Immortality Starts With Generosity

The last time he left the city with Lan Fen they had gone east. This time he and Song Yuelin went north. Clearsprings City was named such for the numerous springs in its territory. It amused Chen Haoran that nobody mentioned that said springs were located in large green mountains that surrounded the city on three sides.

“It really is a shame that I’ve been spending more time out of the city than I have in it,” he said.

“Need I remind you that this was your idea Young Master Chen?”

“I know, that’s why it’s so shameful.” He wanted to explore the city as well. He’d have to make some time for it. “This place isn’t so bad though.”

They were deep into the mountains when they discovered a secluded grove. The small pond was fed by a burbling brook that flowed from some unknown source higher up the mountain. Chen Haoran took his shoes off and soaked them in the cool water. This trip was much more pleasant than the last one. They had been unmolested the entire journey, Song Yuelin’s doing no doubt.

“You still haven’t told me why we’re here, Young Master Chen.”

Chen Haoran looked over his shoulder. “You’re here to earn your keep.”

Song Yuelin blinked. “My keep?”

Chen Haoran smirked. “How much do you think those cookies cost? My chef isn’t cheap you know, you’re going to be looking for treasure to pay for them.”

“And what will you be doing while I brave the dangers of the wilderness?”

“Supervising,” he said. Chen Haoran leaned back onto the soft grass with a contented sigh. Lan Fen had the right idea.

Song Yuelin’s shadow ruined his beautiful moment.

“Laziness is a terrible habit Young Master Chen,” Song Yuelin said seriously. “Are you not in a position where every available moment to train is precious?”

Chen Haoran clicked his teeth. Song Yuelin wasn’t wrong but damn if he didn’t want a moment of peace right now. He just wanted to inflict onto others what was done to him, was that too much to ask?

“If you don’t train then I won’t do anything either.” Song Yuelin promptly sat down to punctuate his threat.

Chen sighed. “Alright, I’ll train. You better not slack off either though.”

“Don’t worry Young Master Chen, I have the perfect training in mind!” Song Yuelin looked pleased.

————————

The screaming hell pig slammed into Chen Haoran’s unguarded side; the monster carried him with the blow and straight through a tree. They separated in the splinters and Chen Haoran immediately jumped into the air, avoiding three more hell pigs attempting to gore him. Rather than fall and be surrounded, he grasped a tree branch with his free hand.

Below him, 16 hell pigs surrounded the tree. The largest one, Qi realm Sixth-Layer, pawed the ground in preparation for a charge; it wanted to bring the whole tree down. Chen Haoran’s sword glowed blue. The pig charged and he let go.

Canyon Carving Sword

Instinct had caused the hell pigs to congregate together under the tree. The same instinct had them attempt to flee as a blue river of energy engulfed their leader. The ground cracked and split beneath their feet and the pigs fell. Blue energy scythed through flesh and earth alike. Chen Haoran landed heavily in a bloody pit. He breathed deeply and felt for where the tusks impacted him. No blood, they hadn’t pierced through.

“Excellent work Young Master Chen.” Song Yuelin’s voice echoed unseen from the tree canopy. A blue flower fell to his feet. “I was lucky enough to find a Moon Flower.”

“Is this valuable?” Chen Haoran picked the flower up and dropped it in his Storage Bag.

“No, it looks pretty though.”

“Are you even taking this seriously!” Chen Haoran roared.

“Of course I am,” Song Yuelin chirped. Chen Haoran could imagine the shit-eating smile on his face. “It’s not like we’re that far from the city. Even for a Liquid Meridian realm it’s hard to find something good in an area that’s been picked clean.”

Chen Haoran sighed in frustration. He climbed out of the pit and flopped onto the ground exhausted. Song Yuelin and Lan Fen must have shared their notes because they both had similar ideas about training in the mountains. At least Song Yuelin let him use the Canyon Carving Sword. As if to make up for that grace he had no compunctions about leading stronger monsters to Chen Haoran. The bastard didn’t even have the decency to find anything good. While Song Yuelin’s excuse made sense Chen Haoran couldn’t shake the feeling that he was just picking out the garbage from his Storage Bag.

“Why does it always have to be the fucking pigs?” Chen Haoran sighed.

“Don’t be like that, Demonic Thrush Pigs are a constant pest for the people. Getting rid of them is doing a public service.”

Chen Haoran groaned.

“Oh fine,” Song Yuelin said. Was that mercy he heard in his voice? “There’s more than just pigs on this mountain anyway.”

Chen Haoran barely had enough time to scramble to his feet as a giant brown bear barreled into view. A Qi realm Eighth-Layer.

Chen Haoran ran.

“I’m not seeing any training being done, Young Master Chen,” Song Yuelin called after him. Despite racing through the forest with a giant murder bear after him Chen Haoran could still clearly hear Song Yuelin’s voice.

“It’s called evasion training!” Chen Haoran shouted into the sky. He raced up the overgrown slopes of the mountain. Ducking branches and jumping only to hear the bear behind him crash through them.

“Ah, an excellent idea!” Chen Haoran didn’t register what was going on until he felt a flare of energy in the distance. Strong enough that he didn’t need his sense to be able to feel the qi.

The noise in the forest died suddenly. Even the monster bear stalling in its tracks. Chen Haoran put as much distance between them as he could. He could feel the earth rumbling. The birds were the first to move, rising into the sky in such numbers they blotted out the evening sun’s waning light. The beasts surged out after them, a single rolling tide of panicked animals. Pigs, wolves, foxes, tigers, and monsters of all shapes and sizes both familiar and not.

“Do your best Young Master Chen!”

“Song Yuelin you crazy fucker!”

——————

Chen Haoran ran up the mountain. The monsters ran after Chen Haoran. The day ran into the night. Whenever he thought he had finally escaped, Song Yuelin would flare his qi again and herd the horde in his direction. His breaths came up short and blood ran in rivulets down his exposed torso. His shirt had been torn to shreds under the same devastating claws that finally ripped open his durable skin. He did not know where he was or how far into the mountains he ran. Everything else had faded away save for the way forward and the qi running through his body.

He could see light ahead of him in the tunnel that surrounded his vision. A soft green-blue that beckoned him forward until he finally tripped. His awareness returned. The light he had seen was a glowing pool high in the mountains. It sat at the bottom of a depression in the earth which had caused him to lose his footing. He stared blankly at the water- no, it was qi. It was a pool of Liquid Qi.

The roaring of the monsters snapped him out of his shock. He looked back. He could see the madness in their red eyes. He could not run anymore, but he couldn’t fight the monsters either. Song Yuelin hadn’t responded at all to his pleading the whole night, but he knew he was watching this. Song Yuelin wouldn’t let him die, the issue was when he would decide to step in.

Chen Haoran gritted his teeth and pulled out his sword. He faced the horde. “Come on then!” he roared. He tried to use the Canyon Carving Sword, but he didn’t have the qi. Despite that, he still felt like he held a river in his hands. Chen Haoran roared and raised his sword in defiance.

The night grew black. Liquid Shadow flooded out of the darkness and drowned the horde. The angered roaring of the monsters was consumed and silence was born. Chen Haoran watched the flood and the beasts within it rush down the mountain in an avalanche of shadow and flesh.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Song Yuelin was next to him.

Chen Haoran swung his sword in shock. His river turned into familiar watersteel. Song Yuelin casually batted it away with his bare hands; he was looking at the qi pool.

Chen Haoran’s legs gave out. It was over, he was alive. Too exhausted to be furious at Song Yuelin he tiredly responded. “What is this place?”

“A Mourning Pool,” Song Yuelin said. His smile was gone.

Song Yuelin approached the unnaturally still waters of the pool and peered at his reflection. Chen Haoran wondered what he saw in it.

“A Liquid Meridian realm has fallen here.”