My legs moved before my mind fully registered what I was doing. The battle between these titans had ended, but my heart still hamred in my chest as we rushed down the hillside toward Elder Chen Yong. Liu Chang and Su Yue followed close behind, their footsteps barely audible against the soft earth as we approached my master.
Elder Chen Yong stood in the moonlight, his robes disheveled and stained with spilled wine. His body swayed precariously, like a tree branch caught in a gentle breeze. For a mont, I feared he might collapse from the aftereffects of the Blood Dragon Wine.
"Master!" I called out.
As we reached him, the elder raised one finger in a gesture that asked for patience. Then, without warning, he tilted his head back and released a belch so thunderous it seed to vibrate the very air around us. The sound echoed across the clearing, startling a flock of night birds from their perches in nearby trees.
What happened next defied explanation.
The crimson aura surrounding Elder Chen Yong pulsed once, then dissipated entirely. His posture, which had been loose and unsteady, suddenly straightened. The glazed look in his eyes cleared, replaced by his usual sharp awareness. It was as if soone had perford an instantaneous sobriety technique on him.
"Ah, much better," he said, his voice perfectly clear and articulate. Not a hint of his previous slurred speech remained. "The Thousand Year Burp Release is the most useful technique I ever developed."
I stared at him in disbelief. "You can just... burp away drunkenness?"
"Only the surface effects," he replied with a dismissive wave. "The power of the Blood Dragon Wine remains in my ridians, but I can control its outward manifestation. Useful for etings with stuffy elders who don't appreciate a good drinking song in the middle of important discussions."
Despite the lingering tension in the air, I couldn't help but smile. This was the master I rembered: practical, unorthodox, and completely unconcerned with conventional cultivation wisdom.
Liu Chang stepped forward and perford a deep, formal bow. "Elder Chen Yong, this disciple is eternally grateful for your tily intervention. Without your assistance, we would have faced a dire outco."
Su Yue followed suit, bowing just as deeply. "The Azure Peak Sect is fortunate to have such a powerful guardian. This junior thanks you with utmost sincerity."
I hurriedly added my own bow, suddenly aware that I'd been standing there grinning like an idiot while my teammates showed proper respect. "Thank you, Master. Your arrival was... well-tid."
Elder Chen Yong waved away our gratitude with another dismissive gesture. "No need for all this ceremony. What happened here—" his expression darkened slightly, "—should never have occurred in the first place. A Stellar Realm cultivator attempting to take what rightfully belongs to junior disciples? Shaful behavior, truly shaful."
He brushed invisible dust from his wine-stained sleeves. "The cultivation world has rules for a reason. Without them, we're no better than common bandits with spiritual powers."
I couldn't help but notice the irony—coming from soone who had just used a technique called "Drunken Immortal's Breath: Intoxication" to defeat a city lord. But I kept that observation to myself.
"Master," I said, the question burning in my mind, "why didn't you kill him? The City Lord, I an."
I couldn't forget the look in Jiang Tianhong's eyes as he departed: cold, calculating, promising future retribution. The threat in his final words hung in the air between us: I will rember your faces.
Elder Chen Yong sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "It may have appeared the battle was decided, but killing soone of Jiang Tianhong's caliber is not so simple." He gazed in the direction the City Lord had departed. "He has several life-preserving techniques tied to Wuqi City itself. If pushed to the brink of death, he can activate formations that would sacrifice portions of the city to ensure his escape."
"Sacrifice the city?" Su Yue whispered, horror evident in her voice.
"Indeed. The citizens, the buildings, even the very ground, all can be converted to energy in his most desperate techniques." Elder Chen Yong's expression grew solemn. "Such thods could severely injure even , and the collateral damage would be... unacceptable."
I nodded outwardly, but inwardly I held back a sigh of frustration. The City Lord's escape ant another powerful enemy added to my growing list. With my luck, so twist of fate would eventually place in a position where I'd have to deal with Jiang Tianhong personally. The last thing I needed was soone of his caliber hunting .
"Besides," Elder Chen Yong added, "killing a City Lord, even one behaving as shafully as he was, would have political consequences for our sect. Azure Peak doesn't need that kind of attention right now."
"Speaking of attention," I said, seizing the opportunity to change the subject, "I thought you were in closed-door cultivation, Master. How did you know to find us here?"
A shadow passed over Elder Chen Yong's face. "A minor problem I had to address," he said dismissively, though sothing in his tone suggested it was anything but minor. "When I erged from seclusion, I discovered my disciple had vanished without a trace." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Imagine my surprise when that demon woman inford you were on a mission, she had sent you on."
I winced at the undercurrent of accusation in his voice. "Master, I..."
"What were you thinking, accepting a mission from her?" Elder Chen Yong cut off. "That woman is dangerous. Brilliant, yes, but unstable and utterly ruthless.”
Liu Chang and Su Yue tactfully stepped away, giving us privacy for what was clearly becoming a personal conversation. I appreciated their discretion. this wasn't sothing I wanted to discuss with an audience.
"I needed information," I explained, feeling like a child caught stealing sweets. "Information she promised in exchange for the Moonlit Dew Flower."
"What information could possibly be worth risking your life?" Elder Chen Yong asked.
I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "I wanted to know about inner worlds... specifically, those of Life Realm cultivators and above."
Elder Chen Yong blinked, clearly caught off guard by my answer. "Why would a Qi Condensation cultivator be so interested in Life Realm inner worlds that you would sign up for what was essentially a suicide mission?"
I remained silent, unable to formulate a response that wouldn't reveal too much.
How could I explain that my inner world was already far more complex than it should be for my cultivation level? That I suspected it was closer to a Life Realm cultivator's inner world than a Qi Condensation disciple’s? That I needed to understand these advanced stages to properly develop the strange cosmic landscape within ?
After all, the blue sun energy that I'd shown him was just the tip of a very strange iceberg.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
The silence stretched between us, broken only by the gentle rustling of leaves in the night breeze.
Elder Chen Yong sighed deeply. "I see you're not ready to share your reasons." His voice had softened, and when I looked up, I saw not anger but concern in his eyes. "Whatever is driving you to seek this knowledge, it must be significant."
He stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Keep the herb for your own cultivation. The Moonlit Dew Flower can serve you better than whatever dubious knowledge Madam Butterfly promised."
"I still need to know about Life Realm inner worlds," I insisted. "It's important, Master."
Elder Chen Yong studied my face, and then after a long mont of silence, he released a heavier sigh.
"Fine," he conceded reluctantly. "We'll discuss it when we return to the sect. But not here, not now." He glanced around, as if checking for eavesdroppers. "So knowledge is dangerous, Ke Yin, especially when shared in the wrong place or at the wrong ti."
I nodded, relief washing over . If I could get the information from my master rather than Madam Butterfly, that would be ideal. And with that arrangent, I really could use the Moonlit Dew Flower for my own cultivation.
Even the City Lord, a peak Stellar Realm cultivator, had been willing to risk his reputation to acquire it. Such a powerful figure wouldn't have done so without good reason. The flower must be even more valuable than I'd initially believed.
"What makes the Moonlit Dew Flower so valuable that the City Lord himself would try take it by force?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of .
"The flower's primary use is for spatial stabilization during breakthrough attempts," Elder Chen Yong explained. "It's particularly effective for cultivators who develop complex inner worlds with unusual spatial characteristics." He gave a pointed look that made wonder if he already suspected more about my inner world than I'd revealed.
"However," he continued, "there are other, more esoteric uses known only to those who specialize in certain branches of cultivation. The City Lord likely had his own reasons." He shook his head slightly. "What concerns more is that he was desperate enough to act personally. That suggests either great ambition or great trouble ahead."
Before I could ask more questions, a disturbance at the edge of the clearing drew our attention. Mo Xing, still partially bound by the City Lord's command, had managed to tilt himself enough to make eye contact with his Stellar Realm backup who had finally arrived at the scene.
"You're a bit late," Elder Chen Yong called out cheerfully to the newcor. "The party's over, I'm afraid."
The Morning Star Sect elder, a severe-looking woman, assessed the situation with a quick glance. Her gaze lingered on Elder Chen Yong, recognition and calculation clear in her expression.
"Elder Chen Yong," she acknowledged with a curt nod. "I see you've taken an interest in this little conflict."
"Just looking out for my disciple," he replied, gesturing casually toward . "You know how it is; the young ones get themselves into trouble, and we have to clean up the ss."
The Morning Star elder's eyes narrowed as she looked at , then back to Elder Chen Yong. "Your disciple, you say? Interesting. I wasn't aware you had taken an apprentice."
There was sothing in her tone that made uneasy. As if she'd just received an important piece of information that she was carefully filing away for future use.
"Recent developnt," Elder Chen Yong replied vaguely. “What you should be concerned about is your disciple’s manners, or lack thereof.”
The Morning Star elder made a subtle gesture, and Mo Xing suddenly collapsed as if his strings had been cut. Two Morning Star disciples rushed forward to help him to his feet.
"This incident is unfortunate," she said. "Rest assured, this will not go unpunished."
“Excellent,” Elder Chen Yong smiled pleasantly, despite knowing that Mo Xing would suffer the consequences of failing to retrieve the herb rather his questionable conduct.
The exchange felt like watching two experienced swordsn testing each other's guards with seemingly casual movents. Every word and gesture carried hidden anings.
"Co," Elder Chen Yong said to us, turning away from the Morning Star contingent. "We should be on our way."
We fell in step behind him, heading toward the road that would eventually lead back to Azure Peak Sect. I cast one last glance over my shoulder at the Morning Star elder, only to find her still watching us, her expression inscrutable.
"Don't look back," Elder Chen Yong murmured. "It gives the impression of weakness."
I quickly faced forward again, we had barely taken a hundred steps when a group of cultivators erged from the treeline ahead, their white and gold robes identifying them as mbers of the Holy Light Sect. My muscles tensed instinctively as I recognized Yun Feng at the front of the group.
Behind him walked a tall, imposing figure whose re presence made the air feel heavier. This had to be their Stellar Realm elder, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the darkness, scanning our group with obvious interest.
I couldn’t help but wonder when these surprise appearances would stop.
"Azure Peak disciples," Yun Feng called out, his voice carrying the sa righteous tone I rembered from our encounter in the valley. "We have matters to discuss regarding Ke Jun and his blood techniques."
I felt Liu Chang and Su Yue stiffen beside at the ntion of Ke Jun, the rogue cultivator who had killed their teammate Chu Feng, my supposed ancestor.
"What business could you possibly have with us regarding Ke Jun?" Liu Chang asked.
Yun Feng stepped forward. "Our sect has been tracking Ke Jun's bloodline for generations," he stated. "His corrupt cultivation thods must be eradicated for the purity of the cultivation world. We know you defeated him recently. We require all information about his techniques and any artifacts or manuals you recovered."
The request was frad as a righteous mission, but I couldn't help wondering if there was more to it. In my experience, most sects that claid to want to destroy "evil" techniques often just wanted them for themselves. The Holy Light Sect's reputation for fanaticism didn't inspire confidence in their stated motives.
"There were no techniques or treasures recovered after Ke Jun's defeat," I replied carefully, keeping my expression neutral. "He died without leaving behind any legacy."
The Holy Light elder's eyes narrowed slightly, golden light flaring brighter for a mont. "That seems... convenient," he said, his deep voice carrying an edge of suspicion. "Our intelligence suggested he possessed several blood arts scrolls and a specialized cultivation vessel."
"Your intelligence was wrong," Elder Chen Yong interjected, stepping forward. His casual posture belied the subtle release of pressure that accompanied his movent. "If the Azure Peak disciples say nothing was recovered, then nothing was recovered."
The Holy Light elder's eyes widened slightly as he seed to truly notice Elder Chen Yong for the first ti. Recognition flickered across his face, followed by a carefully masked expression of wariness.
"Elder Chen Yong," he acknowledged with a respectful inclination of his head. "I didn't expect to encounter the Drunken Immortal so far from Azure Peak."
"Life is full of surprises," my master replied dryly. "Just as I didn't expect to find the Holy Light Sect harassing junior disciples over a dead man's techniques."
The atmosphere grew tense as the two cultivators asured each other. After a mont that seed to stretch forever, the Holy Light elder made a subtle gesture to Yun Feng, who stepped back reluctantly.
"We'll withdraw for now," the elder announced, though his gaze lingered on for a mont longer than was comfortable. "But this matter isn't concluded. The taint of blood cultivation must be thoroughly cleansed wherever it appears."
I kept my expression carefully blank, but inwardly, I was troubled. Did he want to kill for being related to Ke Jun? It seems I have another group of enemies to my ever-growing list.
"Rember, disciples of the righteous path," Yun Feng called out as their group began to retreat, "concealing dark arts only corrupts your own cultivation. Should you reconsider, the Holy Light Sect stands ready to purify any tainted knowledge you may have acquired."
'Purify' was a nice way of packaging acquisition.
Once they had disappeared from sight, I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "That’s concerning," I murmured.
"Indeed," Elder Chen Yong agreed, his expression thoughtful. "The Holy Light Sect rarely involves itself in matters outside its traditional territories unless they perceive a significant threat, or opportunity." He gave another of those penetrating looks. "We should return to the sect before more trouble finds us."
As we walked, a sense of relief gradually washed over . Despite the challenges and unexpected complications, we had succeeded. The Moonlit Dew Flower was secured in my storage ring, Elder Chen Yong had promised to share the information that I needed, and we were finally heading ho.
"It feels good to be returning to the sect," I thought to Azure as the first hints of dawn began to lighten the eastern sky.
"Indeed, Master," he replied. "Though I can't help but wonder what new complications await us there."
I chuckled softly. "Always the optimist, aren't you?"
"I prefer 'realist,'" Azure countered. "Your track record suggests that peace and quiet are not your natural state."
Looking ahead at the path stretching before us, I couldn't really argue with that. But for now, at least, we were alive, successful, and heading ho. Whatever complications awaited us at the sect. Madam Butterfly's scheming, the secrets of Life Realm inner worlds, the mysteries of my own strange cultivation, or the sect tournant, they could wait until we arrived.
"Ho," I murmured, testing the word. Strangely enough, when I thought of ho now, it was places like the Azure Peak Sect and the Floating Reed Village that ca to mind, not the distant world I'd left behind.
"Careful, Master," Azure cautioned. "You're starting to sound like you belong here."
I smiled to myself. "Maybe I do, Azure. Maybe I do."
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