's been some time since you had your breakthrough. Have you tested your new abilities?" I asked.
Zhang shook his head.
"I thought so. You're too diligent in your work. You should spend more time being a little self-centered."
Zhang looked at me, before bowing his head. "Brother, I'm your blade. The weapon you wield. My purpose is to protect you. With you injured, how could I rest?"
"But now I am here. So why not begin now?" I said, before pointing at a nearby boulder. "Say, could you make that float?"
Zhang looked at the boulder, frowning. A moment later, he walked closer to the boulder, and began to focus.
I watched his Chi flare. Unlike mine, his was a strange shade of purple and deep blue. A hue that shifted between the two as it surrounded him.
The pebbles and grass began to sway around him, as I saw little rocks rising up into the air. A purple aura reached outwards, as the boulder began to shift and shudder. Zhang frowned, as his Chi wavered. The boulder lifted itself slightly, rising in the air, before the Chi faded as gravity returned to normal.
"It is difficult, still," Zhang replied, looking back at me. I gave a nod.
"When I was falling, you had jumped into the skies to catch me. How did you do that?" I asked.
Zhang paused. "I don't know," he replied. "I just… jumped, and I was there."
"Then try doing it again. Imagine someone precious to you is being crushed underneath that boulder, and the only way to save them is to lift it."
Giving me a nod, Zhang turned. Once again, Gravity Chi spread all around, and once again I saw the world stir. But unlike before, this time, the boulder didn't stir.
"Think, Zhang. Picture it, someone trapped underneath there, perhaps Twilight got stuck and is crying for help, and only you are there to save her."
Silently, I watched the Chi from around Zhang concentrate itself on the boulder. A breath passed, and another, before a purple aura covered the rock, and with a powerful shudder, the boulder was up in the air. Floating above the ground.
Zhang looked at the boulder, before turning towards me. "I did it."
"You did it," I said with a smile. "What was different this time?"
"Before, I had wanted to move the boulder, but I felt something resisting me, pulling it down. This time… all I wanted was to free whoever was stuck. And so instead of trying to pull it up, I decided to reduce what was keeping it there."
"So you can alter gravitational fields. Fascinating," I said. "Do you think you could do that to yourself and fly as well?" I asked.
"I can try," Zhang replied.
Closing his eyes, the boy concentrated. I saw gravity Chi gather around him, covering him in a purple aura. Slowly, I watched Zhang rising in his step as pebbles and rocks began to flow upwards towards him. A moment later, he lifted into the sky, hovering there.
I whistled, watching Zhang hovering and losing balance as the clutches of gravity left him. "Stay focused!" I said.
"It feels… strange," the boy said through clenched teeth.
"Yeah buddy, being weightless always does," I replied. "Adapt to the sensation, embrace it. You are cutting your ties to the earth. And then, using that, rise into the skies."
Zhang nodded, redoubling his efforts. The Chi around him flared as he raised further into the sky.
I watched him go higher and higher till he was a mere speck. I suspected he could touch the clouds if he wanted.
For a moment, I was worried if he would fall, but with how deftly he was moving in the skies, I suspected he would be fine.
My gaze came back down, and I looked around the world as a thought came to me. Could I fly as well? I had done it, during the tribulation. I did not truly understand how, but I had done it.
I reached out, remembering what Sheldon had taught me in my spirit core. Reaching out, I tried to raise myself into the air. A familiar sensation came, like what had happened when I had reached out to the grass. I could feel the world around me, it was there, ready to be grasped, and when I did, I would take to the skies, but every time I came close, something slipped by.
I tried to reach to my core, to draw strength from within, but found it empty like a mortal. I opened my eyes, feeling confused before I looked back up at Zhang in the skies.
"Looks fun," I said, feeling a little frustrated at whatever changes had occurred. Unable to give up, I gave it another shot. Closing my eyes, I recalled Sheldon's words. To sever my ties to the earth, and walk as if the air was my new ground.
Yet, when I tried to do so, nothing shifted. The whisper taunted me, telling me the answer was right there.
I opened my eyes, and sighed. The moon shone brightly in the sky. I watched Zhang flying freely like a child who'd been given wings. A smile hung on my lips and I couldn't feel too bad about my failure at that sight.
Things were changing, but that may not be a bad thing after all.
Book 2: Chapter 43: Mortal Core
Yin had spent the last few days coming to terms with a brand new world. All her life, she had known the difference between mortals and cultivators.
Either you were blessed with Qi, or you weren't. Such was the nature of her world.
Yet now, that world was shattering, and Yin felt like she was trapped in a storm. She could feel Qi now. Or… Chi? She did not understand the difference. To her, all of it was the workings of the heavens and cultivators, not something a mortal like her should ever have to concern herself with.
Yet now, that energy flowed around her hands, and touched at her mind as an entire new sense that had awakened in her. The more she saw of this new world, the more her head felt like it was spinning. Tribulations had descended from the heavens, and as she had watched Lu Jie ascend into the skies like some sort of immortal elder, she had felt a fear in her heart.
What if the heavens knew? Knew that she had defied her fate, and tried to reach for things she wasn't meant to have? Perhaps the tribulation had been meant for her. A punishment for daring to achieve a purpose grander than what was decreed for her.
She knew her thoughts were mere fear, yet no matter what she told herself she couldn't quell the thoughts. With Lu Jie being unconscious, and the tribulation having left the villagers scared, Yin had pleaded with Yan Yun to keep her condition a secret. She felt guilty, hiding things, but the fear had grasped her heart. What if the Heavens sent a tribulation again?
As Yin wrestled with her own heart, she realized something even more terrifying.
It wasn't just her. She wasn't the only one.
Her brother had briefly mentioned feeling something when one of the cultivators had used their Qi, though he had not understood what that had been, or the origin of this feeling.
A few other villagers had mentioned similar things, of something changing in their perception. None were capable of sensing with the clarity she could, so they did not understand the gravity of just what it was they were sensing now.
As the third day passed, and Lu Jie woke at last, Yin had found herself unable to hold back anymore. Gathering a hold of her fears she had gone to Yan Yun, and found herself breaking down.
After consoling Yin, the two girls now sat on the floor, legs crossed, as they faced each other. Yin sniffed, feeling strange to be seated here.
"What you're sensing is what a budding cultivator senses when they're upon the cusp of breaking into the First realm," Yan Yun said, instructing Yin.
Yin gave a nod, though the words only made her more afraid.
"When a cultivator reaches the foundation realm, the first thing they awaken is their spirit sense. This sense is the ability that defines the distinction between a mortal and a cultivator," Yan Yun said, looking at Yin. "Though of course, that no longer seems to be true."
Yin gulped. "I… I don't understand. I have never… felt this sense. But now, all of a sudden, it's there. All around me."
"I don't understand either. Truthfully, I think even Lu Jie does not know just how this happened. Whether it was the flash of the Divine Tree we saw awakening latent potential that was within you all this time, or something even more fundamental," Yan Yun said.
"What should I do then?"
"First, gather yourself. Then, try to meditate upon this sense. What do you feel?" Yan Yun instructed.
Yin nodded, trying to calm her mind. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she focused. It took her a minute, thoughts interrupting her unsettled heart, but eventually, she found the calm she was looking for, as her breath settled into a rhythm. Now, she focused her attention on the new sense she had.
It was… like a blanket. No, no, it was a sensation she felt from outside herself, surrounding her like a blanket would. The Chi felt like she could touch it, and see it, all from the same sense. She could feel the shape and color of the Chi around her. It was ever changing, shifting and flowing all around her like the air she breathed in.
With that thought, she noticed the Chi flowing into her, with each breath she took in. It was a cycle, a breath in, a small pause, and a breath out. And in that cycle, the Chi would flow through her entire body, before making its way out.
Yin found herself sinking into this rhythm, her mind losing track of her fears as just the Chi began to move lazily through her.
"What you're doing right now is cycling the Qi. Or Chi, in your case. That is the method with which a cultivator cultivates," Yan Yun said.
Yin opened her eyes. "A-am I cultivating, then?" she asked, finding the notion ridiculous. Her? Cultivating? How could that even be?
"No, not quite. To cultivate, you must first form a core. A dantian that will hold the Chi you gather. Upon doing so, you will have become a cultivator of the First realm."
"So… I'm not a cultivator then?" Yin asked, not sure if that made her any more relieved than before.
"You are a budding cultivator, who has not taken their first steps yet. I'm here to guide you through those first steps," Yan Yun said. "When I had awakened my senses, my grandfather had taught me how to gather the Qi within my core."
Yin watched a wave of feelings pass over Yan Yun's face as she remembered an old memory.
"He had sat me on his lap, as he taught about what it meant to be a cultivator," Yan Yun said, smiling bitterly. Taking a breath, she closed her eyes, before proceeding. "Cultivation is the gathering of energy. A path towards the Heavens, for the purpose of achieving the ultimate pinnacle. That of immortality," Yan Yun said, looking at Yin. "As Cultivators, it is our burden and responsibility to act befitting our station, power and destiny. We are greater than the mortal shell we are born in, and we represent an order above that of life and death itself. Thus, it is our duty to guide and protect those beneath us."
Yin listened to her words, feeling a strange feeling swirl in her chest.
"That was what he taught me," Yan Yun said. "But the truth is something else."
"Cultivation… is not the path towards the Heavens. Neither is its purpose to achieve immortality. It is the purpose for which we walk our Paths, gathering energy in our spirits and bodies to better embody our ideals. It is neither a chase, nor a race, but a journey everyone must walk upon."
Yin listened to Yan Yun's words. Was… that truly the truth? Could she also walk upon a Path of her own?
"The first step you must take is called foundation. When you meditate, focus your Chi into your spirit, and gather it."
Yin began to focus on her senses, letting herself sink back in meditation once more. The Chi swirled all around her, flowing in and out with each breath she took, and Yin focused upon that cycle. The energy was ethereal, and she could see it, like wisps that flowed around, beyond the physical boundaries of the world. She reached out, trying to gather them within her.
The Chi swirled, and stirred, responding to her as she tried to gather it. But it did not stay. The Chi would flow in, and Yin would try to hold onto it, yet every attempt it could slip like sand flowing within her fingers.
It felt like holding onto air with her palms, and the more she struggled, the more restless the Chi grew, and the harder it was to collect it.
"I… can't do it," Yin said, opening her eyes. "It's refusing to stay."
"The first is not always easy. Some can do it without even realizing it, while others struggle for weeks. To ease the process, try and think about why you would cultivate. Give the Chi a purpose to follow, don't pull it, let it come to you instead. Without a purpose, it will simply wander away like air," Yan Yun said.
Yin nodded hesitantly, taking a breath. She looked at Yan Yun as a thought came to her. "I-if I may ask… what is your purpose?"
Yan Yun froze at the words. "I…" she trailed off. "I used to have one. A purpose for cultivating. It was… it was to make my grandfather proud. But now… I no longer have one. It is why I do not have a Path to follow any longer," Yan Yun said, her words echoing with pain.
Yin looked at the girl, and she stood up from where she sat, moving next to Yan Yun, as she embraced the girl.
Yan Yun looked at Yin with wide eyes, but she didn't resist the embrace.
"Thank you, Yin."
"We are sisters," Yin said. "I… I would like to be able to help you."
Yan Yun smiled, giving a nod.
"You should focus on your own Path for now," Yan Yun said, and Yin separated from the girl, taking a cross legged position once more.
Breathing deeply, Yin closed her eyes. A purpose. A Path she would like to follow upon. Yin thought of what purpose she would like to live with. What meaning was there to her life?
She thought for a long while, but found herself coming up short. All this time, she had lived without any direction.
But she could change that now. She could pick a Path for herself. And she knew just what she wanted.
Yin focused on the Chi, on this ethereal magic that permeated this world. It felt so… unreal, a thing she could not have ever imagined being able to touch upon. Now she reached out to it, and whispered her purpose.
"To protect my grandfather's legacy."
Yin felt the Chi stir at her words, responding to her will. She took in a breath, and the Chi flowed with it, filling her.
Something formed, a small tiny ethereal ring. She could not truly sense it yet, but she knew it was there, in her spirit, a representation of her Path.
The world shivered around her, Chi flowing outwards in a pulse. Yin felt the Chi coalesce as it solidified near her abdomen, and she felt herself take a step onto her path.
The very first step.
As she opened her eyes, she looked upon the world with a new sight altogether. That of a cultivator.
Book 2: Chapter 44: A New Order
A surprise greeted me as I woke up the next morning. As I had been shaking off my sleep, still recovering from the injuries of the tribulation I'd felt a new presence walking around the village. Feeling curious to find a new cultivator I began to follow. The Path took me to the village head's house, and as my concern grew, I found myself standing in front of a shocked Yin.
"L-Lu Jie?" she stammered, looking me up and down to make sure she hadn't seen a ghost.
I looked back at Yin as well, unsure if my senses had somehow gone haywire.
She had a core in her now, a dantian that I felt to be roughly at the first realm.
"Yin… are you…" I trailed off unsure of what to say.
Yan Yun came upon hearing my voice.
"Lu Jie? You're awake!" she shouted, rushing closer before she spotted my gaze lingering on Yin.
"What's happening here?" I asked, glancing between the two girls.
"You should come inside, there's some things we need to tell you," Yan Yun said, grabbing my hand. I didn't resist, following the girls in.
After a small explanation, I found myself sitting in astonishment. As it turned out, Yin had become a cultivator, having broken through to the first realm. And she did it with Chi instead of Qi as well. She wasn't alone either, other villagers had also begun sensing Chi, though to a lesser degree.
I still couldn't tell why. Was it something to do with the Heavens? Had the heavens been stopping them from cultivating? Or was it related to the Spirit tree, and my connection to this village bringing this change in them?
"How long ago did you break through?" I asked.
"Not… not too long ago," Yin said.
"Yesterday actually," Yan Yun added. "I helped her through the process."
"And you started being able to sense Chi when…" I trailed off again.
"When the divine tree had flashed in the skies, before you'd shot up into the tribulations like a mad man," Yan Yun said.
I chewed on the information for a moment. So it wasn't just me who had seen all of that, but the entire village. "Is that what they're calling it? Divine tree?" I asked.
"Y-yes. Some villagers have even started worshiping it," Yin said.
I felt strange at the idea of people worshiping a tree that existed within my soul, but I didn't linger on the thought.
"Alright. This is… interesting. Truthfully, I have no idea why this happened. But even before this, the fact that Twilight's words had been effective on you and no one else had made me suspect something was going on," I said.
"At least, this is quite clear proof that even a mortal can become a cultivator. We just don't know why or how exactly yet," I said.
Yin shuffled, glancing at Yan Yun with an uncertain look.
"Is something the matter?" I asked.
"N-no, I just… I'm just wondering if this is okay," Yin said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I think she means that, if people find out you can make mortals into cultivators, the entire foundation of the empire will shake. Mortals may flood this place to try and become a cultivator, and some of the people in power may not take too kindly to that," Yan Yun said.
"I have been talking to sister Yun and… we think it may be best to keep this hidden for now," Yin said, and Yan Yun gave a nod.
I frowned, thinking over it. "I see your point. But at the same time, if others are also starting to sense Chi, then it won't be long before they start to notice. We need a more permanent solution to the problem one way or another."
"Yes, but for now, we can take anyone who is starting to reach close to the first realm and guide them, while asking them to keep quiet about their new abilities. It's not much, but at least it can delay things for a little 'til we can figure something out."
"Sure, I think that makes sense to do."
"I'd also like to ask to be allowed to guide the new cultivators," Yan Yun said.
I looked at her curiously.
"All this time, I've been feeling a little useless, but out of everyone here I am the one who has received the most formal education on cultivation. I have been learning these things since I was a small child, and though I no longer have a cultivation myself, I can at least guide others upon their Path," Yan Yun said.
"I see no problems with that. I'll be happy to leave any new cultivators in your hands."
Yan Yun smiled at my words, and Yin looked happy as well.
"Alright. Thanks for letting me know. I think this makes my task simple. I assume the villagers are quite curious and I believe they have a right to know what happened here, with the tribulation. Not to mention, I think the Heavens will no longer be holding me back from sharing things," I said, glancing at Yan Yun.
"Are… you sure?" she asked me. "It was a lot to take in, even for me. And these are regular mortals."
"I'm sure. And I think it will be easier for them to accept, than it was for you. They didn't live in your worlds, so to them, this will be new, fresh, rather than a fundamental change of their reality."
I made my way out of Yin's room, heading outside. I found the village head in the fields, and walked up to the man.
"Lu Jie! You've awoken I see. The villagers were starting to worry but I knew you would be just fine," the man said, smiling with a pleased expression. "You are fine, yes?"
"Took me a few days but I'm good now," I replied. "Can I ask you to gather the villagers? I have something to inform everyone about."
The village head looked at me, concern reflected on his face. "Is it about the tribulation?" he asked. "You don't need to explain anything. The heavens and tribulations, these are realities of cultivators. Even if you told us more we would understand little."
I shook my head. "No, it's something that affects this village. I'll explain when everyone is here."
The village head frowned, but gave me a nod.
I slowly steeled my resolve. I did not enjoy acting, like I knew a Lord needed to. The role did not suit me. But it was one that was needed, if I wanted to protect the people here, and guide them to a better future.
Taking some time, I prepared myself as, one by one, the villagers began to gather.
I called my spirits to me as well, alongside Zhang, Su Lin, Granny Lang and everyone in the village. Even the spirit beasts from the mines and the forest joined the gathering, and I could spot Ash waiting in the distance as well, out of sight, but close enough to hear me if he wanted.
Nearby, I found a neat little boulder and had Zhang move it with his gravity Chi before standing on it.
Su Lin, Zhang, Yan Yun, Yin and the rest stood next to my boulder. The village head led the crowd, standing in front of them. Whispers and murmurs filled the area and I let the people talk for a moment, before raising a hand.
The crowd went silent.
I swept my gaze across the plain, watching every person who lived here. I filled my voice with Chi.
"I'm sure you all saw the tribulations that came upon this village," I said, my voice being carried across the field even as I spoke normally.
"And I'm sure you have questions as well. About the light, about the tree, and about me."
More murmurs echoed.
"Today, I would like to answer those questions."
The voices died, as everyone's eyes hung on me, waiting for my next words.
"We all know that the sect has rescinded its protection from this village, leaving you stranded for winter. For the years of work the villagers and miners of Taizhou, they left you to fend for yourself. As someone who was involved in those events, I have felt it my responsibility to not let any harm come to this village and its people. As such, I reached out to the Lord of the seventh peak, and have come to an arrangement," I said, reaching into my pocket as I took out a Qi crystal.
"This crystal. This stone. It is an alchemical pill. But no ordinary alchemical pill. It is one, made by a mortal, one just like the rest of you and from this village," I said, before glancing at Yin.
Gasps and shouts now echoed but I continued undeterred.
"Yes, alchemy. Done by a mortal. And it is this which we will be creating. Why must this village bend over under the whims of cultivators? Why must you hang on to the sect, desperate for their protection? I see this as an opportunity. A chance for this village to stand on its own. Under the Lord's orders, I have been provided the title of Baron, marking this territory as the Barony of Lu. So long as I live, I will protect this place from all threats that should arrive. I will stand between any enemies that try to harm this place. Should a demon rise from the depths, I will be there, fighting it," I said, as Chi echoed my voice.
"This village will still be governed by the village head, my title will not bring much change to things. But as a Lord, I feel it is my responsibility to ask of you this. Do you accept me as the Lord and Baron of this place? Do you accept my protection?"
People looked at each other, in uncertainty when I noticed a man, one I remembered saving from the mines, bowing his head. "I accept you as my Lord!"
The voice was followed by others, miners, and villagers than I and my friends had helped in one way or another.
"I accept your protection Lord Jie!"
I watched, at once by one, the villagers bowed, shouting my name and even the spirit beasts bowed.
"We accept you as our Lord."
I felt something stir, Chi expanding out of me and into everyone standing around me. Like Zhang, and Labby, they now felt a part of me as well. And I felt their lives upon my shoulders.
"Then as your Lord, I have some plans. Under my guidance, we will be working to establish alchemy houses to create these crystals. The village head's daughter, Yin, is the one who I have taught and who made this pill. She will guide you, alongside Granny Lang. We will use the spirit herbs to create these pills, selling them, and using that to feed this village. I also intend to train warriors, and soldiers. Any who are brave and willing to stand alongside me, and protect your home," I said, before turning to Zhang who walked ahead.
"Zhang will be working with the warriors, training them. He has already picked three, who will also guide those who join."
I took a breath.
"And for the final thing. I must share the truth which I found, that led me to be exiled from the sect and to this village. The truth, which brought the heavens down in tribulation," I said, glancing around the villagers.
And so I spoke, and the villagers listened. Of the unity of Qi and Gu, and the First Law. Not everyone understood, and not everyone accepted my words.
But a few did, and in their spirits, I saw the First Law take hold.
Chi swirled around me, around this gathering, flowing into the villagers who saw the glimpse of truth that I showed them.
Letting my Chi flow into their spirits, I called out to the spirit tree in my soul, letting it reach out into the world.
"A new order now presides over this village. No longer do the heavens tie you in chains. You are all free to choose your own fate," I said, as the tree manifested behind me, a brilliant light that shone up into the skies.
The villagers bowed in reverence, and I felt their calls touching my spirit, as chants shook the air.
"Praise be the Divine Tree! Praise be Lord Jie!"
The first step was done. Now came the hard part.
Book 2: Chapter 45: Scholarly Duties
Work consumed my life since I gathered the villagers. Arranging for training people, calling for those who had touched upon Chi, and sending them to Yan Yun. Working with those that I thought would be able to work with spirit herbs and sending them to Granny Lang and Yin, and then coming up with the designs for the production line for the Qi crystals.
The days had flown by in a blur. It had been almost ten days since the tribulation had happened, and my work had only grown with time. Sleep was a thing of the past, and it was obvious to anyone that I needed some help.
"Lu Jie, you should rest," Zhang said, as I scribbled on my notes, frustrated by the problem I was currently trying to work on.
"Can't, I need to figure out how to develop cement so that we can build a wall in time for winter. Then I need to make some changes to the prototype Qi Crystal production setup as granny Lang pointed out more than a couple issues with our current one. Then—"
Zhang moved closer, closing my notes. "You need to rest," he said, looking at me with a stern gaze.
I sighed. "I know. But there's no one else who can do this. And I need to work this out in time or we won't be ready for winter."
"Working yourself to exhaustion will not accomplish this. You need to rest."
"I'm not a mortal, I can function without sleep."
"You've been working non-stop for almost two weeks. Even cultivators have limits," Zhang said. "Which is why the Lord was informed of this as well, and he has sent someone to take the burden off of your shoulders."
"What do you mean?" I asked Zhang, frowning.
"You should come see for yourself. He arrived a few moments ago," Zhang said, walking out.
I watched the boy, before looking at my unfinished work. Letting a sigh escape, I got up and followed behind him.
We walked to the entrance of the village where I noted a carriage standing. A young man was standing outside, carrying out bags of items and luggage. He wore a long hat and had a clean shaved face with sharp yellow eyes.
"Lord Jie," the cultivator said, bowing as he stepped out of the carriage. I could sense him to be at the peak of the third realm.
"Who are you?" I asked, surprised.
"This one is Qiao Ying. A humble servant of the esteemed Lord Zhou. I am a scholar, and have been sent to you by the Lord to help you in your duties," the man said, keeping his head bowed. I realized a moment later that he was waiting for my permission.
"You can raise your head," I said. "No need to be so formal with me, please. I'm not used to this whole Lord business. Just call me Lu Jie."
"I could never, sir. Etiquette must be followed at all times, or our civilization will be no better than the barbarians," the man said.
I glanced at Zhang. "Qiao Ying has worked in the capital under the emperor. Unlike most scholars who deal with poetry and philosophy, he is an inventor and was responsible for crafting designs for various kinds of items."
"You flatter me," the man said. "But yes, that is indeed my speciality. I dealt primarily with formation arts, but I have worked with mechanical constructs as well."
I hummed. "So you're an engineer then?"
"Pardon?" he asked. "I'm not sure what an… what you said is, my sire."
"It's someone who creates things, builds items," I said.
"Ah, not quite. I do not build. I design. The building is done by craftsmen, I help shape the ideas and bring them to life."
"I see," I said as I let the topic go, my interest taken by the scroll and bag he was carrying. "What're those?"
"This is a letter from Lord Zhou to you," Qiao Ying said, handing me the scroll.
I took the scroll for myself, sending a pulse of Chi to break open the seal before I began to read the contents.
Upon reaching the end, my eyes widened in surprise as I turned to look at Qiao Ying. "Is that the money?" I asked.
"Yes, sire, that is the sum provided to your barony by the Seventh Peak for this season," Qiao Ying said, and I felt my heart rate jump up as the man opened the bag, revealing the large pile of gold pieces sitting inside.
Holy shit, I'm rich.
"Keep that closed, please," I said, trying not to let my voice waver at seeing such a large sum. The letter had also contained other details and duties I needed to attend to as a Lord, alongside some information. Apparently it was Qiao Ying's role to educate me on all that.
One particular point that caught my eye was the mention of a vassal. The scroll told me I could pick someone from the Lord's manor, or assign my own person, but given my position, a vassal would be needed to represent my estate.
"I need to pick a vassal, it says," I said, turning to look at Zhang.
"I would be honored, my lord," he bowed, and I smiled.
"You know I hate that," I told the boy, and he flashed me a smile.
Putting the scroll aside, I picked up the bag of money. "Wait here, I'll be back." I told the two of them, Stepping away rapidly to my home, before I hid the pile of gold in as secure a place as I could for now.
Which was under my bed.
I definitely need to find a better spot, or create a safe for this.
After making sure the bag was safe, I instructed the spirit beasts lounging around in the garden to keep an eye out and make sure no one entered. Just in case, I also put Sheldon to the task before I made my way back to Qiao Ying.
"Alright, so… will you be staying with us?" I asked.
"Given my role, it would make sense for me to reside in this village alongside you," the man said.
I paused for a second. "Are you sure you're happy with it? I can't imagine a scholar like you being too pleased to be sent to a village," I asked.
The man looked at me in surprise, likely not expecting the question. "Truthfully speaking, sire, I have my doubts, but I trust the Lord's judgment. If he asks me to do this task, then I shall do it to the best of my abilities."
I gave a nod to Qiao Ying, feeling pleased. I could see why the Lord had picked him.
"Very well. We will prepare a place for you to stay. In the meantime, you can live at my place, if you'd like."
"I appreciate it, my sire," the man said with a bow. "But if it may not be too presumptuous, I would like to get started on work if possible."
I raised an eyebrow. "Quite eager, aren't we?" I said.
"Yes. I have heard many things from the Lord, and my curiosity has been piqued. I was told… I was told you created something that lets mortals do alchemy?" the man asked.
"I do have something like that, yes," I said.
"Can I see it?" Qiao Ying asked.
I thought over it for a moment, before deciding there wasn't any harm in showing him.
We walked together, back to my place as I led Qiao Ying to my lab. "That's the device. A distillation flask to separate pure Qi from the spirit herbs by dissolving it in water."
The man looked on in fascination before glancing at my notes. "You're using the heat to break down the Qi before the water boils?" He asked. "Fascinating. This chamber here only lets Qi vapors through, holding any water, and what remains will solidify because it has been mixed inseparably with water."
"Yeah… yeah that's what I'm doing," I replied, surprised at the speed with which he was catching on.
"I'm trying to scale this up to be able to produce a bunch more crystals at once, but currently, the prototype has issues with capacity and maintaining enough pressure," I said, walking over as I picked up my notes and showed it to the man.
"I thought about using Qi reinforced wood but the Qi in it will react with the spirit herb Qi, so that's a no go," I said.
Qiao Ying hummed, looking at my notes. He flipped through, reading what I had written, before glancing up at me.
"Why don't you use spirit iron?"
"Spirit iron?" I asked in confusion.
"Normally it's used in formation arts, but it is cured iron that is good at conducting heat and Qi. It will be perfect to make something at this scale. Then, instead of starting a fire from below you could carve heat formations onto the chamber, letting the heat distribute itself evenly," Qiao Ying said.
I frowned, looking at my notes as I thought over it. "How will you manage the waste?" I asked him. "It'll be a sealed chamber."
"Spirit herbs will make for good fuel, they could be burned as residue, and if an alchemist is there, refined to be low grade pills. Leaving very minimal waste."
I looked at the man in surprise, feeling stumped.
"Okay, then what about this?" I said, showing him the cement procedure.
"Hmm. This… I think I have seen the… the westerners use something. Perhaps we could find texts from their lands and search through them?" Qiao Ying said. "The Lord may have some, if you inquire. I could send the message for you, sire."
"Please do," I told him, and watched Qiao Ying set off to work.
I looked at the man, and found a smile creeping upon my face. I was going to enjoy having him around.
Book 2: Chapter 46: Ambush
For the first time in weeks, I had nothing left to do. Not for a lack of tasks, not at all. The development of more Drugnades, the setup for the production line of Qi crystals, the creation of cement for the wall, and the new cultivators all needed my input.
But that was all they needed. An input. All I had to do was look at things and add what I may want to change or adjust, and people would do so. And the more days that passed, the less I had to say.
Everything was going well, almost too well, and I felt a strange nervousness filling me. I no longer had the luxury of throwing myself at every task I could see in front of me, which only made me keenly aware of just how tensely wound up my nerves were. And how miserably I had been failing to cope with myself or my emotions.
I almost wished a problem would deliver itself to my doors to distract me from the problems I didn't have an answer for.
Sitting on my chair, I let out a sigh, as I looked at the notes Qiao Ying had sent me about the production line of Qi crystals. A budget was attached to the resources that would be needed which would need my approval before they'd begin construction. In just a month, we will be creating Qi crystals en masse to export out into the Seventh Peak, and eventually the whole empire and beyond.
I took up a brush, giving my approval of the budget after doing some mental calculations. I didn't need to, Qiao Ying had been meticulous and Yan Yun had double checked the numbers for me. Still, I did the numbers, before setting down the approval sign for the design.
Tying up the scroll, I sent the papers off with one of the birds Qiao Ying had brought with him. Getting up from my chair, I made my way out of my home to get some fresh air from the outside. A gentle breeze stirred through the village as I made my way around. Preparations for the wall had already begun. Wood and bricks were stacked in piles near the edge of the village premises, as the miners and workers discussed plans regarding how the wall would be built.
I had been surprised by how easily everyone had just accepted that a wall like that could be made, but people simply took it at face value. Maybe after breaking the chains of the heavens, making a single wall did not seem very impressive.
In another part, I could see Yan Yun seated with the few villagers who'd partly awakened their Chi. We'd presented it as a meditation exercise so far, but with the progress I sensed it wouldn't take long before even more of them began to create a foundation for themselves. I would need to come up with an explanation on just how that was happening.
Or perhaps I could simply wave it away as the work of the divine tree, I was definitely tempted to.
An explosion shook the ground with a light tremor as I turned. Zhang stood with a boy grabbed by his collar, the ground around him in flames.
"Everything alright?" I asked, and he gave me a nod.
"One of them misfired the exploding arrows. I took care of it," Zhang replied.
I nodded as well, watching Zhang lecture the boy on the need to be careful with the explosives. That was another thing that had happened. I'd finally begun training some villagers with the use of firearms. For now it was simply attaching drugnades onto spears and arrows infused with Chi to create some explosive weapons.
The idea had come from Qiao Ying after he'd studied the drugnades, and it was a surprisingly effective method. The weapon's natural Chi was enough to ignite it upon significant impact, and the explosion would be easily tolerated by the Chi infused wood, making it reusable. The only problem was ensuring proper reapplication of the explosives on spears which was proving difficult. That is why the primary application was still arrows.
It was a simple setup, but still effective enough. I could imagine a small militia of twenty archers with exploding arrows releasing a volley onto an oncoming horde of demons as they decimated through their ranks. The attacks would then be followed by the cultivators who could fight, taking out the tougher ones that survived the initial volley. If need be, Sheldon, Zhang and I could take out any of the real threats as well.
I made my way around the village. Everyone seemed to have a task by now, whether it was collecting herbs for the Qi crystals, training for winter, learning Alchemy with granny Lang or just one of the hundreds of other jobs that were needed around the village.
Everyone but me, that is.
Finding no relief from the nervous knot of tension in my stomach after the walk I returned to my chamber, lying on my bed. I closed my eyes, trying to meditate in the hopes that I would feel more calm, but the lacking core within my spirit only made the experience more jarring.
I still had no idea what was happening with that. I could use Chi and do everything I had done before, but my core was missing from inside me, as if it had somehow turned invisible to my senses. I'd spent quite some time trying to figure things out but no matter how I'd searched within my spirit, I had not been able to figure out what was happening.
With a sigh, I got up, giving up on the idea of meditating. The restlessness remained, and I only found myself growing more and more frustrated with each passing minute. I needed something to do, something to increase our odds against the enemies I had seen from Ash. But… What was there to do? If the Deathless were truly immortal, could I even defeat them? Could anyone?
My thoughts continued to churn within my mind, as I sat in my chamber, doing nothing but worry in silence. Then, almost as if my wish from before had been granted I felt a shadow move around me.
The sensation sent a shiver up my spine and I turned trying to see who was there when a hand grabbed at my neck, before pushing me on the floor.
Panic shot through me as I reached for my Chi, when I felt an art interrupting my pathways, dispelling the Chi from within me. I felt a cold blade pressing against my neck.
"What are you?" the voice asked.
I looked up from the corner of my eyes. It was a girl, not much younger than I was, wearing a black mask that covered her features. My heart pounded in my chest. An assassin? How had they slipped past all the spirit beasts and Sheldon? The questions burned in my mind, and I knew that I should've felt afraid but somehow, I felt oddly calm.
"Weird question. I'm just a normal guy," I replied.
"Do not take me for a fool. You've stripped this place of the very heavens. But you do not use Gu either. If you're not a demon, then what are you?"
I paused, something about the voice felt familiar but I could not tell from where. A moment passed and I felt the knife pressing harder against my neck, finally drawing a drop of blood.
"Like I said. Just a normal guy," I repeated my words.
The pressure from the woman grew, her Qi now pushing against me. For a second I wondered if this was it, if I would die here right now. The thought was terrifying, but at the same time I felt relieved. I'd already left enough pieces here, the changes I wished for would not stop even if I died.
"Who sent you?" I asked, when no reply came.
"I'm the one asking the questions," the woman said, her voice containing ice. "Do you control the Divine tree? Who gave it to you?"
"No one. I had it with me all along," I replied.
"Why did you bring the sect elder's granddaughter with you?"
My eyes widened in surprise as I finally figured out who this was. "I didn't," I replied. "She came of her own choice. There was no home left for her. All I did was give her a place to stay."
The woman paused, freezing. "Is… is she happy? Among mortals?"
I turned at last, feeling the grip loosen. "You should know the answer to that."
I looked at Zu Ri, who looked back at me with a conflicted expression. The blade she pressed upon my throat remained firm.
"I don't want to kill you."
"Then don't," I replied.
"I cannot disobey my master. A shadow only exists to serve, it is the Oath we swear," she replied, and I saw a shiver run down her.
It took me a moment to realize what she meant. An Oath. Like the one Yan Yun had sworn to keep my secret, but much more powerful. I felt anger take a hold of me, but I kept it in check.
"I'm sorry," Zu Ri whispered, as I felt her blade move.
I let the Chi I had been holding back burst forth as I pushed her away. She moved swiftly, two more blades coming out and ready to strike me. I deflected just one, noting a strange ghastly aura around it, before I stepped. The world wrapped around me as I kicked Zu Ri onto the ground, before pinning her down with the weight of my aura.
I felt the world around me become one with me for a moment, and I used its strength to keep her in place.
She struggled, her movements precise as they hit my joints and ankles. If I had not been drawing strength from the village itself, I would've died. When she realized she could not win, the dagger turned, changing directions as she tried to take her own life.
I knocked the blade out of her hands, but she clenched her jaw, ready to bite onto something.
"Stop," I commanded.
She froze, her body seizing movement entirely.
I took the chance to notice the little thread running from her. A tiny wisp, barely visible to my senses, but one that tied her life to another's.
Touching it with my hand, I remembered the sensation of breaking the chains, as I pulled it.
The thread burned like fire, and Zu Ri screamed. I pushed, and something snapped, as the thread collapsed. The change was immediate.
"W-what did you do?" Zu Ri asked, staring at me in disbelief.
"I broke the Oath. You're free now," I said, letting go of the Shadow.
She slowly rose from the ground, her eyes on me, but distant. "You…" she trailed off, as tears simply flowed down her cheeks.
Silently, Zu Ri looked down at her shivering hands.
The door burst open behind me, Zhang rushing in with his spear raised.
"I felt a threa-," he paused as I raised my hand. I could tell he wasn't pleased as he quickly caught on to what was happening, but Zhang did not move.
"Zu Ri?" I heard Yan Yun's voice come from outside as she walked in.
The shadow looked at the mistress she served, and whatever resolve she'd been trying to hold on to crumbled, as she broke down into tears.
Book 2: Chapter 47: A New Path
Yan Yun stared at Zu Ri, unable to believe her eyes. Just what was she doing here? And… why was she crying? Through her entire childhood, she had never seen Zu Ri cry. It was the knowledge she'd grown up with. Shadows did not cry, did not laugh, did not show emotion. She had tried, over and over, to break past that wall within Zu Ri, desperate to gain a friend, but she had never truly succeeded.
It took Yan Yun a moment to snap out of her thoughts, as she walked closer. Her eyes noted the blade lying on the ground, the garb Zu Ri wore was not meant for a house maid, she had been here to kill. But for now, that thought returned to the back of her head as she simply crouched in front of the girl, grasping her shoulders.
"I'm here Zu Ri," Yan Yun said. "What's wrong?"
The words only seem to further enhance the woman's sobs, as Zu Ri broke down further in her arms.
"Breathe. Remember your training, and calm yourself," Yan Yun said, gently brushing Zu Ri's hair. It took a minute, an eternity from her view for anything to have bothered Zu Ri to such a degree, but she did calm down eventually.
"I'm sorry… for the unsightly display," Zu Ri said at last, her eyes red as she sat upright, pulling herself away from Yan Yun's touch.
Yan Yun gave a nod. She did not know what to say to her, what to ask. Was she supposed to be angry? Happy? Sad? She could guess at what had transpired here, and her heart could not decide what it felt.
"I assume it was my grandfather's order," Yan Yun said.
Zu Ri gave a nod. "Master… your grandfather noticed the divine tree. I was tasked with assassinating Lu Jie to obtain it from him. He gave me a poison, a spirit poison that eroded away the spirit and dantian to do it. He is trying to get the Alchemy hall to destroy this place, but decided the risk of waiting was too much."
The expressions within the room darkened, and she heard Lu Jie curse quietly under his breath.
"What changed your mind?" Yan Yun asked. She knew it to be true. Had Zu Ri wanted, Lu Jie would've been dead. No one here had the ability to break through a Shadow's veil.
"I… I saw you and I just- I thought you had been deceived, brought here by trickery and lies. A ruse spun by an incomprehensible demon wearing human skin. But then I saw you and… you seemed happy," Zu Ri spoke, each word carefully picked, like she was holding something back.
"I came here of my own accord. No one tricked me, no one besides my own grandfather," Yan Yun said, her heart aching at the words, but she knew them to be true, no matter how much it pained her to say them.
She glanced at Lu Jie, noting the sliver of blood flowing from his neck. Zhang stood like a specter, his hand gripping his spear tightly. She was afraid that had Lu Jie not been here, Zu Ri would've already been a speared corpse under his wrath.
"Is there a cure for this poison?" Yan Yun asked.
"Elder Yan has it. No one else does. It is a poison he had specially created," Zu Ri replied, before the tears broke free again.
"I'm sorry, mistress. I don't deserve to be here, neither do I deserve this kindness. Everything I have done, while believing I had been helping you, has caused you immense pain. I know I'm not worthy of your forgiveness," Zu Ri said.
"I'm not your mistress anymore, Zu Ri," Yan Yun said, wiping a tear off her face. "You aren't a Shadow anymore either."
Zu Ri looked at her with a lost expression.
"I know that they name you when you become a Shadow. A new identity, one meant to serve. But that's not who you are. So, if you remember who you were before, then tell me."
"I…" Zu Ri trailed off for a moment, as if the words were distant, pained. "Hou Qiu," she said quietly. "That was the name my mother gave me."
Yan Yun nodded.
"Truthfully, I cannot say if I will ever be able to forgive the Shadow Zu Ri. You were the tool my grandfather had used to keep me bound, under his surveillance and control. No matter how much I know that it was not your own choice, it is hard to love the chains that tie you down," Yan Yun said.
Zu Ri nodded, feeling almost relieved, like she had hoped to hear this. Hoped to have been hated.
"I will atone. Anything you say, I will do. My life is yours to use," Zu Ri said.
"You're still talking as Zu Ri," Yan Yun said. "Perhaps Zu Ri could've atoned that way, but I do not wish to get anything from Zu Ri. No, today, right now, I'm talking to Hou Qiu."
The girl's eyes widened, as if she did not truly understand the words.
"Zu Ri could never be my friend. She was a Shadow, a servant. But what about Hou Qiu? Will she… be my friend?"
Yan Yun watched the girl's face twist. Like she had been stabbed. Yan Yun knew this kindness hurt her more than any punishment she could have given. Her forgiveness hurt her more than any torture. She was used to torture, used to pain. This, though. She was not used to this. And it ached the girl that had lived underneath the shadow all these years.
"I… I can try," Hou Qiu said.
Yan Yun gave her a smile. "Thank you. That's all I ask for."
A moment later, Yan Yun slowly extended her hand around the other girl, taking her in an embrace. She let her heart settle, and she pushed the emotion that had finally made its way forth at the end.
Her grandfather would have to answer her for what he had done.
***
A few hours passed after my supposed assassination attempt. I still had the poison to worry about, but for the moment I felt fine and had let Yan Yun sort things out with Zu Ri- or I suppose it was Hou Qiu now.
Now I sat in Granny Lang's shop half naked as she took a look at me. Her hand inspected my neck and wound, as she went about squinting at me.
"There's definitely something there," she said, her Qi flowing through me. "Can't tell what it's doing or how bad it is though. How do ya feel?"
"Same as before, no real difference," I said, shrugging. "Maybe I'm immune to poisons now because Gu is the deadliest one there is?"
The granny hummed. "It could be," she said, and I was surprised at her words. Was I really immune then?
"For now, just don't run around wildly, and if something changes, let me know," she said, smacking my back harder than she had to as I got up, putting my clothes back on. "You think I should be worried?"
"If you want to start now," Granny Lang said, taking a puff from her smoking pipe. "I would've begun with your first tribulation in your place."
I smiled at her words, despite her gruff nature she knew what to say to cheer me up.
"Thanks," I told the old woman as she shooed me away.
Walking out of her house, I noticed Yan Yun standing outside.
"How's Zu Ri- err Hou Qiu I mean," I asked.
"Sleeping. I put her to rest. Breaking the Oath took a toll on her. Zhang is standing guard outside the chamber to make sure she can't escape."
"That guy…" I trailed off, knowing full well that nothing I or anyone said would change his mind. He was likely blaming himself for letting Zu Ri slip through.
"Lu Jie… I have a favor to ask," Yan Yun said.
I looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"I want to go talk to my grandfather," Yan Yun said.
"Are you sure? I don't think he'll give you a warm welcome," I replied.
"I know, but I still need to talk to him at least once. To tell him how wrong he is, and give him a chance to change," Yan Yun said.
I frowned. "I don't like it, I don't think you should go. He could capture you and… as you are right now there's nothing you could do to resist."
"Then let me ask him to come somewhere both of us can meet. Because… if things go like this, we will be fighting a war with the sect. He has clearly made you an enemy and- despite everything, I don't want for that to happen," Yan Yun said.
I frowned, her words made sense but my gut still told me no. There was no talking to a man so twisted he would keep his own granddaughter on a leash and use her as a trophy.
"I'm not doing this blindly. I… I want to show him, show what you're building. And for that, I need your help. I need you to help me like you helped Zhang. Maybe once he can finally see with his eyes and know the truth, he will understand."
I looked at Yan Yun, her eyes and the plea they contained, before giving a reluctant nod.
"I'll help, but there is not much to teach. You simply need to pick a Path again," I said, looking at Yan Yun. "You should know this better than me."
Yan Yun glanced down, clenching her fists. "I do- I do but… I just don't know what I stand for anymore."
"That's where you're wrong," I said. "You don't know who you're going to be, but no answer is final. Our Paths change along with us, as we grow and walk further upon them," I said.
"But…"
"You're scared. And that's okay. It's okay to be scared. But Paths… they aren't permanent. Think honestly, to yourself, what you want to do. Why you would want power. And whatever comes to mind, truthfully follow it. That is enough."
Yan Yun looked down, before she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. I sensed the Chi stir around her, around this village, as something began to shift.
"My Path… the reason I cultivate… is to help my friends," Yan Yun said.
A breeze blew past us, and she opened her eyes, a sad smile on her face. "It didn't work."
"Oh, but it did work," I said, pointing up into the skies.
Yan Yun's eyes widened as she noticed the tree of unity hanging above in the skies, its brilliant luster illuminating the evening brightly.
A swirling gust blew around breaking a single leaf of light from the tree as it twirled through the air before touching Yan Yun's chest and mingling with her spirit.
A gentle light began to glow from her, as sparks crackled around her.
Yan Yun looked down at herself, before she regarded the tree and bowed deeply. The light faded soon, and I regarded Yan Yun, feeling the girl I'd first met in the sect now standing before me once again. With a kinder, more gentle aura, but not any less intense.
"Welcome back," I said.
Yan Yun laughed as she hugged me, tears in her eyes. "It's good to be back."
Book 2: Chapter 48: Lost
Yan Lei felt lost. He stood amidst a prairie, with a dirt path tracked with lines of cart wheels leading him on his way. He no longer even knew what the point of his journey was. His brother had asked him to inform Yan Yun of the Elder's plans. The task was foolish, what could their cousin sister do? She'd intentionally left the sect and had no power or anything to her name, having lost her cultivation just like him, she was in no position to make any changes.
But if he didn't follow his brother's words… he was not certain what Li would do. He'd been growing more and more furious with each passing day. His sole attention and focus on training to become stronger, and on getting revenge. Lei did not intend to find out, and so he'd left.
But he'd never truly been out alone. His brother had been with him, and servants and guides. Now that he was all by himself, he had been vulnerable, and others had taken advantage.
He looked down at himself, his clothes were torn, his body bruised. He'd been robbed by bandits that prowled these pathways. They'd beaten him up, taking whatever valuables he had. With no Qi or cultivation, he had no ability to resist. And after his fury and shame had settled down, he'd just felt a faint sense of relief that they'd at least left him his clothes.
Lei had spent hours on that thought. He could barely recognize himself anymore. With torn clothing, dirt marring his body and the shameful mark of the injuries present on him. Even though his cultivation had been restored to the first realm, he was the very image of a weak mortal.
He'd considered returning, but the Path back was just as dreadful as the way ahead. What would he even say to his brother anyway? That he got beat up on the way? That he could not even protect himself from some weak bandits anymore? His sect's guards may not even let him through, confusing him for some beggar child.
And so he had walked, with his feet aching, the skin scraped raw from the dirt. Until finally, he had reached the place.
The village was… small. A quiet place with homes scattered around farm lands. A river ran through the village, with lush forests surrounding it on all sides. It was by every meaning of the word, unremarkable.
Lei had stared at the place, wondering if his cousin sister had truly been spending her time here. That she'd chosen this small village over her sect. Even now, he could not truly understand that. Unlike him, she could still regain her cultivation. She hadn't been crippled, all she needed to do was return, and yet she'd willingly chosen to not do so. To leave and live here instead, among mortals.
As Lei moved further, he began to notice the people. Villagers, mortals all, who walked throughout the place. Everyone seemed to be engaged in some task or another, from carrying baskets of herbs, to buckets of water, stones, to crafters working on some structures, and farmers tending to the fields. There was life in this village, far more so than he'd expected from a village that had lost the protection from its sect, this close to winter. He'd thought the place would be half abandoned by now.
Confused, he continued to walk further into the village, when something stumbled into his legs.
Lei looked down in confusion. A small rabbit with a horn on its forehead looked up at him, blinking its jewel like eyes. A spirit beast, and not a young one either. What was it doing in a village like this?
He tried to grab the rabbit but it jumped back rapidly, hopping away. Lei's gaze followed it, as he noted other spirit beasts similarly walking around the village. The villagers moved around them as if the existence of the beasts was the most normal thing ever. He noted many beasts helping the villagers with tasks as well, clearly wild beasts at that.
"Oh Heavens, what happened to you, boy?" a woman exclaimed, a basket of herbs at her side as she rushed to him. Lei looked on in confusion, pulling his hand back when she tried to grasp it as he simply stared at her.
"Oh dear, don't look that afraid. I'm not going to hurt you," she said.
Lei normally would've felt angry by now, at the way she talked, like he was some weak child that had to be protected, yet, for some reason, he felt no anger within him at her words. She seemed genuine.
Slowly, he relaxed his shoulders, trying to return some semblance of dignity to himself. "I have a message. For Yan Yun."
The woman looked at him, before her eyes widened. "You're here for Yan Yun."
Lei felt his anger rise when the woman looked at him uncertainly. He was well aware of how he looked, but the woman's gaze still roused fury within him nonetheless.
"Mei Mei! Could you call Yan Yun? A boy's here for her," the woman shouted, and a young girl called back.
"Now, come with me for now. I don't know what happened, but you need to get your injuries dressed or they'll get infected," the woman said.
Lei almost sneered that he was above any measly infection, before he remembered that he was not. Not anymore.
Feeling like a kicked puppy, Lei deflated as he followed quietly behind the woman into her home.
"Take a seat, I'll get something for those wounds," she said, before walking inside.
He sat on the bed. It was a simple home, nothing spectacular. Even the servants in the sect lived in bigger places. Yet, there was a serenity to it that he couldn't describe.
Lei's eyes wandered around the chamber, as he wondered what was about to happen. His heart would at times pound at the thought of this being an ambush. Perhaps she'd simply ran off to inform the boy that he was here, so that demon would finish what he'd left half done the last time.
Shivers ran down his spine at the visage of Lu Jie playing in his mind, but Lei breathed out to calm himself down. If he were to be ambushed, he would not be able to resist no matter what. Better to remain calm than to give into the panic.
Churning in his thoughts with his own unsettled heart, Lei almost jumped when the woman returned, this time holding a small bowl with some kind of paste in it.
"Yin'er has been teaching me some alchemy and healing things. I don't know much, but this salve is wonderful. I once cut my finger with a blade and with this, it was healed within minutes," the woman exclaimed, showing off the salve to Lei.
He noted it was simply very simple crushed herbs prepared to heal wounds, he'd seen it often enough, but the fact that a mortal could make these still baffled him. How would they get the Qi needed for it?
The woman gently applied the salve onto Lei's wounds and he felt the tingling sensation flow over his body. Despite himself, Lei found himself sighing out in relief. He was not unfamiliar with pain, but the constant agony had been eating at his mind. The relief from the salve had been like cool water running over his body, as Lei found himself immediately feeling better.
"You wanna lie down while Yan Yun comes? She's been meditating or something with some of the kids. Not really sure what, but it may take her some time," the woman offered.
Lei wanted to protest, but his body had other thoughts. He'd not slept for a few days now, and he could really use some rest.
With a small nod, Lei laid his head down onto the bed, breathing evenly to make sure he did not fall asleep.
The woman left a few moments after she'd put all the salve onto his wounds and Lei felt himself sinking into the tingling sensation of the spirit herbs healing his body. His mind settled into darkness, the most quiet and still darkness he'd been in for over a month. No nightmare plagued him, no dreams of humiliation, torture.
Then, with a jerk he rose, rising from his bed as he realized he'd been asleep. With his heart pounding in his chest, he looked around to try and see where he was. Everything was dark around him.
It took him a moment to realize it was nighttime now. A small sheet rested upon him, and his injuries were now bandaged with a clean cloth. Lei slowly raised the sheet, as he sat up on the bed.
Just… What was he doing here? What purpose did he even have in coming? His chest felt like it would cave in on itself, and Lei rose to his feet, restless to go somewhere, as if to escape this place.
Then, a shadow stirred, as a figure walked around the corner, into the chamber, and Lei felt his heart stop still. A face he'd dreamt over and over in his nightmares looked back at him, and gave him a warm smile.
"Oh hey, you're finally awake," Lu Jie said.
Book 2: Chapter 49: Forgiveness
I watched Lei freeze under my gaze, like a deer stuck in headlights. Seeing him with his injuries and torn clothes made me feel how stark the contrast had been from the arrogant bully the boy had been during my time in the sect.
I wasn't sure what to say. Conflicting emotions swirled within me, and somehow, I could see the same happening within the boy. I'm sure he must've seen a lot of things change, after our battle. To him, to all of the cultivators, strength was the utmost value and virtue. Especially to someone as self-important and arrogant as the twins. To have lost that was clearly a blow.
"So, what brings you here?" I asked. Lei clearly didn't seem willing to talk on his own.
My words seemed to snap the boy out of whatever thought he had been stuck in, as his eyes drifted down for a moment, before moving back up to me again.
"I have a message. For Yan Yun."
"Or so I've been told," I said, keeping my eyes on Lei. It took me a moment to realize something. It wasn't that I didn't trust Lei, I didn't, but I wasn't worried either. It was Elder Yan who I didn't trust. This could be just one more of the many tricks he seemed to be playing.
"It's not a lie," Lei said, misunderstanding my stare to be an attempt at intimidation. I didn't correct him.
"I'm sure it isn't," I said. "But it could also be just a half truth."
Lei looked at me, as if unsure about what I meant. That was not what I'd expected, guilty perhaps, or just a lack of expression. But confusion seemed like a strange response.
"Who sent you here? And why you?" I asked, deciding to take a direct approach. I wasn't an interrogation master, this method suited me just fine.
The boy diverted his gaze for a moment, a reaction that would've made sense for my previous question but only further made me curious that it came on this one.
"Li," he said at last.
I stared at Lei. His brother had sent him? Why? I wanted to ask just what this message might be, but I decided my attempts would be more fruitful with the person in question around.
I sent a pulse of Chi, and Yan Yun walked into the chamber a moment later. Lei stared at her, first in confusion, then in shock. His gaze turns back towards me, almost accusing me of something, but they died the moment his eyes met mine.
There was a monster that looked at him from within me. I was well aware of what I'd done and what kind of impression I'd left. But right now, I only felt a bitter taste to know that, at that moment, I'd been no better than any other cultivator I so easily mocked, no matter how righteous or deserved my actions may have been.
"Why? What is there possibly left to say?" Yan Yun asked in my stead.
Lei looked down for a moment, before he glanced back up at Yan Yun. "Grandfather has called the Alchemy halls. They will be here any day, and then this entire village will be reduced to nothing."
Yan Yun stared in horror. I lacked the understanding needed to know just how bad the news was, but I had an idea. The Alchemy halls worked under the Emperor himself. If they came, there would not be a good way to resist their authority outside of outright rebellion. I couldn't risk that.
I saw Yan Yun looked at me in worry, but her focus returned to Lei. "What does Li of all people gain from telling us that?"
"He wants revenge. To restore his lost honor. He can't have that if the halls imprison or kill Lu Jie. He thinks you'll run back to Grandfather to save everyone, and make him change his mind," Lei replied.
Yan Yun pursed her lips, for a moment almost considering the thought.
"Well, I appreciate the message, regardless of what the intention behind it was," I said to Lei, patting Yan Yun's shoulder. "And you're not going to your grandfather."
"But—"
I shook my head before Yan Yun could protest further. "We're all going. Not just you," I said.
Yan Yun looked at me in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"You know how conflict was sorted within the sect right? Say if someone had a grudge, revenge, or anything of that sort?" I asked Yan Yun.
"They would either talk it out, or request a duel…" Yan Yun froze as she caught on to my train of thought. "Are you serious?"
I nodded. "We'll duel him. Them, even. Whoever they bring out. It doesn't matter. They cannot refuse the request, not if I make the Lord preside over it. The judgment and trial will happen under his watch."
"I don't mean to doubt you, Lu Jie, but… your strength is unpredictable," Yan Yun said.
"Yeah, I know," I said, a bitter smile. "But I guess better late than never. Might as well train a little, see how things work out. No?"
Yan Yun didn't say anything further, so I turned to Lei.
"You can rest here, you will not be harmed in this place, you have my promise on that. But when you return, take a letter with you. Cao Chen will take you to the sect."
Lei looked at me in silence, and I turned, ready to leave.
"Wait!" Lei said.
I regarded the boy in confusion, wondering if he had finally come up with some snide remark to throw in at my plans.
Lei looked at me, hesitating for a moment. A second later, he slowly dipped his head.
"I…I want to apologize. For what my brother and I did. To you and your spirit."
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. For a moment I just looked at Lei, unsure of how to take the news. Despite everything I had never actually expected an apology. His change in attitude had been striking enough, this though? I wasn't sure what to make of this. I almost didn't want it. The thought that he could change would mean that perhaps Elder Yan could change too, and it made me gain the desire to try and change him.
I had fights to win, and people to protect. Becoming burdened with the idea that, perhaps these horrible people I hated on the best of days were people too and could change, made that harder.
The hypocrisy of my thoughts was apparent to me. But that's how it was for now. I could live with it.
"I forgive you," I said. I felt surprised that I meant it, too. But after what I had done, I did not feel the need to have any lingering anger or resentment towards either of the twins. Especially if they no longer tried to hurt my loved ones.
Lei looked up at me, his eyes were shocked. He certainly hadn't been expecting that.
I didn't linger any further in the chamber, simply letting the boy stew in his thoughts as I made my way out with Yan Yun.
I had a letter to write, and battle plans to make.