I woke up. Already feeling not wanting to go. The realization that the fate of an entire kingdom suddenly resting on my effort felt surreal. I shift the pillow that still has the hole from my antler so that it is more comfortable to my neck and chin. But sleep eludes me. So I just lie on the bed. Not entirely wanting to go. What would happen if I failed though? Did an entire kingdom just disappear? I wasn’t supposed to be having this kind responsibility! Hell, I should be a useless government employee somewhere or work in a dead end bookshop. Nevermind that, being a truck driver was also nice. At least I get some new sights.
But then someone knocks on the door. With a groan I push myself off the bed. Leaving my bedroom, the huge map from Wuchen still lies on the table. Checking on it again. Remembering the last topic last night.
“You are the prince of Xian right? Which nation is Xian again?” I wonder as I looked at the map
“See this wall?” Wuchen points at the massive wall in the middle of the land bridge. “Everything east of this wall is the Xian Empire.”
Someone knocks on the door again. I pick the huge map and stuff it into my storage ring. Wuchen is already giving it to me as apparently he has memorized the entire map. Without further ado, I open the door. Senior Sister Zhaoxia and Qingfeng are already here. As well as my three servants.
“What?” I gruff in annoyance
To which Zhaoxia and Qingfeng are confused.
“Didn’t you say that you will be departing today?” Qingfeng ask back
“I said that?”
“Well, you sent your servants to notify us.” Zhaoxia adds
“Oh yeah I did.” I remember when I looked at Wuchen.
“Now now. Come, it's your first mission! We are here to see you off.” Zhaoxia said with a positivity that I envy
Grabbing my hand and dragging me away. Qingfeng and the three trails behind. Come to think of it, I never get to hear the truth about Qingfeng. I looked behind and looked him in the eye.
A man that wants to become a beast…
What a joke…
Oh, so he is a furry! But again, there’s a chance that what I hear is just what others think of him. This will require confirmation too. But later. After some time, I managed to pry my hand away from Zhaoxia. Seeing her and Qingfeng along with the trio doing something like this made me feel awkward after not feeling it and wanting to cancel.
“Where’s the old man?” I noticed that he’s not here, “Will he be seeing me off too?”
“Master is… busy somewhere. Both of us can’t seem to find him.” Qingfeng answers beside me
We finally arrived at the grand archway sometime later. Beyond it is a long and massive stairs leading down. Ah yes, the reality of living in mountains.
“Alright, so these are for you.” Qingfeng said first, pulling out boxes of pills from his storage ring.
“This is Qi Recovery pills (回氣|Huí Qì),” He opens the box revealing an orange red pill, a dozen in the box. Then he pushed it towards me.
“This is Rejuvenation pills (回春|Huí Chūn), for healing your wounds,” Opening another box, these ones are nine and have metallic silver color.
“Then these ones are just ration pills. One of these is enough to satiate you for a month.” He gives out the last box, inside is filled with smaller deep brown pills.
“Now, because of your physique, don’t just take any pills other than these. Utility pills like these have neutral spiritual Qi so it's safe for you to consume. Then there’s certain pills that might be harmful to you.” Qingfeng then advice
I nod. My body did not have Water and Wood spiritual roots at all. So I won't be able to consume any pills that focus on those two Qi. I put all the pill boxes into my storage ring.
“And these are for you.” Zhaoxia gave me three books, “This is from Elder Yinyue. She said you have requested this book.”
I pick the books. The book from Elder Yinyue is titled Summary of the Arhat Path. The other two are a martial art book and an untitled book. Finally, hopefully this summary can help me understand what to do. I put away the martial art book as I am not interested. As for the untitled book, it is a medical book of some kind. Detailing the human body, the ailments, and how to treat them. Then I noticed that there’s a faint green hue on it. I looked at the others and it seems like I am the only one noticing it. So I put my divine sense on it. Immediately a vision of Zhaoxia writing the book in the middle of the night appears, along with some vague feeling of joy.
“Senior sister, did you write this book just last night?”
“What!? No!” She answered in surprise. But I taste the sweetness from her lie. “I just want to compile the very basics from other books. That’s all!”
“I see. Thank you.” Seems like I am right on the mark. So attuning to the World Spirit can make me see the past of stuff too huh. Nice.
“Just get ready and depart already.” Zhaoxia then said and looked away. But her ears are red.
I grin as usual while Qingfeng and the rest chuckle. Well, it's good that Zhaoxia has this kind of cute side too. Then I scan behind them. Not finding the old man. I don’t want to send my divine sense just to find him as I don’t want to be seen as needy. Then look at the steps below. This will take forever. But then an idea comes to mind. There’s this game from my grandfather’s SSD, Downhill. So I project a bike. Making sure the seating is comfortable. Looking back again, the old man is still not here.
“Well, tell the old man that I will be off first.” Then I ride the bike and push forward
However, the angle from looking down when standing straight is much different from the angle when one is riding a bike as it goes downhill. Everything looked steeper and it felt like falling. The front wheel drops to the stairs and already I regretted my decision. The back wheel slides down the platform into the stairs.
“Wuh.” Was the last panicked sound he made as the bike zoomed down the stairs
Zhaoxia, Qingfeng, as well as Wuchen, Xialan, and A’meng looked towards Danxing with concern. Zooming down somewhat uncontrollably on his weird two wheeled contraption.
“Master didn’t teach him movement technique?” Zhaoxia asks in horror
“That was your responsibility!” Qingfeng yells
Both looked at each other and decided to not tell their master. But Luochen is already behind them. Immediately he pulls Zhaoxia and Qingfeng’s ear with each hand. Both whining in pain.
“Master, I did no wrong why my ear pulled too?” Qingfeng plead for innocence
“Hmm. Force of habit.” Luochen releases Qingfeng’s ear. “As for you.” He looks at Zhaoxia. Now pinching both of her cheeks with a terrifying face
“I thought I told you to teach Danxing all the basics in the training room.” Luochen reminds her monotonely. But he pinched her cheeks hard enough that she could not defend herself.
“Master, Zhaoxia already said that she was defeated so quickly she wasn’t able to do so. Then you said that you will handle the rest.” Qingfeng helps on the side while nursing his ear
“Did I say that?” Luochen squints at Qingfeng who immediately flinches
“Yes. You said you will teach the rest after Danxing finished his first class. But after watching him defeat Ye Guxuan, you immediately went to the mission hall.” Qingfeng quickly adds and Luochen’s hands goes lax and his eyes went wide for a flash
Luochen then clears his throat. Then this one is solely his fault. Which he found odd, usually it is his disciples that made these kinds of mistakes and problems. He closes his eyes. Seems like he is too excited to send Danxing off. Sneakily he pulled out a movement technique book from his storage ring and stealthily put it in Danxing’s storage ring. Then nods. Now he is blameless. Qingfeng and Zhaoxia can only look scandalized at their master’s effort to deflect the blame. The latter nursed her cheeks, hoping her master didn’t pinch them too hard and made them swollen again. The three outer disciples can only watch quietly on the side. After that, all of them watched how Danxing went down the stairs.
I desperately held the grip. Trying to keep it straight while the suspension struggles with all its might. Drdrdrdrdrdrt is the sound it makes as I practically vibrate on the seat. My tail, usually shrunk, is now back in its proper length. Helping me maintain balance as I speed down the steps. The surroundings are a blur from the velocity. I think I get the hang of this. Fortunately, it is only straight down. No moving left and right else I might crash already. After some time, I finally saw the end of the stairs. Massive archway like the one on the platform at the end. Alright, I need to slow down. I pull the rear brake.
Unfortunately for Danxing, he never rides a bike on stairs. As he pulled the rear wheel brake, the sheer momentum of the back of the bike grinds, trying to stop. Unfortunately, it meets the next set of stairs. Immediately the rear of the bike jerks upwards as the front keeps more momentum forward. The bike essentially rotates forward. Throwing its three meter tall chimeric creature of a rider off the bike forward down the stairs. His smooth descents end with a violent tumble down. Vertically then horizontally. Slamming to the even ground at the end of the stairs with enough momentum that immediately propels him to stand and stumble forward before he manages to catch himself. The bike then flew and rotated just above him. Its bell, ringing as if mocking his stupid decision to brake on the stairs. Or maybe it's just how he remembers the sound a bike made as it flew like in the movies.
I straighten my back, making a loud cracking sound. Ow! Hopefully no one saw that.
Unfortunately for him, his adoptive father and his two senior siblings see everything. Everything. But also…
I pause my steps. Two outer disciples standing beside the archway. Staring at me. Are… are they standing guard beside the archway? Oh my God! They saw everything, didn't they? Immediately the two of them pretend to see nothing. One looking down. Another looking up, whistling. Yes they did. I will carry this shame forever. Part of me wants to ignore them and just pass by. However, I can’t do that.
“Ehem,” I clear my throat as I approach the whistling one. “Which way to the Kingdom of Jin?”
“Greetings senior!,” He bowed in surprise, “You just need to head east.”
“No no. When I ask which way, is it left or right after following this road?” I am a city guy, all I only know of East is where the sun rises and that’s it
“After this road, turn left.” The outer disciple answer somewhat hesitantly
“Go on.”
“Then just follow the road.”
“That’s it?” He nods, I nods
“Thank you.”
Then I leave. Picking up my bike and riding it again. Pedaling forward in a hurry. I’m already this far, it would be so annoying if the kingdom of Jin is gone by the time I arrive.
“Lady Ruòlán (若蘭|like an orchid)! Run away with whatever you can carry! I will make some time!” Shouts a very old man in battered scale armor. His face full of wrinkles of age and his hair and beard are long and white
“Just an old man that is not even a fourth level of Qi Refining dare to stop me. You must be joking.” Said a young man in elegant expensive robe in calm manner, unfolding his fan that is filled with murderous Qi
“Chángfēng, you already failed to court me and now you stoop to petty robbery! Seems like I made the correct decision.” Said a young woman with pink hair, in similarly battered scale armor like the old man
“Let’s see if my cousins still want you after I am done.” Changfeng said with venom
The three have already traded blows for several minutes. But the old man and the young lady have pretty much spent. Both are only at the third level of Qi refining while Changfeng is already at the sixth level. All around them are a caravan of a dozen wagons. All filled with supplies. Not something a cultivator of Changfeng level would covet. But he is here for sheer pettiness. Mortal escorts still fighting with the bandits. The wagons however, cannot move anymore as the horses have all been killed.
‘My lady, I have lived for a long time and cannot cultivate anymore. I can spend what’s left and buy you precious minutes. You can still fulfill your promise.’ The old man spent his precious Qi to persuade his master with voice transmission
‘Lǎo Mèng, you will die.’ (老孟|Old Man Meng)
‘I am always ready to die.’
Ruolan hates this but she is already weighing her options. There is still some space left in her storage ring. She could carry three quarters of all the supplies here. If only she had a better storage ring.
Ring! Ring!
The sound that is so out of place pauses everything as they look for the source. Only to see a huge creature with a deer skull for a head, riding some kind of two wheeled contraption. Hands on his sides as if annoyed with all the commotion. For mortals, all they saw is a demonic creature. But for the cultivators, they recognize the black and white robe the creature wears that signifies that he is an inner disciple of the Tianhe sect. Which also means that the creature is at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“Can all of you like… move away? I’m in a hurry.” The thing spoke and gesture everyone to move to the side
“Of course—”
“SENIOR! HELP US!!!” Lao Meng shouts the loudest, cutting Changfeng off. He leapt, landed and kowtow in one well practiced motion in front of the thing.
“Senior! We are humble traders. These hooligans are bandits out to rob us. I humbly beseech seniors to help us.” Lao Meng begs quickly. As if he has done this numerous times. And he did do this numerous times. Number one of the main rules he has is one has to be ready to beg for help when any chance arises. He has survived this long not for nothing. Shame has long left his skin. But in his desperation, he gambled to ignore the second rule. Which is to make sure you beg for help from the right person.
The creature’s hand, almost as big as his torso, reaches down. Just from seeing the shadow is enough to make him shiver but he must make this bet. But the hand grabs him and lifts him up from his kowtow position to stand.
“Look, I’m sorry to hear that. But I need to quickly get to the capital of Jin.” Relief washes the old man as he listens. As this means he doesn’t fail his second rule. Now onto the third one.
“You must get help from the Tianhe sect right? We are going there to help too. But these bandits try to rob us.” Rule number three, establish commonality
The creature humms. Good, it got him thinking.
“Senior, the old man is exaggerating. Of course we will let you leave. These caravans too.” Changfeng sweats as he tries to defend himself. It shames him to lie like this but he cannot fight a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“OH! But he will not leave us be! The threats he dole out to us! Of what he will do to our young miss! You can’t imagine half, no, a third, a quarter of what he said.” He looks back, making some faces to his men. Immediately, the mortal escorts all start to pretend to cry. Then Lao Meng looks back at the creature and cries too. Ruolan, looks aside as she is ashamed of her butler’s doing but a passerby can only see her as an innocent victim looking away in fear. Rule number four, exaggerate everything.
“Of course not! The old fool slanders me!” Then Changfeng put on the most polite and good smile he has. Gritting his teeth as he will make sure the old man and Ruolan suffer later. And of course to the thing in front of him. Once he has achieved Foundation Establishment he will settle the score. But for now…
“Once again, I will let the senior and this caravan leave. We will repent properly.” Changfeng does what he does best. Lying.
The creature looked up.
BANG!
Like a dozen thunders strike at the same time. The heads of the bandits explode in blood and bits and pieces. Falling lifeless to the ground. The escorts scream and recoil in horror. Changfeng grips the top side of his head. His protective talisman cannot protect him from this one. Failing to stop the blood spurting as he stumbles to the side and back before falling to the ground.
I gather my spit then spit to the ground. Oh God, that’s nasty! I can’t even describe the taste when this guy in a robe lies. The old man lies too, but at least it tastes better. As for how I kill these bandits, I just expand my divine sense into an area. Project 1911 on top of their heads and fire. Then I walk towards the guy that is desperately crawling away. Looks like he has some kind of barrier that blocks most of the force. So I project a Winchester 1892, load a magnum round and aim at his head.
“My cousin… will never… let you go…” He said in his dying breath, no lie this time
Then I fire. Destroying most of his head. I spin and reload my rifle out of habit. Hmmm. Thought it would feel a little different. Guess that research paper on killing someone in deep dive VR games can get people used to this is not wrong. Maybe that’s why I wasn't really shaken when I helped my friends stuff the body in the barrel. It’s just like in the game. Then I realized my thoughts and noted that this is a dangerous thought. Let’s not get carried away.
Then I look back at the group of caravan guards. Who looks more afraid than before.
Now then, what do I do about them?