~~~
Liu Jin thought he had grown used to the weight of everyone’s stares, yet the walk to the Xiao Sect shows him how naive those thoughts had been. The looks are there. The whispers are there. It is nothing he has not seen or heard before.
“Is that him?”
“Haven’t you heard?”
“Doctor Liu’s son…”
At least, that is how it should have been.
“An engagement? Truly?”
“Wasn’t it just was a rumor?”
“...Xiao Zheng’s daughter, they say. I didn’t even know he had a daughter.”
However, the content is undeniably different.
The looks are no longer full of pity or disdain. The whispers do not just carry a hint of mockery. All those things are still present. That much is true, but there is something new as well. The people of Eastern Port City are curious. They are interested in him.
What is so good about this person? They all seem to be asking themselves that question.
It is similar yet different from the type of attention Liu Jin received in New Moon Town, and he is similarly at a loss as to how to deal with it. The only thing Liu Jin can do is ignore it. At least, he pretends to ignore it. He walks through the streets of Eastern Port City with his head held high and his back straight as if his ears weren’t burning.
One thing is certain. Xiao Zheng has no intention of keeping the wedding a secret.
If Xiao Zheng wanted the wedding to be a secret, the rumors wouldn’t even exist. Not a single careless word would have left the Xiao Sect. Instead, it seems like the entirety of Eastern Port City has learned of his engagement in a matter of days. That can only mean Xiao Zheng wants this to be known, something that makes very little sense to Liu Jin.
Wasn’t his daughter’s Body of Extreme Yin a very sensitive condition that had to be kept a secret? Wasn’t that the reason he kept his daughter’s existence hidden for so long?
Why be so careless now?
No. Liu Jin shakes his head. That is not the right question. In fact, it is most definitely the worst question he could ask. Xiao Zheng is not a man who can be called careless, not even in jest. His father has spoken well of him quite a few times. For Xiao Zheng to be acting this way means he must have a good reason.
One week.
No. Not even one week. It is only a few more days now. Liu Jin just needs to wait a few more days until he learns the reasoning behind the actions of the Xiao Sect’s Patriarch.
“Welcome back, brother,” one of the guards greets Liu Jin as he reaches the gates to the Xiao Sect’s compound.
“Greetings to you as well,” Liu Jin says before walking in, a new thought running through his mind.
Is he imagining things or were the guards’ nods a little deeper than usual just now?
For a moment, the young child wants to dismiss it as a figment of his imagination, but it is a fruitless endeavor. The moment he crosses the gates, he suddenly becomes the target of a lot more stares.
For most of his time in the Xiao Sect, Liu Jin has been just another Outer Disciple. Liu Jin knows some people look down on him due to his father, Xiao Fang chief among them. However, Xiao Nan’s influence has prevented anyone from trying to take advantage of him. For the most part, his experience in the Xiao Sect has been rather peaceful, if a little isolated.
The past year saw a small change to that. His inability to progress past the first level of the Inner Realm earned him a few mocking jeers. Still, it never went beyond that.
Now though…
Most of the Outer Disciples and a few of the Inner ones have unfortunately been gathered in the main courtyard, which means they all see him coming in. There is wariness in their eyes as they look at him now.
Most of all, there is envy.
It only makes sense. Seemingly overnight, an Outer Disciple like them has become engaged to the daughter of the Sect Master. Even a small child can understand what such a union will do to Liu Jin’s standing within the Sect. No, not just what it would do, but what it has already done.
From the very moment the information began to spread, Liu Jin’s status changed.
No longer is Liu Jin a mere Outer Disciple. He is now the betrothed of Patriarch Xiao Zheng’s daughter. He is to be Patriarch’s Xiao Zheng’s son-in-law and Xiao Fang’s brother-in-law.
His robes may be blue, but he might as well have become a Core Disciple.
That is why the emotions in the eyes that look at him now are anything but positive.
What is so good about him? They are all wondering that. His cultivation level is not that different from theirs. In fact, some Outer Disciples are stronger than him. They are all likely wondering why it was him that was chosen and not them.
If the Outer Disciples are reacting like this, Liu Jin does not want to imagine what the Core Disciples are thinking.
“Little Brother, over here!”
Liu Jin’s head instantly whips around the moment he hears Xiao Nan’s voice. Sure enough, the young man is standing to the side, waving at him.
Liu Jin instantly starts making his way to him, his steps a little more hurried than usual. Even as he does this, Liu Jin is certain some of the people watching him are already thinking less of him. They are probably thinking he is someone who can only hide behind Xiao Nan. Perhaps some are even assuming the only reason the engagement is happening is that he is an efficient bootlicker.
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Right now, Liu Jin is willing to let people think that.
Hiding behind Xiao Nan may cause him to lose some face, but it is better than the alternative. While Liu Jin is sure the first person who tries to do something stupid will receive a heavy punishment, he’d rather not risk a confrontation. Thus, Liu Jin decides to be cautious for now.
“It is good to see you, Elder Brother,” Liu Jin says, once he is within a few paces of Xiao Nan. He inclines his head to him as a show of respect. “I trust everything went well for you.”
This is the first time he has seen Xiao Nan since the two parted ways upon arriving at Eastern Port City. Since then, Xiao Nan has been in the main house, most likely reporting everything that happened in New Moon Town to Xiao Zheng.
“You need not worry about anything. Uncle was happy with our job. He was quite pleased to hear how you handled things.” Xiao Nan raises his voice a little for the last two sentences. Liu Jin is fairly sure he does it intentionally. “But enough about that.” He waves a hand dismissively. “I am happy you came today. If you hadn’t, I was planning on going to the clinic to drag you here.”
“Naturally, I was not going to miss this. It is important, is it not?”
There is a reason why all the Outer and some of the Inner Disciples have been gathered in the main courtyard. They are not here to fight against each other or to demonstrate their skills.
They are here to watch.
“Quite,” Xiao Nan replied. He looks at one of the guards who gives him a nod. “It seems we can start now. Follow me, Little Brother.”
Liu Jin looks at Xiao Nan then at the guards and instructors who are giving similar orders to the other disciples.
“It is not going to be here?”
Xiao Nan laughs.
“Little Brother, in an hour or two, you will understand how foolish that question was.”
Even as he speaks, Xiao Nan is already leaping over the walls surrounding the Xiao Sect. Liu Jin blinks before following after him. It is not only Liu Jin and Xiao Nan who do this. All the disciples take to the rooftops of Eastern City Port, moving across them with ease. Many of the citizens of Eastern Port City find themselves looking up that day as a veritable procession of disciples from the Xiao Sect passes over their heads.
It is only once they are far away from Eastern Port City that they stop.
“Is it here?” Liu Jin asks as he looks around. They are to the west of Eastern Port City where the plains stretch for miles in front of him. “I do not see anything of note.”
“Over there.” Xiao Nan points to a spot on the horizon. “Don’t bother straining your eyes. Just feel the Qi. I am surprised you haven’t noticed it yet.”
Liu Jin closes his eyes and does as Xiao Nan bids him. Unlike Poison Fang Valley, which is rich in Qi, there is not much in this area that can confuse his senses. It takes him very little to find the Qi that Xiao Nan is talking about it.
It is a person’s Qi. Of that, there is no doubt. Now that he has locked on to it, he can easily grasp its magnitude.
Earth Realm. Ninth Level.
“Found it, didn’t you? Good. Don’t lose sight of it even for a second, Little Brother. It may take some time, but it will be worth it.”
Liu Jin does not intend to. His mind is fully focused on the way the Qi moves through its owner’s body. Even though it is an unmistakably large amount of it, it doesn’t rage out of control. Instead, the Qi flows with a softness Liu Jin does not think could be found even in his much smaller pool of Qi. Not a single Inner or Outer Disciple present can boast as much control over their Qi as this person.
That is what it means to be a Cultivator who stands at the peak of the Earth Realm, the sixth of all cultivation realms.
However, for all the control this person boasts, there is an unmistakable heaviness to his Qi. It is something Liu Jin has noticed in Xiao Nan once or twice, but the characteristic is far more pronounced in this person.
“It is close now,” Xiao Nan says after much time has passed. “You might want to open your eyes, Little Brother.”
Liu Jin instantly does as instructed. The moment he does, he feels the Qi violently spike. It is as if the waters of a calm river suddenly raged and broke every dam in their way. Liu Jin instantly understands what is happening.
A breakthrough.
As if invoked by the person's Qi, the skies turn dark. Dark clouds appear on the horizon. Day turns to night in an instant.
Lightning strikes.
A colossal bolt of blinding light slams into the ground. Even though the place it hits is over a mile away, the disciples still find themselves covering their eyes. Liu Jin’s hair stands on end due to the static in the air.
The light lasts for a mere instant, yet it burns itself into the memory of all who are present.
“It is not every day you can see someone enter the Heaven Realm.” Xiao Nan says. There is a big smile on his face, and his eyes are staring straight ahead. It seems even the lightning could not make him turn his gaze away. “You are quite lucky one of the Elders was on the precipice. Amazing, isn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
The Heaven Realm.
For most people, it is nothing but a pipe dream. Even in a place like the Xiao Sect, not many have the talent to step into the Heaven Realm. Then there are those who have the talent but lack the courage.
To step into the Heaven Realm is to invite retaliation from the Heavens.
“Once you leave the Earth Realm, you will be struck by Tribulation Lightning,” Xiao Nan says. “If you aren’t prepared for it, you might even end up dead.”
It is why someone who wishes to enter the Heaven Realm needs to thoroughly prepare for it. Half-hearted attempts will only lead to death.
“It gets worse from there,” Xiao Nan adds. “You’ll be struck once when you enter the Heaven Realm, but you’ll be struck ten times when you reach the second level of the Heaven Realm. Then a hundred times for the third level, a thousand for the fourth, and so on. It is why Heaven Realm cultivators cannot possibly experience a breakthrough within a city. The damage it would cause would be catastrophic.”
Liu Jin shivers. The Heaven Realm sounds terrifying. To think his master and Xiao Zheng are above even that.
“Something has changed in his Qi.” Liu Jin binks as he notices it. “It feels… lighter.”
It goes without saying its potency has grown, yet the heavy quality to it Liu Jin detected before is nowhere to be found now. Xiao Nan nods approvingly.
“Good. You noticed that. It is his reward for leaving the Earth Realm.” Xiao Nan shrugs. “The Heaven Realm tries to strike you down. Meanwhile, the Earth Realm pulls you down. Cultivation is quite merciless that way.”
Pulls you down?
Liu Jin blinks. Does that mean Xiao Nan is…?
“Ah, he is here already. I might as well introduce you, Little Brother,” XIao Nan says as the Elder finally reaches them.
Unlike the other Elders he has seen walking around the Xiao Sect a few times, this one is not wearing elegant robes. Of course, that is likely due to just having been struck by lightning. His clothes are burned and singed, and his upper body is exposed. The man’s face looks quite old, but his body seems to be in good shape.
As Liu Jin gets closer to him, he recognizes him. This Elder is the one in charge of the Outer Disciples, although Liu Jin cannot say he has seen him interact with them much.
When the Elder sees Xiao Nan, he smiles a grandfatherly smile.
“Ah, Little Nan, I see you came to witness my ascension.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Xiao Nan replies with a smile. He motions to Liu Jin, who is next to him. “There is someone I would like you to meet. Elder Hui, this is Liu Jin, my Little Brother. Little Brother, this is Elder Hui. With all this wedding business, you might be seeing him more often.”
“Ah, yes, young Liu Jin.” Elder Hui nods in his direction with a smile. “I have seen your father a few times. It is my hope we can get along well.”
~~~