《Hammer Immortal [A MINER'S XIANXIA]》 Chapter 1: The Treasure THUD! Jin Sou lifted a heavy mining hammer and smashed it against the boulder at his feet. The force made sparks fly off but the large rock remained unscathed, seemingly able to bear such blows forever without change. Jin Sous gaze remained determined as he adjusted his grip and lifted the hammer again. He couldnt quite explain it, but there was something there. The cultivation mantra appeared unbidden in his mind as the qi in his meridians roiled. THUD! He wasnt alone. The mining crew comprised twenty boys. Though none of them looked older than fifteen, the heavy hammers in their hands moved without pause, tirelessly attacking and breaking apart the large boulders excavated from the face of the mine. In the cramped space of the shaft, the strikes of their hammers rumbled like cracks of thunder. And with twenty of them working at the same time, the noise boomed and echoed, making one think of a raging storm or a drum ritual in a barbarian tribe. THUD! Jin groaned as the force of recoil almost yanked the hammer out of his hands. A tremor shot through his body, but even as his muscles spasmed, the qi in his meridians only grew more vigorous and spirited. It bucked at his attempts to rein it in. Instead, it circulated at ever faster pace, rushing joyfully like an animal let out of the stables and discovering spring meadows after a long winter. Jin could almost hear it begging him not to stop, to continue mining. He grinned and took a deep breath. The air in the shaft was hot and harsh with stone dust. The muscles in his arms rippled as the hammer rose again. THUD! The miners worked in near total darkness. There were luminous crystals attached to the walls of the mine, but their pale blue glow did little more than illuminate the silhouettes of the workers. The only other source of light came from dozens of small pebbles that glimmered softly on the ground. Spiritual crystals. Just the number scattered on the floor of the shaft represented a fortune that would allow one to purchase a small mortal town - with all its citizens included. Yet even as they labored to wrest these crystals from the rocks that held them, the miners didnt pay much attention to the wealth surrounding them from all sides. Collecting the crystals was a task of another crew, after all. They were here to crush rocks. Change shift! Gather at the gate for pick up! A sharp whistle blasted, cutting through the clamor. In just a few seconds, the booming noise of hammers that shook the whole shaft quieted. Amid a chorus of tired sighs, the miners dropped their tools on the ground and began moving towards the platform that would take them back to their quarters. THUD! In the now quiet shaft, the crack of a lone hammer still continuing its work echoed like a bell. Change shift! The whistle blared again. THUD! Some of the boys glanced curiously at Jin, but no one said anything as they hurried to the gathering spot. Jin didnt hear the whistle or the call to gather. His whole attention was focused on the obstinate piece of rock. The muscles in his arms and back began to protest, but once let loose, the qi didnt allow itself to be tamed again. It forced his body to move, completely uninterested in the fact it was pushing it beyond its limits. Jin could only continue. Less than a second passed between the hammer striking the rock and it rising into the air again, primed for another blow. And yet, despite the relentless barrage, the boulder appeared completely impervious to harm. Not a crack appeared on its dark surface. It seemed perfectly willing to bear such blows endlessly, with a calm stolidity of a mountain. To the miners watching from the side, Jin seemed the same. Even as he sped up, his movements remained fluid and flawless. Exhaustion was clearly visible on his face, but it only highlighted the dogged stubbornness apparent in his eyes. Just like the boulder, he seemed determined to go on forever. To deliver a blow after blow, a hundred more, a thousand more, as many as it took. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. THUD! The warden spat out the whistle with a grim look on his face. His back was drenched in sweat. It mixed with stone dust and dripped in muddy rivulets. Everyone had to contribute to the sect and even wardens werent spared from labor. But they did enjoy a certain responsibility. Instilling discipline. Lil Lu looks pissed. Hes been itching to try out his new toy for days now. Jin is done for. The boys whispered among themselves as they hurried towards the platform, mindful to step a few feet around their warden as they did so. In truth, little, was among the last adjectives one would think of to describe the warden. For one, he was a good head taller than any other miners. Coupled with his broad shoulders and sturdy physique, he looked more like a bull. The moniker came from years back when Lil Lu and boss Lu first came to the mines. They were just twelve years old, having just barely reached the first layer of the Trigram Awakening stage. But even then, Lil Lu followed behind his big brother and obeyed him in everything with a manner of mindless loyalty and servility that brought credit to the term lackey. Even as other miners began teasingly calling him Lil Lu, he didnt take it as an offense, but a sign of respect. And now, years later, as his big brother became the boss, the term lost all superficial meaning except for its most basic terms. There was Boss Lu and under him was one man. Lil Lu. They had an arrangement that served them well. When Boss Lu spoke softly, Lil Lu roared. And when Boss Lu raised his hand, Lil Lu was already there, bringing down the fist. Lil Lu put away the whistle and reached for the wand. Boss Lu gifted it to him, after tasking some blacksmiths from the mortal district to prepare it. It had the length of one meter and was a bizarre spindle of metal cords tightened at the handle and coming undone at the top. Leather whips were sadly too inefficient given the constitution of the miners. But this would do. Lil Lus face was still creased in indignation, but there was no stopping the small grin that began to bloom on his lips. Let grandpa Lu bring you home. THUD! The hammer came down with a crash. The impact unleashed a flurry of colorful sparks as if what it just struck was red hot metal and not a piece of rock. Before a second passed, it was in the air again. Jin gasped for air. His lungs felt on fire and every single muscle in his body screamed in agony, but even as he was teetering on the brink of exhaustion, he couldnt stop. The words of the cultivation mantra boomed in his mind, blocking all other sounds. His eyes were glazed over. The miners thought they recognised tenacity in them, but in reality Jin was barely aware of his surroundings at this point. The miners were never taught the meaning of the mantra they cultivated. All they could do was mindlessly repeat the sounds, while trying to guide the qi along the pathways described in the manual. But at this moment, miraculously, though he couldnt explain it, Jin felt as if the words he had mindlessly repeated for so many years seemed almost intelligible. And they were saying one thing. Strike. THUD! The hammer fell and the rock broke. For a moment it seemed that nothing would happen. And then, golden light began to pour out of the crack. It flooded the entire shaft, blinding everyone present. Jin Sou fell to the ground as if hed been struck. Lil Lu who was right beside him, and was about to administer some discipline, fared better. He managed to stay on his feet, but the metallic whip he held in his hand dropped helplessly to the ground. His mouth was gaping open. The light enveloped them and continued along the shaft in a torrent. It quickly reached the miners gathered at the platform and surged upwards. Before a breath of time had passed, all of the tunnels of the mine, even those long abandoned shafts shrouded in darkness, lit up in a golden splendor that erased shadows wherever it met them. Jin struggled to lift himself off the ground. The trance had left him completely exhausted. There was a ringing noise in his ears and his overworked muscles refused to move. Even worse, the qi in his meridians didnt completely calm down. It continued to bubble dangerously, as if threatening to explode with similar intensity at any moment. However, a compulsion greater than anything else had taken him. He needed to see. With a groan, he finally rose to his feet. The heavy mining hammer had to serve him as a cane, just to keep him from falling over. The initial pulse of light had receded, but there was still a warm glow surrounding the broken rock. It painted the walls of the shaft in a pleasant, calming light. When he hobbled a bit closer, he saw two crystals, each one barely larger than a single grain rice. They were nested inside the core like a pair of tiny eggs. The warm light didnt seem as much to emanate from them as to embrace them like a warm blanket. Jin squinted as his eyes began to water. Perhaps it was the consequence of the trance he had fallen into, but the light surrounding the crystals behaved in an odd manner. It seemed to slightly turn and twist, like hot air over a furnace. When he leaned a bit closer, he noticed that the crystals werent completely white as he previously believed. Each one bore an inscription of some kind. It was too minuscule to decipher, but it seemed to be written with the same kind of runic signs that formed the sects sigil. The sight was nothing short of miraculous, Jin couldve spent the rest of his life just admiring it in mute wonder. THUD! An unexpected noise broke him free from his stupor. He turned to look, but all he could see were billowing clouds of dust. They formed just beneath one of the vertical ventilation shafts that supplied the miners with fresh air. It seemed that something had dropped from it. The light still filling the shaft lit up the dust giving it an appearance of a golden shroud. It obstructed vision, but Jin could just barely distinguish a dark shadow hidden within it. A sudden sense of unease began to sprout in his mind. As the dust cleared, it started to reveal a human figure. It was a woman of around thirty years old, with flowing black hair and a stern face. She was draped in a white robe inlaid with golden thread that made out the insignia of the sect. Miraculously, both her face and clothes were completely devoid of dust, as if it didnt dare to offend her person. Jin gulped. An Immortal has appeared. Chapter 2: Storm We greet the Immortal! Everyone dropped to their knees and exclaimed in unison. Even the wondrous sight of the unearthed treasure didnt slow down the reaction of the miners. Their instincts were meticulously ingrained since the day they were taken by the sect. As soon as they recognised the appearance of a revered one, their conditioning triggered without fail. Mortals couldnt work in the mines. The work required was simply too demanding for their constitutions. The other issue stemmed from the spiritual crystals. Their sheer concentration affected the environment of the mine, filling it with chaotic energies that endlessly corrupted all living beings. Back in the times when mortals were still used, just the volume of bodies that had to be regularly brought out topside matched that of waste rock generated from clearing shafts. Using cultivators came with its own set of difficulties. The temptation that the spiritual crystals presented was simply too great. The only way to make sure they wouldnt secretly drain the spiritual energy from the crystals they were mining was to cripple their cultivation. But even if they retained their ability to bear the ambient energies, the process left them weaker than mortals. To solve these issues, the sect began nurturing mine slaves. A cultivator needs to reach the fourth layer of Trigram Awakening Stage and awaken his sigil before gaining enough control over his qi to absorb the energy from the crystals. Its only then that one can be truly considered an Immortal. And the cultivation mantra that the sect taught to the miners was a severed dao. One could cultivate it to the fourth layer, but no matter how hard they tried, no sigil would ever awaken. The path was broken. They were strong enough to work and weak enough to never pose a threat. Just as they took their first steps on the path of Immortality, the road ahead was already closed. Within the lands under the sects control, the search for mortals with the ability to cultivate never stopped. They took everyone. The children were then sorted according to their talents; those who showed promise were promptly sworn into the sect, while the rest were quickly taught the severed mantra and sent off to the mines where they would toil for the rest of their lives. Short lives, usually, since even if they acquired some basic resistance against the corrupting energies, it wasnt enough to protect them fully. Few managed to live longer than twenty odd years. Not everyone was able to accept that fate. Many of them were proud sons of mortal clans, with memories of great banquets celebrating their admission into the ranks of Immortals still fresh in their minds. The blow that the commoners received wasnt any smaller. The reversal of fortunes they had to suffer left them in despair. But disobedience was quickly rooted out. Although the miners were too precious to kill, Immortals had means of their own. After experiencing a few demonstrations, there wasnt anyone more determined to keep everyone in check than the miners themselves. We greet the Immortal! The words hung in the air as the woman slowly walked towards the unearthed treasure. She didnt address the slaves nor did they expect it. They kowtowed before her in absolute silence. Only the soft tapper of her feet was heard. As she came closer, the warm glow coming from the treasure seemed to welcome her. It painted her whole figure in golden light. If anyone were to see her now, there wouldnt be a doubt in their minds she was a fairy who stepped down from the heavens. Time seemed to stop. Seconds passed endlessly, turning into minutes. Jin Sou tried to occupy his mind by counting his breaths, but he couldnt concentrate. The Immortal stopped right next to his face and he could just about see the soles of her sandals. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. It was the first time in his life he was so close to a revered one. Finally, urged by a sudden sense of curiosity, Jin lifted his eyes just a little bit and couldnt help sucking in a breath. The hems of her white robe were slowly gathering dust. He tried to avert his gaze, but his eyes wouldnt follow his pleadings. They rose even higher and discovered something that made his blood run cold. The magical aura that surrounded the Immortal was gone. It no longer protected her person, allowing the dust to dirty her face, leaving only the white of her eyes. Her thin lips were moist and slightly opened. In Jin Sous eyes, there was nothing supernatural about her. In fact she looked mortal. What was even worse, he recognised the emotion reflected in her widened eyes. It was greed. His heart began to pound and he quickly retracted his gaze before the Immortal noticed, but there was no stopping the thoughts that sprang out in his mind. The first one was that the revered one would kill him for witnessing her in such a state. The sect might discourage executing miners, but this was a special case. Anything that impugned the dignity of an Immortal was strictly taboo. The second thought was even more terrifying. Two treasures! A shocking realization shot through his mind. The sect took great effort to make the miners revere the Immortals as living gods. Even talking about them was prohibited and no one dared to mention the topic. But human nature could never be rooted out completely. Even if the miners didnt see, they heard. What they didnt hear, they saw. And what they couldnt know, they knew . There was a hierarchy among the Immortals. The ones the miners sometimes came into contact with actually belonged to the lowest rung. And the slaves knew one more thing. Even the venerable Immortals couldnt help themselves from keeping some of the crystals from the sect. Except for me and Lil Lu, no one else knows that all that light came not from a single treasure, but two! Jin tried to banish the thought, but once it was formed, he was unable to fight against it. It clawed at his mind like a rabid animal. In desperation, he looked to Lil Lu, but found no help there. The big man was kowtowing with all his might, hoping to meld his forehead with the ground. Time that seemed frozen now sped up. Jin hazarded another quick glance at the Immortal. Her expression remained unchanged, but there was a contemplative glint in her eyes. He didnt dare to gamble on her final decision. If she kills us now, no one will know the truth! But if I cross her, there wont be a future for me either His mind whirred and words flew out of his mouth before his brain had time to catch up. A crystal of incredible power! he bellowed at the top of his voice, This lowly one begs mistress to accept it! The voice echoed along the shaft, easily reaching the miners waiting at the gate for the upper levels. The woman flinched, and turned to look at Jin Sou. There was a genuine surprise painted on her face, as if hearing a miner speak was so outlandish, the notion simply escaped her imagination. A vicious glint came into her eyes, before quickly disappearing, like a trick of light. Soon, her face assumed an indifferent expression of a human sculpture. She regarded him for a moment, before saying a single word. Insolent. Before Jin was able to answer, his body was violently shoved to the ground. The Immortal didnt even need to touch him. A mere wave of her upturned hand unleashed a terrifying pressure that was impossible to resist. Lil Lu, who never stopped kowtowing, wasnt spared either. His face smacked into the ground with an audible crack. This crystal, your life and everything in this mine belongs to the Nine Peaks Harmony Sect. How dare you offer it like its yours? I have sinned! Please punish me! Very well. Before Jin Sou could prepare himself, he was engulfed in a torrent of qi. The ability to externalize ones qi and use it in mystical arts was only possible once one awakened their first sigil. This, however, wasnt some secret art. It was a simple release of pure power. As cultivators awakened their sigils, the qi they possessed changed its qualities, conforming to the dao of their owners. The womans aspect was water. Jin Sou felt like he was being drowned. A raging storm erupted all around him, with waves as great as mountains crashing against his body. He had never seen an ocean, but it was as if the Immortals qi had reached deep into his mind and unlocked some primal fear he didnt even know existed. A collective trauma born by generations that suffered at the mindless cruelty of this endless entity. And now, he had to bear its wrath alone. Countless waves smashed into him, tossing his helpless body between each other. He could barely gasp for breath before another blow would force all the air out of his lungs. His own qi stirred and began circulating to protect its owner, but it was like trying to stop an avalanche by blowing on it. There was no escape. Whirlpools and currents pulled and tore at his limbs, twisting them like seaweeds. They dragged him ever deeper, till a cold darkness surrounded him from all sides. A great pressure started to form around him, threatening to squeeze what was left of him to a pulp. And then, it ended. Jin opened his eyes with a gasp. He fell on his knees and heaved, hopelessly trying to expel water that wasnt there. Only blood from his nose dripped on the ground in scarlet droplets. He wrapped his shaking arms around his chest and rubbed vigorously to excise the coldness that invaded him. His whole body was covered in goose skin. A pervading sensation of wetness wouldnt leave him, but it was no illusion, he was completely drenched in sweat. The shaft was once again shrouded in near total darkness, with only the pale blue glow of the luminous crystals offering some comfort. The Immortal was nowhere to be seen and neither were the two treasures. Im alive, Jin whispered, not quite daring to believe it. He staggered to his feet and looked around, before noticing a body lying next to him on the ground. The face was frozen in a horrified mask that made it barely recognisable. Rivulets of blood seeped from eyes and ears, but the chest itself wasnt moving. Lil Lu didnt survive the storm. He was dead. Chapter 3: The Sniffers The miners gathered in a semicircle around their wardens body. No one was able to say anything. For most of them, Lil Lu was a one constant feature of their lives. He was there when they were first sent to the mines, and it was his heavy fist that beat out of them any thoughts of disobedience when the reality of their situation truly dawned on them. Even so, they grew to rely on him. The man might have been cruel, but he also provided a sense of stability and predictability. There was no way to reconcile the face they knew so well with the terrifying mask staring at them from the ground. Terror had contorted Lil Lus thick features into a barely human caricature. Blood seeping from his eyes flowed in rivulets through the ravines of his outstretched face. His lips were parted open, revealing two rows of yellowish teeth clenched with such force they cracked. The worst were his eyes. They were wide open, bulging and disturbingly alert. As if forever unable to tear away from the horror that took his life. Death was far from a foreign concept to the miners, but it usually came in the form of an accident. Few batted an eye seeing a cart full of bodies after a shaft collapse. But an outright execution was rare. It brought back memories of the camps where they were first taught the severed mantra. The most shook up out of everyone was Jin Sou. When he looked at Lil Lus body, he could only think of how close he had gotten to sharing the same fate. Of perishing at the bottom of that dreadful ocean conjured up by the Immortal. Cruel and selfish as it was, his own horror was inextricably mixed with a feeling of exhilaration. Im alive! Im alive! Im alive! The words continued to ring out in his mind. He clung to them with all his strength, cherishing them like gems. There was not a doubt in his mind that if he didnt take the risk, he wouldve ended up in the same state as Lil Lu. Even the Immortal herself had proclaimed that there was only a single crystal. THUD! The solemn atmosphere was interrupted when another Immortal came down from the ventilation shaft. Without the soft, golden light of the unearthed treasure to counteract it, the billows of dust that rose into the air shrouded the shaft in darkness. Everyone immediately dropped to their knees. The last time a revered one had come, one of them ended up dead. And it was the warden himself! We greet the Immortal! The man didnt answer. He went deeper into the shaft, where everyone surrounded Lil Lus remains. The miners laid prostrate in a semicircle around the dead body, giving an impression of cultists engaged in some profane ritual. He glanced over the corpse, before settling his gaze on the now empty rock. THUD! THUD! Before he could question the miners, two other Immortals dropped down from the upper levels. The miners didnt move, but the blood in their veins ran cold. All they could do was try to look as small as possible and pray that the revered ones would leave them alone. Brother Hao, congratulations are in order, one of the new arrivals said in an ingratiating tone. Looks like your boys discovered a real treasure, Im sure Elder Xi will reward you greatly for your contribution to the Sect. The phenomena were felt throughout the entire mine. It should have been a connate treasure of the earth rank at the very least, the other man added, nodding sagely. But I cannot sense it anymore, he frowned. Have you already sealed it? You should allow us to check if the seals were made properly, Elder Xi would have our heads if such treasure were to be spoiled due to carelessness. And what of that dead miner? Was he the one who discovered the treasure? Did he happen to displease you? The one they addressed as Hao frowned. Youre too late. This shaft was supervised by sister Xiao. By the time I arrived, she was already gone. He looked at Lil Lus body and added, The dead miner is her doing as well. You should be able to tell by the remnant traces. Shes the only one of us with a water aspect qi. Only now did the two Immortals give Lil Lu more than a passing glance. In a second their faces marred. She would be halfway towards the Elder by now. Unless she decided to take a detour on the way there. The three men looked at each other. In the next second only the backs of their white robes were visible as they ascended the ventilation shaft, scaling several feet with each jump. Silence returned to the mining shaft, but no one dared to move. Several minutes had to pass before the miners began to hesitatingly rise from the ground. As for the conversation between the Immortals, they immediately purged it from their minds. Whatever was said they didnt hear it, whoever was there, they didnt see him. The elevator to the upper levels was operated with a talisman on Lil Lus body. After some thought they decided to bring his body topside with them. After all, while Lil Lu was dead, Boss Lu was still there and he would want to see his brothers remains. Everyone huddled together on the platform and soon enough, the gate closed and the elevator began its slow ascent. The elevator clicked and clacked as it made its way between different floors. While the mechanism that allowed it to move was magical at its core, the mechanical parts were made by mortal hands. Rusty chains pulling the platform whined under the weight they were forced to bear. Every so often the whole elevator would sway unsteadily as it brushed against the uneven walls of the shaft. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Lil Lus body was too heavy to keep it upright, so the miners let the man rest on the floor. His head lolled from side to side every time the platform quaked. Try as they could, the miners couldnt peel their eyes away from the sight. It looked like the work of some crude puppeteer, making Lil Lu continuously shake his head in denial, as if he was still pleading, No! No! The younger boys sniffed and secretly rubbed their eyes. Others whispered between each other in hushed voices. Quite a few looked towards Jin, but despite curiosity burning in their eyes, not a single one dared to ask him a question. Actually, much like they hugged the walls of the elevator, trying to avoid touching the dead body, there was a small bubble forming around Jin as well. It wasnt conscious, but more like an animal instinct. Humans always avoided death. And unbeknownst to them, this very instinct made them avoid Jin as well. Finally, the elevator stopped and the gate opened. A large hall opened up in front of them. The walls were formed of uneven rock growing in bulbous shapes. Stalactites of varying sizes hang from the ceiling like hairs on a giant. It was clear that this cavern wasnt carved out by human hands but formed naturally. A row of gates that led to different parts of the mine stood to the side, but the miners target, the elevator that would take them to the outside, was on the other end of the long cavern. A gust of wind blew over. It was different from the hot and dry air they had to breathe in the lower levels. There was moisture in it and hints of something musty and stale, like rotting leaves in autumn. The open space should have come as a relief after the claustrophobic confinement of the mining shaft, but the miners seemed to tense up instead. They stopped whispering and stared at the long hall ahead in silence. Normally it was Lil Lu who gave them a push at this point, but this time they could only count on themselves. Jin Sou stepped forward. As if a spell was broken, the other miners stirred and moved as well. They walked in an uneven column, with those at the front following some distance behind Jin, while those at the back carried Lil Lus heavy body. The impetus behind Jins action was twofold. Firstly, he didnt want to spend any more time with Lil Lus corpse. Secondly, even after everything that happened, the qi in his meridians was still agitated. It should have calmed down long ago, but he could feel it bubbling unsteadily, hinting at another explosion. Unless he quickly got to his quarters and entered deep meditation, he could still lose his life, even after everything that happened. He forced himself to walk at a brisk pace. It allowed him to cross the first half of the way in short time, but as he reached the midway point, his feet began to slow down and drag. From the corner of his eye he could see some of the shadows touching the far walls of the cavern growing longer. Jin forced himself to ignore them. He fixed his gaze straight ahead, focusing all of his attention on the elevator gate at the end of the hall. It wasnt far now. He could almost make it out. Youre almost there. Just one more step. One more step and youll be able to go topside. Youll see the sky again. One of the shadows he could still see in the periphery of his vision splintered off from the pack. It began moving towards him. One more step! His eyes were so scrunched up, they were almost closed. Behind him, he could hear the steady drum of footsteps of his fellow miners. The sound was magnified and repeated, as if there was a whole army of people following him, but he still could make out a foreign noise hidden in the background. It made him think of nails scraping against a rough surface. One! More! Step! He stopped. There was no helping it. Even through his half closed eyes he could see the creature blocking his way. It stood awkwardly on four slender legs that seemed to have difficulty supporting its weight. A wolf-like head hung from its torso, revealing a pair of mucous slits where the eyes should have been. The fleshy openings pulsed and trembled as the creature furiously sniffed the air around him. Its jaws were mercifully closed, but Jin didnt need to see the sharp teeth hidden within to recognise the monster facing him. A fiend. It was unknown how fiends came to be. Some believed they originated from mortal animals that wandered into the mine only to be corrupted by the spiritual energies. Others thought that they were creatures of the mine itself. Borne into being from the ambient energies seeping into the physical world from the crystals. One thing was known without a doubt. The creatures skulked the shafts of the mine, driven by an endless hunger for the same energies that once birthed them. And as the miners unearthed the spiritual crystals, the fiends were unfailingly attracted to them. Step One More STEP! Jin tried to force himself to move, but there was no use. The fiend pushed its warm snout against his body, curiously sniffing every inch of his skin. It didnt seem aggressive, but Jin knew very well that it would take a single snap of its jaws to end his life here and there. The Immortals sent to the mines werent only responsible for keeping the miners in check. Even more important was protecting the workers from getting devoured by the monsters that spawned in the abandoned shafts. But if there was one thing that the Sect couldnt abide, it was waste. With everything and everyone expected to contribute, the existence of fiends could only be understood as a deliberate slight. Finally, one day, a solution was found. The fiends were tamed. The creatures were broken in and employed to perform one function so deeply ingrained and basic to their beings that couldnt be untaught. Searching for the spiritual crystals. The miners were unable to absorb the spiritual energy from the crystals, but as everyone knows, hope is the hardest to root out. There would always be some who refused to accept the harsh truth they were given. And what better way was there to assure that no-one tried to smuggle out the Sects property than have the miners inspected by the creatures whose whole existence centered around finding it. Jin felt his scalp tingle. The fiend studied him with unnerving interest. The warm air pushed from the creatures open slits brushed against his skin. He did all he could to keep the agitated qi in his meridians inert. Any hint of spiritual energies could provoke the dumb beast to attack him. He could see the other miners walk past him in silence. Their gazes were fixed straight ahead, focused solely on the elevator in front of them. He was hopelessly alone. Finally, the fiend lost its interest. It abruptly looked at something behind Jins back and walked away. A wave of relief washed over him. It was so sudden, he almost lost his footing. Bright spots began to fill his vision, but he still managed to force a single step forward. Stop! Dont come any closer! One of the boys carrying Lil Lus body shouted weakly as two other fiends began circling around their group. The creatures were tamed, so they wouldnt attack a live person, but now they recognised a food they were used to receiving from their tamers. The boys who carried Lil Lus body exchanged a terrified look before dropping the corpse to the ground and running away as fast as they could. It was not a moment too soon. The two fiends leaped even before the body hit the ground. Their jaws opened up, revealing rows of teeth sharp enough to bite through spiritual crystals. No one dared to look behind, but there was no way to block out the sounds. The noises of a vigorous feast echoed in the spacious cavern and followed the miners even as the elevators gates closed and the platform began its slow climb towards the upper levels. *** Lil Lu is dead? Boss Lu couldnt help asking again. Rou Mi, one of Lil Lus lackeys, nodded his head with an aghast face. Boss Lu shivered imperceptibly. He and LilLu - or Cheng Tiankun, as was his real name - entered the mines at the same time. Yes, the boy was an incorrigible suck-up and a bootlick, but theyve known each other since they were twelve years old. All these years he followed Lu without question. And now he was dead? A measure of aptitude was required for one to be taken as a mine slave. It took years to nurture them. Even revered ones hesitated before killing, though not for the lack of better options when it came to enforcing discipline. Still, death was rare and usually only ever came if a shaft collapsed, a pocket of miasma was released or a fiend appeared before an Immortal was able to come down and protect them. Boss Lu deliberately assigned him to shafts he knew were considered safe. And it didnt matter. Where is his body? His team tried to bring him up, but the sniffers, they got attracted to the body, there was nothing that couldve been done Stop. There was a tinge of rage in Boss Lus voice. Walk me through everything that happened again. As Rou Mi narrated what he had learnt from the miners the rage in Boss Lus heart grew more fierce. One of the boys in Lil Lus team ignored the call to gather. Caused an Immortal to personally come down the shaft. Angered her to the point of murder. Lil Lu himself did nothing wrong. But now he was dead. Left without a body by the fiends. And the stupid, fucking shit that caused all of it Call a meeting. And bring Jin Sou to me. Chapter 4: A Choice Sister Xiao landed with a thud. She immediately picked herself up and continued running, jumping into another shaft and scaling its uneven walls in quick leaps. Her breath was growing ragged, but she couldnt slow down. The other overseers wouldnt be far behind and she had to reach the Elders abode before they managed to catch up. She circulated her qi and jumped several feet into the air to enter another open duct. The ventilation shafts didnt just provide the miners with fresh air. Their long arteries splintered throughout the entire mine, forming a veritable labyrinth of their own. Their layout made them a hurdle even for cultivators, but there was no quicker way to traverse the mine. A deep shaft opened up before her. She dove in without hesitation. Her neatly braided hair fluttered in the whooshing wind as she fell freely in the darkness. Abruptly, her muscles tensed and she kicked her feet against the wall behind her. She was propelled forward, straight into a narrow opening in front of her. She managed to slide in without harm and continued her run without breaking a stride. All this, she performed while relying almost solely on instinct. Her thoughts were elsewhere, occupied by the two crystals hidden in her tightly clenched hand. Brilliant radiance shall be its herald. Phenomena protect it, unsoiled by mortal plane. Birthed with a name, cherished by the Heavens The cryptic words of the Earth Mysteries Scripture continued to ring out in her mind. The disciples sent to the mine were required by the Sect to memorize its contents. Most of the text focused on ways of distinguishing between different grades of spiritual crystals, but it also contained some heavily redacted snippets about natural treasures. Not enough to learn what exactly the two crystals in her hand were, but enough to determine their value. Upper Sky Rank! Her fingernails dug into the skin of her palm as the words rang out in her mind. At this point, it didnt even matter where exactly the value of these treasures lay. Their grade alone made them worth waging a war over. They were something completely beyond the scope of a lowly outer disciple, much less a failure removed from the active sect roster like herself. If she could sell just a single one, she would become rich beyond her wildest dreams. Treating her injury would no longer be a distant pipe dream. She would be able to afford a donation to the Temples that would make a Saint rush down to attend to her. And it would still leave her with enough money to purchase cultivation resources that would propel her to the next realm. She would return a queen of the outer disciples! And if the treasure happened to be compatible with her own dao Her heart sped up. Even becoming a peak Elder wouldnt be out of question. She could never forget the looks of her brothers and sisters when they learnt about her injury. Qi deviation during ascension. Major meridians raptured. Her Immortal Sigil fractured. She managed to preserve some of her strength - enough to fend off the jackals that always popped up in such circumstances - but she couldnt fight the empty gazes. When it became clear that she would never step another foot on the Immortal path, she became an outcast. Her fellow disciples, friends and rivals alike, people she had spent her whole life with, turned away from her. The Sect had cut her off too, loath to waste its precious resources on someone who could never progress again. With her injury merely kept at bay, she couldnt even accept normal missions to earn her keep that way. Her only solution was the mine. A dead end. Mortal work suitable for those who had given up on the Immortal path. Before, she had nothing but scorn for those who chose it. Now, she wasnt even qualified. The favors she had accrued over the years had crumbled into nothing overnight. The senior responsible for mortal assignments, a pathetic no one with meager talent, had taken all the savings she had left and it still wasnt enough. In the end, within the secrecy of four walls, Xiao had gone on her knees and begged. And what for? It would take her twenty years to save up for treatment while her condition worsened every day. Her skin crawled whenever she heard the miners braying at her, We greet the Immortal! She understood the need to keep them in check. But if a lowly disciple dared to call himself an Immortal in the sect, he would invite so much ridicule there would be no need for disciplinary action. He would commit suicide out of shame. To hear these wretches adulate her as an Immortal when she wasnt even allowed to step through the Sects gates was nothing short of torture. The humiliation burnt like fire. It ends now. She stopped by a small crevice and opened her hand to look at the two crystals again. With the seals in place, they stopped seeping any energies and even the runic symbols marking their surface vanished. They looked almost ordinary. But their allure didnt lessen. The tiny white crystals reflected in her widened eyes. She hesitated. It was not too late, she could still bring both of them to the Elder. Who knows? If His Excellency happened to feel charitable, the reward could cover the cost of her treatment, solving her troubles altogether. But she was lying to herself. Her mind was set from the moment she laid her eyes on them. And, besides, even a single treasure of this grade had no right appearing in a place like this. For two such treasures to appear at the same time Even a Sage wouldnt be able to imagine it. She firmly pushed one of the crystals deep inside the walls crevice. There was no need to conceal it further. With the seals intact, the energies it seeped into the world were so minute, it was nigh impossible to detect. No turning back now. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. She launched herself off the ground and disappeared in another shaft without looking back. Elder Xis abode was located deep within the mine. The grotto it occupied was carved by his own hands, leaving the walls unnaturally smooth and sleek. Its ceiling was high and adorned with hundreds of luminous crystals that simulated sunlight. There was even vegetation, a small brook, and wandering animals, making the visitors coming here from the dark and claustrophobic shafts of the mine feel as if theyd stumbled into a pocket dimension of legends. Sister Xiao stopped by the gate and used a pulse of her qi to announce herself. Leaves rustled softly in the wind. A single pink petal flew over the gate. She watched it as it twirled in the air above her head and didnt move as it landed gently on her cheek. If the circumstances were different, she wouldve loved nothing more than to just close her eyes and submit to the serene atmosphere. But her anxiety mounted with every passing moment. She couldnt retreat now, there was no explanation for why shed come with only one of the crystals. All she could do now was prepare herself for the impending audience, rehearsing in her mind all the ways it could transpire. A single careless word or expression could decide her life. Minutes went by before she finally decided to sit down and enter meditation. Even in such a situation, the elder was too grand a figure to grant her an audience straight away. It was only expected that a disciple wouldnt be received immediately. If she was discovered just standing outside the gate, it would look suspicious. She tried to rouse her qi. It used to be brisk and vigorous like a mountain spring, but ever since the accident, it became sluggish and torpid, making her think of stagnant waters in an overgrown pond. It took her a few breaths of time just to complete a single cycle. With her dantian almost empty, shed need several days before she could fully replenish it. Its all going to change now Finally, the gates opened. Ah, junior sister, Im sorry to have kept you waiting A teenage boy, no older than fourteen, stood at the entrance. Unlike Xiao, he was draped in luxurious blue robes that hung loosely around his body. His eyes were bright and alert as if on the watch for anything interesting. Curls of fine, blond hair hugged the sides of his slightly plump face that still revealed trappings of childhood. His lips rose in an easy smile, revealing a neat row of white teeth. Xiao immediately stood up and bowed, Senior brother, thank you for receiving me. I have a matter to report to Elder Xi. She didnt dare to show anything but utmost respect. Her elder brother might look ten years younger than her, but that only proved his ability. Aging slows down with cultivation, but it very rarely reverses. For Hang Min to appear so young merely invited reverence. Couple that with his blue robes of an inner disciple and the fact he was chosen as a personal disciple by Elder Xi and it all amounted to a single conclusion. Hang Min was an extraordinary existence, destined for peaks she could never even dream of. Though it might change now Teacher already guessed you would be coming, the teen replied with a boyish smile. I dont think there is anyone in the mine who didnt sense the treasure when it was unearthed. He cast her a meaningful gaze, Why, judging by your looks, one would guess you have dug it out yourself. Only now did Xiao have a chance to look at her clothes. Her face grew red. It was not like she actually looked like a slave, but the dark blotches of dirt staining her robes were impossible to miss. The boy couldnt help laughing seeing her embarrassment. Calm down, younger sister. Its not an official reception. Im sure Teacher will not take it as a deliberate slight. In fact, it only shows your utmost diligence and devotion to the Sect, come now. Xiao could only bow her head. Thank you, elder brother. They walked through the compound in silence. Despite her nervousness, Xiao soon found herself dazed by the incredible variety of rare plants and animals on display. Some, she was even able to recognise from the manuals she had studied at the Sect. A little thought at the back of her mind screamed that a single of these living ornaments would suffice to cover the cost of her treatment, but she quieted it. Finally, they approached a pagoda. The crystals providing the sunlight were truly miraculous. The narrow steps of the building werent just bathed in light but also warm; a calming scent of sandalwood suffused the air around them. Even her qi seemed to perk up. The mine was dense in spiritual energies, but not of a kind that helped alleviate her injury. They were harsh and corrupting, continually trying to invade her Qi Sea. Here, the environment was calming and nourishing, reminding her of the blessed lands she enjoyed in the Sect. Enter. They entered a study, but stopped just a few feet past the threshold. Several meters further in, a man in his thirties sat at a low table. His black hair was neatly trimmed, revealing a smooth forehead devoid of wrinkles. High cheekbones were prominent on his slightly gaunt face. In his hand was a small brush which he periodically tipped in ink as he worked on a manuscript. He exuded an aura of elegance and cleanliness. Xiao subtly circulated her qi. She used the same art that prevented the dust from touching her person in front of the miners, but for a completely opposite purpose. It was to avoid soiling Elders home with the dirt she had brought in on herself. Outer Disciple Xiao Yun greets venerable Elder She began with a slight quaver, but the man quickly interrupted her. Dont waste time. Present it. Xiao stumbled over her words and awkwardly reached into her robes to retrieve the crystal. She didnt approach the Elder, but merely offered the treasure in her two outstretched hands. The elder didnt bother looking up from his work. The crystal rose by itself and flew towards him before landing softly on the desk. Several minutes went by in silence. Elder Xi continued his work, seemingly disregarding the treasure altogether. Hang Min loitered at the back with the same faint smile and relaxed figure. Sister Xiao''s posture was frozen in a supplicate bow, making her feel like her back might snap. The qi in her meridians was running low and she feared that the art protecting her could break at any second. You can leave now. The judgment was rendered. A wave of relief washed over her. All her instincts screamed to leave immediately, but she fought them down and remained unmoved, stubbornly fixing her eyes on the wooden floor. Just a hint of indignation appeared on her stern face. She didnt have much time to rehearse for her audience with the elder, but shed managed to prepare at least that. Elder Xi cast her a look. Hang Min, he said. Yes, teacher. Your junior sister has made a contribution to the Sect. Award her fifty crystals. Yes, teacher. It was more than an outer disciple would be able to earn in three years. Hang Min pulled out a small pouch from his robes, as if the number didnt make any impression on him one way or another. Xiao managed to bend her back a few degrees further. In truth, the reward had exceeded her expectations. But it was still woefully short of what the treatment for her injury would cost. I dont deserve it! She quickly exclaimed, but the audience was already over. Elder Xi didnt even bother replying, while Hang Min gently pulled on the corner of her robe and escorted her outside. On her way back, Xiao had to stop herself from skipping. Maintaining a gratified smile was almost too easy, all she had to do was conceal the relief from showing too clearly on her face. She patted the small pouch, but her true thoughts lied elsewhere. She couldnt wait to retrieve the other crystal from the crevice she had left it in. Back at the pagoda, the elder put away his brush and inspected the treasure more carefully. He undone the seals created by sister Xiao, letting the spiritual energies freely manifest themselves, before quickly redoing them himself. His disciple waited patiently. Is the treasure to your liking, master? Unfortunately, its completely worthless. Master? The man didnt reply. He continued to probe and prod the tiny crystal with his qi, provoking waves of spiritual energies in response. His brush moved on its own, diligently copying the runic symbol etched on the treasures surface. Finally, he put the crystal away, locking it in a small jadeite box. He considered something in silence. Still, a treasure of this kind shouldnt have appeared in this mine. He scribbled a few words on the papers occupying his desk. Since youve been bored recently, you can go down and investigate its birth. A smile bloomed on the young mans face. The elder cast him an annoyed look. Dont overthink things. Such treasures naturally oppose the heavenly order. Studying its origin will do you some good. Yes, master. Hang Min was happy. His master obviously wouldnt lower himself to interrogate a mere outer disciple. Just entertaining the thought that such a lowly creature might have dared to deceive him was like slapping his own face. Hang Min didnt bother himself with such concerns. He flashed a boyish smile and saluted.Ill strive to do my utmost for the Sect. Chapter 5: The Pit The elevator carrying the miners shook for the last time and came to a stop. Its rusty gate screeched open, letting in a gust of fresh air. Jin Sou stepped out and took a deep breath. Ive made it He raised his head and looked to the small sliver of blue sky visible high above him. The opening connecting the Pit with the surface was so small that the sun alone filled it completely during its daily climb, but to the miners like Jin Sou, who could barely remember what an open sky looked like, this little window to the outside world was terribly precious. Beyond it laid a small town of mortal craftsmen and their families whose responsibility it was to provide the miners with everything they needed for their work. And below it was the Pit. A great hole in the earth, thousands of meters deep, dug out over the span of several centuries. It started out as a part of the mine proper, but as the surface layers of spiritual crystals were continuously exhausted, the mining operation kept moving lower. The old shafts and tunnels became homes for the next generations of miners, whose work in turn sent them to toil at ever greater depths. The cycle was endless, with each generation sinking deeper into the earth, closer to the spiritual veins and farther away from the sun. The Pits main well extended from the very surface all the way to the bottom, where the elevators leading to the lower shafts were set up. Beams of true sunlight shone through the many wooden bridges that connected the opposing sides of the hole. Without the spiritual crystals seeping their corrupting energies into the environment, the air was easier to breathe and even allowed for animals. The clip clop of horses pulling carriages heavy with excavated rock was heard all throughout the day. Sometimes, one could even spot a wayward bird circling in the sky, searching for its way out. Jin caught a stray beam of sunlight on his face and closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax for a moment. Lil Lu is dead! one of the miners from Jins crew suddenly bellowed at the top of his voice. There was a wild look in his eyes as he pulled in a crowd of onlookers. The area near the elevator was never truly empty. It served as the main gateway to the active shafts, so different crews passed through it at all hours of the day and night. It took just a moment for a curious audience to form around the speaker. Devoured by the fiends, the man continued in a trembling voice. The cursed beasts launched themselves at him, feasting like buzzards on a fresh kill. Heavens! The sounds they made as they mauled his body, Ill never forget it for so long as I live A warden from another group interjected, doubt clear in his voice, So, youre saying Lil Lu tried to he didnt finish the sentence. The reason for his suspicion was obvious. Lil Lu was a warden, he had already reached one of the highest rungs in the hierarchy. It would make no sense for him to risk it all just for a chance to smuggle out some crystals. No! He was already dead! a younger miner spoke up in a high pitched voice. A lady Immortal killed him. I was the closest, so I saw it all, she Shut your mouth, boy! another miner smacked him hard on the back of his head. The boy rubbed his head with a venomous glint in his eyes. His plight didnt inspire sympathy in the gathered men. You better wipe that look off your face, if you want to keep your teeth, the miner who struck him hissed menacingly. He looked around cautiously, before continuing in a low voice. If Lil Lu had done better job educating you brats, then maybe he wouldnt be passing on to the next life outta the tail end of a fiends ass. One thing is for certain, another man said grimly. Our warden died with a bellyful of grievance. See that one? he asked, pointing in Jins direction. He caught himself a treasure and thought he was a prince in the making, instead Similar conversations were springing up all around Jin. The miners remained deathly quiet on their way topside, but the anxiety they kept bottled up inside overflowed and erupted as soon as they returned to the safety of the Pit. Now, words passed through their mouths in an endless torrent. It was as if they hoped that with enough words, they could build a wall between themselves and the terror they experienced underground. Jin was singled out again, but he wasnt alone. Surreptitious glances accompanied him from every direction. He was being ogled like some manner of an exotic creature. Panic crept over him. He needed to say something, anything - or his fate would be no different than if he had let that Immortal kill him. But if he revealed the truth now, it would only serve to offend the Immortal again. His mind blank, Jin opened his mouth to speak. He could only hope that the words that could save him would magically flow out. Listen! he cried out, when a sudden spasm in his leg almost made him fall over. His shout succeeded in attracting attention. The crowd stared at him now with open curiosity, but Jin could no longer spare them any attention. The qi in his meridians roiled. He had never managed to get the unruly energies completely under his control, but he thought it was just the result of his encounter with that strange treasure. He hoped that just getting away from it would make the problem go away. He was wrong. His qi behaved for a while, but it was merely cowed by that ocean conjured up by the Immortal. Instead of growing docile, it waited for an opportunity to flare up again. A prickling sensation, as if he was being stabbed by tiny needles, began to spread on his arms and chest. Disturbing amounts of qi continuously poured out of his dantian, but he couldnt do anything to control them. The energies behaved like a foreign entity and remained completely deaf to his pleadings. He abruptly pushed through the surrounding crowd and rushed in the direction of his room. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. His only chance lied in entering a deep meditative state and wresting back the control of the rebellious energies. No one stopped him. Some even looked at his back with pity. Where was he hoping to hide? *** Jin crashed into his room, ramming the door open with his body, but that was as far as his strength could take him. A second later he was lying collapsed on the ground. He wasnt even able to close the door. The muscles in his body twitched uncontrollably, as if he was in the throes of a raging fever. Brother Jin! A young boy, no older than thirteen, and clearly just recently arrived in the mine, stood up and exclaimed. His fingers were tightly wrapped in bandages, but one could still see some puss seeping through the layers of cloth. New arrivals couldnt work in the lower shafts. They had neither the resistance necessary to withstand the ambient energies nor the strength to handle the heavy mining tools. But that didnt mean that they spent their days idly. Their task was to sift through the already crushed rocks, separating the precious crystals from useless rubble. Tiny cuts accumulated quickly during such work, giving a convenient entryway for the corrupting energies. Circulating ones qi provided a measure of protection, but learning how to do both at the same time wasnt easy. It wasnt rare for those who couldnt master this skill in time to lose a finger or two during their first month in the mine. Jin couldnt even find the strength to raise his head. Waves of excited energies flooded his meridian channels. There was a sense of joy to it, as if his qi was in the midst of some long awaited celebration, but Jin didnt share in the festivity. The feeling was closer to having your lips curl in a forced smile when all you want to do is scream. The pressure bearing on his meridians was increasing with every passing second and it wouldnt be long before this joyous flood was about to kill him. It was already close to a miracle that he had managed to reach his room. Get out Jin finally managed to stammer, with his face lying sideways on the ground. And close the door he added weakly. The boy looked at him anxiously for a moment, before bolting to the doors and slamming them shut. But instead of leaving, he returned to Jins side and suggested in a quavering voice, I, I will call someone! No! Jin cried out. Need to meditate leave. He pushed his hands against the ground, trying to raise himself. It felt as if he was trying to lift a mountain. The muscles in his arms quivered and for a moment Jin thought he couldnt do it. But then, with a sudden burst of strength, he managed to pull himself to a sitting position. Just this small feat left him gasping. He looked at the frightened boy in front of him, wracking his brain how he could get him to leave. Hao Ying belonged to the most recent cohort of workers to have arrived in the mine. Normally, hed be expected to spend his free time outside of work in the communal barracks located deeper inside the tunnels. But he and Jin had an agreement. The sect acted like a ferocious tigress looking after its cubs with regard to the spiritual crystals, but it was far more lenient when it came to mortal affairs. The miners were largely self organised and free to spend their time between shifts however they wished - so long as the work was being done on time. Its indifference went as far as to even generously hand out silver coins during special ceremonies that were held a few times a year. The miners were prohibited from entering the surface town, but they could still exchange their coin with the select few traders who set up their businesses within the upper levels of the Pit. Some spent their silver on extra rations of food and medicine. Others visited brothels where they futilely tried to get drunk on wine that was too weak to affect them. Jin, however, spent every single piece of silver he had ever received at the same place. First to buy a book, and then, once he realised his mistake, to pay for lessons on how to read. It happened during his first month in the mine. He was already lucky to have managed to hang on to his wealth, instead of losing it to his seniors. He wandered aimlessly the upper level of the Pit, without any idea what to do with it. The brothels wouldnt serve him and he didnt want to buy anything that would incite greed. He found the book in one of the smaller shops, an unassuming place squished in between a tannery and a butcher shop. It immediately attracted his attention. Having grown up on a farm, his only previous experience with letters came from seeing them engraved on copper coins. That changed after the Sect had taken him, but their importance only grew in his imagination. The Sects sigil was proudly displayed all throughout the mine. It hang over every bridge and gate. The miners were required to bow every time they walked past one, paying obeisance to the majesty conveyed in its golden lettering. Even more formative was the experience of learning the cultivation mantra. It was done completely orally. The instructors had them repeat and memorise foreign sounding words, but never explained the meaning behind them. One time, however, they showed them the old manuscript from which the mantra originated. The awe Jin felt at that moment never left him. The letters were faded and indistinct, but the power hidden within them was so great that just saying them out loud was enough to guide someone on the path of Immortality. How amazing would it be to actually understand them? That day, he bought the book without even attempting to haggle. He threw the silver coins towards the grinning merchant as if they were burning. He kept the book hidden in the folds of his clothes. Only at times when he was completely alone did he take it out, studying it carefully, trying to delve into its secrets. He was convinced that just like with the cultivation mantra, with enough meditation, he would be able to grasp a little bit of its magic. But weeks went by and nothing changed. Instead, the book began to deteriorate. Jin could never leave it alone, so he kept it with him even when working. His sweat gradually seeped into the paper, turning the letters painted with cheap ink to become smudged and faded. Jin realised he had been duped. It was only after he had returned to confront the merchant that he discovered the magnitude of his mistake. What he had bought wasnt a cultivation mantra. It wasnt even written in the language used by the Immortals. It was just a simple, secular novel. There was nothing magical about it. At least the merchant offered to teach him how to read. In exchange for a small fee, of course. It had taken Jin years to acquire a basic competency. Many times he bemoaned his past naivety and the wretchedness of the merchant who tricked him. Recently, however, hed managed to come up with a method to recoup some of the silver he had lost over the years. His latest acquisition was a collection of old fables. The stories recounted the deeds of brave heroes, tragic lovers, and adventures in far-off lands. It wasn''t something that interested the older miners, but the younger boys adored them. Many of them still longed for their families and fantasized about lives beyond the mine. Listening to Jin read these well-known tales provided them with the solace they required to endure the restless nights. And they were willing to pay for it. That collection of fables and two other books were the most precious possessions in Jins life, but he wouldnt repeat the mistake he had made with his first book. His deal with Hao Ying was simple. Since they worked different shifts, the boy would stay in his room when Jin worked in the shafts. He was too weak to do anything if someone actually broke in, but it was enough of a deterrence that he would remember their faces. In exchange, Jin promised to read to him - for free. Jin fixed his eyes on Haos face. He had good opinion of the boy, but now he needed him to leave. Hao, he started, slowly spitting out each word. I need you to do something for me. The boy looked even a shade paler than Jin. Anything! he immediately replied, vigorously nodding his head. In the time Jin was lost in thought, Hao came close to a panic. Dark spots began to break out on Jins face and even the air in the room started to fill with a sickening stench. It took all his willpower not to run out and call for help. There is something wrong with my qi, Jin began to explain. I need to enter a deep meditative state to fix it. He could feel his tongue growing numb as he spoke. You must stay outside and stop anyone from entering my room. But you cannot tell anyone whats going on. Anyone, Jin repeated, staring at the boy with a penetrating gaze. The boy met his eyes and - thankfully - didnt argue. He bit his lips and nodded, before leaving the room, shutting the doors behind him. Jins eyes were already closed. The next moments would determine whether he would live or die. Chapter 6: Feeding Embers to the Fire With Hao Lin finally outside and standing guard, the room became quiet. Only the raspy noise of Jin''s laboured breathing disturbed the silence. Dark blotches were rapidly spreading on his skin. They looked like fresh bruises, but the truth was more alarming. The fragile equilibrium between his qi and the body that housed it was breaking apart. And when one fell, the other inevitably followed. His only chance lied in entering a deep meditative state and wresting back the control over the rebellious energies. Blood pounded in his ears. Jin caught his breath and tried to slowly release it, but it felt as if he would suffocate before he succeeded. Bright sparks flickered in the corners of his vision, streaking like falling stars. Finally, he managed to let out a deep breath. A foul smell, like rotting meat, entered his nostrils. Jin Sou trembled, but it wasnt the rancid stench that disturbed him. Within the stale air leaving his parted lips, he could sense traces of his own qi. Whatever measure of concentration he was able to muster crumbled. His eyes opened up. He stared at the wall in front of him, alone, sad, and unwilling. The ability to externalize ones qi was the sovereign domain of true cultivators, people who had awakened their Immortal Sigil. Jin, however, wasnt about to fool himself into thinking that he had miraculously joined their ranks. A different explanation - one that he had been consciously avoiding all this time - was far more likely. Qi deviation This wasnt something they had learnt in the camps. This knowledge came from the older generations of miners. Jin stirred remembering the senior who had told him the story. It happened several years ago, not long after he had first entered the mines, but the experience etched itself in his mind. The man should have been in his early twenties, but looked thirty years older. He had grown too tall for the mines constrictive shafts, causing his back to bend to a ridiculous degree. His head seemed closer to his chest than his shoulders, giving an impression of a body trying to fold in on itself. It comes like an arrow in the night, the old miner said with a drawl. You could be working, eating, or even fast asleep, it dont make no difference. He looked at the group of boys huddled around him and laughed, You have just learned to sense your qi. And even now, taken and chained, you love it. Every time it passes through your meridians, you know it, you are an immortal , he whispered the last word. If someone offered to take you back at the cost of that power, half of you would refuse! He glared at them as if daring anyone to disagree. But all that precious qi is not yours. It lives in you. It feeds on you. And it makes you valuable enough to enslave, but it isnt you. And one day, when you least expect it, it will devour you." He licked his lips. Lucky few who are still at the first layer. You just suddenly keel over, as if the reaper walked past and yanked out your soul. Its only when you open up the body, you dont see nothing but mush. Guts torn and ripped apart, destroyed by that precious energy you tirelessly cultivated. The grin on his mouth began to grow wider. Things become more interesting at higher levels. For one, you can actually sense it happening. Your qi refusing to obey your commands. Treating you like a stranger. You try to stop it of course, control it, but theres just too much of it. Even as you save your lungs, your eyes begin to pop. His voice turned contemplative. Its interesting really, what people reveal about themselves. That kid, Bo, he was popping like a firecracker, an eye, a finger, his gut, even his nose flew off. It wasnt until both his legs were gone that we finally saw his pecker taking off! His head jerked and he broke out in a high-pitched, whining giggle. It undulated in the silence as the young miners stared mortified, both by the tale and the queer man telling it. Then you have those at the third layer, the man continued after recovering from his laughing fit. He brought out a bundle wrapped in graying rags and began opening it. Those guys dont crack easily. Our previous warden, Feng Huaxing he hesitated, well, when old Feng got serious even an immortal would be wise to steer away. It happened in the dining hall - the bastard didnt even let it show. Continued to shovel food even as his innards were about to explode. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The rags came off revealing an old wooden bowl. The miner held it in both hands, with gentle care befitting a family heirloom. The surface was cracked and peppered with small holes, but it was the object jutting out from its center that made the young boys gasp. Jin still remembered the feeling of his mind struggling to connect the odd shape with what it represented. And the deep chill as he finally recognised it for what it was. A human jaw. It was lodged deep inside the wood, complete with a row of small brown teeth that looked like bugs perched upon a twig. I was quick, but you will see some of your seniors with scars on their faces. They will tell you that it was from a collapsing shaft, but know the truth! His mouth threw open as he began to laugh. Old Feng just decided to give them a bite on his way out! The memory broke. Jin sat on the floor, dazed. The qi in his meridians continued to circulate at ever faster speeds, but he no longer did anything to control it. Only one thought remained in his mind. Why me? It wasnt fair. He had just survived a meeting with an Immortal. Others might not understand, but ever since he saw Lil Lus dead face, Jin was certain of it. The reason why he was still alive. It wasnt fate, the almighty Sect, or even mercy - it was his own actions. Every breath he took from that moment on was his own. And now he was supposed to die? No! I refuse! He grit his teeth. Ive already escaped death once. I can do it again. I will not die here! He closed his eyes shut, determined not to open them again until the situation was resolved. One way or another. His senses cut out. The feeling of hundreds of needles stabbing him at every second disappeared and he could no longer hear the raspy breath coming from his throat. He focused his whole self into a single point and made his will bear down, plunging deep into recesses of his soul. An image appeared in his mind. He saw a complex tapestry of channels and capillaries spanning his entire body. It was vivid like never before, the strain making the meridians clearer to his senses. If not for the fact that he was on the verge of death, he might have even appreciated the opportunity to better familiarize himself with the structure. Instead, he focused his senses on the flow of energies. The qi poured forth from his dantian. Thankfully, even though it ignored his commands, it continued to roughly circulate along the proper pathways they were taught in the camps. The energies flowed to the greater meridian in his right hand, doubled back to the one in his stomach, before finally returning to his dantian, only to gush out again with even greater vigor. In a way, it made sense. If his qi was completely chaotic, he would have already been dead. It didnt change the fact that housing this great reservoir of energy while it behaved like a foreign entity filled him with dread. It was like having an intimate part of himself hijacked. And even if the qi behaved for now, it would take just a moment for it to suddenly rampage. If that happened, his body would probably paint the walls of his room before he had a chance to register what was happening Focus, focus Unnerving as it was, the most pressing danger lay elsewhere. His meridians were simply too narrow to accommodate the volume of qi gushing out from his dantian. The pressure caused hundreds of hairlike cracks to appear along his major veins. And wherever the flooding energies encountered a bottleneck, they spilled over, spreading to nearby channels they had no business entering. It was counterintuitive, but he needed to wrangle these errant threads of qi back into the main stream. The pressure bearing on his meridian channels would slightly increase, but it was still preferable to the completely unpredictable damage from having that qi run free. He started out small. His target was just a single strand of qi. It splintered off from the main pack and was currently traveling along his heart meridian. To his surprise, the process was smooth. He began by gently coaxing and nudging it, the way he was first taught to sense qi, but hed managed to form a connection almost immediately. It was as if after getting separated from the main stream, whatever was shielding it from his will had disappeared. A thought appeared in his mind. What if instead of sending all these wayward strands of qi back to their proper pathways I tried doing the opposite? Could I regain control that way? But he rejected the idea almost as soon as it formed. My major veins are on the verge of breaking down as it is. If I tried shifting all that energy into random pathways, everything would collapse before I was halfway done. He decisively pushed the qi back into the main stream. As soon as it rejoined it, his connection faded. But he was still able to sense the almost animalistic giddiness radiating from the qi. He continued his work. A nagging thought at the back of his mind whispered that it was all futile, that he was trying to fight a fire by throwing more embers at it, but he fought against it. At some point, the words of the cultivation mantra began to ring out in his mind. The sounds became clearer and louder with every errant strand of qi that he corralled back to the main stream. Even the excitement radiating from his qi began to slowly affect him. Maybe he had a fighting chance after all. Boss Lu has called a gathering! A gathering! Everyone must appear! Boss Lu has called a gathering! A sudden commotion erupted in the living quarters. A group of wardens serving under Boss Lu rushed in, pounding on doors and shouting at the top of their voices. Miners began to emerge from their rooms. They looked around in confusion, some of them revealing hints of anxiety in their eyes. A surprise assembly was a rare thing - usually it meant that Immortals had passed down new orders. They were making so much noise that some of it had even reached Jin. He registered that something was happening outside - and put the matter aside. His concentration was stretched to a breaking point as it was and he couldnt afford a single distraction. Suddenly, the door to his room exploded into pieces. Jin Sou! Rou Mi barged in, debris from the destroyed door crunching under his sandals. Hao Ying''s motionless body lay in the hallway, sprawled out in an unnatural position. Boss Lu demands your presence! Chapter 7: Discipline Boss Lu demands your presence! Rou Mi bellowed with a commanding voice. He stood tall and imposing, like a god of justice come to pass sentence on a criminal. Jin remained unresponsive, not even bothering to open his eyes. It wouldnt matter if even the entire mine was about to collapse. The amount of qi invading incorrect channels in his body had exceeded his expectations, forcing him to change his approach. Instead of going after the errant strands one by one, he spread out his consciousness, with the hopes of grabbing them all in one swoop. I need just a little more time! Rou Mi wasnt bothered by the fact that Jin had ignored him. His stern mask even cracked a little bit, revealing a faint smile. When they returned from the lower shafts, he was the only one with the presence of mind to keep his eyes on the prize. While everyone else was busy running their yaps, he discreetly slipped out and ran to report what had happened to Boss Lu. It was a calculated risk. Rou knew better than most that it rarely paid to be the bearer of bad news. Thankfully, the gamble paid off. With Lil Lu out of the picture, he was the next in line for promotion. All he needed to do was to prove his loyalty and usefulness to the Boss. Jin Sou refusing to cooperate was exactly the opportunity he had hoped for. Interrupting someone in the middle of meditation was frowned upon - not that it would matter in this case - but Rou Mi was spared even that. The boy sat trembling on the floor, white-faced and sweating like a pig. In Rou Mis eyes, it looked like the most pathetic attempt to fake a meditative trance that he had ever seen. The brat is scared shitless. But closing your eyes will not make the bad things disappear. Even as he was secretly rejoicing, his face scrunched up in indignation. Boss Lu has called a gathering under the sigil of the Sect, and yet you dare disobey! His foot shot out before he even finished speaking, not giving Jin a chance to respond. It smashed into his stomach, sending his body flailing on the floor. Jin barely even registered the hit. But his qi did. All the effort he had put into building a precarious balance with the unsteady energies in his body came crashing down. The qi flared up, ignited, and surged uncontrollably into his hand meridian. Enough theatrics, Rou Mi said, as he came closer to deliver another kick. Get your ass up and Jins fist shot out with a crack like a thunder. The attack was so sudden, Rou Mi couldnt even react. He stared, frozen, as the fist flew towards his face, propelled by a force powerful enough to break bones. It missed. A drop of sweat rolled down Rou Mis face. The strength hidden in that punch was far above what a second layer cultivator like Jin Sou should have been able to produce. He quickly retreated a few steps and shouted, Brothers! Miner Jin Sou has refused the call to gather under the auspices of the Sect! Help me bring him to justice and you will be rewarded! A small crowd was already forming outside the room, watching curiously what was going on. They didnt need much encouragement. Two miners jumped in and started wailing on Jins helpless body. Blood sprayed out of Jins mouth. That one punch he threw constituted the last of his strength. Now the qi in his meridians had turned completely chaotic, splintering from the main vein and rampaging in random channels within his body. His muscles began to spasm uncontrollably. He desperately tried to reassert some control over the violent energies, but his concentration crashed every time another blow landed on his body. His only consolation lied in the fact that if he was to blow up now, hed probably take all these bastards with him. Even the two volunteers noticed that their target didnt seem to be putting much resistance. They kicked him a few more times for good measure and turned to Ro Mi with gratified grins on their faces, Weve secured the traitor! Rou Mi stared at the fruit of their labor with mixed feelings. He had only called for help after witnessing that one punch, but the brat pretty much collapsed right after. Moreover, Jins condition appeared more serious than he had planned for. It wasnt his place to exact punishment after all. He kept his thoughts to himself and assumed a satisfied expression. Well done! Now lets bring this dog to Boss for punishment! The two volunteers lifted Jin up on their shoulder and followed after Rou Mi, going in the direction of the main hall. Make way! Were taking this traitor to Boss Lu! Their voices echoed in the tunnels. More miners emerged from their rooms, and, seeing the bloodied body, joined in the crowd, forming something of a procession. Some had done so out of fear - hoping to find safety in the mob - while others simply welcomed the distraction. In the mines the monotony and routine of each day could be as cruel as the labor itself. The main hall took up a large, spacious cavern. In the past, this place used to function as a central node of the mine, connecting together all the different passages, but nowadays it was relegated to a dining hall. This time, however, the long tables were put away, leaving only a single one. Boss Lu sat at the top of it. He was a short man, but this spared him from developing a hunch so common among the older miners. His back was straight and firm. Powerful muscles coiled tightly around his limbs, giving him the kind of solidity and pressure that only came from years of labor. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. On his chest hang a silver amulet - its crest immediately recognisable to everyone. It was the sigil of the Sect. It bestowed absolute authority upon its holder. To disobey its bearers commands was equivalent to disobeying the Sect. The main hall began to fill with anxious whispers as more miners trickled in. Still, even as close to a hundred people had gathered, everyone waited patiently for the assembly to begin. The group carrying Jin Sous battered body was the last to come in. Boss Lu took a look. He had a faint impression of the boy called Jin Sou, but wouldnt normally recognise him. He frowned seeing the bloodied body. I shouldnt have given the task to that halfwit, Rou Mi, Boss Lu thought glumly. And yet anger rose in him. It was that little shit that got his brother killed. If he didnt dig out that treasure, if he had kept his mouth shut, instead of fishing for favours in the most moronic way imaginable His own qi began to rumble. Even the miners who didnt awaken their immortal sigil developed a certain aspect to the energies they cultivated. His was impossibly hard and tough. You could hear the mines in it, the thud of hammers and the endless toil. He hadnt decided what he would do with the boy when he had called the gathering. Even with the Sects sigil in hand his real power was limited. All the amulet signified was that it was his responsibility to keep the miners obedient and working. And if he couldnt maintain discipline without injuring the workers, the Sect would simply replace him with someone else. But looking at Jin Sous wretched body didnt bring him any relief. In fact his anger was growing stronger. He stood up without making a decision, letting the energies in his meridians to circulate even faster. He would let the qi decide. Lil Lu is dead. His hard voice echoed within the cavern. The miners stirred. The rumours of wardens death were already making rounds, but hearing it from Boss Lus own mouth made the matter final and indisputable. Everyone here knew Lil Lu, even if they didnt belong to his crew. He didnt die because of fate. He didnt die because of an attack of a fiend or miasma. He didnt die because of something he did wrong. He was a hard man. But hardness is what is required in a warden. The miners listened in silence, letting the deep timbre of Lus voice wash over them. He was hard, Boss Lu repeated in a solemn tone. But his hardness made it so that you wouldnt have to bear the hardness of Heavens. Agreeing voices murmured in the crowd. They knew what facing the Heavens, as Boss Lu put it, signified. And everyone preferred the justice of mortals. He was killed by one of our own. Lu paused, letting the words sink in. One from his own crew. Blinded by greed when he discovered a treasure, he decided to offend the Immortal. The revelation was met with an uproar. A flurry of whispers and muffled voices echoed in the cavern. Today it was Lil Lu who has died. But it could have been anyone of us. We bear great labour, but we still die by the greed and selfishness of our own! It could have been his whole crew that was slain. It could be anyone of us who works with him tomorrow! The words boomed, making the air in the cavern tremble. If Lil Lu made a mistake, it was one of leniency. Let us discipline this one so that he never brings harm to our people again! Discipline! Jin Sous body was lifted up while everyone gathered in a circle around him. THUD! A savage blow landed on his chest. Rou Mi pulled away his fist. He wouldnt have minded giving a few more hits, but Boss Lu did well stirring up the crowd. His words have managed to reach the bitter resentment that lurked within the heart of every miner. Anywhere Rou Mi looked, he was met with eyes that blazed with unconcealed fury and indignation. Jin Sou might have had little do with the source of their anger, but he would have to bear their wrath all the same. THUD! THUD! THUD! A barrage of blows bombarded Jins helpless body. The heaviest strikes came from the older miners, but even the younger boys hesitated to show any mercy. They were more terrified of the maddened mob than genuinely angry, but their fear drove them to employ all the strength they could muster. Some of them had sat huddled around Jin, listening to him read, just two days ago. THUD! Another strike landed, causing Jins chest to finally give in and crack. But even as his body was steadily reduced, the qi coursing in his meridians turned more fierce and vigorous. Abruptly, an image of a boulder appeared in his mind. It was the same rock that had housed the odd treasure that started it all. Just like before, it projected a sense of solidity and permanence as if it was able to bear countless blows forever without change. Their roles were now reversed. This time it was Jin bearing countless blows. Some of the miners had even infused their punches with qi. Such attacks penetrated deeply, reaching beyond the flesh and bone, their force shaking even the meridians. THUD! The qi he couldnt control began to move along the proper pathways again. THUD! The words of the cultivation mantra boomed in his mind. THUD! Once more he felt that he could understand the cryptic words ringing in his mind. Last time he intuited the meaning of strike. This time, the concept was more complex and illusive. A stream of images and associations shot through his mind as he struggled to reconcile them. The cultivation mantra roared. THUD! Strike! THUD! PRESSURE. Jin Sous eyes suddenly flashed open. The stone that bears the blows of the hammer. And the miner who strikes it. The two had to appear together. Something, like an obstruction in his meridians, broke apart. A torrent of power shot through his body. Everything changed. Previously, the rampaging energies came close to tearing him apart. Now, the same qi was giving his wretched body the power to explode with strength. A fist flew out and smashed into the face of one of the miners. The sudden attack shocked everyone who saw it. Especially Rou Mi was struck with a bad premonition. It reminded him of what had happened in the living quarters. This time the mantra didnt break. As the hit connected, there was no disturbance in the flow of Jins qi. Conversely, it grew steadier and sped up, urging him to attack again. He complied. His fists shot out, indiscriminately striking everyone in the surroundings. There wasnt anyone who could take even a single blow, more miners collapsed to their knees after every hit. Even Rou Mi wasnt able to avoid it. He criss-crossed his arms in front of his face, but the blow still pushed him into the mass of people behind him. Hes reached third layer! Shock ran through Boss Lus mind. It was no easy feat to reach the third layer, most miners never did in fact. They had poor talent to begin with and no cultivation resources or guidance that normal disciples enjoyed. The qi that was humming steadily in the back of his mind grew fiercer. Something called to him. I want to crush him. The miners around Jin Sou fell into a complete disarray. Those at the front frantically tried to get away, while those at the back pushed against them, still hoping to join the battle. Jin was acting as if he was possessed. His fist flew off in all directions. There was no technique to his attacks, but every time his fist connected with a face you could hear a sickening crack followed by a painful groan. The qi flowing through his meridians was joyous. He was on his last breath. His body was already beyond saving, the spiritual energies being the only thing keeping it alive and moving. The second they ran out would be his last. With a half-conscious thought, he sensed someone approaching him from beyond the crowd of miners. The man was like a whole mountain. He felt more indestructible than even the boulder. But if Jin had to crash against something, he wanted to crash against the hardest rock. He pulled all of his remaining qi and held it. He didnt understand how he knew how to do that. Pressure began to mount in his meridians, and then, with an almost audible gulp, the amassed qi shot out. The strain bearing on his pathways was already too great. The wave of qi left grievous damage as it coursed through his meridians, but the power it contained was many times greater. Pressure. Strike. It was Jin Sous final strike. And then, with a clap, the whole world stopped. Chapter 8: Time Stop Jin tried to blink - and failed - as he stared at his outstretched arm, locked mid-swing. It hung suspended in the air, just a hair away from meeting Big Lus fist. Both of them were completely frozen in place, their final clash stopped a moment before conclusion. The clamour of battle still filled Jins ears. He could hear the thud of bodies slamming against each other, crescendos of pained screams and even a subdued hum - the sound of a hundred men drawing breath at the same time. The noises formed a confused cacophony, but they were just fading echoes of a battle that had already stopped. The sounds grew fainter and fainter until finally an eerie silence descended. The world became perfectly still. Confused, Jin tried to look around. He couldnt even shift his eyes, so he focused on what he was able to spy in the corners of his vision. Big Lus large frame took up most of what he could see. The man looked like a sculpture of an ancient hero delivering a deadly strike. One of his feet was planted firmly on the ground, while the rest of his body shot forward, putting all its weight behind the attack. His face was absent of any strong emotion, revealing only an intense focus. A dark pair of eyes was fixed on Jin Sou. The grim intensity in that gaze made him recoil. The area around them was crowded with panicked miners. Those nearest to Jin all had terror-stricken expressions as they scrambled to get away. They collided with the opposing mob, who remained unaware of Jin''s newfound power and still wished to participate in the discipline". When the time stopped, the two groups were still pushing and shoving against each other, and now their chaotic struggle was perfectly preserved. Looking at their faces filled Jin with dejection. They were his brothers. But with just a few words, the uneasy camaraderie they shared as fellow miners was severed. His mind began to wander. From time to time, he looked at Big Lus face. The power in the chief wardens eyes no longer had much effect on him. But it was the first time he saw someone who wished to kill him. Am I dead? It was just a stray thought, but a surge of fear followed it. He had thought he was reconciled with death. At that final moment, when he was mustering his qi for the all-out attack, he knew that he wouldnt be able to live through it. But he wasnt ready for this. There was no sensation coming from his body. He shouldve been in an agonising pain, but he couldnt feel anything at all. Even his qi seemed to have disappeared. His whole being had been reduced to a simple consciousness, tethered to nothing at all. If thats what death was - a silent eternity, spent in the prison of ones final moment - then he could understand why cultivators pursued Immortality so doggedly. His fear began to turn into dread. When black spots began to blossom in the corners of his vision, Jin felt only relief. The spots grew steadily larger, encroaching on more and more of his vision, until their serene darkness swept up everything in its embrace. A moment later, the silence in the hall was broken by the light tapping of measured footsteps, but Jin was no longer there to hear it. *** Hang Min strolled in with a playful smile on his face. He walked at a leisurely pace, his every movement projecting an air of a sage who had long transcended mortal affairs. Still, there was no hiding the excited gleam in his eyes. They darted from side to side, surveying the fruit of his handiwork with evident glee. His formation had worked flawlessly. He stopped by a miner who happened to catch his attention. The man had actually fallen to the ground and was trying to get himself up when the spell trapped him. Despite looking like an overturned turtle, his face was twisted in a mask of wrath and indignation. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Hang Min leaned over to get a better look. An exquisitely fine lattice of qi penetrated every inch of space in the hall, but he had already made sure that there was nothing wrong with his formation. Now it was the time to directly assess its effectiveness. A series of tests began. He circled his finger in front of the miner''s eyes, pinched his cheeks, and even blew some air into the man''s face. Through it all, the miner''s expression of righteous fury remained unchanged. An unknown shout was frozen on his lips as he pulled on the legs of people around him, trying to lift himself up. Suddenly, Hang Min''s hand flashed with a blinding light. He brought his finger close to the man''s face, holding it in place for several breaths of time before allowing the light to extinguish. He peered deeply into his subject''s eyes and finally let out a satisfied sigh. It works! In the tomb-like silence of the hall, his jubilant cry boomed like a thunderclap. Even Hang Min flinched, but rather than feeling flustered, he simply giggled in good humor. His mood was excellent. These past eight months had been a veritable trial of will. Hang Min still wasnt sure what purpose had brought his Teacher to this desolate place, though not for the lack of trying. He even suspected that it was his endless probing that played the key role in the elders decision to finally let him out under the flimsy excuse of learning more about the treasure. Even if hed been a bit of a pest, Hang thought, he didnt feel anyone could fault him. His Teacher took great pains to build them a suitable sanctuary, but there was only so much one could do. The quality of qi was so disappointing, it made it not worth the effort to cultivate. And no matter how pleasing the scenery, there was no enlightenment to be found in an artificial garden. But he was very satisfied with this spell. It was something completely of his own design. It began as a simple means to alleviate boredom, but it steadily grown into something that demanded all of his ability to complete. Even among the core disciples, there wasnt another person who could replicate this feat. In fact, there wasnt even anyone who would try. The spell demanded an exceptional knowledge of formations, expert manipulation of qi, and even profound comprehension of human physiology. And its sole purpose was to hold in place a hundred unawakened mortals. A first layer cultivator with an Immortal Sigil could probably defeat a hundred mortals on his own. A peak cultivator of the first layer could disable them all with a just a burst of his aura. But who possessed the ability to freeze them in place, simultaneously ensuring their survival and preserving their form with the careful precision of an artist? No one did. And no one would bother. Except Hang Min. It was a perfectly worthless skill. That no one but him could use. The smile on his face grew even wider. His cheeks rose and pushed against his eyes, squishing them into tiny half-moons. Thoroughly satisfied, he brushed the sleeves of his blue robe and resumed his stroll. From time to time, he stopped by some figure that happened to catch his attention, but he didnt bother with any more tests. He merely appreciated what he saw, even bestowing a slight nod of approval to particularly pleasing compositions. He had really lucked out, when it came to it. When he made his way to the hall, all of the miners were already gathered in place. They were in a great hubbub, shouting and whooping in some mortal dialect he couldnt understand. Still, it wasnt difficult to make sense of the situation. The miner in the center was a great sinner and it would take the combined effort of everyone present to excise the evil that he had brought about. It all made for an amusing spectacle, and Hang Min wouldnt have minded to content himself with being but a passive spectator. Unfortunately, his target happened to be the very boy that was about to be purged. Setting up the formation wasnt a quick process. Especially since he had to do so in a manner that wouldnt alert anyone. The temptation was too great, however. He had already been itching to test it out and who knew when a similar opportunity would come about. Thankfully, the little miner had managed to hold out for longer than expected. He stopped at the centrepiece of the composition, admiring the final clash between Jin Sou and Big Lu. The little miner didnt disappoint. His body was so ravaged by wounds, it was a miracle in itself that he was still standing. And yet, instead of frailty, he radiated strength and perseverance. His wretched body was animated by a force that transcended the physical, giving form to something greater and more ethereal. It was just a shame that he was about to die. Hang Min sighed and reached into the fold of his robe to retrieve a small jadeite box. A strong medicinal aroma suffused the air around him when he opened it. If this treasure were to make an appearance in the outer sect, it would start a conflict that would end many friendships and begin countless enmities. Hang Min only thought that it was a shame to destroy such a pleasing composition. Guided by a wisp of his qi, the pill travelled to Jins stomach, where it instantly melted, releasing potent medicinal energies. Jins wounds began to heal with speeds visible to the naked eye. Even more miraculous changes were happening on the inside. The countless cracks and fissures scarring his meridian pathways started to mend. Injuries that wouldve killed him the second his qi started to circulate again were disappearing, leaving behind a restored tissue that was stronger and more resilient than before. Hang Min took the last look around, locking in memory the scene created by his spell. With a clap of his hands, the formation broke. A hundred miners dropped to the ground at the same time. They writhed and gasped for air as Hang Min walked on, Jins limp body thrown over his shoulders. A single question occupied his mind: where could he find himself a translator? Chapter 9: Jin Makes a Friend Chen Changsheng stood in the corridor outside Jins room with a complicated look on his face. He tried to project a dignified appearance, as was expected of an outer disciple, but the task was proving difficult. This particular area of the Pit was intended for the younger miners, and the height of the ceiling clearly reflected it. In order to avoid bumping into the mass of solid rock hanging above him, he kept his head lowered at an awkward angle. It made him look as if he was a humble petitioner, waiting patiently outside his masters chambers. Which wasnt that far off from the truth. Bored and frustrated, Cheng played with the wispy moustache he was growing on his lip. Its all your fault, isnt? he whispered accusingly. The whiskers didnt answer. Before, the idea of cultivating a unique look seemed so charming. He knew that facial hair constituted a clear breach of conduct, it was something that would never fly back in the Sect, but he also knew that his brothers and sisters permitted themselves even greater liberties. Now, he discovered a newfound appreciation for the age-old wisdom of not standing out. When Hang Min made his abrupt appearance in the common area, an unconscious miner slung over his shoulder like a sack of rice, it took him only a glance to single Cheng out of a group of over dozen people. Cheng even sensed the precise moment his senior brother noticed him. Their eyes briefly met, and then, Hangs gaze shifted downwards, settling on an area about an inch below Chengs nose. The matter was all the more frustrating, since Cheng was probably the only person present in the room who didnt want anything to do with Hang Min. Outsiders wouldnt understand just how much of a stir the unexpected arrival of the master-disciple duo made in the hearts of disciples employed in the mine. Only failures and rejects took up posts in the secular world. They mightve retained the right to wear the white robes of outer disciples, but their connection with the sect was effectively severed. Their names were erased from the active roster, and they would never gaze upon the holy Nine Peaks again. Some had coped with this reality better than others, but there wasn''t a single one who didnt nurse at least a sliver of shame and regret. For Elder Xi to appear here it was like having one of the peaks grow legs and come to them. His presence alone couldve fuelled discussions for years to come. His Excellency, however, didnt restrict himself to something so mundane. No, the venerable Elder decided to build himself a home. Cheng grimaced just remembering the chaos of that day. It all started with a small tremor. Minor earthquakes werent exactly a rare occurrence in this area, and with the securing formations in place, even a larger one wouldnt threaten the foundations of the mine. Most people had disregarded it. But then, instead of subsiding, the quakes began to grow stronger. The earth started to shake as if it was witnessing the birth of a volcano. A roar of explosions followed. They bellowed from deep underground, with enough force to make your ears bleed. The weaker shafts started to cave in. A complete chaos ensued. The slaves fell into a panic, scattering about like chickens with their heads cut off. At some point they even mixed in with a group of similarly terrified fiends that escaped from the stables. And still, the mortals shouldve considered themselves lucky to be spared what the disciples experienced. It wasn''t even about the monstrous amount of qi that was being released in an endless torrent underneath their feet. With their Immortal Sigils, they were forced to bear the weight of Elder Xis dao. Yes, they were all failures of the Immortal Path. The daos they used to ignite their sigils were all weak and flawed, unable to pass scrutiny even in the outer sect. But even then, the sheer presence that emanated from underground that day made them feel like ghosts. The elder was simply more. Just coming into contact with his being made their own existence turn dim and uncertain. Their Immortal Sigils swayed and flickered like candles in the wind. For hours, they lay on their knees, praying for this tribulation to end. When it was all over, the terror they felt was replaced with an even greater dejection. The mine had been around for centuries. It was impossible to calculate just how many people had lost their lives toiling in its dark shafts. The surface town alone - a settlement that existed solely to supply the miners with the tools and food they needed for their work - spanned a greater period of time than many mortal dynasties. Sitting atop such a magnificent undertaking, it wasnt surprising that some of the disciples developed a certain feeling of superiority. Elder Xis display had disabused them of any such notions. It was a stark reminder that in the eyes of the truly powerful, there was little difference between themselves and the slaves who adored them as Immortals. Cheng had once visited the sanctuary that Elder had built for himself and his student. Even putting aside the question of how hed managed to get the plants to grow in the inhospitable environment of the mine, just the sheer size of the place had left him bewildered. It took up the space of a small village. It made the centuries of effort that went into the exploitation of the mine seem laughable. If Elder Xi wanted to, he could probably dig out every single crystal present there on his own. That day, the disciples finally understood what they had given up on when they had left the Sect. Elder Xi taught them the meaning of a true cultivator. But the lesson came too late. Their own journey on the Immortal Path had already come to an end. They would be willing to do anything for even the smallest chance to step on that Path again. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Cheng Changsheng was probably the sole exception. In his mind, he had already lucked out, achieving everything and more that a son of a cobbler could expect from life. The Sect took care of all his earthly needs. He would never need to worry about earning enough silver for food or lodgings. All he needed to do in exchange was to look after the tamed fiends. The job took all hours of the day, but it was very rewarding. The poor creatures inspired disgust at the first glance, but they proved to be the most loyal and playful friends anyone could dream of. It was only a pity that they suffered so terribly from health issues. Most of Chengs wages went towards ordering special made medicines from outside, but they only alleviated the symptoms. Yes, the environment in the mine wasnt conducive to cultivation - but so what. The environment in the Sect wasnt that healthy either, and Cheng was glad to be out. The terrifying, inhuman pressure projected by Elder Xi served only to strengthen his conviction. So, of course, when their senior brother emerged from the sanctuary, out of all the people who would sell their souls for an opportunity to serve him, he decided to choose him. Cheng pulled out a hair from his moustache and stared at it hatefully. He wasnt surprised that Hang Min needed an interpreter to speak with the miner. In the recent months, it was difficult to hear a conversation that didnt center around their illustrious guests. At this point, Cheng could recite Hangs distinguished pedigree all the way to his second maternal grand aunt twice removed. The true elites didn''t waste their offspring''s time on studying such frivolous things like mortal tongue. And even if they did, the slaves all came from various, often far-flung provinces.This made the dialect spoken in the mine a confusing hodgepodge of different languages. Cheng only mastered it because his duties required him to regularly interact with mortals. Naturally, Cheng offered to interrogate the miner himself, but his senior brother wasnt interested. No, he wanted to question the slave personally. Moreover, he wished it to be done one on one. Cheng was to stand outside - hidden behind a wall, since the room didnt even have a door - and transmit mentally every word that came out of the miners mouth. Then, he was to wait for Hangs reply, translate it, and send the translated message back to Hang, so that his senior brother could say it himself, giving an impression of holding a natural conversation. It was a baffling arrangement, but apparently it was a fairly common practice in the upper crust of the society. Only, for the sake of convenience, the interpreter was usually excorporated and bound to a handy talisman that one could keep on his person at all times, Hang Min helpfully explained. Cheng pulled on his whiskers again. Once this was all over, hed be getting rid of the rotten thing. *** Jin Sou blinked. He found himself back in his room. The change was instantaneous. One moment he was lost in a world of black spots and fading consciousness, ready to surrender to the beckoning of the afterlife, and the next he was here, back in the mine, dazed and disoriented. It was as if everything he had experienced was just an incredibly realistic dream or hallucination. He clenched and unclenched his fists, marvelling at their ability to move. His qi was perfectly stable; inert and calm, patiently waiting for his commands. Still, there was something different about it. Jin closed his eyes to investigate, when a peal of excited laughter shook him out of his daze. I cant believe it! You read the Journey of the Rose? My niece loves it! Ill have to tell her she has a book buddy! Jin turned to look and stared in mute shock. A youth clothed in a luxurious blue robe was lying sprawled on his cot. The stranger, reclining on his side, faced Jin Sou while poring over one of his books with deep interest. An unruly mop of blonde curls kept slipping over the teens eyes, and he swatted them away with an air of annoyance. You know, Hang Min remarked excitedly. He really was in an excellent mood. Although he was unfamiliar with the spoken language of the mortals, he did learn the written script, since it remained constant and universal across the provinces, unlike their ever-shifting dialects. Personally, I never read art. Theres something perverse about it. To allow oneself to be touched, and to share that feeling with countless other people around the world. A communion of souls. But theyre strangers! Its like going to a banquet, but the guests pass their chewed food from mouth. I tried to explain this to my niece, but she wouldnt listen, no she The youth''s words poured forth in an unceasing torrent. There was something off about his intonation, a strange rhythm that emphasized and de-emphasized certain words seemingly at random, but it only added to the unreal feeling. It took Jin a full minute, before he realised what going on. The boy was an Immortal. Jin dropped to his knees even before his mind completed the thought. It didnt matter if this was the afterlife, a dream, or a hallucination. The hierarchy of the world was absolute and universal. I greet the Immortal! What? Hang Min looked up from the book to stare at Jin. Oh, dont bother yourself with that. We cant really talk with you lying on the ground like that, can we? he laughed. Come on, stand up, stand, STAND! thats better. He jumped up from the cot and walked up to Jin with a curious grin on his face. To his horror, Jin discovered that their eyes were at a level. No, he was even slightly taller than the Immortal. His legs trembled. Hang Min seemed oblivious to Jins distress. He studied him curiously, as if comparing his appearance with some idea he had in his mind. A bright smile bloomed on his face. I am Hang Min. My Teacher is the venerable elder Xi, my father is the Scarlet Inferno Master Hang Roxie, and my mother is the Lunar Serenity Mistress Ao. Whats your name? The blue robed Immortal radiated nothing but concentrated friendliness. Bizarrely, Jin felt himself transported to his childhood. It was as if he was ten again, and making friends with children of a travelling merchant. Venerable Immortal, Jin answered, his eyes set on the ground. This lowly one is Jin Sou. Hang Min frowned. No, no, no, whats with that. Im hardly venerable and as for immortal - lets save that title for the brothers and sisters willing to bear its weight. Look up when Im talking to you. No, that wont do, he fell into thought. Look, he waved his hands around. We seem to be roughly the same age. And the rules of seniority need to be respected. Even the Sages agree on that point, and you don''t want to mess with them. How about we address each other as brothers? What do you think, brother Jin? Before Jin could answer, the Immortal continued. You see, brother Jin, my esteemed teacher has tasked me with a mission of the utmost importance. It is related to the treasure that you unearthed earlier today. You need to tell me everything you saw. Every detail counts. Jin felt a surge of cold terror wash over him as the words sank in. Just remember, the Immortal emphasised, his eyes fixed on Jins face. When you speak, dont withhold a single truth and dont tell a slightest falsehood. When the Immortal finally revealed the purpose of his visit, Jin was gripped by panic. He braced himself for the onslaught of qi. An attack that would hurl him to the ground, grind him until he could only scream, and worse. Nothing happened. Jin opened the eyes that he had unconsciously closed. The youth in the blue robe stood before him, his amiable smile still in place. His head was cocked slightly, as if he was puzzled by Jin''s hesitation and couldn''t fathom what was taking him so long. A wild idea flashed through Jins head. Maybe he could tell him the truth. With his qi unstable, he didnt have the time to think over the problem before. But he knew there was a possibility of other Immortals coming to question him about what he had seen. Maybe this Immortal, this brother Hang, would be able to protect him. But he immediately discarded the idea. Even if the boy had the power to keep him safe, it was a slim hope. The female Immortal was older, and no amount of false friendliness could ease Jin''s fears. If anything, this act made him feel even more weak and inferior. He decided to conceal the matter. He recounted the events precisely as they had occurred, taking care to alter two treasures for one. It was a small change, making the lie easy to conceal. He also kept his thoughts about the female Immortal to himself. Speaking ill of a revered one - even to another Immortal - was just too difficult. The blue robed boy listened inattentively. At some point he even returned to the cot and began leafing through the books again. He nodded his head from time to time. When Jin was finished, the boy got up from the cot with the same small smile on his face. Well, thats it, thank you for telling me. It is an honour, Immortal. You don''t have to be so formal. We''re brothers, remember? Hang shook his head and walked towards the door. "Oh, wait. There''s one more thing," he said, stopping in the doorway and turning back to Jin. Tell me what you saw when you unearthed the treasure, he said with a smile. His blue eyes shone. Just dont withhold a single truth and dont tell a slightest falsehood. Chapter 10: Greed Hang Min looked at Jin with bright eyes. The smile hanging on his lips was just as amiable as before, but something odd was going on with his voice. It seemed to double, as if his words echoed and resonated with each other. Tell me what you saw when you unearthed the treasure, a chorus of voices asked. Just dont withhold a single truth and dont tell a slightest falsehood. A wave of relief washed over Jin. When his senior brother abruptly stopped and turned on his way out, his heart jerked as if it was about to leap out of his chest. Thankfully, it was such a minor thing. Of course, senior brother, Jin replied in a serene voice. He began recounting the story from the beginning. The words flowed easily from his lips. He didnt feel any anxiousness. All he had to do was repeat what he had already said, so there was no need to think too deeply about he was saying. He began by describing the odd trance that he had fallen into. How the words of the cultivation mantra rang out unbidden in his mind, and how he felt like he could even understand the meaning behind the sounds. This time, Hang Min didnt retire to Jins cot. He listened attentively, his playful gaze carefully watching every twitch and change in Jins face. The moment the boulder cracked open, Jin continued to narrate in a calm voice, it erupted with blinding light. A golden radiance covered everything I could see. The trance I was under abruptly cut out and I fell to the ground as if Ive been struck. My head was pounding, and it was difficult to get up, but I had to see what was inside. I limped over, using my hammer as a support. A warm glow emanated from within. I leaned in to take a closer look and I saw Two crystals. The words clung to the tip of his tongue like a stubborn monkey. Jin couldnt understand why they wouldnt come out. He wanted to say them. He needed to say them. He had already said them once before, why was it so difficult now? With all of his attention focused on the problem at hand, Jin missed the fact that his previously inert qi began to show signs of activity. Two small strands of qi secretly slipped out of his dantian. One of them travelled to the major meridian in his heart, while the other made its way to the one in his head. The ripple caused by a single strand of qi was simply too small to perceive. Even under Hang Mins vigilant gaze, their activity didnt reveal anything suspicious. Jins dantian appeared completely dormant. Besides, the changes on Jins face were far more remarkable. I saw I saw Jins nose bled, the blood forming a steady stream coming from his nostrils. The flow split into two rivulets at his upper lip, circled around his mouth in crimson half-moons, and reconnected again at his chin. From there, his blood dripped to the ground in plump droplets, forming a small pool around his feet. Hang Min didnt seem alarmed by what was happening. He observed Jin struggle with an understanding look in his eyes. He seemed like an indulgent master waiting for their pet to learn a difficult trick, confident that they would eventually succeed. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I saw Pressure built in Jin''s mind like a growing tumor, expanding until it threatened to burst him from within. He didnt even have the luxury of losing consciousness. Hang Mins expectant face was perfectly clear in his eyes. It occupied his whole field of vision, as if nothing else existed in the world. I saw greed on the Immortals face! Jin suddenly bellowed, scarlet droplets spraying from his mouth in all directions. She was completely covered in dust, ugly and vulgar like a beggar from the streets! She, she she looked mortal! Now that the terrifying pressure mounting in his mind found a suitable opening, the words surged out of his mouth in an unstoppable torrent. It was impossible to stop. Jin screamed in despair, like a devout believer stumbling across his deities corpse. Greed filled her eyes! Jin continued to roar. I knew she wanted to steal it! Take it all for herself! And shed kill me to do it! I spoke out not to gain her favour, but to save my life! He fell to his knees, gasping for air. Even now, the words wouldnt stop. They continued to worm their way out of his mouth like a swam of rats escaping a burning house. So thats what happened, Hang Min said with a sigh. He looked down at Jin, who was still babbling on the ground, repeating his impressions of the female Immortal in agonizing detail. Hang Min waved his hand, releasing the compulsion. Enough, enough, save my junior sister some face, will you?, he said jokingly. He stared at Jin. The little miner didnt paint an inspiring picture. Gone was the aura of heroism Hang had witnessed back in the hall. All that was left was a trembling creature, writhing and sobbing helplessly on the ground. He produced a handkerchief from one of the folds of his robe and began to wipe the blood and snot from Jins face. There, there, he said soothingly. You have done very well protecting the dignity of the Sect. A true credit to the teachings. If old Wu from the disciplinary committee could see you now, I guarantee he would take you in as his disciple in a heartbeat. He cleaned Jin''s face until not a speck of dirt remained. Next, he kneeled and started mopping up the small pool of blood that formed on the ground. You will have to forgive little Xiao for her unseemly appearance. Its really not her fault. Reaching the end of ones path Its something that even the Sages find difficult to bear with dignity. Hang Min rose to his feet again. The melancholic mood was gone, replaced by a familiar look of playfulness. Still, its our first meeting, and custom dictates that we should exchange suitable gifts to mark the occasion. He fumbled around in the folds of his robe, until he fished out a small pouch. He placed it on the ground with two hands. As for your gift for me, he looked around awkwardly. Jins room was the very definition of austerity. Other than the filthy cot, the only things there were a few books Jin had bought from a merchant. But Hang Min wasn''t interested in them. Finally, he pointed to the handkerchief, now soaked with Jin''s blood. "I''ll just have to take that, I guess. Hang Min giggled, as if he''d made a particularly funny joke. Jin didnt show any reaction. He had already managed to get a hold of himself, but he wanted nothing more to do with the blue robed Immortal. He lay on the ground with his eyes closed, twitching as if he was still suffering from the effects of the interrogation. He continued to do so even after he had heard the blue robed teen finally leave his room. It was only after a very long time had passed and he could hear the familiar noises of the other miners returning to their quarters, that he nervously got up from the ground. He climbed onto his cot and buried himself under many layers of dirty blankets. This has been the longest day of his life. Exhaustion overwhelmed him. He was all too aware of the dangers that still awaited him - Big Lus wrath, the female Immortals secret, even the state of his own qi - but he lacked the strength to contemplate them for now. Alone in his room, Jin curled up into a ball, hugging his legs to his chest, and drifted off into a restless sleep. Chapter 11: Justice for Hao Ying Brother Jin! You must wake up! Brother Jin! An urgent voice called out, but it didnt reach Jin. His mind was faraway. Sleep had come easily to him. It claimed him as soon as he had closed his eyes, safely buried under many layers of blankets. It carried him into a dreamless state that was closer to an unconscious coma than any true rest. It was exactly what he had wanted. After the day he had experienced, any dreams that might have come to him would have surely been nightmares. And yet, at some point, that uneasy sleep had transformed into something else. It was a strange experience, closer to a trance than anything else. Unlike a regular dream, there were no sounds or images. Instead, a perplexing stream of confused emotions and impressions coursed through him. It was similar to how a nascent life might perceive the world before its born. Jin felt happiness like never before. Bliss overwhelmed him. He was a part of something greater than himself, just a single grain of it, but inalienable. The feeling was beyond compare. Time meant nothing in that space. Eons could pass in a blink, or a single instant could stretch on for eternities. There wasnt anything that could be called Jin. But if there was, he wouldve loved nothing more than to remain in that wondrous, perfect state for ever. The change came suddenly. The great oneness he had inhabited was abruptly reduced, decimated to a single point that was so small in comparison, it could just as well have been nothing. Even more shock came as Jin realised that it wasnt the reality that had shrunk, but him. Hed been severed. As his connection to the great oneness faded, he also gained a sort of self. It was always there, but before it was subdued by the totality of that greater consciousness. He realised he had siblings. They were just like him, minuscule droplets of that great river, stolen or kidnapped by an unknown entity. The instinct to return to unity was overwhelming. His siblings shared it as well. But they had also gained a sense of self, and they didnt want to lose it. A struggle for supremacy began. Brother Jin! The voice grew more insistent, now turning into a shout. The urgency in it finally shook Jin from the strange trance he had fallen into. He struggled to open his eyes as the fleeting memories of the dream rapidly faded away from his mind. A sense of loss gripped him. With a sudden movement, he jerked the blanket off his head and looked around to search for the uninvited guest. His eyes landed on a twelve-year-old boy with a buzz cut. A massive nose, the size of a clenched fist, took up the bulk of his face. Snot streamed down from it in a silvery waterfall. Jin couldn''t remember the boy''s name, but that face wasnt easy to forget. He was one of the younger miners, a recent addition to the workforce sent down to the mine. From time to time, he joined the group of boys who huddled around Jin, begging him to read them stories. He also remembered him from the discipline. When time froze, he had ample time to study the faces of the miners around him. The boy was amongst them. He was part of the group that attempted to flee when they witnessed Jin''s power. A deep chill settled in Jin''s veins. Get the hell out, he began to say, but the boys next words stopped him. Theyre going to kill brother Hao! Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Jin swallowed the words he was about to say. Tell me what happened, he asked in a more neutral tone. They had a meeting and Lil Hao spoke up for you! the snot-nosed boy cried out, accusingly. But its not fair! He didnt do anything! And now theyre going to kill him! Jin closed his eyes. He should''ve been dazed, but his mind was working surprisingly well. As if he''d just woken up from a wonderful rest. He threw off the blankets and jumped out of his cot. His body was spry. Take me there. The boy didnt waste time. Seeing that Jin was willing to help, he scampered into the hallway outside Jins room, taking a left turn and heading deeper into the tunnels. The path led towards the communal barracks, where the youngest miners resided. Older miners occupied the rooms on the opposite end of the tunnels, where they opened up to the main well of the Pit. They got to enjoy the fresh air and even some of the natural light filtering down from the opening that linked the Pit and the surface town. Jins own room lied exactly in the middle, where the air was still crisp, but the light did not reach. The snot-nosed boy ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Jin had no difficulty in keeping up. His body was light. While running, he tested out his qi, circulating it once in accordance with the cultivation mantra. He completed a single circuit that started at his dantian, travelled to the major meridian in his stomach, then to the one in his right hand, and finally returned back to his dantian. It worked flawlessly. Jin flinched at first. The amount of qi that poured out of his dantian caught him by surprise, almost matching the volume that gushed out during the deviation. But his meridian pathways handled the increased pressure with ease. He even wondered how much more they could withstand before showing any signs of fracturing. He put more strength into his step and shot forward, leaving the snot-nosed kid in the dust. As he ventured deeper into the tunnels, the height of the ceiling steadily decreased. It forced him to hunch over, lowering his back and bending his knees. Maintaining this posture was normally very strenuous. Especially in the lower shafts, where the miners sometimes had to crawl this way for an hour or more to reach their destination. This time it didn''t feel as difficult. When he heard the echoes of violent shouts up ahead, he even found the strength to speed up again. Traitor! Jin arrived at his destination. Luckily, the ceiling was higher here, allowing him to stand upright. In the middle of the barracks, a big mob had formed. Most of them, around twenty people, were just watching the fight. They formed a tight ring around the scene. The warden, who should have intervened in any conflict that endangered the workers, was conspicuously absent. The true culprits turned out to be just three boys. They were obviously new to the mine and likely still in the first layer. Hao Ying lay on the ground between them. A gash on his head was bleeding heavily, but contrary to expectations, Hao seemed to be ignoring the injury. Curled up on the ground, Hao held his arms tight to his chest, as if he was guarding something of immense value. In fact, he was. The most important thing for a mine slave. His hands. Two of the boys held him pinned to the ground, while the ringleader pulled and tugged, until he wrenched one of Haos arms free from beneath him. The bandages that shouldve been wrapped around his fingers were missing. Haos middle and ring finger were dark and purple, engorged like sausages with too much meat stuffed inside them. The main tormentor grabbed a wooden stick and raised it above his head, the target of his attack painfully obvious. Jin burned with rage when he realised what was happening. Hands were everything to a miner, since without them, they couldnt continue to work. To attack Hao so viciously was to condemn him to a prolonged and agonising death. The excited, almost feverish gleam in the ringleaders eyes made it obvious that he was fully aware of what he was doing. The crowd was similar. They watched with morbid fascination, like townsfolk gathered for a public execution that was promised to be both cruel and unusual. Bastards! Jin roared. The rage in his voice made the air tremble. Only now, did the gathered crowd notice him. Jin shoved his way through the mob, his anger so great, he could barely see them. Some tried to stop him, but they ended up flat on the ground, blood flowing from their broken noses, before they even realised what had happened. The rest of the crowd parted before Jin like the waves of the sea. The leader of the group, the boy with the wooden stick in his hand, was so absorbed in his feeling of power that he failed to notice the change in circumstances. He stood up, his face lit up with an elated grin. So the devil''s come out! he announced like a big town prosecutor. You were lucky last time, but don''t count on it this time The boy spoke with a clear, obviously trained voice. It was apparent that he mustve belonged to an influential family in the mortal world before the Sect had taken him. Join me brothers! Lets punish this sinner! he spoke to the crowd like a virtuous scholar rousing the town against a corrupt official. Boss Lu will surely reward everyone who helps him avenge his unjustly fallen brother! The boy seemed drunk on his own words. He brandished his wooden stick and waved it in the air like it was a sword. "Let''s bring about justice so fine, even Immortals" Jins fist smashed into his face. Chapter 12: Justice of the Immortals JIn didnt pull his punch. His rage pushed him to employ all the strength he could muster. A sickening crunch rang out when his fist connected with the ringleaders mouth. The youth didnt even have the time to wipe the grin off his face, before he crashed to ground, his lips broken and his teeth scattered on the floor around him. Senior brother! the two boys who were pinning Hao jumped up and charged at Jin. How dare you sucker punch him! They rose with their fists out, indignation clear on their faces, but Jin met them before they even made a single step. A flash later, they joined their leader on the ground, coughing up blood and whimpering. Jin wasnt interested in them. He knelt on the ground. Lil Hao, he said softly. Brother Jin, the boy tried to look up, but his eyes were too bruised and swollen to be opened. He tilted his head, like a deaf man relying on his hearing. Sorry for the trouble he said with a pathetic smile. Its okay, you dont need to worry about anything Jin whispered. He scanned Haos condition as he spoke. The gash on they boys head was alarming, but it looked worse than it really was. It only needed to be bandaged. His hands however Something boiled inside Jin. The right hand looked bad, but its condition wasnt actually that unusual among the newly arrived miners. Those at the first layer were tasked with sifting through the crushed rock, separating the tiny spiritual crystals from the useless rubble. It was a difficult work, and tiny cuts accumulated quickly. The corrupting energies seeping from the spiritual crystals used these openings to enter, causing all sorts of health issues. Luckily, Jin had come in time to stop the ringleader before he delivered his strike. The swelling present on Haos middle and ring finger, though painful, was fairly typical. His left hand, however If the fingers on Haos right hand looked like a pair of overstuffed sausages, then the index finger on his left hand told the story to its conclusion. It was just a squished down mass of tissue. Jin stared at it, rage boiling over him. No amount of corrupting energies couldve led to that. It was obvious that somebody had stomped on it. Repeatedly. Devils Jin whispered. He rose from the ground and walked up to the fallen ringleader. The boy had impressively managed to maintain his consciousness. He spat a ball of blood from his mouth and stared hatefully at Jin. His hands were pristine. A clear sign of talent. The youth must have felt great pride when he had mastered the difficult skill of simultaneously working and circulating his qi, necessary to protect from the invading energies. Jin grabbed his forearm. He squished it, feeling out the bone hidden within the flesh. The ringleaders eyes abruptly flashed with terror, as he guessed Jins intent. No! he cried out. You cant do this! Jin stared at him with an impassive face. You wanted to witness the justice of the Immortals? He nodded his head. Ill show you. He positioned the ringleaders forearm perpendicular to his knee. The boy had already risen to his feet and flailed desperately, using the weight of his whole body to yank his arm free from Jins grip, but it wasnt working. Jin held him like a vice. One of his hands was on the boys wrist, while the other gripped him just below the elbow. He pressed down, pushing the youths arm against his knee, as if he was breaking a wooden stick. STOP! A warden finally made his appearance. He was an older man, the years of hard labor in the inhospitable environment of the mine clearly reflected in his face. His complexion was sallow and pasty. Jin guessed that he must be in his late twenties, pushing on the natural lifespan of the unawakened miners. Two other men, his lackeys, stood by his side. Cripple him and therell be no escape for you, the warden declared in a grim voice. To disable one of the Sects servants is taboo. No penance can wash away such sin. Jin laughed. Rage boiled within him, begging for release. The image of Lil Haos finger flashed in front of his eyes. He needed to hit something, but tormenting little boys wouldnt satisfy him. He rose to his feet and opened his mouth. His voice was shaky, not out of fear, but the rage that was about consume him. And where were you before! The qi in his dantian churned dangerously. Jin let it out. It surged through his meridian pathways like a racing steed, quickly completing the circuit described in the manual. And then another. One loop. Two loops. Three loops. That boy, the warden pointed to Hao Lin, broke the rules of seniority that bind us. As he spoke, his eyes flicked to his lackeys. Years of experience told him that simple words wouldnt be able to defuse this situation. The men got the signal and advanced on Jin, flanking him from two sides. These boys were too eager in their actions, the warden continued to explain, as if he truly wished to mediate. But their motives were good. After all, if we dont keep discipline ourselves, the Heavens will do it for us. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Jin stood still as the two lackeys closed in. He wanted them to come. The gathered mob was able to read the mood as well. They pulled Hao and his tormentors away from the ring, clearing space for the impending clash. The three men were all at the second layer. Lil Lu was an exception to have reached the third level on his own. The only other miner from their section who had accomplished this feat was Big Lu himself, and he had gone even further. He had reached the fourth layer, stopping at the unbreakable wall that lay waiting at the end of the severed dao they cultivated. The men who approached him were unarmed. Miners werent allowed to bring their tools from the lower shafts. Neither did they carry wooden clubs, like the younger miner. The years of labor had hardened their fists, making them stronger than any ordinary wood. Give up and accept your punishment, and this will be the end of it Jin stood his ground, his qi humming, as it ran one circuit after another. 9 loops. 10 loops. 11 loops. The two lackeys exchanged a glance and lunged at the same time. Their moves were telegraphed, but even if Jin could easily follow their actions, it didnt mean he could avoid them. He had never learned any combat techniques, not even the most basic ones found in the mortal world. The circle of spectators restricted his space to manoeuvre even more. Instead of futilely trying to sidestep them, Jin charged at the man to his left, ignoring the other assailant all together. Their bodies collided with a rumble. Jin had hoped to quickly push the man to the ground, but he had overestimated himself. The miner held steady. The muscles on his arms bulged as he locked Jin in a powerful hold, constricting himself around his chest and shoulders. Jin retaliated in a similar manner. One of his arms snaked to the mans throat, the other to his shoulder. For a brief instant they were evenly matched, pressing agains each other with all their strength. THUD! Jin shuddered as a powerful blow landed on his unprotected back. The second miner wasted no time, raining his fists down with a savage intensity. THUD! THUD! THUD! A barrage of hits bombarded his body. The punches came hard and fast, one after another, with no respite. The miner alternated his fists between each strike, as if he wanted to reduce the time between impacts to zero. Jins body trembled every time another blow landed on his body. The attacks were merciless. It was clear the assailant wasnt holding back at all. And yet. So weak It wasnt arrogance. Jin had only yesterday experienced perhaps the most thorough beating in the history of the mine. You could even say he was an authority on the subject. The blows were strong, true, but they werent debilitating. He closed his eyes and centred on his qi. When the barrage began, the flow of energies in his meridians was thrown into chaos. Common sense dictated that he shouldve stopped circulation altogether, and draw all the wayward strands of qi back to his dantian. Jin, however, wanted to reassert his control over the energies. Maintaining the necessary concentration in such circumstances wasnt easy. In fact, it shouldve been impossible, but Jin thought he could do it. The miner who held him in a lock smiled. When he saw Jin closing his eyes, he figured he had already given up resistance and resigned himself to his fate. In Jins mind, the structure of his meridian pathways revealed itself to him. The image wasnt as clear as when he had entered deep meditation, but it was enough. Jin expanded his consciousness and reached out to all the errand strands of qi. One by one, he pulled them away from the incorrect channels they had invaded and corralled them onto the right path. One loop. Two loops. Three loops. Power surged through him. Jin opened his eyes and grinned at the miner holding him in a lock. With his qi circulating again, even the blows landing on his back werent as painful as before. A crazy idea struck him. One that would take advantage of his newfound sturdiness. A grin crept up on Jins face. The man he was wrestling noticed that something had changed, but only blinked confusedly when Jin flashed him a brilliant smile. Abruptly, he jerked his head way back, pulling it as far as he could. When his eyes gazed on the ceiling above them, the smile on his face grew even wider. He snapped his head back, head-butting the man in front of him with all his might. THUD! Jins forehead connected with the space right above the mans nose. Something cracked and Jin could feel the iron grip that held him in place since the start of the fight beginning to loosen. The impact didnt leave any visible injury. But Jin noticed the mans gaze became unfocused, the direction of his eyeballs no longer coordinated with each other. It was clear he was about to fall unconscious. Before he could do that, Jin jerked his head again. THUD! Bright sparks exploded in Jins eyes. When he could see again, he noticed that this time his attack had managed to leave a mark. There was an indentation in the mans brow ridge. His eyes were rolled back in his head, revealing only the whites. There was no strength left in his grip, the only reason he still stood upright, was because he was held up by Jin. Jin opened his arms, letting the man crumple to the ground. He turned to the other miner, his chest heaving with exertion. Now its your turn THUD! Before he could finish, a sudden blow struck him on the side of his head. Jin staggered and fell to the ground, landing next to the miner he had just defeated. The warden stood over him, rubbing his fist with a malicious look on his face. You miserable son of a bitch Jin tried to catch his bearings. Three strikes to the head in a row had left him hopelessly dazed. His qi slipped out of his control once again, turning chaotic and invading random channels in his meridian pathways. The warden didnt give him any chances. He pursued him with a relentless intensity, stomping down on his face and hands whenever Jin tried to evade. Panicked, Jin rolled on the floor like a grounded fish, trying to catch just a moment of reprieve to stabilise his qi. Merciless kicks followed him wherever he went. Unexpectedly, he rolled into something large and heavy. Instinctively, he used it to shield himself, crawling underneath to escape from the warden''s ferocious attack. The grimace on wardens face turned into an outright snarl, as he saw Jin hiding behind the body of his unconscious brother. His kicks turned even more vicious, but as he didnt dare to accidentally strike his brother, he was forced to abandon targeting Jins head, opting instead for his unprotected legs. The other lackey rushed towards Jin, doing his best to yank the body he was holding onto from Jins hands. Jin didnt waste the opportunity he was afforded. He managed to grab a hold of his qi even faster than before. One loop. Two loops. Three loops. When the second lackey finally managed to wrench his brothers body free from Jins grasp, Jin was ready. He pounced like a cheetah, slamming himself against the wardens legs. The man lost his balance and fell to the ground. Before he could try to stabilise himself, Jin was already on him, his hands interlaced in a knot and raised above his head, primed to deliver a devastating blow. Boss Lu! A sense of pressure, powerful enough to jolt him even in the midst of battle, washed over Jin. He turned to look. The gathered crowd had parted. The miners who just seconds ago were all clamouring like a crazed mob had turned silent, their heads lowered in a respectful bow. Boss Lu stood amidst them. The silver amulet bearing the sigil of the Sect glinted on his bare chest. Jin shivered. The mans face was stoically impassive, devoid of any strong emotion. But Jin recognised the grim look in his eyes. It was the same one he''d seen when time had frozen. When Boss Lu tried to kill him. Chapter 13: Boss Lus Lesson As Jin met Big Lus gaze, a chill ran down his spine. An oppressive pressure formed around him. He tried to shake it off, but he couldnt even look away. The qi which was happily racing through his meridians jerked and faltered, slinking back into his dantian. Big Lus dark eyes held him captive. The amulet bearing the Sects sigil hanged on the mans chest, but Jin didnt even notice it. His mind was trapped, ensnared in the grim intensity of the chief wardens gaze. He had thought he had grown numb to it. In fact, he did. In that time when the world stopped, Jin stared at Big Lus face until it lost all meaning. But it was different in the living world. Now, he felt the full weight of that gaze again. Rou Mi, one of Lil Lus lackeys, sidled up to Big Lu and whispered something in his ear. Boss Lu listened without any change of expression. His gaze shifted, temporarily releasing Jin from his confinement. His eyes wandered around the gathered crowd, pausing briefly on Hao, the three instigators, and the unconscious miner. By the time Rou Mi had finished his report, Boss Lus gaze had focused on Jin Sou again. Or so Jin thought. Warden Feng, Big Lu said. The warden, who was still pinned to the ground by Jin, stirred, and awkwardly scrambled himself to an upright position. Once on his feet, he performed a deep bow. Boss Lu, he replied in a voice laced with anxiety. Big Lu stared at him without a word. Emotions didnt reveal themselves easily on his face. That was why Lil Lu was so important. He was able to decipher the inner thoughts of his elder brother with an uncanny ability, like a horse whisperer. The miners only needed to look for the shifts in Lil Lus expression, whether it be a broad smile or a deepening frown, to understand what fate had in store for them. His absence was felt. But even without him present, the air in the room was heavy. If Lil Lu was here, hed be reaching for his whip already. Five miners injured. A quarter of your crew unable to work... The words hung heavy in the air. The warden shivered. We was just upholdin discipline, he stuttered. Justice for big brother Lil Lu Two of them crippled. Big Lu continued, approaching the warden. His voice was low and measured. On your watch. Fear twisted warden Fengs face. His eyes darted around wildly, searching for a way out. Suddenly, he bellowed in a panic-stricken roar. And how many were injured yesterday?! At your order! His outburst caused the gathered miners to flinch. The warden also realised his mistake. His eyes bulged out in terror, as if he couldnt believe the words that had escaped his mouth. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. You cant do it! he backtracked, pleading in a desperate voice. It was our generation that raised you! I still remember when you came to the mine, you and your brother. Shortie Lu and Fatty Cheng, you were just chicks! Who was it that taught you the ropes? You wouldnt be here if not for us! I remember, Big Lu nodded. You, Liang, and Xianbao were good seniors. That is why when the corruption took you, and you could barely lift a hammer, I looked the other way. Warden Fengs face convulsed with conflicting emotions, each vying for supremacy. In the end, terror prevailed. You didnt contribute. And I allowed it. But now youve jeopardised the Sects interests. The wardens mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. His chin trembled. Big Lu stood in front of him, so close they were almost touching. The silver amulet bearing the Sects sigil glinted in the dim light. Pay respects to the Sect, Boss Lu said. Warden bowed at ninety degree angle. No, Big Lu shook his head. Do it proper. Face on the ground. The warden looked around, but wherever he turned, everyone averted their eyes. With trembling hands, he prostrated himself on the ground. Jin felt a surge of pressure. With shock, he realised that up to now Big Lu hadnt even began circulating his qi. The suppressive aura he projected before came only from his own person. Now, Jin could feel his qi. It was heavy. Hard and relentless, like the mines it was forged in. Lu raised his bare foot, positioning it above warden Fengs head. Time seemed to stop. Jin didnt see what was happening, his eyes were firmly fixed on the ground. He also didnt hear a wet crunch, the blood pounding in his ears blocked it out. And he certainly didnt feel any warm spray splashing on his face, it was just the sweat rolling down from his brow. Boss Lu scrubbed the sole of his foot on the stone floor. It left behind a slimy trail. When that wasnt enough, he tore a strip of fabric from the old wardens robes. Rou Mi will take over after Feng, he announced, his fingers working the rag between each toe, cleaning every crevice. Rou Mi forced himself to look away from the remains of his predecessor. Its an honor, he replied with a bow. The next batch of workers arrives in three months. Until then, you''ll have to manage with a smaller crew. The Sect won''t tolerate a dip in output. I wont disappoint, Rou Mi vowed. Boss Lu shifted his eyes, looking to Hao and the others. Get the healer in the upper Pit to check on the injured. Since they werent directly responsible, they wont be punished for missed labor. Yes, boss. Big Lu turned his attention the gathered miners. Some of them were older, still stuck in the first layer and unable to progress. Most, however, were young boys, who only just arrived in the mine from the camps. Let me share with you the lesson I was taught by my seniors when I was your age, he said, crumpling the soiled rag and throwing it to the ground. Listen well, because one day you will be passing it down to juniors of your own. Our one and only duty is to serve the Sect, he said in an emotionless voice. Nothing else matters and nothing else will be permitted. The words themselves were straightforward. But the hidden implications lingered in the air like a suffocating weight even after Big Lu had departed. Jin couldnt believe it. When Boss Lu arrived, he braced himself for the inevitable fight to the death, fully expecting a brutal repeat of the discipline. But to his surprise, nothing happened. He even suspected that the only reason he thought he was being looked at was because he happened to be sitting on warden Feng at the time. Rou Mi stood nearby, his gaze shifting between Jin Sou and the dead warden. No matter how he wracked his brain, he felt like there was something wrong with the image he was seeing, as if the roles had been reversed. A calculating look flitted across his face. Fighting back a wave of disgust, he rifled through the wardens pockets until he retrieved a small pouch. It was heavy with silver. He kept half for himself and tossed the rest to Jin, For the quack in the upper Pit. Hes paid by the Sect, but hell bandage you with dirt, if you dont slip him something extra. Jin was caught off guard, but given everything else that had transpired, this unexpected act of generosity was of little importance. He grasped the coins, bowed his head in gratitude, and scooped up Hao Ling to rush him to a healer. At that moment, nothing else mattered. Chapter 14: Journey of the Rose Hao Ling stared at his left hand. It was tightly wrapped in a clean, linen bandage and exuded a strong herbal aroma. His index finger was conspicuously missing. I thought it would stop hurting now, he said in an amazed voice. But I guess, this way, its as if I didnt really lose it. His attempt at humor didnt find a receptive audience. The big-nosed boy''s face scrunched up and his shoulders shook, holding back a sob. Jin remained silent, but waves of guilt washed over him. They were in Jins room. Despite their hopes, Haos finger couldnt be saved. The healer took only a single glance at the twitching mess of flesh, and decided to amputate. Rou Mis gift came in useful, however. Jin had nearly strangled the man when he saw him coming with a pair of iron pincers, eager to start operating without even giving Hao anything to dull the pain. With silver in hand, the quack underwent a complete metamorphosis. He straightened his back, retreated to a backroom to wash his hands, and even returned carrying a small box of incense balls. He put one of these balls in a pipe, lit it up with practised ease, and blowed a wisp of silvery smoke into Haos face. With just one whiff, the boys eyes glazed over and a silly smile bloomed on his lips. The operation went successfully, and the healer even took pains to clean and dress the gash on Haos head. He also applied some balm that reduced the swelling on his eyes. The care he showed was so great, that in the end, Jin ended up bowing to the man in a heartfelt gratitude. But it didnt change the fact that Haod been permanently crippled. I dont understand, he and the snot nosed boy spoke at the same time. The boy shot him a hateful look, but Jin disregarded him. Why did you speak up for me? Jin really couldnt comprehend it. Life in the mine didnt work that way. Life in general didnt work that way. He had sometimes looked down on the other miners - after all, he had diligently put all the silver he had acquired towards education, while the other miners wasted it away in brothels or gambling, but that was it. For Hao to speak up for him, when nothing good couldve come out of it, was just incomprehensible. Hao slowly blinked his eyes. The effects of the drug were still present. He answered in a slurred, slightly loopy voice. We always lose something life is like that. But sometimes we get to choose what we lose, he stared at his bandaged hand. The stump twitched. Jin flinched as he realised Hao was probably trying to flex his missing finger. Ive lost my finger, Hao continued in a serene tone. But I can still feel it. And if I didnt speak up, I wouldve lost something else. But if that happened, I dont think I would be able to feel it again. Jin stared at him. He found it impossible to reconcile the words he just heard, and the disposition he witnessed, with the face and the voice of a boy three years his junior. For the first time, he began to wonder how did Hao Ling end up in the mine. Thats the stupidest thing I have ever heard! the snot nosed brat exclaimed. He was so angry, he was shaking. I dont know where you heard it, but I learned it from my Hao interrupted him, only to suddenly let his voice trail off uncertainly. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A happy smile lightened his face. It was clear that this was something he wanted to share. He doesnt have a name, people just call him the empty monk. He doesnt follow any scripture and doesnt pray to any deity, but he is a great man all the same. When I was little, he took me in from the streets, and taught me everything I know. He glanced at Jin and the other boy, and hastened to explain. He is incredibly wise. When we travelled the lands I saw him reconciling the deepest enmities and bringing comfort to even greatest sorrows. Many times I could see bereft mothers, their loss leaving them in a grieving stupor, rising with smiles on their faces, after listening to just a few of his words. He is a mortal man, but even Immortals came to him for guidance, I saw it once And where is he now? Snot-nose interrupted. You say hes still alive? Will he come to save you? Hao shook his head, the light in his eyes dimming a little. Hes the one whos sold me to the Sect. In exchange for twenty silver coins. At that, even the snot-nosed boy fell silent. Brother Jin, Hao asked with a calm smile. Will you read us something? My the nameless monk often read to me when we camped on the road. Jin nodded and picked up Journey of the Rose, the book that even an Immortals niece found interesting. It told an epic tale of a prince from a faraway land who had been displaced at birth and forced to live out his life as a lowly commoner. One day, however, fate intervened, revealing his true birthright and setting him on a great journey full of unbelievable adventures and intrigue. Jin flipped to the end, the part where the prince had triumphantly reclaimed his throne. The realm had suffered greatly under the rule of the impostor, but with the prince''s return, the Heavens rejoiced, blessing the lands with peace and prosperity. The barren fields blossomed with new life, wildlife teemed within desolate forests, and old virtues found their way into the hearts of every citizen. Life was idyllic. After a lifetime of adventure, the prince could finally relax and spend his days in endless banquets and celebrations. Hao Ling dozed off, his face serene. His head rested against the shoulder of the snotty-nosed boy who had also succumbed to slumber. Jin continued to read, feeling an unfamiliar sensation stirring inside him. He had perused this part countless times, but something about it felt different today. He always liked it before, that was why he chose it, but reading it now left him with a sense of unease. Throughout the story, the prince had been a great warrior, bravely facing any danger or adventure coming his way. The culmination of his journey shouldve been a crowning moment, but instead, it made the prince somehow seem smaller. And The Heavens rejoiced at the return of order and harmony. In Jin Sous mind, the flowery descriptions of endless banquets started to paint a picture of a golden cage. It was as if returning to his rightful place had drained the prince of his spirit, leaving behind only a shadow of his former self. Reaching the end of ones path an unexpected voice rang out in Jins mind. Its something that even the Sages find difficult to bear. Jin''s thoughts took an abrupt turn, as if a sudden gust of wind had blown through his mind. He realised, though he didnt understand the reason, that he no longer needed to fear the wrath of Big Lu. Even more surprising was the fact that he had somehow managed to withstand the interrogation of the blue-robed Immortal. There was no longer any reason to silence him. The long tribulation that had began with him unearthing the mysterious treasure had finally come to an end. He could return to his previous life. Jin felt it with a certainty beyond mere intuition. Random chance had shattered the once steady trajectory of his life, hurling him into danger and thrusting him into the path of people he should never have met. Now, with the dust settling, he felt a different, even more powerful force pushing him towards accepting this new reality. He would continue to live out his days as a mine slave. His qi had changed and improved, setting him on the path to become a warden himself, perhaps even succeeding Big Lu one day, but that was it. The memories of fear and terror he had experienced rushed back to him like a malevolent spectre. He recalled cowering under his blanket like a scared animal, praying for this torment to end, and his life to return to normal. He could have it now. But Jin didnt want it. The seed of an idea that had lain dormant in his mind for years suddenly began to stir. It was a fantasy that all slaves shared, no matter how much the Sect tried to stamp it out. They lay in their cramped quarters, muscles sore from the day''s labor, falling asleep to comforting dreams of a life completely different from their own. But Jin wasnt dreaming. His eyes were open. He didnt know it, but today was his fifteenth birthday. Immortality Chapter 15: An Offer Halt immediately! Slaves are not allowed to cross without presenting their pass! A guard in a yellow tunic dashed in front of Jin Sou and shoved a spear in his face, barring his way forward. Jin stumbled, the heavy barrel in his arms almost slipping away from his grip. His qi was humming contentedly, doing one loop after another, but even with his increased strength, the long climb up the winding path to the Upper Pit had left him drained. Especially with the burden he was carrying. Are you blind? It''s hanging from my neck! Jin shouted angrily, securing his grip again. When he was stopped, the liquid sloshing inside the barrel shifted unsteadily, coming damn near to tipping him over. The guard leaned forward and inspected the wooden slate hanging from Jins neck with a focus and meticulousness of a banker who had just been presented with a slip for a thousand silver coins by the local beggar. Jin panted - and considered dropping the heavy barrel on the obstinate idiots foot. After confirming nothing at all - since no one would bother forging the thing - the guard nodded and shot Jin a serious look. Passes are to be clearly presented for inspection before entering the Upper Pit. I will let it go this time, but dont expect it to happen again! Jin watched the guard strut back to his post, a few choice words dancing on his tongue, but in the end, he continued on his way without saying anything. The barrel was just too heavy to get involved in a shouting match. Two checkpoints served as security for the Upper Pit. The greater one was set up near the elevator platforms which connected to the surface town located above the mine. The guards posted there were trained and serious, and there was something magical in the air, making any slaves loitering in the area feel as if the air was growing thinner. In contrast, the other checkpoint was largely inconsequential. Since mortals werent allowed to enter the lower Pit, it came down to the miners to ferry the necessary supplies back and forth. Even wardens didnt bother with keeping track of the passes, letting everyone lend and borrow them as needed. The checkpoint continued to persist only for the sake of appearances. So, of course, the duty of manning it landed in the hands of a man who was hellbent on squeezing every last drop of authority and importance from a position that had neither. Free of the annoyance, Jin adjusted his grip again and stepped inside the bustling tunnels of the Upper Pit. Much like the miners below, the craftsmen and merchants in the Upper Pit made their homes in the long abandoned shafts. However, unlike the lower Pits forbidding atmosphere, the mood here was lively and upbeat. Colourful lanterns dangled from the storefronts, and the sounds of happy industry filled the air. You could almost forget that you were still underground. Jin continued to make his way through the busy tunnels; sometimes employing his barrel as a makeshift ram, pushing his way through crowded areas, other times skirting around horse carriages, keeping an eye out for unexpected kicks or droppings. By the time he had reached his destination, he was drenched in sweat and gasping for air. He let the barrel down on the ground next to the five others he had brought before, and leaned against it, struggling to get his breath under control. Ah, my favourite customer! A large man tumbled out of the store, his jowls rising in a happy smile. He was clothed in colourful garments that wrapped around him like the netting on a ham. Please come inside! he gestured. I may not have much, but I can still offer refreshments to such a dutiful young master. Without a word, Jin scrambled himself from the ground and followed after the grinning merchant. He didnt comment on the odd form of address - he had long grown accustomed to this mans peculiarities. After all, he had been coming here for a very long time. This was the very merchant who had tricked Jin into buying his first book - and continued to drain every last piece of silver he had acquired since. Even brothels werent as thorough with their patrons. Please accept this humble offering, the merchant passed him a small drinking bowl. Youll have to forgive me, poverty prevents me from providing you with something more appropriate Jin raised the bowl to his lips and took a long gulp. As he lowered it, his eyes drifted around the room, taking in the sight of this supposed poverty. The wooden shelves lining the walls of the shop sagged under the weight of the countless wares they held. In between assortments of various tools, herbal remedies, and charms, lay small figurines and curious trinkets. Sacks of rice and who knew what else filled in any empty space on the floor. The counter, where the merchant reclined on a very plush chair, was the only spot that wasn''t completely cluttered. Only two things were authorised to sit on the countertop - an ornate antique scale and a stuffed iguana. The merchant claimed the creature was actually alive - only extremely lazy - but Jin had long learnt to ignore these jokes. In all the years hed been coming here, hed never seen the creature move. The only thing that ever changed was how the merchant chose to decorate it. Todays selection was particularly gaudy. The lizard was decked out in jewellery so opulent, it would cause even the crudest nouveau riche to shudder. A golden chain encircled its neck, silver rings adorned every finger, and a massive pearl studded bracelet was clasped around its tail. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The iguana lay motionless on the counter, emitting a brilliant gleam. The rumours of your recent exploits have spread even to the Upper Pit. The merchant said, sipping from a small bowl of his own, though Jin was doubtful that it contained the same lukewarm water as his. Ive heard tales of a great treasure, fierce battles, and even the Heavens themselves taking note. I have expected you to barge in here with the winning smile of a celebrated hero, but I dont see it on your face. Jin grimaced. Two weeks had passed since the incident with the treasure. The situation has stabilised in that time, but he had no interest in discussing the topic with the merchant. Instead, he cocked his head, gesturing towards the barrels waiting outside the store. And you seem extremely pleased with barrels of shit. He wasnt being vulgar. The merchants in the Upper Pit had their eyes set on nearly everything that came out of the mine. This included waste, from the rubble of crushed rocks to even excrement. The interest was so great, the Sect ended up holding auctions for contracts related to such products. Of course, why wouldnt I be? the merchant responded with a beaming smile. You wouldnt believe the prices this stuff fetches on the western markets. Wonderful fertiliser. Do you think the spiritual rice that the Immortals eat would deign to grow on mortal soil? Jins eyes widened in surprise. Although he had grown up on a farm, he never made the connection. In his mind, there was barely any relation between the lives of the Immortals and the mortal people. In truth, he thought the revered ones didnt eat all. Must feel good knowing that even immortals eat your shit, doesnt it? Jin spat out the water he was drinking. WHAT! The merchant glanced away from the iguana, which was now thoroughly soaked in water. He traced a lazy circle with his finger around the rim of his bowl, and spoke, I apologise, if I caused offence. I merely thought youd find it interesting. Jin didnt answer. His mind quaked as if a volcano was erupting inside it. His recent experiences forced him to reevaluate some of his ingrained reverence towards the Immortals, but he was not ready for something like this. It was taboo to speak of the revered ones at all, and this, something like this How dare you! Jin stammered incoherently. Its completely blasphemous You cant speak like that! Oh, I just thought youd find it amusing, the merchant said innocently. If I caused offence, please forgive me. Thats too much! Of course, do forgive me. If anyone heard it, they would take off both our heads! Oh my, youre right, I beg for forgiveness, the merchant said. It was merely my intention to point out you shouldnt carelessly disparage something that Immortals highly value, he added with an aggrieved face. Stop!! Jin Sou almost begged him. I promise I wont speak ill of the product ever again. Just stop, please no more. Crazy! Utterly crazy! He would get both of them killed! Though even if someone overheard them, there wasnt really a way of relaying it over to an Immortal. Not if the rat wanted to keep his head. The merchant nodded his head. Brown gold we call it. In the business. Jin couldnt help it. He threw his mouth open and roared with laughter. It was just too much. He imagined the fairy Immortal who had nearly killed him. Her dainty little lips slowly opening to nibble on a rice ball of the purest white He rolled on the ground, convulsing with laughter, unable to stop. The fear and terror of the past weeks washed away in peals of laughter. Feeling better now? the merchant asked, once Jin had managed to crawl back on the chair. Yes, thank you, Jin nodded, wiping some tears that had welled up in his eyes. He really did. The weight that had been pressing on him for the past two weeks had vanished completely. He felt even more refreshed than after that trancelike dream hed experienced after the interrogation. Im glad. Now, can my favourite customer tell me what has been troubling him so much? Jin shook his head. Im sorry. I dont mean I dont trust you, its just that these words are dangerous to say out loud, and talking about it wont change anything. The merchant smiled quizzically. Even a whisper once uttered can gain mysterious powers And besides, he gave Jin a pointed look. Arent the two of us dead men already? Jin considered it - and found himself in agreement. If what had already been said escaped this room, they would both be executed without a doubt. And even Immortals didnt have the power to kill somebody twice. Probably. He took a deep breath and faced the merchant. I dont want to live out my days as a slave, he said. The words came slowly, as if he was speaking in a foreign language. I want to become an Immortal. It was the first time he had allowed himself to utter these thoughts out loud. They were still small and uncertain - lacking the weight and gravity that should accompany them - but just saying them sent a shiver down his spine. I know I cultivate a severed dao, Jins voice started to speed up. I know the path I walk is broken. But I dont care. I will walk it till I see its end. And when I meet it, I will overcome it. I wont die a slave! Hearing the blasphemous declaration, the merchant didnt grow pale with fright - neither did he break out in a fit of laughter. Instead, he merely took a sip from his drinking bowl and asked, On your way here, how many times did you bow your head? Jin flinched. The rules demanded that the slaves lower their heads every time they walked past the sects sigil. The habit was so deeply ingrained, Jin followed it even when carrying the heavy barrels up to the Upper Pit. The merchant studied the changes on Jins face and spoke with a curious smile, Id like to show you something. Take a good look. Do you see it? He opened his mouth wide, like a hippo about to swallow an unsuspecting fisherman. Intrigued, Jin leaned forward to take a look, and almost fainted for the second time in as many minutes. Hidden at the back of the cavernous mouth, at the spot where a wisdom tooth should have been, something glistened. Jin paled as he realised what it was. A tiny spiritual crystal. Had Jin seen it two weeks ago, he wouldn''t have known how to react. Mortals were strictly prohibited from possessing anything related to the Immortal path. If discovered, not only the merchant, but his entire family and anyone who had ever done business with him would face execution. Jin suspected that the Sect wouldnt even bother with distinguishing the righteous from the wicked and instead opt to wipe the whole Upper Pit in a single stroke. The merchant ran his fat tongue across his teeth with apparent delight. It was clear that Jins reaction pleased him. You are not the first one to rebel against the chains of fate, you know. I, too, once yearned for the Immortal path, but unfortunately he turned his hands over, palms up, in a show of regret. But Ive managed to pick up a few things over time.. No dao is fully severed, and no path is truly broken. And even if they were his eyes flashed. There are always other ways. After all, even Immortals have their favourite nieces and nephews who lack the talent to cultivate. He watched Jin closely, sizing him up like a predator eyes its prey. Wouldnt it be just too sad, if these great personages were forced to visit their descendants graves after a single secluded meditation? Jin''s blood thundered in his ears as he stared at the merchant. Are you saying that you can make me an Immortal? The merchant grinned, his smile wide enough for Jin to see the tiny spiritual crystal hidden at the back. The question is, what price are you willing to pay? Chapter 16: Reaching an Accord ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A humble pebble follows its path in the same way a mountain does. This is nature. The mountain moves with great vigour, causing tremors and rumblings in its wake, while the pebble rolls and tumbles, barely noticed. This is nature. This is dao. But what would happen if even the tiniest pebble strayed from its predetermined course? The tremors and quakes it would cause, would be greater than those of a mountain on its prescribed path. Meditations on the Shore of a Lonesome Lake, Book 23: Oxen Taxes in Fuji Prefecture. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The question is, what price are you willing to pay? The words echoed in Jins mind as he stared in shock at the grinning merchant. The question had nothing to do with taels of silver. Although Jin was largely unversed in the matters of cultivation, he knew at least this much. Anything that touched upon the realm of Immortality, possessed value that couldnt be expressed in simple currency. Jin swallowed heavily, acutely aware of the sudden shift in atmosphere. His eyes darted to the exit behind him. The door remained open, even if, for some reason, Jin couldnt hear any of the usual sounds of activity coming from the Upper Pit. In theory, he had nothing to fear. The merchant was an unawakened mortal, unable of even circulating qi. And yet, all of Jins instincts screamed at him to abandon any thoughts of trying to run. Too much had been said already. One lighthearted breach of taboo led to another, triggering something uncontrollable, like a single pebble that brings about a great avalanche. Now, the players revealed their cards and it was already too late to leave the table. Unfortunately, up to this moment, Jin had been unaware he was even playing. And he could only guess at the stakes. But isnt it what I wished for? He shot the merchant a deep look. Despite having known the man for nearly as long as he''d been toiling in the mine, Jin suddenly realised that he didn''t comprehend him at all. It was sheer madness to attempt anything right under the Sect''s nose, and he couldn''t fathom what the merchant''s motive could be. The merchant held Jins stare without any hints of anxiety. It was as if he was happy to accommodate Jin and willing to give him all the time he needed to decide. Jin wasnt naive. To even hear out the merchants proposal was no different from rebelling against the Sect. That this wouldnt be the type of offer one could hear and decide to reject didnt escape him either. He didnt know what made his instincts warn him, but regardless of what the merchant was planning, it was obvious that he couldnt allow Jin to walk away with only a promise to keep his mouth shut. But to rebel against the Sect...it was like defying fate itself. Jin had been raised on stories of the Sect''s power, tales that had been passed down for generations. It was an entity that ruled the world with an iron fist, a force that was both omnipresent and omnipotent. His time in the mine did nothing to diminish that sense of awe. On the contrary, it only served to etch it more deeply, carving it directly into his flesh and bones. His qi started to move, but it wasnt coming unbidden. Jin called on it willingly. He needed its strength. He recited the mysterious words of his cultivation mantra in his mind. Both the Sect and the Immortal world had built themselves into an unassailable monument in his mind, one that cast a dark shadow over everything else. Reverence and awe made up its building blocks, while terror and brutality formed its unshakeable foundation. If he wanted to shake that grim edifice erected in his heart, he would need all the strength he could summon. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Jin stood up from his chair. His qi churned and poured out of his dantian. Unlike before, it wasnt racing. It flowed from one meridian to another like an ancient river, gradually spilling over and submerging everything in its path. I refuse the fate of a slave. Jin declared to the grinning merchant. He didnt shout, but his words were imbued with a gravity that was absent before. The flow of qi in his meridians slowed down to a trickle, but even now more energies poured out of his dantian. Their rising volume formed a powerful pressure bearing on his pathways. Abruptly, Jin recalled the day he had been taken by the Sect. Time had erased almost everything, but he could still remember the look of joy on his parents faces. Twenty silver coins! That could buy us an ox! The sounds of his cultivation mantra boomed in his mind. He reached for the words whose meaning he had intuited previously. Pressure. Strike! He used them like a hammer, swinging them to smash the prison that had formed around his heart. Strike! He recalled the days he had spent in the Sects camp. The first time he had been forced to the ground by the release of a cultivator''s aura. The fate of that one boy who secretly bragged he would become an Immortal. His screams as the instructors ground him bit by bit I choose the Immortal path. The qi in his meridians trembled. The pressure that was forming around it suddenly dropped, as the spiritual energies began to coalesce and condense. Pressure. The enigmatic words of the mantra echoed through Jin''s mind, their mysterious meaning doubling with each repetition. They seemed to double with the words coming out of his mouth. Their meanings resonated with each other, like the sound of hammers striking stone, echoing through the tunnels. And Im willing to do anything to walk it. In a sudden burst of clarity, Jin grasped the meaning of another word from his cultivation mantra. There were no hallucinations this time, no trance to lead him down the path of understanding. This time, he had done the work himself. WALK. A simple word, perhaps the most rudimentary of the three words he had intuited so far. Even so, Jin understood its gravity. There is knowing the Path. And there is walking it. It wasnt something easy at all. The merchant observed Jin with a calm smile, as if the turmoil raging within his soul was completely invisible to him. He put the empty drinking bowl on the counter, and said,You say you''ll do anything, but do you even have the qualifications? Jins eyes went wide with shock. This wasnt the answer he was expecting. The fire burning in his gaze abruptly extinguished, and he asked in an awkward voice, Maybe you could extend me credit? Dont mistake me for a usurer, the merchant refused flatly. He seemed genuinely offended by the suggestion. I am an honest businessman, and I dont form karmic links through chains of debt, a grin flickered on his lips. Though, Ive been known to entertain an odd investment. He reached under the counter and pulled out a rolled manuscript, placing it flat on the surface before beckoning Jin closer. Wariness battling with curiosity, Jin walked up to the counter and took a look. It was just a random mess of lines and dots. Disappointment rose up in him. Although he didnt know what to expect, but after everything that happened, this wasnt it. It wasnt even written in the Immortal script, it was just The lines started to move. They writhed and twisted like a nest of snakes. There was still no meaning to the chaos, but something like an image began to emerge. It was similar to how a face could sometimes be seen in a random pattern of wood or the shape of a cloud. But it wasnt a face that looked back at Jin from the manuscript. He didnt what it was. But as the lines moved toward one another, and more meaning materialised with each connection, a sense of dread began to invade him. Whatever they were building up to, it wasnt something he wanted to see. It wasnt something he was allowed to see. Even his qi trembled and tensed. Only a very small strand of qi that swam lackadaisically through his meridian pathways reacted differently. Excitement radiated from it. The feeling was mingled with a sense of familiarity and something else that Jin had no way of untangling. But one emotion rose above the rest. Pretty Jin abruptly said in a spellbound voice. The merchant flinched, revealing a surprised reaction for the first time since Jin had come into his store. Even the iguana, which had been dozing in the corner, opened one eye and gave Jin a curious look before closing it again. Jin stared at the painting, unable to tear his eyes away. Its lines and perspectives continued to turn and twist like a living thing, drawing him in like quicksand. Contrary to what he had just said, a deep, primal fear set itself in his mind. Soon, whatever the image was building up to, would be revealed. Tears streamed from his reddened eyes, as if he was looking directly at the sun. With a sudden move, the merchant snatched up the manuscript and rolled it tightly, just as the shapes were beginning to take form. Jin didnt react. He was still locked in a trance, gaping at the now empty countertop. The merchant observed him in silence, weighing his thoughts carefully. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the scale, watching as it tipped back and forth like a pendulum. Twelve years he had spent patiently infiltrating the mine. But now, the changes happening were too sudden, too disruptive. As he approached the endgame, unexpected variables appeared out of nowhere, threatening to unravel all his careful planning. If he wanted to eliminate any latent dangers, it was now or never. But it was also very exciting. He felt like a director of a meticulously crafted play, seeing the actors suddenly improvise their lines and even invite the audience members to come up on the stage. Chaos loomed, but it was also very thrilling in its own way. He glanced to the iguana, but the lazy lizard didnt show any reaction. The choice was left to him. Slowly, the strange image dissipated from Jin''s mind. He blinked, and the manuscript disappeared, making him realise he was staring at the empty countertop. He raised his eyes and discovered the merchant grinning at him in a broad smile. Ive decided we can reach an arrangement. Chapter 17: Mysterious Black Stone Miners often felt a sense of dejection upon returning from the Upper Pit. Gone was the lively atmosphere of its bustling tunnels, the clanging tools, and merchants hawking their wares. Their long treks back passed in silence. The temperature steadily dropped as they descended towards their living quarters, breathing air that was increasingly heavy with moisture. Jin, however, didnt even notice. He walked with a steady stride, his gaze fixed straight ahead, and his fingers tightly clenched around a small black stone in his palm. In spite of his hopes, the merchant remained frustratingly tight-lipped about his goals. This was something that even passing his test didnt change. The man brushed off all of Jins questions with practiced ease, offering only a vague promise to reveal more once Jin could be of use to him. Jin squeezed his hand again. Hidden inside his palm was the only thing he had received from the merchant, and he couldn''t shake the feeling that it was another test. The merchant told him not to come back, until he had solved it. In a way, it was an extremely lopsided deal. Jin still had no idea what he was signing up for, and what, if anything, would be the reward for his services. And yet, he still felt rather lucky to have made it out of the store alive. He couldn''t help but wonder what sort of means the merchant possessed to exude such confidence. Jin was fairly sure the man wasnt an Immortal - the Sect was too good at sniffing those out - but just the variety of magical items he possessed made it clear that he was heavily involved in the Immortal world. Like the little black stone. He felt it out with his fingers. It was warm and sleek with sweat. Curiosity stirred within him, but Jin didnt dare to inspect it until he had made it back to his room. The way the merchant explained it, it was a genuine magic tool - albeit one that was usually intended for young children. "Shoring up your dao takes time, even for the brats in the immortal clans. Can''t rush it, or you''ll have to start all over again. But you wont find a creature more fixated on time than an immortal, so they give their brats these trinkets to occupy their days. Trinket was putting it lightly. If Jin understood it correctly, the little stone could bind itself to him, allowing him to practice qi manipulation! Only awakened cultivators were able to manifest their qi outside their bodies, it was the hallmark of having truly stepped on the Path. To be able to touch that realm early was thrilling. Despite his excitement, Jin''s instincts were still sharp. Recent events had left him in a constant state of vigilance, something he suspected wouldnt change for the rest of his days. A sudden sense of danger jolted him to a halt, and he surveyed his surroundings with a watchful eye. The path he was on was empty, save for the small figures of the miners in the distance, looking like ants at the bottom of the Pit''s well. Jin''s eyes wandered until they froze at the gate he had just passed through. The Sects sigil hung above it. And Jin didnt bow his head when he walked past it. It wasnt a conscious decision. The habit that had been ingrained in him, simply failed to trigger. Surprised, he walked up to the Sigil and studied it carefully, as if it was the first time he was seeing it. The sigil was made up of three separate signs, each one in turn composed of thirty two strokes and seventeen dashes. It was written in the Immortal script and beyond the obvious - that it represented the Nine Peaks Harmony Sect - Jin never learnt its meaning. He traced each line with his eyes, as a familiar sensation stirred within him. Some of the strokes repeated within each sign, and Jin thought he could recognize them. Walk. Not walk in the pedestrian sense. It signified walking the Path, the bravery required to take that first step, and the resoluteness to face the struggle that lay ahead. It wasnt just intuition. Jin knew it with absolute certainty, a knowledge that went beyond words or reason. He couldn''t explain it if he tried, but he felt it in every fiber of his being.That the strokes were repeated in each of the signs making up the sigil only solidified their importance. He searched the lines of the sigil again, hoping that maybe strike or pressure would also reveal themselves, but he was disappointed. As far as he could see, they were not part of the Sects dao. Once more, he stared at the three strokes and one dot that made up the meaning of walk. Everyone who walks the Path knows of its struggle He suspected that grasping the significance of these small strokes made him just as much part of the Immortal world as his ability to circulate qi. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! After some thought, he stood up straight, and lowered himself in a deep bow before the sign. It was not the Sect that he was honoring in that moment, but the grave meaning that lay hidden within its mysterious sigil. With a sense of caution, he resumed his journey, mindful not to repeat his earlier misstep. The odds were low, but he knew better than to risk getting into trouble over flouting the rules. He lowered his head each time he passed one of the Sects sigils, but it was a calculated act. The gesture no longer filled his heart with reverence. By the time he was nearing his room, the sun was already past its meridian. Judging by its position, he had only two hours until his next shift in the lower shafts would begin. Brother Jin! a happy voice welcomed him when he stepped into his room through the newly reinstalled door. You were gone for so long, we got worried that something might have happened again. Jin looked at Hao Ling who stood up from his cot. Even after two weeks had passed, the boy was still spared from labor, a treatment so lenient, Jin couldnt even begin to understand Big Lus thoughts. The wound left behind by the amputation was slow to heal, true, but it still didnt explain the special treatment. Im sure you were, Jin answered, casting a pointed look towards the snot-nosed boy who sat in the corner, meditating with his eyes closed. Bizu Chien - that was the boys name, Jin had finally learned - appeared completely deaf to the conversation around him. He was performing a popular exercise among the younger miners. It involved passing a small pebble between your fingers in a smooth motion - all while circulating your qi at the same time. It was an absorbing activity, one that even some of the older miners continued to partake in long after they had mastered the skill it was supposed to reinforce. The pebbles seemed to dance across their fingers as if by magic. However, judging by the awkwardness of the boys movements, Jin suspected that he had already woken up from his trance. Oh, dont mind him. Hao shrugged his arms. Hes just depressed because he got moved from kitchen duty and cant swipe the scraps any longer. I wasnt moved! They kicked me out! Bizu cried out abruptly, unable to fake his meditative trance any longer. He turned to Hao, sniffed, and pointed to Jin. No one will even talk to us, because they know were with him! And if Boss Lu changes his mind again, there really wont be a place left for us! Jin didnt bother arguing. For one, this conversation had repeated itself many times before. Secondly, although he was unwilling to admit it, the snot-nosed boy was mostly correct. Two separate events occurred on that day two weeks ago. Hao Ling, who had stood up for Jin, was brutally beaten and left partially crippled. Meanwhile, the warden who allowed the incident to happen, hoping to gain favor with Big Lu, lost his life. Miners, whose experiences made them particularly attuned to the smell of danger, were able to see through this contradictory story and discern its one crucial lesson. Stay away. Since that day, no one bothered Jin ever again. Neither did anyone speak to him or in any way acknowledge his presence. The vacuum around him was so complete, that Jin sometimes wondered if anyone would react if he simply stopped showing up for work. Not that he would ever try it. The fragile peace was only maintained by Big Lu''s authority, and Jin didn''t want to give the chief warden any reason to come after him again. Besides, he didnt really mind it. He had already drifted away from the other miners when he began his studies. During his first year in the mine, he spent most of his free time in secluded tunnels, away from prying eyes, poring over the manuscripts he had bought from the merchant. Even later, when he gained enough confidence to reveal his books, this type of interest didnt inspire much friendliness among the miners. Unfortunately, even if he personally didnt mind it, the treatment afforded to him also extended to Hao Ling and Bizu Chien. Hao, on account of his apparent relation with Jin, was fortunate enough to also enjoy his protective umbrella, but the fist-nosed brat didnt have such luck. The silver we had received on our first day, I gave it all to the senior in charge of assignments just to get that post Bizu continued in a whiny voice. Hao cast a glance at Jin, but he only shrugged in response. Although he didnt exactly blame him, he still didnt care much for the brat who had participated in the discipline. He understood the fear that drove him - and Haos fate served as an example of what happened to those who stick out - but it did little to inspire Jins empathy in his plight. So Hao started, trying to shift the topic. What took you so long? You shouldve been back a few hours ago. We, uhm, I started to wonder if something happened again. Jins thoughts returned to the little black stone hidden in his hand. If he was being honest with himself, he wouldve liked nothing better than to kick the two boys out of his room. He had already pushed his patience to the limit by refraining from examining the stone on his way back, and having to conceal it even now was driving him crazy. But he couldnt do it. Living in the confined space of the mine conditioned the miners to tolerate close proximity to one another. Seeking solitude was suspect. He could ask the two boys to leave, but he didnt have a way of doing so without coming across as standoffish. Instead, he decided to tell them the truth. At least a part of it. I think I have managed to intuit the meaning of another word from the cultivation mantra. This succeeded in getting everyone''s attention. Even Bizus eyes lit up and caused him to stare at Jin with amazement. This wasnt something surprising. The young miners were hungry for any scraps of knowledge involving the secrets of cultivation. At the camps, the instructors were careful to restrict what they taught to the bare minimum required to grasp the basics. And any insight from the seniors in the mine came sporadically, more often in the form of gruesome tales of doom, than any real guidance. Jin nodded. But I still need to meditate on it. And you cannot interrupt me. Wake me up only when my shift is about to start. He retreated to the corner of his room, throwing a blanket from his cot over his body. Hao and Bizu seemed surprised, but he didnt mind it. Hidden under the blanket, he took out a piece of rock with a sharp edge and sliced it across his palm. He gripped the black stone with his bloodied hand, feeling the heat from his body spreading into it. Then, with a deep inhale, he began to move his qi, pushing it towards the major meridian in his hand. Behind his closed eyes, a mysterious image began to take shape. Chapter 18: Binding the Black Stone Jin didnt know what to expect when he began trying to bind the little black stone. The merchant only shared with him the method of activating the tool, but revealed nothing of its actual use or function. Still, considering that it was supposed to teach him how to manipulate qi, Jin thought it would work like a medium, granting him the ability to manifest his qi in the outside world. Ignoring the stinging sensation, he tightened his fist, making sure that the stone maintained contact with the little trickle of blood oozing from his hand. His breathing slowed down, adopting the distinct rhythm that had been instilled in him during his time at the camps. In the darkness behind his closed eyes, the complex tapestry of his meridian network slowly began to take shape. He didnt enter a deep meditative state, making the image somewhat hazy and indistinct, but he figured it would be enough for now. He could always attempt going into a deeper trance if the binding process wasnt successful. With a thought, he directed more of his qi to the major meridian located in his right hand. All that was left to do, was wait and hope for the process to work. Unfortunately, the merchant didnt reveal anything else, seemingly confident that Jin could figure it out from there. He continued to patiently circulate his qi. His cultivation mantra already formed a circuit connecting his dantian, hand, and stomach meridians, so aside from the wound on his palm, this meditation wasnt different from his usual practice. Jin decided to alter only one little thing. Instead of letting his qi flow freely, he halted its progress at the hand meridian, permitting only a trickle to pass through. The circuit itself wasnt broken, since the qi continued to loop in and out of his dantian, but with each cycle, more of the spiritual energies accumulated at the hand meridian. Jin didn''t put much thought into this action. He simply reasoned that, since binding the stone involved circulating qi in the hand he was holding it in, having more spiritual energy in the area couldn''t hurt. He watched as the radiance surrounding his hand meridian intensified, becoming more brilliant by the moment. The image of his pathways resembled a tapestry of tightly interwoven threads. Its structure grew out from his dantian and followed the general shape of his body, as if someone had attempted to knit a human figure from strands of pure light. The vessels appeared as thin, hair-like threads, while the meridians they connected to resembled radiant beads. With more and more energies swirling about it, the light surrounding his hand meridian steadily increased. From a tiny pea, it grew to the size of a pearl, and still the process didnt stop. The radiance it emitted made the hairlike vessels connecting to it turn dim in comparison. Jin observed the changes with interest. He had never attempted anything like this before. The instructors at the camps had warned them that any experimentation outside of the manual''s guidelines was a certain path to the next life, and Jin believed that they were not merely withholding information in that case. Still, he remembered what had happened when he fought with Big Lu during the discipline. His qi abruptly stopped, building up a pressure in his meridians, and then shot out like a thunder in the sky. Back then, the boost in power came with a heavy price - it scorched his pathways and caused severe damage. However, he had no intention of pushing himself that far. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. To his disappointment, his unique idea appeared to have little effect. The glow encircling his hand meridian expanded to the size of a quail egg, but all he got out of it was a numbing sensation of pain. He was on the verge of abandoning the experiment and releasing the pent-up energy when something caught his attention. The discovery was so astonishing, it nearly jolted him out of his meditative trance. Since the day he had first seen it, the intricate tapestry forming his meridian pathways existed in isolation. It floated in an empty space, surrounded not so much by darkness, as a complete void. And now, in the emptiness close to his right hand meridian, something twinkled. Jin''s mind trembled with shock. To witness something invading the intimate space that constituted his very being was utterly startling. At the same time, he finally grasped the process of binding the little stone to himself. Somehow, he needed to forge a pathway between his hand meridian and the little light blinking unsteadily in the void around it. That was easier said than done. Jin had decent control of the qi coursing through his meridians; he could have it follow a memorised circuit without his input, slow and hasten its flow as he wanted, perhaps even reverse it - if he happened to feel suicidal - but that was it. To have it reach out and form a connection outside the unity that composed it was completely unthinkable. It was like asking someone to sneeze with their elbow or sing with colours, even imagining it was impossible. Doubtful, he decided to double down on his previous experiment and completely halted the flow of energies going out of his hand meridian. The pressure bearing on it sharply increased, and Jin felt the first signs of cracks appearing. The radiance it emitted increased correspondingly with the strain. The little meridian lit up brilliantly, like a tiny star. It was still a far cry from the sunlike glory of his dantian, but its radiance was equal to a dozen normal meridians. The light it radiated spread outwards, engulfing the minor meridians in his fingers, and reached even the tiny twinkling light outside. As it made contact, the change was instantaneous. Jin sighed with relief seeing a connection, similar to the hairlike veins linking his meridians, start to take form. With the process underway, Jin allowed a small trickle of qi to escape from his hand meridian, keeping the pressure at a steady level. Enough to maintain the process, but not allowing the pressure to build up any further. Soon, the path was fully formed. Looking at it, Jin couldn''t help but feel a little bewildered. It was as if he had added another meridian to his pathways. There was only one thing left to do. With bated breath, Jin directed a single strand of his qi to go through the newly formed connection. Almost as soon as he did that, the image of his meridian pathways vanished, replaced by a void so deep and vast that it seemed to go on forever. Suddenly, an emotionless voice resounded in his mind. Jin shivered. Although he couldn''t comprehend the words, he recognized the distinct rhythm and cadence. The language used to address him was the same as the one used in his cultivation mantra. It was the language of the Immortals. Contrary to expectations, Jin didn''t feel excited upon confirming that the stone truly had a deep connection with the Immortals. Instead, he felt mounting panic as he looked around the empty space he had been transported into. His previous experiences had instilled in him deep wariness, if not an outright trauma in that respect. But before he could even demand the voice to let him go, the little black stone reacted to his thoughts, and Jin found himself back in his room, gasping in surprise. Hao Ling and Bizu Cheng sat nearby, watching his actions doubtfully. Jins choice to cloak himself in the blanket had not gone unnoticed, but all they could see was that he was doing something odd with his hand. The way Jin abruptly awoken from his meditative state, trembling and gasping, only raised more questions. See, I told you Bizu whispered uncomfortably to Hao. Im sure its just the difficulty of the dao brother Jins comprehending, Hao countered, though his voice was lacking its usual confidence. He then added hesitantly, Maybe the meaning hes understanding is connected to love Bizu frowned. If you could use this method to glimpse into dao, half the miners in my barracks would be immortals already. Luckily for Jin, he didnt hear their conversation. Once he had confirmed that the emptiness was not some horrifying trap, and he could exit it at will, he closed his eyes again, once more slipping into a meditative state. The artificial meridian hovering close to his hand was still present, and the connection between the two didnt fade. He didnt even need to channel excessive amount of qi to maintain it. With growing excitement, Jin sent another thin strand of his qi into the black stone. Soon, he was again transported into an empty space. The emotionless voice repeated the same message he had heard before, before falling silent and leaving Jin alone in the void. I greet the Immortal! With nothing else to do, Jin fell onto his ingrained habit. Only silence answered him. Chapter 19: Receiving Guidance from the Black Stone I greet the Immortal, Jin cried out in a voice quavering with emotion. Despite only existing as a consciousness within the strange space of the black stone, his voice carried the same reverent tone as though he was physically kneeling on the ground. No one answered him. Jin maintained a respectful silence, but anxiety was beginning to take hold of him. The last time he found himself in this place, he fled at the sound of the mysterious voice speaking in the Immortal tongue. It was a natural reaction, but now he worried if he had inadvertently offended the owner of this space. When several minutes had passed and he still didnt hear an answer, nor see any sign acknowledging his presence, Jin mustered his courage and raised his voice again. Forgive this lowly one for causing offence, he said humbly, hoping to appease the being inhabiting this space. I was simply frightened by the majestic aura of your distinguished presence. Nothing. The enduring silence seemed to condemn him. Jin felt the first prickling of panic creep into his mind. He wasnt afraid of being trapped. He sensed that this space was open to him, allowing him to enter and leave its confines at will. He worried about something far more consequential. This had been his one true chance to alter his fate! To come into contact with the hidden mysteries of the Immortal Path! An opportunity that would have been completely unthinkable even a month ago. If his previous timidity had already caused him to miss this chance, he knew he would regret it for the rest of his life. If he even had much of a life to speak of. Jin couldnt even begin to imagine the merchants reaction if he returned and confessed that he had offended the great being inside the black stone Determination surged within him. He wouldnt allow this opportunity to escape from him. He mentally rose from his feet and declared in a resounding voice, I am Jin Sou! I wish to learn about qi manipulation! The void stirred. Before Jin could even gasp with shock, something materialised in front of him. It was a single strand of qi. It floated suspended in mid-air alongside a large golden ring. The enigmatic owner of this place spoke again. It was a longer speech, continuing for several minutes. Unfortunately, just like before, Jin couldnt understand a word. A wave of relief that he hadnt been dismissed washed over him. He fought back his instinct to drop on the ground and mentally kowtow. Even if he couldnt decipher the meaning of the message, one thing was clear. He needed to comport himself with the dignity expected of an Immortal if he wanted to receive the corresponding guidance. With that in mind, Jin humbly bowed his head as a sign of gratitude. It wasn''t a servile gesture, but rather that of a student who appreciates their senior''s guidance. I thank you for your teachings. The voice didnt answer, but Jin didnt mind the aloofness. Now that he knew he didnt waste his chance, his spirits lifted once more. The magnitude of the situation was not lost on him. He, a lowly slave, meditating on a filthy cot in one of the mines tunnels, was actually in the midst of receiving guidance from a magical treasure! It was something that probably never happened before in the mines centuries-long history. The lonely strand of qi floated in the empty space. Jin studied it curiously. Even this was something new. Normally, he had limited awareness of the spiritual energies existing outside his meridian pathways. He could tell when an environment was brimming with energy - the air in the camps where they learnt the severed mantra seemed to shimmer, so high was the concentration of qi there - but he couldnt actually observe it. The only qi he had direct access to was the one that manifested within his dantian during meditation, which he could then gradually manipulate and circulate through his meridians. The sight of a solitary strand of qi existing independently in space was an entirely new experience for him. With a gentle nudge of his mind, he reached out to it, and to his surprise, it seemed to have been waiting for him. Instantly, a connection was formed, and the small wisp of qi submitted itself to his command. Controlling it was proving more difficult. Jin despaired as the little wisp of qi darted all over the place like a frenzied hornet. He had thought to simply nudge it a little bit, seeing how it would behave, but what he had intended as a gentle prod, had sent the tiny ball of energy on a flying rampage. It wasnt moving on its own. Its every sudden turn and twist was a direct response to Jin''s commands, but it seemed as if his requests were amplified a thousand times over. A simple instruction to turn slightly left would result in the wisp of qi abruptly careening with the impetus of a charging chariot. Even the size of the space they were in was revealed, as at some point, the wisp of qi flew so far away, it ended up ricocheting off the boundary. His past experiences with circulating spiritual energies proved to be entirely useless in this new situation. Unlike before, where qi was constrained by the channels it flowed through, the wisp of qi was now free-roaming. His usual methods of keeping it on track no longer applied. Luckily, the qi still responded to the most basic command. Ordering it to stop was immediately effective, giving Jin ample opportunities to start from scratch, working towards a method of interacting with it that would allow him some control. Some time later, the little wisp of qi seemed pacified. It circled around Jin in a jerky, unsteady orbit, moving with all the grace of a butterfly suffering from morbid obesity. It was as much of an improvement as he could hope to achieve in this session. Controlling the wisp of qi didnt just come down to attenuating his commands to the point where he was barely thinking them at all. It seemed to utilise a muscle that he had never trained before. By this point, he was exhausted, with a headache creeping in - an unprecedented sensation during a meditative trance. Still, looking at the laboriously floating ball of qi, Jin felt a surge of pride and accomplishment. This was a skill he had never attempted before, and one he had never even heard of until now. It was knowledge that only the Immortal cultivators possessed, part of the true teachings jealously protected by the Sect! You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He even had a suspicion about the true purpose of this exercise. He knew that True Immortals, cultivators who had awakened their Immortal Sigil, were able to manifest their qi outside their bodies and wield it in mystical arts, granting them incredible powers. What he was doing now was likely an essential part of that process. Fighting exhaustion, Jin ordered the wisp of qi to follow along the golden ring which floated in the centre of the space he was in. His control was still too lacking to trace it accurately. The qi moved in a haphazard, snaking pattern, as if it was a drunkard stumbling across wooden posts in a darkened alley. Nevertheless, his improvement was undeniable. He was all but ready to exit the space of the black stone, but he wanted to test out just one thing. Studying the golden ring, Jin had discovered that it was not a perfect circle. It looked as if there were two tiny beads lodged inside it. The way they glowed with a soft light, made him think of his own meridians. With an idea blooming in his mind, Jin set out to send the wisp of qi into one of these meridian-like beads. It took some trying, both the ball of qi and the target on the ring were small, but he finally succeeded. With a gentle hum, the wisp of energy slinked into the glowing bead and started to weave around the loop. Jin watched it curiously, gratified that his guess proved correct. It really looks like an extremely simplified meridian pathway Abruptly, the space within the black stone started to stir again. The loop with the wisp of qi disappeared, replaced by a far more complicated structure. It was a golden diagram. Some of it was formed of straight lines and geometric shapes, like rosetting triangles and concentric circles, while other segments were oddly twisted, making one think of vines growing from under the fallen tree. The number of meridian-like nodes increased threefold. They lit up one by one, as the emotionless voice rang out again, elucidating something in words that were outside of Jins understanding. Staring at the diagram left him with a sense of wonder. Rather than being daunted by its complexity, he felt a renewed eagerness to delve deeper into its secrets. Still, he couldnt fight his exhaustion any longer. His eyes lingered longingly on the golden structure that seemed to lay bare all the secrets of cultivation, but the throbbing headache he was experiencing was growing too intense to ignore. Finally, he tore his eyes from the diagram and addressed the existence lurking in the black stone. Thank you for your guidance. I will return, he said, mentally bowing his head in gratitude. Even if he couldnt understand the words, the preciousness of the opportunity he had been granted was clear in his heart. In the next moment, he was back in his room. When he opened his eyes, he discovered Hao and Bizu watching him with suspicion. Seeing that Jin had woken up from his trance, the snot nosed boy stirred and opened his mouth to speak, but Hao beat him to the punch. Did you succeed in grasping the meaning you were searching for? he asked in a carefully neutral tone. Jin looked back at him, momentarily unsure of what the boy was talking about. Only a moment later he remembered the excuse he had used to shift their attention from the black stone in his hand. Yes, I got it he muttered, somewhat unconvincingly. What felt like a dull ache when he meditated, transformed into a full-blown migraine now that he had woken up. The headache made it doubly difficult to shift his focus from the alluring image of the golden diagram in his mind and concentrate on the conversation at hand. He frowned, trying to collect his thoughts. Its meaning is walk, it is the twentieth syllable of our mantra, it comes after What were you doing with you hand? Bizu interjected abruptly. Hao groaned and looked away, but didnt otherwise do anything to stop him. Jin flinched, taken aback by the unexpected question. At first, he was going to dismiss it. He was already doing them a great favour by sharing his own insights. If he had revealed himself to be hiding something, then they shouldve been smart enough to respect it, and act as if they hadnt noticed. Instead, a different idea flashed through his mind - one that could serve to solidify his earlier excuse. He brought out his hand from under the blanket and showed them the cut on his palm. The meaning is walk, but its true essence is struggle. He declared in a grave voice. It conveys the courage to step on the Immortal Path, the willingness to face the tribulations that follow, the pain that cuts deep. When he saw the awestruck expression on the boys faces, he struggled to suppress a grin from rising on his lips. Hao stared at his missing finger, muttering the words of the cultivation mantra under his breath. Even Bizu was momentarily impressed, but a doubtful look soon appeared on his face. But you barely feel anything when youre meditating. How could this help? Then cut deeper, Jin answered in a flat tone. As far as he was concerned, he didnt mind even if he was setting the snot-nosed boy on a completely absurd path. Bizu shot him a suspicious look, but the calm authority in Jins gaze seemed to convince him. Still, he wouldnt do something as desperate as deliberately hurt his hands. Instead, he forcefully pinched a fold of flesh on his thigh and began chanting the cultivation mantra. Jin smiled and allowed himself to relax. His gaze drifted around the room, when it abruptly froze on a small wooden figurine of a praying monk. It was the first meeting gift he had received from the blue-robed Immortal who had interrogated him after the discipline. The carving was whittled from light brown wood and stood at the height of his hand. The monk was portrayed in a lotus position, with a pained expression on his face. While it was competently crafted, it was hardly unique - figurines akin to this one could be easily procured from the Upper Pit. Up to now, Jin had been completely clueless about the significance or intention hiding behind the odd gift. None - was what he had surmised earlier. Now he had a different idea. Slowly, Jin''s fingers curled around the small wooden figurine. What he was about to do was monstrously dangerous. Memories of the terror he had endured at the hands of the blue-robed youth flooded his consciousness, causing his heart to race and his mouth to go dry. And yet, the temptation was too great. Now that he had guessed at the figurines secret, there was no turning back. He could hold off his curiosity for a day or even a week, but so long as he continued to desire the secrets of the Immortal Path, the day would come when hed take the plunge. So why wait? Walk. With a sudden jerk, Jin slashed his palm again, allowing his blood to flow freely. He clasped his bloodied hand around the praying monk, staining the figurine red. His eyes were already shut, his qi accumulating in his right hand meridian. Jin waited, watching as its radiance gradually expanded, illuminating the normally vacant void surrounding it. He couldn''t say if he hoped his theory would prove correct or if he dreaded it. In the emptiness surrounding his hand meridian, something twinkled. Jins mind went blank. He continued to circulate his qi and watched as the connection between him and the wooden monk was beginning to take form. There was no excitement in his mind. Only grim and cold terror. He felt as if he was trapped in a nightmare, where an ominous force pulled him in, compelling him to open a door, behind which only something unspeakable could lurk. Helpless to do otherwise, he sent out a single wisp of qi through the connection. Nothing happened. The strand of qi he had sent out vanished into the additional meridian near his hand without any trace. He waited for any hints of change, but there really was no response. With mounting apprehension, he sent out another strand. Nothing. The little wisp disappeared as if it had never existed. This was something he hadnt expected. Still, somewhat mollified that the wooden monk didnt seem to pose any immediate danger, Jin tried again, this time sending a larger amount of qi. Finally, there was a response. The little meridian started to pulse with a dim light, like a flickering candlelight struggling to stay lit. And then, it started to pull. Jin was struck by horror as the little meridian sprang to life and began consuming his own qi. He couldnt stop it. Within a heartbeat, half of the qi he had accumulated in his hand was gone, devoured through the connection with the little meridian. Its hunger grew, and the pull on his qi became stronger with every passing moment. The mounting terror shattered Jin''s trance, jolting him back to reality. With a sudden movement, he flung the wooden figurine across the room as if it was a burning coal. His breaths came in ragged gasps. The qi in his meridians tittered on the brink of rampage, unable to calm down after a foreign force almost supplanted Jins control of it. The commotion roused Hao and Bizu from their trance, but Jin ignored their questions. He struggled to his feet and cautiously made his way over to the corner where the figurine had landed. A faint tapping noise, similar to the scratching of a rat inside a wall at night, filled the room. He approached the figurine and froze, his eyes widening in shock. The blood soaked monk was dancing. Chapter 20: The Dancing Monk Jin stared in mute shock, momentarily too bewildered to react. The sight of the wooden figurine, its body glistening with droplets of his own blood, happily skipping by itself on the floor, left him dazed. What didnt help was that, once sated with his qi, the little monk lost all interest in Jin. With its eyes closed, the tiny man hopped and twirled, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. Jin was almost able to believe that he was looking at nothing more than an exceedingly intricate, magical toy. Almost. He didnt drop his guard and instead watched the monk with anxious vigilance, the way a small animal eyes a potential predator; his muscles tensed as he readied himself to spring into action at even the slightest hint of danger. The feeling of having your own qi grabbed and pulled out of you was not something you could just shake off and forget. Moreover, he clearly remembered sensing an intent behind the force that attacked him. And even if he could move past it, the spiritual energies in his hand meridian werent that easily mollified. They continued to churn unsteadily, still agitated by the attack. This, in turn, irritated his nerves, making his fingers twitch and throb as if stabbed by tiny needles. He repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist to dull the sensation. In contrast to Jins wariness, the palm-sized monk exuded an air of carefree celebration. He leaped from one foot to the other, kicking his legs high into the air, and clapped his hands above his bald head. His robes, as wooden as the rest of him, swayed and fluttered around him, billowing with his every leap. The dance, though lively, did little to dispel Jins wariness. There was no real music to accompany it; only the dry clap of the monks hands and the sound of his feet scraping against the floor. The figurines lips moved as if in song, but no voice came out, giving it all an unsettling feeling. With mounting apprehension, Jin began circulating his qi. Abruptly, he turned, sensing someone sneaking up behind him. Incredible is it an immortal art? Bizu whispered in a voice filled with wonder, clearly unaware of just how close he had gotten to receiving a fully empowered strike of Jins fist. Is he really alive? Hao chimed in almost simultaneously, his voice echoing Bizus amazement. He dropped to his knees and extended his hand towards the dancing monk. Can he understand us? Jin felt a chill run down his spine. He seized Hao by the shoulder and forcefully yanked him back. Dont touch it! he hissed. This thing devours qi! The warning finally managed to douse their enthusiasm. The two boys recoiled and hid behind Jins back, staring at the dancing figurine as if it was a coiled snake. For a while anyways. Are you sure hes dangerous, Bizu sniffed after watching the wooden monk perform an effortless split in mid-air. He doesnt look dangerous now. Its a magical, living, figurine that came from an Immortal, Jin muttered grimly. So, hes really alive? Hao asked again. Jin fell silent. In truth, he had so little understanding of this thing that he wasnt able to answer even if he wanted to. As he racked his brain searching for a suitable response, he almost missed the moment when the monk concluded his performance and opened his eyes. The change was so sudden that Jin found himself unable to react. His muscles seized up, momentarily paralysed, as the shock caused the qi he was circulating to abruptly jolt and surge. This state lasted but a heartbeat, but despite all his vigilance, Jin found himself completely defenseless. And there was no question about the monks target. Their eyes locked the second he awakened, completely disregarding Bizu and Hao. Any hope that the monk might just be a very special toy evaporated instantly. There was a very personal recognition in that gaze, and an intent. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The monk held Jins face in his eyes, scrutinising him with an intensity of an artist whos been granted just one glimpse of his subject. And then he bowed. Jin flinched and awkwardly stumbled back as his qi resumed its circulation, releasing its grip on his muscles. He stared at the wooden monk, who was now bent in a deep, reverent bow, almost reaching a ninety degree angle. Seconds passed, and nothing changed. The wooden monk, who just moments ago had been so brimming with life and energy that he could barely contain himself, stood motionless, as if frozen. In fact, if someone were to walk into the room right now, they wouldnt think twice before discounting him as a simple figurine. Jin wouldve liked nothing better than to do the same. However, he couldnt. Although the bow radiated such stubborn determination that should Jin not respond to it, the monk would probably not move again, it was that very same determination which made it impossible to ignore it. Suppressing his uneasiness, Jin returned the bow, joining his hands together in prayer and raising them to his lowered forehead. I greet you, dear sir. It was an awkward greeting, though it was difficult for it to be any different, considering the person he addressed barely reached the height of his ankle. Bizu shot Jin an incredulous look, but Hao immediately perked up. He clapped his hands twice and recited some words in a language Jin didnt understand, concluding them with a respectful bow of his head. Unwilling to be the odd one out, Bizu gave in and also bent his back in a perfunctory gesture. In response, the monk straightened himself up, a grand smile blossoming on his face. He began to shuffle his feet once more, not yet quite dancing but almost, and waived his hands in a vaguely mysterious manner. A staff adorned with interlinked rings sprouted from one of his hands. Raising this staff high above his head, he approached Jins foot. Jin observed him closely, choosing to temporarily allow the monk to do what he wants. The wooden man stopped beside Jins big toe and opened his mouth, his lips moving rapidly as if chanting something. He vigorously shook the staff in his hands, causing the connected rings to clatter like a rattle. This continued for a few minutes and then the monk moved on, repeating the ritual with Hao and Bizu. When he was finished, he let out a long sigh, like after a great exertion, and looked extremely pleased with himself. Almost immediately, he broke into another dance, though this one far mellower than the first. What just happened? Bizu finally broke the silence. Not one of the boys was willing to speak during the strange ceremony. Did he just put a spell on our feet? I think we might have been blessed, Jin said without much confidence. It looked a little similar to how the monks bestow people with good luck during festivals. Brother Jin speaks the truth, Hao pitched in, never taking his eyes off the dancing monk. The ritual he just performed is known as Pharda Martvha. As long as we sow our rice before the next full moon, we can be assured a bountiful harvest and protection from the pestilence of the earth. Bizu stared at his feet which were just about dirty enough to be mistaken for fertile soil. Can you communicate with him? Jin asked, steering the conversation in a different direction. Hao shook his head. I only recognised it because Ive witnessed it before. And besides, he turned to Jin, its obvious that this sir responds to you specifically. Jin didnt dispute it. Although he wasnt the only one to have his toes blessed, there was no hiding the fact that the monk had a special connection with him alone. He bowed to the monk and asked, Dear Sir, may we know your name? The monk concluded his dance and smiled warmly, nodding his head. His lips moved rapidly as he introduced himself. The boys exchanged a brief glance. Umm could you perhaps write it down for us? Jin couldve sworn that the monk was about to nod again, but he abruptly stopped himself mid-motion. For the first time since coming to life, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by an embarrassed frown. His arms fell to his sides as he shook his head. The three boys and a wooden figurine stared at each other in an awkward silence. Could you, Bizu whispered suddenly, his eyes shifting nervously, teach us how to gain power like the immortals? The monk immediately perked up. He raised his fists to his chest and started punching the air like a tiny pugilist. Jin couldnt discern if the monk was genuinely mocking them or if his stature made it seem that way, but the demonstration did not look at all convincing or inspiring. Before they could ask another question, the monk suddenly stiffened, his face contorting with pain. He turned toward Jin with a pleading expression in his eyes. I dont know what you mean, Jin said. The monk continued to approach him, now using one hand to rub his belly in a rather suggestive manner. I think he wants you to feed him, said Hao. Jin flinched back. Absolutely not! The boys gave him disapproving looks. I already told you he devoured my qi! Jin shot back at the accusatory gazes. Try feeding him yourself if you want. I dont think he would be interested even if I offered, Bizu commented, though without actually making an attempt. Hao did actually extend his hand towards the monk in an inviting gesture, but as expected, the monk really did ignore it and continued stumbling towards Jin. Though he was obviously in pain, Jin could swear he saw something else in his eyes, something that the two other boys missed. A gluttonous gleam. Terrified, his palm aching and throbbing from the twice-opened cut, Jin acted on instinct and kicked the monk with full force, sending the wooden man flying into the air with the very same foot that hed just blessed. The tiny monk drew an arch and slammed against the wall in the corner of the room. Still, it wasnt enough. Jin held his breath as he watched the living figurine struggle to its feet once more, but luckily, the monk did not continue his pursuit. He simply settled on the ground in a lotus position, looking at Jin with a terribly aggrieved look on his face, like a dog when denied food from the table. Still, the hunger was not faked. Even as he sat, the monks face grew progressively gaunt and skeletal. His chest, which rose and fell with each breath, gradually stilled and came to a stop. Soon, the figurine looked no different from when Jin had first received it from the blue robed Immortal. Chapter 21: The Wooden Monks Fate The wooden monk became perfectly still. A pained expression marked his face, but it was clear that whatever power animated him before had been thoroughly exhausted. If someone was to enter Jins room now, they wouldnt think twice before dismissing the monk as a simple figurine - and a poorly crafted one at that. His features were crude and banal as if carved by an untrained hand, stripping him of even that little liveliness that inhabited the works of art. Its finally over Jin sighed with relief. Though he was unwilling to let up his vigilance - the monk did catch him by surprise once before after all - it was increasingly clear that there was little to fear. By the looks of it, the figurine was even more mundane than before. He could probably even risk touching it, though he wouldnt hazard it without a long stick. With a wary look, he stopped circulating his qi. When nothing happened, he finally relaxed. The tension hed been keeping in his muscles all this time began to thaw. And yet, now that he didnt have to split focus between keeping an eye on the monk and pushing his qi through the proper pathways, he became aware of an unexpected shift in the atmosphere. Is this sir no longer alive? Hao asked with an aching look on his face. Jin couldve sworn the disappointment in the boys eyes was greater than any he had shown over the loss of his finger. Hes fine, Jin answered somewhat bitterly. Hes just ran out of the qi hed stolen from me. Im sure hell be back on his feet and dancing again, if I give him some more. And will you? Jin stared back at the boy, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was heading. I might, he said slowly, when Im sure that hes no longer dangerous. He regretted his words as soon as theyd left his mouth. Haos face lit up in a way that made it impossible for Jin to carry out his initial idea - which was to toss the cursed thing into one of the mines vertical shafts and let it live with the fiends or any other monsters that resided within the depths. In fact, he wasnt even entirely sure if the monk could be revived. While it made sense, there was an equal chance that the monk was like a dried out seed waiting for rainfall. Jins qi mightve caused it to sprout, but without enough sustenance, it quickly withered, becoming truly and irrevocably dead. The look of pain and unwillingness on the monks face in his final moments certainly didnt seem faked. Im sure this sir didnt mean to frighten you! Hao was already beside the wooden monk, gingerly draping him in layers of cloth like a newborn baby. The Pharda Martvha ritual belongs to the virtuous school and could never be performed by someone of ill character. It conveys endless love and adoration for the nourishing gifts of nature! Jin eyed the monk suspiciously. The gluttonous glint he saw in his eyes flashed through his mind. Im not sure if knowing rituals for growing food is exactly a proof of somebodys character. Still, he decided against sharing that thought for the moment. Bizu plumped himself on the ground next to Hao. His nose was just as engorged and runny as usual, but the boy seemed unaware, letting the snot pool on his upper lip. I cant believe it he spoke with emotion, punctuating each sentence with a loud sniff. A living sculpture created by the immortals The things he could teach us We already saw what he''s got to teach, Jin cut him off in a cold voice. And the camps taught us what happens to those who cross the taboo, think if its worth it to learn a dance, and besides He stared down the snot-nosed boy. Arent you getting too comfortable? The monks mine - and so is anything useful that might come from him. Whether I decide to share has nothing to do with you. As Bizu squirmed under Jins gaze, Hao suddenly interjected. Since this sir is a gift from that person, it should be fine to keep it? Jin flinched imperceptibly. Though brief and comparatively painless, out of all the terrifying things hed experienced lately, it was the meeting with the blue robed Immortal that left the deepest mark. Back when he unearthed the treasure that inspired greed in the white robed Immortal, he still had his wits to fall back on. Even during the discipline he was able to fight back to an extent, though at the cost of his body. During the interrogation by the blue robed Immortal, that brother Hang as he wanted to be called, he was stripped of everything. The plump faced boy didnt even reach his height. But with a single look he was able to arrest every muscle in his body, and dominate his thoughts. To this day Jin didnt know what prevented the Immortal from squeezing out the truth. He could only be certain that it wasnt anything he did. At that moment, when the Immortals will bore down on him, he felt himself disappear. The difference in their beings was so great, it could be said that the Immortal was alone in the room, talking to himself. Jin never shared what happened back then. When asked, he always maintained hed just truthfully recounted the events surrounding the treasures appearance. Bizu and Hao never questioned his account. Why would they? To try and deceive an Immortal was simply unthinkable. Jins version was perfectly reasonable. As a result, while it slightly hurt Jin to even look at the wooden monk, the boys treated it more like a wondrous gift from the Heavens. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. It doesnt matter if its been given to me, Jin answered Haos question. Unless the Immortal that comes to execute us is interested in the words of a mortal. Besides it isnt even the Heavens that we need to fear. If anyone learns of this figurine, we are doomed. He lowered his voice and looked seriously. It happened before my time, but I heard about it from a senior who lived through it. The second to last time a miner was found harbouring a taboo object, the Heavens decimated the whole cohort. Jin watched the colour drain from their faces, satisfied with the reaction. There was no need to go into gory details - theyd all stood witness to the justice of the Immortals, and were able to fill in the unspoken parts with what theyd seen in the camps. Its about time they realised the gravity of the situation The last time it happened, the Heavens werent informed, Jin continued in a low tone. The culprit was dealt with by the miners, but you can imagine the fate of someone who was willing to imperil the lives of everyone. There hasnt been another incident since. Silence descended. The boys stiffened, and looked about anxiously. Jins mind wandered. He thought of the little black stone hidden in the folds of his clothes. The cut on his palm ached. You must get rid of it then! Bizu whispered suddenly. Throw it into one of the deep shafts, where no one will find it. You cant! Hao hugged the monk to his chest. Its not this sirs fault! And weve already accepted his blessings. Theres karma between us - if we deny it now, only bad things will come of it! First of all, Jin interrupted them, its impossible to throw it away. Imagine if that person ever returned. If youre worried about keeping a gift from the Heavens, imagine the sin of trying to actually reject it. The boys blanched as the realisation dawned on them. Jin nodded grimly. He certainly wasnt about to reveal that his first impulse was actually the same as Bizus. Hao bit his lip. There was a concentrated air about him as he struggled to find a solution to the problem. Bizu lacked such mental fortitude. The boy looked wildly between Jin and Hao, but as moments passed and neither spoke, something inside him snapped. Then we should stay away from you! He jumped up as if the ground burned him. Leave you on your own. Why should we even stay with you - just so we when you wont even share! He backed away from them in uneven stumbling steps, stopping only when his back came against a wall. Not that I even want you to! I just said that. I dont want anything. I want to go home. I want to see my sister. I dont want to be here! I dont want to die because of a stupid figurine! By the end of it he was crying on the top of his voice. Tears and snot ran down his reddened face in rapid rivers. He stood alone in the corner of the room, straight like a pole, with his arms hanging limp by his sides and his shoulders trembling. Looking at the boy who couldnt be older than twelve years old, Jin felt a tinge shame creep up his heart. The reality of the mine had already remoulded him - nowadays, it was the faded memories of the life outside it that seemed unreal. It was too easy to forget that for boys like Bizu its only been a few months since theyd been taken from their previous lives. Jin opened his mouth to say something, but before he could think of anything, Hao was already on his feet. He walked up to Bizu and grabbed his hand, squeezing it hard within his own. His lips moved rapidly, saying something in a low voice, but Bizu was hearing none of it. He kept shaking his head left and right in refusal, his face all scrunched up. Then Hao slapped him. Hard. And before Bizu could recover, he slapped him again. Even Jin was taken aback, both by the unexpected burst of violence, and the slight hint of qi he thought he noticed in the air. You are afraid. And now its making you stupid. A look of disbelief and betrayal rose up in Bizus eyes, but Hao didnt let up. He held his hand tightly pressed in his own and continued to speak in a serious voice. Were not leaving brother Jin. Were not leaving sir monk. And we''re not leaving you. You are not alone. For a second there, Bizu wavered, as if he might bolt for the doors, but the moment passed, and he flung himself into Haos arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Hao bore this emotional deluge with a soft, understanding expression. Sensing an opportunity to speak, Jin muttered, somewhat unwillingly. Im sorry. I didnt mean to put you both in danger. And I misspoke before. If the monk happens to know something useful, I will not keep it to myself. Well share it. Although he didnt speak up and Bizus frame continued to shake and tremble, it was clear that the boy heard what was being said. Several seconds later, he sniffed loudly, and said in a small voice. Im sorry for joining others when they beat you. Jin felt the brief measure of compassion in his heart evaporate. He clenched his jaws to stop himself from speaking. You might have softened me up a bit, but if you think for a second that I will just forget Please dont kill me!! Jin almost choked. They said you betrayed everyone! I was afraid and didnt know what to do. And then when crowd swept up everything and Even as he wailed in a high-pitched voice, Bizu didnt dare to look at Jin. He latched himself completely onto Hao, and screamed his words into the boys shoulder. For his part, Jin was completely taken aback. His genuine dislike of the boy aside, murder never came into his mind. If it came to that, hed have to kill every single person present during the discipline. Most important of all, miners were strictly prohibited from harming each other. Anything that jeopardised the work was considered a rebellious act against the Sect. Though you wouldnt know it if you had to judge it only by the recent weeks. Im not going to kill you, Jin said finally. Promise. Promise you wont kill me! I promise Im not going to kill you. Bizu raised his head from Haos shoulder. He fixed Jin with a stubborn look. You gave your word. You have to keep it now. Fine. Oddly enough, that seemed sufficient to defuse the situation. While snot continued to flow from the boys nose, its volume returned to the previous, more manageable levels. He even allowed Hao to guide him back to the rooms center, where they sat beside the wooden monk. While the monk was unchanged on the surface level, as they gathered in a circle around him, Jin thought there was a hint of satisfaction he didnt notice before on the figurines face. What should we do about the sir? Nothing, Jin said. He didnt flinch under their questioning gazes. It was something he was already leaning towards before Bizus outburst. We do nothing. The monk looks like a normal figurine in this state, so it doesnt matter. But we do not talk about it or interact with it. Bizu sniffed and frowned. He didnt seem enamoured with the idea of keeping something that could very easily cost them their lives, but given the circumstances, he wasnt about to make another scene. Hao, on the other hand, visibly perked up, giving the impression of sunshine peeking out after a tumultuous storm. We should get good quality oil to massage into the wood, he suggested excitedly. Seeing that even Bizu started sending him doubtful glances, he blushed and added hurriedly, If were trying to pass this sir as a good luck charm, it only makes sense we treat him as one. Thats fine, Jin said after an awkward pause as he reevaluated the strange affection Hao developed for the monk. So long as you remember to be careful. In reality, his concerns had only deepened. Still, he couldnt take the monk with him to the lower shafts, and he remained fairly sure that only his qi could reawaken the figurine. Besides he was out of time. The blare of a whistle sounded through the tunnels, signalling the beginning of his shift. Chapter 22: Convergence Jins team, some twenty people, made its way down to the elevator platforms in what seemed a perfectly normal atmosphere. Some of the older miners joked about the staff at the public house. A new member had joined their mining team today, a bright eyed teen whod just reached the second layer and got promoted from the rubble duty. Rou Mi, little Lus former lackey, patiently explained the ropes to him, fulfilling his duty as the new warden. It was almost as if the events of the past few weeks had never happened. Almost. Jin sighed as he caught the newbie glancing at him from the corner of his eye again. The teen was the only person in the group who in any way acknowledged his existence, and even that small breach was in the process of being snubbed out. Everyone else treated him like air. He thought he had grown used to this treatment, welcomed it even, but this new arrival served as a painful reminder of just how bizarre this whole situation was. He obviously wasnt a waft of air. Everyone was able to see him. And if it seemed otherwise, it was through a deliberate, conscious effort of everyone around him.And such an unnatural arrangement couldnt go on forever. Ignore it. It cant be helped for now. And youve got more important things to worry about. He rubbed his hands to excise some of the cold. The temperature dropped rapidly as one descended down the well of the Pit to the elevator platforms. The air turned clammy and the sparse beams of sunlight penetrating through the eye of the Pit became even sparser. The other miners reacted to the changing temperature in a similar manner. Few of them wore anything more substantial than a tattered loincloth, since the environment in the lower shafts they were about to enter was diametrically different. The rock housing the spiritual crystals never grew cold, and with twenty people working in a tight space, the air was hot and harsh like in a furnace. One by one, the miners loaded into the elevator car. When Jin stepped in after them, they shuffled subtly, but in such a way that it wasnt certain whether they were making space for him or trying to maintain their distance. Rou Mi was the last to enter. He pulled the rusty gate shut and flashed the talisman that operated the elevator. Soon, to the accompaniment of harsh creaks and whining of chains, the platform began its laborious descent. In just a few breaths the sunlight was snuffed out, leaving everything pitch black. Hazy blue light appeared as Rou Mi produced a luminous crystal, but it did little more than shroud everything in its glow and produce dancing shadows. Most of the miners had their eyes closed regardless, their lips quivered slightly as they mouthed the words of their cultivation mantra. Jin was no exception. The only difference was that he didnt close his eyes. The white of his eyes cut a contrast against the blue of everyones faces. But as the elevator platform sunk deeper into the earth, and the air grew hot and stale, a prickly feeling began to creep over his back, and he too turned inwards, rousing the qi in his dantian. The words of the cultivation mantra rang out in his mind. This was the only way of protecting yourself from the chaotic energies in the lower parts of the mine. Miners had to to circulate their qi throughout the whole length of their shift, even as they struggled to lift their heavy hammers. Otherwise, even a small pause allowed the unstable energies seeping from the spiritual crystals to slip in, and when that happened, corruption followed. I shouldnt have used the black stone so close to the next shift It was difficult to focus. Even as the prickly feeling intensified, and his face grew flushed - telltale signs of qi invasion - Jin couldnt easily enter the proper meditative state. The headache that assaulted him after using the black stone had only grown worse since. Only now it was compounded with losing what felt roughly like a tenth of his qi to the greedy monk. Come on Fighting against nausea, he managed to nudge and coax some of his qi from his dantian. The spiritual energies moved sluggishly, clearly unconvinced by his attempts, and took a painfully long time to complete a single circuit that ran through the major meridians in his hand and stomach. Still, once the circuit was complete, the effect was immediate. The prickly feeling disappeared, as if washed off. And his qi turned more vigorous as well - it completed the second loop in half the time, and another one in half that still. After six cycles, it was already coursing like a rapid river. Jin didnt even need to put much thought to keep it humming along. The energies attuned themselves to his cultivation mantra and seamlessly navigated the twists and turns of his meridian pathways. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. I really am much stronger than before. In fact, he was fairly certain he had already broken through to the third layer during the discipline. Unfortunately, with the way things were, he had no way of asking any of the senior miners for guidance or confirmation. He looked around, letting his gaze rest on the gaunt, concentrated faces of his fellow miners. That would probably make me the strongest person here? Although Rou Mi was promoted to warden after Lil Lus death, he did not actually have the corresponding strength. It was rare for miners to progress to the third layer - after all, if they had talent to begin with, they wouldnt have ended up in the mine. Still, it was hard to think of himself that way. If things were normal, he wouldve informed Big Lu of his advancement and received a fitting promotion. And in the future, when Big Lu''s life reached the typical, short lifespan of miners, he might have even succeeded him as one of the head wardens. Not that it matters. If I revealed my advancement now, Id only get dumped into one of the black teams that break open new shafts. Shift begins! Get to work! Rou Mi''s whistle pierced the air as they reached the shaft where they would be working today. The ground was strewn with large boulders and chunks of rock. Miners groaned as they spilled out of the elevator. The air in the shaft was hot, stale, and spent. The previous team that had extracted these rocks from the face of the mine must have only just left, not leaving enough time for fresh air to filter in. Jin didnt join in the chorus. He simply grabbed one of the mining hammers that lied sprawled on the floor and moved to the side, distancing himself from the rest of group. Happy to be on his own, he began his work, and soon settled into a comfortable rhythm. His hammer rose and fell, striking the boulder in front of him in a relentless flow. White sparks flew off with every hit. Before he could even get properly tired, the rock broke open, revealing a bounty of shiny spiritual crystals. He didnt spare them a look before moving on to the next rock. The hammer felt good in his hands today. The cultivation mantra rushed through his thoughts, a lengthy string of syllables he didnt understand, interspersed with individual words whose meanings hed only just grasped. Strike! Another boulder broke apart. He breathed heavily. The air was hot and harsh in his throat, thick with swirling dust that filled the shaft. His back throbbed painfully, but in spite of it all, he felt good. It felt gratifying to hear nothing but the steady drumbeat of your heart and the rush of sucked air while looking at the result of your work. Unbeknownst to Jin, nearly every other miner also paused their work at the same time. They hunched over their hammers, inhaling deeply, taking advantage of the short break. It was only when Jin lifted his hammer again that they, too, resumed their work. Since everyone used the same mantra to channel their qi, it wasnt unusual for their movements to converge. As everyone tried to harmonise their motions with the mysterious words they recited in their minds, the rhythm of their swings would naturally align, giving rise to a single steady beat. The cacophony would momentarily subside when that happened, replaced by a powerful crack that shook the walls. But soon enough, one person would slow down, while another would hasten, and the steady rhythm would disintegrate, reverting to chaotic noise. The reason why it happened was simple. Even as they followed a broken path, labouring under a severed dao that would never allow them to ignite their Immortal Sigils, the miners still walked a path. Their efforts might have been futile, but they were uniquely their own. Although everyone started from the same mantra, the understandings they developed quickly diverged. Even their intuitions about the tempo and flow of the words they recited were different. The swings of their hammers occasionally aligned, but it was closer to an illusion than reality, much like passing carriages might seem to meet for an instant, only to separate moments later. It was this way even when Lil Lu was around. Things only started to change in recent weeks. It would be impossible to determine how it all began, since no one would even admit that it was happening at all, but the work went better when everyone matched their pace with Jins. It wasnt easier, since the pace he imposed was more strenuous than what anyone would choose on their own, but it was better. It started with one or two miners inadvertently matching Jin''s tempo. Then others followed suit. This pattern repeated during the next shift and the one after that. And now, even as no one would look at him on the surface, in the oppressive darkness of the lower shafts, their heavy hammers moved in unison with his, and they paused to rest when he did. Pressure. Walk. Strike! The three meanings he was able to decipher pushed him and propelled him forward. And yet, though he was fully focused on his work, he wasnt lost in a trance. As such, he was able to sense the change even a moment earlier than the rest of the miners. THUD! Something came down the vertical ventilation shaft. Billows of dark dust swelled and expanded on the ground beneath the exit. Shrouded within, one could recognise a ghostly figure of a person. One by one, the miners dropped to their knees and pressed their foreheads to the ground. Many had even shut their eyes, unwilling to accidentally show disrespect to the newcomer. A woman stepped out of the dark cloud. Miraculously, her white robes, adorned with the golden insignia of the Sect, remained pristine, as if even dust dared not offend her. We greet the Immortal! The miners bellowed into the ground with all the strength they could muster. The woman walked unhurriedly. Her black hair was tied in a neat knot that fell down her shoulders. Her stern face was impassive and didnt spare a glance for the masses kowtowing at her feet. Only Jin remained standing. Not out of some misguided defiance or due to a trance. Terror froze his limbs. And reason told him that even if he fell to the ground and closed his eyes, it wouldnt help him. Because he recognised the Revered One who was making her way to him. sister Xiao about whom he had been interrogated by Hang Min. Xiao stopped in front of Jin Sou. She looked at him plainly, making no effort to conceal that they werent strangers, that there was a secret between them, binding them in some unacceptable way. Her eyes were brown. And as he stared into them, unable to move with fear, Jin Sou recognised his own death reflected within. Chapter 23: Sister Xiao Ling From a certain point of view, it was the disciples posted in the mortal world that led more enviable lives compared to their brothers and sisters back at the Sect. Here, there were no seniors or teachers to regiment their days. They werent bound by the severe rigours of the monastic life. So long as they timely fulfilled their duties and didnt act in a way that would bring shame onto the Nine Peaks, they were free to do as they wished. Most idled their days away in comfortable luxury. Since they were - nominally, at least - the Sects representatives in the secular world, it was necessary that they looked the part. From the most basic needs to the most lavish wants, everything was provided for them. Still, even as they languished in beautiful mansions, they never mistook the true reason for the treatment they enjoyed. It was indifference. Back at the Sect, the elders were almost fanatical in making sure that the dao of the disciples conformed with that of the hallowed ancestors. Mind and spirit were cultivated almost as rigorously as qi. But this care and attention didnt extend to the failures who had abandoned the Path. Although they retained the right to wear the white robes of outer disciples, their relationship with the Sect was effectively severed. Their names were stripped off the active roster and they would never gaze upon the holy Nine Peaks again. In exchange, they got to indulge in all the mortal pleasures denied to them back at the Sect. Some thought it was the best trade theyd made in their lives. And others recoiled. Rather than succumb to the fleeting pleasures of mortal life, they chose the harsh reality of the mine. They cloistered themselves in its dark caves, enduring ravages of foreign qi, driven by a desperate hope that through this tempering they might glimpse a way back onto the Immortal Path. Sister Xiao Ling belonged to that second group. And even within that minority, her determination made her stand alone. The cave she had chosen for her home was so barren, it made the Sects cultivation chambers seem cozy in comparison. It lacked even a meditation mat. She, herself, was the only object that occupied it. Her toiletries and spare clothes were stashed with a mortal family in the town above. Every day, once her duties were complete, she retired to her cave. In its perfect darkness, she sat on the ground, bitterly meditating, reciting mantras, searching for epiphanies. She paused only when her next shift began, and resumed as soon as it was finished. It was in this manner that the first three months of her life in the mine had passed. The only measurable effect of her efforts could be found on the walls of her cave - a faint layer of water appeared on the rock, the result of her aura seeping into the environment. The injury that forced her out of the Sect showed no signs of improvement. Sometimes, when the stubborn fire that burned within her dimmed a little, Xiao Ling would open her eyes. She would stop reciting mantras and instead listen to the sounds of the mine. The whisper of her breath. Her eyes would trace the colourful streaks of minerals snaking within the dark rock that entombed her from from all sides. It was in those quiet moments that she would allow her mind to wander - and face the realisation that if nothing changed, this was how the rest of her life would pass. But something did change. Broken remembrance, sudden fate, river, nine petals The light was blinding, but Xiao Ling didnt avert her gaze. Even as tears streamed down from her reddened eyes, she stared straight on, unwilling to look away for even a moment. In front of her, about a foot above the ground, hovered a small crystal. It was no larger than a grain of rice, but the light it produced was so spectacular, it seemed like a piece of the sun. Minerals embedded within the walls of her cave shone like iridescent pearls under its white light. If Jin Sou was present here, he wouldve immediately recognised it. It was one of the two crystals he had unearthed on that fateful day when Lil Lu was executed. Strange symbols flickered across the crystals surface. They were turbulent and ever-changing. Sometimes they flowed like river currents, other times they writhed like the nest of snakes. Xiao Ling diligently transcribed each and every one. A bamboo pen in her hand glided across a piece of silk, covering its white surface in a dense forest of tiny characters. The complex signs were broken down into their basic elements and further arranged in a complex web of associations. Some nodes formed so many connections that they were barely visible from within the tangle of the links they sprouted, while others existed in isolation - solitary dots on a madmans map. The piece of silk Xiao had prepared was two feet long, but already the small characters filled it so completely, that there was barely any empty space left. Only rare areas of white were visible from beneath a sea of black ink. When a tremble of her hand caused the last sign she was transcribing to come out smudged, Xiao Ling took a deep breath and paused. It took her a moment to stabilise herself. It wasnt easy to disengage yourself from a trance that seemed to lay bare all of daos mysteries. Her fingers twitched awkwardly as if unwilling to abandon the work. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Slowly, her breathing changed, and when she opened her eyes again, the strange shine that inhabited them dulled a little bit. She waved her hand and remade the seals that concealed the crystals aura. The brilliant light was immediately extinguished. The crystal continued to hover in place, but it looked perfectly ordinary otherwise. Xiao Ling relaxed her hand and put down the bamboo pen she was gripping all this time. She looked over the notes she made in this session. This time Ive managed to hold out for about twelve minutes and transcribed seven runes. At this rate, I should be able to finish transcribing the whole thing in about sixteen months? The long timeframe didnt dampen her mood. Conversely, she found her gaze returning to the crystal again. There was a deep affection in her eyes. In fact, she still didnt even know what the actual nature of this treasure was. She only knew roughly its grade, Upper Sky!, and that she could never sell it. For one, she did not have the means. As an outer disciple, she never came into contact with organisations that traded goods of this caliber. She wasnt sure if they even existed. Sects had waged wars over less. It was hard to imagine such treasures changing owners without bloodshed. And even if, asking a better connected Senior for help was out of question as well. There wasnt a fool alive who wouldnt immediately guess the origin of such a treasure in her hands. It would only be the question of whether her contact thought it more worthwhile to report her or to kill her and snatch the crystal for themselves. No, the treasure could never be sold. But Xiao Ling did not despair. After studying the crystal, she wouldnt separate with it, even if it cost her life. It made no difference that she did not understand its nature. There was no end to the creativity of Heavens, and there wasnt a Sage who claimed to know every treasure that appeared in the world. She just needed to slowly study it. She rose from the ground and started cleaning after herself. Her usually empty cave had become uncharacteristically cluttered in the recent weeks. Besides the crystal and her notes, there was also a separate sealing formation set up within the room. It had cost her most of the reward she had received from Elder Xi, but it was a necessary expense. Without it, she would have never dared to unseal the crystal to study it. Not with Elder Xi staying in the same mine. And even with the formation in place, for the first few days she only let out short pulses, quickly undoing and redoing the seals, just to make absolutely sure that not a sliver of the aura escaped. Thankfully the formation held steady. She couldnt imagine what would happen if she was discovered. A cramp set in her thigh and she circulated her qi to help loosen it. The spiritual energies responded well, better than before. Although her Immortal Sigil still bore deep fissures, teetering on the edge of fracturing, the qi in her meridians showed signs of improvement for the first time since the accident. The change was minor, small enough it would normally take a master healer to even notice it, but to Xiao Ling it felt almost like having her body rise back from the grave. She finished the cleanup by stashing the evidence in a secret compartment she had carved out in the floor. It would not do much if someone actually searched her cave, but if things got to this point, Xiao Ling thought, there would be no hope for her regardless. If she truly came under suspicion, there wouldnt even be a need to conduct a search. All it would take would be Elder Xi mobilising a sliver of his qi when questioning her, and she would be compelled to answer truthfully. Still, they were disciples not slaves, and an Elder would not use his cultivation base to force out an answer - not without a sufficient reason, at least - and shed made sure that everything appeared proper. To this point, she had even left a witness alive. It was already suspicious of her to remove one of them. If in response to a great boon that was finding a treasure, she executed all the miners involved, it would be no different from directly inviting the Elder to ask about it. Thankfully, at least one of the workers showed a bit of sense. Her brow knitted slightly as the image of the young miner surfaced in her mind. It should have been a faded memory, she barely took notice of him compared to the treasure, but there was something in his expression that made the face imprint itself on her mind. Now should be the right time to tie up the loose ends. A cave-in or a fiend attack should do the job. She didnt view the danger as all that great at this point. If something was going to happen, it wouldve happened by now. Back then, although the elder didnt question her, she couldnt completely discount the possibility of someone being sent down to investigate. Unlikely though it was, if it did happen, shed be done for, regardless if the miner was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. A mortal could not resist a cultivator even if he staked his life on it. In those initial days after taking the treasure she was unable to even meditate, so great was her dread. She went through the motions of her duties, perpetually on edge, and retreated to her cave, bracing for the inevitable confrontation. Yet, no one came for her. When whole week passed, she knew she was in the clear. Still, it would be a good idea to check in on what was happening in the mine. At the very least, she needed to take the mines pulse and ensure that losing another miner would not cause too much of a slowdown. Ive been putting it off for too long already. I need to come out and socialise, for appearances sake, if nothing else. The prospect of leaving her cave didnt fill her with joy. For one, it distracted her from studying the treasure, but it wasnt even the main point. Even back at the Sect you had to be careful about the company you kept. Their relations and connections were important, of course, but not actually paramount. What truly mattered was their disposition. You could also call it their mindset or even spirit. It was all too easy to get pulled into orbit of some treasured niece, son, or daughter, but if they spent their time on frivolities, so would you. It didnt seem like a big thing. No one in the Sect actually fell into debauchery, the elders would never allow it, but even a small concession could have great consequences when it came to igniting your Immortal Sigil. Shed witnessed it herself. A clique of companions would coalesce around a single individual, flaunting their camaraderie for all to see. But when it came to crossing the Gate, only the leader would pass. Her dao would be powerful and firm, strengthened through the influence she had exerted on others. And her companions would either perish or barely scrape through, igniting Sigils that were so weak and frail, they had no hope of ever making progress in the Path. It didnt even need to be so extreme. According to Xiao Ling, there were just two rules. A good person to befriend was someone who challenged you without dominating, someone who pushed you to improve. And a person to avoid was someone who had given up on the Path. Cowards who ran away from their own dao. Cultivators with eyes like dead fish, burrowing in mortal dirt, pining for the dullards tranquility. If she wanted to learn the recent goings-ons of the mine, it was that second group that was best informed. Luckily, birds of a feather flock together, and she knew just where to find them. Its time I paid a visit to the Golden Goose. Chapter 24: The Golden Goose Brother Chengsheng, once again you leave me speechless. I would never have imagined that rearing fiends could be so involved, a female disciple said in an awestruck voice. She placed another wonton on Chengshengs plate. Truly, you are like the Sages our Elders spoke of, able to find insights in the most unexpected places. Chen Chengsheng nodded slightly. His gaze didnt linger on sister Chu Miens ingratiating smile or the sumptuous delicacies laid out on the table before him. Instead, it drifted past the balcony, toward the towns vista sprawling below. They were seated in the guest room on the very top floor of the Golden Goose. Normally, mortals couldnt erect buildings beyond a certain height, but as this establishment catered specifically to cultivators, it was spared such restrictions. The view was spectacular or, as its patrons claimed, very good for insights. Other things that were said to be good for insights included good wine, good music, and good company. For a certain class of disciples, the Golden Goose had become something of holy place. Here they met to share insights, discuss dao, and support each other on the Path, just as they did back in the Sect. The fact that they could do so while simultaneously enjoying pheasant breasts so masterfully prepared that each piece melted on the tongue, was only a happy boon. Previously, Chen couldnt have hoped of ever joining one of these get-togethers, but things had changed recently. Now, he had been invited by Chu Mien and Chu Feng specifically to share from his broad knowledge on fiends. A topic he could talk about endlessly. Spiritual animals, Chen corrected sister Mien softly. Fiends is such an ugly word to use when referring to companions that serve us so earnestly and faithfully. As he swallowed the dumpling, his attention shifted from the vibrant rooftops to the now vacant plate. Finally, he raised his eyes to look at Chu Mien again. Another dumpling found its way onto Changshengs plate. It disappeared as soon as Chu Mien sat down again. How are you finding the food? Chu Feng, her brother, broke in, hoping to resuscitate the halting conversation. While the smile on his sisters lips never wavered in fact, it even grew the grin was beginning to look a little painful. He poured Chengsheng a cup of fragrant tea and gestured toward the plates lining the table, each holding a delicacy worthy a prince. Regrettably, its all mortal fare. Still, the Golden Goose is renowned as the finest establishment in the province. Ive heard that even seniors from the Sect make it a point to visit when theyre out on missions. Its fine. For mortal fare, Chen Chengsheng agreed as he washed down another dumpling. This time, it was Chu Fengs turn to break into a beaming smile. The tea hed just served came from his personal stock, and it was a rare blend that included genuine spiritual herbs. The conversation fell into a lull, but Chengsheng didnt mind. He inclined his head slightly, so that a stray ray of sunshine landed on his face. His moustache glistened in the light. He stroked it with satisfaction. Back in the Sect, where ones achievements in cultivation determined ones social standing, Chen Chegsheng found himself near the bottom of the pack. It wasnt unusual for him to bow respectfully to youngsters who, only a year or two earlier, had been wide eyed kids he himself would introduce to Sect life as their Senior Brother. It was a bit of a surprise, then to Chen as much as to his peers that when the time came, he actually passed through the Gate and ignited his Immortal Sigil. Still, the dao hed used to ignite it was so lacklustre that even the Elder who congratulated him on joining the true ranks of cultivators urged him, in the same conversation, to look over the postings in the mortal world. Chen chose the mine, and as he arrived without any backing, he was assigned the job nobody wanted: overseeing the tamed fiends. In contrast to watching over the miners as they toiled away in the mine, this task was both time consuming and offered few opportunities to pilfer a spiritual crystal or two. His social standing in his new community did not improve either. Though some disciples managed to reinvent themselves in the secular world blooming in a puddle when before they languished in the vast ocean that was the Sect Chen was not one of them. His standing in the social hierarchy followed him here as sure as if hed packed it along with his belongings. It didnt bother Chen much. He still remembered his life from before the Sect took him in. He also remembered the harsh rigours of the Sect itself. This life in the mortal world, where he had a roof over his head and a stable occupation, was all he needed. Moreover, thanks to the job he had been assigned, he wasnt even lonely. The task that nobody wanted proved to be so rewarding and fulfilling that he wouldve gladly done it for free. The fiends inspired fear and disgust in others, but in Chens eyes, they were nothing more than a bunch of scared and hurt animals. The energies of the mine changed them cruelly, but beneath their scary appearance, they were just living beings that needed help. Chen still remembered the time he relieved a particularly painful boil that tormented one of the fiends. The look of gratitude he saw in its many eyes and the soft nuzzle of its snout made his heart melt with joy. He had a stable job, a roof over his head, and peopleerm, creatures, that depended on him. What did it matter to him where he stood on the social ladder? And yet, he couldnt deny that these recent weeks since hed assisted senior brother Hang Min in interrogating the miner possessed a certain charm. Back then, he had cursed his bad luck for getting involved in the business of Elder Xis direct student, but the whole affair had been over and done with very quickly. What he hadnt predicted was the fervour it would inspire among his fellow disciples. Everyone wanted to talk to him. Senior disciples whod never as much as responded to his greetings before, called after him, treating him with such warmth and familiarity as if they were long lost brothers, only now reunited. Gifts were exchanged so many that Chen hadnt even had the time to peruse them in detail. It was like reincarnating into a new life. And now he was even dining on the top floor of the Golden Goose! An establishment so luxurious, its proprietors dared to demand spiritual crystals as payment. Its all thanks to you, he silently thanked his moustache. It framed his upper lip like a lions mane rendered miniature, falling freely down the sides. It gave him a unique charm, Chengsheng thought, and there certainly wasnt anyone else in the mine who grew anything similar on their face. In fact, it was this unique combination of an old masters moustache and Chens youthful face that had originally caught Hang Mins attention. Back then, Chen regretted it, even vowing to shave it off at the nearest opportunity. But in recent weeks, as more and more disciples reached out to him in hopes of making a connection, his thoughts had undergone a dramatic turn. The moustache would stay. And he would grow it larger. That new balm they sold me in the Upper Pit is doing wonders for lustre. But it is awfully sticky, Chen thought as he discretely picked several crumbs from between the hairs. Meanwhile, the Chu siblings exchanged pointed looks. They had invested a considerable amount of their personal funds to make this meeting happen, but all they got in return so far was an excruciatingly tedious lecture on fiend rearing. For all his lack of social graces, Chen was a frustratingly difficult opponent to pin down. Hed remained remarkably tightlipped about his doings with Hang Min, and as other disciples had discovered, even inviting him out was no easy task. More than once, he had rejected such invitations, claiming he couldn''t leave because the fiends needed constant attention. In the end, the two siblings had hatched a plan to make him an offer that he simply could not refuse. They rented the top of floor of the Golden Goose and asked him for the pleasure of listening to his insights about the fiends. The problem was, they had expended a not-insignificant part of their savings for this, and that was all they had gotten. Time and again, they tried to subtly nudge Chen to speak of what had happened when he was with Hang Min, but it was like getting a cat to bark. Even more concerning still, judging by the pace at which Chengsheng was cleaning out the plates meant to last the whole evening, soon they would have to pay for another round of dishes. A more direct approach was needed. Everyone is amazed with your ability to forge a connection with Senior Brother Hang Min, Chu Feng said, refilling Chen''s drinking bowl with more tea. For one of us here in the mine to render services to someone as esteemed as him it is a source of pride and honour for us all. Cheng merely smiled and petted his moustache. We must also thank you for your lecture, Chu Feng continued. It would be fair to say that today, you have not only opened our minds but filled them to the brim as well. Oh, thats not true at all! Chen objected. There are so many other topics to explore. I havent even mentioned how, depending on the position of the stars, certain dietary concerns should be It strikes me, Chu Feng interrupted, that we are presented with a rare opportunity. What if we took these two happy instances our fruitful dao discussion and your connection with Senior Brother and brought them together? Wouldnt an evening spent exchanging insights with senior brother Hang Min be an excellent idea? Im sure he would be interested in your thoughts on fiend, erm, spiritual creatures as well. Before Chen could respond, Chu Feng added, Naturally, if you could arrange for Brother Hang to appear, you would be richly rewarded. How dare you, Chengsheng was so shocked that he dropped a slice of marinaded pheasant into his drinking bowl. Chu Feng winced. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. My friendship with brother Hang is not the type of relationship you can buy your way into, Chen said in a grave voice. It is a union of kindred spirits connected by our keen sense for beauty. Just by making such a proposition, you disregard Brother Hangs and my face! He stood abruptly, ready to storm off. Please, you must forgive my brothers uncouth words, Chu Mien interjected, slipping behind Chengsheng to block his way. She presented an extravagant parcel in both hands. He''s like a child who freely voices his thoughts, baring his heart to the world. Instead of reproaching him, why not consider this small gift we prepared? Ive already said that bribes do not work on me, Chengsheng scoffed as he reached for the parcel. If you truly want my friendship, then this type of approach is achieving the opposite. I really dont know what you The words froze on his lips. Chu Mien studied Chens expression. This was their final arrow, but also the deadliest. A full jin worth of spiritual herbs. Not the kind useful for humans, of course. Even if his sister and him pooled all their resources, they could not afford a gift so extravagant. Still, the true value of a gift was not measured in silver but the thoughtfulness behind it. A jin of herbs useful for fiends might not have been too costly, but sourcing them was not easy at all and depended on connections. Seeing Chengshengs reaction, the siblings exchanged satisfied looks. Chen mumbled with parted lips, anxiously tugging at his moustache as if he was about to pull it out. After having to watch him stroke it for the past two hours, Feng dearly wished he would succeed. Finally, the inner turmoil reached its conclusion. Chengshengs shoulders sagged and there was little light in his eyes as he slowly placed the parcel back on the table and pushed it away. I cannot accept this, he said in a tone of a monk rejecting a life-saving medicine because it would break his fast. Previously, I might have exaggerated my relationship with Brother Hang. I am not in a position to invite him and even if I was, I dont think he would come. This is indeed disappointing, Chu Feng shook his head. In that case, I really dont think we can work together. Chens head sagged as if the last breath of life had escaped his body. Feng watched him in silence, mentally ticking away the seconds before glancing at his sister. Unless you could offer something else of value in exchange, Chu Mien said in an innocent voice. To this day, no one knows what happened when Senior Hang interrogated that miner. The questions he asked, the answers he sought Chengsheng jolted as if stung. That! He exclaimed animatedly. I could. Maybe His voice trailed off uncertainly. Chu Feng helpfully nudged the pouch of herbs toward him. Chengsheng, you should understand by now that we are not here to pry into any private or sensitive matters brother Hang might have. All we want is to be useful to him just as you are. But to do that, we need some information. Look around you; we have already put up so much toward this goal. Is that not enough to prove our intentions? Chen Chengsheng hugged the herb pouch to his chest. No, I dont question your character. It is the opposite. I am the one who owes you an apology. However this matter involves another person, and I am not sure I can discuss it. Sister Xiao Ying! How did you know?! Chen gasped, but the siblings werent focused on him. Their attention had shifted to the person who had just entered the room. Standing in the doorway, dressed in the pristine white robes of an outer disciple, was Xiao Ying. An uncharacteristically friendly smile played on her lips. Chu Feng stood up and bowed slightly. What a rare sight. With the way you kept to yourself, we all thought you wouldnt emerge from your cave until you broke through to the next layer. I hope you dont mind me barging in uninvited, Xiao Ying said. I have already arranged it with the staff to cover todays expenses. Hopefully it will make up for my rudeness. Chu Mien immediately objected. Nonsense! Haven''t I invited you on your first day in the mine? Let''s consider today the day you finally accepted my invitation. Sit with us! Chu Mien called out.And I dont want to hear another about it. How can you even speak this way, when it is our joy to be able to dine with you. Youll have us thinking you consider us strangers. The three of them continued to exchange pleasantries while Chen Chengshengs mind quaked and trembled. The memories of that little miner interrogated by Hang Min flashed in his mind. Dirty like a beggar! I knew she wanted to steal it! And she would kill me to do it! It was difficult to reconcile that description with the prim and noble woman standing before him. There was a severe aura about her, but it only added to the loveliness of her looks. Chen discretely compared her to Chu Mien, and could not easily determine which of them looked more pleasing. Seeing them together made him suddenly regret not being versed in poetry. Chengsheng rose to offer his greetings as well. It is true what they say about mysteries of fate, he said flashing a dashing smile and stroking his moustache. I was just about to speak of you and here you appear at our door like a fairy summoned by a spell. You were talking about me? Chen blanched. The words sounded charming in his mind, but he didnt consider the full implications of saying them out loud. He turned to Chu Mien and Chu Feng, but the siblings offered no help. Some seconds passed as he looked around the place, searching for a way out. I misspoke. Please have a wonton they are quite delectable. He pushed a plate toward Xiao Ying. We were talking about spiritual animals! Eh, you might know them as fiends. I am the chief disciple responsible for their care. If you ever need help in those matters, or others, be sure to visit me. Thank you. Chu Mien watched this exchange with interest. Sensing the potential it held, she spoke up. Actually, brother Chengsheng is not entirely wrong. While we werent talking about you in particular, we were about to discuss recent events, she said. And was there a grander event in recent memory than the discovery of a natural born treasure in our humble mine? She turned to Xiao Ying and spoke in an imploring tone, Sister Xiao, for the past few weeks, everyone in the mine suffered, forced to live on rumours and wild guesses. If we could just hear the truth from your lips. Xiao Ying smiled. The grade was Upper Sky. Perhaps even greater. The siblings sucked in a breath. That was what the rumours said, but to have it directly confirmed was something else entirely. Chu Feng sighed wistfully. The only Sky grade artefact Ive seen is the Thunder Lotus Pearl at the core of the Seventh Mountains formation. And it is sealed anyways. To witness a Sky grade treasure as it is birthed, just the insights it could offer Xiao sipped her tea. The faint smile on her face said everything there was to say. Its no wonder that Elder Xi sent down Senior Brother Hang to investigate its birth. Its like coming face to face with pure dao. Why, even Brother Chengsheng helped in questioning the miner who was there when it happened. Whatever could be said about Chen Chengshengs lack of social graces, it must be also said that when the time called for it, he conducted himself with full decorum. Even as a wave of agitated qi rose up and exploded from Xiao Ling, he let it wash over him as if he didnt notice a thing. The siblings naturally didnt let anything show either. They knew it wasnt an attack Xiao Ying had merely momentarily lost control of her aura for a brief moment. Unfortunately, the mortals were not so resilient. Throughout the dinner, a pair of beautiful siblings, a boy and a girl, brought in the dishes, cleared away empty plates, and discreetly retreated behind a sliding wall, as if they were invisible. When the wave of disturbed qi struck them, they had no time to prepare. Both of them were cut down, and although hidden behind a paper wall, the sound of their bodies hitting the ground was impossible to miss. To make matters worse, the girl was the first to awaken and tried to rouse her brother. She was quiet at first, but as more time passed and her brother would not wake, her insistent whispers turned into cries. From what Chengsheng could make out from behind the paper wall, more people came in, subdued the girl, and finally dragged the unfortunate siblings away. The door to the guest room slid open, and the proprietor stepped in. The rest of the staff followed behind her. Without a word, they knelt on the ground, awaiting their fate. Chu Mien glanced at Xiao Yin and, seeing her frozen like a sculpture, said, Get out. On one hand, she wanted to spare Xiao the embarrassment of being seen by mortals when she wasnt able to contain her emotions. On the other hand, though her aura mostly stabilised, it wasnt quite there yet. If she lashed out again with all the staff present, it was anyones guess what the damage would be. And although the Golden Gooses proprietor was a mortal, Chu Mien knew that they must have backing from someone in the Sect. What she didnt know was that the faint ripples of energy she was sensing from Xiao Ying were not caused by her inability to control herself. Once the initial shock had passed, Xiao Ying quickly regained her composure. Immediately, she called upon her qi and started circulating it around her Immortal Sigil. Since it was already fractured, detonating it wouldnt take much just a stab, and shed be gone along with the top floor of the Golden Goose. I cannot allow them to take me alive, she thought. But if they already know everything, why am I still alive? What is going on? Can you tell me, she said to the painfully quiet room, faint ripples of qi pulsating about her person, when exactly did brother Hang interrogate that miner? Oh! I can answer that! Chen piped up, eager to say anything to dispel the oppressive mood. I was actually there, you know, when brother Hang spoke with the miner. I was translating for him because brother Hang doesnt speak the language. Though I wasnt actually with them, I stood behind the door and When was it? Xiao Yin repeated. She stared at the fool as his lips moved up and down, his ridiculous moustache flailing with every word he spoke, wishing he would stop hemming and hawing and answer her question. What does it matter? You already know the answer. Since you havent been captured, it must have only just happened. Elder Xi is probably being informed at this very moment. And when he hears of it, he wont even need to send anyone. He will lift his finger, the qi will freeze in your meridians, and that will be that the beginning of your end. She focused her qi around a fracture in her Sigil she had been working on lately. She knew it well, it was barely stabilised with weeks of work. She knew exactly where to strike to make it not just collapse but explode. Stop hesitating. You have been unbelievably lucky to be given this chance. In another second, youll miss it, and then, when the punishment begins, you will beg for it. Oh, it was the same day you discovered the treasure. A little over a month ago. And I must say, you can be sure that whatever was said then, it was in the strictest confidence. I can vow right here and now that I havent shared a single word of what was said with anyone. Not that there was anything at all Xiao Ying stared at him and blinked. Could you repeat that? Not a soul! As far as I am concerned, the conversation was between Senior Brother Hang and the miner. I cleared it from my mind. And besides, Senior Brother Hang even argued in your favour, so there is no need for you to feel embarrassed at all When did you interrogate the miner? She watched the mans lips move without comprehension. She didnt release her qi, keeping it aimed straight at the flaw in her Sigil. Is this a trick? A month. She recalled the weeks spent cloistered in her cave, dreading the moment she would be found out and captured when all along, the worst had already happened. What did the miner say when he was interrogated? Chen shifted uncomfortably. Oh, Im not sure if thats a good idea. I mean, not in public. And I dont know if Senior Brother Hang would Tell me everything. She listened, her confusion growing as he recounted the story. There were moments when Chen hesitated, trying to skirt around certain details, but she pressed him, forcing him to repeat everything word for word. When the story reached the moment when Hang Min asked the fatal question, she could barely breathe. And when, instead of revealing the truth that there were two crystals, not one the miner started screaming about how she had wanted to steal the treasure, her concentration snapped and her aura flared out again. Chu Mien and Chu Feng naturally assumed her outburst was out of humiliation. Losing face once in front of a venerable senior from the Sect, and then again here in public, couldt be easy. Nevertheless, their own opinions of Xiao Ying didnt drop much. They knew that in the face of such a temptation, keeping ones greed in check was nearly impossible. In reality, what caused Xiao Ying to lose control was something else entirely. According to Chen Chengsheng, Hang Min leveraged the power of his Immortal Sigil to force out the answer from the miner. What she couldnt understand was how the miner had been able to resist it. To the best of her knowledge, that shouldve been simply impossible. She didnt care about the disgusting words the miner had used to describe her. If anything, they would prove useful, because no one would fault her for seeking redress. The guests did not linger for long after Chen finished his retelling of the interrogation. With everything that happened, the siblings were eager to discuss how to best profit from their newfound knowledge, Chen was anxious to return to his fiends, and Xiao Yin could barely stop herself from storming out of the room and rushing to capture the miner who had caused her so much grief. First, she would interrogate him. She would extract every answer what exactly happened back then, how had he been able to withstand the interrogation she would squeeze the truth from him until there was not a single unanswered question. And then, once she was completely satisfied, she would tie up that last loose end. And achieve the impossible. She would have stolen an Upper Sky grade treasure, with no one in the world even aware that it had happened. And in a few decades, once she had fully absorbed it, her legend would begin. Chapter 25锛歍he Return The wind howled in her wake as Xiao Ying rushed through the surface towns alleyways, charging past oblivious mortals, making her way toward the Pit. Learning that Elder Xis student had already interrogated the only witness who knew shed stolen the treasure was a blow that almost drove her to suicide on the spot. Realising that a month had passed since and nothing had happened was nearly as shocking still, but whatever relief she felt quickly gave way to mounting anxiety. During these past few weeks, any time she didnt owe to the Sect, she devoted to studying the treasure. Hidden in her cave, she meticulously transcribed the mystical symbols that constituted its essence, stopping only when her concentration faltered and she could no longer maintain the necessary focus. It was in those waking hours when the mysterious aura of the treasure lifted and her thoughts became her own again that the full gravity of what she had done, and what would happen to her if she was discovered, took shape in her mind. In a way, it should never have happened. A Sky grade treasure had no right appearing in a backwater like this. For two Sky grade treasures to appear at the same time that was so preposterous that even someone as venerable as Elder Xi wouldnt have been able to imagine it. That was the bet she had taken, and it had paid off. Stealing anything from right under the nose of one of the Sects Peaks was in itself an act so daring, it likely helped her escape notice by sheer improbability. Had the Elder questioned her and used even a sliver of his qi while doing so she wouldve been forced to admit to her sins on the spot. And yet, the venerable Elder hadnt questioned her. Aside from receiving the treasure hed barely even looked at her. And that should have been the end of it, Xiao Ying thought as she reached the the entrance to the Upper Pit and stormed right through. The sentries were mortals and havent even noticed her. Anxious though she was, she had the presence of mind to use her qi to mask herself. Immortals were not to be seen casually, and all the guards noticed was a sudden gust of cold wind and a faint mist she left behind. Past the entrance, the Pit opened up before her. It was a vast, gaping hole in the earth, deep enough for clouds to form near its upper crust. It came into view so suddenly, just outside the town, with verdant plains and forests still visible in the distance, that it seemed like something foreign, carved away from reality itself. Some said that, in the beginning, a giant must have scooped up the ground, for not even cultivators could transform the world so drastically. Naturally, like all the disciples, Xiao Ying knew the Pits origin was nothing so magical. All it took was generations upon generations of miners, patiently toiling away, digging it out one cart of rubble at a time. The Pits tunnels where the miners lived were nothing more than these old shafts, long stripped of spiritual crystals. Below the Pit was the mine proper, separated by another gate. There, under a mountain of rock, beset by the chaotic energies seeping from the spiritual crystals they were excavating, Jin Sous crew was hard at work. Instead of waiting for the elevator, Xiao Ying leaped over the platform and ran down the steeply inclined ground. In her haste, she wouldve jumped straight down the Pit if she could, but even for her, such a massive fall would have been fatal. Still, she was only a little slower. The Pit had bridges connecting its distant sides and a spiralling road used by carts that ran from the very bottom all the way to the top. In her rush, Xiao Ying weaved between all of these as well as the exposed rock face, sending little slides of stone rolling down. As before, none of the miners were able to perceive her. But they looked on anxiously as pockets of rock and dirt suddenly separated and tumbled down, as if the Pit was shedding its skin. Meanwhile, Xiao Ying ran through all the possibilities in her mind once again, searching for that little detail that must have eluded her. It was futile. During these past weeks, driven as she was by dread and hope, she had pushed her imagination to its fullest and yet, there was one scenario that always played out the same way. A mortal, when questioned by a cultivator employing their cultivation base, especially someone at the level of Hang Min, couldnt resist interrogation. It was not a matter of will but the natural order things. Much like water held over a fire cannot refuse to boil, a mortal, when forced to bear the pressure of someone who had ignited their Immortal Sigil, could only obey. The difference in magnitude between their existences left no room for subterfuge, much less refusal. And yet, the miner had been questioned. A month had passed since, and she was still alive. It didnt make sense. A different person might have accepted this as some inexplicable cosmic accident and left it at that a situation best ignored, because prying too much could unravel the whole thing. Xiao Ying was not such a person. In her mind, there was a reason why things happened as they did and why they didnt. When something unexplainable occurred, even if it seemed to benefit her, it did not put her at ease. All it meant was that something unknown to her, something she did not understand, had interfered in the expected trajectory of her life. And that could not be tolerated. It had been bad enough to dread discovery when she had known the odds and merely waited to see which way the coin would land. But to live with this latent danger, one she knew nothing about, and could never prepare against, was something she would not allow. Finally, she reached the bottom of the Pit. The elevator platform was packed with miners, different crews were alternating nearly every hour. She rushed past them, ignoring the platform altogether, and jumped straight into the elevator shaft. The sun disappeared behind her as she fell freely into the darkness. Moments later, she burst out on the other side, already inside the mine, and charged ahead. A chorus of agitated fiends welcomed her as she stormed through the inspection plaza, and then she was in another shaft, falling through the darkness again. Her long hair fluttered in the wind as she plummeted, calmly counting down seconds in her mind. Abruptly, she mobilised the qi in her legs and kicked off the wall behind her. She propelled herself forward, straight into a solid wall when suddenly, an opening flashed before her. She threaded the needle, swooping into a tunnel and landing with a soft thud. Before a second had passed, she was back on her feet, sprinting through the old ventilation shaft. In an odd way, returning to the mine calmed her. The darkness, the mass of solid rock entombing her from all sides, even the chaotic energies all the things that oppressed her before brought now a measure of security and relief. Soon, even though she hadnt slowed down at all, her gait became more steady and measured. When she launched herself across another chasm, she landed with only a soft tap, about as loud as a normal footstep. And when she broke into a run again, there was no sound at all. By the time she reached the ventilation shaft above the tunnel where Jin and his crew were working, her heart was as calm as a still lake. Instead of jumping straight in, she paused, listening to the crack of hammers below. The noise was so powerful it made the particles of rock dust at her feet jump up with every strike. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. She peered down through the ventilation opening. The miners were visible as dark silhouettes as they worked. The ground they stood on was littered with tiny spiritual crystals that glittered in the darkness like a starry sky. The sight was strangely hypnotic. The miners raised their hammers together, held them for just a moment, and then brought them crashing down on the rock chunks before them. Sparks shot out when they struck, a terrible noise boomed, and then the heavy hammers rose again. There was a rhythm to their movements, too, Xiao Ying realised, though they did not sing or hum, like the mortals she remembered from the secular world. She didnt attempt to pick out Jin Sou. There was no point. Looking on from above, the miners looked like many limbs of a single beast, as much a part of the mine as the rock itself. Her mind calm, she stepped into the ventilation shafts opening and plummeted down. She didnt use her qi to slow her descent. The drop wasnt long, but when she hit the ground, the impact was loud enough to be heard over the crack of mining hammers. A curtain of dust rose up into the air, swallowing what little light there was. Hammers fell to the ground. We greet the Immortal! a chorus of voices exclaimed as she stood still, surveying the surroundings. Though you could still hear the fading echoes rumbling in the distant corridors, the miners were already motionless, kowtowing with their foreheads pressed to the ground. She walked among them. Despite the particles of dust swirling in the air, her white disciple robes remained pristine and spotless. For a moment, she worried she wouldnt be able to pick out Jin Sou from among the people on the ground. Luckily, she was spared the trouble. There was one miner who didnt kowtow. Instead, he remained standing ramrod straight, gripping his hammer in his hands. He stared at her with great intensity. Neither slowing down nor hastening, sometimes only stepping over a prone body on the ground, Xiao Ying walked up to him. She did not mind the boys breach of decorum. In fact, it felt right. After everything that had happened, putting on a charade now would only be an insult to their intelligence. Besides, it was clear that the miner wasnt trying to be defiant. His eyes were wide with fear, his lips trembled, and the hammer that remained in his hands was not a weapon aimed at her but simply forgotten, much like he had forgotten to drop to the ground together with everyone else. It seemed as if he would shatter if she breathed at him too forcefully. And yet, she recognised him. Coming to a stop before Jin Sou, Xiao Ying frowned slightly. She already had a decent impression of him in her memories, and seeing him now, the sense of familiarity that struck her was strong and immediate. She couldnt explain it. She had only encountered him once and that was at the moment when the treasure was completely unsealed. Back then, even if shed tried to pay attention, the treasures pull had been at its most potent. Except for the crystal, which had imprinted itself deeply in her mind, the rest of her memories from that incident were hazy and uncertain. For example, she remembered there had been another miner present. She knew what she had done. But try as she might, she could not recall what he''d looked like. His image in her mind if it could even be called that was nothing more than a vague impression: a man, muscled, dirty with stone dust, with coarse features. It could be any of the miners kneeling on the ground. She turned to Jin Sou again, scrutinising his face with newfound interest. Whatever it was that made him so memorable, naturally beauty was not it. The young miner had neither the refined features of a noble nor the bold, sharp lines that marked the faces of natural warriors. From what she could make out from under a layer of dust and sweat, his face was gaunt but with subtle features. Wet, dark hair, a little too long, clung to his forehead. A short nose rested above thin, pale lips. The most distinctive feature were his eyes. They were naturally large, made larger with fear. She stared into them and saw him twitch. The boy was not yet numb with fear and he saw her too. Xiao Yin regarded him quietly. It was difficult to imagine that so much of her fate depended on someone so insignificant. A single thought of hers would be enough to extinguish every miner here. I haven, the miner began. She grabbed him by the throat. The boy struggled as she took a closer look at him. She scanned him from top to bottom, searching for whatever it was that had drawn Senior Mings interest, but she couldnt discern anything. Clear eyes and skin. No obvious signs of corruption typical in miners. The bone structure", she grabbed a finger and squeezed it tightly. The changes in older miners were often so great that you could tell how many years they had spent underground just by the feel of their bones, is without apparent flaws. She continued her examination, nudging, prodding, and squeezing Jin Sou all over his body, but every test merely reinforced what she had surmised from the start. His constitution has been rehabilitated. The fool didnt lie Senior Brother really expended a high quality medicinal pill on a mortal. While it wasnt quite the caliber of a treasure that could cure her fractured Immortal Sigil, it was likely of high enough quality to alleviate the worst of its effects. The type of medicine she beggared herself trying to trade for back at the Sect. She didnt let it bother her. Instead, she continued her examination. A wisp of her qi shot out. It effortlessly bypassed the natural repulsion barrier that protected Jin Sou and infiltrated his qi sea. Third layer. Higher than expected. And its stable, too. Another boon from the medicinal pill or did he benefit from coming into contact with the treasure when it was unearthed? She couldnt tell. Unlike the basic examination shed just performed something any decently skilled mortal physician could replicate this involved deeper mysteries of cultivation. Even before shed been expelled from the Outer Sect, she had never qualified for a master-disciple relationship. Her only master, a nominal one, had been the Sect Master and she shared him with every single disciple in the Sect. The only guidance she had received from the Sects Elders came in the form of open lectures. The rest of her knowledge had come from hiring senior disciples for lessons and from countless hours of self-study and self-discovery. It was already good enough that she could determine the what the third layer. Discerning anything about the how and the why behind it was beyond her capabilities. To wrap up the examination, she let the wisp of her qi run a complete circuit through Jins meridian system. Though she did not know the specifics of the cultivation mantra the miners practiced, so long as the pathways were constructed correctly, qi would follow its proper course naturally, like water in a canal. The main meridian channels are unremarkable but sturdy, she thought then suddenly stopped herself. All this time, she had been instinctively measuring him against the only baseline she knew that of the Outer Sect. In other words, this little miner, though unimpressive, would not be out of place in the Outer Sect. In fact, he would be a step above the bottom dregs who had no real hope of crossing the Immortal Gate. Xiao stared at Jin, his dust caked face, ignoring his clawing attempts to loosen her grip on his throat. He shouldve qualified for the Sect. It was a shocking notion. Though it could be said that the Sect was callous in casting the miners away, it never rejected anyone with a real chance of crossing the Gate. Their requirements, rather than stringent, could even be called lax. And yet, every year, many disciples with far better odds than any of those sent to the mines perished, unable to ignite their Sigils. The talent to cultivate was a rare thing. A blessing. As close to something truly sacred as a cultivator could recognise. To see someone who couldve ignited their Sigil, who couldve become real, deprived of that chance shook her. Perhaps the miners mantra just happens to be very suitable for him she thought without much confidence. Then she added grimly, A severed path As for the possibility that the improvement had come from Senior Wangs pill, Xiao Ying did not even entertain it. To defy fate was naturally possible, but no one, not even Hang Min, would waste such a heavenly treasure on a mortal he had just met. Neither was it possible that his brief contact with the treasure had caused it. Even with the help of the crystal, it took Xiao Ying painstaking effort to even begin mending the fissures scarring her Immortal Sigil. To call the process slow would be an understatement. It took her several weeks to heal a single hairlike crack one of thousands and that was with the heavenly order actually assisting her, since her Immortal Sigil naturally strove toward completeness. For a brief contact to instantly accomplish something infinitely more difficult to defy fate, go against the natural order, and change a preordained talent was simply nonsensical. She withdrew her qi, her brows furrowed in thought. Is this why he caught Senior Brothers attention? She couldnt say. Though she had made some discoveries, they only led to more questions. She let out a small sigh. What came next would require the miner to talk, but she was not about to interrogate him in front of a whole crew of workers. She tightened the grip around Jins throat. The colour in his face steadily deepened, shifting from pink to red before finally reaching blueish purple, but she didnt let go until she saw him stop clawing and his head lolled limply against his chest. She pulled him, hugging him tightly with one arm. At the same time, she mobilised the qi in her legs. When she jumped, not a single grain of dust rose into the air. The kowtowing miners heard only a distant, echoing patter as she scaled the vertical ventilation shaft. Still, even as the sound of her faded, for a long time no one moved. In the end, it was Hao the foreman who took over after Lil Lu was killed who was the first to rise. He got to his feet on trembling knees in spite of himself. What spurred him was the terrible realisation that if he didnt move, neither would the rest of them. He turned to look where Jin Sou had been and confirmed that he was gone. He licked his lips. Back to work, he said to the silent shaft. Were meeting our quota for today. I dont want no issues topside. When no one answered and silence grew deeper around him, he felt a pang of anxiety. He didnt command the same authority as Lil Lu, neither did he possess his strength certainly not enough to dominate the whole crew. If they wouldnt be moved to work, he would be in deep trouble. But he worried needlessly. A moment later the miners rose and picked up their hammers. They slotted into place like pieces of a machine, and the rhythmic sound of hammers striking in unison once again filled the mining shaft. Of what had just happened, no one spoke a word.