CHAPTER 58

White Sage

LUO FAN

The journey to find the White Sage took us through rugged hills and steep mountains, each step carving deeper exhaustion into my limbs. Ruan Yanjun strode ahead, his movements fluid and unbothered, as if the uneven terrain was nothing more than flat ground.

The air was heavy with the scent of moss and rain, the dense canopy above casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. I stayed close to him, keeping my thoughts to myself as usual.

It was quiet—until it wasn’t.

A violent rustling broke the calm, and before I could process the sound, a thick vine shot out from the underbrush and wrapped itself around my torso. The force of it yanked me into the air so fast I didn’t even have time to scream.

The creature was a massive mutated plant, its main body resembling a grotesque fusion of tree bark and flesh. From it, long, sinewy vines writhed with unnatural speed. The tips of the vines glistened with sharp, needle-like thorns, and its central "mouth" was a gaping bloom lined with teeth-like petals. The plant exuded an eerie, pulsating glow, as if it thrived on something far more sinister than sunlight.

“Lord Ruan!” I managed to choke out, the vine tightening around my chest.

He didn’t even flinch. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a crackling flame in his palm.

My stomach sank.

He wouldn’t.

But of course, he did.

Without hesitation, he launched it toward the vine holding me captive. The fire roared to life, consuming the vine in an instant. The heat was close enough to sear my skin, but I bit back a cry of alarm. The plant’s screech reverberated through the forest, its remaining tendrils flailing in desperation.

The burned vine loosened, and gravity took over.

I plummeted toward the ground.

Only when the ground was perilously close did Ruan Yanjun move. In one fluid motion, he caught me mid-fall, his grip firm but unyielding. He held me as if I weighed no more than a feather, his expression inscrutable.

“You didn’t even try,” he said sharply, his tone laced with exasperation.

“I—” I started, but he cut me off.

“You could’ve used your staff to fend it off, or at least tried to break free. But no, you hung there like a damsel in distress, waiting for me to save you.”

His words stung, but what cut deeper was the way he refused to set me down. His arms stayed firmly around me, holding me close. My cheeks burned as I looked away, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickened under his scrutiny.

“Put me down,” I said finally, my voice quieter than I intended.

He didn’t move. Instead, his lips curved into a teasing smile. “Not until you stop blushing.”

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to calm down, but his gaze didn’t waver.

“You’re so pretty when you blush,” he added, his voice softer but no less infuriating.

“Lord Ruan,” I said, exasperated.

He laughed, a low, rich sound, and finally set me down.

I turned away from him, my hands tightening into fists. He always did this—treating me like some delicate flower, only to turn around and mock me for it.

His expression sobered as he crouched near the remains of the plant. “Someone’s been experimenting,” he muttered, examining the scorched vines.

“Experimenting?” I echoed, stepping closer despite myself.

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“This isn’t natural,” he said, standing and brushing his hands off. “Someone’s tampering with the forest.”

“Are we going to investigate?”

He shook his head, his usual smirk returning. “No time. Let them play their games. We have more important things to do.”

We pressed on, encountering more of the mutated plants as we ventured deeper. Each one fell easily to Ruan Yanjun’s flames, their threats rendered meaningless in the face of his power. But as the hours wore on, no guardian appeared, and the legendary White Sage remained elusive.

It was only when we stumbled upon a small clearing that we found something—or rather, someone.

The old man.

His wild, unkempt appearance was even more deranged than before, his eyes bloodshot and darting nervously. He stood before a patch of dense foliage, his body half-shielding it as if it were his most precious treasure.

“Give me the flower,” he barked the moment he saw us, his voice hoarse with desperation.

I stared at him, my earlier sympathy eroded by the sight of his erratic behavior. “I’m sorry, but I need the flower to save my life.”

“My wife is dying!” he snapped, his voice breaking. “Doesn’t anyone care?”

I glanced at Ruan Yanjun, who looked more amused than concerned.

“There’s only one flower,” Ruan Yanjun said casually, stepping forward. “You both want it. So why don’t you fight for it? Winner takes the prize.”

The old man’s lips twisted into a cruel grin. “Fine.”

“He’s a level six,” Ruan Yanjun whispered into my ear, his breath annoyingly warm against my skin.

My heart sank. “What!?” I blurted, unable to hide my shock. How could a frail, hunched-over old man with wild hair and trembling hands wield such power?

“Shhh,” Ruan hissed, his lips twitching into an amused smirk. “Don’t be so loud. You’ll hurt his feelings.”

I turned to glare at him. “You want me to fight that?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “You might learn a thing or two.”

Learn? More like die.

Still, when Ruan Yanjun nudged me forward, I tightened my grip on my bamboo staff. This was no ordinary stick. It had been tempered and strengthened by his metal qi, turning the humble weapon into something far more formidable—though even that felt inadequate against the old man before me.

The old man’s smirk widened, a predator baring its teeth. His hands morphed grotesquely, skin twisting and stretching into long vine-like whips that slithered and coiled like living serpents. Thorns the size of daggers gleamed menacingly along their lengths.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to focus.

He struck first, his vine-whip slicing through the air faster than I anticipated. I barely managed to block it with my staff, the impact rattling through my arms. Before I could recover, another whip lashed out from my blind spot, grazing my side and tearing through my outer robe.

This wasn’t going to end well.

I spun and countered, aiming for his exposed torso, but he was faster than he looked. His vines acted like a shield, deflecting my strikes with almost mocking ease. One of them snaked around my ankle, yanking me off my feet.

I hit the ground hard, dirt and leaves sticking to my skin.

“Pathetic,” the old man sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “You dare challenge me for the flower?”

I forced myself to stand, gripping my staff tighter. My arms ached, my breathing labored, but I wasn’t about to give up—not with Ruan Yanjun watching.

Another whip came at me, this time aiming for my neck. I ducked, rolling to the side and striking at the vine, splintering it with a burst of my own qi. It recoiled, hissing like a snake.

The old man snarled, his fury palpable. “You’ll regret that.”

He unleashed a flurry of attacks, the vines striking from every direction. It was all I could do to block and evade, each movement slower and sloppier than the last. My energy was draining fast, and he knew it.

Finally, one of his whips slammed into my chest, sending me sprawling to the ground. My staff slipped from my grasp. I tried to reach for it, but the old man loomed over me, his vine poised to deliver the final blow.

“Enough,” Ruan Yanjun’s voice cut through the chaos like steel.

In the blink of an eye, he was there, his hand catching the vine mid-strike. The sheer force of his grip caused it to crack and splinter. The old man let out a strangled cry, stumbling back as he clutched his arm.

“You win,” Ruan Yanjun said, his tone almost bored. “No need to kill my precious disciple.”

The old man’s lips twisted into a bitter sneer. “Then leave. Both of you.”

“Right away.” Ruan Yanjun’s hand found mine, pulling me up and into motion before I could protest.

“Wait!” I gasped as we sprinted away. “Are we not even going to check what he’s guarding? He’s just a level six. You can beat him without breaking a sweat.”

He laughed, his pace unrelenting. “Why waste my energy on someone so insignificant?”

“But the White Sage—”

A guttural roar echoed behind us, shaking the forest. It was a sound of pure rage, primal and unrestrained.

Ruan Yanjun chuckled. “The bastard’s furious. Let’s go before he catches up.”

“What did you do?” I demanded, dread creeping into my voice.

He glanced at me, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “What do you think?”

I stared at him, realization dawning. “You took something while we were fighting.”

He grinned. “A-Fan, you’re finally catching on. Perhaps there’s hope for you yet.”

“Why not just challenge him directly? You could have defeated him easily!”

“And waste my time? No, thank you. Tricks are faster. Besides, I don’t fight nobodies.”

“I’m also a nobody,” I pointed out, glaring at him. “But you fight me all the time.”

He smirked, his grip on my hand tightening slightly. “I don’t fight you. I train you. There’s a difference.”

When we finally stopped, he pulled something from his robes—a pale, glowing flower. Its petals shimmered with a faint spiritual energy, its fragrance light but intoxicating.

“This isn’t the White Sage,” he said after a moment, his brow furrowing.

“It’s not?” I asked, my heart sinking.

He shook his head. “The essence is strong, but not as potent as the Dual Bloom. Still, if that old man was guarding it so fiercely, it must have value. We’ll figure it out later.”

I hesitated, guilt prickling at my conscience. Stealing from the old man, even one as dangerous as him, felt wrong. But arguing with Ruan Yanjun was a battle I could never win, so I kept my mouth shut and followed him deeper into the forest.