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 power. After all, history was written by the victor 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 – 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.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, 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 the woman’s 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 that powerful?”

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 façade to prevent anyone from noticing Lillian’s physique.”

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.

She woke up at night. For some reason, Monty was calling her name.

“Lillian, there’s a situation.”

She groaned, dirt and grass did provide the best of sleeps. Rubbing her eyes, she asked with an edge to her voice, “What is it?”

“Bandits.”