ã€ŠA Memoir of the Abyssã€‹


 Chapter 1 - A Particularily Unpleasant Morning

    Waking up to soul-shattering pain was not a new experience for Monty. The description being literal was.

    He thrashed in his bed, clawing at his body as if mad. If not for the white cotton clothing him his actions certainly would have drawn blood. Monty could not help but scream, the sheer overwhelmingness of the pain reducing all other sensations to nothing.

    The world was a blur of color. Suddenly, he felt someone¡¯s hands hold him in place. A young, female voice was shouting his name. He responded with a renewed scream as another surge of agony shook his entirety. No sooner than he had woken up, under the continuous restraint and shouting of the girl, his consciousness slipped away into nothingness.

    When Monty stirred awake for the second time, an herbal aroma entered his nose. His eyes snapped open. The soft glow of a morning sun illuminated his surroundings. He sat up, supporting himself on his elbows, and looked around.

    The room he was in appeared to be an old-fashioned clinic. Light wood flooring and glass jars of various plants gave him a local drug store-type feeling. He looked down at himself. The pain that plagued him just before had disappeared as if it were a dream. However, this was pushed to the back of his mind as he realized something that shook him greatly, more than anything in his life.

    Monty was wondering why he felt so good. Turns out, he was no longer in his old body.

    ¡°I see,¡± he calmly thought, yet the corner of his lip twitched. ¡°I¡¯ve gone insane.¡±

    The idea of such a thing happening to him was not something he expected. Monty had always been confident in his mental faculties. To hallucinate to such a degree - where reality and illusion became indistinguishable ¨C should never have happened to him.

    Out of habit, he sat up carefully. He found himself wearing cotton clothes, thick enough to keep the chilly breeze coming in through the open window from causing harm but thin enough to feel weightless. He didn¡¯t remember seeing clothing like this in his wardrobe.

    ¡°More like something from ancient times.¡±

    Sitting up fully, he found that his point of view was much lower than what he was used to. He raised his hands. They were much smaller than his own. From the size and structure, they looked like a child¡¯s no older than thirteen. Various cuts and scars littered the tanned skin.

    ¡°Heh,¡± he exhaled, then froze as he realized the voice that came from his mouth matched such an age. At this point, a theory about what was happening sprouted in his mind. He immediately shut it down.

    Yet a bad feeling lingered in his gut as Monty walked to the window. It was circular, with carved wood crossing the thin glass. He pulled it closed and looked at his reflection.

    The face of a young boy greeted him. He had soft features, curly brown hair and eyes of a similar color. Monty pinched his cheeks, stretching them to the point of pain, then let go.

    ¡°No fucking way.¡±

    The outside world was a vibrant mess of green, brown and grey. Trees grew upwards to the point where he couldn¡¯t see their canopies. Between them were various humble houses, all wooden with stone foundations. Paths of packed pebbles separated the structures and Monty could see the occasional person hurrying along, dressed in leathers and cottons.

    It seemed to be the morning, based on the golden mist that hovered just over the ground. Monty pulled his head from the window and instead, inspected the room. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest. Other than the bed he had been laying on, a wooden table sat on the opposite side of the room. More glass jars and vials sat on it, and a pack of what looked like long, shiny needles lay beside them.

    The floor thudded as Monty dropped to his knees. He bowed over, hands on the wooden planks.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ve gone insane. I¡¯m a perfectly sane person. I can accept reality as I see it. I can. I really, really, really don¡¯t want to, but I can.¡±

    ¡°Monty?¡± with the creak of a door opening, a familiar female voice called his name.

    Monty didn¡¯t react, instead raising a palm up. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m coming to terms with reality right now.¡±

    To his surprise, the girl actually left without saying another word, gently closing the door. He stood up and frowned. From the looks of it, he had been transmigrated. And to a Chinese cultivation story, no less. He had finished one such novel the very night prior. Now, standing here in a different body and antique-looking acupuncture needles right before him, it didn¡¯t take a genius to put two and two together.

    Monty drew a breath, held it, then exhaled. It was not good to hastily draw conclusions. He could not be a hundred percent certain. Right now, it was more important to focus on the present. Given this body¡¯s age and that he woke up in a clinic, it was likely that there were people who care for its previous owner, the girl likley being one of them. He had no idea what happened to that guy but regardless of the world, it usually wasn¡¯t a good idea to let people to find out he possessed a kid¡¯s body.

    ¡°Now, what to do,¡± Monty wondered. One thing that he noticed is that he instinctively responded to the girl in a language not his own. He had searched his memories in an attempt to find any information. To his dismay, he found nothing outside of his own. However, he noticed that when he thought, the language was no longer English but one resembling some kind of Chinese.

    At least he knew how to speak. A couple theories regarding this sprouted up in Monty¡¯s thoughts, the most likely being that his soul had merged with the soul of the body¡¯s former owner. That would also explain the pain he had experienced, the recollection of the experience sending a tremor through him.

    He shook his head. ¡°Practice over theory.¡±

    The room itself was not large. Monty searched around, not particularly looking for anything. Of the jars lined up on the walls, most were filled with some kind of plant or mushroom. He recognized none of them. Golden flowers with what appeared to be a buddha¡¯s smiling face, strange mushrooms with black and white spots, a gourd that spouted some kind of sparkly, black-silver mist¡­ an audible groan left his lips.

    So much for not jumping to assumptions. Monty wasn¡¯t exactly a botanist, but he was pretty certain these things did not exist on Earth.

    After making sure that he had not missed anything else in the room, he walked to the room¡¯s singular door and opened it, stepping out to a sunlit hallway.

    He appeared to be at the passage¡¯s very end, so he walked down it. Passing by two closed doors, Monty entered a well-lit reception room. There, two people turned to look at him. He recognized one of them.

    A girl who appeared to be in her mid to late teens paced around a table. Her features resembled Monty¡¯s greatly and a gut feeling told him this was his sister.

    The other was an old man. Wearing a white robe, he sat hunched over, his aged hands clasped together on the table. A wooden cane lay by his side. Long, white hair ran down his shoulders, still thick despite his apparent age.

    Seeing Monty enter the room, the girl stopped walking and cried out happily, rushing over to him.

    ¡°Monty!¡±

    With her arms outstretched, she reached out to him. Monty, however, put on a frown and backed up cautiously.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. The girl appeared struck by lightning.

    A shine of moisture welled up in her eyes as she said. ¡°I¡¯m your sister.¡±

    Monty appeared confused. It was at this moment that the old man spoke up.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t both of you take a seat and we can all have a calm discussion. Monty, please tell us what happened to you. Two mornings ago, you didn¡¯t wake up and Lillian brought you here.¡± His voice was deep yet smooth and carried an unquestionable sense of persuasion with it. Monty was not one to argue pointlessly, so he did so, pulling a cushioned chair out.

    The girl, Lillian, sniffed once, twice before doing the same. The three of them sat around the table, the air solemn. Monty wanted to ask for some water but seeing the other¡¯s expressions, he decided against it.

    His sister spoke. ¡°Please Monty, tell me what happened. You might not remember me so just know that I¡¯m here for you. You¡¯re my family.¡±

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    It took some time before Monty replied. When he did, his expression was as blank as slate. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. The only thing I remember is waking up and then everything hurt. Then I fell back asleep and woke up again and now I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Is that really all you remember?¡± the old man asked. Monty nodded. ¡°Are you sure? Anything would help.¡±

    His sister glared at the old man. ¡°Don¡¯t push him. Monty, its fine if you don¡¯t remember anything, at least you¡¯re awake. Does anything hurt?¡±

    ¡°Nothing does, I feel fine,¡± he said and she heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°But where am I? And who am I? Who are you?¡±

    The last question was directed to the old man. He and Lillian looked to each other. It was the former who then began to explain.

    ¡°I am Dante Elmons, the doctor here at Fletcher Village. This is my home and also my clinic. As for where we are, our village stands halfway up Mount Rilfer.¡±

    He paused. ¡°I can answer your second question, but I think it would be better for Lillian to do so.¡±

    ¡°Did any of that ring a bell?¡± She asked as soon as the old man finished. Monty calmly shook his head. What was going on in his mind, however, was quite the opposite of his placid expression.

    ¡°Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. It¡¯s confirmed. It¡¯s that fucking cultivation world. I fucking knew it. I¡¯m so dead. With the way things are going, cannon probably hasn¡¯t even started and I¡¯ll be a descendant of that fucking guy.¡±

    Lillian sighed. ¡°At least you¡¯re feeling fine. Doc, can you do a final check up on him?¡±

    The old man appeared to have more to say but in the end, remained silent. He stood up, grabbing his cane. He teetered over to Monty and placed a hand on his shoulder.

    Monty¡¯s eyes widened as a faint glow emerged from the Doctor¡¯s hand. The glow then phased through his skin, giving him a sensation of a slow, fluid electrical shock.

    ¡°Qi! He¡¯s a cultivator.¡± Monty immediately upped his guard. As their name implied, cultivators cultivated the power of Qi ¨C a magical form of energy. Doing so allowed them to perform a variety of mystical techniques as well as receive many other benefits. Compared to mortals ¨C those who had not stepped upon the path of cultivation ¨C they held an incomparable amount of power that allowed even the weakest to kill with a wave of their hand.

    ¡°Relax,¡± the old man said, noticing Monty tense up. It was impossible to tell whether he guessed Monty¡¯s thoughts. ¡°It¡¯ll take a mere minute. I¡¯m just making sure there aren¡¯t any lingering effects of whatever happened to you affecting your body.¡±

    Monty nodded and sat still. He focused on the force moving through his body, familiarizing himself with it as best he could. Doing so would help when the time came for him to begin cultivating.

    Just as the old man said, in less than a minute he lifted his hand off Monty¡¯s shoulder. The Qi disappeared along with it.

    ¡°His meridians are no longer disordered. There aren¡¯t any issues with his body,¡± Doctor Elmons said, his smile turning his eyes to slits. Yet again, Lillian released a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Thanks a lot,¡± she grinned, pushing the chair back as she stood. Monty remained sitting.

    The doctor nodded. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. If you need anything else, please don¡¯t hesitate to let me know.¡±

    His sister then turned to him, saying, ¡°C¡¯mon Monty, let¡¯s go home. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re starving. Although it¡¯s a little early, we can have lunch. I¡¯ll make your favorite, grilled chicken. Maybe that¡¯ll bring back your memory.¡±

    She gave him a brief smile and held out her hand. It was pale and without blemish. Monty grabbed it and allowed her to pull him up. With nothing left to do, Lillian paid the old man and said her goodbyes before stepping outside.

    The sun was nearing its highest point in the sky. Monty stood at the building¡¯s doorstep, his gaze distant. Green foliage blocked the majority of the sunlight, casting a collage of shadows over the ground.

    ¡°Monty?¡± Lillian said, bringing him out of his thoughts.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    His sister nodded but seemed unconvinced. However, she stepped forward and began to lead the way to their house.

    Given its location, Fletcher Village was a hodgepodge of scattered buildings, all at different elevations. The Doctor¡¯s house stood roughly in the center of the settlement. From it, houses, stores, and a pub among other structures all formed rough arcs along the eastern face of the mountain.

    Monty and Lillian headed down a stone brick-paved road. Few people passed them, the majority away making money or food. A few children even younger than Monty screamed and laughed as they ran around.

    During their walk, Lillian taught Monty all about the area. Whatever questions he asked, she answered with clear, understandable explanations.

    Ten minutes passed like this and they neared the base of the mountain. The road had long faded to trodden dirt as Lillian led Monty through increasingly obscure paths. At some point, the traces of human influence disappeared, making way for untamed wilderness.

    It was there that a circular clearing was cut out. In that clearing, an old but well-built cottage stood. Despite a couple vines crawling up its walls, the wood appeared in good condition. It was obvious someone maintained it regularly.

    ¡°Welcome home, Monty.¡±

    Stepping inside, the interior was much like what he expected. It was mostly wooden much like the Doctor¡¯s house. The floor was laid with cut stone, giving the structure an unshakable feeling.

    Unsurprisingly, the furniture was also wood. A table and four chairs stood in the center of the room. Opposing the door, a brick fireplace hugged the wall. Lillian walked up to it and took a matchbox from atop it. She pulled out a match ¨C one much larger than its modern equivalent and with a black coating - and struck it, lighting up the fireplace.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you look around for now?¡± she suggested as the fire began to crack, smoke spiraling out through the chimney. ¡°I¡¯ll start preparing lunch. You can also go outside if you want, just don¡¯t go too far.¡±

    Monty nodded his head weakly. The cottage was not large. Other than the living room that contained the kitchen, fireplace, table and a few cabinets, two bedrooms stood on the sides of branching hallway. Small windows allowed thin sunbeams to light up the interior.

    He did not pay any attention to these details. Monty did not even consider going outside, instead entering the hallway and opening the door on the left. This was his room. He entered it and the door softly shut behind him.

    Twenty minutes later, when his sister called his name, he left the room and sat at the table wordlessly. The hunger-provoking aroma of grilled chicken entered his nose, but did little to stir his appetite.

    Lillian looked at him with the worry evident in her eyes. For some reason, his mood had stilled to what it was now during their walk. During their talks. Noticing the change, she had asked him if she could do anything for him but Monty had simply shaken his head. It seemed like losing his memory affected him greatly.

    She forced a smile and said, ¡°Well, before I forget, we have to give thanks to our ancestor, the Silver Moon Sovereign. I mentioned him a little earlier, but a lot of the reason we can live here is because of his efforts is conquering this land for us.¡±

    After she finished speaking, a deafening silence enveloped the room. Finally, Lillian couldn¡¯t keep a smile on her face anymore. Just as she was about to stand and interrogate Monty until he told her what had affected him so much, the boy¡¯s shoulders began to tremble.

    Then, under her astounded gaze, tears flowed down his cheeks.

    Monty pressed his palms to his eyes and began sobbing. The words Lillian was about to say got caught in her throat. All thoughts of questioning were pushed aside. She got up and moved to Monty, bringing him into a close embrace.

    She had no idea what was going on. Her brother had lost his memories. While at the doctors, he appeared fine. He became like this while talking to her. She could not help but blame herself, despite not knowing what she did, if it was what she did.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, everything¡¯ll be fine,¡± Lillian whispered, holding a shaking Monty. He calmed down under her words. She felt him nod and a smile returned to her face. ¡°Let¡¯s eat before the food gets cold. Then, we¡¯ll see from there.¡±

    Monty bit his lip and hummed in agreement. They ate in silence, yet it was far more comfortable than it had been.

    It was Monty who finished his food first. Lillian finished shortly after, wiping her mouth with a cloth. She exhaled with satisfaction, saying, ¡°Ahh, that was good. The cook must really be talented.¡±

    Monty barked a laughed but quickly covered his mouth. His sister also chuckled. ¡°See? You¡¯re already feeling better. Maybe I should start a restaurant.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that good,¡± Monty mumbled and Lillian widened her eyes, her hand over her chest. She cried out, ¡°Betrayed by my only family!¡±

    However, her voice took a more serious note with her next words. ¡°Monty, you don¡¯t have to tell me what you¡¯re feeling right now, but I hope you will. I can¡¯t imagine how I would feel if I suddenly lost all my memories, my experiences. I might not be able to do anything for you. However, I will always be here for you. You are my last living family; you can always talk to me.¡±

    Monty listened to what Lillian said and felt a pang pity. Perhaps her words would have moved him had he actually lost his memories, but as he had likely destroyed her brother¡¯s soul, the more she cared for him, the worse off Monty would be if she found out the truth.

    Every additional word she said sent another blow to him. Hearing her say that he was her last family was the nail in the coffin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to get rid of her.¡±

    However, this problem, despite its severity, was not a concern of Monty¡¯s at the moment. It took up a mere thought before being pushed away. Rather, it was what he learned during their walk that impacted him so heavily that he could not hide its effect on him.

    He had found out that, in fact ¨C just as he had hoped not to be the case - he was a descendant of that fucking guy. That fucking guy, of course, being the Silver Moon Sovereign.

    This was very bad. So bad that Monty had immediately asked for the date. Lillian had been slightly puzzled by his reaction but answered anyway.

    It was the 3999<sup>th</sup> year of the Gilded Calander and there were three months to the New Year.

    This was worse that very bad. It was terrible. Monty was not someone who panicked or was even emotionally moved easily. Within minutes of waking up to this world he had already calmed down. Yet, when he heard those words leave her mouth, they had directly slammed into his mind as if thunder had struck him, leaving him unable to move at the time.

    It was not that he chose not to hide it; the thought of doing so had not even crossed his mind. After all, it would be difficult for most people to remain unmoved upon finding out they were going to die in three months.

 Chapter 2 - A Theft at the Caravan

    After Monty calmed down, Lillian pulled out the seat beside him. The two of them now sat next to each other. Drawing a deep but shaky breath, he lowered his gaze, as if unwilling to meet her own.

    Seeing him like this, his sister reached forward and cupped his hands with her own.

    ¡°Please tell me what''s bothering you. I want to do whatever I can.¡±

    Monty looked up, looked away, bit his lip, and then began to spout out his feelings as if they had been a bubble ready to burst.

    ¡°I- I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t remember anything like what happened yesterday, but I just know things like how to talk. I thought I would be fine, but I guess the more you told me ¨C about everything ¨C the more I just felt bad that I lost so many memories.¡±

    He inhaled. ¡°I just wish I didn¡¯t lose my memories.¡±

    Lillian smiled sadly and went silent for a full minute before saying. ¡°Thank you for telling me. I really wish I could do something, but I don¡¯t think there is anything I can do to get your memories back.¡±

    ¡°However,¡± she continued, her smile brightening. ¡°We can always make new memories, right? As long as you¡¯re alive, there¡¯s hope for a better future.¡±

    Even though Monty felt stupid doing so, he widened his eyes as if the idea had never occurred to him. He was, after all, a kid- and an amnesic at that. It was one thing to be sad and another to get over it by himself. Or at least, that¡¯s what he thought.

    As soon as his eyelids opened, they lowered once again. ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± he said, though it was obvious he was not convinced.

    Lillian sighed and did not continue the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s finish before the food gets cold.¡±

    Monty nodded. The food was good. Grilled chicken with herbal seasoning and a side of rice, the aroma sent a pang of hunger into his stomach. According to Lillian, he¡¯d been asleep for an additional two days after waking up that painful morning.

    After their meal, Lillian left the house to work. She had cleaned up the table and rinsed the dishes herself. After making sure he would be fine, she said her goodbyes and stepped out, carrying a bow, arrows, and pack over her shoulder. From the few animal heads hung up on the walls, she didn¡¯t have to tell Monty what her work was for him to know.

    Now that he was left alone in the cottage, he had time solely to himself. Since waking up, Monty had been under constant pressure. First, he experienced that soul-crushing pain before realizing he had been transmigrated into a novel. From there, there situation had only gotten worse the more he learned.

    Monty released a deep breath. Having entered his room, he lay down on his bed only to find the pillow wooden and mattress no more than a thick blanket.

    ¡°Fuck.¡±

    He pushed his palms into his temples. Monty was not used to acting, especially in such a high-stakes environment. A migraine pounded the inside of his skull. He groaned, turning around in what little space he had.

    Eventually, the throbbing in his head faded to a dull ache. He slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position. With his feet on the ground, he supported his chin with both hands. His expression was ugly, dark lines creasing his forehead.

    ¡°I gotta take a shit so bad.¡±

    Out of all the things he had asked Lillian, what or where the bathroom was one thing that had slipped his mind. It obviously wasn¡¯t inside the cottage and coming here he hadn¡¯t seen any outhouse or the like.

    Now, he was left with one option. Monty got up quickly, leaving his room and then the cottage as if chased by something. Exiting the building, his head whipped back and forth. Nothing. Trees surrounded him, providing little comfort for his mind and guts.

    Monty half-jogged west. Given that he had not seen anything of use in the direction he came from, his only hope lay behind the house and, whether luckily or unluckily, the sound of flowing water entered his ears as he turned the corner.

    Standing before the thin but strong stream, Monty wanted to cry for the second time that day. The glassy water gushed from far above him and down into the forest. Given how separated the property was from the rest of the village, it was likely that this stream was exclusive to Lillian and him, but the it still pained him to think of the future.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to live like this until I find a way out. Or at least, until I no longer need to eat.¡±

    That said, what had to be done had to be done. Ten minutes later, Monty walked back to the house with a line of sweat on his forehead. However, his stride carried a newfound determination with it. He entered his room and closed the door behind him before sitting on his bed, legs crossed and hands in his lap, creating a circle.

    With his eyes shut and body comfortable, Monty began his first attempt at cultivation.

    In this world, man was born of heaven and earth. Thus, all that was needed to be done to absorb atmospheric Qi and become a cultivator was to breath in the world¡¯s air and use one¡¯s mental strength to circulate the Qi that resulting from breathing.

    There was no need for any techniques dedicated to absorbing Qi. What separated those who could cultivate from those who could not was the existence of meridians. Like a set of veins, they enabled a cultivator to contact and circulate Qi throughout their body, forming the very basis for everything that came after.

    No one was born with meridians. Usually, they formed naturally due the accumulation of Qi in the body between the ages of ten to twelve. However, due to the thin density of Qi in this place, it was likely that the average age was higher here. Monty was not even sure if he had meridians at this moment given this body¡¯s age.

    Inhaling and exhaling methodically, he attempted to sense the existence of the mystical energy. Time passed. Minutes turned to hours as the sun slowly neared the horizon and people made their way back to their homes. At this time, his eyes opened.

    Monty released a disappointed sigh. Unfortunately, he had not managed to detect Qi. And now, he could no longer afford to spend time cultivating. Not only world Lillian be coming back soon, he had other priorities to focus on.

    Opening his eyes, Monty was greeted to a deep orange light filtering into his room. He stood up and stretched. The action provoked a groan out of him. Sitting still for hours was obviously something this body was not used to.

    Although he had not sensed anything this time, it was not unexpected. In the future he would only be spending more and more time sitting alone in a room cultivating. It was best to make a habit of it now. Taking a glance at his bare-boned room, Monty lay back down and put his hands behind his head, deep in thought.

    He soon heard the front door open as Lillain returned. ¡°Monty!¡± she shouted, and he left his room, greeting her with a smile. Looking at his sister, the bag she left with was much larger while the quiver on her waist was nearly empty. A new layer of dirt lined her shoes. She placed the pack down on the table with a thud before pulling out a chair and slumping into it.

    Seeing this, Monty asked, ¡°Do you want me to help with anything?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Lillian replied. ¡°Or¡­ for now, I guess. I¡¯ll have to teach you chores, and cooking, and a bunch of other things eventually.¡±

    The last part was almost said to herself. It looked like going out had not really helped her sort things out.

    Monty nodded seriously. It was not a surprise. His sister was sixteen, after all and while he did not know the exact circumstances, she had taken care of him for the past nine years, since he was four.

    With his response, Lillian got up. ¡°I¡¯m going to go wash myself and change. We need new water as well, so I¡¯ll get that while I¡¯m at it.¡±

    Saying so, she opened the door to her room and entered. However, before she could close it Monty urgently asked, ¡°Where is the bathroom?¡±

    Lillian looked at him and slapped her forehead. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m so sorry Monty. You can go just south of here and there¡¯ll be an outhouse.¡±

    Saying so, she picked up some clean clothes and exited the cottage, leaving Monty with conflicted feelings.

    The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Most villagers headed to bed when the sun set as daylight was precious and candles were expensive. Even if they had the coinage to buy candles, they would have to wait for a merchant caravan selling them to pass through the village.

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    After saying goodnight to his sister, Monty closed the door to the room. There was a latch but he left it unlocked. It would be better to show such a habit.

    The full moon shone brightly, lighting up his room despite the small window. Seeing it, Monty¡¯s expression grew grim. Two full moons after this one, the date of his death was set, unless he did something about it.

    Luckily, Monty was not one to simply roll over and die. He gave the moon a final glance before heading to bed. Tomorrow was an early morning.

    Over the next week, Monty fell into a daily rhythm. After waking up and freshening himself up, he and Lillian would eat. Chores were taken care of afterwards. Every couple days, she left to hunt in the afternoon, returning around sunset. While she was gone, Monty would spend his time cultivating as well as making preparations for the future.

    One thing he specifically focused on was reviewing any important information he could remember. His memory was not perfect and keeping track of important plot points, areas, characters, et cetera was perhaps the most important thing after cultivation.

    The days went by like so. Monty learned quickly, completing any task Lillian left for him with adeptness, much to her delight. His sister had also spent more time with him, not that he had any prior experience to compare the change too. This, while taking away time that could have been spent planning, allowed him to gain a more in-depth understanding of the world through their conversations.

    Other than Lillian, Monty rarely saw other people. Besides the occasional checkup at the Doctor¡¯s, he remained in or near the cottage. However, this changed nearly two weeks after his waking up in this world. That day, when Lillian came back from purchasing supplies from the store, she appeared excited, a large smile splitting her face.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Monty asked as he helped put away the items.

    Lillian placed a new box of matches atop the fireplace. ¡°A caravan will be coming in two days. It¡¯s about time too, the general store is running out of things and there¡¯s a bunch of stuff I need to buy.¡±

    Hearing this, Monty also became excited. He had long since heard about merchant caravans and was looking forward to the appearance of one. Traveling between mountains carried a great deal of risk as beasts and bandits prowled the lands. Even cultivators could not guarantee their safety. Thus, these caravans were one of the only sources of outside interaction.

    These two weeks allowed Monty to learn a great deal about the village. However, his knowledge of the outside world remained limited to what he knew from the story. The first chapter started in the year 4000 but it really began the year 4002. This was a good opportunity to find out the general situation at this time, as well as purchase some necessities he would need for the future.

    Two days later, just as Lillian said, the caravan arrived.

    The village was rowdy today. The head, an old man with sharp features and a thick, white beard, led the greeting procession himself. Monty followed along in the crowd, feeling some expectation in his heart. Hopefully, what he wanted would be here.

    The merchant group set up just above the base of the mountain, in a large clearing between the endless trees. Shoddy stalls were set up in record times. Soon, a buzz filled the area, people and animals alike shouting as trades were made, leaving some satisfied and others not.

    Monty walked slowly, Lillian beside him. She was holding a leather bag that contained her savings. The coins inside jingled lightly. As people milled around them, they toured the various stalls. Tools, clothing, spices, and many other commodities were on display, making for a colorful and chaotic picture.

    None of these things interested him. Lillian also browsed these goods indifferently for the most part. However, she did point out things that she thought Monty would find interesting. His response was always negative.

    ¡°Is there anything you want?¡± she eventually asked as they passed a large stall with blades of all sorts shining in the sunlight. Many young men swarmed around the shop, pointing and discussing their would-be achievements if they had that sword or this spear.

    Monty looking at the stall and shook his head without needing to think about it. He had never fought another person in his life. Buying some sort of weapon would be like giving a hunter a calculator.

    ¡°Not really,¡± he said, moving on to the next stall. However, after giving it some thought, he changed his stance. ¡°Actually, I want to get some scrolls so I can learn to read.¡±

    Lillian raised her eyebrows. He explained. ¡°I lost so many memories; I want to make up for them. Learning through reading will help a lot.¡±

    His sister nodded with a smile at this. ¡°It¡¯s good that you think that way. I wasn¡¯t going to teach you how to read yet, but I wouldn¡¯t mind starting now. It is never a bad thing to learn the characters, at least.¡±

    Just as they were going to head to a stall that sold scrolls, a woman shouted from behind them, ¡°Thief!¡±

    Monty was not interested in any robbery, so he did not turn around. However, he heard Lillian shout just as someone ran into him, sending him sprawling onto the dirt.

    A cloud of dust was kicked up by his fall. Though Monty managed to avoid eating the ground, his elbows were injured, taking seconds before blood started leaking and mixing with the dirt and pebbles.

    The thief was stunned as well and just as he turned to sprint off, Lillian grabbed his shoulder with a grip of iron.

    Her expression a slate, she said, ¡°Just where do you think you¡¯re going, Flea.¡±

    Flea, a kid no older than Monty, visibly paled at the sight of her. Lillian snorted and then went to help Monty up. He had already gotten to a crouch when she pulled his arm up, setting him to his feet.

    Just then, the woman who had shouted earlier caught up. She wore a brown-grey cloak that hid her appearance. From beneath her hood, silver eyes stared daggers at Flea and the black satchel in his grip. A small crowd had gathered as well, drawn in by the commotion and shouting.

    ¡°This is yours?¡± Lillian asked the woman, holding Flea forward and the bag in turn. The woman nodded, thanking her.

    Lillian then turned to Flea and frowned. ¡°Well, are you going to apologize?¡±

    Under such a gaze, as well as the surrounding crowd, Flea lowered his head, mumbling a sorry. The woman, not seeming to care for the apology or the attention, quickly left without saying anything else.

    Seeing the situation resolve smoothly, the crowd dissipated. The hubbub of the market returned as if nothing happened.

    Flea looked up to Lillian only to find that her gaze had not left him.

    ¡°Well?¡±

    The kid turned to Monty in an exaggerated motion.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Monty felt he could have at least pretended to be sincere, given the way Lillian stared at him. This feeling was correct as without warning, she raised her hand and brought it down, slapping Flea.

    He brought his palm to a reddening cheek, stunned.

    Lillian nearly spat as she said, ¡°Your act might get a pass from your father but don¡¯t think for a moment you can fuck with me or Monty and keep that attitude.¡±

    Flea stood frozen. However, another hand suddenly held his shoulder. Unlike Lillian¡¯s vice-like grip, the strength within it was gentle.

    Monty frowned as he said, ¡°Theres no need to go that far, Lillian. He already apologized.¡±

    His sister flinched, asking in disbelief, ¡°But-¡±.

    She caught herself and took a deep breath. Sending a final glare at the kid, she turned to Monty. ¡°It¡¯s up to you, but there is no need to be kind to thieves like him.¡±

    Monty shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so harsh either.¡±

    Lillian simply sighed at that before a smile found its way to her face. ¡°You know, you¡¯ve become a lot more levelheaded than before.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Monty questioned, in thought. She nodded. ¡°Yeah, before you probably already be fighting him- and winning at that.¡±

    Monty snorted in amusement before turning to Flea. ¡°You okay?¡±

    Flea looked at him strangely and nodded slowly. Monty smiled and gave a nod in return before saying to Lillian, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    From then on, nothing untold happened. Monty and Lillian toured the stalls, the former not taking more than a few glances at the countless wares. Lillian, however, managed to find some of what she was looking for, mainly soap and a well-woven mat amongst other things.

    As the sun reached its midday heights, they stopped and bought some kebabs from a friendly stall. The crowd had thinned significantly, most going back to their homes for lunch or simply having finished their browsing for the day.

    Arriving at one of the final stalls in the loop, Monty and Lillian paused. The wares were far more miscellaneous than many others, from quills to strange materials to various scrolls.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I pick something simple for you to get started with,¡± Lillian suggested, leaning in to get a closer look.

    ¡°That would be great,¡± Monty said as he studied the scrolls. Unlike the books he was used to, these did not have any cover to display a hint as to their contents. He really had to learn to read, and soon at that.

    Noticing their interest, the shopkeeper wafted over. He was a thin and stringy man with his bread graying at the skin. His face appeared rather sinister, prompting a scowl from Lillian.

    He rubbed his hands together, asking, ¡°Is there anything I can get for you?¡±

    Lillian nodded and mentioned a few of the thinner scrolls. ¡°Do you have anything that helps with learning to write?¡±

    ¡°I do, I do,¡± the shopkeeper answered. ¡°Quill and ink, very cheap - only ten coppers.¡±

    The two of them then descended into a harsh bartering, deciding the price of the scrolls as well as the inks and quills that Monty would need for practice. He had just wanted to learn to read, but apparently writing was a necessity as well, not that he disagreed.

    ¡°Damned old man,¡± Lillian muttered to herself after they left, nearly fifteen minutes later. Monty held an armful of learning materials as they made their way back home, a meaningful glint hidden within his brown eyes.

    After arriving back at the cottage, Lillian immediately began teaching Monty under his persuasion. The two of them sat side-by-side, and the tutelage continued late into the night.

    * * *

    As the moon rose overhead, a woman carrying a black satchel softly knocked on the door to Doctor Elmon¡¯s clinic. Her appearance was highlighted by the soft moonlight. If Monty was here, he would recognize her as the woman whose bag was stolen by Flea earlier that day. She heard the shuffling of footsteps from inside before the door creaked open.

    ¡°Did anyone see you?¡± Dante Elmons asked as he quickly moved aside, letting her in. The woman frowned at the question.

    ¡°Do you believe I would let myself get discovered?¡±

    The old man chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m just worried that by going too far in pretending to be a mortal will result in an event like what happened earlier today.¡±

    The woman clicked her tongue. ¡°That couldn¡¯t be helped, there were cultivators in the area. That little thief will be dead soon anyway. More importantly, are all your preparations complete?¡±

    Saying so, she did not wait for Dante¡¯s response. The old man hobbled as fast as he could after her as she made her way to the back.

    ¡°Everything is done, now we just have to wait for the new year and the Sovereign will reward us all for our efforts.¡± A dreamy expression came over him at the thought. The woman snorted.

    ¡°Are these the rooms?¡±

    The old man nodded. She opened the doors, looking in them and spreading out her sprit sense enough to engulf each of the rooms. Beads of sweat popped up on the Doctor¡¯s skin at the sensation. Just being near her when she moved her Qi was like being engulfed in water. Her level of cultivation was not low in the slightest.

    After going through each of them meticulously, the woman nodded and closed the last door. The old man felt a weight lift off his shoulders. It seemed that everything was truly ready.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going back to the caravan then. Do not contact me in person.¡±

    The Doctor clasped his hands together as a goodbye and the woman left, disappearing into the night. Seeing that she was gone, he straightened his back as a cold look overtook him.

    ¡°Just a couple more months,¡± he muttered and closed the door tightly, sealing it and the fate of the village along with it.

 Chapter 3 - A Breakthrough Towards Survival

    ¡°Faster this time. Why are you taking so long to write every character?¡±

    It was early in the morning, yet Monty already felt a headache brewing under Lillian¡¯s constant rebukes. Given how casual she had been when it came to chores, it surprised him to see her attitude change so much when teaching him reading and writing. He took it in stride though. With her enthusiastic level of support, he was learning at a much faster rate than if he studied by himself.

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today,¡± she said only a few hours later, looking at the emptied hourglass on the table. It was something she had bought from a stall the day prior. Today was the seventh day since Monty first visited the merchant caravan, and the day it would be leaving.

    Hearing her say they were done, he dropped his head on the table and groaned as if in pain.

    ¡°Finally,¡± he said and Lillian gave him an amused look.

    ¡°What happened to that enthusiasm you had a week ago?¡± she remarked with a chuckle. Monty just snorted, unwilling to entertain her for the umpteenth time.

    ¡°What¡¯s for lunch?¡± he asked. Lillian hummed in contemplation before replying, ¡°Since it¡¯s the last day of the caravan, do you want to go find something to eat there? Those kebabs last time were pretty good.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± he replied with an evident smile. ¡°Are you sure though?¡±

    Lillian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s settled then. We¡¯re going out for lunch today!¡±

    They packed up the writing materials and Lillian grabbed her coins. Within minutes, the two of them were already heading down the mountain.

    ¡°Will there be another caravan coming soon?¡± Monty casually asked. Lillian shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but probably not for a while. Though our village isn¡¯t small, its not really big so some of the very large caravans pass it. Also, this new year is such a special time so that might lead to less people traveling. If any come, it would be before that.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± he said.

    They soon arrived at the clearing. The smell of cooked meat, spices, and all kinds of dishes entered his nose. His stomach grumbled, prompting a laugh from Lillian.

    After a few minutes of walking around, they found a relatively small stall that sold a dish similar to calzones. Lillian ordered two and walked off to the side with Monty. They talked as they waited, until Monty spotted someone familiar slowly walking along the edge of the clearing.

    ¡°Flea!¡± he shouted, waving his hand. Flea, who seemed to be up to no good yet again, flinched at his shout only to realize that it was Monty. He waved back briefly before running off. Lillian watched the interaction with furrowed eyebrows.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why you¡¯re so insistent on being friendly to Flea,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s scum, just like his dad. There¡¯s no reason to bother with him.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I just want to spread positivity,¡± Monty deadpanned and Lillian snorted. ¡°Fine, keep your secrets.¡± He smiled.

    Just then, the stall owner called Lillian¡¯s name and she headed off to pick up the food. Monty did not watch her go, instead turning back to look at the disappearing Flea. His eyes narrowed, thoughts inscrutable. However, his face immediately returned to normal as his sister returned.

    ¡°Here you go,¡± she said, holding out of the calzone. It was wrapped in a thin paper and felt warm in his hands. Taking a bite through the white bread exterior revealed an interior of meat, cheese and greens. Steam flowed out from the hole.

    ¡°It¡¯s really good,¡± Lillian exclaimed, straight up seeming to ignore the heat. Monty nodded in agreement and blew on it before taking another bite. He had not expected the food in this world to taste so good, at least on a mortal level. Immortal cuisine was a different story.

    They walked at they ate. Compared to seven days ago, there were far fewer stalls and even those still out had few goods, most being packed up by their owners and placed amongst the many caravans. A few young men from the village also helped enthusiastically.

    Besides the trading of goods, a merchant caravan had another purpose. It served to scout talents from the places it passed through and recruit them whether as guards or hands.

    Traveling was dangerous. A caravan had to be prepared for anything but even then, its members were often killed. Thus, if lacking manpower, the merchants would hire people to make up for it. While the pay usually was not substantial, it was consistent and all but guaranteed if one¡¯s life was kept. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, joining a caravan would allow for access to connections and the world at large.

    While older, settled down people were not tempted, such an offer was fatally attractive to young men. Monty was not interested, though. The event that would happen in just over two months was not something he could run away from. It was better to stay in the safe and familiar village while working on ways to keep his life.

    Finding nothing worth looking at in the clearing, the duo made a final lap before heading back home. They talked along the way, though it was mainly Lillian telling Monty about things happening about the village and beyond.

    ¡°¡­ recently there¡¯s been a decrease in bandits all around the southern region. I heard that some immortals got involved and forced a bunch of gangs to break up,¡± she shared. ¡°There also has been a bunch of clean up of demonic cultivators. Now, they can only lay low and hide. The righteous forces are going all out to start off the new thousand years.¡±

    ¡°Where are you hearing all these things? I don¡¯t think that the others are talking about the matters of immortals,¡± Monty said, referring to the other villagers. From a mortal perspective, cultivators were indeed immortal.

    Lillian flinched, having been caught up in her talking. ¡°Oh, um, I heard all this from the Doc. As you know, he¡¯s the only cultivator in Fletcher Village. If you visited him more you could learn a great deal as well.¡±

    Though she suggested that, she did not seem to mean it. Monty did not push further.

    ¡°Maybe I will then, though I don¡¯t want to bother him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s busy, taking care of the village and everything.¡±

    Lillian chuckled awkwardly. ¡°On second thought, I think you¡¯re right. If you want to know more, I can let you know when he¡¯s free.¡±

    The rest of the walk passed in an uncomfortable silence. When they got back, Lillian changed into leathers and went out, saying she had to hunt. Perhaps due to her rush, or that she had been lost in thought, she brought her bow and quiver but did not fill it with arrows, leaving with an empty vessel.

    Monty shook his head. From what he had seen of her these past few weeks, Lillian also had her secrets. However, they did not interest him. Regardless of what they were, she was not a character that existed in the novel and probably ended up dying on the new year¡¯s. Her secrets could not be that great.

    Pushing the matter to the back of his mind, Monty entered his room and closed the door behind himself. Since the first day of waking here, he had been diligently working on his cultivation. Thankfully, his efforts were paying off as yesterday his intuition told him he was nearly there.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°Today I will step onto the path of immortality!¡± he thought grandly.

    Excited, Monty sat on his bed cross-legged and closed his eyes. After weeks of consistent practice the process came naturally. He calmed himself and began breathing slowly and rhythmically. Within minutes, he had slipped into a trance, his attention focused solely on sensing Qi.

    The surroundings were calm. A faint breeze drifted in from his cracked-open window. Birds chirped cheerfully and trees shook gently. Although it was not cold yet, the weather was gradually chilling. Soon, the leaves of trees would start to change colors and fall.

    Time passed peacefully in Fletcher Village. However, that did not mean all was peaceful.

    Far away from the mountain, in a dense forest, Lillian stood panting. Around her were the dead bodies of numerous bandits. Most were not left in one piece, their limbs strewn around them and the surrounding grass more red than green.

    ¡°Y-you bitch!¡± Her head whipped around as a man with ragged features ran towards her, gleaming sword raised over his head. Not only was his weapon newer, his clothes were in a much better condition than the others. Within moments, he was close enough to hit her, yet her expression did not fluctuate from its icy coldness.

    Faster than any mortal could react, she raised her hand towards the bandit leader. From her palm, a pale blue light glowed and within that same instant, an arrow of ice flew from it, directly piercing through the man¡¯s forehead and coming out the back. She then stepped to the side and the corpse fell forward, sword digging into the ground.

    Blood streamed behind the wound yet Lillian¡¯s clothes remained spotless. Another gang of bandits were dead. Despite having killed so many, she did not seem bothered in the slightest. Her gaze was distant.

    ¡°Monty¡­¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Finally.¡±

    Sitting in the same position as when he had started four hours ago, Monty laughed happily. Within him, he could feel a supernatural force coursing along his veins, circulating through and bolstering him.

    He had stepped upon the path of cultivation. However, after giving himself a laugh, he continued to sit on his bed as if nothing had changed. It was far too early to slack off.

    A cultivator¡¯s strength was based on their realm and stage of their cultivation. What Monty had just entered was the first stage of the Qi Condensation realm. Obviously, this was the weakest a cultivator could be. Thus, Monty continued without break.

    Now that he had properly started cultivating, he no longer needed to spend his time searching for Qi. Cultivators at the Qi Condensation realm, as the name implied, accumulated atmospheric Qi and cycled it through their meridians, eventually condensing it into a kind of energy heart called a dantian.

    As time passed, the amount of Qi circulating through Monty slowly increased. It was so sluggish that a frown formed on his face. Breath-by-breath, the difference was imperceivable. Only after time passed could he faintly tell that the stream was becoming stronger.

    Monty sighed and his eyes slowly opened. A faint gleam flashed through them. No matter what, he had successfully taken the first step. There was hope for survival.

    Soon, just like always, Lillian returned at sundown.

    ¡°How is your practice coming along?¡± she asked with a smile, sitting down next to Monty at the table. She appeared to have forgotten their conversation prior to her rushed departure.

    ¡°Good,¡± Monty simply replied. Using the quill, he wrote a few characters slightly faster than he had before. His sister nodded, pleased with his efforts. His next words caused her to raise her eyebrows in surprise.

    ¡°Can you teach me how to cook?¡± He then quickly explained himself. ¡°I finish my chores pretty fast now and so I want to make food for you.¡±

    Lillian crossed her arms contemplatively before easily agreeing. ¡°Okay, sure. We can start today. You can watch me make dinner first. Don¡¯t think this¡¯ll let you get away from writing, though.¡±

    Monty grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. The rest of the day passed as planned. Lillian first went out to wash herself and change. She left the getting out of food preparation items to Monty and he did what he knew, lighting the fire and taking the utensils out from the cabinet.

    His sister then came back and began cooking. Monty watched intently. Cooking was not something he had much experience in, his interest was genuine. Twenty minutes and with some extra assistance from Monty later, dinner was ready.

    Lillian sat facing him. They ate without speaking. In fact, they had not spoken much at all since she got back other than that first exchange. Soon, Lillian sighed heavily and placed her fork and knife down.

    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±

    Monty raised his head. He was not expecting this.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    Lillian met his gaze with her own. She bit her lip, as if being undecided. She sighed again.

    ¡°Never mind. Is the food good?¡±

    Monty did reply to her question. Instead, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me right now, but if it¡¯s related to your bad acting earlier, I hope you can tell me soon.¡±

    Lillian heard his words and a slight color rose to her cheeks. She frowned. ¡°You¡¯ve really grown arrogant. Just three weeks ago you were crying your eyes out and now you¡¯re giving me advice.

    ¡­Though.¡± Her voice lowered to a firm whisper. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    Monty looked expectant. She continued. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything at the end of this year. On the last night. It¡¯ll be my sincerity to you.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± He found the timing coincidental, but did not show it. The two of them finished eating and went to their respective rooms.

    Regardless of what happened in the world, time continued to flow. Days turned to weeks and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed since Monty¡¯s transmigration.

    On this day, the entirety of Fletcher Village was vibrant with celebration. It was the night of the new year, after all. In just a couple hours it would be the year 4000.

    The mountain shone like a beacon from all the lights aflame. Despite it being late, no one was asleep. The full moon hung in the sky, its brightness outshining even the strongest stars.

    The voices of the villagers blurred into a buzz. Alcohol flowed like water, music and dance were everywhere, and the village head himself extravagantly set off a multitude of fireworks, much to the delight of both children and adults.

    There were only three people who were not participating in the festivities. Two of them were Monty and Lillian. Placing a well-spiced piece of beef into his mouth, Monty chewed slowly, savoring the efforts of his past couple months of cooking.

    ¡°You¡¯ve really become a great cook,¡± Lillian complemented. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll be able to finish all of this.¡±

    Although they were not celebrating with the rest of the village, they planned a great feast for two, pulling out all the stops. The cottage was filled with a thick and savory aroma and the table was packed with a variety of dishes from steak to stir-fry to something Monty called ¡°pizza¡±.

    Both of them had contributed to the cooking. In some way, it was a competition between the two.

    Monty smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad you can recognize greatness. You know, your cooking isn¡¯t too bad either. Though I have to be unbiased and say mine has the edge. As for finishing everything, I know I can finish my dishes, though it¡¯ll be tough to finish yours.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy,¡± Lillian laughed. ¡°You¡¯re sixteen years away from being able to talk to me about cooking.¡±

    He snorted. ¡°Sometimes talent is more important than experience.¡±

    Lillian just shook her head at that, unwilling to argue further. ¡°Still, it was worth taking all the time to prepare this. I haven¡¯t eaten this good in a long time.¡±

    Monty nodded.

    It took a while, but they eventually managed to clear all the dishes. By the end of it, both Lillian and Monty could barely sit in their seats.

    ¡°I regret!¡± she cried out, holding her stomach. Monty didn¡¯t, or rather, couldn¡¯t reply. He had truly gone all out tonight.

    In the distance, they could hear the cheers of the villagers and the booms of fireworks. The atmosphere was very peaceful. Despite living her whole life in the village, Lillian was not particularly close to anyone and Monty did not bother to become so. Thus, even though they celebrated by themselves, it was pleasant.

    Eventually, their stomachs settled down. Lillian brought out a bottle of white wine.

    ¡°I never drink,¡± she said. ¡°But I think it¡¯ll be fine, just for today.¡±

    She first poured some in Monty¡¯s cup, filling it. She then move the neck of the bottle to her own cup. At this point, her grip suddenly became shaky.

    ¡°Huh?¡± she said, confused. She suddenly dropped down into the chair heavily. Her mouth moved but no words came out.

    Monty watched on in silence as Lillian¡¯s eyes closed and she slumped over, unconscious. The wine bottle dropped onto the stone floor and broke, sending wine and glass all over.

    He stood from his seat. Walking over to his sister, Monty pulled her up.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, his voice laced with worry. She did not respond. He didn¡¯t waste time. He left her there and walked to her room. It was dark. He directly went to her hunting pack and opened it, shifting through its contents until his hand found what he was looking for.

    Monty wrapped his fingers tightly around the hilt and pulled it out. In his hand was a large, hefty knife. His footsteps tapped softly against the floor as he walked back to Lillian. She had not moved from where he left her.

    Monty moved until he stood behind her. Lillian¡¯s head was leaned back over the top of the chair, and her arms dangled limply at her sides. If not now, then never. He brought the blade up, the metal shining in the orange mixture of candle and moon light, and hovered it just before her exposed neck. He then struck with all his might.

    Monty felt as if he had cut stone. Suddenly, he could no longer move the blade, even with force. His heart skipped a beat. He looked down.

    Lillian¡¯s eyes were open and looking directly at him. Her hand no longer hung by her side, instead grabbing the knife¡¯s blade in a grip of steel. The air was so still it seemed frozen.

    Then, her mouth opened and this time she had no issue speaking. With a voice that sent a shiver up Monty¡¯s spine, she said,

    ¡°You¡¯re not Monty, are you.¡±

 Chapter 4 - A Deal with a Demon

    Three months ago, two days prior to Monty regaining consciousness. Lillian walked into Doctor Elmonn¡¯s clinic with dark expression.

    ¡°How is Monty? Has he shown any signs of waking up?¡±

    The Doctor shook his head, his face no less grim than her own. ¡°About him, I have something important to tell you regarding his condition.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, though the old man had no time to answer. Just then, the scream of a young boy pierced the air.

    ¡°Monty!¡± Lillian shouted, rushing to the back room with great speed. The Doctor followed right behind her, his pace no less than her own.

    Opening the door revealed a sight that caused her breathing to stop. Her brother was thrashing violently, tearing at his clothes, the sheets, and himself. She quickly held him down and shouted his name, trying in any way she could to bring him out of whatever state he was in.

    ¡°Move!¡± the Doctor commanded and she immediately did. He had to help Monty.

    The old man placed a hand on the boy¡¯s chest and as soon as a light flashed, he once again fell unconscious.

    Tears welled up in Lillian¡¯s eyes. She quickly wiped them and they no longer appeared.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± she hissed after regaining some composure but the Doctor just sighed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go sit down. His condition should stabilize now and he will likely wake in the next few days.¡±

    Lillain did not move. ¡°Just tell me now. I won¡¯t be leaving this room until he wakes up. Not after whatever just happened.¡±

    The old man sighed yet again and said, ¡°Very well. Do as you like. I cannot not tell you how Monty became like this. However, given the condition of his Qi, I can make certain assumptions.¡±

    ¡°What are they?¡±

    He took a moment to gather his thoughts. ¡°His body has no damage to it. The only change I can perceive is a movement of his acupuncture points. From this, we can assume his falling into a coma is a consequence of damage or change to his soul.¡±

    Lillian paled. Any injury to the soul was incredibly difficult to heal and would likely cause many issues ranging from mental illness to directly causing death.

    ¡°How can this be.¡± She slumped against the wall. Her voice came out a whisper. ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done, now even he¡¯s like this. Are the heavens against me?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go take a seat,¡± the Doctor suggested again. This time Lillian agreed, nodding weakly. She stood and they moved to the main room. Once they reached the chairs, she slumped down in one, her gaze dark and unfocused.

    ¡°Do you want something to drink?¡± he asked. Lillian mumbled. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then listen to what I have to say.¡±

    The strength in the Doctor¡¯s voice pulled her attention to him. ¡°While Monty¡¯s condition is serious, it will not endanger his life. As I¡¯ve said, he should be waking within the next few days.¡±

    A tremble ran through Lillian and a dim light returned to her eyes. The old man continued talking, his voice steady and deep. ¡°However, I am more worried about the cause. There are very few reasons for a mortal¡¯s soul to be affected in such a way. There are no injuries on him that would lead to his condition.¡±

    ¡°Thus,¡± he concluded. ¡°It could only be the work of something or someone who had the capabilities to target his soul directly, putting him into such a state.¡±

    Lillian sat up straight. ¡°You¡¯re telling me someone targeted Monty? Why would anyone do that? He¡¯s just a regular mortal.¡±

    ¡°There are two explanations,¡± the Doctor said, voice leaden. ¡°One: someone is targeting you through him, either to simply cause harm to your dao heart or to blackmail you at a later date.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the second?¡±

    ¡°Through demonic means, they clashed with Monty¡¯s soul in an attempt to directly possess his body.¡±

    * * *

    Despite having prepared herself since Monty¡¯s amnesic wakening, when Lillian felt the pressure of a cold blade held against her neck, her heart shattered. Seeing the boy who used to be her brother meet her gaze so indifferently, an icy rage exploded within her.

    ¡°I will give you one chance to explain yourself. Just one. You better think carefully before answering or prepare yourself for the consequences.¡±

    Monty nodded as if expecting her to react in such a way. He was still calm despite her threat and her fury only boiled further at that.

    Then, he backed away from her and spoke evenly. ¡°I will tell you everything eventually. However, right now is an emergency. If we don¡¯t do something both, you and I will die tonight.¡±

    ¡°Is he fucking serious?¡± ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± His eyes darted to the window. A smile appeared, spreading his lips thinly. It was a smile that Monty should, would never wear. It caused her stomach to churn. ¡°Just look out the window and you¡¯ll understand.¡±

    She nodded as if calm, and appeared before the thing that stole her brother¡¯s body. Her hand grabbed his neck and lifted him into the air.

    ¡°Did you have fun?¡± she spat. ¡°For three months you pretended to be my brother only to try to kill me on such a day. Now you¡¯re still bullshitting me. Do you think I¡¯m fucking stupid?¡±

    ¡°Your brother is still alive.¡±

    Lillian flinched. He continued to speak, albeit with difficulty, the hand around his neck not tight enough to cause harm. ¡°He¡¯s still alive. I currently possess his body, but the soul of Monty is still living within it, only injured. Just look out the window. It truly is an emergency. I have not lied.¡±

    She lowered him to the ground. ¡°If you move an inch, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    Lillian then walked to the window, her attention focused solely on Monty. It was ridiculous. Once she found nothing out of the ordinary, the piece of shit would be out of excuses. It would pain her, but to find out what happened she would do anything. Monty could not be gone.

    She looked outside.

    The night sky no longer contained countless celestial bodies. It was black and empty. No light shone down and the landscape mirrored the sky above.

    ¡°Huh?¡± she asked, but was left unanswered. The silence was deafening.

    Now that she thought about it, there was absolutely no noise other than her and Monty¡¯s own breathing. It was late at night, so some degree of quietness was to be expected, but the complete absence of sound was eerily unnatural.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I hear the villagers?¡± The color drained from her face. Her voice came out a whisper. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    From behind her, Monty spoke calmly. ¡°Look for the moon.¡±

    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t there?¡± she thought, feeling that something was very wrong. Then she spotted it.

    As if fusing with the void beyond, the disk was no longer a pure silver but deep, colorless black. Her eye sight was much better than a mortals and thus, she could make out minute spots of silver behind the darkness. It was as if the moon had been covered by a barrier of smog.

    Her head whipped to Monty. ¡°What is this?! Did you do this?¡±

    Monty snorted. ¡°Of course not. Do you think I am an immortal?¡±

    Lillian¡¯s pulse raced but she forced her mind to slow down at his words. She breathed deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll believe you for now but you have to tell me what¡¯s going on. If I find out that you lied you¡¯ll be dead that same instant.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Monty agreed. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you? I haven¡¯t lied.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    She did not believe that. However, whatever was going on it was far above her pay grade. It was obvious at a glance. Monty ¨C or whoever was possessing her brother ¨C seemed to know everything before it even happened. That scared her more than what was going on, but at the same time, provided a way.

    Lillian closed her eyes for a second. When they opened, they were no longer lacking direction. Now was the present. She would worry about Monty after leaving this.

    ¡°Please tell me how I can survive,¡± she said, her tone returning to normal. Monty looked impressed.

    ¡°Grab what you need first, we won¡¯t be staying in this place anymore,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything as we move. We¡¯ve already wasted enough time.¡±

    It seemed that he had already been prepared as when Lillian walked out of her room, pack in hand, he was at the door.

    ¡°You got everything?¡±

    ¡°Can I get my knife?¡± she asked. Monty nodded nonchalantly and held out the blade, hilt first. She looked at him for a second and took it.

    He opened the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go, there¡¯s a lot to do.¡±

    Given how dark it was, Lillian held out her hand, palm up, and a faint light illuminated their surroundings. Monty looked at it as they walked of the cottage. Compared to the day, the dirt trail that led into the forest gained an ominous quality and adding in the deathly silence, she felt every beat of her heart.

    Monty began his explanation at this time. ¡°I¡¯ll start with what we¡¯re going to do to survive. Then I¡¯ll explain what¡¯s going on,¡± he said. Leaves crunched painfully loud underfoot.

    ¡°I won¡¯t bother telling you the details, but, to put it simply, a very powerful cultivator will be taking the souls of every one of his descendants in an attempt to break through a higher realm. This cultivator being our great ancestor, the Silver Moon Sovereign.¡±

    Lillian¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Why would he-¡± she did not finish the question. It was stupid. She knew better than anyone just how far cultivators were willing to go to gain more power.

    ¡°Back during his prime, our ancestor was quite prolific. By now, around ten percent of all humans in the Southern Region are his descendants. To prevent our essence from being harvested, we will need help from an equally powerful figure.¡±

    ¡°You know someone that powerful?¡± she questioned. At this point, she could barely even dreg up some doubt to the absurd claim. The Silver Moon Sovereign had lorded over the entire Southern Region during his prime. She could not imagine what his cultivation would be now, four thousand years later.

    ¡°In a way,¡± Monty replied, not giving away a thing. ¡°However, I am not capable of asking for favors in my current state. There are two steps we must take. The first is to perform a sacrifice to draw her attention. Then, make a trade to buy protection for us.¡±

    ¡°What I will need you to do,¡± he continued, meeting her gaze with her brother¡¯s brown eyes. ¡°Is to help me with getting the sacrifices. I will take care of everything else.¡±

    Lillian frowned. ¡°Demonic techniques?¡± Monty exhaled in a regretful way. ¡°If there were an alternative, I would surely use it. Unfortunately, dealing with a cultivator on the verge of forming his dao seed does not leave me with many options. Though, I¡¯m sure when you find out who those sacrifices are, you won¡¯t mind so much.¡±

    He shot her a grin and Lillian could only wonder who he was referring to.

    Monty led them around the fringes of the village, taking a roundabout path. When she asked why, he told her she could cut through the village center, if she wanted to die. She did not question his choices again.

    After a long half hour of trekking through dark forest, they arrived at a dilapidated cottage. Compared to their own, the condition was like heaven and earth. Old wood boards barely kept the roof from collapsing and an infestation of bugs had created countless miniature windows that enabled a shaky light to pass through.

    Monty took out a candle from his bag and lit it, handing it to Lillian. He then walked up to the door and knocked. Turning to her, he said, ¡°Put out your light. Can you capture them alive?¡±

    Lillian nodded and her palm dimmed into nothing. She knew who lived here. As much as she hated to admit it, knowing this made her feel a bit better, if just a bit.

    Soon, a skinny boy opened the door. ¡°Monty?¡± he asked, confused.

    Monty scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Hey, Flea. Is your dad home?¡±

    Flea seemed stunned. ¡°Um, yes. But why are you asking for him?¡±

    Monty did not seem bothered to reply. ¡°Lillian.¡± She frowned but moved anyway. Qi channeled from her dantian through her meridians, moving around her body before reaching her index and middle fingers.

    She pointed at Flea and in her mind, said,

    ¡°Frozen Chains.¡±

    From her fingers, links of ice manifested, shooting out at a speed faster than Flea could react. They wrapped around his torso, pinning his arms to his sides. The boy opened his mouth to scream but no words came out. Monty¡¯s palm had covered it.

    ¡°Shut it if you don¡¯t want to die. Now, blink if you understand.¡±

    Flea, wide eyed, closed them strongly. Monty then removed his hand. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go find that father of yours.¡±

    The three of them entered, Lillian leading the way with Flea dragged behind her. The stink of alcohol hit her nose, causing her nose to scrunch up. Though, now it was more than just a little bit.

    A gruff voice garbled something resembling a shout. ¡°Flea! Who was there. Tell them to get the fuck out or I¡¯ll tell the Head.¡±

    No one answered. The inside of the cottage was as bad as the outside, if not worse. Lillian had to watch her step so as not to fall into the floor. Empty bottles and glass shards littered the walls. There was no furniture, only a dimly burning fireplace that barely allowed visibility of the room.

    Uneven footsteps headed towards them and before long, a large man appeared. His stomach protruded a great deal and a half-full bottle was gripped tightly in his hand, the alcohol sloshing within it. His face was ruddy in the firelight.

    He looked at the three of them. They all looked back. The man then paled as if his neck had been slit.

    ¡°Have mercy!¡± he cried, displaying a surprising quick-wittedness. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to offend anyone. I¡¯ll give you whatever you want, immortal fairy. Please spare my dog life.¡±

    Lillian did not listen to the pig, or, well, dog. She held out a palm, and just like with Flea, the man was soon chained tightly, giving him no room to move. Losing his balance, he fell to the ground and the cold chains dug into his skin.

    He had not stopped begging the entire time. Looking at Flea, he seemed to realize something. ¡°If my son has done anything to offend you, then you can take his dog life. Flea, you little shit, apologize right now!¡±

    At that, Lillian¡¯s expression sank. She never liked Flea or his father and such behavior only served to increase her disgust.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± she spat, unwilling to listen further. Flea¡¯s father immediately closed his mouth. Lillian then turned around to ask Monty what was next, only to find him crouched on the ground, a small knife at his finger. With a single motion, he dragged the edge against it, creating a short but deep wound.

    Monty then pressed it against the ground and began to draw. The bottles had already been moved to the edges of the room, creating a circular opening in the center. Not wasting a moment, he traced his thumb in a large circle before filling it in with various other shapes and symbols.

    Soon, Monty finished the bloody array. ¡°Bring them here and lay them in the middle,¡± he said, panting. His face was pale, but a smile curled his lips.

    Lillian obliged, placing the bound father and son atop the blood. Barely a few minutes had passed since she first made her move.

    Kneeing on the floor once again, Monty placed a hand on the array and closed his eyes. Slowly, Qi started to flow into it.

    ¡°He¡¯s also a cultivator,¡± Lillian thought, though it did not surprise her.

    ¡°The Village Head won¡¯t let you get away with this. There¡¯s no place for demonic fiends in this world! Lillian, please. My wife and your parents both died to protect this village. You can¡¯t do this.¡± Although Flea and his father did not know what was going on, they certainly recognized it was not anything good. Unfortunately for them, they could only cry out and struggle helplessly.

    Sweat fell to the floor from Monty¡¯s forehead, soaking into the wood. For a full minute he kneeled there. Then, just as he appeared to near his limit, the crimson circle began to emit a light of the same, bloody color.

    ¡°Now. Kill them!¡± he gasped, unable to stand the exertion. Without hesitation, Lillian made a closing motion with her fist and the sound of chains clinking and bones snapping cracked the air. Shrill screams escaped the father and son¡¯s mouths as the chains around them tightened until death.

    The two of them went limp and the array reached its brightest state. At this time, Monty took a deep breath and - in a sing-song tone ¨C chanted,

    ¡°I, Monty Stone, pray to the Crimson Abbess,

    I ask for the protection of mine body and soul,

    In exchange, I offer these sacrifices and information of value.¡±

    The array lit up the room when Monty finished speaking, red light visible from outside the building. Lillian, who had been listening closely the entire time, realized what he had asked for and immediately began to circulate her Qi, arm moving to point at him.

    It was too late. Monty spat out a something she did not understand.

    Then, god descended and her vision turned black.

    * * *

    After three months of careful preparation, everything had gone smoothly. There were four obstacles he needed to overcome and now, three of them were all but finished.

    The most important and deadliest, the familial sacrifice, would be unable to affect him once his deal with the Crimson Abbess was complete.

    Lillian, someone he had long since realized to be a cultivator, was now sprawled on the ground and would soon be dead.

    The third was the Crimson Abbess herself, as the act of making a deal with her would cause many issues down the line. This was something he would have to keep track of but likely would not affect him if all went well.

    As for the fourth, he should not be much of an issue now that everything was over.

    Monty snapped out of his thoughts. As the summoner, while the pressure of a god¡¯s descent ¨C albeit an avatar¡¯s ¨C affected him, he could still stand straight if he wished to. Of course, he chose not to.

    Bowing to a forty-five degree angle, Monty spoke clearly and respectfully.

    ¡°I greet the Crimson Abbess.¡±

    A woman¡¯s voice indifferently responded to him. ¡°You may rise.¡±

    He did so, looking at the avatar. She stood unusually tall and wore blindingly white nun robe. The bottom edges seemed to be dripping blood. A hood covered her hair and most of her face. However, from Monty¡¯s position, he could see her features quite well.

    They were flawless to a degree that could and had caused wars. Her deep red eyes stood out the most. Monty remained unmoved. He would not be attracted to a character from a shitty novel, especially considering he knew her true nature.

    The Crimson Abbess spoke directly. ¡°I will grant you protection depending on the value of the information you provide. The providence of these two mortals is worth nothing. Now, tell me what you wish to exchange.¡±

    Monty clasped his hands before him and smiled before speaking. Things will certainly be interesting from now on. ¡°I have information regarding the location of the power source of Lotus Manor¡¯s White Lotus Dao Formation.¡±

    The avatar did not speak and Monty continued. ¡°Although they claim to use other sources, the true fuel for the formation is the soul of the Lotus Ancestor who had been betrayed by his three disciples. It is guarded in the Yellow Sands outer realm.¡±

    The avatar still did not speak. Monty bowed once again and exclaimed, ¡°I hope the Crimson Abbess is satisfied with this and can grant me my wish.¡±

    However, she did not respond until a full minute later. At that point, a drastic change occurred.

    The Crimson Abbess, without any regard for decorum, ran up to Monty, nearly tripping over her own robes, and grabbed his shoulders. With her eyes wide open, she shouted ecstatically,

    ¡°Holy fucking shit, I can¡¯t believe it!¡±

 Chapter 5 - A Night to Change the World

    If everything went according to plan then by tonight, they would ascend above heavens.

    Deep in the southern region lay a sky-piercing mountain. On that mountain was a silver castle. In that castle were a group of people seated around a reticular table. Dressed in dark robes, the dim lighting of the environment prevented any distinguishing features from being made out.

    At this time, one of them was standing up. Looking around, she spoke, her voice the only tell of her gender. If Monty were here, he would recognize it as the same as the woman¡¯s who had her pack stolen by Flea months ago.

    She clasped her hands before her and reported. ¡°All is moving according to plan in Fletcher, Regalt, and Traven Village. The caravan and residents did not suspect a thing. All the Moon Dust Arrays are in place and functioning correctly.¡±

    The person she was facing, a large figure who sat at the head of the table, laughed happily at her words. He spoke, his voice hoarse with age.

    ¡°Good, good, good! Everyone has done well these past years. It will all be worth it after tonight. When the Silver Moon Sovereign becomes a dao being, our spot in the immortal realm will be guaranteed!¡±

    The woman¡¯s lips curled with anticipation in the shadow of her hood. As did all the others. Countless years were spent setting up a grand formation that covered nearly all of the south. With it, under the control of the Lord and through him, the Silver Moon Sovereign, that plan would come to fruition this very night.

    As for the countless who would die, none of the members present spared a thought to them. They were not members of the Righteous Faction; the only thing that mattered was obtaining greater power. After all, history was written in blood and tonight they were changing the world.

    * * *

    Under the dark moon, a boy knelt with the body of a young girl in his arms. Tears streamed down his face as he held her to his chest.

    Just minutes ago his sister was alive, speaking and smiling as they celebrated the new year. Now, her thin arms hung limply by her side.

    ¡°Why!¡± the boy screamed yet his cry was met with silence. Just across the room, his adopted parents lay breathless, their eyes open in shock.

    He was left alone again. His biological parents abandoned him as a child and he had been adopted by a loving family. Now, even they were gone.

    Eventually, the boy¡¯s tears dried and he lay the girl down with great care. His black eyes no longer held a youthful spark, appearing as lightless as the void above. Gritting his teeth to the point where his gums bled, he looked to the sky and with a gaze of endless hatred and swore with a shout.

    ¡°Even as my ancestor, you have sinned against the world and your descendants. Until the day I send your soul to the afterlife, don¡¯t you dare die!¡±

    * * *

    As all these events were happening in the southern region, in Fletcher Village all was ordinary. Other than the presence of a god, of course.

    ¡°You really gave me something good,¡± the Avatar of the Crimson Abbess laughed, having nearly screamed in delight when she first heard Monty¡¯s information.

    The visual was strange, to say the least. The corner of Monty¡¯s lips twitched as she looked at him with sparkles in her eyes. ¡°I was worried you were lying, but to think you were telling the truth. It looks like you have quite a few secrets. Do you want to talk about them? We can be best friends.¡±

    Monty remained neutral externally but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief. For whatever reason, she could not see through him ¨C something a being of her level should certainly be capable of doing.

    His main worry since coming to his world was that all those extraordinary beings would sense his existence. At a high enough level, just thinking an entity¡¯s name would attract their attention. However, for some reason, he never noticed anyone watching him and now, with the Crimson Abbess being unable to read his thoughts, it confirmed that something was shielding him.

    ¡°This is very good but also problematic. I need to find the cause before it disappears or brings trouble.¡±

    There were a few explanations that he could think of. Testing those was for later. Monty ignored the Abbess¡¯s suggestion of talking to her, his tone cold as he spoke in reply.

    ¡°I hope you can fulfill the trade soon. There isn¡¯t much time left.¡±

    The avatar pouted. When she had rushed up to Monty the hood covering her head slipped off, revealing glossy crimson hair.

    ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°Very well then. If you want to be like that, then fine. Children shouldn¡¯t be so serious.¡±

    The Abbess raised her arms. They were wrapped with white cloth, revealing no skin. She leaned in towards Monty, taking the sides of his head into her hands. Their faces were inches apart. One, a boy who had just stepped upon the path of cultivation. The other an existence standing close to the peak of godhood.

    She leaned in further and kissed his forehead before whispering, ¡°I¡¯ll be watching you. Since you gave me so much extra, I¡¯ll give you some advice: take good care of your sister. Someone with her providence shouldn¡¯t die in an outer realm like this.¡±

    The Crimson Abbess smiled gently and backed up. Monty blinked and she was gone, her final words lingering in his mind like an echo. The stillness of the night returned and cast the room into darkness. At some point the fireplace had gone out. Without it, the autumn chill sent a shiver through him. He crossed his arms, rubbing his hands on his triceps.

    ¡°To think it was her.¡± He glanced at his sister. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to change up some plans.¡±

    As for the Crimson Abbess¡¯s actions, they did not matter. She was an ancient being whose age was nearing ten thousand years. All her outward appearances and movements were meticulously done; none of it was sincere in the slightest.

    While the two bodies had disappeared, the ritual circle was still there on the floor. Monty had to get rid of any traces. He walked over to his bag that lay on the floor and took out a matchbox. Then, sitting down, he waited for Lillian to wake up.

    Fifteen minutes later, her eyes snapped open. She jumped to her feet, glaring at Monty.

    ¡°You-¡±

    He raised a hand and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t accuse people of things that are obviously not true.¡±

    Lillian¡¯s lips closed shut. She could not accuse him of anything when she was still alive, no? It was only a minute later that she spoke. ¡°Is it over?¡±

    Monty nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve survived for now. Still, it is better to leave this village as soon as possible. There¡¯s nothing here for us anyway.¡±

    ¡°What happened to her?¡± Lillian asked after looking around. Monty smiled. ¡°She left, of course. The deal went through without any issues. You know, it cost me quite a lot to get her to protect you. If it weren¡¯t for me, both you and Monty would¡¯ve died tonight.¡±

    ¡°I want to see for myself.¡±

    ¡°See what?¡±

    ¡°See if everyone really died like you said.¡±

    Monty pretended to think. ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t say we should leave.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°If anything happens I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    He did not mention anything else. Picking up his pack, Monty opened the front door and Lillian followed behind.

    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± he said and struck a match. Within a couple minutes, the cottage was alight with large flames and being reduced to ashes along with all within it.

    The night was still deep, forcing Lillian to conjure a light again. What the Crimson Abbess had done was simply block the connection between him and the Sovereign. The event continued to happen as normal, the sky above black as it had been half an hour ago.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    As the burning cottage disappeared behind them, Lillian asked another question.

    ¡°Who was that being you summoned?¡± she asked. Although she tried to appear casual, it was obvious that the experience had impacted her greatly.

    Monty did not answer but asked a different question. ¡°How much do you know about this world?¡±

    ¡°I know that other than the southern region, there are three other regions of similar size, and a larger central one connecting the four. There¡¯s also the immortal world where cultivators go when they ascend.¡±

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Monty nodded. ¡°The god I summoned is from what you call the immortal world. Though, it wasn¡¯t the god herself that came but her avatar.¡±

    ¡°¡­I see.¡± Lillian did not talk after that.

    Because they were safe, Monty directly led the way to the center of the village, greatly reducing the time they spent walking compared to before. A strange fog appeared low to the ground. It was silver and sooty, with spots that shone like glitter. He walked through it without worry.

    Soon, buildings became visible in the soft lighting and along with them, the villagers. Lillian stiffened. Tonight was the new year and thus, very few people stayed inside, leading to the scene before them.

    The main road was a stone-brick build that ran through the center of the village. On it, bodies lay unmoving, scattered about like dead flies. From children to the elderly, none were spared.

    Beside Monty, Lillian sucked in a deep breath.

    ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± he asked, his voice not carrying a hint of emotion. She nodded slowly and released that breath. However, her hand was curled into a trembling fist.

    Monty turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s leave then.¡±

    ¡°Lillian, Monty, stop!¡±

    The voice of an old man shouted at them. Both of them recognized it immediately. Lillian looked in that direction with great surprise. Monty less so, a glint appearing in his eyes.

    Running down the road towards them was Doctor Elmons. He looked bedraggled, sweat lining his forehead and his white robe was no longer pure white, but spotted with dirt.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± he laughed, the joy in his voice surpassing the exhaustion. ¡°I¡¯m so glad. When so many people suddenly fell where they stood I was shocked. After you didn¡¯t show up, I feared the worst.¡±

    Lillian showed a weak smile. ¡°I glad you¡¯re here too. Do you know what¡¯s going on? I can¡¯t imagine what would cause something like this. Could it be a disease?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I doubt it¡¯s some illness.¡± He noticed the bags they carried. ¡°Are you leaving?¡±

    Lillian nodded. He frowned and took a glance at Monty before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t forget the contract. Given the situation I won¡¯t ask you to stay but no matter what, you know where you should be in two years.¡±

    Her expression grew grim. ¡°I know. I won¡¯t forget. You don¡¯t have to remind me.¡±

    The old man turned to Monty. ¡°Take good care of your sister. She¡¯s a very talented person.¡±

    Monty grinned. ¡°I will. I won¡¯t let anything happen to her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very good,¡± the Doctor said. ¡°Now, I must go back and help those who are left.¡±

    With that, he left them, heading back towards the village center. Lillian watched the old man go, and Monty, her.

    ¡°What contract?¡± he asked, his eyebrows furrowed. He had just learned about his sister¡¯s peculiarity and now she has to go somewhere in two years?

    Lillian sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. Let¡¯s just leave first.¡±

    The brother and sister pair walked down the road, heading towards the base of the mountain.

    Doctor Elmons watched them leave with his hands behind his back, his expression dark.

    ¡°Why is he still alive?¡± he muttered harshly. From behind him, a woman walked up.

    ¡°Doctor?¡± she said. ¡°Can you check on my son again? His fever seems to have risen.¡±

    The old man did not break his view. His arm lifted and a finger pointed at the woman. In the next moment, a bloody hole appeared on her forehead. She fell down with a thud.

    It was only when Lillian and Monty left his sight that he turned around. The Doctor continued to mutter to himself.

    ¡°I¡¯ll clean this place up first and then meet with the Lord. This is something completely unexpected. How could he still be alive, even after making direct contact with the fog? Could Lillian¡¯s physique be so powerful that it even affects him?¡±

    Unable to figure out the reason, he could only shake his head. ¡°So be it. In two years she will have no choice but to give herself up. It is only a minor setback.¡±

    * * *

    Two figures made their way down the mountain in the midst of the night. A pale light lit their path, held in the hand of a teenage girl appearing roughly fifteen or sixteen years of age. She had long, brown hair and soft features. Her skin was lightly tanned and remained without blemish in a way mortals could never replicate.

    Following behind her was a young boy. Due to how skinny he was, he appeared younger than his thirteen years of age. His features resembled the girls to a great degree. His brown hair had become wavy with length and eyes carrying a hint of something a child his age should not possess.

    These two were naturally Lillian and Monty. Having left Fletcher Village, they neared the base of the mountain after close to a half hour of traveling. At this point in time, Lillian asked Monty a question.

    ¡°Where do you plan on doing now?¡±

    Monty rubbed his chin as if thinking. ¡°It would be better to lay low. Given the scale of what¡¯s happening tonight, the world will be in an uproar for the foreseeable future. We are also likely the only survivors so all the more reason.¡±

    Lillian suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go into the forest. There won¡¯t be anyone there and we can wait out the chaos.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Monty said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried I will try to kill you when we¡¯re alone?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re dumb enough to try a second time. You¡¯ll never catch me off guard again.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? You plan on never sleeping again?¡±

    She did not have an answer to that. Monty smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Rather than hiding, lets head to a city. There will be a huge influx of people leaving villages to places of higher population. We can easily pass as survivors and, I have just the place in mind.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± she asked. ¡°Phoenix City.¡± Her eyebrows raised. ¡°You realize how far away it is, right?¡±

    Monty waved his hand casually. ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll be passing through some villages along the way. Maybe hitch a ride on a caravan if we¡¯re lucky.¡±

    He was well aware of how long it would take to reach the city. The southern region was massive. Directly taking a size comparison from the novel, it was a quarter of Earth¡¯s surface area. And, while Fletcher village was located closer to the east, Phoenix City lay in the south.

    The journey would take at least months. However, no matter what, Monty had to go there. The reasons he gave Lillian were just part of it. There was one that he did not mention, though, one that trumped all others.

    Monty had been transmigrated into a xianxia novel. Naturally, a novel had a protagonist.

    ¡°That guy is probably still burying his family now. It¡¯s unfortunate that I¡¯m so far away from where he is. If I were closer I could directly move to meet him. However, I know where he will be.¡±

    In one year, canon would start in Phoenix City. If he wanted to keep surviving, Monty had to be there and fully take advantage of it. The protagonist was someone who reached the very peak of existence along the path of cultivation. Getting to know such a person had many benefits and few demerits.

    Lillian did not look fully convinced. ¡°Alright, if you say so.¡±

    He would not explain further. Instead, Monty asked what had been on his mind since their conversation with Doctor Elmons. ¡°What contract do you have with the Doctor?¡±

    Her face immediately turned bitter. ¡°Its not a contract I have with the Doctor, but my Master.¡±

    Monty was taken by surprise. But, after a moment of thought, he felt it made sense. No matter how talented, she could not have come up with all her Qi techniques herself. There had to have been someone who taught her. Previously, he thought that person was the Doctor but it seemed to be a different figure.

    ¡°Your master?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you belong to a sect?¡±

    Lillian nodded. ¡°The Ice Soul Pavillion. My Master is the sect leader, a Core Formation cultivator.¡±

    Monty¡¯s expression sank, the name of the sect sparking a memory from the novel. He quickly confirmed his speculation. ¡°Is it a marriage contract?¡±

    Lillian looked at him in surprise. ¡°Yeah it is, how did you know?¡±

    His face grew ugly. His sister raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you upset?¡±

    Monty did not respond. His mind was spinning. Everything had come together and he finally understood why he had never heard of Lillian in the story despite her surviving tonight without him. He understood why the Doctor was in the village, who her master was, who she would be married to and all the consequences.

    He asked one final question. ¡°Are you being married to the Yves family¡¯s oldest son?¡±

    Lillian turned to him in shock. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    That was all the confirmation he needed.

    ¡°No wonder. It turns out that this is a plot between the Yves family, Lillian¡¯s master, and the Doctor. The marriage contract and discipleship is all a fa?ade to prevent anyone from noticing Lillian¡¯s irregularity.¡±

    There existed a demonic technique for transferring a person¡¯s providence. In six months, a peerless genius would rise up from Phoenix City. She was the youngest daughter of the Yves family and a love interest of the protagonist. Later on, he would find out that she sacrificed a nameless girl to steal her talent, causing them to fall out temporarily.

    This genius happened to have a physique that allowed her and those close to her to receive protection from metaphysical forces such as karma or destiny. Knowing all that he did, it was obvious. This only shocked his further. In the novel, the genius ended up following the protagonist to a very high level.

    Monty looked at Lillian walking by him. In his eyes, she was no longer a person but invaluable resource. Now, he just had to keep her for himself.

    Lillian suddenly felt a chill crawl up her spine. She looked to Monty only to find him facing forward, not looking at her.

    ¡°What was that?¡± she thought, not sure if she had been imagining things. Cultivators often developed an instinct that allowed them to sense things that would affect them. She trusted hers a great deal. It had saved her from death and had never led her astray.

    ¡°I can¡¯t trust him.¡± This is what her instinct was telling her. However, this was nothing new. She looked at her brother¡¯s body, now possessed by some being that seemed to hold countless secrets. She did not want to take any risks and so gave him the benefit of the doubt in her brother¡¯s survival. If, though, she ever found out the truth, no god would be able to stop her from taking her revenge.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

    Monty looked at her for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t ask what you shouldn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Tsk.¡±

    The rest of the night passed uneventfully. By daybreak, the moon had disappeared and a bright sun replaced it, much to Lillian¡¯s relief.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for now,¡± Monty said and no sooner than he did, he brought a blanket from his pack, laid it down on some grass and fell asleep.

    Lillian was left unable to react. Monty started breathing deeply, his chest rising and falling. The corner of her eye twitched.

    ¡°Does he really think nothing of me?¡± she wondered, the thought upsetting her. She shook her head. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll only be seeing him until he gives back my brother¡¯s body.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you,¡± she whispered and brought out her own blanket.

    When she woke up, the day had passed and it was early into the night. For some reason, Monty was calling her name.

    ¡°Lillian, there¡¯s a situation.¡±

    She groaned, dirt and grass did not provide the best of sleeps. Rubbing her eyes, she asked with an edge to her voice, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Bandits.¡±

 Chapter 6 - A Journey to Phoenix City

    The Southern Region was an immense mountainous area. If the world were a disk, the region would appear as a trapezoid at its bottom that took up roughly an eighth of it.

    Like the spines on a dragon¡¯s back, innumerable mountains crossed it in all directions. There were few open areas, with those being grasslands and near rivers. What occupied most of the land were lush forests. It was in one of these forests that Monty and Lillian were currently crouched down, hiding along the side of the road in some bushes.

    It was early into the night. The sun had not properly set, casting a dull glow over the leafy canopy. In the shadows, a group of five bandits moved. They wore stitched clothing and carried pitchforks and sickles. Their steps were loud in the thick foliage, unskilled and unwary in their movements.

    ¡°Are we just going to hide here?¡± Lillian hissed, her voice barely reaching Monty¡¯s ear.

    He looked at her as if she were stupid. ¡°Do you want to go fight them? Why don¡¯t you just leave a signature saying that we passed through instead?¡±

    ¡°Does it really make a difference? We aren¡¯t the only cultivators passing through here. If we just leave no witnesses, no one will know who we are.¡± she said.

    ¡°It matters,¡± Monty replied. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t if we were just any cultivators, but since we¡¯re descendants of the Silver Moon Sovereign, anything that might lead back to our true identities has to be avoided. When we reach Phoenix City we¡¯ll create new identities that are completely unrelated to our past. If someone decided to investigate us and found traces leading back to Fletcher Villages¡¯ Monty and Lillian, it would be a problem.¡±

    While the two of them talked, the bandits passed by without finding them. They waited an additional five minutes but the group never came back.

    Lillian clicked her tongue. ¡°Mortals.¡±

    They continued onwards. The moon and stars provided enough light to see and with Lillian¡¯s extraordinary senses, they were able to avoid any interaction with other beings, whether man or beast. As the start of the day neared, they found a good spot to settle down.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to cultivate, don¡¯t disturb me,¡± Monty said as he sat down cross-legged. Lillian nodded and did the same. It was important to cover as much distance as much possible, but cultivation took priority over everything else. With enough power, anything was attainable.

    At this time, Monty was reaching the limit of the first stage of Qi Condensation. In his head ¨C overlayed yet separate to his physical body - what looked like a soft sphere of Qi was formed.

    Rather than creating it in his abdomen, he formed his dantian in his head. This was a choice all cultivators could make. It was possible to create a dantian anywhere in the body and, depending on where it was, offered corresponding benefits and demerits.

    Akin to the heart and veins, the dantian and meridians functioned as a transport system for Qi. The heart was located close to the center of the chest to pump blood evenly throughout the body. The dantian was the same. Those who pursued an all-around and even improvement in strength would form it in the same place. Those who pursued speed would form it lower, usually in the abdomen.

    In Monty¡¯s case, by forming his dantian in his head, his speed of thought, memory, and other traits related to his mind were boosted. It was not the dantian that changed. Rather, by having it closer to the area he wished to focus on, it would simply receive a slightly stronger amount of Qi. At lower stages this usually did not make a difference, but the higher one¡¯s cultivation got, the more small increases in strength mattered.

    Where there were benefits, there were demerits. The closer the dantian was to an organ, the further it was from others. By forming it in his head, the strength of his lower body suffered. This was a sacrifice he willingly accepted.

    With his eyes closed tightly, Monty focused on the loosely compacted sphere of Qi. Transparent meridians were extended from it like tentacles, spreading downwards and throughout his body. Soon, he reached a point where his dantian could no longer store Qi. It was full like a balloon.

    ¡°Finally. The peak of the first stage of Qi Condensation,¡± Monty thought. He had been cultivating daily for the past three months and just now reached it. This meant his talent was average. Compared to Lillian, who was on the ninth stage of Qi Condensation despite only being three years older than him, it was very lacking.

    He opened his eyes. Lillian was sitting a few feet away from him, also cultivating. All seemed peaceful. Now was the time to break through to the next stage. Pouring all his focus into condensing his dantian, Monty pushed it until it would shrink no more. Then, having reached the utmost limit, he shattered it.

    Qi spread rapidly throughout his body, rampaging relentlessly. As fast as he could, Monty once again gathered the Qi back towards his head. As he had already completed the process before, he could follow pre-made paths yet this did little to reduce the difficulty. The process was like using one¡¯s hands to shape a rampaging river.

    It took him an hour to finish breaking through. Once he was done, he once again had a dantian formed. It was larger but less dense than before. However, the potential after condensing it to the limit was greater. This was the second stage of Qi Condensation.

    Monty¡¯s eyes opened to see Lillian looking at him.

    ¡°You broke through?¡± she asked and he nodded. ¡°What cultivation technique are you using?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    She looked at him in surprise. ¡°Do you not know any? I figured you would. To think that there¡¯s something you don¡¯t know.¡±

    Monty shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t be using any, period.¡±

    Lillain¡¯s eyes furrowed though she did not say anything. Monty knew what she was thinking. Cultivation techniques were not required to absorb Qi. Rather, they were used to change the attribute of a cultivator¡¯s Qi.

    An example would be Lillian, who was cultivating using an ice-type technique. She would absorb Qi as normal but, once it was within her, cycling the technique would change the Qi from its base form to an icy variant.

    This gave her a massive boost when using ice-type techniques. Their strength, casting speed, and many other attributes would be bettered. Of course, just like with dantian placement, there were drawbacks.

    The main one was cultivation speed. Changing Qi from one form to another took more time than absorbing it as is. There was also a matter of waste. As atmospheric Qi could be changed into nearly every other form of Qi, there was a great deal of excess that could not be absorbed without resulting in dilution.

    To put it simply, cultivation techniques traded one¡¯s speed of advancement for specialist power.

    For the most part, it was worth using one. The boost was that great. It was better to be a master of one than of none. However, Monty had other plans. It was not that he was arrogant and unwilling to use one. Rather, knowing all that he did, there was only one path that suited him. For it, he would not be using any cultivation techniques.

    Breaking through to the second stage went smoothly. Monty allowed himself a smile before focusing back on stabilizing his dantian. By the time he started to get tired, his improvement breakthrough was complete.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Monty released a deep breath and stood up. He stretched out his arms, pulling at his muscles until the stiffness disappeared. Then, he clenched his hand and felt stronger than before. His physical strength should be at the level of an adult man now. A bit of muscle had also appeared on his frame.

    ¡°What a shitty world.¡± He chuckled to himself, more happy with the progress than anything. ¡°One step at a time and eventually I¡¯ll be able to go back.¡±

    Lillian was still cultivating.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. Wake me up if anything happens,¡± Monty said, yawning. Lillian did not respond but he knew she heard him.

    The next few weeks were spent on the road. When Monty and Lillian needed to eat, they hunted nearby animals. Given the number of nearby mountains, finding fresh water was no issue. They had also fixed their sleeping schedule and were no longer traveling at night but during the day.

    Monty¡¯s cultivation progressed steadily. Despite this, at his current pace it would take nearly five more months before his next breakthrough. He heaved a sigh. Sitting for hours doing nothing but spinning Qi around was quite taxing. If it were not for his motivation to go back being so great, he would certainly have slacked off.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be nearing Regalt Village soon,¡± Lillian said as they passed a sign. They were walking atop a pebble road. Monty noticed that as they approached the center of the Southern Region, there were more and more signs of civilization. Back near Fletcher Village they would be lucky if there was any road at all.

    ¡°Should we stop by?¡± Lillian suggested. Monty thought about it.

    ¡°We can pass through briefly. However, don¡¯t buy anything. Let¡¯s just see what¡¯s going on, especially regarding the Silver Moon Sovereign.¡±

    A few weeks had passed since that night. Having spent all of that time traveling, Monty was interested in learning the details of the changes that were happening. In the novel, this time period was largely skipped over and it only truly started when the protagonist reached Phoenix City a year later.

    His memory was not perfect either. Not yet at least. Thus, the brother and sister duo followed the path to Regalt Village.

    Located atop a rounded hill, the village was large in size. Buildings covered the entirety of the elevation like brown spots. Even in the distance, Monty could see it clearly due to the lack of forest nearby.

    Traffic had picked up as well. They could no longer dodge into some bushes at the first sight of people. Merchants had become common and bandits rarer. Often, the two of them would pass by a caravan pulled by horses or mule¡¯s.

    They reached the village by the end of the day. Despite its grand scale, when walking along its streets the lack of people was apparent. It was easy and cheap for them to find a room for the night so they took the opportunity to freshen up and get a bed¡¯s rest.

    Monty woke up the next morning feeling more refreshed than he had in the past few months. He turned over in the thick sheets for a minute.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he thought. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    Just as he prepared to get out of bed, Lillian walked into the room. ¡°Are you up Monty? I woke up early so I went out and learned a bunch of info.¡±

    ¡°Perfect.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, digging back into the bed.

    ¡°You were right,¡± she started, giving him a conflicted look. ¡°Many people left for Phoenix City and other cities after that night. This village is actually better off than others as there weren¡¯t as many people who were his descendants here.¡±

    Seeing how pleased Monty was with himself, she snorted but continued. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how those large cities look now. It must be pure chaos there. On a side note though, I did not meet any cultivators so I couldn¡¯t get the immortal side of things. But I heard that there¡¯s a name for that night.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, taking the bait.

    ¡°People are calling it Moonfall.¡±

    Monty nodded thoughtfully. ¡°It looks like cultivators are already aware of the main person responsible. The Silver Moon Sovereign going from heroic conqueror to demonic slaughterer certainly qualifies as ¡°Moonfall¡±.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lillian agreed. ¡°I think so as well. I also went out and bought some supplies and stuff. We should be good in regards to that at least for a few more months.¡±

    Monty looked at her strangely. ¡°I didn¡¯t oversleep that long. How early did you wake up?¡±

    She appeared to hesitate before saying. ¡°I only slept an hour. I ¨C because of my cultivation stage I only need to sleep a few hours a week.¡±

    His eyebrows raised. ¡°You¡¯re a Foundation Establishment cultivator?¡±

    She nodded slowly. Monty looked at her silently. Then, he burst out in laughter. ¡°That¡¯s great. You should¡¯ve told me earlier, we wasted so much time being careful when there wasn¡¯t any need at all.¡±

    ¡°Ah, really?¡± Lillian¡¯s eyes widened. Monty nodded, covering his smile. ¡°Yeah. The difference between Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment is like heaven and earth. Though, I¡¯m sure you know that. Still, to think you¡¯re only sixteen with that cultivation. Tsk, that talent is something else.¡±

    Lillian beamed. After eating an early lunch, they left the inn and then the village in turn. The suns rays dimmed as they walked through yet another endlessly green forest. Rolling, grey clouds slowly took over the sky above.

    ¡°Shit.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go find somewhere to stay before it rains.¡±

    They had been lucky with the weather. Now, it seemed that luck had finally caught up to them. Heavy raindrops soon pattered against the leaves above.

    ¡°Over there!¡± Lillian pointed at a particularly large and gnarled tree in the distance. The two of the sprinted towards it, making it underneath a large branch with just a few droplets hitting their heads.

    Monty sat down and looked at the sky. It was so dark that the time seemed to have been moved forward a few hours.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯ll be letting up anytime soon,¡± Lillian commented. Monty nodded. The sound of rain was the only thing they heard for a while.

    ¡°You know,¡± she suddenly said. ¡°When do you think you can return Monty¡¯s body to him?¡±

    Monty thought about it for a bit. ¡°Unless you or I happen to get some kind of treasure that¡¯ll help, which I highly doubt will happen in a world like this, when I reach the Nascent Soul realm I¡¯ll be able to safely leave and become an independent being.¡±

    The first four cultivation realms went like so: Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and finally Nascent Soul. In this world, reaching Nascent Soul was a long and arduous journey. The vast majority of cultivators never saw one in their lives.

    Lillian¡¯s expression grew somewhat distraught. ¡°Nascent Soul¡­ how long would that take. No, are you even confident in reaching it?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Monty replied, zero hesitation in his voice. ¡°As for how long it will take, I¡¯m not sure. However, I can swear on my dao heart that if anyone were guaranteed to reach it in this world, it would be me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Lillian said. ¡°I believe you.¡±

    The rain continued to fall until well into the night. The next morning, a fog had gathered about the ground, obscuring Monty and Lillian¡¯s vision. They set, continuing west towards Phoenix City.

    Seven months passed.

    In the Southern Region, there were four great cities that made up its heart. Phoenix city was one of them and, seeing it in person, Monty felt it lived up to the name.

    The first thing that came into his vision was not the city itself, but the towering stone walls that surrounded it. They stood as tall as skyscrapers from his previous life. He could barely even make out their tops, the immense scale fully displaying the exaggerated size of a xianxia world.

    ¡°Incredible,¡± Lillian whispered, walking up alongside Monty as she looked upward. Her mouth was partially agape and he chuckled, causing her to snap it shut.

    From those walls, lines of people entering and exiting them flowed like string. Compared to their size, the passages through them looked tiny. The two of them joined the ends of one of those lines, dreading what could only be a terribly long wait. However, contrary to their expectations, they were pleasantly surprised to find that it was not as long as they thought.

    After passing a cursory eye-inspection from the guards stationed at the wall, Lillian and Monty entered the city without issue.

    It was loud. Crowded and loud. People streaming from the gates filtered into the network of streets that scarred the gargantuan beast that was Phoenix City. Vendors shouted, customers argued, and any law keeping force was nowhere to be found.

    It was in this environment that Monty took a deep breath and smiled. He turned to Lillian. ¡°Now, lets go find some work. We have to settle down as soon as possible.¡±

    His sister, who still appeared dazed, was brought out of her thoughts by his words. The change from traveling as a pair for months to suddenly being surrounded on all sides by an inestimable number of people was harsh. However, she was not one to let these kinds of things affect her for long.

    Lillian nodded to Monty. He then stopped a random passerby, asking for directions to someplace that she didn¡¯t quite catch. Luckily, that person knew about what he had asked and pointed them to the west of the city.

    Passing through from one side of the city to the other took hours. Along the halfway mark, they stopped to buy some food and ate while walking.

    ¡°Here it is,¡± Monty said, looking at a rather run-down building located on the edge of the city wall. Lillian looked at its sign and her eyebrows raised. Given how confident Monty had acted, her expectations had been rather high. This place completely dumped and burned them.

    ¡°Immortal Slaying Mercenaries¡±

    The name on the sign might have seemed grand on fitting building, but being written on a half-broken piece of wood, in front of an ancient one-story house that appeared to never have been renovated, it gave of a feeling of scumminess.

    ¡°This is it?¡± she asked. ¡°Are you sure that guy pointed you to the right place?¡±

    Monty chuckled. ¡°It might not look like much, but one should never judge based on appearances. Especially when it comes to cultivators and the things related to them.¡±

    Saying so, he walked in, leaving Lillian by herself in the street. She could only sigh in resignation before following him into the building.

 Chapter 7 - A Spar Beneath the City

    The Immortal Slaying Mercenaries¡¯ building was in poor condition. However, its interior was nowhere near as bad as the exterior. When Monty walked in a little bell rung from above the door.

    It was a simple and clean place. A large counter sat at the opposite end of the room and behind it, an old man lay with his head down. Hearing the bell ring, he looked up, putting on a thin pair of glasses that only sharpened his already sharp eyes. A white beard hung pointed.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Monty politely greeted.

    The old man looked him up and down before turning his gaze to Lillian, who had just walked in. He then indifferently pointed a thumb at a board behind him. ¡°Job rates are all there. If you¡¯re looking to hire a guard, the price differs depending on the guard. Quality is guaranteed regardless.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not here to hire but to join.¡± Monty explained with a smile.

    The old man remained expressionless. He appeared to think for a moment before saying, ¡°Follow me. You¡¯ll have to pass the Owner¡¯s test before anything else.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Monty replied before asking. ¡°What can we call you?¡±

    The old man looked at him deeply. ¡°You can call me Old Zhang.¡±

    After saying so, Old Zhang stood up and walked to a nearby door. He had a straight back and wore a black suit. Grabbing a lantern, he opened the door, revealing a dark stairway that descended into the earth.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, and entered. Monty and Lillian followed behind, the door closing softly behind them.

    Three figures headed down along the stairwell. Sometime later, they were still heading downwards. Lillian was mildly surprised. ¡°These stairs are very long,¡± she commented.

    A gentle smiled appeared on Old Zhang¡¯s face, though they could not see it from behind them. ¡°They have to be. We¡¯re heading to a very deep place.¡±

    The lantern swung in his hold, causing their shadows to dance. Seeing that he responded, Lillian asked another question. ¡°Then, where are we going that¡¯s so deep?¡±

    ¡°Your brother hasn¡¯t told you?¡± Old Zhang countered casually.

    Lillian was about to say no, when she paused. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    The old man chuckled. ¡°When you get to my age, you¡¯ll be able to tell a lot about people just from how they talk to each other. You should be more conscious of how you act going forward. You¡¯re lucky it¡¯s me and not someone else.¡±

    Lillian nodded. ¡°Thank you for your warning, senior.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    Soon after that, the group reached the bottom of the stairwell. They were far below Phoenix City. A study, wooden door blocked their vision of what lay beyond the exit. Old Zhang opened it.

    A lengthy hallway stretched out before them, spanning into infinity. It was lined with stone brick all around and dim lanterns allowed for sight. Countless openings facing all directions stemmed from it.

    Without hesitation, Old Zhang let them through the maze of corridors. He turned right, left, right, and more until both Monty and Lillian could no longer keep track. Eventually, he stopped before a door much like any other.

    ¡°New recruits,¡± the old man said. A voice that could only be described as lazy drifted from behind the door. ¡°Come in.¡±

    Old Zhang opened it and they entered a room that appeared to be a well-furnished study. Shelves of scrolls lined the walls and a fireplace that vented to who knows where cast an orange glow over wood. On the side with the fireplace, a wooden desk piled with papers lay and behind it, a teenage boy around Lillian¡¯s age sat.

    On the opposite side was a couch with a man laying on it. It was that man who had called them in. As they walked into the room, the teenager gave them a cursory glance before turning back to the paperwork.

    ¡°What are your names?¡± the couch man asked, still lying down without the slightest intention to look at them.

    ¡°Isaac.¡± ¡°Lily.¡± They had already pre-arranged different names and histories.

    ¡°Good names.¡± Though the man said so, nothing in his tone showed that he believed that. ¡°So, you both want to join the Immortal Slaying Mercenaries? Where did you heard about us?¡±

    It was Monty who replied. Cupping his fists together, he took a step forward. ¡°I saw your sign outside and felt that anyone who calls themselves the ¡®Immortal Slaying Mercenaries¡¯ couldn¡¯t be a weak place.¡±

    Hearing this, the man lifted his head to look at Monty. He then burst into laughter. ¡°Oh man, that¡¯s a good one. To think there would be the day where we get recruits like this.¡±

    It was a full minute before his fit ended. Noticing everyone in the room staring at him, he coughed into his hand. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. It¡¯s always nice to see new talents joining us. Now, how about you?¡±

    Lillian looked surprised. ¡°Me?¡±

    The man nodded. ¡°Isaac told me why he¡¯s joining. Now, why are you doing the same?¡±

    She did not know how to respond. ¡°I¡¯m just following Isaac.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Well then, I suppose we¡¯ll get started with the test.¡±

    The man stood up from the couch. He was rather tall, with wide shoulders but an otherwise thin build. Unlike Old Zhang, he wore casual clothes.

    ¡°I¡¯m Amon, by the way. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you both.¡± He looked at the teenager, ¡°James, you¡¯re coming with us.¡±

    James looked up from the paperwork. He sighed and said, ¡°Do we have to do this?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Amon laughed. ¡°The sooner we finish, the better. Then you can go back to working on all those papers. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d love for that.¡±

    The teenager frowned and looked at Lillian. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Thus, the group of three became one of five. They left the room, Amon and James leading the way. Soon, Monty and Lillian once again lost track as they made their way through corridors, the two in front walking with ease.

    Nearly ten minutes had passed when Lillian asked. ¡°Just how many miles are there? We¡¯re so deep as well, is it all passages above us too?¡±

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re new to Phoenix City,¡± Amon said, making another turn. He raised five fingers. ¡°There¡¯s a saying that Phoenix is not one, but five cities because of how much excavation has been going on since ancient times. It¡¯s still unknown just how far down it goes.¡±

    More time went by before Amon stopped at a door. This one was metal, with a immovable appearance to it. ¡°Here we are.¡±

    He entered and the rest followed. The room was dark but, with a snap of Amon¡¯s fingers, the lights came on.

    ¡°Woah.¡± Lillian¡¯s eyes widened at what she saw. Even Monty was impressed. Seeing in person was a different experience than reading, after all.

    Before them expanded an enormous arena. Spiraling flames atop of monoliths shone brightly and circled the dark tiled floor. From the small, flickering lights in the distance, its immense scale apparent at a glance and the ceiling was impossible to be seen.

    Amon jogged closer to the center and when he stopped, he shouted at Lillian and James. ¡°We¡¯ll now be starting the Immortal Slaying Mercenaries initiation test. For those who don¡¯t know the procedures, I will explain.¡±

    He grinned. Raising an arm, he motioned to James. ¡°Here we have James Eldor: Eighteen years old and a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.¡±

    He raised his other arm. ¡°And here we have Lily. Certainly not older than James but also a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Quite the talent indeed.¡±

    James¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Are you serious?¡± he asked. Amon nodded, his grin showing white teeth.

    Lillian was also shocked, but for a different reason. ¡°Amon had to be a Core Formation cultivator. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to see through my cultivation realm!¡±

    ¡°Now,¡± Amon continued. ¡°The Immortal Slay- the ISM only accepts the best of the best. Thus, we must naturally see what our new recruits have to offer! Prepare to spar. I¡¯ll act as the referee and remember, no intentional causing of injury.¡±

    James was no longer standing casually, instead eyeing Lillian warily. He knew just how rare his talent was and for another one like his or even better to show up at their doorstep was highly suspicious at best. It was none of his business though. If he noticed this, there was no doubt that the Owner and Old Zhang did as well.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    More than anything else, he had to defeat Lillian right now. The two of them walked to Amon and soon stood twenty feet apart, facing each other. Amon backed up and they began their fight. Or, rather, they backed up and circled around.

    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡±

    Old Zhang, who was standing next to Monty, suddenly asked. Monty took a second to think, watching the two try to get a lead on the other¡¯s moves.

    ¡°It should be James,¡± he answered.

    Old Zhang looked at him with interest. ¡°Oh, why do you think that? You don¡¯t have confidence in Lily?¡±

    Monty shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that. She doesn¡¯t have much experience fighting opponents at her own level or greater, at least compared to a mercenary.¡±

    During their travels Monty had naturally learned a bit about Lillian. Even though they did not talk much, they ate, slept, and lived together for nearly ten months at this point. A regular child could have learned a lot about her, never mind someone like Monty.

    ¡°I see,¡± Old Zhang said, nodding in a way that made no indication as to whether he agreed or disagreed. He commented, ¡°They¡¯re about to start.¡±

    As the old man said, James and Lillian had stopped moving around and their Qi began to stir. Neither was able to get a lead on their opponent. In the next moment, Lillian lifted her arm and pointed it at James. An icy blue light glowed from her palm and an icicle shot out.

    It flew through the air faster than the eye could track, reaching James in less than a second despite the distance between them. He was unbothered. In a fluid movement akin to the flow of water, he spun with his arm out stretched and directly swatted the icicle, shattering it into shards.

    Lillian grimaced. Qi started to gather in her hand again but it was too late. James took a heavy step forward and directly boosted himself in her direction, leaving her unable to dodge.

    She quickly produced a barrier of ice that James collided with no sooner than when it materialized. The impact was heavy and it shattered like the icicle before it. However, this gave her just enough of a break to glide back, a cold mist flowing from her feet.

    Once again, the two were standing twenty feet apart. However, this time the difference was obvious. Lillian was breathing heavily, a line of sweat glistening on her forehead in the firelight. James, on the other hand, was calm, his lips closed tightly.

    He didn¡¯t give her a chance to recover. Taking another step forward, he once again appeared before Lillian as if teleporting. This time she was ready.

    ¡°Frozen Claymore!¡± With a shout, a deep blue blade appeared in her hand. It was close to her in height in length and its width as long as Monty forearms. Straining her muscles, she heavily swung it towards the incoming James.

    It was at this moment that James spoke, his voice a whisper. ¡°Thousand Pounds¡±

    The air trembled under the momentum of his movement. In an instant, fist and sword collided. Then, Lillian¡¯s claymore was sent flying out of her hands, the blade landing on the stone some fifty feet away. The air went still and just as more moves were about to be made, Amon raised a hand.

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± Both of them stopped in place. All parties knew that the outcome was decided and Lillian had lost. She placed her hands on her knees, breathing shaky breaths. It appeared that using Frozen Claymore had drawn a lot out of her.

    James walked up and held a hand out. ¡°It was a good fight,¡± he said.

    Lillian did not immediately respond, but she grabbed his hand and let him set her on her feet.

    She exhaled a breath. ¡°Yeah, it was.¡±

    ¡°Great, great.¡± Clapping his hands, Amon was all smiles as he walked to them. ¡°Lillian, although James beat you there is no reason to be down about it. His Qi is pretty special and fighting against it with ice is a losing battle. Plus, his cultivation is higher than yours by a few stages.¡±

    Lillian nodded. ¡°I know. Thank you.¡±

    At this time, Old Zhang and Monty also walked up.

    ¡°It looks like you were right,¡± Old Zhang commented.

    Monty thinly smiled. ¡°It was just a guess. Besides, her attribute is at a disadvantage.¡±

    The old man returned the expression. ¡°If you say so.¡±

    Amon spoke at this time. ¡°Now, Isaac. It¡¯s your turn.¡±

    Monty nodded nonchalantly. If Lillian was tested, it made sense for him to be too. ¡°Will I be facing James as well?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯ll be sparring with me.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Monty said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Amon chuckled. ¡°I have very good control over my strength. Let¡¯s get started. Now, attack me with all you got. There¡¯s no need to hold back.¡±

    Lillian, James, and Old Zhang all watched intently. Compared to Lillian¡¯s fight, they seemed more focused on his. Monty could only smile awkwardly at this. He had never fought anyone in his life, how could he be holding back? If anything, he hoped that Amon would not overestimate and end up injuring him.

    Even so, Monty circulated his Qi and felt his strength rise. With a burst of speed, he ran at Amon, fist raised and air curling around him. He punched forward, aiming at Amon¡¯s chest and was then blocked with a palm.

    ¡°It that it?¡±

    Monty nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    He nodded again.

    Amon turned to Lillian, who was watching with her mouth agape, and frowned. He glanced at Old Zhang who only shook his head.

    ¡°Have you never fought before?¡± he finally asked, a bit of humor in his voice.

    Monty answered seriously. ¡°That¡¯s right. This is the first time I¡¯ve ever fought.¡±

    Amon did not have anything to say to that. He looked at Monty, who looked back blankly. Finally, he raised both hands in resignation. ¡°Alright, alright. No problem. You can always learn. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re untalented. No big deal.¡±

    Monty clasped his hand before him. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Seeing this, Amon felt a bit better. He raised a hand, theatrically shouting, ¡°Now, for the results of the test. Needless to say, both of you passed! And now, I will be leaving. James, I appreciate you taking care of all their paperwork.¡±

    Saying so, he nodded to Old Zhang and flickered, disappearing with a gust of wind. Monty watched and clasped his hands once again, a smile gracing his face.

    He had overcome another step. In just a few months ¨C as long as everything went according to plan - he would be meeting the protagonist and canon would officially start.

    Under the guidance of James, Monty and Lillian were led to a different room. There, they were handed contracts, rules, a map, and other necessities. With their new name¡¯s signatures written down, as well as information regarding their background and characteristics, the two of them officially became a part of the Immortal Slaying Mercenaries.

    Next, Monty and Lillian headed to their own rooms. The winding labyrinth of tunnels underground contained an extreme variety and number of rooms. Most of those rooms were completely empty and they could pick any to use as their own.

    They then chose their own places and settled down. After unpacking, the two of them met back up and headed to the surface. Luckily, they did not have to make the long journey a second time. A mechanical elevator existed specifically for taking them. As for why they did not take it heading down, it led to an entirety different building than the one they first entered from.

    It was getting late into the day and the streets of Phoenix City were no longer as crowded as before. A multi-colored sunset dimmed in the distance as street lamps gradually became aflame. Monty and Lillian wandered for a bit before settling on a restaurant. With this, Lillian finally had a chance to ask the countless questions she had.

    Of all the things that happened, there was one that stood out to her the most.

    ¡°Have you seriously never fought before?¡±

    Monty paused his eating. ¡°I haven¡¯t. I never like to resort to violence.¡±

    Lillian snorted. ¡°Yet the first thing you do when coming to this city is join a mercenary company.¡±

    Monty laughed lightly. ¡°That¡¯s true. However, I have my reasons. Besides, there is something I could ask you too.¡±

    Lillian cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Why are you following me?¡±

    Her expression stiffened. Monty guessed she did not even have the answer to that herself, not yet at least. He continued. ¡°I already promised to return your brother¡¯s body. There¡¯s no reason for you to spend your time with someone who possessed your last close relative.¡±

    Lillian was silent for a long time. It was only when Monty finished eating that she spoke, her voice heavy. ¡°The fact that you are possessing my brother is exactly why I need to make sure you¡¯re safe. Right now, I am stronger than you. Not only that, but you apparently have zero fighting experience. In fact, you should be hoping that I stay with you, rather than pushing me away.¡±

    Monty smiled. ¡°Is that so? I guess you¡¯re right. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You- whatever.¡± Noticing that her food was growing cold, Lillian quickly finished it and did not speak the rest of their trip.

    After his return, Monty closed the door to his room. He exhaled a deep breath. The day was finally over, however, he could not be sure if all was safe from any prying eyes. Thus, he simply sat down on a mat he brought over and started his first cultivation session in Phoenix.

    During his and Lillian¡¯s travels, Monty had reached the third stage of Qi Condensation. For his age, this speed was average despite him not using any cultivation techniques. His combat power could be said to be at the bottom of those in his realm.

    Monty sighed. ¡°There is still time left before I can go out to go get that. Before then, I should avoid any fights I can and focus on cultivating. With my talent I have to make the most of every minute.¡±

    With those thoughts, Monty cultivated for a couple hours before lying down, wrapping himself in his blanket and drifting off into a deep sleep.

    * * *

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Looking at Amon, who was once again lying down on the couch, Old Zhang asked curiously. The night was late and it was no longer James behind the desk but himself. In his hands were the applications that Monty and Lillian filled.

    ¡°About what?¡± was what he received as a response. Old Zhang frowned and Amon chuckled dryly. ¡°Obviously, there are many issues with Isaac and Lily. We can only send someone to investigate them and take our time with everything else. There is no rush. I did not sense any ill intentions from either of them, though I did not sense much of anything from Isaac. For a child his age, he certainly is an unusual one.¡±

    Old Zhang hummed in agreement. ¡°Indeed. Their cultivation and martial talents are as far apart as heaven and earth, yet it is Isaac who gave me the deeper impression.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it,¡± Amon exclaimed, coming to a realization. ¡°Dealing with him is like dealing with you. It¡¯s a complete pain in the ass and his actions never reveal his thoughts, always saying this but meaning that.¡±

    Old Zhang shot Amon a glare. He was used to it though and did not pursue. ¡°Perhaps we could find out more through Lily. The relationship between the two of them is quite strange, especially considering they¡¯re likely to be brother and sister.¡±

    Amon nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the background check to get back. Everything else can be done afterwards. There are more pressing issues than two kids. The world is entering the Great Era and with Moonfall being successfully completed, those who¡¯ve invested in it will improve their strength a great deal.¡±

    Old Zhang¡¯s expression darkened. He snorted. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to think deeply about it. If one comes, we¡¯ll kill one. If two, we¡¯ll kill two. If they all come¡­ we¡¯ll go into hiding for a few more decades and wait for them to pass by.¡±

    Amon nodded rapidly and gave a thumbs up. ¡°Great plan. Also, we can bring Isaac and Lily along as well. When they learn we¡¯ve saved them from certain death they will be indebted to us whether they like it or not.¡±

    Old Zhang ran a hand through his beard and even said ¡°good¡± three times at that. The night continued on and so did the plans of Amon and Old Zhang, their chatter seeming to never end.

    * * *

    The next morning, Monty woke up to the darkness of the underground room. He searched around the floor for a bit before finding an item James had given him.

    Holding it in his hand and circulating his Qi through it, a pale flame appeared atop what looked like a white candlestick. With it, Monty could see his surroundings and the flame itself did not produce heat nor smoke, making for safe usage. Knowing what was in store for him this morning, he rubbed his temples and stepped out of the room.

    An hour later he was standing in yesterday¡¯s arena. Before him was Amon, grinning as he stretched limberly.

    ¡°Today, we¡¯ll be starting your training,¡± he said. Monty felt the man looked quite devious at this moment. He soon realized why.

    ¡°Now,¡± Amon said with a laugh. ¡°Run!¡±

    With that, a gate swung open from behind him and a group of giant rats ¨C the tallest of which reached Monty¡¯s knees ¨C beelined towards boy. Thus, under the amused gaze of Amon, he began his first day of training sprinting for his life.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°You know, I really don¡¯t think there¡¯s any hope for you.¡±

    Deep underground, in the Immortal Slaying Mercenaries¡¯ arena, Amon spoke to an exhausted Monty. The young boy was lying with his chest up on the cold tile floor, his breathing fast and heavy.

    Amon continued, ¡°I was really wrong. You are completely lacking in talent. I¡¯ve never seen anyone who just doesn¡¯t develop a fighting instinct like you do. It¡¯s honestly impressive.¡±

    Monty did not respond. It was not the first time Amon said something along those lines and likely would not be the last. After catching his breath, he slowly stood, groaning at the exertion to his sore muscles.

    He had spent the past week training under Amon. Needless to say, Monty¡¯s progress was abysmal. His body simply did not remember what he learned. Swinging a sword a hundred times would leave him with the memory of doing so, but actually performing the action again was no different than doing it the first time. Such was his problem.

    Monty knew the cause but did not make any attempts to change it. This was something that stemmed from who he was as a person.

    This was one of the reasons he formed his dantian in his head. Without that boost his performance would be even worse. At that point, Amon might have simply given up on him no matter his sister¡¯s talent. That would be completely unacceptable.

    Thus, for the past week Monty had been pushing himself as hard as he could, both accumulating experience and increasing his cultivation. Now that he was settled down and had a salary, food, and shelter, he had the time to completely devote it to improving himself. The Immortal Slaying Mercenaries¡¯ base was the perfect place for this.

    Amon released a sigh. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today. I don¡¯t want to reduce your training time, but seeing how little effect it has I think you¡¯re better off cultivating instead. You formed your dantian in your head so strengthen your mind first. We¡¯ll see what kind of cultivator you want to become once you reach a sufficient stage.¡±

    Monty nodded. ¡°I will do so,¡± he said, and sincerely meant it. In the papers he submitted regarding his strengths and weaknesses, he had been completely truthful; there was nothing for him to hide in the first place. Amon knew all about his cultivation.

    ¡°Go now, there¡¯ll be a lot to do going forward.¡± With a wave of his hand, Amon disappeared. Monty, having caught his breath, drank some water and left, heading back to his room.

    Just as he was opening his door, he heard the door adjacent to his open.

    ¡°Isaac? You¡¯re back already?¡± It was Lillian. She was probably heading off to train with James as it was still early in the morning. While Amon had been looking over Monty, Lillian had been directly sparring with James, bringing both of their combat abilities up at an astounding rate. He heard about Lillian¡¯s ability as much as his own, if not more, only in the opposite way.

    Monty nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to be cultivating more often now. Amon decided I¡¯m talentless in combat and told me to cultivate.¡±

    Lillian looked at him strangely. He gave her a slight smile and entered his room. It was time to cultivate.

    As Monty sat on his bed, he began to think while cultivating. He had long since reached a point where he could multitask, thinking while doing other tasks.

    ¡°In just over two months, the protagonist of this story should be arriving here. However, I cannot accurately predict what effects my being here will cause. I¡¯ve already changed so much from the story. Just me being alive makes it so the original plot will never happen. Lillian is also another huge variable.¡±

    She was only here because she followed him, after all. Originally, she probably experienced a terrible time after Moonfall. Doctor Elmons sold her to the Yves Family, leading to the rise of their youngest daughter at this time. Now, Monty had not even heard the slightest mention of that plotline.

    Monty continued his thoughts. ¡°I cannot treat this place like it¡¯s a novel. The world is very real. It is impossible for me to predict every change, at least for a while. What I should do is lay low and quietly accumulate strength until I no longer have to worry about anything that might pop up.¡±

    He frowned, stopping at this moment and focusing on his dantian. He still had not reached the halfway mark through the third stage of Qi Condensation.

    Compared to when he had first started cultivating, the Qi circulating through his system was many times greater. With his current cultivation he could overpower a grown man with little difficulty. However, he still could not use the external combat techniques that Lillian and James used in their fight. Those were available to Foundation Establishment cultivators. It would be a while before he reached that realm.

    The time it was taking for him to reach the next stage was getting longer and longer. Initially, it had taken him three months to reach the second stage from the first. Now, to reach the fourth he had been cultivating for two months yet the end was still distant.

    Knowing his aptitude, Amon had offered to provide cultivation pills to help increase his Qi intake, but Monty declined. Pills were great to increase the speed of one¡¯s cultivation but there were drawbacks.

    To create them, an alchemist had to use their own Qi as well as various materials to form a foundation before baking them in a furnace using Atmospheric Qi. Because the Qi they contained was not pure, consuming them would result in contamination of one¡¯s Qi. This made no difference in small amounts, but over time would result in something called Qi Dilution.

    Thus, Monty did not take pills. Lillian also did not take any, though she did not have any reason to with her talent. Taking cultivation pills was a sign of desperation; a last resort when one could not use their own ability to break through. Even then, many still consumed them and were an ever-popular product.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    However, there was a different category of consumables that he could use without restraint. Natural treasures or treasures of heaven and earth. These were plants like the thousand-year ginseng. After being soaked in Qi for a very long time, they developed pill-like properties but without the diversity in Qi. It was accurate to say that pills were man-made natural treasures.

    Of course, such things were incredibly rare and could only be bought with connections. Normally, Monty would not even be able to see one with his cultivation.

    ¡°It should be starting soon,¡± he thought, a hint of anticipation rising within him. ¡°When that event happens, I¡¯ll be able to obtain a lot of good stuuf if everything goes well. Amon won¡¯t make a move until a few weeks after the safety is confirmed, allowing the Mercenaries to fish in troubled waters. At that time, I¡¯ll bring Lillian along to get the true inheritance and finally obtain some strength.¡±

    With his plans nearly reaching a breakthrough, a sense of anticipation built up within Monty. The first real step towards his goal of going back to his old life.

    He knew he was not the smartest or wisest person in this world. Even the Silver Moon Sovereign and Crimson Abbess had countless years over him, and they were not even close to the oldest or most powerful. Compared to those ancient monsters, he was no different from a newborn child. Thus, if Monty wanted to find out how he was transmigrated into a novel, he could only make use of his one advantage: knowledge.

    Two months from the end of the year an inheritance ground would open. This was also the event that attracted the protagonist to Phoenix and set the city into a turmoil that had not been seen in a hundred years. Arriving in the city early gave him an advantage; Monty had already made a few preparations for it.

    Only through planning could he stand a chance. He would accumulate strength, take advantage of every opportunity, and leave this fake world.

    Pushing those thoughts aside, Monty continued to cultivate.

    * * *

    ¡°She¡¯s a true genius.¡±

    Although his face did not show it, James was shocked at the progress that Lillian had made in the last seven days. Since their first spar, she had been fighting with him daily. At first, he had not taken her seriously, but as time went on, he could only put more and more focus in their battles. Such progress in a week was monstrous.

    Amon and Old Zhang had reacted similarly when he reported the results. However, experiencing the rise in difficulty to defeat her day-by-day was something paperwork could never replicate.

    ¡°These two siblings are extremely strange. I wonder if the Owner has gotten their background checks yet.¡±

    He had heard about Monty¡¯s situation as well. Having next to no combat talent, he was the complete opposite of Lily. Amon had often complained to him about how much effort he put into Monty¡¯s training and how it all went down the drain.

    ¡°But this¡­ this is completely different.¡±

    With that thought, he moved his head to the side, dodging a thin icicle that would have pierced his head had he been a moment slower. Following it was Lillian, charging towards him with her icy claymore in hand.

    James narrowed his eyes. He took a defensive stance and prepared to send her sword flying once again.

    Lillian let out a shout, raising it overhead. She then swung down, only for it to fall short. James was confused for a split second before understanding her intention. At that same moment, her hands let go and the blade was sent flying straight at him.

    James¡¯ expression hardened as he looked at the incoming sword. Cycling his Qi furiously, he raised both hands and, under Lillian¡¯s widened eyes, grabbed the blade¡¯s sides and threw it to the side.

    Although he had been putting more effort into defeating Lillian, a change of ten to twenty percent was still negligible.

    Lillian sighed and her momentum slumped. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just can¡¯t break through your defense.¡±

    James allowed himself a smile before putting it away. He spoke without humor. ¡°If a week of training allowed you to go from losing to beating me, your talent would be peerless throughout this world, maybe even history.¡±

    Lillian shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s still not enough.¡±

    James did not comment. She often said things along these lines. It was good that she was motivated.

    ¡°Your first job is coming up,¡± he said, changing the topic. ¡°With your strength only at this level, you won¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    She nodded seriously. The Qi lighting up her palm was enough to tell him her intentions.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start again.¡±

    A couple of weeks passed. Lillian and James continued their sparring while Monty focused on raising his cultivation. At this time, Monty opened his eyes. Someone had knocked on his door. He stood up, walked to it, and opened it to find Lillian.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked.

    ¡°We have a job.¡±

    ¡°Both of us?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°James too. Some others are also going that we haven¡¯t met. Amon called everyone to come to his office. James told me after we finished training.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Monty stepped out and closed the door behind himself. They walked together, making their way along the now familiar corridors of Phoenix City¡¯s underground. There was no longer any need for a map.

    It did not take long to arrive at Amon¡¯s office. They walked in, finding a group of seven people in the room, James and Amon included. Old Zhang was not.

    ¡°Ah, welcome,¡± Amon greeted, notably not lying on his couch but sitting upright. The rest of the group turned to them. It was the first time Monty was seeing any of the rest of the Immortal Slaying Mercenaries.

    Amon continued. ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s get started. It¡¯s a big job this time, and best of all, there¡¯s no customer.¡±

    ¡°This is it,¡± Monty thought. ¡°The first signs have already popped up.¡±

    A tall man asked a question. He was even taller than Amon, and much bulkier. Floral tattoos ran across his bare upper body. ¡°If there¡¯s no customer, what¡¯s the job? Are we goin¡¯ raiding?¡±

    Amon sent him a glare. ¡°I was just about to get to that, Del. And no, we¡¯re not going raiding. Well, not completely.¡±

    The tall man raised his hands in surrender, grinning sheepishly. Amon ignored him and continued. ¡°As I was saying, we got a lot at stake this time, so I hope we¡¯ll be serious. Everyone will be participating. Compared to other sects or families, we don¡¯t have many people.¡±

    He looked at Monty specifically when saying this. Monty suddenly had a bad premonition.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the job,¡± Amon said. ¡°An inheritance ground had opened up some fifty miles north of the city. It¡¯s a pretty good one too. The Saintess of the Fifth¡¯s.¡±

    Somebody whistled. It was the tall man. Amon acted as if he did not hear. ¡°Of course, the inheritance of someone at the top of the nascent soul realm is not something we can monopolize. It was not found by our side in the first place. Once its level is determined, all of us will enter.¡±

    ¡°How long will that take?¡± someone else asked, a woman completely clad in dark, green cloth, hiding all of her features.

    Amon had to think about it. ¡°Hmm, around two weeks? It really depends on the scout group. They¡¯ll be going out in a week to check out the inheritance¡¯s level. After they come back, all involved parties will enter.¡±

    He paused, waiting for an interruption. When no one said anything, he snorted, mumbling something to himself, and continued.

    ¡°This first group will be comprised of Qi Condensation cultivators. Who¡¯s a member has already been decided. The Saintess was a righteous cultivator so there¡¯s no need to worry about any deadly danger right at the beginning. Most forces like the City Lord¡¯s manor will be sending their kids to gain experience.¡±

    Monty listened to Amon speak and nodded inwardly. All was going according to what he remembered. He wondered what Amon¡¯s expression would be when he learned that this initial group would be almost completely wiped out.