The heavy pattering of rain as it fell upon the old wooden planks was deafening. It was now difficult to see even a couple of metres ahead, as the droplets formed an impenetrable haze. All the while, the group continued to report that they heard screaming, and it was only getting louder and more frequent.

As they waded through the dense cloud of water, something appeared. It was difficult to see, but some kind of mirage or outline was floating in front of them.

“What is that?” Ferjuz asked worriedly.

“Keep your guard up.” Dalian replied.

He took a couple of steps closer. Now, he could see that it wasn’t something human. It had a strange shape, as if someone had draped a black cloth over a ball. But, it wasn’t made of anything material, rather, some kind of ghostly fabric. It floated in the air, deathly still.

Dalian took a step closer, he was within arms reach now. From this position, he felt something. It wasn’t natural. It felt evil. Like the qi that flowed into him earlier, but flipped. The reverse of the life giving power, this thing emanated an aura that wanted to take away his life. To destroy him. Through it, Dalian felt emotions. Hatred, resentment, sadness, madness.

The great denseness of negativity within the ghost shocked him. It conjured up memories of a past that he would have preferred forgotten. Suddenly, his heart that had been completely settled on immortality was rattled. He began to wonder, was it worth fighting for? In such a large world, what did it matter if one could see it all? Yes. Perhaps it was best to give up.

Then, in one motion, he lifted his hand up and bit it. His teeth sunk into his flesh. Blood flowed. A huge bout of pain was sent through his mind.

No. The world was enormous. That was why he had to fight. To experience the heavens and the earth in their entirety. It was only possible with an eternity to spend. He had to become an immortal. That was the only way.

“Brothers, be careful. This thing is filled with every kind of negative emotion there is. When you get close, it will bring doubt into your heart. You cannot let yourself become a victim. Remember why you came here. Remember why you wanted to become an immortal,” said Dalian.

“Dalian, does it feel like its energy is bursting at the seams, like it wants to explode, but it can’t?” Ferjuz asked.

“It does.”

Ferjuz nodded, and a grave expression appeared on his face. “Brothers, I think we’re facing an evil spirit. My father had to face them sometimes when he was fighting for the kingdom. They’re apparitions formed from the resentment of fallen living beings. They take everything negative a human can feel and amplify it ten times.”

“That’s…” said Johan. “How can we face something like that? We can’t even use immortal techniques yet.”

Ferjuz replied, “They are beings formed of thoughts, held together weakly by qi. The only way to defend, is if your heart is strong enough.”

The spirit hung in the air motionlessly, taking up the entire path.

“Ferjuz, will there be any problems to go straight through it?” Dalian asked.

“I don’t think so. It’s effect will just be stronger.”

Seeing no other way. Dalian took a step, and entered the space the spirit occupied. As he did so, a trace amount of evil qi entered his pores.

Just after it did so, a powerful burst of energy came from his navel region. His spirit root sent a flurry of life energy out of his pores. The evil qi was destroyed before it could settle in his body. Maybe his spirit root had overreacted, because there was still a large amount of energy within his body that had nowhere to go. Instead of rampaging in his body, it began to automatically exit his body, venting out through his pores.

The air began to be lit up around his body, and the splattering of rain as it hit him could be seen. Just as the life qi left his body, it came into contact with the evil spirit. Suddenly, it latched onto the ghost and began spreading like a puddle of alcohol being set alight.

The spirit burnt brightly for a second, before the light faded. Dalian expected there to be nothing left after the display, but the spirit still remained. However, it no longer gave off its negative aura. Rather, it seemed satisfied. The bonds of qi no longer held the thoughts.

In his mind, Dalian felt the spirit trying to communicate. He gave his best version of a mental nod. An image of a carvine took shape. Its last memories of its life had been it getting eaten alive by a mountain lion. In such great anguish, its final thoughts had been captured by some qi in the air. After that it had lived a long time experiencing its final moments of despair, eventually devolving into a being of madness, forgetting what it even was.

However, Dalian’s wave of life energy had destroyed the boundary of qi that kept it trapped all those years. Not only had it done that, but it had also reminded the carvine of what it really was. In its final moment of consciousness, it felt relief. It would no longer have to live a nightmare.

Without anything holding it together, it was dissipating. As it’s last action, it sent a feeling that Dalian could only assume was gratitude. Then, like it had never existed, it faded into the rain.

—-

On another mountain peak, far away, several old men and women sat around a table filled with food and wine.

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“That Mersault is already almost finished. We don’t often get talent like that.” One of them said.

“You’re forgetting his older brother. If I recall correctly, he was even faster.”

“That older brother is a monster, you can’t compare others to his standards,” said another.

They continued to discuss the level that Mersault may reach in the future.

“Fellow elders, have a look at that group of boys at the halfway mark.”

They all shut their eyes and focused.

“Heavens, is that a remnant spirit on the bridge? Has the formation failed?” One of them asked aloud.

“It can’t be. This bridge has been used for more than a thousand years without any mistakes.” Replied another relatively younger man.

“Elder Lieze, you don’t need to worry. I am currently controlling the formation, so I know there are no errors,” said a particularly elderly woman.

“Elder Hazel, how is this possible then?” Elder Lieze asked curiously.

In a confident tone, Hazel replied. “It is because that remnant spirit is weaker than most. My guess is that it came from some small animal. With this kind of spirit, it won’t have an effect unless it can get close enough. However, it is quite unfortunate that it has settled directly in the path.”

“Should I move it?” Said Elder Lieze.

It was silent apart from a ‘hmm’.

“Alright, move it. But make sure you only do as much as needs to be done. And don’t be seen.”

“Understood.”

Lieze got up and began making some hand signs, before someone interrupted.

“Wait. What is he doing?” Someone shouted.

Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces. Lieze gave up on his hand signs and spread his spiritual sense to the bridge again. Then, his jaw dropped.

He saw Dalian taking a step into the spirit.

“What is that idiot doing! He’ll die,” cried an elder.

Then just as they all saw the spirit’s qi enter his body, it was suddenly flushed out as a wave of energy burst out of his body. In just a few moments, they saw the spirit be overwhelmed and then, like it had never existed, dissipate into the night.

“Was that…”

“Life qi…”

“Elder Alano, who is that boy?” An elder sitting at the head of the table asked.

Their attention all turned to Alano, who was visibly shocked.

“That is Dalian, a villager.”

“Why didn’t you tell us immediately that there was someone with a life root?” The elder questioned.

Alano had an ugly expression. “That is… when I tested him, he had none at all. He should be a mortal.”

“Then how has he gotten this far?” The elder asked, referring to the first test.

Alano quickly explained what Dalian had done, leaving them all to sigh in amazement.

After a moment, Elder Hazel spoke. “No matter what that boy said, it is now voided. He will be a part of this sect even if he now fails. As for your failure to identify such a talent, Alano, I will be deducting your pay for twelve months. Reflect upon your attempts to deceive us.”

Alano quickly replied. “No! I didn’t deceive anyone. When he was tested, I’m certain he had no response. If I’m lying, may the heavens strike me down with divine lightning.”

“I don’t know what trickery you’ve pulled, but there is no way that no response could have occurred.”

At this moment another elder spoke up, “actually, it may be possible. The qi testing rock works by absorbing the small amount of energy that leaks out naturally. If someone were to have a body that didn’t have any leakage, then there would naturally be no response.

Elder Hazel dropped into thought. “I suppose it is possible. Alano, you may forget your punishment. However, we still have the issue of how to raise him.”

It was at this moment that Alano suddenly smiled, as he thought of a possibility, before quickly getting rid of it.

“Elder Hazel, I recently acquired a life-root cultivation method from an expedition into the secret realm. I was waiting for an opportunity to trade it for other treasures, but I think it would be even better to use it here. Let me take Dalian as my disciple, and I will raise him properly.”

“We can buy a cultivation method. Someone with a life root has the potential to help the entire sect, I can’t allow you to take him all for yourself.”

“Please, before you decline, take a look.”

Alano pulled out a tattered scroll that brimmed with an aura of ancientness. Elder Hazel took it and looked it over. A look of approval began spreading across her face slightly.

“This is only one part.” She said.

Elder Alano's heart struck with fear before he gathered himself. “Yes, that was all I could find. But it is enough to take him far beyond even our sect. I believe the second part is divine in nature.”

A series of nods went around the pavilion.

“This would certainly be enough to overcome the gap in resources between you and the sect. But he must still help the entire sect, not just you.”

Another elder with a sly grin spoke. “If I may be so impetuous as to interrupt, wouldn’t it be for the best if the boy received both the cultivation method as well as the sects resources. Elder Alano can receive some compensation and the boy will not be deprived.”

Elder Alano replied sharply. “Elder Heng, you speak out of turn.”

Someone else spoke up. “Elder Heng’s suggestion is quite reasonable in my opinion. We can even compensate you more than the value of the method.”

Now, Alano was slightly panicked as more elders looked like they were agreeing.

“Everyone, I’ve been in this sect for a long time, 143 years to be exact. Over this time, I’ve helped a lot of you out. I’m willing to forget all of that if you hand the boy over to my care.”

They were all quiet for some time, before they agreed to let Alano become Dalian’s master.

“Then, Elder Alano shall become the boy’s master.”

With the matter over, everyone’s interest waned slightly, except for Alano’s barely contained excitement.

Hazel continued speaking. “Now, shall we see just how capable he is?”