《An Immortal Tale》


 Prologue

    Prologue


    The Dragonback mountains have always been famous across the Golden continent. Lush forest of ancient trees and immortal herbs spread from the hills of the imaginary tail and rooted themselves along the towering chains representative of a dragon¡¯s enormous back.


    The epic sight of this natural wonder ended at the head of a gargantuan mountain that pierced the heavens and overlooked the deep blue ocean.


    Mortals spoke of an eternal city hidden above the clouds, filled with grand palaces, ethereal gardens, lonely pavilions, and monumental courtyards.


    The abode of immortals.


    Currently, under the twin moons of the vast night sky, this mythological city lay shrouded under blazing flames and dense smoke. Scorching fire consumed the large palaces, melting the gold and gemstone architectures. Embers rose in the wind, carrying the smell of burnt wood and bodies. Wails of anguish cut across the clashing sounds of steel.


    On a large precipice overlooking the floating clouds, a young man kneeled to one knee on the barren rock while supporting himself with a hiltless sword. Heaving heavily, he spat out a mouthful of blood before forcing himself into a defensive stance. His impeccable moonlight gown with silvery threads wept with tears and patches of blood.


    Narrowing his eyes, he gazed like a cornered tiger, on the ones trying to inveigle him.


    ¡°Third brother, why must you act so righteous? Dragoncrown sect is dead. Hundred Poison Valley and Desert Giant Sect have cast an Earthbound Seal around the mountain, no one can escape. Hurry and hand over the scroll, you can still save many disciples that way.¡±


    ¡°Second Brother speaks the truth, stop being so stubborn. From today this sect is no more. Enough talk, since you refuse, then all that remains is death.¡±


    The half-circle grew menacingly closer with a dozen old and young men barring various weapons like a pack of hyenas. The glimmer in their red eyes only leaked lust and an evil desire to claim the fabled treasure.


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    The attackers paused as if regaining their senses for but a time. The crowd parted in the center, allowing a young woman of exquisite beauty to appear. Like the moon goddess descending on the wretched world of darkness, she wove herself forward at a pace which ensnared the hearts of men.


    Black, silky hair cascaded down her slim shoulders and back, with the tip caressing the place of every man¡¯s dream. Captivating oval eyes, on a gentle face crafted to overthrow an empire, blinked and offered solace. The fitted red dress interwoven with gold threads and gemstones left little to the imagination.


    A fairy, this was a fairy.


    ¡°Third brother, grandfather is besieged by the patriarchs of Poison Valley, Giant Sect, and five of the greatest Sects of Golden Continent. Resistance is futile. Join us, stand by my side and become greater.¡±


    Lowering the glowing yellow sword at her side, she deftly picked her way across the corpses littering the ground. Glancing at a burly body sprawled on the ground with open eyes and a red-bearded face she spat the word useless, before casting a virtuous face.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Half the men on this ledge would kill themselves if she requested it, the other half would kill their own parents. When her father connived with the great sects to usurp the Patriarch, her own grandfather for the high position, she had been instrumental in gathering the young heroes of the present century. All of them, dead and alive, joined because of her.


    Except one...


    Her Grandfather¡¯s only direct disciple.


    ¡°Sister Lan. I never thought you would have betrayed the Sect. No wonder Elder Brother fought me to the death.¡±


    The clean-shaven man spat a tooth to the left, causing the nearby assailants to unconsciously retreat a few steps. The heroes here might have lived for a century, or even more, but facing this man less than a hundred, they could only cower.


    Men swept through armies, Heroes killed dragons. Yet none of them dared to attack single-handedly with honor.


    ¡°Looks like Sister Lan can only surround herself with this much. This orphan suffered alone for the first ten years of his life before Master rescued him from the darkness. Did Sister Lan really think by whittling time, she could defeat me? Most of this blood is not mine...¡±


    For the first time this night, the young woman scowled. A viciousness never seen before, flashed across her jade-white face.


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    Swords weaved casting flickering shadows, spears pierced like lightning strikes, daggers zipped across the mists of blood. When the dust settled, the young man stood at the edge of the precipice with blood flowing down his robe. Half a dozen more Heroes had joined their comrades lying stiff, forever on the rock.


    Sister Lan unconsciously stepped back as those calm eyes rested on her.


    ¡°No one will ever have the secrets of my Master, just as Sister Lan will always have a flat chest.¡±


    The young man smiled as he dropped from the cliff.


    ¡°Nooo!¡±


    One of the wounded men rushed to the cliff, but it proved too late. Every survivor of this skirmish earned a memorial from acting on this ledge. A lost ear, a few fingers, a nose, a foot¡­


    Immortality did not grant the ability to regrow limbs. Considering the comrades and rivals walking to the halls of death, they might be more fortunate, but they gained nothing. These scars represented devil hearts which now, could never be overcome.


    Sister Lan turned from the edge of the precipice. Only death awaited those who fell from here. Below this thousand high drop lay the Everlasting Vortex in the ocean. Not even an Immortal could escape. Much less for one who couldn¡¯t fly.


    Men hunt beast,


    Heroes slay dragons,


    But Gods. Gods annihilated devils¡­


    A large party of a few dozen members of the various sects stumbled towards them. Dismay and fear was written on their faces. Her eyes locked on the man clutching a shoulder missing its limb. Terror occupied the pale face of her father.


    ¡°We have to flee, the old man lied, the Council of Elders have always remained alive in meditation at the heart of the mountain. The other patriarchs are dead. The Sect will torture us for centuries, all that can save us is the Scroll to barter our lives.¡±


    Before Sister Lan could voice her failure, the pair of silk straps on her shoulders suddenly snapped. The exquisite, long dress dropped to her feet revealing her jaded skin and hidden features. For some time the world paused.


    ¡°They, they really are small¡­¡±


    ¡°Curse that suicidal bastard for defaming me! I¡¯ll kill him in the halls of Yama...¡±


    When the Patriarch and Elders of the Dragoncrown Sect arrived, the insurgents stood rooted on the precipice while gazing towards the swirling whirlpool far below the clouds.

 Chapter 1

    A new world


    The stars twinkled in the sky as if to wave goodbye to another clear night. A child of seven years leaned against a short wooden fence, his eyes, lost in the heavens lit by the waning moon. An inescapable soft sigh sounded, releasing a white mist from his warm mouth.


    ¡°Kyle... Kyle!¡±


    The boy turned towards the small thatched hut of mud and stones. He ran towards the woman who called and waved to him. She gently flicked his forehead. Surprisingly, he could never avoid this finger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare your mom. When I see you like that, mom becomes sad ok? Here is your food. Mom has already separated it into portions especially the grains for you to cook. If you can¡¯t light a fire using the stones, come home. Stay close to the older boys for protection at night, and don¡¯t forget your wool blanket¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, mom. I can light a fire mom. I will camp with the others, mom. I¡¯ll take my blanket mom. Your son will run home at the first sign of trouble mom¡­¡±


    ¡°You making fun of this old lady? See if I don¡¯t shame you by having your dad come looking to baby you in front of the others.¡±


    ¡°Ah no, this son thinks his mom is the best. Mom is not an old woman but a palatial beauty...¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, it seemed you gained a sharp tongue from your illness. Go on, you little flatterer.¡±


    Giving the woman a hug, the boy grabbed a gnarled staff about twice his height from near the wooden door and waved goodbye. Walking up to the nearby wooden enclosure, he opened a long gate. In a few minutes, a soft tingling of a bell sounded like the little shepherd and his flock left the small, isolated farm and headed into the distant hills.


    The woman remained by the door, illuminated under the flickering light of a candle on the table and the glows of the kitchen fire. Her eyes turned glassy as she sniffed a few times. Only when the shadows melded into the darkness did she pull the shawl over her shoulders and close the door with slightly trembling hands.


    By the time the herd arrived at the pasture, a ray of sunlight heralded the dawn. Satisfied as the sheep scattered along the hillside, the boy secured his small rations onto the branch of a lone tree on the hilltop. He then sat down in a meditating position while regulating his breathing. The puffs of mist exiting his mouth soon dissipated with the heat from the rising sun.


    ¡°It''s been three years since I fell into the Everlasting Vortex, or should I say three years since I reincarnated into this world. If this body had not been in a near paralysis state at the time, I probably might have shared my shock with the old folks. They have earned the right for me to say, mom and dad...¡±


    Kyle opened his eyes while reminiscing. He remembered falling off the cliff from Dragoncrown Sect as darkness engulfed him. He then woke up in the body of a four-year-old boy afflicted with total paralysis.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    For two years, Kyle remained trapped in a body constantly bathed in a woman¡¯s tears. He witnessed the man consoling and hugging both of them every night. His mother washed, cleaned, and fed him daily, while his father carried him outside to bask in the sun or enjoy the evening sunset over the mountains.


    As a near century-year-old monster who attained immortality, Kyle practiced the cultivation methods from the secret scroll Thousand Immortal Dragon. Never would he have done it until one night when his old man brought him outside to view the stars.


    On witnessing the single moon and the strange constellations, Kyle realized he might never land foot on the Golden Continent in this lifetime.


    ¡°Thousand Immortal Dragon cultivation technique has proven why it ranks above all the other immortal cultivations. In two years it has healed the physical pathways allowing me to regain control. Barring loss of limbs, it enables its user to heal broken muscle, nerves, and bones. When my Master injected it into my consciousness, it seems to have traveled together with me.¡±


    After repairing the broken nerves in his body through painstaking time and effort, Kyle slowly brought hope to the couple. First, he began with a twitch of the hand, a wiggle of the toe, and a squeezing of his mother¡¯s hand. The response brought joy to his parents but sadness to Kyle.


    His dad sold six sheep or half his herd for a doctor¡¯s visit. The old man spent a minute pinching his pulse and tapping his chest, before recommending the purchase of some pills from the village pharmacist. He then left while telling them to schedule another visit during the next four months as the boy would not show any signs of improvement.


    If not for keeping up the pretense, Kyle might have strangled the old swindler.


    Within a week Kyle had miraculously moved his arms and legs.


    ¡®Mom and Dad get scared any time I meditate or seem lost in thought. The scar of having me lay listless on a bed hasn¡¯t lifted completely from their hearts. In this world, they have replaced the Master, so they deserve a better life. To avoid conflict with my cultivation, this quiet life as a shepherd is ideal.¡¯


    Kyle rose up and faced the morning sun while raising his little hand.


    ¡°As the sun rises in the east, so too have I been reborn. I swear an oath that I will protect my parents from harm and bring them wealth and happiness. My life of bloodshed is over, only a life of peace and prosperity opens before me. Master, I hope you are living well...¡±


    ¡°Kyle, Kyle, oh¡­ sorry to bother you. I see you¡¯re at it again. I¡¯ll come back later.¡±


    ¡°Curses Fatty, how many times have I told you to stop sneaking up on me.¡±


    Kyle yelled at the slightly chubby boy standing behind him, panting beside the tree. Ever since he recovered and began working as a shepherd, Kyle started laying the foundation for his skills.


    Even though he had not entered the realm of cultivation to unleash spiritual power, he prided himself on his detection skills. Yet this fatty kept shooting in under the radar.


    ¡°I heard you making another new oath¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll share my breakfast with you, so out with it.¡±


    Kyle said. The reason why Fatty had a slightly chubby figure that the other shepherd boys lay in his low metabolism and ability to extort extra food from Kyle.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t breathe a word. You know how you just swore to make your parents rich?¡±


    ¡°U-huh?¡±


    ¡°Well it just went up in smoke, I rushed over to tell you that three of your sheep entered Nightmare Valley.¡±

 Chapter 2

    Nightmare Valley


    Kyle scrambled to the tree and grabbed a leather sling and pouch. Fastening the sling on his wrist, he held his oversized staff. Fatty had already pumped his legs towards the location knowing Kyle¡¯s speed.


    ¡°Bottom of the hill, the left path.¡±


    Fatty wheezed while raising his hand and pointing.


    Kyle left the boy who was a year older and skipped between the grass and rocks. At the bottom of the hill, the green grass gave way to rocks and red stones. Rumors from the older shepherds said the valley formed when a giant tore the hill away from the opposite mountain.


    Whatever the case, the valley lacked green vegetation and even water. Kyle lamented on the intelligence of his sheep. They left the lush vegetation above to come skipping among the rocks and barren landscape.


    Following Fatty¡¯s direction, he jumped along the rocks until he arrived at the flat bottom of the valley. Nightmare Valley stretched along for miles between the mountain and hills until it gradually disappeared into the plains to the south. Because of the steep walls near the mountains, it earned its name from its formation.


    Kyle had listened to many rumors floating around the shepherd boys camp about this valley. Wolves had a knack for trapping sheep in the valley. By chasing them higher up the valley, the walls became steeper thus preventing the fleet-footed prey from escaping.


    This chase also worked well with humans. Out on the hills, a wolf could be scared away by a large group. In the valley, a single boy had no escape. The older boys who had ventured into the village also heard tall tales about how people disappeared and returned starving.


    At the moment Kyle could care less about the legends. Around the rocky bend, his three sheep were being eyed by a large wolf.


    The Black Wolf lived in the forest on the mountains and seldom frequented the open hills. Older males who lived alone or became exiled from a pack tended to be more daring. When they acquired a taste for mutton, then they turned dangerous.


    Facing a beast whose height reached his shoulders and had no qualms in dragging him off, Kyle removed a smooth stone from his pouch and loaded his sling. Gathering momentum he stood in the open between the walls and fired. When the rock left the sling, he whistled.


    The pebble flew faster than an arrow and with a clonk, knocked the wolf on the head above one eye as it turned on reflex towards the sound. Shifting to face the new enemy on unstable legs, it issued a growl before tottering to the ground.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Kyle walked up towards the dazed wolf as if taking an evening stroll. Along the way, he casually lifted a pair of stones the size of brick from among the rubble. When he reached about four feet from the wolf, the beast wobbled to a stand and lunged towards him.


    The seven-year-old boy promptly stuffed a large stone into the open maw with one hand, wedging it open. The move locked the jaw while keeping the woozy wolf in check. The next hand swung down from above, smashing the second rock onto its head.


    The blow sent the wolf reeling to the ground again. Before it could stagger and raise itself on the front paws, another well-placed blow slammed between its eyes. The vicious beast toppled to the ground.


    The last vision of the whimpering beast was of those calm eyes of the boy, cracking its skull with a rock.


    Kyle unwrapped a thin rag from his staff and cleaned the splatter from his face and arms. He then tapped the three heads of the delinquents who tried to fawn and flatter him by rubbing their heads on his chest.


    ¡°Wah! A Black Wolf, run! Wait, is it dead, is it dead? It¡¯s dead right?¡±


    ¡°Dammit Fatty, didn¡¯t we just talk about this? And why are you backing away?¡±


    ¡°What the heck Kyle, I caused a landslide coming down that path, I swear everyone on the mountain heard me.¡±


    Kyle sat on a rock and drank the water in the large pouch Fatty handed to him. He then tied it to his belt. Fatty stood behind him tossing stones at the bloodied wolf. Convinced it was dead he then inched towards it while poking it with his staff. Kyle eyed him circling around the carcass humming and hawing.


    ¡°Down in the village, you could make top coins for this you know. Sleazy Joe said he chatted with the shearer once when he went down with his clan¡¯s shepherd. I¡¯m sure if he uses his contact, you can earn a few silvers.¡±


    ¡°Fatty, Joe¡¯s idea of a chat is to say hello. And I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to place your money in the hands of a guy called Sleazy Joe. If you want, I can hand it over to you. One silver less the selling price is yours.¡±


    ¡°Deal! Don¡¯t wheel back on your words ok.¡±


    Kyle glanced at the hand Fatty spit and offered him to seal the deal while raising an eyebrow. Seeing his refusal, Fatty replied with a sheepish smile and wiped his hands. They were about to leave to seek help when Kyle glimpsed a small opening behind some creepers.


    Prodding it with his staff to avoid snakes from launching any surprise attacks, he discovered a small open passage wide enough for a person to walk single file. Looking at the path lined with a few broken cobwebs, he entered with a grumbling Fatty and three sheep in tow.


    The natural alley extended for about forty feet before ended in an open grotto. Below a smooth rock face, a small rounded cave the height of a child opened its maw. The entire entrance seemed to be shrouded in darkness, so much so that they could not view even one foot inside.


    ¡°Can we go now, Kyle? It''s not like I¡¯m thinking about the carcass lying outside but this place gives me the willies.¡±


    ¡°This place is too strange. Give me a moment, I want to see how deep this cave is.¡±


    Kyle replied as he slowly walked inside.


    The moment he stepped inside the entrance, Kyle knew he made a mistake. Over seventy years of living among immortals had fine-tuned his senses when it came to spiritual fluctuations.


    Turning around his intuition proved him correct.


    The exit behind him had vanished. He was trapped!

 Chapter 3

    The power of the cave


    Kyle rolled his small shoulders as his mind processed the situation. Trapped in confined darkness, beat being thrown into the midst of a demon horde any day. Unlike the previous visitors of this cave who wept, begged and prayed, the seven-year-old stood silently while soaking in his surroundings.


    His first observation came from within. The small scroll lazing inside his sea of consciousness churned. The scroll, which normally needed a month to rotate a full cycle, completed the same task in one breath.


    ¡°This place is rich in spiritual power. I required two years of constant, daily meditation to simply repair my physical body. Even now I haven¡¯t unlocked the pre-cultivation step. Lack of pills and spiritual power has stagnated my cultivation.¡±


    Kyle remained on alert as his mind processed this startling information. He knew the pre-cultivation steps needed to be done before one stepped onto the true path of cultivation. Due to the lack of pills, body strengthening baths, and potions, he could only use a different method to progress. This was usually achieved by Sages who attained enlightenment.


    If one understood the concept behind cultivation, they gather spiritual power around their mind core. During the enlightenment, one would develop a focal point in their sea of consciousness. This seed usually took the form of a symbol, image or figure.


    The seed through meditation will harness spiritual power and channel it along the body through physical passages like the blood vessels and nerves. The pre-cultivation step using this method was time-consuming, required large amounts of spiritual power, and normally progressed at a rate ten times slower than normal methods.


    The benefits, however, were recorded as astounding. Since the body was nourished with pure spiritual power, it lacked the impurities and became known as the perfect vessel. The foundation of such a body surpassed others within the same level of cultivation by eons. Enlightenment did not grow on trees, hence the Golden Continent had not seen a perfect vessel for over millennia.


    ¡°Can I be one of the few immortals with a perfect vessel?¡±


    Sensing no threat nearby, Kyle assumed the meditative pose and began harnessing the spiritual power of the cave. During this time, he realized that he could hear nothing from the outside. He also found out that a faint dark but reflective light bordered around the darkness, giving him the impression of being confined in a large box.


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    Not one to waste valuable time, nor question logic, Kyle harnessed the spiritual power until his conscious sea became filled to capacity. He then utilized the knowledge he learned to allow the energy to seep across his body. When he exhaled a puff of foul-smelling air from his lungs, he knew one cycle of meditation had been completed.


    Keeping constant watch for any strange movement and signs of the exit in between cycles, Kyle continued. For someone who had sat under a waterfall for three years to master a secret body tempering skill, this was nothing.


    The limits of being human soon reared its head. First, he felt the pangs of hunger and thirst. Luckily he had kept the water pouch Fatty handed him. As a warrior who had battled in the Great Desert, he only wetted his lips before securing the precious liquid.


    The second problem made him curse within the dark walls. Immortals usually feasted when they wanted to enjoy themselves. Once they formed a solid Gold core, they were exempted from this mortal-like attachment.


    What goes in must come out¡­


    Kyle had no idea how long he remained in isolation. He sipped water, cultivated, and used one of the corners as his designated toilet. Thankfully the box cleansed the scent just as it provided him with air.


    Having turned into an emaciated figure, Kyle barely had the strength to raise the water pouch to his cracked lips. He was in the process of accomplishing this task when he felt like a hook grabbed him around the waist. Under a tremendous force, he was ripped from the darkness into dazzling light.


    ¡°Kyle, Kyle what the hell happened to you? Phew, you look and smell like¡­ maybe I shouldn¡¯t touch you.¡±


    ¡°Fatty? Hand me the water pouch. How many days have you waited here for me? Such a good friend.¡±


    ¡°What the heck are you babbling about? Did you hit your head inside that cave? You only went in there for about half a breath!¡±


    Fatty replied while watching the frail boy sip and wet his dirty face with water. The pouch had slightly less than half of the water remaining in it. As for why someone notoriously strong like Kyle would turn into this state, the little fatty had no idea.


    ¡°Help me up.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you stink Kyle. Do I have too?¡±


    ¡°The hell, Fatty. You aching for a beating?¡±


    Kyle kept his eyes closed to acclimatize to the brightness of the day. He felt the reluctant hold from his companion who lifted him up. Halfway through, Fatty dropped him to the rocky ground.


    ¡°Ah, the cave Kyle, the cave is gone. We¡¯ve been cursed by Nightmare Valley.¡±


    Opening his watery eyes, Kyle sprawled among the three sheep watching the dust from Fatty¡¯s flight.


    ¡°What the heck? This damn guy is a firm believer of all the tall tales...¡±


    Glancing at the cave, Kyle only saw a rocky wall. He grabbed a pebble and tossed it towards the wall. The stone smacked the wall and dropped to the floor.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    The boy frowned and then raised himself with the staff. Chipping slowly, he stumbled out from the hidden alley.


    Fatty sat wheezing while clutching his sides on a flat rock. No matter the fright, this little miser didn¡¯t forget the dead wolf. Kyle smirked on seeing the small trail made when the boy tried to drag the wolf.


    ¡°You bastard, you left me but you still remembered money?¡±


    Fatty shot him a righteous look.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m looking for gains? I planned to share this money with Aunty and Uncle. We would burn incense here for you every year¡­¡±