「 Regardless of my inner turmoil, I wholeheartedly admired them. The path of orthodox was tiring and yielded little result. For them to achieve this supremacy of cultivation was certainly not easy, I could tell. When they saw my pondering look, the children did not interrupt me, and soon we arrived at the Water Moon Village.
It was a medium-sized settlement, surrounded by fragrant-scented groves of lilac trees, the flower blooms on them would have been a sight to behold should they appear in daytime, but now in the middle of a very late night, they appeared ghastly with a touch of solemnity in their pale violet petals. Not too far from them, I could hear the steady sounds of a flowing stream, so I turned my head, only to see the crescent moon reflected on the tranquil water surface.
Witnessing such a captivating sight made me recall the distant times, my fond memories, and my past failures as Moonlight Emperor. So I reluctantly pulled my gaze, my cold eyes landing abruptly on a magnificent watch tower, which appeared absurdly gigantic in contrast with the ten-foot tall village walls. ‘Tower of Eyes and Ears’ it was called, a legacy of ancient cultivation world, built mostly in sizable settlements, and it is here that the travelling cultivators tend to exchange the energy cores with the appreciation tokens, which in turn can further be exchanged for the supplies and tools.
When the sounds of our footsteps intruded the otherwise silent hallway, the tower administrator, a middle-aged man of catfish-like face and round protruding belly, whose large frame sank deeply into a wooden chair, suddenly woke up. His eyes were wild, and they darted all over the hallway. “Oh. Fellow Cultivators… Welcome, welcome. Welcome to the Tower of Eyes and Ears!”
“Greetings to you, Tower Administrator.” Lifang’s tone was polite as he replied.
Positioning myself behind the children, I calmly analysed the middle-aged cultivator. The man appeared overly amiable, yet he was shrewd enough to catch on my glance, his aged eyes squinted, as he attempted to see through my cultivation, his energy mildly engulfing me. However, being a fragmented soul, I still had enough yin energy from my former life to perform the ‘Nether Shade Sanctuary’ and hinder his spiritual sense, so I wasted no moment and did as such. The man frowned disappointedly when his probing failed, but he quickly concealed his anxiety and guided us to our rooms in a cheerful manner.
Although the Tower of Eyes and Ears was not a luxurious place, it was spacious enough to have multiple housings. Since each room was equipped with two beds, Lifang decided that the six of us will be divided into three rooms and he offered to stay with me. His behaviour was gentle and kind, it was all true without pretence, yet I knew he was still wary of me and wished to keep me at an arm’s length, keeping his martial brothers away from my reach. Considering what he had gifted me before, I was of half a mind to give him my considerations, but who would have known? Taoming was far too enthusiastic, in the end, I was forcibly dragged into his room, and we sat on the floorboard, chatting late into the night.
The boy was very curious, he kept asking me about the Immeasurable Yin Scripture I practice. As it had been a while since I last saw such an earnest youth, I entertained him a little, until he could no longer hold back and went to sleep.
Finally having the time alone for myself, my eyes narrowed prudently, as innumerable thoughts ran through my mind. I knew Lifang and Qiangjun were not asleep and that they were eavesdropping on our conversation. Although I could have shut them out, such an act would only draw suspicions. So I smiled mischievously, as I decided on the course of actions, my energy gently pulsated through the room, forming an illusion barrier, one that deceived the hearing, one that allowed the sounds that I wished to leak be leaked, one that restrained the sounds that I wished to keep be kept.
“Yunfeng Taoming.” My enchantingly beautiful voice echoed cryptically through the room, my two neighbours totally oblivious of what I was saying.
“Yes…?” The boy was originally sleeping quietly on his bed, but his eyes slowly opened, half-dazed and without focus.
“Is it true that your father Yunfeng Zheng is still a second step cultivator?” I pushed forth the ‘Soul Inquiry’, although it was an exorcism-related spell, specifically aimed against creatures of yin, considering my expertise, I could still perform it on low-level cultivators, even without the help of a tool.
“En…he should be.”
I still could not believe it. How could it be that Handsome Dream Beast failed to achieve what Yongliu and little Yuhao could do?
“Do you know why he is stuck at a bottleneck?”
“I’m not sure, but…” The boy hesitated.
“Yes? Go on.” My energy nudged him gently.
“…it might be related to my mother.”
“How?”
“She died when she gave birth to me…and my father’s grief probably disrupted his cultivation…it is my fault.”
A frown creased up between my brows when I heard the boy’s guilty confession, a tinge of pain stabbing my heart. So, I gently caressed the boy’s sweating temple with the back of my fingers, whispering comfortingly to him. “Hush. Think no more of your fears.” His white and earnest face relaxed visibly.
After a long moment of pause, I resumed my inquiry yet again.
“What of Wang Yongji?” Though my voice was neutral, my expression was very complex. “What happened to him?”
“He…died.” The boy sounded nonchalant as he continued. “I heard he eventually succumbed to the wounds Moonlight Emperor inflicted upon him…twenty years after their clash.”
It was as I expected, nothing more, nothing less. The man that I feared other than Yunfeng Zheng is now lying peacefully in his coffin, although it feels surreal, it seems to be the truth.
“Hah………” I let out a very long sigh.
My history with Wang Yongji was indeed complex. We were formerly very close friends, at times even thicker than blood. Although he was a temperamental man, we shared the same enthusiasm toward cultivation and so we were used to spending the time together…until his father killed my father and I killed his father…that our relationship was ruined beyond repair.
He hated my father for bringing that accursed relic to our land. He hated his father for setting his eyes on what he should not have. And he hated me for pursuing the ruthless path of vengeance.
That man hated everything, and he was Wang Yongji, who was renowned as ‘Crimson Sword Saint’.
After calming the sorrow in my heart, I began yet again.
“Drowning God Statue…” My voice seethed darkly. “What happened to it?”
The boy frowned, still deep in his sleep. “No one knows… I heard that…Wang Yongji sealed it away, from the light of the world, before he died…”
Although it was unbelievable that one could resist the calling of that accursed artefact, there is no doubt in my heart. That man existed at the zenith of my nemeses, bane to my existence, and I knew him far too well. He would never ever lust after such fallen power, it was after all his greatest nightmare, and there was no one else who wanted it gone more than the man himself.
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“Alright…” My tone was mild, as I finished the Soul Inquiry. “You can rest now.”
With my command, Taoming eventually resumed his sleep, his eyes now closed, his breathing low and steady. Retracting my gaze from that innocent boy, I looked in the direction of Lifang’s room, the two were probably still spying on me, but because I fed them altered sound waves, they could not possibly know my interaction with the son of Yunfeng Zheng. I mildly shook my head, as I prepared to cultivate throughout the night. Although I have yet to attain ‘Inedia’ in this life, it is possible for me to stave off hunger and sleep longer than those of the same cultivation as I am, since my attainments are far deeper than them.
Cultivation is divided in Steps, Levels and Tiers. For instance, in each step of cultivation, there are usually three levels, such as ‘Spirit Apostle, ‘Root Apostle’, and ‘Core Apostle’ in the first step of cultivation. On the other hand, in each level of cultivation, there are four tiers known as ‘Early’, ‘Medial’, ‘Late’, and ‘Peak’. As for me, my body is currently at the bottom of food-chain, Early Spirit Apostle. However, as a fragmented soul, my cultivation is actually that of a Medial Root Apostle, completely filled with yin energy, which was one of the two reasons that I could easily manipulate unconscious Taoming who was similarly a Medial Root Apostle, and the other being my higher attainments in cultivation, of course.
When the dawn approached, I leisurely traced my way to the bath house and immersed myself in the open-space hot spring, my white and tender limbs stretched out comfortably, as I swam around playfully, splashing hot water everywhere. One of the tower attendants came to check what was going on and he was surprised to find me so early in the morning, using their newly cycled bath water. Although he was suspicious of the splattered water, since he did not catch me red-handed, he could do naught about it, and of course, since I posed to be a cool mysterious cultivator, he could only give me a polite bow before he went to resume whatever he was doing earlier.
After that, I dared not play around anymore and immediately pulled myself out of water, and then I dried myself with a bit of spiritual shake, before changing into a humble white-red robe, taken from the space-sealing bag that Lifang had gifted me yesterday.
“Not bad…” I muttered childishly, my cheeks puffing up, as I raised my arms and observed how elegant I looked.
Does this make me a member of Peerless Sky Sect?
My mind wandered for a moment, until I swiftly discarded the thought.
“It just looks similar…at most, I look like an outer disciple.” …since there was not a sect symbol on it.
An hour or so later, I regrouped with the children. Except for Qiangjun and Lifang, everyone looked like they wanted to sleep more, despite their complexion seemingly very rosy. Seeing their plight, I made an amused smile, and the children too looked at me with a befuddled look. However, Lifang did not linger about any further, as he skilfully distributed the shares of yesterday’s nighthunt, surprisingly I was given twenty five percent.
Words cannot describe the delight I feel in my heart, although the amount may seem meagre, yin cores were especially useful for an extreme yin cultivator like me. Moreover, although the other cultivators may only absorb roughly five percent from yin cores and extreme yin cultivators fifteen percent, I was an exception, a crème of crop, who can easily absorb fifty percent and perhaps even up to hundred percent if I were patient enough to dedicate the time and effort.
If I were to hunt alone, although I could earn more yin cores than the share they give me, it would not necessarily be safe for me, considering my currently weakened state. So, this to me is a good start. The children needed me and I needed the children. The more I thought about it, the greater the anticipation in me became. If I could hug their thigh a little more, perhaps I might have a chance to meet and befriend Yunfeng Zheng in this life. Then, I can take my time to discover the secrets to his sabre art that thoroughly destroyed me in close-quarter combat before. I smiled mischievously and enthusiastically, as I followed Lifang and the others to the village.
Oh…a hundred years. Some things did not really change, while other things have changed far too much. For instance, fashions. How come everyone is donning such a variety of styles? The robes, the trinkets, and even the way people style their hair, there are just too many of them. In fact, it is quite intriguing. I wanted to know more about them, so I kept gawking at them like a country bumpkin I was, though my facial expressions were subtle enough for any stranger to actually notice my bumpkin-ness, hehe.
“Fellow Xueyan.” Lifang suddenly initiated a conversation in a friendly tone. “Yesterday, I could not understand it. Why were there so many wandering ghouls in the area?”
As this question was posed, the children looked at me curiously, especially Qiangjun and Taoming, they all wanted to hear my perspective as an extreme yin cultivator.
“…Well,” I started rather awkwardly, unable to bear the brunt of their eagerness. “This region used to be a battleground two hundred years or so.”
“Although many settlements have risen in this land, the yin energy here is still thicker than what you would normally see in the regions under the influence of your Peerless Sky Sect.”
“Being as such, and given the overgrowth of forests, it is an ideal place for the creatures of yin to grow in numbers.”
“Still… Three gangs of wandering ghouls on the outskirt of forest was rather too unsettling...they were too near to main road.” Lifang frowned his brows worriedly, apparently he was concerned about the mortals who would have to travel through the road.
“I suppose.” I nodded nonchalantly, my eyes wandered on the nearby pedestrians of various colours who parted to make way for us. It seemed like the ‘sabre piercing clouds’ pattern on Lifang’s and Taoming’s outer robes and the ‘sitting goddess’ pattern on Qiangjun’s outer robe, both of which representing their direct lineages, were rather too eye-catching in this modest town. “How close are you from completing your Coming of Age Journey?”
When he heard my idle question, Lifang stared at me in embarrassment, and then he replied to me in a low voice. “This is only our second week.”
“Ah.”
One needed to spend nine full weeks to complete the Coming of Age Journey, so it was no wonder they were inexperienced. Such sheltered kids, I thought dejectedly without a trace of condescension, and my fingers moved lithely to erect a sound barrier around us.
“…I believe someone is intentionally raising the ghouls, taking advantage of the surplus yin energy in this region.” My eyes mildly locked with Lifang’s. “You might want to check the nearest burial grounds.”
When they heard my speculation, most of them shuddered, some even let out a gasp. “Fallen cultivators?”
Qiangjun’s serious eyes grew even more serious. “Or immeasurable yin cultivators.”
“Yeah, someone like me.” I said out loud what he wanted to say, it was nothing to hide. After what Xinlei had done, this was more likely the case. Qiangjun looked at me as if I were a monster to be abhorred, his eyes yearned to extinguish me out of existence.
This was difficult for him, of course. Although fallen cultivators are cruel in nature, it is also a popular path of cultivation, especially among the independent cultivators. So, even if the orthodox sects wish to be rid of fallen cultivation, it was not like they could slay the world itself, so people have learned to coexist, as long as it was within their bearable limit.
Although Immeasurable Yin Scripture had fallen roots, it was not entirely fallen in nature, as the depravation was gradual and not instant. Moreover, during my hundred years of absence, it appeared some of the immeasurable yin cultivators had more or less found ways to remedy this depravation, at the expense of the scripture’s potential.
So if Qiangjun were to kill me in such fine morning, without any condemning evidence that I was behind these atrocities, it was akin to killing an innocent. The quiet youth seemed to have realised this point, as he slowly inhaled to cool down himself. By his side, Lifang looked at me apologetically. “It is not possible to inspect the burial grounds under prying eyes, we should wait until sunset at least.” He tried to broker peace by redirecting the conversation.
Amused by his action, I only let out a mild smile, without making a comment.
“I’m hungry, Lifang…” Taoming lazily approached his senior brother from behind, his head drooping atop the gentle boy’s shoulder, with obvious lack of energy.
Lifang was troubled by the boy’s indolent behaviour. By this point, I have learned the exact relationship between the two martial brothers, as part of my late night conversation with the enthusiastic youth. Although Lifang was older than Taoming by a year, Yunfeng Zheng was his great grandfather, so he was in fact Taoming’s grand nephew. This used to make things especially awkward between them, but they have learned to act like cousins, with Lifang being the elder one. So he hesitated no further and shook off the boy, though his expression still remained gentle. “Let’s have a look at that restaurant then. Maybe we can scout some information.”
Since no one else objected, I too followed after Lifang’s lead. From time to time, Qiangjun would exchange glances with me, he looked perturbed at my presence, but I just smiled coolly in turn, making him divert his gaze. 」
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= Glossary =
Wang Yongji (旺 永吉) = Properity Eternity Luck (name)
Hongjian Sheng (红剑 圣) = Crimson Sword Saint (title)
Spirit Apostle (1st Step - Level 1)
Root Apostle (1st Step - Level 2)
Core Apostle (1st Step - Level 3)
Body Luminary (2nd Step - Level 4)
Mind Luminary (2nd Step - Level 5)
Soul Luminary (2nd Step - Level 6)
Earth Scion (3rd Step - Level 7)
Heaven Scion (3rd Step - Level 8)
Void Scion (3rd Step - Level 9)
Written by Lulin