Prologue
In the Minor World of Odath there was an ancient mountain. Some people said it was as old as the world, others said it was the world, and others still said that it was a portal to another world. This was Mount Nine Peak. It acquired its name due to the nine peaks one must ascend in order to reach the summit. Each peak was higher than the last. The final peak was over 40,000 meters high and legend has it that a primordial dragon slept there.
The first peak held a vibrant town. It was famed for its fine cuisine and classic architecture. Artists from around the world would travel there to compete with the greatest of chefs, architects, and sculptors. Scholars also had in interest in this peak, as some believed it to be the origin of modern civilization.
The second peak was the capital for the Law of Nine. They were a religious group who worshipped the mountain as a deity and had elaborate rituals for honoring it. The Law of Nine was the most influential religion in the continent and had branches in every country.
The third peak was somewhat more difficult to reach and contained an old martial arts sect known as the Falling Stone sect. This sect was the oldest organization on the mountain and was renowned by the local countries. Their martial arts style revolved around the concept of heavy and slow. Their patriarch was the most powerful man in the continent and lived on the seventh peak.
The fourth peak was far less populated than the prior three. It only had one humble temple from an age long lost. Occasionally pilgrims or martial artists would make it to this peak and carve their name in stone, but the frigid temperature and howling winds would keep them from lingering.
The fifth and sixth peaks would only see a visitor once every decade or so. They were usually martial artists who came to challenge the patriarch on the seventh peak but gave up after being buffeted by the horrifying winds of the sixth. At this altitude the winds were at hurricane levels and the temperature was far below freezing.
On the seventh peak there was only the patriarch of the Falling Stone Sect. He had lived on the peak for over a thousand years, deep in his contemplation on the Grand Dao of Earth. He had long since lost touch with the mortal world and only moved on occasion to practice a technique or send a message down to his disciples.
The eighth peak was a thing of legends. A few of the more famous heroes throughout history had made it to that peak but even they had trouble describing what they saw. The only rumor that they all confirmed was the billowing wind it constantly emitted. Scholars supposed it came from the cold air from the altitude hitting the hot air from the dragon on the Ninth Peak. What the scholars failed to realize is that there was no dragon.
The Ninth Peak is not a peak at all. It is, in fact, a massive volcano. The volcano has never erupted which is why nobody knew it was there. Similarly, nobody had reached the Ninth Peak before and so nobody knew it was not a dragon. After hundreds of millions of years, the volcano was finally on the verge of erupting.
Mount Nine Peak had long ago gained sentience and become a Mountain Spirit. In its hundreds of millions of years it had watched countless empires rise and fall. It had watched as the humans progressed from stone to metal. It had watched countless couples fall in love and countless warriors fall in battle. At one point there was even a lake within its fifth peak that had acquired sentience and kept it company for a time. It could be said that the mountain had lived endless lives vicariously through its inhabitants.
After all this time watching the mortals as they lived upon and around it, the mountain had become affectionate towards the human race. The humans had been the only constant in its countless years of existence. If it were not for them, the mountain would have surely sunk into a great boredom and depression. It must be said that it was thankful for their existence. And so when it felt that its volcano was finally on the verge of erupting, it made the only decision it could. It refused.
It would not allow itself to serve as this world’s apocalypse. No matter how long it may live by allowing such destruction, it was incomparable to the grief it would feel from causing the humans’ extinction.
Thus as the lava rose up, the Spirit of Mount Nine Peak dove directly down into it. With its soul serving as a vessel it aggressively absorbed all the explosive Yang energy it could. Almost instantly its soul began to fracture under the pressure, creating a terrible ripping sensation at the center of its being. It felt as though ten thousand vultures were tearing it apart from the inside out.
Soon there was only a shred of its consciousness left. A shred that could stop what it was doing and survive. It could let loose all the Yang energy and slowly heal. It could start anew, as a young mountain spirit. It could once more be that lofty existence looking over… what? What would be left if it erupted? Nothing. It would look over nothing.
The spirit of Mount Nine Peak did not hesitate in its actions. If anything, it began increasing the pace with which it absorbed the violent energy. It did not know if this would keep the volcano down forever, but it would at least give the humans some more time. In its long life spent watching humans, the mountain spirit had learned of their infinite potential. Unlike demonic beasts and spirits of nature, the humans had no preordained destiny. They could be as weak as a child or as powerful as a sovereign. All of this depended on their effort, talent, and luck. Who knows what they would accomplish within the next million or so years? Perhaps the man on the seventh peak would achieve immortal ascension and return to this world a god.
With these thoughts in mind, the mountain spirit disintegrated.
Chapter 1:
The first things he noticed were the white clouds drifting through the endless blue sky. It was not that he had never seen clouds before; he had just never seen them from below. They seemed a lot bigger from down here.
“So even the afterworld has a sky?” he thought.
He may have died but at least he was able to protect all the mortals he had seen grow up atop his body. It was an honorable death and his life had truly been long. He would now soak in the painless bliss of the afterworld before his memories were wiped and he was reincarnated.
A sudden pain caused him to glance downwards. A white linen shirt with three holes covered his stomach. The cloth around each hole was dyed a deep, crimson red. His stomach, however, appeared to have miraculously healed. Fresh white scars could be seen beneath those holes. Stomach?
“I have… a stomach?” he said.
He sat up straight then stared downwards at his legs. They were pale and thin, liken to a woman’s. His eyes traced his body upwards across his assuredly male chest and lithe arms. His body was neither overly strong nor weak. It gave off the vibe of someone who spent too much time inside the house.
“This body is quite a bit different then my last one,” he mused aloud. “But why am I alive and why am I a human? Furthermore, why do I have my memories?”
All these thoughts bounced around his head but he had not answers for them at this moment.
If the heavens saw fit to give him this body then he would accept. To assume an understanding of the heavens was to assume an understanding of all that is. If one cannot claim to know everything that is then they cannot claim to know the heavens. With knowledge of this truth, he chose to try and figure out who he was now.
He reached into his pockets and searched around. Any identifying object would do - a letter, an heirloom, maybe an emblem – any item that could help him find out who he was. He found nothing in his left pocket but came upon some dry parchment in his right. He pulled it out and gave it a glance; shockingly he could read the language.
Dear Niu, it began.
For reaching the Second Stage of body refining before the age of 16, you have been invited to attend the initiation ceremony of the Five Elements Sect.
Elder Brimstone
On this parchment there was a small map detailing the local region with a red circle around what Niu presumed to be the martial arts sect.
“It appears that despite this boy’s seemingly weak body, his talent for cultivation was not all that bad,” said Niu.
He stretched his arms and bounced on his feet in an attempt to grow accustomed to his human body. It was very different from his last body. Along with being able to see and hear, humans are also able to touch, taste, and smell. This was the dividing line between spirits and mortals. Spirits are forced into a state of lonely detachment. Mortals, on the contrary are able to burn briefly but brilliantly in a tumultuous world of emotions and attachments.
Desiring to test his new body, Niu struck out in front of him with a closed fist. He shot his arm outwards in a corkscrew motion, imitating the technique used by the Falling Rock Sect disciples always did.
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“Oh?” said Niu. “This is rather interesting.”
He chose to keep testing the limits of this body. He ran around wildly like young child, jumping over rocks and swinging on branches. He had never been able to move so quickly before. As a mountain spirit, any minor movement took hundreds of years and a major one took thousands.
Soon he was sweating so profusely that his white shirt was stuck to his chest. He had to lean against a tree to catch his breath. The strange tightness of his lungs was a new experience to him.
“Hahaha!” he laughed loudly. “Interesting! Interesting! Mortals are so interesting!” Niu continued to laugh between breaths. All of these feelings were new and exciting to him, the smell of fresh pine, the taste of sweat on his lips, the pain of a cramp. He was enthralled by all of these fresh experiences.
Niu walked out of the woods a new man. He was actually quite excited to start his new life. While living as a mountain spirit had been a profound existence, he was often jealous of those humans who got to travel the world. What was the ocean like? What was the desert like? What did a real dragon look like? Niu suddenly realized that he had dozens of questions, which he did not know the answer to. Perhaps in his last life he was nothing but a frog in the well.
Stepping out of the dense leaf covered ground he came upon a dirt road. It did not seem manmade but rather slowly formed over time from the boots and wheels of countless travelers. Based on the map he found on the back of the note he could follow this road all the way to the Five Elements Sect.
He was not quite sure whether or not he wanted to attend this martial school quite yet. He had seen the lifestyle of the disciples as the Falling Stone Sect and was not envious of it. All he truly wanted to do was travel the world and meet new people, but he understood that in the martial world only the strong could live such a life.
Upon reflection there were a multitude of questions that Niu did not have answers to yet. He did not know what kind of person he wanted to be or how to become it. By reincarnating in this form he had skipped his time as a child being reared by his family. He did not know the customs of the land or the values he should hold. For now he would walk his own path, exploring both this world and how to live in it, simultaneously.
Each step he took was firm and resolute. The past was the past and the future the future. He would carve a new life for himself in this world. Niu was interrupted form his contemplation as a great cloud of dust was blown against his face. Following that cloud of dust came a small plume of smoke carrying a mouthwatering smell.
“Oh!” exclaimed Niu. “Could this be… food?” he wondered
As the carriage was rattling by, Niu decided he could not miss this chance and jumped out in front of it.
The driver let loose a sharp whistle and pulled back suddenly on the reins to stop the carriage from plowing over Niu. Upon reflection, Niu realized that it was rather stupid of him to jump in front of carriage like that. It was just that he was not quite used to the idea of things being bigger than him.
“Hey there,” said the driver. “What could have possibly brought you to jump out in front of us like that? You couldn’t be thinking of trying to rob us now could you?” A cold glint could be seen in the man’s eyes.
Niu suddenly realized how embarrassing his actions were; to jump in front of a horse-drawn carriage just because he smelled food? What was he, a beggar? Niu looked down at his linen shirt covered in holes and bloody. Perhaps he was a beggar.
“Um. I’m hungry. Sir.” Niu slowly stammered out. For some reason he was already fully capable of speaking in this world language. It must be muscle memory from the former inhabitant of the body. Maybe he would awaken more memories as time went on.
The driver stared at Niu in a stupor for a short moment. He appeared to be caught somewhere between disbelief, amusement, and pity.
“Miss Cecil,” the driver called behind him, ”there is a young beggar here looking for food.”
Niu felt his face turn red in embarrassment as the carriage driver loudly called him a beggar. Could he not think of a more polite way to say that? He decided at that moment that he deeply disliked the human feeling of embarrassment.
A soft voice echoed out from the carriage in response to the driver. “Let us pull over Henry, it would be inappropriate to ignore a starving child.”
“Yes, Miss.” responded the driver. He gave Niu one last scouring look before leading the carriage to the side of the road and dismounting. He tied the horses to a tree prior to walking over to the carriage door and unfolding a stool. He then opened the door and stood respectfully to the side.
A young woman of about fifteen stepped through the door and down the stool. She was wearing a light gray and green dress that complimented her pale face and thick black hair. Her eyes were a steely blue and gave off an aura of kindness. As she stepped out of the carriage she stood patiently to the side, waiting for someone else to disembark.
Soon two handmaids walked off in simple black and white uniforms. One carried a large platter of uncooked food while another carried a cooking pot and some utensils. Both maids gave a quick glance towards Niu before setting up the food. Once all of this was complete, the four of them and Niu sat down.
“So what brings a poor boy such as you all the way out here?” asked the driver while glancing at Niu.
The question forced Niu to regretfully look away from the slow roasting meat. The woman named Cecil seemed to notice his lament and chuckled softly.
Niu took a moment to collect his thoughts before responding. “I was on my way to the entrance ceremony for the Five Elements Sect when I was attacked by a group of bandits.” He smiled as he said this. He considered himself to be pretty clever for thinking of such a good excuse on his time lying.
The driver frowned at Niu’s words and the three women held similar expressions of pity and disbelief.
“So you are a skilled cultivator then?” the driver asked with a smirk.
“Henry, do not rude!” Cecil said sternly.
Niu suddenly realized what all the looks meant. They did not think a poor, starving boy who jumped in front of a moving carriage for a piece of meat could possibly be a cultivator.
“This…” Niu began. He decided to half-heartedly laugh before moving on. “So where are you all going then, you seem too well prepared for a short trip.”
“The Miss is going to the Five Elements entrance ceremony as well,” said the driver. He gave Niu a look that seemed to say, see how bad your lie was now?
Niu struggled for words before giving up and staring at the meat again. So what if they looked down on him? He did not meet them out of a desire for good company but good food.
The group seemed to sense Niu’s discomfort and took it as a silent admission of guilt. Instead of pressing the matter, they chose to move on and start serving the food. This was a pretty good resolution in Niu’s opinion anyways.
He bit down into the roasted meat and his mouth was filled with a savory deliciousness that he had never experienced before. Not wasting any time, he swallowed the food in his mouth and bit down a second time. The combination of meat, fat, and spices came together in an indescribable way inside Niu’s mouth. Compared to the feeling of embarrassment, this mortal food was far better!
The others stared dumbfounded at Niu’s voracious appetite. He was almost done with the thigh piece in front of him before the rest had even taken their first bite. Cecil looked on in pity and thanked the heavens that she was not born a beggar.
“Since we are going to the same place would you like to travel with us?” asked Cecil.
Niu paused momentarily as he was grabbing his third piece of food. “That is a good idea,” he seemed to stop and think for a second. “Will you all have more food like this?” he finally asked.
The maids stared at him in undisguised abhorrence. The driver, for his part, began laughing jovially. He appeared quite amused by Niu’s gluttonous antics.
“Yes,” Cecil said between giggles, “we will have more food like this.”
“Then I am definitely in!” he said. “We can trade some tips on cultivation as we travel. Perhaps this companionship will come to benefit the both of us?” said Niu.
Cecil seemed taken aback for a second before she recovered her grace. “Yes, of course.” She said. “That would be a great idea.”
At this point the maids joined in with the driver in laughing, much to Niu’s annoyance. Ah whatever, so what if he had to suffer some embarrassment? With this deal he would get a free ride and more of that delicious meat!
The rest of the night passed in merriment as the group continued their eating and chatting. The night became especially rambunctious after Niu asked the maids to teach him how to cook.