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Lightning crackled. Distant blabber assaulted his ears. His body hurt. A lot. Then there was light. Ji Nineteen’s eyes fluttered, then slowly opened. „Where… am I?“ He looked at his hands. They were nearly transparent.

*flash*

His head felt like it was on the verge of splitting apart. His eyes lost their focus and his body twitched, as if he had been struck by lightning. Then he was sucked into darkness once more.

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He opened his eyes again with great difficulty. A blurry cube was floating in front of him. It seemed to be talking to him, but he couldn’t hear what it said. His vision and hearing finally returned after a while, but as soon as he understood the words, that came out of the meat jelly's mouth, he immediately wanted to lose his consciousness again! The words „immoral“, „evil“, „bully“ and „convert“ relentlessly hammered down upon the hot piece of iron that was his head.

His eyes snapped wide open. They were bloodshot.

„Ahahahaahahhahaaaa“ he started to laugh manically.

„It was about time! It took you so long!“

In a clear moment, memories shot through his head. Memories of how he became who and what he was now. He regretted. Regretted everything so much. If only he had chosen to change, back when he had the chance! Pictures flooded his head, as a story belonging to a time long past unfolded in his mind.

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A vast black space full of twinkling stars. In its center, there was a white ray of light that shone onto a small island, which was seemingly floating on the surface of a mirror as huge as the space itself. It was a breathtakingly beautiful picture without the slightest fault.

Beneath an ancient willow on said island, an old, white-robed man sat cross legged in front of a well. He slowly stroked a thin ring on his index finger, staring into the void. The expression on his wrinkled face was soft, as if he was recalling distant memories. Then he started to speak softly to himself.

“Reaping and sowing. An endless circle. Cause and action. An endless string of events. Yet this old man reaps not the Crop but fishes for the benefits.” He laughed silently.

“I sow and reap Karma myself, yet I hold power over countless other beings with the same fate." He gazed at the stars. "A wondrous feeling! And yet even for old me it is but an illusion, as I feel reminded of that incident far back in time.”

A low chuckle escaped his throat.

He didn’t move for a while, sitting cross-legged on the soft, fragrant, seemingly moonlit grass. One with the space, one with the island within. An immortal picture, unscathed by time, undefiled by mundane thoughts.

As he finally started moving, a shocking ripple emanated from his ring. A slender fishing rod appeared within his hand and a sinister smile crept into the corner of his eyes. As the ripple expanded onto the well, a low hum rang out of it as if it were empty, yet the surface which reflected the stars up above did not move at all; undisturbed as if what its waters contained was far too large to ever be shaken.

“You continue reaping, continue sowing. I will place my bait, wait for you to take it. Everything belongs to Ji; It is my birthright to claim it. That is how it has been for uncountable years and I refuse to believe that it will ever change. Even if ever since that time…. my heart is not as calm as the water of the well anymore.”

His facial expression changed from blank to melancholic.

“What are the odds… to encounter the same circumstances?”

He shuddered. Then he threw out his fishing line.

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Planet South Heaven.

A shocking battle was currently taking place between the disciples and elders of two large sects of the Eastern Sanctuary. The Eastern Sanctuary was an island stretching thousands upon thousands of li within the Chaotic Eastern Sea. Currently the Divine Moon sect and the Purple Blood Sect were fighting a battle for supremacy.

The conflict had dwelled for a long time, finally erupting into bloody battle upon the sudden appearance of a huge amount of karmic luck. Whoever would seize it would undoubtedly become the hegemon of Eastern Sanctuary Island, if not of the whole Eastern Archipelago. None of the two sects was willing to let the other take this opportunity.

Yellow dust covered the sky. The rivers had long since turned red and the ground had been reduced to rubble. Large trees had been uprooted and the villages in the vicinity had been burned to the ground.

Deafening booms could be heard throughout all the 23 islands of the Eastern Archipelago, as the battle reached its pinnacle and the iron smell of blood wavered through the air.

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Elder Li Tian Xuan employed one divine technique after another, both defending against a large number of flying swords belonging to a practitioner from Purple Blood sect, whilst simultaneously attacking a mob of Purple Blood disciples engaged in fierce battle with a group of his personal disciples. A sword suddenly penetrated his defenses and stabbed into his right side. He spat out a mouthful of blood.

“ZHU AN!” he cried with great pain whilst pulling out the sword and stopped focusing on the ongoing fight between disciples. The sound wave blasted the smoke apart.

He produced a long staff and vanished with a single step, just to immediately reappear before the practitioner.

“Old man, please spare my life.” The Purple Blood Sect member rolled his eyes and laughed. In a distance behind him, a cultivator dropped from the skys like a shooting star, leaving a trail of blood behind.

He swept Elder Li‘s staff away with a multitude of flying swords, simultaneously attacking with fierce sword beams from the fingertips of his left hand. His right hand pointed towards Li Tian Xuan.

“Today, the Divine Moon Sect will meet its end!”

Elder Li, who was knocked back in that exchange tried to regain his posture.

“Zhu An, I never thought this day would come… Not only did you choose another sect, but you also took a lot of enmity along with you.” Li Tian Xuan almost spat those last couple words out.

The battles around them only grew fiercer and more violent, but the two of them stopped fighting and looked at each other, panting. Elder Li pressed a hand on his bleeding wound. Suddenly, he broke out in cold sweat. He had the intense feeling, that something incomparably ancient and dangerous had focused its attention on him.

“I…. “ Zhu An hesitated. He seemed to have something to say and a trace of tears appeared in the corners of his eyes.

“Child, …” Elder Li softly said. He stored his staff away and brought out a long sword. He shook the strange feeling off.

“I originally wanted to hear you speak, but looking at you now, I fear I would not be able to bear it. I truly don’t wish to hear no more, as one of us must perish today.”

His expression one of heart wrenching pain, he rushed in Zhu An’s direction with a forward thrust, intending to pierce his heart. Zhu An also regained his composure as he lightning quick wiped away his tears, formed a fist and also jumped forward to greet the man who loved him so much when he was a child. Memories of his childhood flashed through his mind.

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The sun shone brightly on golden meadows. The fragrance of countless types of wildflowers filled the warm air. A boy was sitting at the edge of a brook. His chin rested on his hands and his eyes were red, as if he had just cried.

„Zhu An, so this is where you have been all this time.“ An aged voice called out.

„Everyone’s been worried about you. Especially Xuan Li; that little rascal really searched every nook and cranny. Please come back home.“ His voice was soft. He bend down and placed a hand on An Zhu’s shoulders. It was full of wrinkles, but also filled with warmth.

Zhu An abrubtly stood up. „This isn't my home anymore and you aren’t my family! I don’t have a family anymore … Do you even understand how I feel? Just leave me alone!" Tears welled up in his eyes once again and snot ran out of his nose.

He stared at the ground, breathing heavily. Suddenly, the old man crouched down and wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve. Then he pulled Zhu An into a soft embrace.

„We will gradually become your family, then. As long as I am here, you are safe."

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Ten years later.

The boy had grown. He was sitting at the edge of the same brook. This time however, he wasn’t alone. Beside him, a pretty, young woman sat. She held one white flower in her hands and another in her hair.

„I want to thank you, Zhu An. The world was so bleak, so dreary before I got to know you. Now, every day my heart is filled with sunshine, no matter the weather on the outside.” She chuckled.

“You know… we should run away. Just take a ship and leave this Eastern Archipelago.“ A blessed smile covered her face, as if her dreams had already become reality.

Zhu An laughed. „Let me talk this over with grandpa. We might not be blood relatives, but he still cared a lot for me those last few years. He might even find a way for us to be together!“

„You know that our sect’s relations aren’t very good. He wouldn’t understand!“ The girls face showed hints of fear.

„If anyone would understand, then it’s my grandpa.“ Zhu An replied full of confidence.

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The moon hung high in the clouded sky. Within a luxurious mansion.

„You killed her!“

„Child listen, it’s not what you think!“

„I told you about us, and not even a full week later, I found her by the river!“

Within a large hall within that mansion, two people faced each other. One was an old man, who had a desperate look on his face, his arms in the air, as if he wanted to touch the other man, yet didn’t dare to. The other was an extremely furious youth, who gesticulated wildly.

„Calm down, we will immediately investigate the circumstances of her death, just…“

„No, I won’t fall for your schemes anymore! I’m leaving this sect!“

The sound of shattering glass could be heard.

„Zhu An, don’t go!“ Elder Li shouted, his lonely figure standing in the frame of the broken window, watching Zhu An disappear into the darkness.

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Ripples of power expanded as their attacks were about to meet, both opponents’ expressions fierce. The next strike would kill, at least one of them would perish. Their eyes met, telling untold stories and a trace of reconciliation could be seen within them. They had almost almost collided, when suddenly a bright light appeared behind Elder Li. Zhu An had to close his eyes, which caused his fist to miss.

*thud*

He fell on his knees, impaled by the blood dripping blade of his grandfather’s sword.

“No!” A teardrop hit the ground before him, swiftly followed by Li Tian Xuan’s knees.

“Why was it you, why, why why!” Elder Li faced the heavens and roared, his voice broken by the terrible anger and sadness within.

“Hahahha, what Karmic Luck?! All I can see is ….”

The battlefield turned silent as everyone looked at him, disappointment and resignation creeping into the eyes of the Purple Blood Sect’s members.

“… Karmic Luck.”, Elder Li whispered as a thought flashed through his mind.

"What is it that distracted him? Could it be?"

Li Tian Xuan turned his head and gave a weak chuckle. He slowly stood up and walked towards the reason for all the slaughter, all the tragedy, all the death of this day.

A soft glow embraced his broken down silhouette. The karmic luck truly shone upon him. He extended his shivering hands towards it, his eyes and mouth wide open.

Low voices could be heard, of which those belonging to the Divine Moon Sect were filled with anticipation. Li Tian Xian’s hands met the light, and a manic smile emerged on his wrinkled face, which only grew wider and wider until… it was replaced by astonishment.

The light faded and the confusion in his eyes only grew stronger. The hand, which met the light was shockingly pierced by… a hook.

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Blood sipped from the corner of Ji Nineteen’s mouth.

“Such drama ...” He shook his head and got to his feet.

“This is enough for this century; my mind can’t seem to calm down. Cursed turn of events. It truly severed my future achievements and greatly harmed my mind.”

He flew through the star-filled space, until he reached a small crack that seemed to swallow all light that fell upon it. He extended his hand towards it and exited the Karmic Cave.

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An old man’s eyes suddenly snapped open.

He looked at his hands and sighted. After a while he got up from his bed, his old body aching from the long rest. He put on a golden robe that was embroidered with a dragon and strode out of his palace, embarking on a road towards a huge and glorious temple on top of a white mountain.

The temple was built around a golden cistern, which seemed to extend towards the deepest reaches of the world. Who knows, maybe it reached to a place that was even farther.

Disciples of the Ji Clan he met on his way clasped their hands, lowered their heads and greeted him respectfully. The pride of an important person welled up inside of him. His steps became wider and his ascent became even quicker.

The road coiled around the mountain as thought it was a divine dragon. The railing was covered in mysterious symbols and it was made completely out of Jade. Every 500 meters, a glorious archway towered over wayfarers. Every step on this road constantly reminded one what this place was: The Sacred Ground of the Clan that ruled this world.

In the shade of beautiful trees, Nineteen finally reached the entry to the temple. He struck out his chest and a prideful expression appeared on his old face. But before he surmounted the last step of the stairway that lead upon the temple, he stopped.

Laughter and voices rang out from inside. And when he heard what was spoken, his face fell and turned red in an instant.

“Old Seven, how long do you think will Nineteen stay in closed cultivation this time?” The voice drifted out of the temple and was accompanied by a faint chuckle.

It belonged to an elderly man who sat in a courtyard inside the temple together with a couple other Elders and a few servants. The Elders chatted, while the servants were busy brewing tee or stood at the edge of the courtyard with lowered heads.

The white columns that bordered it were covered by ivory and in the middle of it stood a golden statue of a celestial woman. Multicolored light endlessly poured out of a cornucopia that she held in her delicate hands.

“At most a millennium” Ji Seven replied after taking a sip out of his steaming cup. He faked a sigh.

“No surprise there, thought. Not after what he accomplished” Another elder spoke laughingly.

His round face was covered by a white beard, but on top of his head, no hair could be seen. He patted his belly in contentment after being fed some sweets by a maidservant.

“You are so bad, Twenty”, a red-robed elderly woman chuckled and hid her mouth behind a hand.

Still standing outside on the stairs, Nineteen clenched his fist. “These old farts dare to mock me behind my back?” His eyes became moist.

Back inside the temple.

“You may call me bad, but you surely remember that even the Ancestor had woken up from his slumber because of Nineteen’s stroke of genius!” Ji Twenty suddenly broke out into laughter and the other present Elders joined in.

Even the celestial birds in the trees around Nineteen were startled from the noise and flew into the air in flocks.

He watched them fly by and thought to himself “I must! Calm! Down!” with clenched fists. Then he turned around.

“To think, that the karma he hooked was connected to himself! What a catch... just think of the odds!”

All people present broke out in laughter. Numerous nasty remarks were made and every person inside the temple joined in, except for one. The laughter lasted for a long time.

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“At least he got some insights out of it.” Someone suddenly said seriously. Elders that were still panting and gasping for breath turned their heads towards him.

When the laughter had stopped completely, someone asked curiously: “Did he share them with you, Senior Four?”

Ji Four coughed and then slowly spoke after a short pause: “Yes, word for word”.

“Share them with us!” The voice who was previously named Ji Seven asked half-jokingly.

Ji Four sat cross legged on a prayer mat spun with gold treads. It was impossible to see his eyes under his long white eyebrows, that were hanging down sideways like branches of a willow.

“What I am about to tell you are his exact words." He cleared his throat.

"After cultivating for such a long time, I have reached the pinnacle under the skies of Ancestor Ji. I regarded the concept of Karma as something which belongs to the masses, completely unrelated to me.”

“No wonder he changed his mind”. Suppressed laughter followed that comment. How could one keep thinking that way after they had actually touched upon it themselves?

“Don’t interrupt me!” Ji Four was dissatisfied. He slowly rose from his seating position, clasped his hands behind his back and strode towards a luxurious balcony. As he watched over the lands of Ji, he continued with a serious face.

“What he said thereafter is of great interest to us all, as such ideas bear great danger.” Everyone else lowered their heads. Ji Four was the highest ranking clan member present. It was not wise to provoke him.

“Where did I stop? Ah, right; He said as mighty as I am, I still can’t break from the chains of destiny. I am still bound by the Heavenly Karma of the Mountain and Seas hidden underneath our starry skies.”

His brows furrowed and he seemed to be conflicted whether he should continue or not. His back threw a long shadow on the other elders who were seated within the temple.

“Before it, we are equals amongst us immortals of Ji and equals to the mortals of South Heaven. We are equals to the Greater Demons of Heaven and Earth and equals to the lowest of bugs. I know, because at that time, my eyes fell upon the surface of the Karmic Well and…”

The surrounding members of the Ji Clan sharply inhaled. It was a great taboo to look into the Karmic Well. That rule was set by the Ancestor himself.

“And...?” Ji Twenty asked whilst holding his breath.

Everyone looked at Ji Four’s back, as if trying to pierce it with their stares to see the expression on his face. He turned his head and glanced at them from the corner of his eye, his face covered by shadows. Then he opened his mouth and the words he spoke shook everything they knew.

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Ji Nineteen however had long since and left the holy mountain, the sound laughter still ringing in his ears even after years passed and he openly announced that he left his closed cultivation.

“Dwelling on it will only make my condition worsen. I need step out into the world outside the clan once more, after all this time.” He muttered to himself. He had secluded himself for a long time, but his spirit did not rise.

Today however, Nineteen was going to travel to the mortal world. He would show supremacy in spirit, wisdom and slyness. Controlling another’s fate? His very existence gave him the right to do that! He would prove the insights he gained from that incident as wrong.

He was about to become a mortal again, only to prove to himself, that he didn’t belong there! A Son of Ji was akin to a son of heaven while everything else was just animals and bugs. To simply compare the two would already incite the wrath of heaven and shatter the souls of those fools that couldn’t see the bigger picture!

He took an old, plain grey robe out of his spatial ring. It had accompanied him on his way for a long time, back in the days. He couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic as he exchanged his golden dragon robe for it.

Finally, he grabbed a handful spirit stones and put them into a small leather pouch, then stripped his Interspatial Ring off. He watched himself in a mirror; He looked just like an ordinary, old man. A wrinkled face was framed by a long beard and eyebrows. Long, white hair fell down on his shoulders like a waterfall of jade and contrasted his tanned skin.  His pale blue eyes were like an ocean, unfathomable wisdom concealed in its depths. His fighting spirit rose and he straightened his back. He was ready.

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As he walked the same road as before, but this time with his back to the holy mountain, disciples he met greeted him respectfully. This time however, he payed them no heed.

After a while, he reached his first destination. It was the gate that connected this place with all the lands of the Ninth Mountain and Sea. When he came closer, a disciple ran up to him.

"Esteemed Elder Nineteen, may I ask where you want to go?"

“Take me to planet South Heaven. No specific place.”

The disciple nodded and zealously ran off to follow his orders.

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As Ji Nineteen strode through the Archway, foul air greeted him. It smelled of birth and death, growth and decay; the smell of the cycle of life he had long since broken free from.

He braced himself mentally and walked out of the Ji Clan mansion he arrived at. To him, it didn’t matter where he would go, so he simply followed the largest road. No matter what destiny had in store for him, he wouldn’t falter.

Nineteen’s steps lead him into the capital of a smaller mortal kingdom on planet South Heaven. He completely retracted his divine sense. What he was aiming for was more than just a comparison in strength, after all. In order to confirm Ancestor Ji’s Dao of dominion, things had to go their own way.

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The City wasn’t very big, just a few miles in diameter. It was situated at the hem of a middle sized mountain. Even from afar, the royal palace could be seen. Slender towers aimed to pierce the sky and high walls blocked the sight. Richly decorated pavilions flattered the eye and the huge arc emitted a majestic aura. Ji Nineteen snorted in disdain.

After a while, he entered the city on his feet.

The city’s streets were lively and as he walked on it, a group of children bumped into him, laughing while chasing each other wildly. Occasionally, they earned angry stares from street vendors and old people who found that kind of behavior inappropriate. Carriages that were filled to the brim with exotic goods slowly made their way to the warehouses in the middle of the city. Passerby stopped in front of cramped store windows. There were bookstores beside shops selling armors and weapons. An alluring smell drifted out of a bakery, the queue extending past the doors onto the street. In dark side roads, dangerous looking men played with knives and watched the crowd with dark expressions. Nineteenth didn’t think much of these everyday scenes, until someone yelled:

”Out of the way, old man”.

Nineteen turned his head but disaster was already upon him. A horse carriage approached at fast speed. He quickly stepped aside. Time seemed to stop as the heads of the horses shifted into his field of vision. He saw their widely opened eyes, the bubbles at the corners of their mouths and their frenzied expression. Then the carriage passed and sewer water rained down upon him.

Ji Nineteen, Immortal of the Ji Clan. Living for so long that his age was measured in millennia. Speechless only a few short hours after he had left his safe home in the Clan because of some lowly mortal noble.

He wanted to vent his anger, but the carriage disappeared as fast as it came.

More than just a bit frustrated, he entered a huge plaza. All sorts of commoners and cultivators were engaged in haggle and street vendors praised their goods with a loud voice.

“Almost what I am looking for … but not quite there yet.”

As he walked past the stalls, he shook his head.

“As I thought. Flies are always drawn to…” He looked around without finishing his thought.

A trace of impatience flashed through his eyes until they fell upon a sign hanging over the door of a marvelous building: Auction house.

His eyes glittered. He strode towards the massive door made from oak and stopped in front of the guard. The guard, however ignored him.

*cough*

The guard was a well build man in his thirties. He had experienced the battlefield and that could easily be discerned by the scars in his face. He turned to Nineteen and his nose twitched. “Old geezer, what is your problem! I ain’t got no money for you, so screw off.” He yelled.

Nineteen’s eyes turned red. “You dare! Mortal, your luck is quite good.” He took a deep breath to calm his anger.

“Tell me when the next auction will start!” he said in a commanding tone.

Bewilderment filled the guard’s eyes. This old man was probably one of the crazy sort.

“Listen up, old man. Next auction will begin tonight after the sun set. You aren’t invited, however.“ He gave Nineteen a look full of pity, then sighted.

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“Well, listen. It’s really in your best interest if you don’t enter that auction. The audience will be of the kind that could end you if you behave out of norm… “.

Nineteen snorted. ”That’s none of your concern.“. He waved his hand and the guard’s expression turned blank.

On his way to the plaza, Nineteen had seen a good spot to meditate, so he turned around to walk the same way back, until he reached a crossing. His next steps brought him to the shore of a small artificial lake within a park inside the city.

Here, in the shade of these towering trees, he would let time pass until the auction opened. What was the concept of time to him anyways? A hundred years could pass without him noticing. Time could not affect him at all and….

“MOOOOOM” a sudden cry startled him.

“MOM, THERE’S A DEAD GRANDPA UNDER THAT TREE!”. A shrill girl’s voice resounded not far away from Ji Nineteen.

“How long has he been there?” A warm voice asked.

“He didn’t move for at least an hour, I swear!” the voice moved closer.

Nineteen couldn’t help but frown inwardly. In the world of mortals, death was a widespread concept, but to think he would encounter it so quickly…

“I know that I have to completely change my way of thinking while I have dealings with these lowly mortals, but still, people dying in public with no one caring about them for a full hour… that’s ...”

He felt a strong sensation on his left cheek.

He opened his eyes and twitched. A pair of hazelnut brown eyes was staring at him. The girl the pair of eyes belonged to cried out in alarm and fell onto her butt: “HE’S ALIVE!”

„This… so it was me, who … what …“ Ji Nineteen was instantly thrown into confusion…

The girl hid behind her mother’s legs, who seemed very embarrassed. Hidden behind her back was the stick she had used to poke Ji Nineteen earlier.

“I hope my little An Ran did not disturb your meditation, esteemed …” She paused and looked at his dirtied robe.

“… esteemed mister.” She finished her sentence and sighted inwardly. In this world, nothing was certain and this poor old man might as well be an expert of the core-formation stage. The state of meditation was an indicator of such. She had previously stepped into a similar puddle

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“I already meditated on what was to be meditated on in my life… This time I merely allowed time to flow by. Fear not, mortal child. I shall not pursue this matter.” He said in a dignified tone.

Both mother and daughter stared blankly at him. The Child started chuckling whilst the mother was at a loss. She decided on the safest course of action and started pulling An Ran with her whilst moving backwards with a smile on her face and repeatedly nodded towards the old man, eventually vanishing out of sight.

How could Ji Nineteen not notice that the woman found him peculiar. He felt a tinge of sadness in his heart. Had his skill in social interactions suffered under his repeated seclusions?

He felt out of place. A leaf floated in the wind, slowly sailing downwards. Like a tiny immortal ship, caught in the gales of a huge storm, calmed by the divine powers within. Undisturbed by the violent pushing and pulling, going with the flow. Never opposing and yet reaching its destination.

A sigh escaped his lips.

“Like my life under Ji. Merely a leaf in the storm. Am I one of those leaves who land on the lake, create small ripples and then float calmly until a storm overturns the heavens, throws the lake in turmoil and sinks the ship? How long will my leaf last?”

He sighed again.

Under his gaze, the leaf gently touched the surface of the water. Small ripples spread. A fly landed on top of the leaf. Nineteen could clearly see every hair on its body. Its legs twitched and suddenly a carp arose from within the sea. It swallowed the fly and toppled the leaf. The leaf seemed to struggle to stay afloat, but in the end it sank to the bottom, keeping the other already half rotten leaves company until they all would be transformed into soil.

Ji Nineteen coughed. Mixed emotions filled his heart.

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The sun set and the old man set himself into motion. The most important treasure at a low price. A tongue like a sword. Dignity belonging to the heavens. The Dao he had embarked upon: supremacy by natural superiority. Immortal standards applied to the mundane world.

Anticipation filled every fiber of his being. The huge doors leading to the auction hall came into his sight. The dignified and spirited message for the guard, who upon hearing would surely bestow him with the right of entry on his tongue, he strode forward as he suddenly … heard an exclamation:

“MOM, LOOK, IT’S THE WEIRD OLD MAN AGAIN!!”

”Child, not so loud” The mother tried to grab An Ran’s hand, but the later already vanished into thin air and reappeared at Ji Nineteen’s side.

“Mommy scolded me for annoying you! I’m very sorry, old man.” Her bright, pure smile never faded, telling another story.

“Do you want to enter there? You can come with us, so don’t be angry anymore!” She took his hand and pulled him towards the mother who hurriedly turned her head left and right, looking for a way to escape. Upon seeing none, she forced a smile.

“Look at what you found there. If it isn’t the esteemed elder from before. I’m sorry, but we have business to attend to. Come, silly little girl…” She bent down and pulled An Ran’s sleeve.

“Mooom, but he also wants to enter the auction, right??” She turned her head stared and at him with wide open eyes. Then she turned her head back again. Not waiting for an answer, she continued “Yeah, so let him come with us! It’ll be very great and he can talk funnily again!”.

The old man in question scratched his head in embarrassment, rendered completely speechless.

Since there seemed no way out, the child’s mother reluctantly agreed and the trio entered the hall, which was already bustling with activity. They found three seats in the second row, which could already be said to be a stroke of good luck. The mother with her head situated on her hands, sneaking glances at the door whilst continually sighting to the left. The little girl An Ran in the middle. The old man, who was bombarded with An Rans endless chatter to the right. Once in a while he made a wise remark, which without fail made An Ran laugh out loudly. The mother, Shang Ran, glanced at the duo.

“Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to bring him along.” She thought inwardly.

“He’s good with children”.

The auction was like any other. Some rogue cultivators fought tough bidding battles with the established powers over seemingly ordinary treasures, leading to shocking scenes, verbal abuse, light bruises and a lot of commotion. The emotional climax was when a rogue cultivator summoned a pretty strong demon, stole the treasured sword on display and escaped through a window. He had lost his patience whilst bidding against the biggest local Clan’s number one genius.

Time flew by and it was finally time for the last treasure to appear. Surprisingly however, it was neither a weapon nor an armor or elixir, but rather a picture. And it was a breathtakingly beautiful one at that. It displayed an old man, sitting under a tree, watching leaves fall, immersed in memories. It emitted a simply otherworldly feel.

Even Ji Nineteen’s soul was stirred. He had to get it. There was some underlying mystery inside the picture, which even he could not fathom. He couldn’t help but shout “Whose master’s work is this?” his voice rang out like thunder.

The host of the auction smiled. “This picture was painted by the honored guest court painter of the royal residence. He himself is also present today, but wishes not to have his name revealed. As an honored guest of his majesty the king, we will naturally abide his wishes. But he will personally meet with the buyer of this exquisite work of art.“ Inwardly, he was repeatedly thanking the old man with the loud voice for giving him this opportunity. An introduction like this was sure to raise the price, after all.

The old man was shocked. A mortal? He couldn’t believe it.

“I want it!”. Someone suddenly shouted.

“I bid 150 spirit stones!” Another one yelled.

“Know your place, my Xin Family bids 170. Who dares to continue bidding!” An elder of some kind said with a voice as still as a well.

Ji Nineteen felt helpless. He didn’t have an opportunity to convince anyone of anything or at least to place a bid himself. Back in his mansion he had casually thrown a few spiritual stones into a small pouch…. He did not know how much it would even amount to….

As the bids continued to climb higher and higher he couldn’t bear it anymore.

“I shall bestow the mysteries of the universe upon him, who will purchase this picture for me” He yelled. The whole hall immediately burst into laughter. An Ran laughed the hardest and her mother hid deeply in her seat, her face covered by her clasped hands.

“You will what?” Someone yelled.

“Will you tell me my fortune or what do mean” Another one said while laughing.

“I can broaden your horizons and bottlenecks, a truly plentiful reward for a small merit.” Ji Nineteen responded slightly angry… Why were these people so quick to mock others? They were borderline insane.

“Such an esteemed elder doesn’t even possess an interspatial ring? You probably don’t even have a single spiritual stone on you… Learn some decency!” A family’s young master yelled.

“What are you talking about, I ….” Ji Nineteen’s hand touched the place where he had stored his pouch. He was dumbfounded and his ears began to burn red.

“But when… who… it couldn’t be?” He felt like sinking into the ground…. He, an immortal of the Ji clan, was not only verbally abused by mortals, but also was robbed on the streets without even noticing it?

“It must have been those children back then on the street” he softly murmured to himself. His eyes glittered because of an augmented water supply… he truly felt like crying.

“Someone get that clown out of here.” An arrogant voice rang out from one of the booths for important guests.

Immediately a few core formation cultivators approached Ji Nineteen’s seat from all directions and it seemed like the situation would escalate. Then, however, those guards suddenly stopped moving.

Nineteen felt angry… how did it come to this? The little girl and her mother had fled as soon as the guards moved. He was now alone, isolated and had been greatly shamed.

He decided to throw it all over board. He stood up, slowly strode towards the Picture and took it under the watchful eyes of the other customers. The hall had instantly calmed down and was now so silent, that one could hear a pin drop. Suddenly, this old man smelled like danger.

“Bring me to the painter.“ Nineteen commanded, completely abandoning the original purpose for his visit.

He already admitted defeat. If he had to use force, then why not? It was still a part of him. And he wasn’t just any cultivator. He was an immortal of the Ji Clan!

“Here I am, acting like a child ... But I can’t stop now. Maybe those goons will learn to respect the elderly! “

Nineteen’s mood turned gloomy.

Ripples expanded with him as their center and a terrible pressure forced all those present into their seats. Shocking booms rang out, as some tried to resist, but were instantly suppressed. The Host of the auction bowed deeply and led him into a waiting room behind the stage. No words were spoken, as they could only worsen the situation, not diffuse it.

As Ji Nineteen strode forward he was immersed into thought.

“All this time I was secluded… my high status… isn’t it actually just a form of self-protection from this kind of situation? Never challenged, never lost. I became strong so I could control the fates of others and my own. Now I am strong and refrain from controlling fates of others, because my status doesn’t allow it.”

His steps slowed down.

“I will need some time to sort my thoughts out.”

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The first thing that greeted the old man when he entered the room the host lead him to, was a strong smell of paint. His nose twitched and he didn’t close the door behind him. In the shadows, he saw a stooped silhouette, sitting on a bench.

“How much did it sell for?” An ancient voice asked.

The host tried to signal the painter with hands and feet so obviously subtle, that Ji Nineteen didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. He cleared his throat.

“Esteemed Artist, I immediately fell in love with your work the moment my eyes fell upon it. I simply cannot praise your technique enough!” Ji Nineteen felt a bit awkward.

“I noticed that both of you evaded my question, so I have to deduce that you can’t pay, but still have the face to seek me out.” The ancient voice now seemed a bit upset.

“Dear master Dongliu, please don’t be upset, of course we will pay you an adequate amount of spirit stones to compensate for your loss” The Auction’s host immediately said.

Nineteen coughed. “Naturally, I will pay for the picture myself”.

“But certainly not with your exalted mysteries of the universe, right? A poor old painter has to eat as well!” A faint laughter accompanied these words, as the ancient voice once again rang out.

“You ... heard that?” Ji Nineteen’s vision started spinning and he felt light-headed. This embarrassment….

“Let me clear this misunderstanding. I am a renowned elder of a huge family clan. My title is Ji Nineteen and I am more than capable of helping you with bottlenecks in any area you might experience one! If not, I shall accept any kind of punishment. Today is your day of good fortune!” Ji Nineteenth was breathing heavily. Maybe the situation could still be fixed.

“Is that true? Ji Nineteen, accepting any kind of punishment?”

“If I cannot broaden your horizons, mortal.”. A trace of arrogance crept into Ji Nineteen’s voice.

“Well, there is this one problem I just cannot solve…” Reluctance could be heard within the voice. The silhouette slowly straightened and stood up.

“Tell me.” Nineteen had a gentle smile on his wrinkled face.

“I have been pondering about it for the last few million years…”

Nineteen’s scalp turned numb. He had a bad feeling.

“And my problem is, that I have yet to find a way, to make the pretentious Ji Clan a bit more humble.”

The old painter stepped into the light.

“Dongliu… Dongliu… it can’t be Shui… Dongliu?” Ji Nineteen’s eyes snapped open.

“You however made me think of a way. But the solution is your punishment. Stand still.”

An old brush appeared in Shui Dongliu's hands.

Ji Nineteen gritted his teeth. “After you are done, I will drag you in front of the temple of Ancestor Ji and make you pay your respects!”

Shui Dongliu chuckled. “If you have the ability to….”

An indomitable aura arose from within his brush. Each stroke capable of shaking the heavens, he wrote two characters on Ji Nineteens' forehead: 傻瓜.

“No matter how much you struggle; these words will last for at least a few thousand years.” Shui Dongliu seemed very content with his work.

“You may keep the picture.” With another stroke, the old man sitting below the tree turned his head, facing whoever looked at him. His facial features were shockingly identical to Ji Nineteen, including the piece of art on his forehead. The Picture now seemed as if it were alive.

A terrifying aura exploded out of Ji Nineteen, and the auction hall was instantly reduced to smithereens. Thankfully the participants of the auction had fled the area as soon as Nineteen entered the waiting room. The bright blue sky made way for the starry sky of Ji. Night fell on the nameless city. Cultivators quivered in fear, women started sobbing, children hid in dark corners; A sudden apocalypse had befallen their small city.

Shui Dongliu vanished and reappeared high in the air, his expression calm.

“I will show you why my family rules this entire world of the Mountain and Sea!” Ji Nineteen roared.

Storm winds ruffled his beard and his hair, making him look like an ancient deity of war. A pillar of stardust descended from the heavens and enveloped him, as if the stars embraced a child of their own.

His left hand pointed at the sky. Countless rays of blinding light emerged from the stars, each with the power to reduce a mountain to rubble and the area around it to dust. Behind his head, a bright halo crystallized, seemingly made of liquid gold.

He waved his right arm. Countless dominating symbols appeared around Shui Dongliu, sealing him. Space itself was torn apart and seven colored lightning filled the countless cracks. A horrifying pressure spread out from them in waves that were visible to the naked eye, shattering the mountain below.

The most shocking event however was, that the stars moved to form a unfathomably large face. Its eyes were closed, but the pressure it emitted was not comparable to any other living being in South Heaven.

“Oh. For how long, I wonder… ” Shui Dongliu didn’t appear shaken in the slightest.

With a single stroke of his brush, the symbols binding him were erased.

With a second violent stroke, the starry sky turned pitch black.

His third stroke however carried an even more terrifying momentum. A black line seemed to split Ji Nineteen into two halves, together with the rest of the world. Heaven and Earth were separated again and the sky returned to his former blue color. Nineteen plummeted down to earth, coughing up black blood, burning intensely with magical flames.

“Know your place, false immortal.”

A few strokes of the brush made a door appear, which seemed to lead to another world. One foot inside, Shui Dongliu turned his head around to look down at the suffering Ji Nineteen.

“Those who claim that they understand the ways of karma the best actually understand it the least. The irony! If they truly understood it, how could they act so overbearing?”

“Pitiful Frog.” he softly muttered and shook his head, then disappeared through the door.

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Ji Nineteen continued to lie on the floor for a long time. Day passed and gave way to night. Familiar stars blinked in the firmament. He stared blankly. Immersed into his thoughts, his wrinkles grew deeper and his eyes dulled. He felt longing. He felt anger. He felt sadness and he felt pain. He thought back to his childhood, his first achievements on the Dao of cultivation and the feeling of his father’s proud hand on his head, caressing it lovingly. He thought back to the embrace of his mother, he thought back to his first love.

Then more time passed as less and less happened. Time spend meditating was a blur, time spend fighting caused pain in his heart. He severed his spirit, achieved immortal ascension, and then… he found himself in the streets of a small city within an unknown kingdom. Pushed down from his throne by mortals, pestered by children, beaten down when he felt strong.

"What I have seen in the well back then... so it was true?"

He closed his eyes.

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Blurry stars. Vast black space. An Island in the midst of pale white light. Withered grass, dead trees. And in the middle … a well. A single leaf still clung onto a dying twig. It trembled as a stooped, withered old man softly stepped foot onto the shore. He fell to his knees. Crawling, he made his way into the deeper reaches of the island. He passed seemingly ancient structures, reclaimed by an obsolete vegetation, belonging to times long forgotten. Every time his hands touched the ground, gray dust flew up, settling onto the dirty robes the old man wore. It settled quickly, as if not to disturb the peace. A soft breeze gently stroked this deserted world, carrying a faint, longing sound. The Old man stopped and coughed up some blood. The dust-covered ground quietly absorbed it, leaving behind dark spots that seemed to have been there all along.

The breeze carried him towards the open space upon which he had sat so often, as if he were a dry leaf. A fishing rod leaned against a lone willow. Everything was silent. With a soft crunch, so quiet normally no one would have noticed, the last leaf separated from the twig and sailed downwards. Sometimes in a spiral, sometimes traveling along with the breeze. Ji Nineteen watched it fly by with empty eyes. He extended his hand, but it escaped his trembling fingers and softly touched the surface of the well.

“No” A whisper as soft as silk escaped his mouth.

A carp. A fly. A leaf sinking to the bottom of a lake. His eyes closed. Then suddenly … They snapped open!

He began to laugh. Ripples appeared in the well. A celestial fish appeared beneath the surface intending to swallow the leaf. Ji Nineteenth stood up. The breeze turned into a storm, battering his old body, as he strode towards the fishing rod. As he grabbed it, the world shook. Countless stars exploded forth with light, stormy winds blew the dust away and Nineteenth’s clothes fluttered in the wind. One moment his face was valiant, the next moment it was twisted from anger, with a tinge of madness within. Ghost images sprang up as the fish swallowed the leaf. Sensing danger, it tried to escape downwards, but to no avail. A hook followed it lightning quick. In fear, the fish bit down on the hook with it’s sharp teeth, settling its fate. The surface of the well burst apart, as Ji Nineteenth pulled his prey out of the water.

However instead of a fish, that which was hooked was a little girl. It looked at him with wide eyes. Then it was followed by her mother, the guard, the host of the auction and everybody else he had met on his journey. A spark ignited in his eyes, as he spoke “Sever. I must sever them. I must sever it all.”

He repeated those words like a mantra while sobbing and wailing started to fill the island. Finally, tears streamed down his face and he cried “SEVER!” as he opened his mouth. The tears mixed with the blood that now ran down from the corners of his mouth. He had sown, but what grew out of it, had shaken him in his core. Never again would he leave his clan, would he leave his mansion. He severed the path that opened up that time, continuing to walk downwards the path of a Ji Clan Immortal until the end. Neither did he know when that great carp would emerge, nor which fly would bait him into his demise. But what he knew was, that he would spend the time he had left fishing anxiously.

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A truly beautiful picture hung on a willow on an island within a lonely, vast space. Depicted on it was a lonely old man at the shore of a lake, staring blankly at the onlooker. His golden robes were stained by tears, his hands were blurry as if they trembled and on his forehead, two characters sat in a dominant Fashion: 傻瓜

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A shudder went through the temple.

Someone had looked into the Karmic Well? The ancient rule set up by the Ancestor himself had been violated! Even if just by accident, who knew what would happen. Maybe it was already dangerous to learn of the insights gained by such an event!

“What did he say? Hurry up and tell us!” Anxiousness was written all over Ji Twenty’s face.

The attention of the present people was totally focused on Ji Four, who had turned increasingly solemn. The look in his eye chilling to the extreme, he spoke.

“That time, my eyes fell upon the surface of the Karmic Well. What I saw in the well, was none other than my own reflection. And then I understood. I understood that I have been in there all along. I was a frog looking at a picture of the hole he inhabits, thinking that the creatures that live inside of it are oh so pitiful.”

His words echoed in the temple like a tale told by ghosts and invisible hands clenched around the hearts of the present elders.

The whole mountain shook, as a deep humming resounded from the depths of the cistern at the center of the temple. Then, the sky warped and rippled, as a Great Dao tried to resonate with these words. Countless light particles streamed through the universe towards Ji Four. Every particle had the power to erase someone at the pinnacle of the Dao-Seeking stage from existence and rushed in the direction of the temple with the speed of light. But as soon as they touched the atmosphere, they came to a forceful halt. The barrier that blocked them did not last, however.

As it was about to break through, an angry snort reverberated and everything else in existence turned silent.  The great Dao timidly retracted its might.

The temple grew dead silent, shock on the face of every single Son of Ji.

Ji Four’s eyes followed the Great Dao as it retreated.

“The day you truly cease all contradictions, you shall achieve Immortal Ascension. The Severing happens along the way. A pity that Ji Clan’s Heaven will never allow it.”

As the last trace of it had vanished, a strange feeling of melancholy clasped him.

“Reflecting on one’s Self is like watching yourself in the Karmic Well; Since you couldn’t even imagine that you would be inside, how much harder must it be to climb out?”