Yawn.
A brand new day. The sun peeked out of the horizon like a child under a blanket. Yulin steadily jogged through Lamane’s streets with me on his shoulder. Barely anyone was out besides the guards and a few vendors getting an early start at setting up their wares.
For Yulin, this was a perfect time for a morning jog.
Why must you be so full of energy? You’d just been beaten up yesterday, you know? Please sleep in more. I can’t keep up this healthy lifestyle.
When he had woken up this morning, Yulin had been completely bewildered. The moon had still been shining when he suddenly opened his eyes and sat up like a resurrected jiangshi, completely skipping the mm-I-should-go-back-to-sleep stage. The movement toppled me out of the snug corner of his neck and onto his lap, instantly waking me up too.
That type of falling should only happen in dreams. I really didn’t want to experience it in real life.
Yulin had held his arms up to his face and turned this way and that, checking over his freshly-healed body. His clearly confused expression showed that he had no idea how he had ended up back in the inn. He got off the bed and picked up his sword. Standing nearly naked in the moonlight, he channeled his spiritual energy through the sword as if testing whether or not yesterday’s events really happened.
Yup. Don’t worry, Yulin. They really happened.
Yulin quietly stood there. He pulled on his spare set of clothes, his old ones being mostly torn up by Harl’s attacks yesterday. Picking up his sword and me, he went for his morning run.
We had meandered through the dark streets. Eventually Yulin’s steps took him to the blue pagoda shrine. The surroundings were completely ravaged and blasted open, yet the shrine itself remained as pristine and elegant as ever. As expected of a shrine to Harl, even when no one comes it still exudes an oppressive aura. Yulin gave the stone serpent statues which guarded the shrine the evil eye and warily stepped forward.
Taking the sword in both hands, Yulin began posing and channeling energy. The way he moved his body reminded me of how Harl had moved while fighting yesterday. His motions weren’t as confident, and he was unable to bend reality around the sword like Harl had. Still, I was completely impressed that Yulin remembered enough of how Harl moved to imitate her. I completely didn’t remember how she looked.
Yulin practiced until the sun fully rose in the sky. Warm sunlight filled the air, swallowing the early morning’s chill. I happily poked out of my shell to bathe in the toasty light. Yulin looked up, dripping with sweat. He wrapped up the sword and slung it over his shoulder, heading back to the main part of the city. Passing by a few stalls on the way, Yulin bought a couple of meatbuns for breakfast. He had his second fight soon, so of course he needed to keep his energy up. He wasn’t at the level of cultivation where he could stop eating or drinking yet.
We sat under a tree, Yulin slowly munching on the buns as we watched more and more people flood the streets. A few streets away I sensed the cultivator market area growing densely populated. Since tomorrow the main competition started, everyone eagerly wanted to stock up on last-minute supplies or chat about the sects. I heard a lot of eager gossip about Clear Water and Ash Mountain Sects. Hmm. Since those two were so good, it would be awesome for my Yulin to get picked up by them! Healthy cultivation comes from a healthy environment, after all.
Do you hear that, Yulin? Do your best to attract a big sponsor! I patted his food-filled cheek with my head.
The outside world at noon was glaringly bright. Yulin and I waited inside Lamane Arena’s front lobby, wasting time until Yulin’s second match began. Today the Jade Sky group had come to watch. When they’d spotted Yulin, they cheerfully gave him words of encouragement before going outside to claim their spots.
The receptionist called Yulin up to the front. After checking in, Yulin exited the side gate for contestants and into the arena’s courtyard. Unlike yesterday, there wasn’t any ruckus. The crowd along the three sides was a bit larger – around 500 people this time – but still didn’t even fill the area even a quarter-way. I wonder if the crowd would be huge tomorrow, when the competition really started? Right now this audience was pretty sad.
“Heyyyy Yulin!! Fight!!” A booming voice erupted from the crowd. Yulin and I looked over to see Troy waving wildly, his enormous frame easily standing out from the people around him. Derrus and Vita next to him also waved. I sensed Lauran muttering somewhere in the back. What good kids! I happily waved my eyes tentacles back at them. Yulin nodded seriously and continued his way to his designated area.
Today’s opponent was another weakling. His cultivation was marginally higher, being early fourth rank. He also had sharper eyes and a deadlier aura than yesterday’s opponent. This type of man had probably killed a few people here and there. He wasn’t some bloodthirsty monster, though.
Yulin, taking a look at the man’s eyes, grew tense. Knowing that Yulin didn’t want to worry about me getting squished in the battle, I crawled down his body and plopped onto the floor.
I heard a faint strangled sound coming from the Jade Sky cultivators’ location.
“Nope, nope, if she’s gonna puke, point her in that direction.”
“Bucket, is there a bucket-”
“What’s with those kids…” The crowd of watchers moved away from the green-faced Vita, who was crouched with her hands over her mouth. Derrus knelt beside her, worriedly patting her back while sliding a container in front of her.
… That really hurts my feelings, you know.
I turned my attention back to Yulin. He held the sword in his hands, his solemn gaze locked onto his opponent. Yulin, you’re already going to try swordfighting? You only just started practicing this morning, you know? Yulin’s opponent, a solid-looking man in his 20s or 30s, also drew his sword. The ease with which he held his weapon showed that he already had plenty of experience using it.
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The moderator indicated for them to start.
Yulin dashed forward. In a second he arrived in front of his opponent. He slashed, raw power surging out of his blade. The wave smashed against the stone floor; the man leapt out of the way, barely dodging. Yulin turned, keeping his front facing the man, but didn’t rush forward again. He quickly channeled energy back into the sword, charging it for another burst attack.
The man took the initiative. He struck toward Yulin, who blocked but was forced back a step. The man relentlessly continued his sword assault, not giving Yulin a chance to focus on preparing his sword attack. He could only sloppily run out of the way or hold up the sword to prevent the opponent from slicing his body.
Yulin, face darkening, forcefully blasted energy at his opponent the next time their blades crossed paths. The man flinched at the sting of the minor blast. Yulin took advantage of this split second to swing his sword up against the opponent’s neck.
No one moved.
“Winner, Su Yulin,” the moderator called in a bored tone. Yay! I knew Yulin would win.
Yulin nodded and withdrew. His opponent grimaced, head bent in shame, and quietly left the stage. I scoped out the audience’s reactions while Yulin walked over to pick me up.
For example, that pretty young girl over there, who was looking as if a toad had come up and asked her for a kiss.
Or that refined old man over here, who sighed like his deadbeat son had just returned begging for money.
… W-Wait a minute, what’s with those looks? Is it just me or are people even less impressed than they were yesterday?
The eyes looking at Yulin were exceedingly cold.
“What the hell was that?” I heard Troy mutter from afar. Derrus made a noise of assent.
From the third floor I heard an agonized groan. Further back, a person with a delighted careless voice said, “I never imagined it could get any worse! Bravo, little boy, bravo,” followed by slow clapping.
… I wanted to cry. Even though my Yulin is so hardworking, you want to mock him??
…
Get lost!
As Yulin left Lamane Arena, the hundreds of people behind him felt a stabbing pain in their bowels.
Having won in the preliminary, Yulin had the right to compete in the main competition. Without even taking a break to celebrate, he immediately headed to the pagoda shrine to practice his sword swings.
Meanwhile, I worried.
The reactions to both of Yulin’s matches were really, really bad so far. Going by the novels I read (which were all written by the most famous human immortals to reach the High Realm), people should be saying things like “How is that possible!” and “It can’t be… such a powerful person… Even though he was only a trash!” and stuff like that. Instead, people’s reactions were more…
At this rate, Yulin’s reputation would be sullied. If people considered him a joke, how would he have enough face to join a sect? This was a dire emergency! With Yulin’s future at stake, I couldn’t just sit around and let things go on.
I quickly composed a list of situations which could salvage Yulin’s reputation.
1) Have Yulin save Lamane City from a big invasion. For example, if I ordered a Saint-level magical beast to come stage an attack, and while everyone else is running away and getting squished, Yulin arrives and slices the beast to pieces! “Wow! That amazing Yulin was able to singlehandedly defeat a Saint Beast! He saved us all! Hurray for Yulin!!!” is what people would say.
Hmm. I thoroughly contemplated this plan. It has good drama and impact. However, there were several problems with it. Namely, a lot of people would probably have run away by the time Yulin won. Also, there was no guarantee that the human cultivators in the area wouldn’t come and make a mess of things.
2) Some influential cultivator vouches for Yulin. Like that young miss from yesterday who was all jingle-jangly. Since she was connected to that young and arrogant Saint, she must have a good position in some sect or another. I didn’t really want to, but I could probably seduce her with my body. See this beautiful snail shell! This frilly snail body! If you want to look at it every day, take Yulin into your sect! … … But in the end I can’t imagine myself ever saying that. Let’s shelve this option for now.
3) Have Yulin show off an amazing skill and completely beat up his next opponent.
Well, but isn’t Yulin already doing this kind of thing? I still don’t understand why people aren’t impressed with him even though he’s so cool and hardworking. I suppose it’s because he’s not being flashy enough. In the books, it’s all, “Chaos Blade!” and “Soaring through the heavens, Lightning Strike!” In that case, Yulin just needs to learn a few of those flashy moves and then people will look at him with proper respect.
But where is he supposed to learn that kind of thing? Isn’t some kind of amazing immortal mentor supposed to show up and guide him through his cultivation, teaching him incredible skills? Where is Yulin’s mentor?
I briefly thought about elder sister Harl. Ah, but instead of properly teaching him all she did was beat him up… It’s really too pitiful.
The sun had already set while I was thinking. Yulin stopped his practice, the woods around the shrine even more destroyed than before. Under the dim moonlight Yulin walked back to the inn while I drooped tiredly on his shoulder. All that thinking wore me out, and in the end I didn’t even come up with anything useful.
Halfway through our journey back I sensed some malevolent auras approaching. They belonged to some piddly fifth rank cultivators. What are you guys coming here with your ill intent for? I remotely gave each of them a punch in the stomach. My mood improved by the way they curled up like pillbugs.
Ahh, in the end, is it up to Yulin to decide his own future? Is there no place for a snail god like me to interfere? I sighed.
While Yulin went to sleep, I, for the first time in my life, stayed up at night.
After careful consideration, I came up with a plan.
I spread my godly sense across Lamane. I sought out the eighth-rank cultivator who praised Yulin’s potential the day before, and found him meditating in an upscale inn on the other side of town. That big ugly dumb Saint was there too, sprawled out and drinking wine on the rooftop. Humph! What a layabout.
Shifting to human form, I flew to the gilded and luxurious multi-floor inn. The cultivators staying here could only belong to wealthy sects. My resolve strengthened, I dove into the eighth-rank cultivator’s room through the window. The room’s aesthetic quality was the complete opposite of the barren and functional appearance of Yulin’s room. There were scrolls with paintings and carved room dividers and some kind of big jade pot in a corner.
The cultivator sat cross-legged in the middle of the bedroom, his eyes closed. Spiritual energy flowed languidly around him. He still had quite a ways to go before he could break into the ninth rank, but I saw that he trained diligently to get to where he was. Mm! I had a good feeling about him.
I stood very quietly out of his way.
Wait. I came here to talk to him.
I took a small step forward. The man’s thick eyebrows scrunched together in concentration.
I hastily moved back.
Ah, well. In cases like this I should call out to him first, right? I peeked at the human out of the corner of my eye. Memories of the last time I opened my mouth and spoke jumped out at me.
Urk!
Well, he’s training so earnestly right now. It’s rude to break someone’s concentration. Also, I don’t particularly want to be seen. Not even Yulin has seen my human form! How could I show it to some strange man whose name I don’t even know. Yeah, that’s right. It’s better not to talk to him. It’s not because I’m too afraid to speak or anything.
That decided, I rummaged around his room for materials. I couldn’t find any writing utensils, so I left his room and searched downstairs. At the back of the inn I found a locked office with a bunch of stuff like papers, books, tea leaves, and a hidden basement full of gold and jewels. I happily returned with my loot of a brush, a blank scroll, and inkstone.
I laid the scroll onto a desk and settled into a chair only a meter away from the meditating cultivator, and began the tedious process of grinding down the inkstone into usable ink. After a good few minutes, I was able to start writing my letter. I earnestly conveyed all of my emotions into the brushstrokes.
Phew!
After three hours, I finished writing a full page. Nodding to myself, I quietly passed the still-meditating cultivator and left the room without anyone noticing a thing.