Alex couldn’t help laughing for joy at the notice as he gazed upon the endless vista of deep blue skies and brilliant clay colored sand stretching in all directions as he crested the massive boulder that served as the ceiling of the sand-filled cave he had half crawled, half-stumbled out of at first light.
For all that he was without friends, contacts, or resources of any significance, for all that most of his skills were locked away behind a barrier he found himself extremely reluctant to even touch, let alone press or break, for all that he was countless miles, perhaps an entire realm away from any place he had ever glimpsed before, he was filled with a joy, an ebullience just as sharp and sweet as it had been the previous night.
He was free.
Well and truly free.
If his soul had always been weighed down by the chains of fate and the malevolence of the gods before, a burden he had been forced to endure until he hardly sensed it at all…
It only made the sweet sense of freedom he now felt all the sharper. All the purer.
It was all he could do not to fall on his knees and weep, his soul now so light it felt like it could float away on spiritual wings for heavens far gentler than the hell on earth he had left behind.
A revelation that only served to underscore just how sharp and bitter the enmity between himself, his master, and an entire spite-filled pantheon had truly been.
In that moment he felt a lightness in his chest, tears streaming down his cheeks as he realized that yes, finally, he could dare to dream, dare to hope, dare to embrace a life where he could actually strive for a peaceful existance and a happy ending, without being compelled by forces unseen to sacrifice himself once more upon the bitter alter of the gods.
How many lifetimes had it truly been? How many tears had he shed for men, women, and children, whose faces would then slip his mind for eternity?
He shuddered at the thought, finding sweetest solace in the simple revelation that now he was well and truly free.
The choices he would make from this day forward were entirely his own.
He need not risk himself in mad folly ever again.
Prudence, caution, a warm demeanor, and most of all, never ever playing the fool were the watchwords that could lead to a life both sweet, fulfilling, and full. No matter that his heart simultaneously ached for the angel of his heart, a priceless jewel he now feared lost to time.
He took a deep breath as he finally crested the massive ocher-colored boulder before him, taking full advantage of the cool early morning to get his bearings, his exquisite Perception meaning he could make out his surroundings perfectly well even with false dawn barely lightening the star-filled horizon. Hours before the sun’s glare and heat stroke truly turned any journey into a trial of endurance. He had a few ideas about how he would survive, perhaps even thrive during any journey, but for now…
There!
His eyes widened with delight, lips curling in a wide grin as he slowly turned a full 360 degrees, getting his bearings upon the highest point in who knew how many miles of desert that stretched for endless leagues of desert and scrublands, the view broken by a far distant plateau of rock to the East just before desert ochre, tan, and burnt orange he could see so clearly even in the moonlight erupted into the brilliant bright green of what could only be an oasis, or carefully tended fields, beyond which he saw what he was almost certain were far-off city walls interspersed with towering minarets soaring towards the heavens above.
A beautiful sight against the moonlit sky which made Alex laugh for sheer joy. As much as he adored the wonderful feeling of freedom unweighted by bitter fate grinding him down, practically speaking, he had no supplies, and minimal access to the exquisite cultivation skills that allowed him to forgo so many of life’s necessities. Which made the idea of trekking through the desert a perilous one, as he was wearing nothing more than the same ancient attire he had through countless lifetimes, though now his leather boots, cotton pants, his newly gifted tricorn hat and once exquisite changshan tunic truly did look old and weathered in ways they never had before… almost completely faded of color. For all that his attire felt as sturdy and comfortable as ever, for perhaps the first time, he wouldn’t feel ashamed to adopt whatever the local attire might be, and put these beloved relics away, having served their purpose in full.
“But not quite yet,” he said with a certain amount of fondness for the clothes that had kept up with him through countless lifetimes, and need only endure a little bit longer as he began planning his route to the distant city that he feared he’d lose sight of, once he climbed back down the boulder. So he carefully triangulated its location via the heavens and the distant rock face of the plateau countless miles to the east.
“As long as that landmarks’ to my right, I should be fine,” he thought with a certain amount of satisfaction, already planning the path he would take to starting a fresh life.
If his hunch was right, his Biochemical Mastery and the blessings it gave his senses was as sharp as ever. He’d be just as good an apothecary as he had been for Liu Jian after having learnt the ropes, and had absolutely no problems at the thought of starting his life over once more as the most humble of shop’s assistants before getting a lay of the land, sensing what opportunities might be available, and, yes, perhaps even daring to pursue cultivation once more.
Only this time, it would be on his terms. In a school that wasn’t the largest and most fearsome in the entire region. In a territory that wasn’t hip deep in intrigue, internecine warfare, or diabolical plots. A humble school run by sane masters far more interested in forging strong cultivators who would honor their school than throwing their charges away like grist in the mill for the benefit of one or two favored ‘young masters’… children of jaded patrons that the so-called elite schools no doubt doted upon.
“It’s not like I need anyone to show me the secrets of Bronze or Silver. Even if I’m starting over, thanks to all the memories I’m both blessed and haunted with, I know how to forge cords strong enough to do any cultivator proud. Strong enough to one day challenge beings I’d be happy never to cross again.”
And it was true. So painfully, gloriously true. In the most insane of circumstances, he could forge a path that would let him one day challenge the gods. But even without being forced to face off against impossibly powerful foes that necessitated tearing free the eternal soul stones of enemies both mortal and divine, he now understood with equal clarity how to form a stable latticework of Silver Cables that would see him ascending to a very comfortable and powerful Gold. One day. Without needing to challenge the gods themselves to access the power needed for that much more sane configuration either.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
All he needed was resources and time.
Gifts any half-decent school small enough to treat him right and appreciate what a boon he could be to them could appreciate. And if their largess also gave him access to actual Qi Disciplines, any one of the countless hundreds if not thousands of Bronze and Silver techniques he knew were out there, in sharp contrast to the handful of truly deadly Gold techniques guarded by people and powers that would immediately put him back into the crucible he had only just escaped… that would truly be a bonus to savor.
His goal would be the most comprehensive Silver tier techniques he could make use of… and no more than that. Even that would be more than sufficient to one day rule a city, or simply live in peaceful harmony with a future family he could actually keep this time, as a hard target no petty intrigue could easily put down, and him keeping a low enough profile that petty intrigue and banal thuggery would be the limit of what he would have to endure. Even better if he could float through life so sweetly as to face no trouble at all.
Just the thought of reaching the city and taking his first steps to a truly exciting future with an actual happy ending filled him with exuberance as he carefully made his way back down the boulder, delighting in the Strength and Vitality of what was effectively Bronze Rank 2. So much less than he had savored those last few months… yet still, he was still stronger than he had been for most of his journey before his adventures at Royal Phoenix had catalyzed the final chapters of his tale.
“And who knows?” he whispered to himself as his ears pricked at unexpected sounds in the distance. “Even if I can ascend no higher than ranks of Gold… after achieving Rank 5, even if it were decades or centuries away… would there be a point where my bloodline would allow me to buy ranks of Strength and Vitality worthy of a Jade Titan, even if I played it safe and never tried to compress my core that far?” He grinned at the thought, realizing that there just might be ways to backdoor into his wildest dreams without taking any wild risks at all.
Smiling with hope and excitement, allowing his imagination to run wild as he gazed off into the horizon… that was when he caught just the faintest flash upon the distant sandy plains lit by nothing more than waning moonlight only one with an 18 Perception might clearly see through.
His heart lurched in his chest.
It could be anything, he thought, as he tightly gripped the rock, forcing himself to take a better look.
Shadowy images in the gloom that sharpened into unexpected focus.
Dozens of men dressed in flowing robes with spears and shields in their hands.
For the most part, they were dark blobs in the distance. It was only the brightly sharpened tips of their spears, or occasional glints of metal armor… unveiled when flowing robes parted, that revealed them for the armored warriors that they were.
“Maybe it’s a patrol for the distant city,” he whispered to himself. “Even if they’re idiots racing through scrubland that’s practically desert. Unless they’re heading for a road…
He forced himself to turn around, dreading what he would see.
“Shit.”
There. In the distance from the direction of the city he had glimpsed. His exquisite perception easily made out the sight of a half dozen grand carriage wagons that had come to a stop along the perfectly straight desert road. Not winding at all. For it was a lay-line channeling the spiritual energy of an entire realm, absolutely perfect for traveling from city to city and town to town along the straightest, sturdiest roads imaginable. For they were as much the world itself as any man-made construction.
It was also the perfect spot for an ambush. Though considering how flat the terrain was, the forty or so bandits wielding shields and spears or curved blades had settled for a lightning-fast raid at the crack of dawn.
It was a wagon train that looked hauntingly familiar, so like the oversized wagons he had once helped guard when making his way to Baidushi. He cursed softly under his breath, noting the fire and the utterly clueless guards nodding beside it. Fires might be great for warmth, scaring off certain types of four-legged predators, and providing light in absolute darkness, but it did absolute shit for one’s night vision or ability to see more than a handful of yards past the flames, save for the reflection of a predator’s eyes. And that fire served as a beacon visible for miles across the flat planes. The perfect guiding light for a band of several score raiders well used to riding and navigating by the light of the moon.
Alex wasted only a handful of seconds in a quick head count facilitated by his own recollection of wagon layouts. IF there was an average of six men per wagon, that meant about 36 men securing the caravan, at least half of which should be experienced fighters. But compared to mounted bandits about to get the element of surprise… it would be a slaughter.
Their only chance would be to get into defensive positions upon what he assumed were reinforced wagon tops if they truly were like the wagons he had guarded a time or too himself, all the better if they had crossbows and longer spears and were trained in mounting a defense upon them. Even should the successfully do so, he still didn’t like the odds.
All he knew for sure was that if he gave no warning at all… it would be a slaughter.
Alex squeezed his eyes shut, cursing under his breath.
“Seriously? Just when I arrive, when I’m in the perfect position to start my life over? After all I’ve been through, all I’ve sacrificed, all I’ve already done… Does anything think I’m actually stupid enough to risk it all over again?”
And there was the rub, Alex thought with a bitter shake of his head as finished scrabbling down the rock at a fast clip, now in perfect position to make his way toward the city, having absolutely no doubt that no raider would bother with him at all, even if they did catch sight of him in the dim light. Not when there were far juicier targets.
Not when he finally had the chance to embrace his own life to the fullest!
You have successfully constructed: Earthern Shield! At 0.1 Qi maintenance cost per minute.
After a moment’s thought, he accepted that no one was now pulling his strings.
Just because his old master’s hand, and the hands of his entire vindictive clan were finally and forever free of his piece upon the board of fate, didn’t mean that WiFu couldn’t set him up with shelter to collapse in and sanctuary that he could actually make out in the distance if he was smart enough to check his surroundings with his final move. As well as one more difficult choice.
It was effectively his opening gambit in a journey, and life, that was now w ell and truly Alex’s own.
He could risk his life against overwhelming odds to save complete strangers who would be as likely to see him as just another raider as any sort of hero or saint… or finally start living life for his own benefit, and stop putting the world’s weight on his shoulders.
It would be so easy to finally take the stance of a man who’s finally had enough. Who has already done more than his fair share. But then he remembered the gentle face of Ehuang, a beautiful sheepherder who was happy to be his friend and could have been so much more… her final moments being one of confusion as she collapsed to the ground, riddled by crossbow bolts from raiders eager to make a quick score. It would be so easy to make the safe choice if he didn’t recall so clearly the voice of a young man crying out to the heavens when he and his family were cut down by ruthless bandits who cared nothing for fragile dreams and the beautiful lives that could have been filled with happiness and joy.
And how often had his own desperate hopes been burnt to ashes, his final cries for mercy, help, succor, met with nothing but the howling wind and coldest laughter in lives he could never recall?
Too many. Of that he had no doubt, he thought, legs churning through the sand like pistons as he angled himself to approach the caravan in plain sight of the slumbering pair of fools by the fire that were supposed to be guarding the caravan, now just a hundred yards away.
And the bandits? A mile out, perhaps two. No more than that. These poor sleeping fools had just minutes to get ready.
“Wake up, you fools! Bandits are coming from the north!”