《OP Character - Ancient Being Predecessor of the Primordial Era》 Chapter 1 - Green Light Red Light James could hardly breathe. There was no time. No other option. The only choice he had was before him. He couldn¡¯t help but curse at his terrible luck. Another day, another time to fuck up and make a terrible decision. James stared down the obstacles arrayed in front. It was a task he knew his body could ill afford after rushing here. But his life counted on this moment. Years of trekking this path should give him enough familiarity with it, yet he was not confident. He had no choice but to cross the main street during rush hour! On a green light! James took off with the speed of a regular dude who hadn¡¯t worked out since highschool. Jelly legs and noodle arms pumped like pistons in a racecar. Fueled by the endless power of a similarly endless stream of coffee. He was going to crash soon enough, but for the time being, he was a Titan! None dared to match his daring pursuit! Women screamed, men lunging to grab his willy frame. But his skinny body only came in handy as he slipped past their urgent grasps. Babies cried! None could stop him from making it to work on time! Not any of these speeding cars! Not the green light! Not the screaming crowd behind him roaring as though they were in a colosseum. Not even the old granny that caused this whole situation. James knew with his very soul that granny understood what she had done every morning, delaying him with idle talk and pressing him to meet any one of her twelve granddaughters. She knew he could get fired! He got skinny, and lunged passed a wheezing car, horns blaring, and drivers screaming obscenities. Another attempted to take his head, but he stopped on a dime worthy of an NFL running back. He gave the road a double move¨Cfaked left, then pushed his nonexistent muscles to the extreme forward¨Cand rushed past a terrified motorbike rider. The danger was real and exhilarating. But his only job demanded his presence! ¡­ or he would get fired for being late a million times. It definitely wasn''t because any appliances at the grocery store he worked at seemed to go kaput at him barely touching them. The first few times, they could only wonder what happened, but after the fifth, there had been a sneaking suspicion. James shook his head, there was no time to think. He must let his primal instincts take over to lead him to the promised land. The other side of the massive twelve lane main road. Shit! His momentary lapse of concentration had been costly. A semi barreled towards him. Its raging engine and deafening horn covered the entire horizon. It was a worthy foe, but not worthy enough. With a dive only an olympian would admire, he escaped a guaranteed death¡­ Stolen story; please report. And fell down a manhole. What the hell?! Why was there a wide open manhole in the middle of a busy street during rush hour? The last thing he remembered was the retch-inducing stink and hard concrete that met his head first dive.
James felt a cold breeze on himself. He shivered and reached for his blanket. It was a recurring issue, he would always forget to close his window. It had led to many days of colds and worse, the flu. He grabbed a rough rag and pulled it up to cover his head, being too lazy to get up. But that only exposed his feet. That was a crime. Adjusting and readjusting a hundred times, he found that his most beloved blanket¨Cthick and long enough to wrap around him like a cocoon¨Cwas not only suddenly short, but also not so beloved to his skin. Its rough texture grated against his supple modern skin. Not a real moment of hard labor and surviving off instant meals led to his current state of suppleness. He wasn''t too proud of it all, but he could only convince himself that women would look on in envy. Unable to sleep, he hoped the old grandma next door didn¡¯t kick his window open and snuck in again. She always looked at his soft fingers and perfect skin with an unmistakable frown of disgust. ¡®Men are meant to be tough. Who''s going to protect my granddaughters if you''re so weak!¡¯ The thought of that madwoman had him fuming. He jumped up and rushed out of his¡­ James froze midstep. He let his leg down and stood comfortably before looking around. He gulped, butterflies running rampant in his stomach. The more he looked at the dilapidated hut around him, the more he felt sweat trickle down his forehead. Yesterday, he read a blog on kidnappers taking their victims to remote huts in the countryside to cut them up in peace. Broken down huts seemed to be a common theme. He grabbed the first thing he could find as a weapon. A bowl and a massive spoon, both made of wood. They could have fit in ancient museums, only God would know how a serial killer/kidnapper would get such old things. With ginger steps, he tiptoed towards the only source of bright light¨Cfiltering from the bottom¨Ca door. Each step caused a thunderstorm worthy of creaks and squeaks. If there was a killer behind that door, they would have noticed the day before yesterday. James Anderson resolved himself to a life and death battle. There was no way he would let some sicko violate his¡­ He shivered. Death before dishonor! Death before dishonor! With a shaking hand, he nudged the door open. It caused a cacophony as it squealed like a pig. He was so fucked. Out here with a bowl and spoon when his adversary probably had a machete or even a gun. He took shaking breaths then slowly peaked out. James dropped his impromptu weapons and gaped like an idiot. He scrambled to pick them back up, that beast probably was around here somewhere. Then again¡­ Where the fuck was he? Last he remembered, didn¡¯t he fall down a sewer? He stepped over the door sill and onto green vibrant grass. As he surveyed, he noticed an unused campfire to his right with a stack of firewood not too far. They were tied into perfect bundles and balanced unusually up vertically. To his left was a large expanse of grass and a tree just sitting in the middle of it all. It was so lush, he was sure not a single ounce of light could get through. The lack of grass in its usual shadow only further proved his theory. In front of the house, about thirty paces away, was a small river¨Cso clear he could see the very bottom and even think he could walk across¨Cthat peacefully ran along. He could probably leap across if he started with a run from a good distance. The weird thing he found was that it ran until it just disappeared at the edge of what seemed like a plateau. He did not recall any in the vicinity of the main city. How long was he out for someone to drag him so far away? Did they take a helicopter? James followed the river for a bit until he reached the edge. He peered over the ledge¡­ What the fuck¡­? James looked up and let his eyes slowly fall down till he was looking straight down. It was clear sky all the way through. He could see the bottom of the island, roots hanging out, and then it was just an endless blue sky below. He could see clouds in the far distance¡­ but shouldn''t that mean he was past the first layer of the atmosphere? Looking back up only left him more confused. It was also clear blue skies with distant clouds just floating along. Vertigo hit him hard. He fell backwards giving a nervous laugh. Did he just get isekai-ed? Chapter 2 - NoFa- ... Ancient Existences are watching! James, after a long search, could say confidently and with quite a bit of relief that there were no serial killers looking to violate his masculinity. He shivered again at the thought of being kidnapped and tied down for a monster to do what he wanted then cut him up and stuff him in black bags. He was quite lucky to be well¡­ he wasn¡¯t sure where he was exactly. The more he explored, the more confused he got. There were no other buildings, just three trees, his hut, the river, and the unused campfire. That wasn¡¯t mentioning the small bag of brown rice¨Csomething that would probably be eaten in the B.C. years¨Cbowl and massive spoon. The rest was just an expanse of grass surrounded by a sheer drop. He had a sneaking suspicion that there was no end to it. James wasn¡¯t sure what was worse to be honest. That there was a visible ground below the floating island¨Che walked along the very edge all the way around until he reached the other side of the river¨Cthat he could smack and die on if he jumped or an endless sky. Didn¡¯t people die at a certain velocity if they jumped from a ledge high enough. Would that be more peaceful that smashing onto solid earth? Or was it painful¡­ Why was he even contemplating ways to die? Hadn''t he been isekai-ed? A new world? A new and more improved life? Wouldn¡¯t he get the opportunity to be something more than a mundane clerk in a more mundane grocery store? If he was put in a medieval world with magic, does that mean he would chance upon a beauty in some remote village that would love him and he love her in return. James couldn¡¯t help but imagine having a supermodel wife without a supermodel complex. Just a humble girl that cared for him. He could already imagine the¡­ He let out a deep breath. Not now¡­ some ancient thing might be watching him, and getting caught with his pants down was more than embarrassing. He might be well tempted to jump off the edge if that ever happened. Or maybe he could be a machiavellian ruler! Women would throw themselves at him and he would get to¡­ He shivered. Control! Don''t die of embarrassment! Just long enough till we are isekai-ed to a new world! Princesses and humble peasants wait just for you! Or¡­ Or fit adventurer ladies! Just last till this tutorial is over! So James waited. And waited¡­ and waited some more. At some point, his stomach rumbled with a thunderstorm. Was he supposed to get hungry in some magical dream? That seemed quite counter intuitive if they asked him, then again, nobody showed up for him to complain to. Where was the welcome? Wasn¡¯t there a world that needed saving? James could only feel despondent the longer this took. Even his raging hard-on passed as he found himself alone in a picturesque landscape. At some point, he was getting too hungry to think straight. Not to mention not eating anything for breakfast due to a talkative granny, he never made it to work to munch on some cookies or even get a sip of hot coffee. Add to that the time he had been knocked out and what it took to search most of the floating island. Fuck it. He got up and started to make himself a bowl of rice. It probably would taste terrible with no salt, spices, or any extra ingredients like meat, but it was calorie dense. As he gathered water, and brought some fire wood together, James had an epiphany! This must be a test! He was so going to pass it, the tonne of survival videos he watched in utter boredom after work had finally a chance to come through for him! He could even build a real and much better hut, if he recalled how. James was quite sure he could follow the steps he saw, probably. Maybe. Probably not, but it should count for something! This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Extra stats or something! Or even experience points in construction if that was a skill to be unlocked. Eventually he would be a master architect. James hurriedly started a fire, his arms burned with lactic acid as he struggled to get a spark to appear. He used a few long sticks with enough girth to hold up his bowl. Filled with brown rice and water, he watched with an unpracticed eye as the cooking started. Rice cookers were not that expensive, and instant meals were even easier to make. He didn¡¯t ever have to cook properly, but again, he watched enough cooking videos to have a general idea of what to do. It took some time, but he eventually had some slightly burnt rice and a steaming hot bowl he was too afraid to touch. There were no ointments or drugstores on the island. A burn wound could get infected and he would then die by attempted rice making. James killed the fire then let the bowl just sit there to cool down. He came back a few minutes later, starving. Even unsalted and bland rice tasted like heaven to his taste buds at that moment. Congratulations on accomplishing a task! Reward 12 exp Reward 2 bronze coins Congratulations! Level up! Reward Rusty sword Reward Broken shield 2 attribute points available Two coins as large as a nickel appeared in front of his face and fell harmlessly to the ground. A rust covered sword appeared next. That he had to jump out of the way or he would have cut himself. Half of his rice spilled onto the ground, much to his dismay. He didn¡¯t even notice the shield that clinked behind him. There was something more important! This was a tutorial! ¡°Yes! I was right!¡± James felt ecstatic as he cuddled the remainder of the rice. They couldn¡¯t send him out as a level zero or it would look extremely suspicious. How would it be possible for a twenty some year old to be at the level of newborn babies? His otherworldliness would be figured out in an instant by even the most dunce villagers. James could already imagine a million ways he could optimize his growth while stuffing his mouth with rice. Would he get better rewards for doing greater life tasks? Exercising? Accomplishing not so easy tasks? And then there was magic in a magical world. Magical world means magical fights and monsters. James imagined all the levels he would get for practicing his swordsmanship. Would that skill appear? And if it did, would it be a correcting guide? Or would he be stuck at a novice level because he had no one to really teach him. What about unlocking actual wizard attacks. Fireballs and launching tornados at his enemy. And eventually, fire tornados! James finished his food, the bland taste getting to him after he satisfied the first few bites of urgent hunger, and cleaned his utensils. Put the small bag of rice away. He had attribute points to place! His years of gaming will do him well! Or maybe the mechanics were completely different. He gulped, feeling a lot of pressure. This wasn¡¯t a rpg. This was real life. If his build was weak or had a glaring weakness, then he was going to be royally fucked. Glass canons shouldn¡¯t exist if they keep dieing to stray arrows when they were level 100. Simple natural selection demanded they survive basic attacks at a minimum. With this, he only really had two main paths to move forward. One to be able to survive larger and larger attacks, then heal them. Two to never get hit. The second option was the most appealing, but after serious thought, wouldn¡¯t he still be relatively susceptible to stray arrows? He couldn¡¯t outrun what he never saw coming. It would be perfect to escape and stay out of major conflict, yet in a magical world there was bound to be area of effect attacks he couldn¡¯t dodge. Then again, being a slow tank just didn¡¯t fit with him. All the pain and worse, being too slow to dodge more serious attacks that would take his life with a single shot. Maybe go down a paladin class? If there were classes. That was too flashy and relied on what he didn¡¯t understand or experience yet. Weren¡¯t they based on faith in a church¡­? It was a modern dilemma with faith being so hard to come by in his day and age. He would have to put his trust in¨Cif stories and novels were truish¨Ca fickle being that would excommunicate him if he looked at an effigy wrong. James resolved to create some form of hybrid class. The main point was survivability. Magic only made all situations more extreme¡­ He shook his head. It was time! It was only two points, but a boost in strength or unlocking magic would only give him a better situation to make future decisions. ¡°Status!¡± James yelled, with an expectant smile. He couldn¡¯t contain the jubilance that oozed out his being. ¡°Status?¡± ¡°System?¡± ¡°Attributes?¡± Shit. ¡°Stats?¡± ¡°Statistics¡± ¡°My character?¡± James Anderson did nothing but scream out random words for the next half hour. Then did another half hour of saying them all mentally trying his best to focus on a screen appearing. But nothing. Nothing but another notification that left him confused and even more frustrated. Congratulations on exceeding your limits! Mental limits exceeded! First Mental limit exceeded! 1 attribute point to mental attributes available Reward 7 exp Reward 1 copper coin A copper coin clinked on the sword in front of him. It chipped off a small part. What the fu¡­ James took a deep breath filling his lungs up. He held it. Too much cussing, he¡¯d need to slow down. He let out the air slowly¡­ What the fuck was he supposed to do with an attribute point without access to the status panel?! Who made this motherfucking tutorial?! Dumbass, motherfu¡­ James got up and dunked his head into the river. He only came up after he couldn¡¯t hold his breath any longer. And then he dunked his head under again. James felt his lungs burn from holding his breath, but he needed to clear his head somehow. Congratulations on exceeding your limits! Reward 1 exp Congratulations! Level up! Reward tattered robe Reward stinky socks Reward 10 copper coins 2 attribute points available Sigh¡­ Chapter 3 - Shit gets tough fast Weeks passed like a blur. There was a night time version of the sky around the entire island. And for the first few days, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Stars twinkled in the sky like diamonds or glitter. Massive clusters of gas with various colors, and even moons a distance away. Every night it was different and breathtaking. But after a while, even that lost its luster. They were like stock images that he was going through one by one. Or maybe he was a ball just flying across the universe. He seriously doubted that. It was another lonely night. James laid on his back as he watched a new red half moon. He studied every crater and damage on its surface. It was another attempt to get some sleep, but he knew it would be a while before slumber arrived. He could only think about the time so far. He tried to keep a mental note on how many days passed, but after the fifth week, he gave up. He wasn¡¯t so sure that the ancient entity he had been wary of even existed, much less isekai-ed him as a tutorial. James chuckled derisively. What would a being that powerful want in some random, untalented, and uninteresting person like him. Needed a super soldier, then go to the navy seals or green beret. Maybe even a marine, absolutely any elite soldier from his world. Needed someone to lead a kingdom, then he was quite sure some super historian just knows every single invention that led to the great renaissance. Or maybe a CEO of a massive company to turn their systems into a gold producing machine. Needed someone to kill the Demon Lord from a distance¡­ a scientist. Needed someone to command an army against the evil empire¡­ I''m sure modern generals have been fully taught military tactics and their progression. Even a history buff would be a better option. Needed¡­ James Anderson shook his head. He could feel the loneliness get to him, and yet he had no way to escape. The last thing that kept him sane with the lack of changing environment and human contact was the system that occasionally popped up to remind him of a success. Of improvement. A change¡­ And change he felt. After working out, and attempting a million different tasks he could even think of. From the most back breaking yoga, to simply the most ludicrous ideas he could think of, to mundane pushups. He felt stronger. Faster. Much more capable of clear and concise thought. He hadn¡¯t understood the sheer funk modern minds were in. It was like he had been walking in a lake that did its best to push him back every step. Fatigue was only for when he exercised or didn''t sleep for days. No more burnouts, no more coffee induced crashes¨Che had struggled to keep awake without the miracle drug¨Cand no more burdens that stressed you constantly. But it was more than that. He felt sturdier. Not just muscle wise but in a way he couldn¡¯t explain. He suspected some attribute points were allocated that he achieved after doing certain difficult tasks. Like a thousand pull ups or running until his legs gave up on him. Those points never showed up on his notifications. He could see why too. If the system worked properly, then he didn¡¯t need a notification to see his strength went up by 1 attribute or his dexterity leveled up¡­ then again, he wasn''t so sure what was on the status screen. It was weird. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Stats broke up into multiple categories from Mind, body, soul¨Che got that after meditating¨C, Magic, Perception, and the weirdest one, Qi. Magic and qi? That seemed like a genre blend, and he wasn''t so sure he liked that. He didn¡¯t know much about cultivation stories, he hadn¡¯t read much and most reviews always warned to stay away because they all seemed to fall into the same mold. Good Mc turned into harem chasing and cold blooded shells of their previous self. But that was it. What the levels were, how they broke down, what quantified his level, and a tonne of other questions were left unanswered with an absent system. There was more to this place that left him quite worried. And to some degree relieved as well. The first was his hair and nails never grew. The stubble on his face remained, and when he shaved, it stayed that way. Cuts did heal back very quickly too. He had accidentally caused a large gash on his thigh from an errant swing by his newly gotten sword¨Ca real knight longsword. There were long days he thought he would die. Using tattered clothes, he got a lot as rewards in the beginning, he wrapped it. The pain was unbearable. James struggled to keep his head from clouding up and gently cleaning it with river water did little to make it easier. But two days later¨Che got a lot of congratulations to patronize his suffering¨Cand to his astonishment, his leg had been fully healed. No scar as he suspected from such a massive gash, nothing to indicate he had been worried he would die of infection or some airborne disease. Two days! Whether it was him healing that quickly due to the invisible stats boost or this place acted as a magical healing station, he wasn¡¯t sure but he was more than happy. That constant fear that nagged at the back of his head every time he wanted to do something slightly risky had been a nightmare. Who the hell didn¡¯t want to swing a sword like a kungfu master?! Now he could and he didn¡¯t worry too much. Another that surprised James was the bag of rice. A generic woven bag that seemed to have seen better days, and yet, it was probably worth more than anything he had gotten from the system. Probably worth more than all the money he got too¨Cafter a certain level, he wasn¡¯t sure which, the bronze copper coins turned into just copper coins then into silver coins. It was a real spatial bag! An inventory! ¡­that was filled with so much rice he could feed an empire of a billion people for a decade and nothing else other than a couple copper coins. James didn¡¯t need to worry about lacking food that''s for sure, and to add to that, he was sure the rice was magical too. No meat or protein but he still felt jacked. His muscles turned very prominent even when he ate as much as he could stuff himself. Still, it wasn¡¯t steroids, it just boosted his natural genetic potential, which wasn¡¯t much. He still had a willowy and thin frame. It only served to drive him into a workout-aholic¡­ not considering he lacked much else to do. He counted practicing with his small group of weapons as working out as well. And that was just simply having fun jumping, spinning, backflipping in ways normal people would be far too embarrassed without a ton of practice beforehand. That social anxiety didn¡¯t apply here. No one could see him, judge him, laugh at him¡­ James struggled to keep tears down. That was a good thing, right? He had freedom to do what he always wanted without restraint and he was getting stronger and stronger for it. No one was there to tell him when to wake up for work, to follow a million and one cultural cues, and¡­ no one to nag at him like that granny. He cleared his throat. Shit. What a crybaby. He tried to laugh it off. But there was no social pressure to keep his emotions in. No one to ask about him, to laugh with him, to ask if he was single and wanted to marry one of their grand-daughters. No embarrassed grand-daughters to stare daggers at him only to turn into cute kittens the second their elder turned to point them out. Alisha Tracee Oliver Victoria ¡­ No one to talk to. James Anderson cried for the first time he had gotten to this isolated island. It would not be the last. Chapter 4 - And still... A mortal? James sat with his legs crossed, eyes closed, and hands pinched like he was a shaolin monk. He wore a fancy set of robes that felt more expensive than the biggest name brands. If he wasn¡¯t wrong, these gold lines that ran on the soft white fabrics were actual gold lines. As in¡­ lines filled with real gold. How rich did someone have to get to start wearing something so pretentious? James could only dream of such a reality. He wasn¡¯t sure any emperor could afford to wear a kingdom''s ransom worth on his clothes. Worse yet, he matched it all with solid wooden sandals that clinked like he was in Samurai Jack. Foolish Samurai Warrior! Aku¡¯s famous one liner. That was the only thing he ever remembered the cartoon character to ever have said on repeat¡­ but it was the most important one line in the entire story. Without Aku¡¯s insistence and unrelenting desire to fuck over that samurai in particular¨Cnot considering the only weapon that could kill him¨Che might have really conquered the world in its entirety. Maybe if he went in a more economic direction instead of the genocidal¡­ James tisked. Focus. Focus. Focus. Be like a tree¡­ or a boulder, or is a mountain a more apt example? Strong winds tore trees out of the ground all the¡­ Focus. It had been hard going, but James could confidently say he could sit there and actually meditate. Just sitting there unwilling to let his thoughts stray had been the only reason he hadn¡¯t jumped off the island''s edge already. It allowed him a moment to ground himself and reset his mind. Insanity was just a step away, and this was its prescription. So, he struggled for ages to finally be able to sit and do nothing, think nothing, feel nothing but still be awake for long stretches of time. James knew he was nearing the outer limit of what he could accomplish so far. The progress was very slow, needing so much time before he could finally see a difference in time he could let everything go. Good thing was, he had more of that than he could get his hands on. It must have been decades¨Cat least it felt like it¨Csince the first day here. James had also recognized that time did move on the island, but it was so slow it might as well not even change. James now sported a long willowy beard to his chest and long hair he let grow. It was his way to track time. Kinda¡­ He knew that it took years before his hair even showed signs of growing, and decades for it to turn into a small nicely kept one. James shivered at the thought of having been here for centuries. Maybe he should shave or at least cut his hair. Maybe turn into an actual shaolin monk? Go fully bald, but last he remembered, it had been ages since he had last been bald, his head had too many bumps and weird knots from falling down so many times. As a relatively average guy, that was quite a big problem. He wasn¡¯t dashing to begin with, adding any extra disadvantage could only make his prospects worse. The beard hid his thin chin and gave him a mysterious look he enjoyed. He considered it a boost. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Congratulations on exceeding your limit! Reward 12,922 exp Reward 78 Superior Mana stones Reward Ancient Primordial Destruction Dao - Evil 30% completion Reward DragonsWrath - Spear Weapon James stared at the rewards. He had gotten numb to the amazing things that kept appearing. A long black spear stabbed into the earth like butter, only stopping after reaching a foot deep. Red serpentine dragons were locked in battle around the shaft. They looked so real, he could have been fooled to believe. A bag clinked next to him. He sighed. With a wave of his hand it disappeared into the dusty and haggard rice bag. Mana Stones. The Dao. Cultivation techniques. Spells. Magic. These had been common rewards lately, but they might as well have not shown up in the first place. They were all locked with the system interface. He felt light headed for a quick second as the new Dao appeared around him, it warped the entire space¨Ca stronger reaction than anything so far¨Call points of the island seemed to groan as though they were about to collapse. Then it stopped and everything was normal. Ancient Primordial Destruction Dao - System has fully integrated James stared at his hands, he knew more than should be possible every time one appeared, but he could never really touch them. No practice, no getting used to what could possibly be his one way card to an isekai cheat life. He could feel its power just bubbling under the surface. Standing up, he stood in a boxing pose. Elbows tucked, orthodox stance, fists not fully closed, and started throwing punches. He could feel a quantified increase in strength this time with the new Dao, but the ultimate test was not too far away. James leisurely walked to the big tree near the hut, the other two were quite far away, and stared up at his eternal nemesis. How many years had he tried the stupidest, most mortifying moves he could think up of, and yet it stood there unchanged. His last level upgrade needed nearly seven hundred thousand experience points, considering that some, even a few points per ten levels had been allocated all this time. James should be able to leave a fist print, or make the tree wobble a bit at minimum. James took a deep breath. Closed his eyes. He imagined all the power he kept reserved in his system. All the Daos and upgrades to his attributes. Every single ounce he could muster with his Qi, magic, and soul into a single fist. He imagined he was Mike Tyson and prepared himself to throw the strongest counter right hook his enhanced body could launch. With all the practice he had gotten, maybe he was like mike¡­ Mike would probably still eat him alive just on ferociousness. He let his breath out and threw his world shaking punch. Unbeknownst to him, the world behind him froze. The clouds stopped moving, the sky turned a black. Eyes that contained the galaxies glared at the tree, affronted it would dare stand before its master. A mouth appeared, filled with an endless abyss, and opened. It gave a silent roar channeling into the punch James had thrown. Cracks like a spiderweb rushed across the reality on the island all behind his back. The fabric of space tearing itself apart. James fist landed on the tree. The exorbitant power rushed into the trunk filled with the relish of destroying an enemy. And nothing happened. The cracks sealed up, the fabric of space fully repaired, and the skies turned back to normal. All before James Anderson could notice anything was amiss. The tree absorbed the power and used it to continue to power the islands functions, it struggled to keep up with the destruction that came with every fully power punch he launched, but the amount of Qi, mana, and spiritual energy he used every time did enough to supplement all the repairs and save a tiny bit on top. On the other hand, James was quite disappointed. Nothing happened. Was the rush of power and that indomitable feeling all fake? Was this really a dream? Why did he keep going through this every so often? Existential crises are meant to be once in a lifetime type of thing, right? Or maybe his mind needed to create fake images of progress and rewards to keep him sane. Did hallucinations happen in extreme conditions to keep people¡¯s brains from frying? His shoulders couldn''t help but sag a bit at feeling like a normal person after all this time. Chapter 5 - Flying Kung fu StarWarz and Lightsabers James was quite disappointed. Nothing happened. Was the rush of power and that indomitable feeling all fake? Was this really a dream? Why did he keep going through this every so often? Existential crises are meant to be once in a lifetime type of thing, right? Or maybe his mind needed to create fake images of progress and rewards to keep him sane. Did hallucinations happen in extreme conditions to keep people¡¯s brains from frying? His shoulders couldn''t help but sag a bit at feeling like a normal person after all this time. He looked back to where he was meditating not too long ago. A slight smile appeared on his sullen face. Swinging a weapon was always a good way to relieve his stress. He had so many swords and spears, he was quite skeptical on why only those. From the beginning, the only shield he received was a broken mess he eventually used as fire wood instead of the stacks that had somehow replenished themselves every time he was running low. The second he got some shut eye, they would be back full. No axes, bows, polearms, staffs, or any other weapon. Just types of swords and spears. Then again, he wasn¡¯t going to complain about getting what sounded like world shattering weapons. Dragon slaying this¡­ Titan crusher that¡­ Leviathan demolisher those¡­ His newest toy seemed to be the most special with moving dragons! All the ornaments were usually stationary, but the new spear was different. Six red dragons danced around each other locked in an eternal battle. They moved in unique patterns, different every time, as he spun the spear. What made James really fall in love with it all was the detail and love placed into each part. No dragon looked the same. They all had their minute differences that made them unique and individuals. Their eyes glinted as though they were sitting before him. One had a missing leg! And yet it looked like it was the most dominant between the others. One skinnier than the rest, another was what could only be considered chubby. Its wide eyes and fatty cheeks made it look more adorable than fierce. Another just looked utterly terrifying. It wasn¡¯t the way it grimaced or roared, it was the cold glint of a real emotionless killer that somehow exuded its body. It would destroy nations and a thousand lives or commit genocide and not blink an eye. James shivered. Was this how a cultivation protagonist looked down their madness line? The thought of going down that route had him terrified. Would he one day be so callous and cold that death didn¡¯t affect him? What would be the point in life if he somehow unlocked the system and became a true monster that raped, killed, pillaged, and burned down villages on a whim. He wasn¡¯t religious, not by a long shot. But he had seen and experienced enough in his miniscule time on earth to notice that you reaped what you sowed. It might not be a day after your bad actions, maybe not even a year, but it always eventually caught up. The world conspired to demolish them. James could only imagine this would be multiplied by many folds in a universe filled with actual qi, mana, or spiritual power. Heavenly Punishment or something like that. James swung the spear in a sweeping motion. A dull thrum followed in the air. He started to throw stabs, leg sweeps, chops, everything he could think of with glee. Every hum sounded more and more familiar to James. He laughed like a maniac, unwilling to stop. It sounded like a real lightsaber! He couldn¡¯t help but imagine it, a red like DarkVader¡¯s. He took a proud stance, deep, loud, and haggard breathing. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Do not choke on your aspirations.¡± James copied Dark Vader¡¯s line. He used his left hand to pull with the force then swung his makeshift lightsaber. He reached out again, using the force to choke an invisible enemy. ¡°Your lack of faith is disturbing.¡± With a twist of his fingers he imagined snapping the enemy¡¯s neck. More of them charged him, but it was pointless. The master of the dark forces could not be defeated! Unless a hero suddenly appeared¡­ ¡°Luke?! I am your father!¡± James laughed his heart out, his inner child allowing him a moment of peace.
James stared down the edge of the island. The endless skies stretch further than he could possibly see. There was no end even imaginable after so long. His mind would not let him believe there was a bottom. If he squinted enough, he could see another set of clouds even further down. But they were too far to be sure. He took a deep breath and closed his weary eyes. They ached him from lack of sleep. At some point he just couldn¡¯t get any real shut eye no matter how much he needed to. It was at that moment that he knew his time was basically over here. There needed to be an end to this uninterrupted torture. Or was this purgatory? Why? How? What was he supposed to do? James gulped, letting the eons of meditation, that being the only source he had for rest, calm his chaotic thoughts. There was no point in dwelling on this. It did little to benefit him in any way. What good was knowing the distance of the moon to a bee? Its world was so separated from needing to understand¡­ He couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Those old people''s quotes just popped in his head more and more lately. It felt natural and just the correct course of explaining things. It made a tonne of sense too, bees only lived about a month. Their entire existence was constructed to work and accomplish a tiny task for the minute time they have. But they played their part to perfection. James could remember news stories about bees being endangered. Something along the lines of the world would end in 7 years if there were none? That was not here nor there¡­ Now was the moment for everything to end. He held tightly to his favored spear, the dragons seemingly weeping at his choice. It had been with him for more years than he could remember, the thought of life before it was distant and difficult to recall with great detail. The six dragons responded to his emotions. It kept him sane and alive when even the system notifications became sparse and far in between. They made it sound like he was at an unimaginable level and yet he was still a mortal. No matter how hard or how many times he tried, the results were always the same. No qi, no magic, no spiritual energy. The eons were filled with his constant struggle to make his suffering ¡®worth it¡¯. Like some fantasy novel. But here he was at the precipice of extinguishing his pitiful life. He didn¡¯t even have the courage to slit his wrist. Hoping the jump would kill him eventually. James smiled, sad and exhausted. He leapt off the edge and fell gracefully. His long simple robes fluttered in the wind, hair trailing behind him¨Che never got to cutting it again¨Cand beard stuffed itself into his face. James tisked and attempted to maneuver to look up and get a more comfortable fall. He deserved this moment without his beard stuffed into his mouth and nose. Instead, he started spinning out of control. Shit! His spear slipped out of his grip. James for a moment forgot he was falling out of control without an ounce of grace he tried to exude. He fought to straighten himself and then started swimming towards its hurling form. It out paced him with its sleek edges cutting through the air with impunity. James tisked. Fuck this! His spear was sentimental! He pressed his hands together and tried to make himself as aerodynamic as humanly possible. His heavier weight allowed him to gain ground on it. They blasted through levels of clouds after level. The unending sky gave him the time necessary to finally catch up. He caught it and gripped it with both hands and legs. He laughed at his triumph, fully focused on the task at hand and more importantly eyes closed shut. Forgetting he was free falling¡­ Chapter 6 - Tentacle Monsters and Primordial Dragons Zhong An had been in secluded cultivation for the past eighty years. His old body struggled to stay together in a single piece. It took conscious effort to prevent his body from failing in old age. A complex ball of qi threads to puppeteer his once indomitable strength. If his enemies knew he was dying so soon, or the conditions he now lived¡­ Zhong An grit his teeth. Vultures and hyenas! All of them! Even his own kin and progeny would see him in a grave sooner than rise again. He could see it in their eyes. They all had the same question in their minds, but none had the balls to speak it out loud. Pathetic mongrels all of them! When will the old codger die already? Seeing their scheming and taunt forces ready for battle at his death only drove him to struggle harder to break through to the Heavenly Sage realm! Could they at minimum have the propriety and shame to hide their leaking killing intent? How many of his children would die? Would his Zhong clan survive this tumultuous time? Did they not see Zhong enemies gathering their strength and preparing to tear them apart? How could they all be so blind?! Zhong An¡¯s jaw creaked in anger. Those unfilial, undeserving wretches¡­ He coughed, chest burning from century old injuries. Blood leaked from his mouth. He had so little time but he was too close to give up. Five hundred years he purified his core, five hundred years he gathered strength and qi to breakthrough to the next major realm. Every moment he cultivated only brought him closer. The only question was, did he have enough time to reach that imperceptible wall. Never a question of power, he knew, just time. Zhong An began circulating his Pinnacle Immortal Core, the Liquid Flames was the signature of his rank and clan. Fire was their domain and the Liquid core was his ultimate strength till this day. He is the strongest, the very peak of the Liquid Realm! Or at least he was¡­ Zhong An jumped in his spot, startled. He looked to the distance, his eyes piercing through the array formations and walls he had built to keep unwanted eyes out and aid his own scrying. The very world''s fabric shook as space was torn open thousands of miles away. The disturbance was so powerful he couldn¡¯t even pinpoint it accurately. He sat there pale and terrified at what could cause such heaven defying phenomena. Did a true monster descend to their plane? Records indicate that eons ago, a tentacled demon entered the lands through a tear in the fabric of the world. It took the coalition of every immortal and powerful being the world had to offer to bring its demise. Dragons, beasts, man, and everything imaginable stood before and almost faltered in the end. Claws grabbed the edges of the tear, so massive it would fit on a mountain. The thing pulled and without great effort, it widened what could not have been possible. Then a snout appeared, glistening red scales, a maw filled with razor sharp teeth. A dragon forced its way into the world, a missing leg could not lessen the sheer terror Zhong An suffered. Then five more followed. ¡°We are doomed¡­¡± Zhong An whispered. One being from the void was enough to nearly end the world, but six¡­ Six was a guaranteed execution. It was merely a formality. A question of when these beasts, clearly affiliated, decided to stop this farce. Zhong An watched as these mythical creatures suddenly turned. Emotions crossed the beasts¡¯ visages, if he was not so old and mentally strained, he would have thought it was fear. He forced himself to stand with a mighty struggle. Knees buckling and spine cracking and popping all the while. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. He stepped into flames and reappeared in the sky. With a wave of his hand, their ancient arrays activated and massive barriers that could survive the apocalypse sprung into being. All his elders and children appeared behind him. ¡°Father¡­? Is everything alright?¡± Asked his first born. Zhong An ignored him. He dared not let his eyes roam when something was coming. ¡°...is the old man finally senile¡­¡± whispered his fifth son to his confidants. His first son persisted. ¡°Father?¡± ¡°Be quiet!¡± roared the First Elder Zhong Ping. He was the closest to his power, and the greatest perpetrator of this whole war for dominance. ¡°You are too weak to see!¡± Everyone shut their mouths after his declaration. Worry bubbling to the forefront. Zhong An would kill that man the moment he surpassed the Pinnacle Immortal Realm. He could not let this situation happen again. A great purge would eliminate this evil air; primed for too much bloodshed. If he needed to spawn young children, he would only need to get to work¡­ The first elder gasped. ¡°Oh heaven¡¯s have mercy on your sinful child!¡± Zhong An prayed for the first time in his life. Black lightning crackled and scorched the very air, even he could feel the pressure of the Great Dao. The dragon¡¯s bowed, trembling before a shadow that descended. The static interference and pure unadulterated pressure the dragon¡¯s exuded by merely existing made it hard to see the figure. But it was human and held onto a mighty spear. All they could see was long hair that stretched three times their height and robes that fluttered in the air. The sleeping form caused ripples of power to pulse from their unconscious body. Enough power for the dragons to struggle to keep their heads up. The figure opened its eyes. Zhong An felt a rush of pure qi ravish all his senses. His eyes burned and meridians struggled not to collapse and make him a cripple. He was not worthy to lay eyes and see. He was¡­ Everything returned to normal. The dragons disappeared. The tear in reality vanished. There was no figure that heralded their doom. It was as if this was all a nasty nightmare from their mortal days. He looked back at the haggard form of Zhong Ping. His ruined eye twitching uncontrollably. ¡°Zhong Ping,¡± he started. The man looked at him, his only eye filled with terror. ¡°There will be no Zhong clan to fight for if I don''t reach the Heavenly Sage realm. There will be no Zhong clan if you do not join me soon.¡± The man nodded. ¡°I saved elixirs and pills for when I reach the furthest reaches of the Pinnacle Immortal realm. You will need them urgently.¡± ¡°Zong Ping!¡± His fifth son roared. ¡°You dare renege on your Oath? Where is the virtue of the ancie-¡± Zhong An smacked him. Even in his old and decrepit age, he still had enough power to ruin this pitiful and insolent child. Only his undying love for his late mother kept him from it. ¡°Know your place.¡± All the princes stared in shock. None had ever been reprimanded much less beaten or scolded harshly. For Zhong An to slap his most beloved child had them gulping in fear. Anyone of them could have been killed instead of a simple slap. The fifth prince bit his lip. Tears could be seen in his eyes, but he did not cry. The idiot was at least a hundred and fifty years old and still acted like a baby. His blind followers quickly rushed to his side, pulling him away to his residence. Zhong An harrumphed. ¡°There will be martial law in place from today!¡± His voice echoed on the entire mountain. Every Zhong member heard him speak into their ears. ¡°No one is to leave without explicit permission. No one is to contact the outside world. If you fall behind in cultivation¡­ then you only have yourselves to blame for me being harsh.¡± The princes all rushed away to their residences. The elders gathered around The First Elder, seeking understanding. Their faces paled as he explained. A situation where The First Elder and the Patriarch came together at such a critical point in time meant the death of the Zhong clan was at stake in the very near future. Zhong An nodded. The first elder rushed away to his mountain peak and gathered his most prized resources. Zhong An could only curse his luck. His insufferable cousin will live to see the far future¡­ or whenever those monsters appear at their gates. Important poll for my readers I am a broke college student who couldn''t possibly afford a semi decent artist, hence this entire thing. Ive recently been introduced to a debate about Ai generated art which is not only cheap, but quite good if you know how to use it properly. Not gonna lie, the images are fucking amazing. example... Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Holy shit that is nice... but then comes the issue of well, its not really a person making it and its generated through the amalgamation of billions of photos organized in a way that a ''prompt'' had laid out to it. To be honest, it makes no difference to me. But I do tilt in the direction of the amazing art to add depth to the novel itself. But it not being there does not really change much to be honest from my perspective. it''s the readers perspective that changes heavily and is given a morsel of what the world I am attempting to build may look like (including characters). The poll is below. Chapter 7 - Dragons with Egos and Personalities?! James sat in a damp dark cave. He wasn¡¯t sure how he got here. Yet here he was. All he remembered was closing his eyes as he hurtled down to a soon to be death via velocity or splattered on solid ground. Or water, from the height he jumped. It would still feel like concrete. He shivered at the thought of going splat. What the hell was he thinking? Jumping off the ledge like that. James got up. He dusted his robes from all the dirt on them. This cave looked like no one or thing had visited for years. Only a constant dripping further in broke the monotony. He started walking towards the light source not too far away, dodging any stalagmites in front of him even in the darkness. As he exited the cave, he was greeted with a view from paintings. A thick forest he could barely see through sat before him filled with foliage and bushes. He found his spear just a few steps away sitting there. It was stabbed deep into the ground waiting for him. He must have placed it there. That was the only possible way for a spear to disappear from his side. As he grabbed it, a notification appeared for the first time in more time than he could remember. Congratulations on exceeding your limits! Broke through an Isolated Domain! Reward 1,988,319 exp Reward The Vagrant Kings Rice Bag This should have been a good thing. James Anderson knew he should be grateful he didn¡¯t die and somehow made it out to the other side in an actual world¡­or at least he hoped so. The thought of getting stuck in a planet sized flying island had him shivering. There had to be people, it didn¡¯t even matter if they were young masters or evil villains. He just needed to see another human being. System integration complete! All stats configured and made easily accessible on the system interface! The latest update allows its users to mentally control the amount of po..WeRReerr¡­ Error. Rrroororor¡­ System Malfunction - Access denied Access denied¡­ Access denied¡­ James just sighed. He couldn¡¯t give two shits anymore. Deciding to off yourself does that to a person. It was that near death experience that changed your perspective on the world. Who cares if he got the system. He was probably stronger than the average human. Maybe even stronger than a peak athlete and that was enough. He could make a fortune if it was his previous world. All he had to do was somehow make it to a super big sports team and out athlete the best athletes in the world. Sponsors and massive contracts would just follow¡­ right? James laughed at the thought of a million paparazzi surrounding him to get a glimpse of his figure. He pulled the spear out of the rocky ground without an ounce of effort. It was still as pristine as the day he received it. It never lost its luster during the eons they¡¯ve been together and even the dragons looked fiercer. The rice bag appeared in the air. It landed with a soft thump. Just as he would have imagined a rice bag to sound like. If it was his rice spacial bag, then he had so much in there it would create a veritable mountain for things. From weapons, coins, and clothes. No armor. Just fancy robes with scarves and shoes to match the very old traditional eastern vibe. He could guess he was isekai-ed to some sort of cultivation world and not his own planet. There were too many hints. He picked it up and looked inside. Finally, something went his way. It was his rice bag and all his possessions. With this he could start a new life and hopefully fall in love with a nice cute lady that would pamper him. No one could say they worked as hard as he did. Nobody lived long enough to even start the sentence, much less come close. He deserved to get treated like a king and be fed grapes by a beauty. And.. He giggled to himself. Eyes turning starry. He gulped, but shook his head. Not now. He needed to find some civilization first. The sheer embarrassment of his very first interaction with people being him buck naked and hand stroking had him in a fit. James coughed and sputtered. He would never live it down. The fact that he had existed for so long, mentally and spiritually, had created a will so powerful, he could control his indescribable urges. It had driven him mad for decades but he learned how to eventually get over it. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He would not be a simp! James did not live for untold eons to watch foot videos! Someone gasped. James spun in his spot. Behind the foliage a lady stood there staring at him with shock. He gulped. A real person. This wasn¡¯t a hallucination right? He was sure he wasn¡¯t sleeping, he pinched himself discreetly. Nope. The pain was very real¡­ A brunette with long hair held in place with two basic pins. Her gray robes fluttered slowly in the slight breeze. A young lady that seemed to have seen better days. More importantly¡­ a real person. He took a deep breath, exhaling very slowly. Only when he calmed down could he look her over again. She seemed young. Much too young to be out here alone. If this was a cultivation world, then spiritual beasts and monsters existed. Not mentioning demons and evil cultivators. ¡°Little girl.¡± he said, voice raspy from disuse. He signaled her to approach, using the time to slow down his multitude of different emotions that surged through him. Relief, tears of joy, anger at his suffering and numerous others. She looked like a deer in headlights. He could see her tremble like a branch in a hurricane. James couldn¡¯t help but feel terrible for her. The ancient world was not good for poor people, her robes were not in the most pristine conditions, and extraordinary powers only made the situation worse. Maybe forced into child labor. She didn¡¯t look fifteen years old. He noted the silver mountain embroidered onto her robe. Was she part of a clan or sect? Probably a servant considering the state of her clothes. ¡°Where are your parents? It''s dangerous out in the open.¡±
Hu Shui couldn¡¯t breathe. The second she laid eyes on the old man, she felt six different auras as large as Mount Tai press down on her very soul. In mere moments, she could be a memory forgotten. She couldn¡¯t help but curse her terrible luck. Her friends in the Silver Mountain Gang always warned her that curiosity killed the cat. Hu Shui could not help but ignore them. She followed the noise until she met an area where there were no sounds in the forest. No birds, no insects. Nothing. Even the wind died down abruptly. That should have been a clear signal to turn around and run back to the protection of the Bandit crew. But it only drove her forward. What could possibly cause such a situation? That curiosity drove her very soul to keep moving ahead. At some point, led by her intuition, she broke past a great amount of foliage to a small clearing at the base of the mountain range. A dark cave that seemed to block any sunlight from entering and a spear that ¡­ The spear¨C ¡°We should eat her!¡± A voice roared in her head. She trembled at the thought of being consumed by a demon. ¡°Shut it, fatty! Eating such pathetic meat would only make us weaker. I say we strip her of her skin and let her suffer agony for millenia. How dare she stand before our master as though she has the qualifications to exist in his presence.¡± ¡°Magerdon! You cruel bastard! Look how scared she is! I bet she would would taste horrible too, humans aren''t known to be appetizing.¡± ¡°They¡¯re alright! Just have to drink magma after¡­¡± ¡°The weak deserve to¡­¡± ¡°I agree with Salimonarigon. Killing every insect is such a bother. Just too many of¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± A deep powerful voice shook her very cultivation. ¡°It is not our place to decide for the Master. Stay silent until he chooses.¡± Her teeth chattered. It took more effort than she knew she had in her to keep her legs from buckling. The old man stared without a single emotion on his face. Hu Shui lowered her head feeling oddly naked, as though he could see the very depths of her soul. Not even the Bandit leader could match the six aura¡¯s much less their master. ¡°Little girl¡­¡± He spoke. His long pitch black beard and mustache covered his mouth. He pointed at her, the six auras prepared to destroy her¨Ctheir killing intent just bubbling for action¨Cthen arched back towards him. The old man called her forward. Hu Shui could feel the six auras retract back into the spear. They dared not make a sound. Who the hell was she in front of?! His eyes never once left her figure. She had heard of demons taking advantage of innocent girls. The stories were horrible. Hu Shui couldn¡¯t help but imagine every single scenario from him tearing her head off to the most¡­ Her every step felt like a walk to the gallows. Then she arrived before him. The smell of deep endless woods struck her senses, its purity unquestionable. ¡°Where are your parents? It''s dangerous out in the open.¡± Her head rocketed up in shock. His voice was filled with so much kindness it struck her speechless. Was he faking it? People aren''t that nice. No one should sound so compassionate. ¡°Behold! The master¡¯s mercy. In his great wisdom, he has chosen to pardon her heinous crimes!¡± ¡°Master is too kind!¡± ¡°Master¡¯s mercy knows no bounds¡­¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Chapter 8 - Stranger danger! Be careful James watched the little girl. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She looked painfully pale. He couldn¡¯t help but frown. Did they work her so hard and for hours so long that just walking was a difficult task? The little girl gulped at his facial expression. She stumbled over her words struggling to put sentences together. She was terrified. ¡­ maybe she had a point. He was a random guy in a deep and dark forest. Who knows what evil monsters exist in these woods. Or worse yet, what type of people called such foreboding places home. He knew he should just let her go, she probably knew the area like the back of her hand if she was out here without much equipment. Or civilization was close. The girl started crying. Bawling like her life depended upon it. She fell to her knees and hugged herself like any little kid would. Shit. I made a kid cry as soon as I got here! James, stabbing his spear into the ground, walked to her. He bent down afraid to touch her. What the hell was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to stop a kid from crying? Pat her head? Did that even work? He cursed his luck. Give him any other situation and he would have made do! But this was just too interpersonal for a person who hadn¡¯t seen another existence, much less a person, in what could have been a million years. He eventually settled on hugging her. That had to be a neutral response, right? The girl leaned in to him. Then proceeded to cry even harder. He could feel his robe get drenched in unending tears and snot. He was going to need to change if he¡­ She hiccuped. ¡°Old mister¡­¡± Her childish voice¡­ Fuck she call him?! Old? He wasn¡¯t a day older than twenty¡­ Fuck¡­ By every single metric he was an ancient primordial being. Human civilization back on earth hadn¡¯t even existed for as long as he had lived on that flying island. He gulped at what that meant to his ¡®finding love¡¯ prospects. ¡°...they died.¡± She whispered. James felt his breathing catch. He looked down at the girl, her eyes lost in memory. And from how her expressions looked, it was not a good one. That was the cultivation world for you. If even the goody two shoes Mc is eventually corrupted into a heartless killer, what chance did anyone else have? It would be a miracle for a decent person to keep living if you are forced to eliminate your enemies lest they come back for your head when you aren''t looking.
It took a while, but she finally calmed down. Once everything seemed to come back to reality, she immediately jumped away. Her face was bright red from embarrassment. James had to change the topic if he wanted her to lead him to civilization. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He was finally in the real world. He wanted to see people. Laugh with people, eat meals not made of rice, and experience everything he could. Most importantly, he wanted to make friends and loved ones. People he cared about and they would in turn care about him. James wasn¡¯t an idiot. The time he had to himself gave him ample moments of deep thought on this very thing. How hard would it be to make friends? Wouldn¡¯t it be even harder to meet people he could consider family? What about those that would want to take advantage of him and throw him away when he was no longer useful? He would need to be very careful. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked in the nicest voice he could muster. It wasn¡¯t that much considering it was raspy. The girl kicked rocks, nervous. She mumbled words. ¡°What was that?¡± She jumped, eyes flitting left and right. And then it landed on his spear. Her face turned pale. Was she afraid he would hurt her? ¡°Hu Shui!¡± She yelled. He had to calm down the situation. Compliment her! She¡¯s a kid, say something¡­ ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful name, Hu Shui. Mine is James Anderson¡­¡± The look of confusion on her face made him curse. Of course this was a Chinese type of world, English names didn¡¯t exist. ¡°That''s a long name, Old Mister. And a very scary name.¡± Hu Shui seemed unable to look him in the eyes. It was James¡¯s turn to look confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Hidden Tiger, Beneath a Red sun, Crouched under an endless Canopy, Waiting for the Unwary Prey¡­¡± Hu Shui was wringing her sleeves and then she looked up at him with wide eyes. ¡°Yin Hu!¡± ¡°Yin Hu?¡± She pointed a trembling finger at him. For the first time, she actually looked deep into his eyes. ¡°Y-you¡­¡± Hu Shui said breathlessly. ¡°Y-you¡¯re the progenitor of my Hu family!¡± James'' eyes twitched. Then the world seemed to collapse around him. A million and one curse words appeared into his mind, it was a perfect string that would reach the sun and back thrice. How the hell did she conclude he was her greatest grandfather from James Anderson. And what did that have to do with that poem bullshit she said? With the eloquence of an ancient being, he said¡­ ¡°Huh?!¡±
James Anderson, Yin Hu now apparently, listened with rapt attention to the girls long winded story. It was a good thing he decided to have the storytelling during their walk back to civilization. But it still had his head spinning. Killing dragons, taming mythical beasts, falling in love with a northern waste barbarian princess and escaping with her. Starting a harem with said barbarian princess as the head wife. Establishing a mighty city and eventually walking on a rainbow to the heavens¡­ Seemed like the usual ancient story with super embellishments. Probably fought a grass snake instead of a dragon, caught himself a house cat, dragged into a tent by a lady and subsequently forced to marry her by a barbarian tribe. Then said tribe went and conquered a city and threw him on the city leader role since they didn¡¯t know more than riding horses and living out in the wild. And when he ran away after being drained of his seed by a countless number of women¡­ ¡°If he was so mighty and left a mountain of treasures. Then why are you here? What happened to the Hu family?¡± Yin Hu asked. They were getting close to where she had been from, if her navigator senses could be believed. Hu Shui looked down with embarrassment. ¡°Ancestor, your children fought for the throne. As they killed each other, many clans, sects, and families swooped in and destroyed everything you worked so hard to build.¡± Yin Hu¡¯s, James Anderson, eye twitched. Ancestor this¡­ Ancestor that¡­ Damn you and your unreliable ancestor! Chapter 9 - Things arent simple, always complicated shit Ancestor this¡­ Ancestor that¡­ Damn you and your unreliable ancestor! Then again, maybe he could take advantage of this¡­ He was, as he tested a million times on that tree, still mortal and weak. Even after a gazillion years of isolation and attempting to get stronger. He probably was stronger than any normal person, maybe even the pinnacle of what a mortal could accomplish, but compared to a cultivator he was weak. He needed some sort of backing. Or at least an alibi to not get strapped onto the experimentation table and dissected by madmen. ¡°Such heartbreak!¡± Yin Hu tried to sound upset. ¡°Forgive our incompetence, Ancestor!¡± Hu Shui seemed to buy it wholesale. That was good. Guess even he could fool a kid, but he would need this kid to convince her elders. Now to make excuses for himself¡­ their ancestor was supposed to be a dragonslaying, harem creating, run away from responsibilities protagonist. Yin Hu was nothing like that. ¡°It has been such a long time. My powers have gotten weaker as the eons passed! I am not the powerful hegemon I used to be.¡± He turned to look at the sky, trying to keep a contemplative look. Hu Shui stared at him with starry eyes. He almost broke. Tricking a little kid was just wrong on so many levels, but this was a whole new world. She was so gullible it hurt to watch. ¡°E-even you spear dragons?¡± She asked. He had put his spear back into his spacial rice bag. Having seen it, Hu Shui could not be convinced that he wasn¡¯t the supposed ancestor. Carrying it everywhere was an unnecessary burden. Especially if he could summon it with a snap of his finger. Yin Hu combed his fingers through his willowy beard. He nodded sagely. ¡°Yes. Even the Spear has weakened considerably.¡± She gasped. ¡°It''s okay, dragons. Your master loves you a lot! He wouldn¡¯t throw you away¡­¡± Yin Hu just kept his head forward and acted like he just didn¡¯t hear her speak to herself. He may have sped up his walking pace before remembering that was his only guide. Maybe he made a wrong choice in acting as her ancestor. ¡°Tell me, how many of the Hu family are waiting for us. Are there any adults¡­?¡± Yin Hu had already prepared a million and one answers, excuses, and made up stories. He would need to convince the real adults he was their ancient grandpa. That was a task he was not looking forward to¡­ ¡°Only me and my best friend!¡± Hu Shui beamed. ¡°Hu Xinyi is the best person ever! She¡¯s my best friend and the strongest girl in the world!¡± ¡­what? Did he fuck up? Should he run? Maybe she¡­ Hu Shui¡¯s shoulders sagged a little. She tried to keep a smile on her face, but even he could tell it was strained. ¡°The rest¡­ they should have met you in the great reincarnation cycle.¡± Fuck. His first plan backfired into his face in spectacular fashion. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to have plot armor? Wasn¡¯t he an Mc¡­ then he remembered the eons of no system and still being unable to cultivate or access his powers. Maybe he wasn¡¯t an Mc. This only further proved it. No novel here, just real life to laugh at one terrible plan after another. Yin Hu, absentminded, patted her shoulder to comfort her. His instinctual need to protect children kicked in seeing her so sullen and glum. He contemplated just running now. She¡¯d probably chase after him, but Hu Shui was still a child. He would run laps around her¡­ Its been so long since he felt so sleazy. It was a dirty feeling he did not enjoy. Maybe wait and see the situation¡­ then he could run if it got worse. After a few minutes, Hu Shui ran ahead of him. She waved him to follow with a smile only a kid could have after remembering everyone she knew and loved had somehow died. He followed leisurely. She wasn¡¯t fast by any means. They broke past the tree line. Yin Hu stared at the mismatched huts and buildings sprawled into a small town. A large tree sat in the center with a massive treehouse to match. He could see many archer posts but no wall. After taking a few steps more, he understood why there was no wall. He felt himself walk into a bubble that tried to get a read on him. It must have been a barrier of some sort. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Everyone carried a sword or spear here. Even the kids had toy weapons to practice with. It looked like a medieval festival but with a Chinese twist to it. Not mentioning what appeared to be guards with mismatch armor. This place looked more like a bandits hideout than a town or city. Everyone wore poorly made clothes, their wagons seemed to be worn down, and homes were not in the best shape either. It was like a mock battle had occurred. ¡°Hold!¡± a group of the mismatch guards rushed towards them in exaggerated runs. They leveled their weapons at him. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Hu Shui yelled at them. She stood between them, a nervous look on her face. ¡°T-this is my ancestor! Leave him alone.¡± A bald guard between them spat on the ground. ¡°He looks like one of those sect bastards. I say we kill him then throw his defiled corpse at their gates!¡± Yin Hu frowned. They hated sects that much? That didn¡¯t make sense, weren¡¯t they the best option to become cultivators? Things seemed to be out of order. He saw the guards get into fighting stances. They pointed their weapons at him and readied to fight. Yin Hu couldn¡¯t help but feel a storm of emotions. He summoned his spear. ¡°Death before dishonor!¡± They roared together with rageful eyes. They could barely speak. Whatever happened had affected them all so deeply, they couldn¡¯t think straight. Yin Hu heard the wind start howling above him. Like a storm was brewing. He looked up and saw a massive man pulling out a blade taller than he was and as wide. He could only see the figure with all the flying leaves and branches. A real life cultivator flying and controlling an element. He cursed his luck again, too many times already today. Why the hell did the boss come out already? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to fight the weaklings and make his way up?
Dong ZhenKang looked down from his seat on the Silver Mountain Gang¡¯s main building. His seat of power here was unquestionable. But, they were bandits. Honorable bandits, but bandits nonetheless. At any moment, he knew his generals and advisors would stick a blade into his exposed back if given the chance to usurp his power. But for them to do so, The Silver Mountain Gang had to exist. Dong ZhenKang called upon his Immortal Peak cultivation, liquid core foundation realm, and the power of his element. The wind answered with glee. His body disappeared from his mighty seat. Reappearing near the edges of the barrier they had built. With a flourish, he stared down at his guards approaching a pair that had just entered his domain. People coming and going out were quite normal, refugees rushed to join him after his last recruitment drive. But this was different. When the girl passed, he had an exact idea of who she was and her strength. Hu Shui. A Qi Initiate from the once illustrious Hu Family. Now a vagrant with her cousin and only living family member, Hu Xinyi. Now that was a girl worth every moment he took to study her perfect figure. With a consolidated Gaseous Core, she was as talented as she was gorgeous. It was the only reason many have not touched them, or dragged them into brothels to work. His favorable impression was that powerful. The blind bitch had yet to understand what position she was in, but time would fix that¡­ Dong ZhenKang looked at the old man next to the little girl. An anomaly he never encountered before. The very barrier itself seemed to rush away from touching him. It actually tore open, forcing his hand to repower that section. Did the man have a treasure that would¡­ He frowned. His guards spat at Hu Shui. Dong ZhenKang had been quite clear on what he would¡­ He gasped. Grabbed his mighty blade and surged every ounce of power he could call, nearly depleting his liquid core. The wind screamed and howled at his insistence. But it did nothing to hide the sheer terror he felt. ¡°Death before dishonor!¡± The guards roared. They felt pressure, but they were too weak to understand Mount Tai before them. They would doom them all and not know anything different. He prepared the strongest attack he could. There was no chance he would give such danger a chance to¨C The wind died. His hands fell limp at his side. All the power he had to call disappeared. His very core was empty and struggling not to crack and destroy his foundation. Dong ZhenKang looked deeply into the Ancient beings eyes. The stars twinkled, galaxies and things beyond his greatest imaginations, eons untold. The primordial eras were children compared to him. How long does one need to exist, what power kept such monsters alive for so long? The person summoned a spear. With it, spiritual dragons coalesced like a far off mirage. Their killing intent pressed down on him. The guards thrusted their spears. He closed his eyes, letting a smile of resignation appear. They were all going to die eventually. What''s the difference in leaving a bit early¡­ The guards screamed. Dong ZhenKang waited for the demise of everything he built. It would all end with everyone none the wiser. Only he got to see the curse the Hu family girl brought with her. Then he waited some more. It felt like an eternity, but nothing happened. He opened one eye and looked down. Surprised, he saw Hu Xinyi had cut the head of every spear and quickly disarmed the weaker guards. She stood graciously, balancing on one leg. Her figure was perfect, technique was perfect, and timing was perfect. How could a man not desire to ravish such a beauty¡­ Didn¡¯t the little girl call that guy her ancestor¡­? Dong ZhenKang closed his eyes again and allowed himself to slowly float back to his seat of power. It took mere seconds for his hopes and dreams to shatter. But such was life¡­ he just needed to find another ultra talented beauty to make his. Where the hell was he supposed to do that? Chapter 10 - Bubbling emotions rising to the surface Yin Hu tried his best to keep that stoic ancestor look he¡¯d been working on the entire way here. It was getting harder and harder. His face felt stiff and jaws ached at his expression. He wanted to scream and run like a headless chicken but that would be counter to his current persona. He was an ancient master. The Ancestor of a once mighty family. These peasants¨Cwith deadly spears that could poke through him faster than he could probably catch with his eyes¨Cwere insects beneath his glory! With a wave they would all cease to exist if he so chooses. Aren¡¯t they lucky he was so kind¡­ Yin Hu hid his hands behind his back in the ultimate hidden monster pose. The long sleeves hid his palms as they shook. Shit He was so close to dying. ¡°Shu-Shu. Come with me.¡± The lady grabbed Hu Shui¡¯s hand and started to pull her away from the fuming guards. She appeared like a ghost and easily disarmed them. It was quick moments of grace and elegance he didn¡¯t think possible. She even ended with a ballerina pose. Hu Shui pulled her arm away. ¡°No!¡± She ran to him, unwilling to let go of his hand. The same hand he tried to hide. ¡°Xinyi! Don''t you see? He¡­¡± She pointed with a knowing look. Hu Xinyi just looked bewildered. Hu Shui sighed and ran up to her, whispering into her ear. Yin Hu watched Hu Xinyi¡¯s face morph from confusion to unadulterated rage. He knew at that moment he done messed up. That girl, probably in her late teens, early twenties, turned into a whistling kettle. He could see smoke rise from the top of her head. ¡°Yes.¡± She said dangerously. ¡°Our Ancestor should follow us.¡± Hu Shui clapped happily unaware of the danger she had just thrown them into. She grabbed his hand and dragged him past the guard. They were unwilling to have the ire of an already enraged and dangerous Hu Xinyi targeted at them. Especially without weapons. They walked into the town, Yin Hu making sure to memorize the way they came as an escape route. Right, right, left, right, left, right, right, left, left, right. That was his mantra for the foreseeable future. He would need to escape as soon as possible before Hu Xinyi slit his throat. The monster walked before him, every step harsh and promising endless pain. If his hearing was to be believed, she even breathed in like a raging bull. But that could be his imagination. Eventually, they reached a small house that was in better condition than the surrounding buildings. A wall a person''s height gave it a sense of privacy even if one could peer over it if they stood on their toes. Hu Shui rushed in like a hurricane. Kicked the gate open and blasted through the courtyard and around a small tree surrounded by large stones. On the other hand, Hu Xinyi waved him in, her glare never lessening. If looks could kill, he would have been tortured and skinned alive before she cut him to a million pieces. He gulped and walked in, still attempting to keep his ongoing persona. Every step was harder than the rest, until he reached the adolescent tree. Yin Hu tried to look like he was contemplating life in hopes Xinyi would leave him alone. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Instead, she leaned back onto the wall and stared at him the entire time. She was waiting for something. Hu Shui rushed out, having changed into another set of dusty robes that had seen better days. She twirled around him. ¡°Shu-Shu!¡± Hu Xinyi called. ¡°Take this and buy some bread and vegetables. We will need to feed a guest.¡± Hu Shui grabbed the coins and rushed out as quick as she had arrived. Not once questioning Xinyi. Yin Hu, on the other hand, gulped. Xinyi walked towards him, Yin hu did not look back intently focused on the tree. He could feel her behind him just waiting. ¡°You recognized the family''s great tree. An offshoot, but still part of its once mighty form. The stories say you planted it with your own hands and blessed the land it grew on with a mana pool.¡± Yin Hu nodded sagely. ¡­good enough! Make assumptions! He knew the less he spoke, the better the situation as they made their own conclusions. But that didn¡¯t explain the sheer wrath he felt coming from behind him. Was she testing him¡­ Xinyi laughed derisively. ¡°That land is now a barren desert. Destroyed.¡± Her voice was getting louder. ¡°Everyone¡­ The entire Hu family is gone! Our homes were burned to the ground and the land salted!¡± What the hell was he supposed to say? He wasn¡¯t their ancestor? She¡¯d kill him in seconds! ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something?!¡± Xinyi screamed. He turned around to give her a far off look, but was caught off guard. She was crying. Her face was still morphed in anger, but streams of tears trailed down her cheeks and dripped. She jabbed him in the chest with a finger. ¡°Where were you when my mother died?! Where were you when the clan elders and the patriarch all sacrificed their lives to reach you?! Why didn¡¯t you answer their plea of help?!¡± Xinyi sobbed. Her voice was getting weaker until it was nothing but a whisper. ¡°Where were you when we needed you?¡± Yin Hu looked away. The emotions were too raw and untainted. He felt aching in his chest, but also a growing discomfort witnessing something that was meant for someone else. It was a private conversation he had no stake in. She fell to her knees, quite similar to Hu Shui not too long ago, and cried. He tried to take a step back instinctively, but she grabbed the bottom hem of his robes. Xinyi looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. He wasn¡¯t so sure she could see him other than a blurry figure. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± her voice was desperate. ¡°Don¡¯t leave us. Please stay with us, keep us safe. These people, they want to hurt us. I notice their evil looks, only fear of the Bandit Lord keeps them away. I.. I don¡¯t want to be his¡­¡± Yin Hu grit his teeth and placed a hand on her head. It made some sense, her facade of confidence was to keep wolves and pariahs away. But it was just too much pressure for a kid. He couldn¡¯t imagine the stress she had to go through everyday struggling to get enough to eat, protect Hu Shui, and then protect herself. They were laying the emotions on him thick. He knew his plan to just run away had gone awry. The Hu family was illustrious, maybe he could use their past to set himself up. But at the same time, they were destroyed. He had to watch his back for enemies. All of this was just too much. He wasn¡¯t some ancient super cultivator. There were no fireballs and no tornados. No earth shattering strength or qi powered cultivation technique he could use to destroy enemies. But he did have a strength. An advantage over everyone else in this entire world. He had eons and eons of rewards given to him by the system. Maybe he couldn¡¯t unlock the power itself, but he had access to a shit tonne of wealth, world shaking weapons, cultivation techniques, and cultivation manuscripts. They were useless to him, mostly, but for others around him they would be miraculous. All the Dragonslaying this, World ending that, and universe devouring those were primed to be gifted. It would only increase people''s loyalty. He also recognized that it was easier to be loyal to an ideal or a larger structure than it was to a single person. Yin Hu had to use that loyalty to the Hu family to get subordinates that would sacrifice their lives to keep him safe. Just like how the clan had literally thrown themselves into a sacrificial ritual just to reach their ancestor. And if that ancestor appeared¡­ Well, hopefully by then he would already be established enough to counter or buy enough time to run away. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here. I won¡¯t leave.¡± Promised Art Gallery Hello dear readers. As promised, I made a gallery on ArtStation to put all the Ai Generated art so it is accessible and in a more eye pleasing formate. Ill do my best to keep them organized based on the story and its development. Ill also be adding more work there for the current development of the story. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Not sure if you can subscribe to me on artstation (https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Ar1xdm) but ill make sure to put the link on the synopsis for easy access. If you want a specific scene or a character just let me know and ill get straight to it! Fuel my addiction for MJ!!! Chapter 11 - Hills to die on and Situational awareness...? Yin Hu stared down at what could only be considered the most unpalatable food he had ever put in his mouth. It was a basic vegetable stew and plump bread. It all looked quite pleasing to the eye and delicious, but it could not have been the exact opposite. It took just a moment and he already came to a firm decision. There was no way in hell he would eat this. It felt like dirty sludge of mud and filth. The taste was even worse. There were only two reasons why anything could taste so bad, the first was quite simple. Xinyi could be the worst cook to have ever touched a pot. But Hu Shui ate with relish. Wasn¡¯t she part of an illustrious family, they should have a better palate than this. The second was what would be considered his most horrifying nightmare. Was the rice he had that special? He had figured out that it gave him a boost in strength and health, but to consider it would ruin normal food for him. Yin Hu shivered. Would he never be able to taste the culinary masterpieces of this world? Hu Xinyi cleared her throat. She had calmed down and even looked abashed at her sudden breakdown. ¡°I-is something the matter, ancestor?¡± He thought for a moment. Was it worth the suffering to keep her oblivious and happy? Should he lie and say the food was decent? In those scant seconds, he came to a final decision. There was no way in hell would he put another morsel into his mouth! That was his bottom line! Don¡¯t mess with my food! He took a deep, foreboding breath. Yin Hu did not care if she cut him to pieces, this was the hill he would die on. Both girls put down their plates. They looked at each other with worried looks. Yin Hu looked down at them with a raised chin. He tried his best to exude arrogance and disdain by channeling every ounce of hatred he had for the sludge he stuffed into his mouth. ¡°You call this food?!¡± he roared.
Xinyi stared at his back. Yin Hu wanted to run more than ever. His plan to find someone to pamper him has been delayed further and further into the future! This dream of his seemed impossible with the very world conspiring against him. Instead of somehow convincing the girls to take care of him, he ended up cooking the damn rice again! His spacial rice bag sat heavily to his right. Every once in a while, he would have to smack Shui¡¯s curious hands. She sat on a chair unwilling to look away from it. There was no way he would allow a kid to get hold of one of his most prized items. All his wealth and future potential living in luxury depended on its safety. ¡°Done!¡± he said. He carried the pot of food and placed it on the low to ground table set up they had. They sat on the ground and ate at a comfortable height. No spices. No salt. Nothing but plain rice he ate for eons. Yin Hu struggled to keep his tears down. He was thrown into a new world and was still stuck eating this mess. The girls looked in wonder at the plates before them. Xinyi¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Y-you didn¡¯t put any salt.¡± He harrumphed. Unwilling to say he didn¡¯t know how to cook and worse yet, that was the only thing he consumed. His ego and persona depended on this very moment. ¡°Why would I taint the quality with mundane ingredients?¡± He lowered his head and resigned himself to another bowl of rice. He got to work chomping. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The girls hesitated. But he would not address the elephant in the room. Nope. They could suffer with him! Especially Xinyi! How dare she put such horrible things before him?! After moments of silence and the scraping of their bowls, he prepared himself for the inevitable corus of groans and barfing. He had already prepared an entire spiel on how this generation were weak and unworthy. Only in suffering could one rise to the cultivating peak! This was just another test in a life filled with them. ¡°Woah!¡± Hu Shui exclaimed. It started. He looked up with a disdainful look. They would have to go through his rant to ease his ego! ¡°How is this possible?¡± Hu Xinyi looked him in the eyes. Pieces of rice sticking to her cheek. It was like she stuffed her face into the food. ¡°How could food so good even exist?¡± Yin Hu looked far off channeling his old master persona. ¡°A toad in a well does not see the heavens in its entirety¡­¡± Wait. What did she say? He turned back to find a bowing Hu Xinyi, she held Shui¡¯s head down too. ¡°We are not worthy of your magnitude. To think we would get to eat heavenly rice so casually¡­ I could not even begin to show my gratitude.¡± ¡­ ¡°A-as long as you know.¡± He quickly finished, but the two ate very slowly. They kept looking at him with sparkling eyes almost matching. They whispered between themselves. The back of his neck burned red, they kept mentioning how fast he had eaten the food and didn¡¯t have any effect on him. Did they expect him to choke? Maybe he should have suffered the sludge food in silence. ¡°Tell me, Xinyi.¡± he kept his raspy voice slow and deliberate. Act like you mean business! ¡°The guards seemed to be high strung. Just my mere presence caused them to act like wild animals.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be harsh with them, Ancestor. They¡¯ve suffered greatly and only wish to regain their family''s own honor.¡± Xinyi said with a kind smile. She did disarm them without striking at any of them. They let her go afterwards. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Realization dawned on her face. She flicked her head. ¡°Forgive me. I''ll explain properly. It all started nearly sixty years ago. All righteous sects and clans rushed back to their peaks and shut their gates from the outside world. Rumor was that a monster from outside this realm broke through the natural barrier of this world.¡± She paused to eat a couple more tiny chopstick fulls. He had used his hands, when Hu Shui tried to eat like him, Xinyi had smacked her head. After moaning with arched eyes she gulped and let out a breath. She cleared her throat. ¡°Anyway, Every sect and clan activated their ultimate array formations and the ones that didn¡¯t entered practiced seclusion in massive caverns they shut. My father said that they were stuffing their patriarchs and strongest members to break through to the Heavenly Realms. Only when they were strong enough would they come out and fight a world ending calamity.¡± ¡°A calamity? Sixty years and still nothing happened?¡± Xinyi nodded. ¡°It''s unusual. And instead of a monstrous being that would make the world a wasteland, demons and evil cultivator sects and clans appeared. They would, in normal conditions, be forced into the shadows incapable of making such grandiose acts, but with the disappearance of the righteous clans and sects, they had free reign. Smaller families and clans that could not hide themselves attempted to band together, but they were too weak.¡± Her hands turned into shaking fists. ¡°Anyone that stood in their way was killed. Any family that did not kneel to local hegemons were rooted out to the very last member. That¡¯s how our Hu family ended. We were lucky to escape and find protection with the Bandit Leader. He carries just enough power for the evil sects to not want battle, but not enough to be independent. And that is where the guards come in. The local hegemon, The Spider Valley Cult, sent a missive a few weeks ago. They demanded an exorbitant amount in taxes this year. It will be impossible to satisfy them without crippling this entire town. Sentiment to fight back has been growing and it has affected even the guards who also struggle to feed their families. If you ask me, it¡¯s suicide to fight the Spider Valley Cult. Forget their Elders, which have two Pinnacle Immortals both rising not a decade ago, even their geniuses are extraordinary.¡± ¡°I¡­see.¡± Yin Hu had a lot to think about. The way the guards reacted also made sense. He dressed like a sect or clan member. Long flowing robes and ostentatious designs. But that was because he had nothing else and had, over the years, gotten used to it. He could even say he enjoyed the freedom it allowed him. ¡°Tell him about what they did!¡± Hu Shui chimed in trying to be part of the conversation. ¡°What did they do?¡± That didn''t sound good. Chapter 12 - Maybe he should have checked his rewards... Xinyi looked away. She put down her chopsticks and pushed away her rice bowl. She looked sick to the stomach. ¡°The Spider Valley Cult¡­ they beheaded an entire convoy of refugees and staked their heads on spikes in front of the town. It was a message that they weren''t going to pull back any punches.¡± Yin Hu stared at her. His mask nearly shattered. What monster would do such¡­ he grit his teeth. ¡°Did Hu Shui see it?¡± Why was he so angry? He didn¡¯t really know them. Nothing connected them more than a few moments and nothing else, right? Why was he so invested already? Xinyi looked away, she couldn¡¯t meet his gaze. He tisked. Feeling a burning hatred grow in his chest. Was that what the guards felt when they saw him? There was no way he could blame them if this was what they had to go through. It was like an irremovable weed that kept expanding. He could already imagine the heads of little kids, elderly, women, the weak and destitute. It would scar any cold man much less a young girl like Hu Shui. She was supposed to be playing with dolls and brushing hair or something else equally innocent. Not this. Yin Hu got up. ¡°I''ll be outside.¡± He needed to breathe, the house seemed cramped without enough air. He stepped out past the courtyard and then the gate. He closed it behind him and stood there with his back on the wall watching as people went about their lives. There was a dull thrum of markets and ancient life, but it was muted as if they were afraid of making too much noise. He looked up into the sky. It was the same blue as the floating island. White puffy clouds leisurely floated away. Yin Hu let his eyes close and reminisced about his blurry time on the island. In the beginning he had been filled with motivation to continue to get these rewards. The joy he had every time one appeared had been like taking drugs. His dopamine levels rocketed out of the world. But even then, it faded and he eventually crashed. But the happiness was not fake. They were moments he could recall fondly regardless of how scant they were. He could vaguely remember the work he had done and achievements he gained. But it was distant with the passing of so much time. Yin Hu had to think about what the hell they were meant to do. Should he hide deep in the town? What if the Spider Valley Cult decided it was worth attacking this small town? What was he supposed to do then? He was nowhere strong enough to fight off an empowered fly much less someone with actual skill. He came to a decision. It would be wise to leave this place and look for an existing city. They would definitely be more prosperous but also more likely to be able to protect them. From what Xinyi had told him, the only reason this place even existed was because the Bandit Lord was sufficiently strong enough to ward off attacks. But when he fell? Or the Spider people finally came to a decision to eliminate them¡­ They had no chance to survive. He had time. Just enough to get things in motion and hopefully power up Hu Xinyi. Either way, he had a timetable now. One he could manage with. That came to another matter he had to address. Xinyi, while graceful and capable enough to take out low leveled mobs, was not strong enough to fight anyone with even an ounce of real power. What if the Bandit Lord tried to take his spacial bag? He wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about it. Yin Hu nodded to himself. The path forward was clear and laid out for them. Once they reached a real city with an actual economy, he would be an ultimate baller. Whether that is to recruit talent or even start a super business. The mountains worth of gold, silver, and mana stones he carried on him would flood an entire valley. Once established he would finally accomplish his goal! He would find him cute, buxom wives and they would pamper him! He searched into his rice bag, going through it in his mind. That was the most magical thing he could accomplish. For the first time he went through the manuscripts and cultivation techniques. It had been painful to even remember them before, but now they were worth it! As soon as he prodded one with his senses, a vision appeared in his mind. It was vivid and concise. A perfect course that made it impossible to mess up unless you were a true dunce. He could speed and slow down the replaying vision to make sure each part was correct. Do you wish to assimilate ¡®Fire Snake Cultivation¡¯? Yes - No - Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Yin Hu chuckled. Of course the system he had no access to would offer such a convenient option. He pressed ¡®Yes¡¯ mentally. He felt a slight headache that disappeared after a brief second. Yin Hu laughed. Adding on to what could have been the most overpowered cheat possible, he now understood the ¡®Fire Snake Cultivation¡¯ in a much deeper sense. By all means, he would be a master if he could only practice it. But, he knew that the system made it impossible for him to cultivate by his lonesome. He had tried to circulate the Qi in the air¨Cwhich he actually felt during his endless practice¨C but it would never move. Even after more time, then he could imagine passed, it never changed. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but if he had to guess the system had something to do with it. Not that he would ever attempt to practice the ¡®Fire Snake Cultivation¡¯. It was for, as the title stated, emulating fire snakes. It didn¡¯t surprise him that monsters like that existed. Regardless, he had cultivation techniques that outclassed it in every possible metric. He would only limit himself and his subordinates with it. Unlike other cultivation techniques, he had noticed, it also ended at its current rank. Not because it wasn¡¯t capable of reaching higher levels if properly advanced, it was just flawed in its essence. He saw cultivation techniques that were lower level versions of sky shattering manuals. It acted like a guide for those too weak to practice something for beings strong enough to destroy mountains. Regardless, it made a very clear point. Certain elements existed. Which meant that Xinyi could not use a manual that did not adhere or at the very least be accepted with her element. Would that be considered¡­ He saw a very unique item. ¡®Spiritual Root Cleanser¡¯. He prodded it with his mind, the system was more than happy to give him information. Spiritual roots literally decided your talent in cultivation. Even if you had a world shaking cultivation technique and a mountain worth of pills and medicine, if you didn¡¯t have the talent and potential to reach greater realms, then you couldn¡¯t make it. Searching his bag, he found more items that would either purify or boost their spiritual roots. Not mentioning boosts to their qi absorption rates, opening meridians, body cleansing, and a tonne of other equally important items. But one in particular stood out. ¡®Sage Tears - Spiritual roots ripped out from a true sage by an enemy. In a last bid to prevent catastrophe, the defeated sage sacrificed their soul to forcefully teleport them beyond the void.¡¯ Yin Hu could not help but salivate at such a thing. It would turn the entire world upside down if he ever pulled it out. The thought that he couldn¡¯t even take advantage of something this overpowered churned in his guts. The system was broken, he knew it would assimilate it instantly and in consequence, it would be locked away. Even then, he would need so much time to prepare it was inconceivable to use it. Without having a body capable of holding such roots, his very soul would be eaten by it instead of accepting it. The system would prevent that, but for anyone else other than him it was suicide. You needed to at minimum reach The Great Dao realm. And if he understood the connotation behind what the system was trying to imprint into his mind, it was nigh impossible to get there. He would have to settle for basic spiritual root upgrades and cleansers. There was even a manual on the sequence that was best to get the most out of using items only princelings and kings would get their hands on. ¡®The Compendium of Empires Children and Spawn - Volume XXCIV - How the elite use Spiritual Roots¡¯ Yin Hu returned to the house. He found Xinyi cleaning up while Shui was knocked out asleep. He tried to clear his throat, but the little girl was dead to rights. He knew enough that she would not get up without more effort than he cared to put. ¡°Xinyi.¡± He called. She stopped her brooming, having already cleaned the dining table from pots and spoons. He gestured to her with as much solemn energy he could summon in that moment. ¡°Come here. I have questions.¡± Xinyi leaned the reed broom on the wall and sat where she had been during their meal. She saw the energy he carried and looked on anxiously. Yin Hu faked putting his hand into his robe and pulled out a murky orb that fit snugly in his cupped palms together. He placed it on the table and it unnaturally stayed still. He was sure the ground, hence the table was not perfectly even. He could see realization dawn on Hu Xinyi¡¯s face. ¡°Go ahead. I need to know what spiritual roots you have.¡± She nodded. Took a deep breath and schooled her face with a mask of utter seriousness. She channeled that energy she had cultivated for years to keep creeps and evil people at bay. Then placed a palm on the orb¨Cshe wiped it on her ordinary robe seconds prior under the table¨Cand did what Yin Hu expected was what they were taught since childhood. He knew that in order for the Orb to detect anything, you had to channel even the tiniest bit of qi into it. Whether he could even get a spec of anything moving, well, he would have to test that out later. The orb started to glow a calm deep green. Symbols appeared on its surface that he could not recognize, but their meaning was as clear as crystal. He made a mental note to check that out, how could something so foreign to him be so deeply intertwined with his understanding? ¡®Wood - Immortal Peak Rank Four¡¯ Xinyi let out a haggard breath. Her body shook like she had done the most physically demanding work possible. Now that he looked, he could see the sweat that soaked her body. But it could not hide her pleased smile, as weak as it was. Yin Hu had no clue what the hell that meant. Immortal Peak sounded impressive, but for all he knew it could be nothing noteworthy. So he decided to keep a neutral outlook on it all and neither compliment nor act like it was tiny. ¡°Decent.¡± Chapter 13 - Xinyi doesnt understand Xinyi took haggard breaths. She struggled to keep her eyes open. Everything was getting blurry. But her smile could not be hidden. The Spiritual Orb was clear in its assessment of her roots and potential. Immortal Peak Realm, the fourth rank. She would eventually, if she worked and dedicated her life, become two lower ranks stronger than even the Bandit Lord Dong ZhenKang. She would be able to protect her loved ones and maybe even bring the glory of the Hu family to its illustrious past. Hu Shui would be able to enjoy her life as a child. All that needed to happen was for her to survive long enough and continue building on her core. She couldn¡¯t take risks and had to keep her head down from powerful cultivators and those that would be jealous of her talents. How many young geniuses died because they were arrogant? How many more died because someone stronger couldn¡¯t stand the thought of said genius becoming stronger than them. Even within the Hu family¨Cshe was far from the strongest or most talented¨Cthere had been ¡®accidents¡¯ and subsequent missions across the continent for the perpetrators. Hu Xinyi looked up expecting to see something, maybe even recognition of her possible potential. But her smile froze on her face. The deep eyes of her Ancestor stared intently into the orb. No elation or begrudging respect appeared. Just stoic, unchanging, and utterly passive expressions. She tried to straighten her back but the exhaustion was overwhelming. They sagged slightly. She could clearly hear her mothers voice in her head demanding she always sit with proper posture. To speak with proper language, to walk a certain way, to keep her expressions¡­ ¡°Decent.¡± It nearly crushed her. His pitch black beard and long mustache seemed to hang over her like a blade. He needed to cut some to even see his mouth move. It was with her soul she desired he would say more, to compliment her more. Her face turned into stone. Of course. Their ancestor had been part of the greatest era. A time where geniuses of her generation were merely commoners and servants. A time when even consolidating a golden core was not unheard of, much less the heavenly ranks. What was some child with limited potential in the presence of a being that had stood at the peak of the cultivation world. A man who had warded off beasts and cultivators that could possibly bring everyone alive today to their knees. A true progenitor. While she was but an insect¡­ Hu Xinyi looked away, her smile turned disdainful. ¡°Thank you, ancestor.¡± She tried to bow, but he held her up. She couldn¡¯t look his way. Xinyi feared the disappointment that would show on his face. ¡°Xinyi.¡± He called softly. She bit her lip, eyes teary, and looked at him. A soft smile graced his face, ancient eyes crinkled with warmth. The dam to her emotions nearly broke then and there, but she kept a stronger lid. Years of determination forced her to show some semblance of dignity even if she had bawled her eyes out not too long ago in front of him. ¡°Cultivation in its essence is to reach beyond what we would be capable of naturally. And if you are naturally destined to a limit, then you fight to break through and exceed it all!¡± he said, reaching into his robe again. He must have a spacial bag, there was no ring or bracelet on his hands, otherwise it would be impossible to keep grabbing things. Especially if they were as important as¨C Xinyi¡¯s eyes nearly popped from her head. She felt her mouth drop open and didn¡¯t even care to fix it. It glowed a soft white light. Its aura seemed to caress her with the warmth of a mother. Her eyes drifted to her ancestor, Yin Hu. A man her entire lineage had been named after. ¡°I-I can¡¯t.¡± She said, her voice sounded like it wasnt her own. It was distant and nearly unrecognizable. ¡°That''s too valuable. Hu Shui should get it. She¡¯s an actual direct descendant. M-my blood is not pure. She¨C¡± Yin Hu laughed. ¡°You think your ancestor is so poor?¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°What?¡± Xinyi was bewildered. Poor? What does that have to¡­ Her eyes widened as she understood what he had said. It crashed into her like a raging bull. This wasn¡¯t just wealth. This was an empire''s worth of value sitting before her and he just said he had many more. How is that even possible? She let out a deep breath of turbid air. Then began to giggle. That turned into a chuckle, then to a laugh, before she fell to her side in a full blown stomach aching guffaw. Xinyi couldn¡¯t even breathe. Her ancestor looked on patiently. It felt like hours before she could calm down enough to take everything he said and finally process his words. Of course everything would change when their ancestor appeared. Didn¡¯t the patriarch, the elders, and her father sacrifice themselves to call for his aid? She remembered their dry husks after the ritual had been completed. It had taken every single mana stone they had available to them and even their very cultivations for it to be successful. Nothing less than this could have been worth it. Xinyi bowed in her seated position. If she could have gotten up without making a fool out of herself¨Cstumbling like a drunk vagrant¨Cshe would have only to kowtow fully just to show her sincerity.
¡°Hu Shui!¡± her mother called. She had never seen her eyes so wide. They were beautiful in every way possible. Her Mother was the epitome of¡­being a mother? The perfect person to exist. She had to be, how could anyone compare when she was the only one to make her food every day. It''s like her father. She saw him pick up a big piece of wood! There isn¡¯t a person stronger! ¡°Hu Shui! Listen to me.¡± Her mother held her with a tight grip, in the darkness of some random house. She wasn¡¯t sure where they were, but it wasn¡¯t home. It was far away. Her grip was tight, enough to hurt. ¡°Mama. You¡¯re hurting me.¡± She whined, but then suddenly paled. The aura of doom surrounded her very soul! The thought of escaping was fleeting, but even Hu Shui knew that there was no way to run from the fury and wrath destined to come. Did her mother find out she was the one to eat all the candied sweets yesterday? Hu shui had made sure to cover all her tracks. She made sure to wipe her mouth from all the crumbs and even placed the jar back into the servants kitchen. Going as far as hiding it behind a few larger jars filled with things. ¡­Oh no. She forgot to clean the table after herself! The crumbs laid there as evidence of her crime. Her mother had been speaking the entire time, but she couldn¡¯t hear anything in her maelstrom of guilt and innocent fear. She was so going to get the paddle, her backside already ached. She was suddenly taken into a tight hug. The unexpected turn of events left her bewildered. Anger meant bad. Sad meant bad. And hugs were a happy thing, right? That had to be correct, it was the rule. Everyone had to follow the rules. Hu Shui looked up at her mother, her confusion only became deeper. ¡°Mama. You¡¯re crying? Do you need more hugs?¡± Hugs always did the job. Her mother would smile afterwards no matter how much she had been crying. But to her surprise it didn¡¯t work. ¡°Xinyi.¡± her mother called to a girl standing a bit away. Her distant cousin, she was mean and always ran around with the guards. ¡°Come here. Make sure you protect Shu-Shu. Please. I will buy enough time for you two to escape. They won¡¯t know you guys got away, so make sure to never give them any hints. You are only two vagrant girls in the city over.¡± She caressed Hu Shui¡¯s supple face. ¡°Take this bag, it has everything you''re going to need.¡± ¡°Yes, Matriarch!¡± Xinyi shouted. Her mother winced. Hu shui noticed how scary Xinyi looked with her wooden sword. Then there was something deeper. Hu Shui let her inner eyes open and locked onto her cousin. She didn¡¯t understand what was there, but it was not nice. ¡°M-mama.¡± Hu shui tried to hide behind her mother. Only to be dragged back out and handed to the broken soul girl. ¡°She¡¯s scary.¡± Xinyi¡¯s soul was marred with large gashes and a face of perpetual horror. It was so deeply intertwined into her very being, she didn¡¯t think it was possible to heal. How did she hide the pain? What caused her to be so hurt? ¡°I will repeat this one more time, Hu Shui.¡± her mother reprimanded. ¡°Make sure you do everything Xinyi tells you to do. If you don¡¯t then¡­¡± she saw her mothers lip quiver. ¡°...then expect the paddle, you little rascal. Now go.¡± Her mother stepped towards the doors. She opened it slowly looking both ways before bolting away. Hu Shui heard a lot of shouts and men screaming. Did her mother hurt the bad people? She did that a lot lately. ¡°Shu-Shu.¡± Xinyi grabbed her arm and without warning manhandled Hu Shui onto her back. ¡°Martial Rules! You must follow the highest rank commander available. Which means me! Let''s go.¡± Was she playing another of her brutish games? They ran out of the building and deep into the forest. It was the last time she smelled the flowers of her home¡­ Chapter 14 - Beginnings of trickin-err... People swearing loyalty! It took a while for Xinyi to calm down. Yin Hu had been sweating bullets the entire time. He did something wrong somewhere, but he wasn¡¯t exactly sure what. Did he insult her? Was Immortal peak strong or was it really weak? He had no clue how to continue going. So in his haste and anxiousness he had pulled out a ¡®Spiritual Root Strengthener¡¯. And of course it resulted in more unexpected and quite worrying reactions. She went through the entire spectrum in less than a couple minutes. From nearly crying a river, her eyes looked like dams ready to explode, to uncharacteristic seriousness with a touch of butterflies, to all out laughter. The kind that has you ending on the ground rolling in pain. Even now, Xinyi vibrated as he went through the Compendium scroll. He had pulled it out and set it on the table. When he rolled it out, he had expected to need to use weights to keep it open, but it did not. Just touching it felt sacrilegious. The golden color with the sheer details in the very design itself made him feel like this might have been the most valuable thing he carried. If he didn¡¯t know it was a scroll, he could have been fooled to believe it was a window to another world. How they managed the depth and complexity was beyond him. It gave off a cold freezing touch that didn¡¯t really affect him in any way. The wood underneath did seem to ice up a bit. But that was probably a cool effect factor. ¡­ maybe Xinyi wasn¡¯t vibrating in joy. Was it that cold? He didn¡¯t feel anything and he was probably the weakest person in this room cultivation wise. He could probably even the odds by drowning them with the sheer weight of his wealth, but on level footing, Yin Hu stood no chance. Focus Yin Hu let his eyes glide over the calligraphy painted onto what appeared to be paper of high quality. He had no clue what any of the symbols and perfectly drawn words meant in their vertical writing, but all together, he somewhat innately understood the meanings behind full sentences. There seemed to be three major issues they had to tackle when using the ¡®Spiritual Roots Strengthener¡¯. The primary one being quite simple to explain, but was the most pressing if they did not intend to irrevocably destroy her roots instead of upgrading them. Hu Xinyi, not due to any fault of hers, most likely had damaged roots. It was quite common, if the scroll is to be believed. The act of cultivating grated on her roots, pulling deeply from their font of potential and talent to infinitely fuel growth. Hence, a constant wear and tear effect. The solution was not as simple as the problem either. But, that would have been an issue for lesser people. Yin Hu smiled, deeply satisfied with his ability to pay to win. They needed a medium that had existed for longer than fifty thousand years to initiate the repairs, it would then be mixed with the energy of twenty-nine superior mana stones. Afterwards, they were to be grinded down into dust. A second bowl would be prepared with thirty-three superior mana stones grinded down with the core of a Liquid Core water based beast and two Gaseous Core beasts of the earthen persuasion. They could not be grinded together or it would be a poisonous mixture that was quite flammable. A record in the scroll indicated that a palace had been burned to the ground due to this mistake, with it went the lives of every noble, peasant, and cultivator below the Solid Core stage. Yin Hu noticed that the Compendium did not use the same ranking system. He wondered where the Immortal Peak realm sat in all this discussion of solid and liquid cores. Or was it the weakest, he assumed, at the Gaseous Stage? The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Regardless, they were to mix the two slowly and add highly dense spiritual water into it. Admix slowly for a thousand seven hundred and twelve perfect rotations. Or double if you do half rotation¡­. Yin Hu laughed as he stared at the long and winding directions to make the final product. It was nearly ninety-seven steps in total just to get everything prepared with the final product being two perfect ¡®Spiritual Root Repairing Pills¡¯ of the Immortal Rank. ¡°A-ancestor,¡± called Xinyi, her teeth chattering. She hugged herself trying to keep warm. He cleared his throat, ears burning with embarrassment. Good thing his long hair and beard did its job to cover for him. He had a persona to keep up with and it was exhausting. Every moment had to be perfect or they would think something was up. He quickly checked the end of all three problems and got the gist of what they needed to do. He needed two ¡®Spiritual Root Repairing Pills¡¯, one ¡®Spiritual Root Cleanser¡¯, and then finally a ¡®Gaseous Core Purification Pill¡¯ assuming she is in the Gaseous Core realm. And then he noticed that each had prerequisites to use. In order to fully purify your core, you needed to cleanse your meridians, and for that to happen you had to cleanse your body of contamination of daily living. It was only normal to accumulate contamination if you didn''t eat heavenly food all your life. That would be a feat only emperors of the greatest empires could achieve. Not the last two of a supposed to be illustrious family with middling strength and wealth if they had been taken out the way they were. ¡°This will be a long process. But your ancestor will make sure everything is perfect.¡± said Yin Hu. With a wave of his hand the scroll disappeared, and another brought all the needed pills, herbs, etc. ¡°We will begin with the very beginnings of your foundation. Your body¨C¡± ¡°I-is this all needed?¡± Xinyi asked, she gulped at all the pills, washes, and everything imaginable on the dining table. ¡°T-the Hu Patriarch had been gifted with a ¡®Spiritual Root Strengthener¡¯ by the Heavenly Emperor before the forced seclusion of all righteous sects¡­ He just ate the ageless pill after cleansing his body.¡± Yin Hu Harrumphed. He looked away with his staple distant look that had yet to fail him. Was the scroll wrong?! Was this all a trick or jest? Who would go to such lengths to get such a special¡­ Xinyi slammed her head on the table. The bottles and jars clinked from the sudden tremor. Yin Hu nearly jumped in his seat, startled. ¡°Again I make a fool out of myself!¡± She yelled at the top of her lungs. ¡°I am a toad, just as you had so eloquently spoken. What could we have in knowledge that you have not already seen through and deciphered. Ancient and unimaginable secrets lie with you, how could the Hu Patriarch ever compare to the Progenitor of the Hu Family!¡± Yin Hu stared at her, trying to hide his creeped out expression. ¡°As long as you know.¡± She slammed her head onto the table again, nearly toppling the tower of items and causing irrevocable damage. Some of these things could only touch air for moments before they lost all supernatural powers within them. That would have been a catastrophe. While it did very little to even nick his wealth in total, it would not be wise to be so wasteful. He could already imagine himself a NFL player that made a hundred million plus but is homeless in ten years. That was a future he did not ever want. Once you get a taste of such wealth, it''s impossible to go back without going crazy. He had yet to fully delve in and it was already addicting. ¡°We are wasting time.¡± He suddenly declared, more to get her to raise her head. ¡°Let us begin.¡± He took a deep breath, rolled up his sleeves and got to work. It would take forever but Xinyi becoming a mighty figure and protecting him had to take precedence until he found others he could trick into staying around him. The more the better, but he wasn¡¯t stupid. Loyalty. He would somehow need to instill this into them. ¡°Yes, Ancestor!¡± she shouted, nearly popping his ear drums. Chapter 15 - Dong ZhenKang begins an impromptu scheme He couldn¡¯t lie to himself. One of the few things, Dong ZhenKang, he hated more than the Spider Cult Valley was a mundane thing. Most people did it without noticing. A natural reaction that seemed predisposed to anyone that had a measure of success in cultivation. Tiny Mortal Realm cultivators didn¡¯t seem to carry this loathsome thing. But as soon as they enter the Immortal realms they suddenly find themselves exhibiting it more often. Much to his great displeasure. And yet, here he was standing before his massive window looking down at the small town he had founded. It left a horrendous taste in his mouth to stand here and¡­ contemplate life. As though he could find clarity in the scant seconds of watching some beggared peasant attempting to sell half rotten vegetables they had picked up in the forest outside the barrier. Or was he supposed to find ancient truths in the whores hawking and nearly nagging at anyone that seemed better than poor. If you had enough coin to buy extra food then you were prey to their machinations. Dong ZhenKang sighed deeply. The maelstrom of thoughts running untethered in his mind promised to eviscerate his scant brutish ideologies and attempts to keep a humbler¨C He growled. Shook his head as hard as he could. This was why he hated contemplating. It brought back the urge to become what he had been meant to be, the person he should have been now if the world didn¡¯t collapse sixty years ago. It was just his luck to be caught in the bosom of the most voluptuous village widow he had ever met, when his sect had suddenly closed all their gates and activated the greatest array barriers they had available to them. Once fully powered, no one was going in or out for at least seventy years. ¡°Sixty fucking eight.¡± He rumbled like a tornado. That was how long it had been since he had been forced out of his home, his family, his fucking future! He felt his already taxed core come to life in a fit of thunder and raging wind. It called to him. Begged him to release its awe inspiring power. Fill the sky with dark clouds. Let there be screaming winds that threatened to tear the entire town to shreds. And he would have¡­ If there wasn¡¯t a real monster residing in said town. With a force of will, he hadn¡¯t needed to keep for a long time, he pressed his living Liquid Core down and told it to shut its trap. It was a struggle, but he lived it for years before finding his own power. Better silent then dead. That was his motto. Alone and by himself he couldn¡¯t have possibly done anything but be dead within the year with the sudden rush of evil cultivators and demons invading the lands. How many villages had he seen burned to the ground? How many pyramids of heads had he had the distaste of witnessing? Until he was strong enough to fight back. That was the day his Silver Mountain Gang came into being. A group of weak idiots and one strong cultivator swore to never let anyone take advantage of them again. Now, all his friends were dead, leaving him alone with their legacy. Yes, it was stronger than before, but these people around him would stab a knife in his back if it meant they had domain over this barrier and land. They believed that was the reason the Spider Cult Valley had yet to eliminate them. Dong ZhenKang looked down a far distance to the home he had gifted Hu Xinyi. It was a perfect spot to spy from and if worse was to come, then protect what would have been an investment. He felt his body deflate. The Hu ¡®ancestor¡¯ was showing the tiny Hu Shui how to throw a proper punch. It was a very orthodox motion with no wasted moments. It had the most simplistic goals. To hit the enemy fast and hard. Nothing fancy. No spinning kicks to gather energy, no long winding combinations that led into a crescendo of devastating power. Just simple punches. Straight and narrow. Some hooked, others came from below, but it was the same. A mortal technique. Made for either the fundamentalists, of which no longer exist outside of the secluded sects, or the weakest mortal to fight other mortals. And yet here he stood, feeling waves of energy coarse through his limbs from every strike the ancient thing threw. Wide hooking strikes that seamlessly led to dodges that again led to counters and light strikes. Every punch thrown caused reverberations in the Qi around them. All without an ounce of his inner strength. He dared not imagine the destruction that could be wrought by a serious strike. Or worse, an actual Martial Technique wielding Qi so old it out dated his very existence. Hidden masters. Hidden sages. Hidden legends tired of the worldly life and only wanted solitude. So why in all that is holy did this guy¨C ¡°Dong ZhenKang? Watching your pretty thing again, are we?¡± said the slimiest voice he had ever heard. Dong ZhenKang had the urge to dry heave. Instead he closed his eyes and allowed the thrum of his core to slowly bring him equilibrium. Only then could he reply without killing the pest and dooming himself and everyone living here¨Cother than the ancient monster and maybe the Hu girls¨Cwithin three days. ¡°Lang Tu.¡± Dong ZhenKang said with as much hate and disdain. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He turned to look at the thin sickly elder before him. A weak Gaseous core cultivator he would have, in normal circumstances, killed without hesitation at such disrespect. But not this Gaseous core filth. No, this filth called the Spider Cult Valley his family. A representative of sorts he claimed to be, but Dong ZhenKang knew better. Lang Tu was nothing more than a worthless mouthpiece they had sent if he ever raged out of control and killed someone. An unknowing sacrificial lamb that thought it was the wolf. But, he knew better than to fall for such an obvious trap. The second he killed the fool with a grating voice would be the moment he found an army of Spider Cult Valley filth at his doors. And at the head of them are their two Peak Immortals. Alone, he could escape, but burdened with the legacy of his only friends, it was impossible to survive such a siege. Lang Tu walked to stand next to him, peering over the edge of his window. His wispy white hair and pock marked face crickled into a mess of wrinkles that was meant to be a smile. It was made for Dong ZhenKang¡¯s prodigious height, not some short bastard that needed a stool to look out of. Lang Tu giggled. Dong ZhenKang struggled not to tear his head off. ¡°You know.¡± Lang Tu began. ¡°They say they aren''t even from this province.¡± Dong ZhenKang frowned, eyes narrowing dangerously. Lang Tu licked his lips. ¡°They say¡­¡± he drawled. ¡°They come from a certain Family clan with a bounty over their head. I wonder what the price on their desecrated corpses would be? Has to be something special to reach this far out, right?¡± Lang Tu turned to look back at Dong ZhenKang, only for the hulking Bandit Lord to grab him by the neck. He squeezed. The reason Dong ZhenKang had survived until this day was for a simple reason, he knew when to bend and when to be as firm as iron. And this was the time to be cold iron, sharpened and thirsty for blood. He had a chance to survive the Spider Cult Valley, but death was merely a formality if he or anyone insulted that ancient monster into action. The stories were quite clear on this fact. Mountains disappearing, entire millenia old forests filled with unfathomable beasts burned to a hellscape, waves of water that eclipsed the clouds. Dong ZhenKang would take his chances on the minimal percentage he would make it out a serious siege. If he played his cards right, he could come out relatively fine. Lang Tu¡¯s eyes nearly popped out from his slowly purpling face. He struggled to speak mouth miming words. Terror filled his eyes. He saw the slime gather his inner strength as though it would help. There was nothing that could stop¨C ¡°...Shao Yating!¡± Dong ZhenKang dropped him. ¡°W-what?¡± Lang Tu struggled to breathe, gulping massive lungfuls. He could see the pitiful old thing shake like a branch. He probably would die from a heart attack at any second. Dong ZhenKang was not going to wait. He grabbed his robe and picked him up. ¡°Speak or they won''t find enough pieces of you to stitch back together.¡± ¡°Shao Yating! Shao Yating! He¡¯s coming to teach you a lesson!¡± Dong ZhenKang threw him across the room, sending him crashing into a desk and chair. His mind searched for what the hidden goal could be, but from what he had heard of the Prince of Spiders, it could very likely be a whim of sadism. No clan, sect, cult, or gang could claim an entire stretch of land as large as the Spider Cult Valley with their strongest in the Immortal Peak Rank. They had to be at the very least one rank higher in the Heavenly Immortal Rank. But the Spider Cult Valley was different. While they themselves had very little power compared to their neighbors, no one dared to mess with them in case a bigger more dangerous foe appeared. The second son of their current patriarch had married into one of the hegemons of the Evil Sects. He had somehow reeled in one of their youngest core members into courtship. How they finished the deal and got the Dark Gate Palace to agree to the marriage, he had no clue. Last he had heard, the kid had broken through to the Immortal Peak rank at just the twenty seventh of age. Now its been nearly eight months since then. With the resources and heavenly weapons available to the Dark Gate Palace, it put him in a position of great trouble. He would need to kowtow. ¡°Fuck.¡± He ran a hand through his hair. After all this time, after all the preparations he made to hide away from¨C ¡°Fuck.¡± If a stronger person shows up, which was very likely to protect Shao Yating, then they would see through his cultivation and find out he had the base of a righteous cultivator. What the fuck was he supposed to do now? Did everything he worked so hard to accomplish mean nothing? The years of manipulating the courts and convincing the remaining neutral clans and cities to force the evil sects into an unchanging stalemate. Devising his plan to hide deep within Evil Sect territory as a bandit where he could rely on his strength more than political ploys to survive. A place that wasn¡¯t meant to have anyone strong enough to ever come back to it. The supposed backwaters¡­ and yet some spoiled brat was going to bring everything down on a fucking whim?! Lang Tu got up from the ground and dusted himself. ¡°He¡¯ll be here in two weeks. Shao Yating was passing by and decided to visit your little village.¡± He then threw a scroll onto the ground then turned around and stalked out through the shadows. ¡°I hope you rot in hell.¡± Dong ZhenKang called the scroll mindlessly. The wind picked it up and it shot to his waiting hand. Without looking he opened it up. ¡°I used the last ¡®Core Deception Talisman¡¯ six years ago. How am I supposed¨C¡± His eyes fell onto the words of the scroll. His mouth dropped open. Dong ZhenKang ran to his window and stared down at the Hu girls. It was those Hu?! Wait¡­ Xinyi had joined the previous pair in the striking practice. She seemed faster? Lighter on her feet? Stronger? If anyone could recognize a difference in her it would be him, he had watched her nearly every day, watching her wordlessly apply herself to her martial techniques. She was different. Then a thought ran through his head like a bolt of lightning. His worried expression turned into a mischievous smile that promised suffering. Shadows detailed his face. Dong ZhenKang was no brute. Savages like that don¡¯t live long enough in this world of theirs. Just ask his friends and family. Now, another would fall in his continuous rise. Maybe that ancient ancestor protecting Xinyi wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem after all. He wondered what kind of forces the Dark Gate Palace would bring out for the death of one of their most talented sect members. At the cusp of their fight, he would swoop in and take that Hu girl for himself. With them none the wiser. Chapter 16 - Filthy Claws and Tortured Death Baby steps. Baby steps. Yin hu sighed in contentment. These were moments when he could reaffirm his resolve. It may not be much but it meant progress towards his ultimate goal; living in luxury around buxom and beautiful women. He shifted the large brimmed hat he wore and placed it in a more comfortable position. The sky was cloudless and the sun¡¯s rays were relentless. But combined with a slight breeze, it was perfection personified. Then to add onto everything were the softest and most gratifying clothes he ever wore. They were a long robe that felt more like clouds than actual fabric. Ostentatious and quite possibly reeked of too much wealth, but there was no way in hell would he return to using normal clothes. They grated and scratched at his skin. His ultimate goal was to live in comfort and not suffer from normal wool and cotton clothes! Even silk felt weird on him. That wasn¡¯t mentioning how he could feel the sweat and grimy feeling disappear off his body. A light wind would rush through his robes and he would be as clean as can be. A unique fragrance that accentuated his clothes was also apparent. Not overpowering, but perfectly complimenting his style. Yin Hu sighed again. ¡°Hyah!¡± Hu Shui shouted at the top of her lungs. ¡°Hyah!¡± Baby steps, James. Baby steps! He closed his eyes shut and tried to drown out Hu Shui¡¯s attempts at sounding like a martial artist. Her kung fu shouts seemed to be timed at every moment he became comfortable with her rhythm. And never in a consistent tempo. ¡°Again.¡± Hu Xinyi instructed. Hu Shui whined like a kid told to do their homework. ¡°My arms hurt, Xinyi. I don¡¯t want¡­¡± There was a long pregnant pause. Yin Hu could already imagine Hu Xinyi giving Shui a death stare that brokered no debate. Always the strict taskmaster, he noticed. Never had she quartered dissent. Yin Hu wondered if she had, if momentarily, been part of a military. It would make sense with how hard she pushed Shui with all the cultivation and practice fighting. They even had a battered and nearly useless dummy they used to work on their swordsmanship¡­using sticks. He learned that Xinyi did not actually have a blade, rather carried around a sharpened wooden sword she had supposedly kept since they escaped the Hu family estate so long ago. It boggled his mind that she could cut so effortlessly with a tool not made to actually do that. The thought of what she would be able to do with a real sword¡­ She would be a beast. He even had the perfect blade for such a vicious girl. It was like they were a match made in heaven. The ¡®WorldBane - Thin Eviscerating Grass Blade¡¯ sounded something only a serious mega-villain would carry around. It wasn¡¯t as strong as his spear, but that could be said about all weapons he had ever been rewarded with. There were clear tiers and levels to weapons. His ¡®DragonsWrath¡¯ was the pinnacle with no other coming close even with their awe inspiring names and looks. Next were a stage below. He didn¡¯t know what to call that level, but they all had the same feeling to them. They had depth, as though souls inhibited their cold steel forms. Filled with purpose and power. He had played with many swords and spears in his time. They almost sang long tunes respective to them every time he swung them in the air. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Guess now was a better time than never. It would do good for her to get used to her new overpowered sword before she messes up and cuts her leg off without noticing. That led to his next point. The system had integrated them, which meant he would always be connected to the swords. Their spirits were his to call upon, and he would allow others to wield them. He could, if it ever came to it, deny her the very source of the sword''s power. It might end up with the weapon being wrecked beyond repair, but that alternative was unacceptable. It was distasteful, but his survival was the most important thing. ¡°Xinyi.¡± He called without looking up from his lounging seat. He snapped his finger and a sword of cold steel appeared. A green tint marred its inscripted steel blade. A brown pummel completed the visage of deadliness. Both Xinyi and Shui stopped their tasks and stared. Even in the sunlight, it was bright enough to cause a change in the courtyard. Yin Hu felt a slight breeze, comfortable and nearly perfect, run through him. As though it was a lovers embrace.
Hu Shui could not tear her eyes off the spirit of the sword. A thin noble lady that stood as tall as her ancestor, even with his prodigious height. The spirit stood behind his lounged form, surveying the world around it. ¡°It has been ages, Master.¡± It whispered, fingers grazing his skin. It spoke to her ancestor. But he did not respond. This spirit was different. The coldness of its gaze sent chills down her spine. Unlike the dragons, who simply could not care about her and any person that was not worthy of their master, the lady spirit had the aura of relishing their final cries of suffering. ¡°Xinyi.¡± Her Ancestor called, waving her cousin forward. Hu Shui looked at her pale guardian, friend, and most important, family. Hu Xinyi could not see the spirits as she did. She was oblivious to the might of what stood before her. That green aura was not the blades, but rather the sheer power of the spirit¡¯s mere existence. She had manifested and the world changed. Green and lush grass began to grow at the edges of the courtyard. The dead ground below them, that had been stomped into hard packed dirt from all the martial practice, became fertile and ready to be planted with. ¡°Twenty seven thousand years. That was the last time you had called me out. Used me as you deemed fit. Swung me in the air as your mate.¡± It hugged him. Tears dripped down its face. Xinyi kneeled before their ancestor. Even her closed inner eyes could understand that this blade was not simple. It was an honor few would ever claim to have wielded. Many spirits, wandering the forests she visited, had sworn by their greatest ancients. Beings so powerful, if summoned properly they would ravish this realm. Hu Shui knew she stood before one. Her ancestor sat up. Held the sword with both hands carefully. ¡°Xinyi. What I hold in my hand is a masterwork. A sword meant to bring the death of those far more powerful than your imagination could conceive¡­¡± ¡°Praise me more, Master!¡± The Spirit cooed. He continued. ¡°Its spirit could not be contained in a sheath, hence you must wield it with utmost care¨C¡± he snapped his finger and a green cloth appeared in his hand. ¡°Wrap it with this, and never uncover its blade unless it is a situation of life and death. Do you understand?¡± Xinyi nodded. She couldn¡¯t even utter a word, choking up on her emotions. The spirit held the cloth with a loving smile and took a deep smell of it. It sighed in contentment. With a gust of wind, it wrapped itself into the green cloth in a tight bundle with only the pommel visible. ¡°Little girl.¡± It said, Hu Shui knew it was speaking to her. ¡°Make sure this bitch doesn¡¯t latch her filthy claws on my master. She would only die a most painful death.¡± It giggled, the voice fading away. Shui shivered at the cold piercing breeze that seemed to nip at her ears. A threat of unstoppable vengeance. But, even this monster dared not question her Ancestor. His word was law. His commands to never be questioned, just acted upon without hesitation. It never once asked why it was being given to Xinyi, its gargantuan ego was nowhere to be seen. She could trust that the spirit would never harm them or cause harm to Xinyi lest her ¡®master¡¯ would find her unloyal or unfit to serve. That would shatter its essence. Hu Shui wondered if she would ever get one too. The thought of begging her ancestor seemed like a good option the longer she thought about it. Maybe she would get a spirit she could play with? She had so few friends. Chapter 17 - Hustlers Be Hustlin Xinyi held onto the sword like it was her only source of life. Yin Hu couldn¡¯t help at how brightly she beamed. Her smile seemed to light up the entire courtyard. She had moved over next to the Great Tree¡¯s offshoot. She couldn¡¯t keep her eyes off the glistening blade and its shining inscription. Yin hu nodded at a job well done and laid back down, doing his best to ignore Hu Shui¡¯s unwavering stare from the side. He covered his face with the wide-brimmed hat to take another nap, but he knew it was near impossible. You could taste her burning desire for a weapon as glorious as Xinyi in the air. But he wasn''t so sure that was a good idea. The thought of arming what amounted to be a kid with a weapon deadly enough to kill and destroy real cultivators with a flick of the palm left a bad feeling in his chest. If someone was hurt, or if by accident she seriously injured herself, he wouldn¡¯t be able to blame her. She simply didn¡¯t know better. It''s like a child getting a hold of a gun. If he fires a shot into his leg, the child isn''t sent to prison. No, the parents are locked up, and the kids removed from their lives due to negligence and a safety hazard. The safest weapon, he had still left a deep frown on his face. How safe could something at this level be? Even if it was a blunt knife. ¡®Demented Butchers Blunted Knife¡¯ No way Hu Shui would ever get something that sounded so evil. What if it corrupted her? He could already imagine her running around cutting people up like a butcher cleaving cattle. Her cute childish glee would bring in people close enough for her to end their existence. What¡¯s this? Yin Hu was mentally going through what seemed to be an endless number of items and weapons. He suddenly found what could possibly be the only weapon that wasn''t a sword or spear. It was a tiny hammer that had the same feeling as the second tier of swords and spears. But it was clearly not made for any offense. Maybe a last option if someone got close enough for blunt force. The ¡®Stone Throw - Ursines¡¯ Legacy¡¯ was a perfect little thing for her. And she wouldn''t¨C A loud knock broke him from his thought trail. He feared the person would break the door gate. He took off the hat, too lazy to get up. Hu Xinyi had already wrapped her sword up into a tight bundle and had Hu Shui move in closer to him. Yin hu noticed the nervous tension in the air. They knew who was on the other side of the gate. Xinyi took a deep breath and opened the gate. All Yin hu could see from his perspective was a wide-shouldered figure whose head poked out slightly over the wall. A hulking figure if he had to guess compared to everyone he had seen so far in the town. Yin Hu felt his breath catch as the figure of the final boss he had seen in the air not so long ago walked into the courtyard. This close, he could see the scars and literal dents on the massive cultivator¡¯s face. The heavy set of robes he had on clicked from the amount of metal adorned it. It was not made just to look good. This was what armor looked like if you didn¡¯t want to wear a full knight suit. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The Bandit Lord, he assumed, rubbed a hand through his mostly white beard. Sharp, intelligent eyes roving through the entire courtyard. Pausing at the sword with Xinyi with a stiff face, then finally falling onto his laid out form. Yin Hu wasn¡¯t sure what the hell he was supposed to do. Eons of meditation gave him the ability to think clearly within milliseconds, but the lack of interaction with people limited his knowledge of what he was supposed to think about. He pulled deeply from his font of endless years. It ratcheted his ancient persona up to the extremes. Its premise was simple. Act aloof, as though you have the answers, even if you are wrong. Ancient existences clearly knew something you don''t. Stay silent. Only speak when absolutely necessary. Unshakable confidence. If I was a being strong enough to wipe a person from the face of the earth, no situation would shake his belief in his imminent victory. Fuck this bullshit. There¡¯s supposed to be progression, not jumping headfirst into a pot of sizzling oil. The Bandit Lord gave a slight bow. ¡°Greetings. Dong ZhenKang is the name of this humble cultivator.¡± he said with the slickest smile. Yin hu learned all too much with a single interaction. This man could not be taken lightly. He was a true Hustler. A man capable of selling bullshit and exaggerations at the highest level. Yin hu would honestly rather deal with a straightforward bull stronger than them all, then a person with both mind and brawn. As he continued to sit there, the silence kept getting longer. The two men, both nearly as old as the bandit lord, seemed to get restless. Dong ZhenKang himself plastered a slight smile on his face and it didn¡¯t change a minute amount. Xinyi arrived next to him. She sat slightly in front of him. Even she looked uncomfortable with the dead silence. ¡°You grace us with your visit. Bandit Lord.¡± She matched his slight bow in a seated position. Yin Hu leaned back and got comfortable. They are insects. Unworthy of your presence. Those words were a constant mantra that he read to himself, like a prayer. He had to believe it. Dong ZhenKang cleared his throat. ¡°Xinyi,¡± he started, surveying Yin hu for a response. ¡°Why hadn¡¯t you told me your ancestor arrived? I would have had everyone gather and cover him in adulation. Our humble town might not seem like much, but the people are quite impassioned.¡± Xinyi gulped. She looked back at him for guidance. Yin Hu gave her a reassuring nod, then looked away channeling aloofness. The clouds in the sky were quite fluffy¡­ ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Bandit Lord. We¡­¡± she paused, her mind running a million miles a second. ¡°...did not want any unnecessary attention. It can be quite bothersome.¡± She said with a polite smile. Dong ZhenKang, Yin hu noticed from his peripheral vision, seemed to taste the words Xinyi had said. A knowing look passed through his eyes as he somehow found tidbits of information in those innocuous words. Fucking hustlers. You lose no matter the situation. That only cemented his persona when facing Dong ZhenKang. Anything he could say would only show he didn¡¯t know much at all. He didn¡¯t know the very basics of this world and the system almost instantly integrated anything that would to ¡®make the transition of information¡¯ quicker and seamless. That led to the exact opposite, with him unable to access the system. He would have to navigate the world by grabbing tidbits and piecing them together. He already had the ranking system the compendium provided. He could use that as a starting base. ¡°I see,¡± said Dong ZhenKang. He gave an exaggerated look at the courtyard and walls that needed slight repairs. ¡°It brings me great shame to see your prestigious lineage¨C¡± Xinyi stiffened visibly next to him. ¡°¨Cin such a shoddy building. As soon as I learned that the illustrious Hu Heir and her family guard had been living in my little town, I rushed here. I could never let a once stronghold of the righteous world become leaves in the wind.¡± Dong ZhenKang¡¯s smile was predatory. His eyes nearly closed shut and the wrinkles of age appeared on his weathered and scarred face. Chapter 18 - Channeling your inner Tyson Yin Hu had to interject. He had to be brash and straight to the point with no chance for a word in between. Xinyi was clearly on the losing end of this entire dialogue, if he let it continue, he was quite sure the bandit lord would eat her alive. ¡°We are comfortable here.¡± Finality. He wasn''t going anywhere. Even if they brought him a palace. He would only struggle to leave it in a few months when it was time to go. Comfort was one of the few things that could ruin him. He had to build his base and strength¨Che wasn¡¯t sure how yet, but it was on his list to figure out¨Cbefore he could enjoy his luxurious dreams. The best situation now would be a position where they could leave at a moment''s notice. Not a second later. Dong ZhenKang¡¯s eye twitched, but his plastered and practiced smile never wavered. ¡°If that is what the Hu Ancestor wishes.¡± He gave a small bow. ¡°But, I¡¯ve also come to some worrying news. Hence, my initial offer¡­¡± He paused, hoping Yin Hu would take the bait. But he wasn''t about to give him anything more than clipped final words. Xinyi was going to keep quiet now that he decided to speak. Dong ZhenKang, sat in silence for a few long seconds, before he started speaking again. He was quick to recover from a failed attempt to gather information. ¡°I¡¯ve received a missive from the second son of the Spider Cult Valley.¡± He gave them a knowing look. Xinyi paled. Yin Hu made sure to keep the most stoic face he could make. Was there more depth to his words that flew over his head? What was it that seemed so vital that Xinyi would react that way? Dong ZhenKang gave an exaggerated surprised face. ¡°Forgive me, Hu Ancestor!¡± He gathered more information even with Yin Hu¡¯s silence. ¡°You must not have been on this plane or exited seclusion not too long ago. I will explain. The second son of the Spider Cult Sect married an inner disciple and daughter of one of the higher Elders of¡­¡± He paused dramatically. ¡°Of the Dark Gate Palace!¡± Dong ZhenKang swung the sleeves of his robes theatrically. Fuck. Yin Hu had no clue what that was supposed to mean and it was clear from his lack of response. Even Dong ZhenKang¡¯s practiced face twitched a bit. Was the Dark Gate Palace supposed to be some ancient monster? Sect? Person? An actual palace with a king and princlings? Dong ZhenKang leaned forward. ¡°Hu Ancestor¡­? Do you not¨C¡± ¡°They are all children in my eyes.¡± Yin hu spouted, channeling his epic ancient look. He missed the shocked face of Dong ZhenKang, it was a brief flash before his political face and placid smile returned. Dong ZhenKang only laughed heartily after having schooled his expression. ¡°Indeed.¡± He couldn¡¯t hide the scheming look his face was naturally set in. Yin Hu did see the scheming look on his face. That man had a plan and that did not bode well for him or the Hu sisters. He made plans to leave within two months maximum. The need to strength Hu Xinyi still existed, and that was the quickest he could get her to break into the Liquid Core Stage if the Compendium was correct. She already had a solid foundation for her Gaseous Core. It was only a matter of time before she would break through into the next major realm that consisted of the Liquid core. They had tested that multiple times. Dong ZhenKang scratched the back of his head. ¡°Well, that missive explicitly stated that they were coming for¡­¡± he paused theatrically again, giving Xinyi a long look. ¡°He is coming for the Hu Daughters. To finish what his predecessors failed at so long ago. If it wasn¡¯t for the existence of the Hu Ancestor, I would not have the courage to let them know of what calamity is going to arrive at their door steps in two weeks¨C¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Yin Hu zoned him out. Two fucking weeks?! What the hell am I supposed to do in that time? That was nowhere near enough, they needed four times that amount. They would still be in the preparatory stages and getting her core and spiritual roots to her ranks peak. Forget setting Hu Shui up for when they arrived at the nearest righteous city. His mind was running like an escaped bull on the butcher''s block. Too many thoughts ran through his head. His eyes looked past the Bandit lord and¡­ One of the two that arrived behind the bandit lord stood at the Great Tree¡¯s offshoot. He played with the leaves and thin infantile branches. With a twist of his finger, he snapped off a piece. Xinyi gasped, jumping to her feet. She looked at him with eyes of concealed rage. She feared the Bandit lord, but the offshoot was that important to her. And that made sense, it was the last thing¨Cother than the battered and nearly broken wooden sword¨Cthey had of their home. A memento that if they lost, they would have nothing to remind them of the people that died that day. The loved ones they lost. The pain and suffering they struggled through knowing their parents, brothers, sisters, friends, uncles, and everyone they had ever known had been slaughtered like cattle. It was a perfect storm for Yin Hu to express his frustration. Even without making a proactive decision. Yin Hu grit his teeth and stared hard at the perpetrator. That was all he could see. The world disappeared and the only thing that existed was him and this man. They existed in a blank world, color was mute, and no sound existed. The man turned with bulging eyes, eventually falling to his backside. He clawed at his throat. Foam bubbling from his mouth. He gasped with an extended hand¡­ ¡°Hu Ancestor!¡± A voice roared. Yin Hu snapped out of his trance. The sprawled man took a deep shaking breath, terror on his face. He sputtered and hacked, body shaking visibly even under all those robes. ¡°...Hu Ancestor.¡± Dong ZhenKang¡¯s shaky voice rang in his ears. ¡°Forgiveness. Forgiveness. Forgiveness.¡± Yin Hu¡¯s eyes unfocused and returned to a bigger picture vision. Everything suddenly sharpened in image and became clear. The Bandit Lord leaned forward, struggling to keep his legs from falling under him. The other person that came with them was on the ground, having lost consciousness. He was weaker than the other two. Everyone except Hu Xinyi and Hu Shui looked shaken. The girls only had shocked faces and mouths nearly dropping to the floor. Yin Hu remembered an interview Mike Tyson had. The interviewer brought up the ferocious fighter''s dead daughter he had lost not too long ago. It was a second difference, but even a dunce could see the ability to cause catastrophic harm in Mike Tyson¡¯s face. Even through the screen, you could see a veritable ocean of suffocating aura around the monster fighter. His words ended the interview instantly. Yin Hu took a deep raspy breath. He stared into Dong ZhenKang¡¯s eyes and said. ¡°You have to go. Now.¡± It brokered no amount of refusal or rebuttal. It was a clear warning. ¡°You understand, right?¡± Dong ZhenKang visibly paled more than Xinyi when she heard of the Spider Cult Valley¡¯s second son. The massive man laughed nervously and nodded. Unable to speak from terror. ¡°Thank you.¡± Yin Hu said, then waved them away. They ran out the courtyard. Yin Hu only got up once he was sure they were far gone. They had no time. If the Dark Gate Palace was as strong as they made it out to be, it would be ridiculously stupid to wait for them to get close before trying to escape. For all he knew, they could actually have ancient ancestors waiting for him on the sideline. Or an army ready to be mustered at a moments notice. He had no clue what the power ranks were. And there was no way he was about to wait and find out. ¡°We are leaving. Now. Gather your most important things.¡± ¡°Ancestor¡­?¡± Xinyi tried to question him. He raised his hand. This was a moment to imprint their hierarchy. He was the leader. His word was law. ¡°I will broker no questions.¡± With a theatrical slick of his sleeves, he learned that from the Bandit Lord, he turned and stalked as slowly as he could into the building. His mind could not escape the last few moments with Dong ZhenKang. Combine that with how sharp his punches were when he had showed Hu Shui how to punch properly, instead of the ballerina and wide girl slaps, Yin hu had to think deeply on a simple question. Was he as weak as he thought he was? He had to find out without breaking his cover. How was he going to do that without putting his life or the life of his insurance plan¨Cthe Hu Girls¨Cin imminent danger? He had no clue. Chapter 19 - Aint no time to BS Yin Hu stood outside the gate of his impromptu living space. It hadn''t been a couple days and he was already abandoning it. Running for his life. There was no time to figure out his chaotic thoughts and come to terms if he had some strength or if he was like a newborn babe compared to cultivators. He held onto his spear. It comforted him, as though the entire world could collapse around him, but it would still stand. He couldn¡¯t spar with Xinyi, if she ends up beating the life out of him, he would only fall from the elevated station he had them believing he was. What type of ancestor that had cultivated from longer than their greatest grandfathers had been alive was weaker than one of the youngest generations? The risks were too great. Not mentioning the possibility of breaking his cover and having to escape the wrath of Xinyi and sorrow of Shui. He had to deal with knowing no one and almost nothing. He couldn¡¯t be sure if he had met with someone willing to help or a bandit edging him on until they had the perfect situation to stick him with a blade in his liver. He had more wealth than anyone could imagine. Without the almost sacred fealty to an ancestor the Hu girls had, he couldn¡¯t trust anyone that learned of it. Fuck, it¡¯s dark. Yin Hu complained to himself. The moon was covered by thick and stormy clouds. He wasn''t sure if it was about to rain, but that didn¡¯t matter. His life held more priority than not getting wet and muddy. He believed it was to their benefit. Some spider son guy was rushing here right now. He could already imagine the hunting dogs and loads of people flying through trees to get here. If the rain covered their tracks and prevented the hunting dogs from catching their scent, then it was fate to leave now. Did they even have them? How do they even use them? ¡°Ancestor¡­¡± Xinyi came out with a bundle. She had a cape he had given her to protect her identity. The hood covered her face with the night''s shadows. ¡°Do we really need to leave? Where would we go?¡± Yin Hu could barely see her face even with their proximity. Hu Shui¡¯s tiny figure poked her head out from behind Xinyi. He could see the outline of a pack on her shoulders that nearly matched Xinyi¡¯s in size. He ignored her question. ¡°You made sure to not leave anything behind?¡± She nodded, that nervous tension she carried was obvious even in the darkness. ¡°Good. You know the general layout of the land?¡± ¡°Yes, ancestor. We are deep in Evil sect lands.¡± She whispered, pulling Shui¡¯s hand and closed the gate shut. Shit. We need to get to the good people side. Fast. He turned around, sent his spear back into the rice bag, and began walking towards the direction he remembered they had come from the first day he had followed Hu Shui. The directions had already been etched into his mind. There was no way he would forget. Setting a blistering pace was quite simple with his long strides. They didn¡¯t need to worry about getting caught because there were no lanterns or lights in the town roads. Every home had them inside or in their courtyards. And the Bandit Lord wasn¡¯t about to spend an extra dime to make the night less foreboding. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Yin Hu didn¡¯t know the extent of the hulking man¡¯s abilities, but he hoped it didn¡¯t include finding them when they were sneaking away. He wasn¡¯t aware how he stood with him after their last interaction. For all he knew, they could be on the verge of trying to seek vengeance for some trumped up reason. Humiliation. Kill them! You assaulted a Silver Mountain Gang member. Kill them! How dare you nearly kill a clearly important person? Kill them! He was not about to wait and find out what was going to happen next. Being proactive not reactive would now be his life motto. He was tied to no land, no real estate, family, friends, or memories. Get up and get out. Once they reached the tree line, he felt that same feeling as when he arrived. It was like a permeable membrane¨Ca bubble¨Cseemed to rush away from him. Like a hole was made which Xinyi and Shui followed through. It was like they knew where the hole was. ¡°Xinyi,¡± He called. ¡°Lead us towards the edges of the Evil Sect Lands. The closest real city we can get to that isn''t full of homicidal maniacs.¡± There was a pause. Yin Hu turned to look at her. Something was wrong. He could see her figure sag slightly. ¡°Ancestor. I-I dont think it''s possible.¡± ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± she paused to collect her thoughts. ¡°It''s a waste land. The area in between the neutral clans and the evil sects. A battlefield. It won''t be possible to get through that area without having to fight through the full strength of the three Evil Hegemonies and the Major Clan powers. Once you¡¯re on one side of the border, you¡¯re stuck there.¡± Fuck. He took a deep breath. Think, James. Think. He stood there, subconsciously posing as an ancient master, and thought deeply. He could try to hide in the forests, but the thought of hunting dogs on steroids quickly shot that down. Trying to hide deep within an Evil Sect city was also shot down. If they were ever figured out, then they literally went from the fire into the bubbling oil pot. The first might take some time. The other is an instant reaction. Fuck. What the hell¨C ¡°Are there natural barriers? Like forests or mountains? Something of that nature?¡± How many legendary battle moments occurred when a genius general passed through what was supposed to be impassable terrain? He could remember a Roman general putting down wooden planks and moving an entire navy over land to catch their enemies unaware. It was in a movie, so he wasn¡¯t sure if it was real, but he had the aura thing. Most predators and prey were high strung and any change caused them to jump out of danger. He could use blasts to frighten them with the surprise of it while escaping unwanted situations. It was safer than having to fight through entire kingdoms worth of cultivators, some ancient and others fodder. Humans were too unpredictable and that meant more danger than what a physical specimen of a simpleminded animal could bring forth. Not mentioning they, in general, avoided people. It was a percentage. Probability. A guaranteed death sentence fighting the sects and the clans not knowing who we are other than trying to get past their defenses and running the risk they might stumble into something dangerous enough not to care about his Aura. He just needed to figure out how to bring it to bare. He would need to make a reasonable excuse to practice it before they reached the edges of the evil sect lands. And if he was right, Hu Shui had some type of special ability. He clearly remembered her trying to talk to his spear. Yin Hu recognized that the second tier had something more to them, like a spirit, so he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if his spear actually had one. The System did its job with integrating Dao¡¯s and cultivation manuals, it probably did that with the ¡®spirit¡¯ of the weapon too. Another passive bonus he could get from the faulty cheat system he had been provided. Xinyi laughed nervously, she could see where he was going with that question. ¡°Ancestor. Even the Hegemonies and Major Clans dare not to go through the Bleak Forests¨C¡± ¡°So there is?¡± ¡°¨Cbecause that''s a death sentence.¡± She sighed when he didn¡¯t respond to the death part. ¡°Yes, ancestor.¡± ¡°Good. Leads us in that direction.¡± He waved her forward and pulled out his spear as a walking stick. He had to be ready to protect himself in case they ran to anything unsavory. She audibly gulped, but nodded nonetheless. Xinyi held Shui¡¯s hand, the foreboding darkness of the forest seemed to grow knowing they planned to go through an area where horror stories were told about to children. Chapter 20 - Evil Ways and Ancient Death Cai Xuefang stared out at the near pitch black darkness of the night. He moved his hands and grabbed foggy shadows between his fingers. There was no feeling, no heat or coldness, nothing that would allow anyone to figure out its existence. He rubbed his beard in thought. His angular looks and sharp chin allowed him a perpetual ¡®in deep thought¡¯ look. And it wasn¡¯t just for show. Cai Xuefang¡¯s mind was as quick as his looks made others believe it was. Faster, if he was asked. Right now, though, he could not pull on that font of knowledge to understand the situation before him. Wisdom would dictate that a master of the shadowy arts that was also an array master had set up some profound setup in this place they stand now. There were no Qi lines. No focal point. No acolytes, students, or lower cultivators to continue to provide foundation to the mighty array. Could a legendary assassin achieve such change to the physical realm? Cai Xuefang laughed. If such an assassin had existed, then they were doomed to begin with. He would survive, and maybe through great harm to himself rescue the pup who married his daughter, but everyone else would die a terrible and dark death. Darkness this thick could be used like a pillow. Suffocating an enemy would only be a momentary decision or flick of the wrist. Unless you had reached beyond the Liquid Core. Reached beyond the limits of what was thought possible. People at that rank, the rank of the Heavens, could cause minute changes to the areas in their proximity. They had the power to impress their will and create a domain. No Qi attack, strike or power that was not filled with Will¨Canother facet of the Heavenly Realm¨Ccould not even begin to hope to reach an active domain. But, here he stood. Grabbing what could only be a domain so large it covered the night and the entire forests around the tiny mudhole that was the Silver Mountain Gang. A curious case of a righteous cultivator running from both the Hegemonies and Major Clans. A cockroach that does not seem willing to die. A scheming fox. ¡°Zexian,¡± His voice sounded proper and well trained. ¡°Must you torture a rat? It does not befit your current echelon.¡± The whip cracked. A young man screamed in utter suffering. ¡°Father-in-law,¡± Yang Zexian''s gasped in excitement. His eyes were fully focused on the sprawled slave wretching from pain. The whip in his hands rose again and fell without mercy. The slave howled, skin torn open. Cai Xuefang frowned in distaste. You killed weaklings. It was beneath the mighty to play with such tiny insects. Cleaning all the blood and Qi was such a hassle. Yang Zexian wiped his face, trying to hide a smile of satisfaction. ¡°Father-in-law, did you not command me to never forget my roots? Well, here I am doing a final goodbye and reminding everyone that my Spider Cult is not to be messed with.¡± Cai Xuefang played with the foggy shadows as he turned away and looked towards the Silver Mountain Gang¡¯s barrier. They had set up and hidden within the forests only three days out when they made sure to send that missive. If Dong ZhenKang had anything to hide, or attempted to escape, he would only run into their trap and more importantly, give them a reason to kill him. They weren¡¯t animals, even they had general rules to keep some semblance of order. You don''t kill leaders and anyone that controlled a territory unless you had a good enough reason. The Spider Valley Cult had been scheming for the past decade to entrap that wily old fox, but at every turn they had been rebuffed. A masterful politician and schemer. If he wasn¡¯t a righteous cultivator, Cai Xuefang would have attempted to recruit him. Don ZhenKang had powered his great array and barrier just moments ago. Why he had done so, Cai Xuefang did not know. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that he or someone of his caliber would be keeping Zexian safe. Why would he put power into the barrier a Solid Core state cultivator could destroy in minutes at most? Did it have to do with the shadow¡­? The whip cracked. The slave did not scream. Dead. ¡°Tell me, son-in-law. Have you ever heard of mythical tales and stories about fog-like shadows in this area?¡± He asked, pinching it again in between his fingers. ¡°What?¡± Zexian said. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Cai Xuefang frowned. So this was no natural phenomenon? Someone or something had done this? That made no sense. ¡°Father-in-law, is that why you¡¯ve been making fists and pinching your fingers ever since it got dark?¡± Zexian swiped his hand in the air. He displaced the shadows. ¡°Look, nothing there. It''s just a cloudy night. Nothing much to worry about with your awe inspiring strength.¡± Zexian waved his hand. Figures wearing black robes and black masks covering every inch of their body appeared. Their eyes glowed a bright purple. They grabbed the dead body and disappeared from where they had arrived. Cai Xuefang smiled at the display. He always did. It was the reason he allowed his daughter to marry a man that could not have dreamed of touching her robes much less be his son-in-law. Zexian had absorbed a great treasure. Spirits of some dark ancestor had inhibited the treasure and answered to a person they deemed fit to serve. They were not the strongest, all at the Peak Gaseous Core, Peak Mortal Rank, but their numbers were something to behold. Not mentioning the few existence between them that did have real power¨C A hunched form, a spirit unlike the rest, appeared. The black robes it wore fluttered like a massive storm raged around them. It touched the shadows and collected it like a ball of clothes. It turned to him and stared. Its eyes were black endless oceans. A Pinnacle Immortal. ¡°Zexian. How strong do your spirits get?¡± The young man turned to look at him with an expression he was all too used to. It was one his precious Cai Jia would give him. It was one of ¡®are you senile, old man?¡¯ Zexian answered anyway. ¡°The strongest I¡¯ve seen was a Peak Mortal Rank with extraordinary strength. Almost a match for an Immortal Junior.¡± He washed his hands, up to his elbows. Then washed his face. The servant¡¯s and lowly cultivators at the Gaseous and Liquid core rank were quick to serve their master. Lest they be next on the torture block. The Pinnacle Immortal spirit had not budged. Its eyes locked at¡­him? Cai Xuefang stepped to the side, but the Spirit¡¯s eyes did not follow. Life and death were separated by tiny hints and clues. Those not looking for them would never accidentally find them. You had to put a concerted effort into keeping an eye out for what seemed like coincidence. It could have been a coincidence that this mythical foggy shadow had appeared in the darkest night he had ever experienced. It could have been a coincidence that Dong ZhenKang had powered his barrier. It could have been a coincidence that this ancient spirit from Zenxian¡¯s treasure had come out. But he didn¡¯t believe in them. Life was filled with meaning. You just have to be aware to understand. He wondered what surprises the old fox had prepared for them? Did he sell his soul to get an ancient master to build this array? Cai Xuefang wouldn¡¯t be shocked to find that out. Dong ZhenKang had sold his very friends and family, the original founders of the Silver Mountain Gang, into a torturous death to save his own hide and great benefits. As fit of a great Evil schemer. But, what he could not plan for was Cai Xuefang¡¯s arrival. A real Elder of the Dark Gate Palace. Not of the highest ranks, but in the ranks nonetheless. If he does well, maybe I should destroy his cultivation and take him as an advisor. Maybe bring him onto our unredeemable cultivation path. The Spirit opened its mouth. A raspy gasp was the only thing that came out of its voice. Its shaking arm slowly rose and pointed directly towards the Silver Mountain Gang. Cai Xuefang could hear its teeth chatter as it struggled to mouth a couple words. He walked up to it, knowing it was not strong enough to hurt him. And listened closely to its harsh whispers. ¡°...Dsshhhafthhahh,¡± It said, clearly trying to pronounce an actual word. ¡°Desshhafthaath.¡± ¡°Father-in-law?¡± Zexian said with a confused look in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting weird all night. Is everything alright?¡± Cai Xuefang flicked his sleeve. ¡°I am a Dark Gate Palace elder! What could threaten me?¡± ¡°Death!¡± The spirit roared. The shadows jumped like a tornado. The wind picked up and blew the trees into a maelstrom of noise. Gusts of leaves, branches, and dirt were thrown up into the air. Yang Zexian activated his Liquid Core to keep standing, shocked at the surge in power. Cai Xuefang noticed it had created a near bubble to hide the effects it had created only for them to see and feel. Anyone outside of it would never know it had happened. The hunched spirit¡¯s arm jabbed towards the Silver Mountain Gang. ¡°From whence arrives Death! Gallop away into the night! Death! It has arrived and comes our way!¡± Cai Xuefang stepped forward and silenced the wind. It died at a snap of his finger. The bubble popped. ¡°Death? What type of death comes when I stand here, spirit?¡± ¡°Ancient Death! Predecessor of our Primordial Eras! Ancient Death!¡± With that it folded into itself and disappeared into a fog of black and purple. Cai Xuefang struggled to keep a snarl of rage from his face. How dare a mere Pinnacle Immortal speak such in his presence? He struggled not to destroy the entire forest and the damn Silver Mountain Gang in its entirety. Damned be the consequences. ¡°Father, w-what happened¨C¡± Zexian froze at the anger filled expression of Cai Xuefang. Yang Zexian¡¯s shoulders seemed to sag as though he wanted to make himself as small as possible. It was never a good day when such a power monster went on a wrathful burst of violence. ¡°Pack your things.¡± Cai Xuefang snarled, voice barely intelligible. ¡°Let us go see this Death.¡± He spun on his heels and stalked towards his Pavillion. His servants had already begun to pack everything up. But, even under the rage and burst of ego, Cai Xuefang was no idiot. He wouldn¡¯t be an Elder of the Dark Gate Palace if he was. Chapter 21 - Sugary Treats Galore ¡°Xinyi, I can¡¯t see anything.¡± Hu Shui complained. Her voice sounded far off, but she was right next to Xinyi¡¯s figure. ¡°Stay close. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Hu Shui laughed. ¡°I have a weapon now! I don¡¯t need you!¡± Yin Hu could imagine Shui sticking her tongue out. But that was the problem in itself. He still struggled to make her or Xinyi out in the dark fog that covered the entire forest like a blanket. There was no way he could see for even a few steps ahead. It had been like that for the past two days. Whether it was pitch darkness, or during the peak of the sun. The fog made it impossible to navigate properly. The thought of having to move through so much of it¨CXinyi said the border of Bleak Forest was a month out¨Chad him thinking whether it was worth it to return or maybe hide out here until it passed. But, that was only a fleeting thought. Why would he wait for the unknown to arrive, when he could use this perfect cover to escape. Even then, they would need to figure out when they had made it into Bleak Forest. Were there signs? Maybe the terrain changed a bit? The trees are bigger? Smaller? What made Bleak Forest so dangerous? Xinyi had told him the difference was obvious. The amount of Qi and its intense purity was a tell tale sign. It was like walking into a waterfall if you were looking for it. But, that was the problem in itself. He had no clue how to feel for Qi. Or at least any since he had arrived. It was like it did not even exist. Or maybe it was so little, his senses struggled to make out the tiny particles barely floating. Yin Hu had no clue how to figure that out other than trial and error. That would have to wait until he had proper privacy. He planned to create himself a real base of operations where he could experiment and eventually learn what he could and could not do. ¡°Mo Mo.¡± Hu Shui¡¯s voice sounded further than before. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come out Mo Mo? All the spirits tell me....¡± Yin Hu couldn¡¯t help but smile. He had given Hu Shui the tiny hammer the day before. Hoping the spirit would be there to protect her in case he or Xinyi were caught in a situation they could not help. She had jumped in joy at the beginning, but after some time, Hu Shui had been begging him to replace the hammer. But, he had nothing that he felt comfortable equipping her with. There was no way he would allow that on his conscience. When asked, Hu Shui had called the spirit shy and unwilling to respond. He guessed shy and introverted was better than outgoing and homicidal. As long as it did its job properly. Yin Hu couldn¡¯t imagine a powerful spirit being cowardly. Shit. I¡¯m going off on a mental tangent. Focus. Yin Hu had used Xinyi like a compass. She had a natural talent to always find her way towards her destination. It made it much easier to navigate towards the correct direction, issue was alway if they encountered anything on the¨C Yin Hu stopped. He turned around and stared at the endless fog. Fuck. ¡°Xinyi?¡± He was so fucked. ¡°Xinyi?!¡± ¡°Shui!¡± Fuck this! No way am I losing my investment so quickly! He rushed towards where he supposed they should have been. But no matter how far he went or which direction he turned, it was simply too difficult to see or find anything. His calls never helped either. What the hell is up with all my plans going to shit? Is someone scheming against me? He couldn¡¯t even begin a plan without a million twists and turns. Why couldn¡¯t anything be simple and straightforward for once? Yin Hu didn¡¯t ask for much. Just to get away from issues and problem characters¨C This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Yin Hu stopped in his tracks. His body straightened and acted by itself. He leaned heavily onto his spear as he stared at the figure before him. The fog seemingly cleared into a narrow path between him and a man with salt and pepper hair. His beard was the same. Yin hu surveyed the man before him. Filthy rich looking clothes, as though they were lined with gold inscriptions instead of colored designs. A natural deposition of a distastefully thoughtful look that sent warning signals through his head. This was what he imagined a real cultivator to look like. A powerful cultivator. Hidden master or elder of a might sect. Yin Hu could feel depth to him. Unlike any person he had met so far. Not even Dong ZhenKang could match him with breadth. It was a grace and natural capability of great violence by simply standing there in the fog. The man surveyed the fog around them with a sedated and leisurely pace. He extended his hand and grabbed the fog like it was cotton. He played with it between his fingers and stared at it with a contemplative look. A professor studying a vial. Yin hu gulped. Was he the reason for the fog? This could have been nothing more than a display of unadulterated power. How quickly had he separated Xinyi, Shui, and himself? And then he suddenly appeared? Are they safe? ¡°This fog¡­¡± He began, voice pompous and arrogant. ¡°It perplexes me. It must be a domain, and yet, it feels wholly unlike one.¡± The man let the fog go and it returned to its natural place. Yin Hu couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally. The fact that the guy before him did not control the fog gave him a boost in confidence. If this possibly ancient monster had no clue what the hell was going on with the fog, then they were on the same boat. He fell back into his comfortable and practiced persona. He came to a final decision to bullshit his way through. If the other party thought he was weak, then he was dead anyways. Yin Hu held his hands together behind his back and looked to his left with a raised chin. He looked into the distance and channeled aloofness¨C ¡°If you go for my son-in-law, I will die to rip those girls apart.¡± the man growled. Yin Hu choked on his spit. Took a hidden breath and gulped trying to clear his throat. With a slow turn, he stared at the man. Then nodded. He knew if he moved any faster, his instincts would force him to run away as fast as he could. The man bowed his head slightly. ¡°Let the younger generations deal with their own issues, Senior.¡± Xinyi had the ¡®WorldBane - Thin Eviscerating Grass Blade¡¯. That was a weapon with a mighty spirit if he was right. Younger generations should be weak, right? He could trust the spirit to keep them safe¡­ Or he hoped so. Shui even had the toy hammer. Those two spirits should be more than strong enough with Shui around to communicate and call them out. As long as the battle was a fair one, which seemed to be the case with this old guy standing with him. The man walked towards him. With a wave of his hand a table and two chairs appeared. They looked expensive enough to fit in his dream situation. Plum cushions and rose colored wood with perfectly carved designs and swirls. But even that faded away in front of what appeared next. With a clear snap of the fingers, the man pulled out heaven from what could only be a spacial pocket. On the table rested many plates of sugary treats. Sweets galore. Powder covered delicacies, jam covered cookies, pies filled what could only be chocolate. The man extended his hands out in invitation. Yin Hu nearly ran towards the table. Completely forgetting the man existed. Only his continuous practice at all times with the Hu girls kept him from drooling over the sweets and cakes. Another snap of the fingers and plates, cups, forks, and a teapot clinked onto the table. The tea to wash it all down was just the cherry onto a perfect situation. Yin Hu¡¯s estimation of the man sky rocketed to the heavens. He took a seat on the chair, sinking in with delighted comfort. ¡°Ah,¡± the man said, bringing Yin Hu back into reality. ¡°A connoisseur of high class tea, I see. It warms my frozen heart to see a kindred soul.¡± With a flourish he brewed a pot of tea. Leaves and everything. Yin Hu wanted to curse him. The man was taking too long to brew some tea. That was the cherry, not the meal. Let him enjoy heaven before him! Why did he need to wait? Hurry up! Sugary treats wait for me! ¡°Done.¡± the man sighed in contentment. Then poured them both a cup with measured and slow pace. Yin hu wanted to jump and stuff his face already, but it was against his persona. He had to keep it at all times. Even when being seduced by what he could hardly ignore. The man waved at him to begin the meal. Yin Hu, trying to hide the ecstasy and uncontrollable emotions of finally having sugar, picked a fluffy powdered delight that looked like a donut. He could already imagine the chewy mouthful of jelly. Or would there be chocolate inside? When was the last time he¡­ ¡°This one is, Cai Xuefang. Elder of the mighty Dark Gate Palace.¡± Yin Hu froze and looked up to stare directly into the eyes of the old man. He was so fucked. Chapter 22 - Blue, Green, Forts, and Gates! ¡°This one is, Cai Xuefang. Elder of the mighty Dark Gate Palace.¡± Yin Hu froze and looked up to stare directly into the eyes of the old man. He was so fucked. ¡°Our Patriarch Zi Zhen is a mighty warrior that named our cult after the gates of Death. An apt name for the destruction he could cause.¡± The threat and hidden meaning behind it flew over his head. Cai Xuefang was afraid of him and brought up the mightiest figure he could name. Yin Hu nodded, zoning out his words. From the fire into the pot of sizzling fucking oil. How the hell do I keep getting into these situations. He decided to take a bite of the powdery treat to hide his nerves¨C Yin Hu closed his eyes. Unbeknownst to him, the world froze. The fog inched away. The sky darkened. A figure appeared behind him. Cai Xuefang lost all the blood from his face. He looked up. The eyes and mouth, galaxies filled with endless power stared back. The figure towered over them with a wrathful promise of eternal suffering. The world cried a mournful thing. The clouds sang an orchestra of doom. The end was nigh¡­ Yin Hu spat out to the side. He snarled for the first time and wouldn¡¯t even deign the table before him with a look. He grabbed the cup of tea and tried to wash out his mouth. He nearly puked. Fuck! He roared in his head and closed his eyes. The figure behind him roared to match him. Silent. It raised a might fist. Prepared a strike so powerful, more Qi and energy than Cai Xuefang had ever seen even in the greatest battles at the borders. He resigned himself to death. The fist began to drop like a meteor. There was no escaping when everything would no longer exist anyways. Yin Hu let out the lungful of air he was holding. Why is this happening?! Did someone curse me? Did I live a criminal life and this was all bad karma? Was this retribution for picking on the grandma that lived next to me?! Why, dear God? He took a calming deep breath. Channeled the eons of meditation and centered himself. He found stoic balance. Things have not changed. He would eventually find heavenly ingredients. They had to exist. The future was still there to look forward to. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Momentary suffering is only natural for easy living in the future. Am I in a torture simulation? But he eventually recognized a simple fact. The rice had fucked him more than he could have possibly imagined. It had ruined his taste buds. He recalled Xinyi called it Heavenly rice. He just needed to find heavenly cake, meat, chocolate, coffee, and every dish he could think of. He let out a defeated sigh. Behind him, the fist had frozen above them. So close, yet so far away. The figure bristled with unadulterated rage then disappeared. The world returned to its natural course. The fog rushed back into its original place. The sun began to shine. And the world acted like nothing had happened. Cai Xuefang pale face slackened, unable to move. He was the only witness to what could have been the end of the world as they knew it. There he was throwing around hidden threats and nearly caused the apocalypse. Yin Hu had calmed down, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t voice his opinion. This was the hill. Here he would die a thousand deaths to Gate palaces, forts, and fucking cities too. Blue, green, bright, dark, fuck them all. Don¡¯t fuck with his food. Or he would die fighting. He huffed. ¡°Terrible. Has the world fallen so low?¡± ¡°We have shamed ourselves, Ancient One.¡± Cai Xuefang lowered his head. ¡°Trash.¡± Cai Xuefang would not dare to raise his head. But, Yin Hu was happy with the outcome. He was afraid the man would be dead set on his ways. It was good to be able to learn and develop as a person. Especially when it came to the culinary world. What could have been nauseating one day, could turn into a culinary masterpiece in just a few short years. Yin Hu also attributed it to his Ancient Master persona. The eons of loneliness had allowed him a tonne of time to perfect it. It was so convincing, even this strong cultivator fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Cai Xuefang looked away suddenly with wide open eyes. It was clear he wanted to run somewhere urgent. ¡°It seems the spar between our younger generations has come to a conclusion. Pardon my departure.¡± Yin hu harrumphed. He overplayed his disappointment. Shit sweets and shittier tea. Let him suffer for a second. The man seemed ready to jump out of his seat at a moments notice. Without holding him any longer, he waved him away. Cai Xuefang disappeared in a gust of wind. He gulped. Then released a long breath. The guy literally blinked out of existence. At any moment the guy could have separated his shoulders from his head, but his persona had kept him alive. That only reinforced his decision to fake it till he made it. Yet, even that thought couldn¡¯t help his bubbling proud look. He stared down at the filth on the table. With overt aggressiveness¨Che had to let some frustrations out of his body¨Che grabbed the cloth under the food and pulled everything into the air. With a snap of his finger the plates, cups, utensils, and an empty teapot disappeared into his rice bag. With it went the luxurious tablecloth, it looked worth more than what the entire bandit town could afford. The filth he had called delights just moments ago splattered on the ground. He couldn¡¯t help but spit at them in spite. He then surveyed the prize of the night. The chairs and table. Guess he hadn¡¯t come out of the exchange empty handed after all. This was a perfect start to his dreams of luxury. He could already imagine the perfect scene. Maybe a lounging chair version of this. With a nod, he turned and started running in the general direction of where Cai Xuefang had hinted the fight had occurred. With the way the man reacted, it seemed like Xinyi faced a small punk she slapped around. Young masters were notoriously blind to their weaknesses after all. Chapter 23 - Xinyis Friendly Spar? Xinyi struggled to breathe. They came out in short bursts that never satisfied her lungs or body. The world was getting blurry and had already begun to spin. She couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. Not so soon, not when everything could have been okay. ¡°Shui!¡± She screamed in desperation. ¡°Shui! Stop playing. Come here!¡± Hot tears felt like they were melting her skin. Xinyi held tight to her wooden sword, the actual blade was strapped to her back. She ran to find her little one. Her charge, the person whom she had made her purpose in life. If Hu Shui died, then Xinyi had nothing left worth living for. Her ancestor was here, but one day soon, he would leave like all the stories said. And then she would be alone again. The fog made it near impossible to see, worse yet, it blinded her spiritual senses as well. For all intents and purposes she was blind. Xinyi started running in a direction. Slashing at the fog with Qi empowered strikes, hoping it would do something anything. But they were like sponges. Everything she threw at them was absorbed and disappeared in moments. It was pointless. Everything was pointless. The edges of her vision began to darken. Her breathes came out faster and faster¨C She heard a loud laugh. Filled with mockery. It snapped her out of it. For the first time since Shui and her Ancestor disappeared, she took a deep breath. It was only the possible danger around her that came down like a cold bucket of water. Xinyi used her wooden blade as a crutch and turned to look in the direction of the voice. The fog seemed to come alive. It dispersed into a wide circle showing the terrain. She could see the trees far away in a large circle and the empty ground and brush. But what caught her attention the most was the young man standing alone. Black fog that felt foreign when compared to the surrounding natural ones around her. They originated from the man, and it was filled with what Xinyi sensed as maleficence. A whip dangled loosely from his palm, like it was about to drop. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man smiled, it was wide and made the hair on her neck stand up. This was no kind thing, it was deranged and filled with evil. Like the black fog that surrounded him. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, little deer. Go back to your suffering, it was quite¡­¡± He licked his lips. ¡°...appetizing.¡± It came out in a whisper, but the wind carried it into her ears. There were too many warning signals. Xinyi gulped and closed her eyes. She caught the flow of her Qi and stabilized it, bringing equilibrium to her body. She got into a fighting stance with a long exhaled breath. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. She had over-reacted. She must have. Hu Shui was probably with their Ancestor. How could a being that powerful be hindered by a little fog? The thought of how stupid she had acted made her laugh. Her ancestor made Dong fucking ZhenKang look like a pup. And here she was worrying that Hu Shui was in danger at all. They might be just outside of their senses currently watching over her and waiting for her to overcome this obstacle. This Ancestor, ever since he had appeared, had been beyond her wildest dreams. How could a man with many world shaking pills, potions, manuals, weapons, techniques, and the power to merely stare an Immortal Rank cultivator into an early grave be unreliable. She just hoped he did not look down at her for the thoughts and actions just moments ago. It''s how you end that counts, whether you overcome your challenges and encounters. Nothing else. Xinyi would be damned before she failed him. She heard the wind whisper into her ear. But ignored it instead. She knew where it came from, and could not bring herself to wield it. How long had she relied on no one, it was ingrained into her body. That wasn¡¯t mentioning her Ancestor had said not to barr the blade''s edge unless it was life and death. For all she knew, this might not even be a situation worth a confrontation. Maybe the eccentric man would just walk¨C She swung her blade to the left, years of drill work and sharpening her perception leading her body before she had time to think. The clank of blades clashing and a howling scream followed. It sounded otherworldly and like a ghost. Xinyi jumped back. And surveyed her surroundings. A figure, made of all black shadows. Without a head. Its purple eyes and mouth shone bright then faded back into the shadows it had come from. The man tisked. ¡°Worms should know when to die.¡± He waited for a moment but sighed with faux exaggeration. It looked fake. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you responding? Where is your panic? I demand to taste your despair once again! Respond!¡± Xinyi grinned. Gathered energy from her gaseous core throughout her meridians. A movement technique flashed through her body, blade glowed a bright green. ¡°I have nothing to tell a dead man walking.¡± She lunged before finishing the words. Xinyi relished the widening eyes of her foe. Her body felt lighter than her best days. A mere couple of days with her ancestor and he had already boosted her physical strength, muscles, and ligaments beyond anything she would have believed possible. If he was right, that was just the smallest change yet. Xinyi struck like a viper. Her wooden sword carved the air. It took moments before she was in front of him, swinging with all her body could offer to decapitate the loquacious fool¨C Her sword struck metal. A shower of sparks covered them as she was thrown away without understanding what had happened. Tuck and roll. Xinyi popped up in a bounce, grace personified. Even when thrown away she found balance¨C ¡°What the hell?¡± She whispered to herself. She could feel her muscles slacken. The man grabbed his neck, a slight nick with blood seeping from it. He shook in anger, but she could not see him. Her eyes could not be torn away from what appeared before her. Countless black shadowy figures with their tell-tale purple eyes emerged from the black fog around the man. They crawled out, jumped from the trees, walked in mid air. This was impossible. ¡°Fucking bitch. You won¡¯t die until you¡¯ve suffered a thousand cuts. Let agony be your lesson insect! No one dares strike at Yang Zexian! I am the son-in-law of a Dark Gate Palace Elder! I am the future! Your soon to be master of these pitiful lands! You¡¯re nothing. I am everything.¡± Xinyi felt her heart drop. They were here. They came and found her. The ones that killed her family. The evil cultivators had finally found them after so many years. Chapter 24 - Safety Nets and Guards Hu Shui swung her legs from the cushy seat under her. It was made of pure darkness and shadows, but she could never claim it was not comfortable. It was like her Ancestor usually said under his breath, sitting on clouds. She wasn¡¯t sure what buxom meant, or what it had to do with women, but that must be another thing only ancients understood. Just like how this hunched spirit of shadows knew that even though his chair looked quite menacing, it was still far better than any seat she had ever rested on. Hu Shui could fall asleep in moments if not for the constant chattering before her. Or the black obsidian tiara the mass of spirits made her wear. It was quite cold and had sharp edges that dug into her head. But it looked pretty. And that was all that mattered. ¡°...Ancient one is here to destroy us! We must strike before he decides to end this world as we know it. All the great spirits must be unsealed, all monsters of every era that was preserved must be released to the world. We cannot¨C¡± All the spirits around her looked powerful. Whether it was their size, or simply the aura that billowed from their bodies. She couldn¡¯t believe they¡¯ve hidden for so long in this forest without anyone recognizing them, or the very least learning of their existence. Some looked like normal people, others looked like foreigners, some beasts, and then there were a few with a human body but the head and limbs of a beast. They were rare and seemed to hover around her like guards. If any spirit attempted to reach her, they would stop them in their tracks. They could only speak to her from a distance. A large tiger beast slammed its paw onto the makeshift table of darkness. Its eyes roved across the twelve that were seated with it. They were the strongest spirits in the area. All of them were so powerful, she had no ability to get a read on their realm. At the very least, they were in the Immortal realm if not the heavenly realm. ¡°You reek of fear, Human.¡± The Tiger Rumbled. ¡°Then what would you have us do?¡± the foreigner looking human squealed. ¡°Sit and wait until that being decides to kill us all? The only chance we have is¨C¡± The hunched figure of shadows raised a hand, its eyes glowed a brighter purple then before. All the chattering spirits around the seated twelve quieted down. Hu Shui could tell the amount of respect everyone had for this spirit. ¡°Speak, Old one. Do you know more about this being? And¡­ this girl you¡¯ve crowned before us without warning?¡± The Tiger said, leaning its massive head down. ¡°She reeks of naivety.¡± A monkey wielding a staff guffawed. ¡°I could tear her arms from her shoulders before she ever noticed¡­¡± Hu Shui gulped. The hunched figure cracked a smile, bright white teeth appeared on its shadowed face. Nothing but its eyes and smile could be seen. It waited until all side discussion and speaking ended. Everyone wanted to hear what it had to say. It took a deep haggard breath. ¡°This girl¡­¡± It let out a breath, struggling to speak. ¡°Is our¡­¡± Another long inhalation, filling its lungs. Hu Shui couldn¡¯t help but think it did it on purpose to keep everyone on edge. What was she supposed to be to them all? This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°...She¡­¡± The Tiger growled. ¡°...is¡­¡± The human figures shook their heads. Animal spirits began to hoot and howl. Her guards pulled out their weapons. She had no clue who they were, but they surrounded her the moment she was led here by the hunched shadow person. ¡°...our protective talisman against the Ancient Predecessor!¡± It roared, deafening even the loudest screeches and hollers. ¡°The queen that would protect us from any fallout if that ancient being ever decided to end this realm. His distant progeny.¡± Hu Shui gulped again. Every single spirit. All thousands of them, silent and utterly focused, stared at her. None of them dared to make a single sound. Some would not attempt to breathe, lest it was too loud and it attracted her attention. The monkey laughed nervously. ¡°I-I was just kidding, Great Spirit Queen. This dog tongue of mine should be ripped off.¡± He mimed pulling his tongue out of his mouth and chopping it off. The foreign spirit suddenly got up and attempted to escape. A surge of every single spirit converged on him, drowning him in sheer numbers and weight. There was nothing he could do but struggle in vain. He was dragged forward by her guards, the human animal combination, and held down in a kneeling position. A massive sword held on the back of his neck and mouth gagged so he could not utter a single word. Hu Shui could not help but stare at how downtrodden his form looked. Robes torn and covered with cuts and savage bruises. Her guards kneeled. ¡°Order us, Mistress. Say a single word and he would no longer call this plane home. Let him suffer in the endless freezing void as a wandering spirit.¡± ¡°Y-you want to kill him?¡± She asked, confused. Why would they do that? ¡°It is what he deserves for insulting and attempting treason against your righteous ancestor.¡± Hu Shui looked at all the spirits, they seemed to agree with the sentiment. But¡­ ¡°A life is too valuable to be deemed forfeit because of wayward speech. Let him rise and seek recompense.¡± Her fathers words. The Patriarch of the Hu Family had taught her and held court with Hu Shui on his lap. He had explained what that meant. She looked away, imitating her ancestor. Stared at the fog that rose even over the tallest trees. ¡°Life is important. Words should not be the reason someone dies. Not when we are blessed with the ability to ask for forgiveness.¡± Dong ZhenKang had begged for it not too long ago, and he had been granted pardon. His subordinate¡¯s crime had been far more egregious in her eyes when they snapped the branch of her Family¡¯s greatest treasure. If her ancestor could forgive a man for that, who would she be if she could not forgive for petty words. Then again, it was quite fun to lord over people. She giggled to herself, doing her best to keep a stoic and aloof face. She would need a lot of practice to get as skilled as her ancestor. The foreign spirit¡¯s tensed body sagged. The guards threw him away, not allowing him to get a word in. ¡°Your mercy knows no bounds.¡± The monkey shouted. All the spirits had begun to creep towards it, only after hearing her words did they give it space to sigh. The hunched figure stood. Hu Shui could hear the creaking of its limbs from her seat. She wanted to help him stand¨C A guard disappeared from its spot. Grabbed the shadowy figure''s arm, and helped him rise. Like it could read her mind. ¡°You are merciful and kind.¡± the hunched figure. ¡°I would¡­ continue to praise your endless glory, but we stand here, gathered and worried about our existence. We seek to understand and learn of your ancient ancestor¡¯s plan for this world. His motives so we can align ourselves. Or if your great spirit treasure would deem us worthy of its words.¡± Hu Shui knew it spoke of her shy spirit friend. The toy hammer her ancestor had given her was clearly as powerful as Xinyi¡¯s but, it would never respond or come out to play with her. She had tried to convince her ancestor to replace it, but to no avail. Eventually, she just gave up trying and resigned herself to breaking it out of shy ways and out to have some fun with her. Hu Shui even named it Mo Mo. Maybe after getting a name it would be willing to come out sooner? ¡°My Ancestor doesn''t want much.¡± Hu Shui started, patting her toy hammer. She could feel Mo Mo¡¯s disdain for everyone gathered. ¡°Two things really.¡± Every spirit including the twelve on the round table moved in closer. Even her guards turned sideways to get a better angle at hearing her next words. The fate of the very existence of nearly every single being alive relied on her next words. Whether they would be able to fulfill what could only be gargantuan requests would decide if they could exist on this plane any longer. Hu Shui understood what was happening. Her ancestor was so strong, not a single being here wanted to be on his bad side. It was a good thing for her and Xinyi too since he was going to take care of them. It was important to relay his exact words. ¡°To live in luxury around buxom women!¡± Chapter 25 - Insecurities and Struggles Yang Zexian¡¯s words echoed in the clearing. The shadow figures surged forward in an endless tide of darkness. Bright purple intermixed shining from their hatred filled eyes. They sought to destroy her, bring her great misery and pain. Xinyi jumped back. Her jaw tight and Qi bubbling to be used. It begged her to be brought out in her defense, like it had a life of its own. But she was a soldier. Not a warrior. A knight with a fucking brain. And more importantly, her Ancestor watched over her. There was nothing to fear, nothing could shake her foundation. She could not feel the prickling sensation of anxiety. Hu Xinyi could fight to her hearts content and knew that she would be alright in the end. Even against a foe so much stronger. Xinyi also wanted to impress him. To make all the resources he had already used to be worth it. She didn¡¯t wait a moment until a plan clicked into her mind. Her strengths and weaknesses were glaring to her after years of fighting and fending for both her and Shui. Xinyi¡¯s greatest asset was her speed, agility, and grace on the battlefield. She would use it to her advantage against the lumbering shadows that had no thought. The shadows lunged at her. Just a mass of anger clawing with swords and spears. Her movement technique sang aloud as she dodged and danced through the maelstrom of blades, teeth, claws, and Qi. The world seemed to slow as she reached a state of perfection. A feeling of everything flowing seamlessly. Every parry, somersault, twirl, and roll was timed before she could think. Xinyi moved like a floating leaf against heavy laborious strikes. A butterfly. All to reach the moment she had built up too. Xinyi had led them on a chase and had out flanked them. She burst out of the trees, the fog somehow always clearing before her and the shadows, and into the clearing they had been moments ago. Right above Yang Zexian. She fell with precision. Eyes wide to counter anything thrown her way. Xinyi¡¯s smile was wide. The joy of the hunt, the battle drove her forward. The way Zexian turned late to her presence only caused her heart to soar. He moved in slow motion. Turning as she burned through Qi to speed up tearing through the air around them. She powered her wooden blade. Prepared a short distance blast of Sword Qi. It was the most she could accomplish with a gaseous core, but it was more than any she had ever met at her stage. Xinyi swung her blade a few feet early. It cut through the air and missing Zexian, but that was the plan. He had dodged the trajectory of her blade. And she had used it to summon that Sword Qi. Launched a second after. She caught him. The shadows did nothing to help him. The overwhelming advantage turned into a crutch. Xinyi started to laugh as the Qi reached him, just a bit too high on his face, but it should tear right through. Killing¨C The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The Qi struck. Zexian was thrown backwards. Xinyi stopped in her tracks and stared. The large gash on his face leaked blood. But he got up. Slowly he rose. Power pulsing through his body. More than she could have imagined. Enough to match the Bandit Lord. An Immortal Realm cultivator. His left eye burned in hatred, the right covered in blood. She had barely missed it. The tide of shadows reached her. Crashing into her form. She was thrown a great distance away, her body only stopping because she crashed into a massive tree trunk. Xinyi grunted. The wind knocked out of her. Her back arched at the pain. Eyes wet from tears. ¡°Bitch.¡± Zexian growled. ¡°You¡¯ll never die. Let your soul suffer.¡± His voice was distorted. Like an otherworldly beast had taken over his physical shell. Xinyi forced herself to stand. She looked up to see Zexian covered in black miasma. Only his eyes could be seen. She spat out a tooth not worried about it. It would grow back with enough healing and Qi Circulation. It was her life that could not be salvaged if she didn¡¯t find a way to escape or¡­ The wind whispered into her ear. She could almost hear its distinctly feminine words with clarity. But not enough. She knew what it wanted, but Xinyi could not bring herself to grab the blade and actually use it. Her ancestor had made it clear this was a last option, and she was not out of them yet. Zexian threw a spear of darkness, his figure growing larger. She lunged. Dancing past what could have been an endless stream of darkness surging from Zexian. Xinyi tried to circle around again, but found no opportunity. Zexian was wiser after nearly losing half his face. She tried to sneak past a few strikes, but a wall of sharp shadows would surge any time she got too close. She kept going, the moment she stopped, he would catch her. But she was getting desperate. This was the difference between a Gaseous cultivator and a Liquid cultivator. The sheer weight and amount of Qi available to them outclassed the former. It wasn¡¯t even close. She knew quite well that if not for her Ancestor¡¯s boost physically, she would have already died. ¡°Wield me, Fucking Tramp!¡± Xinyi tripped. Crashed into the brush. The wind had screeched into her ears, startling her. She tried to jump up and out of the way of the shadows but was too late. It caught her leg. Threw her across the forest and chased after her freefalling form. It surged over her, pummeling her. She did her best to fight with her wooden sword. Every three cuts she blocked, one would make it through. They were adding up quickly. Xinyi could not tell how long she struggled. Or when she started screaming for her Ancestor¡¯s help. Or when she gave up asking for his presence. She was covered in blood, a thousand cuts indeed. Her core had gone dry long ago. Every ounce of her Qi had been burned, threatening to crush her very foundation. Her haggard breath and shaking body only accentuated the situation. Zexian stared from a distance. He looked tired, but nowhere near how exhausted she was. His face, covered in dried blood as the wound had already stopped bleeding, had a grin as wide as the laceration. He sauntered towards her in a sedated pace. A whip in hand, cracking every few steps on the ground. ¡°Use my power. This world will cry at your finger tips. Never would an insect as weak as this dare to stand before my leviathan aura. Wield my power¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know how!¡± Xinyi screamed. Announcement! Good afternoon! Quick update! Thanksgiving! Last week has been wild and too busy for anything. Hopefully everything will return to normal schedule. Chapters will be released on normal schedule starting Thursday! I know itll be a while till then, but I need to get caught up and back into practice before committing any words to paper. Dont want to mess this fickle story up as it is. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. In return, ill be answering questions posted here (in the comment section) tomorrow as a post! Wont be every single question or Ill have be a dissertation and thesis on my hands real quick! Questions Answered Good evening. As promised, I answered the questions I got. It wasnt as many as I had expected, so I answered them all. If any two questions asked the same thing, i answered the first one only. https://ko-fi.com/wdcrew Support your Author! How many chapters will be there until mc learns that he will be able to fight? Any noteworthy inspirations for your story? Can explain the level of power and weapons? Hi, who are you and what do you do? Will he ever gain more access to the system, or will it be useless forever? Is there going to be any romance with the mc going forward? Are we ever going to know the reason why the MC was not released on time from his tutorial? Who is the being responsible for the tutorial? If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. How was your thanksgiving? Why is the mc so dumb? Do you have any story recommendations? These are the ones that pop into my head first Also will the MC be able to cast magic? Why can¡¯t the Mc see the weapon spirits or talk w them? And did he really say buxom? Will there be other world ending op characters? Can you please clarify what just happened in the Dark Forests elder got duped and also why people still believed he is powerful when he still ran; a clarification on opposing forces too would be nice, sorry! Is his current strength primarily based on body cultivation, because it appears he has no proper qi cultivation? Or has he passively cultivated a higher energy type? Like laws etc or would this spoil the plot by knowing. Anyways enjoyed the story alot so far~ BIG EDIT!!!! I FORGOT!!! AUDIO - I will be making audio available 12/07/22 on Ko-fi for 4.50$ It cost me an arm and leg to get it (Used the money blessed to me by those willing to support me! Shout out to all of you!) It will be made available on Patreon on 12/11/22 Chapter 26 - Destined Fate ¡°Use my power. This world will cry at your finger tips. Never would an insect as weak as this dare to stand before my leviathan aura. Wield my power¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know how!¡± Xinyi screamed. Zexian stopped. ¡°What?¡± Xinyi¡¯s shaking hands formed fists. The wooden sword fell, too heavy for her limbs. ¡°Are you satisfied spirit?! Do you relish my ineptitude? I am not worthy of you¨C¡± ¡°What is up with people speaking to invisible things around me? Does it come with my spirit treasure?¡± Zexian said to himself. ¡°¨CI am not worthy of the Ancestor¡¯s trust and the mountain of resources he¡¯s already used on me.¡± She felt hot tears stream down her face. There it was. Her fear, her worry ever since their ancestor appeared. Would he dispose of her? What was her role? Why was she still here? Hu Shui no longer needed her. Xinyi¡¯s pathetic strength wasn¡¯t enough to protect herself. All they ever did was hide and become poor beggard vagrants. A far cry from the illustrious Hu Family they had been part of. But she was too weak to carry that name! And now that Yin Hu had come. The world would kowtow like her struggles and suffering had been nothing. No one would know. No one would fucking care. ¡°I am worthless now.¡± Xinyi closed her eyes and started to fall. The wind surged. Zexian stepped back for the first time. His eyes flitted across the forest. The wind held Xinyi before she fell. Merely inches away from the cold ground. Xinyi looked around in confusion. It pulled her up forcing her to stand. The blade disappeared from her back. Reappearing in front of her still wrapped in the green cloth of her Ancestor. The wind began to pick up, a storm brewing into something massive. They screamed and howled, the trees shaking and threatening to break. ¡°Let me lead you. Guide you. Become one with my Blade.¡± Zexian heard. He called upon his core. A mountain of shadows greater than anything he had called before rose from the ground. He burned all his reserve Qi, noticing something was wrong. He lunged forward whips cracking in the air trying to stop what he instinctively knew dangerous to him. Xinyi looked up. Behind the blade stood a noble lady filled with valor and glory with a hand held out to her. She reached out. Fingertips touching the blades pummel. Xinyi gasped as the spirit converged into her. Body moving on its own. Her aching back straightened. Chin rose to the heavens. A disdainful frown graced her face. She stood sideways, the movements being etched into her mind. Sword held loosely in her palm, pointing downward. The movement of Qi. So much Qi. A surging tide as great as the largest oceans. Enough to cover the world, but weakened due to Xinyi¡¯s realm. The thought of what this could be at full power truly showed Xinyi the height of heavens. Was her ancestor that power? Didn¡¯t this spirit call him master without question? How strong does someone have to be for something this indomitable to bow their head willingly? Stolen novel; please report. The Qi surged through her meridians, widening them, and creating channels she never knew existed. All into the tip of her finger and into the pummel. Then along the edge of her blade and not the entire thing. Zexian was in mid air, eyes widening as he noticed the power gathered so suddenly. The shift in her posture. The arrogance in her eyes only those at the very peak of the cultivation world dare to embrace. Her body moved. It swung, like the blade was attempting to wave away a fly. The world turned green. Xinyi¡¯s Mortal Realm eyes were blinded. Body screaming to run at the sheer terror her mind felt. She worried there would be no forest past where she stood. Would she inherit the endless evil Karma? Would she be punished for destroying the countless¨C An explosion occurred. She was blown away like a rag. All she could hear was the whooshing of flames and the shaking of the earth beneath her. Long moments of terror she would suddenly fall into a crack a thousand meters deep. Xinyi huddled into a fetal position, covering her head. Hoping the majority of it would pass her by. But no matter how hard she tried, her body stood again. The arrogance and confidence of the spirit forced into her mind. Etched into her very soul. The same posture before the attack. ¡°Even at the very end. When the world itself conspires against you. When death reaches your doors! Never bow! Never kneel! Face it like the knight you so claim to be. Stare into the eyes of your foe and let them know you fear them not, progeny of my master. Dare not shame him, or I will search for your soul until the end of time. I am not as kind as these ¡®evil cultivators¡¯ you are so terrified of.¡± Xinyi shook. But never wavered in her form. Her eyes ached trying to squint past the dust and fog. She took a haggard breath and resolved herself. The spirit was right. How dare she shame her ancestors. Her mother. Her father. Everyone that had sacrificed themselves so she could be here today. How close was she to making everything they had done be worth nothing. How would she look them in the eyes when they finally met in the world after this? With a clap the fog dispersed. Her torn robes struggled to keep her modesty, but a hidden wind made sure to keep her in the best condition given the situation. An older man stood before a pale Zexian. His salt and pepper beard and hair was perfectly combed. He stood with his hands pressed behind him acting nonchalant, but even Xinyi with her limited vision could see the strain in his forehead. It took a great amount to have stopped the attack. ¡°A dragon only breeds dragons,¡± said the old man. ¡°F-father! She tried to kill me! Get her!¡± Zexian pointed at her from his sprawled form. Xinyi gulped, but couldn¡¯t sag her shoulders or body even if she wanted to. Her chin only rose more. She had to look down to see them. The Dark Gate Palace elder looked down at Zexian with a frown. ¡°Am I your dog to command?¡± His voice was dangerous. ¡°I-I¡­ Never, father. I..¡± ¡°Enough.¡± The elder waved him away. Turned to her. ¡°Your Ancestor has taught you well. Even before me, you do not cower. I could expect nothing less from such a being.¡± ¡°Father? Y-you know them?¡± Zexian asked. He had stood up and hid behind the massive frame of the elder. ¡°Ah yes. A Hu Daughter.¡± Zexian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Those Hu¡¯s? The ones my father and almost every evil sect gathered to destroy and nearly lost? The ones we fought for nearly sixty years?¡± What? That was news to Xinyi. Hadn¡¯t the entire fight lasted days? It passed so quickly? Had her Hu family been fighting for so long? Why hadn¡¯t she noticed? ¡°W-we can¡¯t let them leave, Father-in-law. The Major Clans would only gain another pillar. We must destroy them.¡± Zexian held tightly to his whip and stepped forward. His elder grabbed his shoulder. Zexian looked back in confusion. ¡°Son. Sometimes fate is beyond the scope of our limited sights.¡± The elder took a few steps away and looked to the sky. ¡°We conspire and plot, and the heavens conspire and plot. But they are the greatest of plotters. We are but children playing an adult¡¯s game. It is beyond our ability.¡± He laughed, a reminiscent smile on his face. ¡°How long has it been since I¡¯ve burned to grow stronger? I don¡¯t even remember. Let us hurry, I must return to cultivate and grow more powerful.¡± ¡°Fath-¡± They disappeared in a gust of wind. What the hell just happened? Chapter 27 - Cats and Fish Yin Hu had been running at a leisurely pace. From the way Cai Xuefang acted, Xinyi had pretty much dominated his pupil, son, or was it a sect member? Regardless, there was no reason for him to rush. He marveled at the fog and surroundings instead. He copied Cai Xuefang and attempted to grab the fog. And he actually felt it in his hands. Like a pillow made of cotton candy. Just impossible to tear. It did as he wanted it, so much so, he started making forms with it like a pro balloon shaper. His creations were hideous though. While it was fun, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to get embarrassed if he showed the girls his horrific fog animals. His persona was the lifeline he held onto dearly. The moment it broke, was when everything would come down crashing. Whether he had the ability to hold up the sky when it teetered, he had no clue. And risking it was down right madness. Until he could build himself that base with a private room to fully test his abilities and strengths, he would keep working on his physical strength and the aura he carried. Everything else, he wasn¡¯t quite sure how to approach. He would need to fail and reattempt multiple times. That could lead to many difficult questions and worries he was not prepared to answer. He could rely heavily on the perception of people around him to create favorable situations in what would normally be his disadvantage. Yin Hu paused. He could hear a giggle in the distance. A seductive voice. He gulped. Lower mind reacted and ached. The feminine giggle only grew louder as he moved closer in an almost trance. Every step disappeared after the other. Faster than he thought possible. He stopped in his tracks. Took a deep breath and held it. He was close to the voice. He had to reach deep into his endless years of meditation to control himself. If it was a lady¡­ What was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to walk? He tried to take a few steps, but seemingly forgot how to walk properly. Fuck! When was the last time I went out with a girl? Or even talked to one? What if she screamed? Or threw stuff at him and ran away? Would that crush his self-esteem with women? If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Or worse¡­ What if she thought he was a lecherous old man?! How was he supposed to live with buxom women?! He let out the breath he was holding. Fuck it. Yin Hu stepped forward prepared for all consequences. His aura ready and bubbling on the ready. The fog seemed to shake and shiver around him, but he could have been imagining it. He could feel an endless amount of anxiety rushing through his veins. He needed to urinate. But he held it in. Subconsciously taking on the persona of the Ancient Ancestor. Hands held behind him. His steps were slow and measured. Aura at skin level. It would be blasted out in countless waves. Hopefully slowing down whatever was on the other side if it was an enemy for enough time for him to escape. His boosted physical capabilities should allow him the speed and dexterity to dodge something weighed down. The fog seemed to cling to him like a robe. But it didn¡¯t inhibit his movements at all. He broke past and into a clearing, eye open wide¡­ Hu Shui and a buxom woman sat in front of each other. Hu Shui was faced towards him, but al he could see of the lady was her back¡­ And what a backside it was, even seated. Yin Hu gulped. Tore his eyes away from the perfect, rounded¨C He took a quick and forceful breath and let it out as fast. Allowing his body to deflate slightly. His raging lower head was, thank the heavens above, covered entirely by his miraculous robes. Yin Hu had an urgent desire to readjust them, but held on tight to his persona. Hu Shui was here. With a tiara? Where would she get such an expensive looking piece of jewelry with what appeared to be diamonds and tiny gems on them? Yin Hu mentally shook his head. Forcing himself to focus on the situation at hand. Hu Shui was with a random stranger. Sitting down in the middle of nowhere. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself. Shui noticed him. Her eyes going comically wide. ¡°We aren''t done yet!¡± She jumped to her feet a¡­ is that a crayon in her hand? Or was it a¨C Hu Shui tried to hide the figure''s face with her body with a full on hug. ¡°The makeup isn''t done yet, Ancestor!¡± ¡°Makeup?¡± he questioned. Now he was curious more than horny. Why was she¡­? Yin Hu stepped forward, he tried to swipe the fog away, but it didn¡¯t want to go away. It was like it was glued to his skin, right above his aura. Hu Shui started looking around in panic. Even the figure under her started shivering. ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked no one in particular. That sold it. She was definitely speaking to spirits or ghosts. He needed to have a sit down with her as soon as possible. How many times had he heard of some evil ghost kidnapping kids to eat them? How many horror movies did he need to watch to know better? Even if there were good spirits and ghosts, he had no past experience or interactions to base a decision off of. Hu Shui let go of the figure with haste¨Cthe makeup she had applied all smudged on her cape¨Cand ran to his side, hugging him. ¡°I¡¯m fine! They¡¯re scared! They said your aura!¡± She looked back and ¡®aw¡¯ed. Pouting next to him. They all ran away. ¡°Shui.¡± He started. Yin Hu had to scold her, even if she gave him puppy dog eyes. Her safety came first. ¡°Where is Xinyi?¡± ¡°They ran away! They all wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°What?¡± He looked up and nearly jumped out of his shoes. The lady with the marvelous bottom disappeared. Where she had been merely moments ago was nothing but a mound of dirt. Did I just get catfished? Announcement Hello, As many have noticed, i was forced to be on hiatus for an extended time due to a multitude of factors. From personal illness, work, school, and people close to me falling ill as well. It had forced my hand to stop writing for an extended period of time. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Thankfully, hardship and ease comes hand in hand. One follows the other. I am doing much better now and should return to a slow paced chapter posting until I can figure out where I had this story going (Lost all my previous notes :''D). Maybe 1 chapter weekly at about 3-5k words. see how it goes from there. I will take 2 weeks to reup my backlog and build for the future incase something occurs again ill have enough to delay the hiatus so to speak. Until then, thank you for sticking around. Chapter 28 - Glass and Nukes Hu Shui walked behind him. He had given her a long tongue lashing while keeping his persona. She had attempted to argue back but a frown and stare did its job. There was no arguing with her safety. He would not hear a single thing. There will be no Baba Yaga shit going around them. Not at all. He would not allow anything of that nature to occur regardless of the situation. And in order for that to happen, they needed to follow a prevention system. Not look for a solution after you¡¯ve contracted the disease. No walking alone in the forests. ¡°B-But what about the weapons! Mo Mo is strong! He¡¯ll protect me.¡± She had complained. Stumping him for a moment. If the toy hammer was as strong as he felt it was, then there was little to worry about. But he couldn¡¯t allow himself to get out worked by a frickin child! ¡°Have you talked to him?¡± She froze. ¡°N-no.¡± ¡°Seen him?¡± Shui deflated visibly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°There you have it. That¡¯s the end of the conversation.¡± He said with finality. They were getting close, he felt, to where Xinyi should be. ¡°W-what about the half-beast¨C¡± She pointed behind her. Yin Hu cut her off. It was time to bring his foot down. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Little kids did things even to their own detriment if they could get a moment of fun. It was the job of adults who could think and see the dangers to keep them safe. A child with a gun never thinks of the consequences of pointing it around, finger on the trigger. That led to her head hanging low for the past few minutes of their walk. Until they eventually made it to a war torn section of the forest. Yin Hu stared at what could have been aptly described as the epicenter of a category Three Hurricane. He couldn¡¯t help but gape and the devastated terrain. Broken trees were strewn about the entire area. Large gashes and smoking areas covered the ground. None more than a literal ravine in the very middle of it all. What the fuck could cause something that deep into the ground? That has to be at least four fucking meters down! The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Ancestor.¡± Xinyi gasped out loud with a satisfied smile on her face. It was only then did he notice her. Yin Hu frowned. Something in his chest ached and stomach churned. She looked beaten. Her cloak was on the ground, robe torn up in a million spots, but it was the blood that made him freeze. She was soaked in it. How she even stood there was a miracle. Yin Hu could expect her to keel over at any second. But it never happened. She just jogged towards him, high lunging across the two meter wide ravine. Hu Shui jumped into her embrace, hiding her upset face in Xinyi''s cut up robe. Yin Hu walked towards the cape. It was still in pristine condition, even the muck and mud had been washed off through the special ability of all his clothing. His hands shook. Xinyi arrived before him, her sword held in her hand. When she got closer, he had to look away. He could see the cuts from this distance. The endless number that littered the bare skin on her body, face and neck untouched. Didn¡¯t Cai Xuefang make it out as a friendly spar? Wasn¡¯t it just some punk Young Master Xinyi was supposed to beat on a little? Why the fuck was she so hurt?! Why was she bleeding so much?! He surveyed the surroundings, looking past the destruction. Splats of blood covered the ground. If he had to guess, it was her blood. Xinyi bowed. He was forced to face her. ¡°Thank you, Ancestor. I have learned in a mere moment more than a lifetime. It has been your grace that allowed it.¡± The conviction behind those words hurt Yin Hu. She believed them wholeheartedly. He placed a hand on her head. Patting her. She looked up with a giant smile. ¡°The sword you have gifted me teaches me now. I met its spirit and built an unbreakable bond. I worried I would never be able to connect with it. But its loyalty to you outweighs everything else. With just a swing of my sword¨C¡± She began to regal him of how she won the battle. Long flowered words that were probably overexaggerated the situation with shadow dragons and giants as tall as mountains. But he listened with a maelstrom in his mind. He stared down the ravine she had created where Cai Xuefang had apparently blocked her unblockable attack. She even promised him that it would only get stronger if she was able to solidify her core and eventually move into the Immortal realms. Two things could not escape his mind. No matter how hard he tried. The first and most important was a simple thought. If she needed him, actually needed him, as in death and life¡­ Would he be able to intervene? Save her? Save himself? The thought of there being no spirit to act as a Firewall only pressed the situation more. He had to get stronger. Or at least figure out his strength. It was important to do so as soon as possible. But the second point arrived in front of him. And that threw a damper to the entire thing. He stared down at the bottom of the ravine. His eyes sight strong enough with the sunlight to see the bottom. It tilted away from where Cai Xuefang had supposedly stood to block it, forcing it under and away slightly. Cai Xuefang had blocked this¡­ There was glass. Fucking glass. Like trinitite glass. As in a massive city clearing bomb level heat and pressure. Or at least that much concentrated to a single slash. He needed to get stronger fast. As in yesterday, but somehow do it without fighting people with the strength of nukes. There was no way he would fight a warhead in the shape of a fucking human. Not until he knew that warhead was not going to blow him to heaven come. He had no clue how he was going to do that. Chapter 29 - Grim Reaper Heavenly Demon ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± Cai Xuefang had been kneeling for nearly twelve hours already. Repeating the same story again and again. And every time he gave as much detail that he could remember. From the color, to the fog, to the very stars that glowed in the avatar behind the Ancient Being he had met. Every single minute detail. ¡°My Son-in-law and I camped three days away from Dong Zhenkang¡¯s bandit town¡­¡± He started without an ounce of hesitation. There was power. An apocalyptic monster had stood before him not so long ago, and within the power of the Hu Ancestor was the strength to end him in moments. There would be no pain, no suffering. His soul would not be tortured, then defiled into a daemon. Cai Xuefang would simply no longer exist. The telltale traits of a righteous cultivator. But here. In front of Zi Zhen. He dared not twitch lest he be found disrespectful. Cai Xuefang had seen horrors greater than anything young Yang Zexian had committed in their time together. And all of them were in the hands of the patriarch of the Dark Gate Palace. ¡°...finally he reprimanded¨C¡± ¡°Repeat his words.¡± Said Zi Zhen. Cai Xuefang could imagine the man''s hollow eyes staring holes into his skull. The gaunt look of a starving elder who had not eaten anything for ages. His exaggeratedly thin form bellied the vast power he commanded in his fingers. Zi Zhen was a relic of the times before the Great Seclusion. A monster that had stood toe to toe with the likes of Zhong An and his kin, Su Qui and her Flowered Sect, and Peng De the greatest of this generation. It was a baffling mystery why those mighty Righteous figures disappeared and caused a cataclysm for the lower clans and family that relied on them. A few of the strongest families stayed, tied down by family and the responsibilities. Like the Hu family. Once one of the pillars of their world, now dust and crumbled stone. Separated and unable to get any aid in time led to their final demise. Or so they had thought, now their ancestor had arrived¡­ Cai Xuefang cleared his throat. ¡°...¡¯Terrible. Has the world fallen so low?¡¯ is what he said¡± ¡°Again.¡± ¡°¡®Terrible. Has the world fallen so low?¡¯¡± ¡°Again.¡± ¡°...¡± Cai Xuefang ended up repeating that same line for nearly an hour. He sat there confused, but too terrified to voice a single complaint. His realm allowed him to stay in that position for days, much less a little more than half of one. The only thing that he struggled with was his ego. Other than Zi Zhen, who dared to speak to him like this? ¡­well, other than the other Patriarchs of the Hegemonies. And their right hand men. And their executioners¡­ No one he would, in normal situations, would he ever meet, much less speak with them for longer than brief moments. Zi Zhen made an inquisitive sound. That gave Cai Xuefang pause. He had never heard anything than a monotone voice from the monster before him. To hear any emotion at all terrified him. He felt a lump in his throat, but dared not to gulp. He gathered Qi, trying his best to be discreet. Cai Xuefang had already taken precautions to protect his daughter and dunce husband. If necessary, they would be long gone before a real battle occurred. Only issue would be getting away alive. Cai Xuefang had no fantasies that he could fight Zi Zhen, much less beat him. A massive blast of Qi to blind the senses and every ounce he could muster afterwards to send him flying at breakneck speeds. He hoped it would be enough¨C The Qi in the room disappeared. Cai Xuefang gasped as his body and core were forcefully drained. It siphoned into a veritable tornado before him. At a single focal point. Zi Zhen. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Cai Xuefang looked up. Gray billowing robes fluttered in the storm around them, the fabric Zi Zhen wore stretched behind him for many meters. His small form slowly rose from its perched seat. A wide flat disc floating in the darkness of this massive hall far above on a ledge he had to look up to see. He walked down at a pace, slow and measured. Each step spoke of endless wars, battles, and fights until death. This was a predator. A Tiger hidden under the brush, stalking an unaware prey. Cai Xuefang was frozen in fear. Images of what he had witnessed in the long, grueling battles against the Major Sects flashed before him. Seeing Zi Zhen skin a man alive, with the same sedated pace. Not an ounce of pleasure. Anger. Nothing from the supposed golem. And yet, he sounded intrigued¡­? Confused¡­? ¡°If I desired your death, you would not have had the time to gather you Qi, Xuefang.¡± He waved his hand and all the Qi in the room rushed back into its place. Cai felt it fill his meridians and core, more than he had at hand¨Che had used a great deal to instantly teleport twice from the forest¨C then closed his eyes. He wanted to escape, but he knew any competent monster would easily interfere with the array. Cai Xuefang would never get away like that. He let out a turbid breath. That was also a sign of the Ancient Beings foundation. An evil cultivator of that stature would find it a great insult to use such arrays. But righteous cultivators had no such qualms. ¡°I find your rendition of the story quite curious. Even baffling. Or maybe¡­¡± Zi Zhen landed in front of him. Circling him like a vulture. ¡°Or maybe you are lying out your teeth. A false story to hide something more important.¡± ¡°I would never dare, Patriarch.¡± His voice was calm. Zi Zhen had already said he did not want him dead. That monster was many things¨Cmany cruel and evil things¨Cbut there was one thing he was not. He wasn¡¯t a liar. ¡°I know.¡± He said curtly. Curtly. Sharply. Harshly. This was untracked territory. How long had he been an elder? Cai Xuefang couldn¡¯t even remember a time when he wasn''t. ¡°But, I was there when the Hu Ancestor existed, you see.¡± Cai Xuefang straightened in shock. Zi Zhen was alive in an age that had an otherworldly power like that Ancient Being? How was he or any Evil cultivator lineage even alive today¡­? Zi Zhen held his chin, looking back to the floating disk he called a throne. ¡°And that man was nothing but a weak insect. His twelfth son was the only reason the Hu family survived back then.¡± He then pointed at the disk. ¡°See my throne?¡± Cai Xuefang nodded. ¡°I cut their mighty tree from its base. Carved me a throne filled with power, then burned the remainder. Only that bastard twelfth son stood in my path while his father had been killed and family nearly destroyed.¡± The disk began to spin, whirring loudly. ¡°And I made sure he could never be called upon in any era after his death or ascension with a mighty curse.¡± ¡°T-then how is¡­?¡± Zi Zhen turned to him with a grim look. ¡°Do you know why the Great Seclusion happened, Elder Cai?¡± That was not a good question to hear. Cai Xuefang shook his head, fearing the coming words. ¡°The Great Seclusion occurred for one reason only. The same reason the Hegemonies are so brazen today, killing and using mortals and cultivators alike as cauldrons to increase their power. Why I¡¯ve allowed so many of you to reach for my lofty position. The neutral Major Clans are simply nothing more than a tool to sharpen our strength, because there will be a day when the great righteous sects will come out of seclusion and we forget our enmity. The eons of hate between us for uncertain days to come. For the world and everything living in it hangs in the balance!¡± He roared, Qi rumbling around them. ¡°From the void arrived seven mythical beings. Six dragons serving a master! A being so powerful even the primordial lizards lowered their heads in sheer terror and subservience.¡± Cai Xuefang felt the world spin. He had to catch himself. Zi Zhen smiled at him for the first time. ¡°You Elder Cai, I suspect, are the first to encounter him. Then mentioned my name!¡± He guffawed. ¡°You set him a table of this planes sweets and tea!¡± his laughter boomed. ¡°And he nearly killed us all before we were prepared because they were too many major realms too low to not taste like filth!¡± He arched back, struggling to breathe. Cai Xuefang felt all the strength from his knees disappear. He sat down. The only reason he lived today was not because of the naivety of a righteous cultivator. A common thing he had taken advantage many times more than he could count. But that was no righteous cultivator. There was no clue what a void being thought or felt. Was he just a curious ant crawling on the floor as that being wondered whether it was worth the effort to crush? Was his precious Cai Jia so close to death because of his stupidity? Didn¡¯t he threaten him¡­? Threaten those Hu girls¡­? ¡°But¡­ the Hu Girls? He¨C¡± ¡°Yes. Unusual isn''t it.¡± Zi Zhen had already made it to his throne by the time Cai Xuefang could finally speak. ¡°...then again. I remember the final moments of this generation''s Hu Family. Those pesky weeds. They attempted a ritual to summon their ancestor. The ritual itself should not have resulted in anything, but it did. Unlike what would usually occur, their bodies had been turned into husks. As though every ounce of their souls, Qi, and vitality had been drained away by an immensely powerful being. And yet, nothing had happened. No one arrived to save them. I even got to kill Hu Yimu myself. She struggled and fought until the end, forcing us into a domain to let her daughter escape. We let those tiny girls go. The opportunity to take out Hu Yimu was just to irresistible.¡± ¡°Then why? Why play the fool? Why lead me and my son-in-law in that domain of his?¡± Cai Xuefang asked. He had been thinking deeply on the fog, and it had all clicked now. He was right. It was a domain. One from a being powerful enough to end everyone with no moral qualms in doing so. Zi Zhen leaned back. He took a deep breath. ¡°All of this. The whole farce of acting awkward and summoning that avatar. Eating the sweets and drinking the tea knowing full well that it would taste like mortal sewer waters. Letting you teleport in his presence. It could only mean one thing. And it does not bode well for us. He is saying he could destroy everything at any moment. But has chosen to play with his prey. The Void Being is allowing us to gather our power so he may crush us at our very peak. If we lose, it would ruin us and our cultivation bases irrevocably. The confidence of such beings is as large as a mountain. Let us hope we are enough. Our destined battle is merely years away. A decade at most. Let us all hope he is simply overconfident and not as powerful as he claims he is.¡± Chapter 30 - Yin Family and Spirits Yin hu laid down in the clearing. Thick blankets under him gave him enough cushion to feel like he was floating in clouds. Adding on to it the crackling fire and a calm breeze made the perfect scene. A much needed break in what had been an endless rush to get away from an existential threat. It was a few moments as they made their way to the next destination, but it was enough for him. Enough to finally gather his chaotic thoughts and have a semblance of solid direction. Yin Hu had laid out a general plan for his coming arrival at the next major city. He would need to hide somewhere in the middle of the pack. Not too rich or the dirty slums he expected from a medieval city. He didn¡¯t want to smell real human sewage nor attract the attention of the tycoons of the city. Just a middle class merchant with a new family. The Yin family! He would use it as a front to explain his ¡®wealth¡¯. A money laundering scheme! Yin Hu could already imagine the car washes and street stalls he would build to fake his income, or at least their economic equivalent. Food stalls and stables maybe? Horses should be quite valuable. But that brought up even more problems. He would need workers, stable hands, a real master of their work¨Cno one would believe a tonne of wealth coming from a second rate establishment¨Cand all the necessary equipment and resources he had no clue about. Whether what they were or where to get them. Would he infringe on an already existing market? Are monopolies a thing here or would it be more of an open market. What if the only business was conducted by the city government in a dictatorship? There were too many unknowns. Yin Hu sighed. His eyes stared up at the starry sky. A break in the thick canopy of the forest allowed for moonlight and the clear dark skies to shine bright. The placement of the stars were unlike any he had seen. Yin Hu had enough time to memorize every starry sky and this one fit none. How the hell did he fall through? What happened after everything went black? All he remembered after grabbing hold of his spear was waking up in the dark and damp cave. Nothing else. Yin Hu looked to his right. Hu Xinyi stood with her eyes closed. She struck a pose of haughty arrogance, something he¡¯d imagine out of a theater play. If she wasn¡¯t careful, her neck might break off with how high it was. Or it would come crashing down like a meteor. Xinyi flicked her sword, nonchalant. Green sparks flickered in the air before her, but that was it. No flash or boom. No projections. Nothing that would signify the nuke level power she had thrown out in the battle. She had said the ¡®Spirit of the Sword¡¯ had taught her. Was it like the metaphor spirit of the sword or an actual spirit as he suspected? More importantly, what did it teach her? And since it was so powerful, could it teach him? That was imperative to know. For the past week they¡¯ve been traveling, he had been going through every scenario that could possibly happen when he got enough courage to ask. How he would approach. How he would play it off, even if he had no clue what he was doing. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Every single thing he could think of. From the worst case to the very best with him destroying an entire forest like Hu Xinyi expected her attack to do before it was blocked and created a literal ravine. And now was it. Away from Hu Shui, who was sleeping soundly on the other side of the fire. Yin Hu sat up. ¡°Xinyi.¡± Waving her towards him. She skipped towards him, as awkward as a person smiling for the first time. The Xinyi he knew never skipped. More like prowled or stalked was more apt, but this time, even she couldn¡¯t hide the jubilation in her eyes. Like¡­ Like a girl her age. What a normal person would do when they were exceptionally happy. Yin Hu had a sad smile as he tried to hide it in the shadows of the flickering flame. Xinyi should have been working on her schooling right now. Learning to adult rather than being thrown into a world she was ill prepared for. Fuck. I¡¯m getting soppy again. Ancestor Persona! Ancestor Persona! You¡¯ll fix everything. Just need some time. ¡°Yes, Ancestor!¡± She bowed, a full ninety degrees. She was dressed in a well fitting robe of his that seemed to transform into a feminine item that matched her perfectly. Yin Hu was beginning to believe his strongest ability were his clothes. They did everything from self-cleaning, to cleaning the wearer, perfect temperature adjustment, solid defenses, felt amazing, and just looked downright stunning to look at. ¡°It seems to me that you are struggling¡­¡± he gave her a knowing look. Let her finish all his sentences and make her own assumptions. She nodded. ¡°I-I can¡¯t seem to follow the proper meridians. The complexity of the technique is unimaginable, Ancestor. It could be something entire sects would practice and work on for centuries without perfecting. But, unlike them, I have the creator and it is willing to teach me wholeheartedly.¡± Yin Hu frowned. ¡°If it is so willing, then why does it not guide you thoroughly?¡± Hu Xinyi stiffened. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but the world seemed almost lonely for a moment so brief he could have imagined it. She laughed nervously. ¡°T-the spirit does it best, I swear. It just wants me to imprint it into my mind. ¡®Carve it into my soul through struggle¡¯ was her very words.¡± A her? They had gender? Does that mean¡­ They couldn¡¯t have been real people a long time ago? Was he part of an endless torture?! He hoped the fuck not. Then again, if Hu Shui and Xinyi could speak with the lady spirit, then it would have voiced its discontent already. Right? He nodded sagely. ¡°I see. I might be able to give you some wisdom. Let the spirit teach¨C¡± System ~ Do you wish to learn ¡®Blade of the Wicked - Kata of the Mighty She-Devil¡¯ Yes - No - System ~ Do you wish to learn ¡®Blade of the Wicked - Kata of the Mighty She-Devil¡¯ Yes - No - System ~ Do you wish to learn ¡®Blade of the Wicked - Kata of the Mighty She-Devil¡¯ Yes - No - System ~ Do you wish to learn ¡®Blade of the Wicked - Kata of the Mighty She-Devil¡¯ Yes - No - System ~ Do you wish to learn ¡®Blade of the Wicked - Kata of the Mighty She-Devil¡¯ Yes - No - ¡­ System ~ Do you wish to learn ¡®Blade of the Wicked - Kata of the Mighty She-Devil¡¯ Yes - No - The Fuck?! I¡¯m being spammed?! Was there a virus? Yin Hu stopped and focused on the surroundings. The wind suddenly began to scream like banshee. A thousand of them singing a mixture of what could have been joy, fear, and insanity. Xinyi was huddled on the ground covering her ears, but it did not affect him. Only after a few moments did it die down. Shui was fully awake. Her eyes flickered in the sky like something was there. Yin Hu couldn¡¯t help but have goosebumps run down his spine. He watched too many horror stories just like this scene. It almost never ended well. Guess he was lucky that scary ghost was on their side. He wonder, truly wondered from the bottom of his heart, what it would look like. Why were the girls so comfortable around¨C His eyes widened. From nowhere appeared the most beautiful mature woman he had ever seen. Dignity and honor seemed to radiate off her dancing form. Her smile was wide, eyes wide, and joy enough to encompass the world. Yin Hu blinked and she disappeared. He let out a breath he had been holding. He was expecting a hideous thing, but instead came a noble lady. A beautiful noble lady. Hi Hello to those still alive here. I survived! Multiple surgeries and much suffering, but I am alive. And then I was under dark clouds for much longer. There were people that did not want me to make it out the other side, and when I noticed it broke me out of the darkness and depths I was in. I''ve gotten much better. And began writing too! I missed it so much. Never understood how important it was for me to type and post until I tried it again late December. Only a few months ago! Writing 2 at the same time now! And enjoying every moment of them (over a 100k words in 2 months basically and I don''t feel burned out at all! I am loving every moment of it!). All under a new pen name. They aren''t that good to be honest, with all the rust and funk it took to restart the gears in my brain. But I did it. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Hence this post. I loved writing A.B.P.P.E. I promised to keep writing it. I will fulfill that promise. Some time march I will begin the process of rewriting it and getting at least 70k - 100k words on it before I start reposting. Mostly until I somehow figure out how to overcome the embarrassment of hiatus and the scorn of readers abandoned. I''ll be posting updates on this account when its time (https://www.royalroad.com/profile/624862/fictions). Discord will also have updates and information - (https://discord.gg/9QnvhmeC) I''d also need to figure out whether I can consolidate my work onto one account with the RR mods. For those still waiting. I am sorry. I did not mean for this to happen. I hope there is forgiveness in your hearts for me. Update - 03/05/2025 Update! I am scheduling myself to being rewriting work for Ancient Being starting March 8th! Plan is to stick between 2k-4k words per chapter from here on out. So the prologue stage is going to be quicker. I will also be working more into the plot. Add and develop things as necessary! I will be posting the first 30k words on my patreon free. Early access/beta reading if anyone is willing to read. You don''t need to join any of the tiers. It''ll have its own collection for easier access. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. You get to voice your opinions and what you liked and didn''t like directly to me there. The Patreon link is here --- https://www.royalroad.com/profile/624862/fictions (RR isn''t letting me link patreon here?) Use my other account''s patreon Secondarily - I am working on other projects. (1 Xianxia - 2 Evil MC) If you want to beta read anything I have, contact my other account (Zer0n1gh7s). or via my Discord - Zer0''s Discord Its up! Chapter 1 is up! Free on Patreon for the first 30k words. The rewrite has begun! Hope you all enjoy! Plotting and outlining has begun its process as well. Preview - [He juked left. Lunged right. James could hardly breath, his lungs burned. He was running out of time. Out of options. Only one choice remained. He couldn¡¯t help but curse his horrible luck. Another day, Another moment to fuck up and make a terrible decision. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. James slid to a stop. Staring down at the obstacles arrayed before him. This was a task he knew his body could ill afford after exhausting his energy reserves just to make it here. But his entire existence relied on this here moment. Years of familiarity, borne of trekking this path a thousand times already, should have given him sufficient confidence.] Again, it''ll be in its own collection for ease of access. Update 3/14/25 I won''t spam you all with updates. Either at word count marks or chapter marks. Ie. 10k words - 25k words - 50k words etc... Ch.5 - Ch.10 - Ch.25 Regardless. I Have hit the first milestone on both metrics. 5 chapters and about 10k words up on Patreon for free until the 30k mark. (Might increase the amount free cause I am ahead in word count than I expected...) Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Preview - [There was no point in dwelling on them. It did little to benefit him in any way, shape, or form. Much less help him escape this prison of solitude. What good would knowing the distance to the moon¡­? How large the sun was¡­? Or what a random person back on earth was doing. None of it mattered as long as he was here. In a world separated from the need to understand. What value does the scholar have? Why would the bee need to measure the distance between it and the moon? James couldn¡¯t help but laugh at his situation. He had begun thinking old peoples¡¯ quotes at some point. The longer he stayed here the more they abruptly appeared in perfect places. Solidifying his thoughts into fancy quotes. It had gotten bad lately.] Again, it''ll be in its own collection for ease of access. Update 3/21/25 Update 3/21/25 Chapter 11 - Currently at 20k Words! I hit my second milestone! 10+ chapters and about 20k words up on Patreon for free until the 30k mark. (Might increase the amount free cause I am ahead in word count than I expected...) Yes. Probably going to happen depending on how well my other works are going. Preview - [A massive man floated above them. He held a blade taller than even he was, and probably as wide as Hu Shui. A tornado of leaves and branches surrounded him making it impossible to make out any details. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. A real life cultivator. One flying and controlling an element just like how he dreamed they would be. Yin Hu cursed his luck for the hundredth time that day. He had thought things were bad already before, but it just kept getting worse. Why the hell did the boss come out already! It''s supposed to be gradual! Wasn¡¯t he supposed to fight a bunch of mobs and weaklings first before he made his way up to the big dogs? Why was everything backwards in this cultivation world?!] Again, it''ll be in its own collection for ease of access. I''ve also opened the other 2 new releases Ive been working on free to (free) Patreons. 1 - Xianxia Isekai [I can''t name it for some reason. Nothing is clicking ??] (Base/clan building - Disciple developing - Murdering Demonic Cultivators) 2 - Reincarnated as an Evil Count before the Games Apocalypse! [Villainous lead - Evil Organization/Cabal Creation - Game system based on skill development rather than levels]