Chapter 18: Senior Brother's Path
Millions of li away from Great Qing Pass, the land here was already desolate and uninhabited, with a vast expanse of undulating mountains.
These seemingly endless mountain ranges were predominantly dark green in color, densely vegetated. The leaves and stalks were thick, fleshy, and broad, their deep green hue so rich it seemed as though viscous sap might drip from them.
Towering ancient trees stood tall and massive, most of them reaching dozens of zhang high. It would take five or six grown men to encircle just one of them. Each tree stood as if holding up the heavens.
If one stood atop one of the taller peaks and looked down, the view would be of a vast canopy of trees stretching to the horizon, layer upon layer, endless and boundless.
Demonic beasts roamed freely throughout this forested mountain range. Low-level beasts were innumerable, and high-level ones occasionally appeared as well.
Yet within this expansive forested mountain region, there was one area into which few demonic beasts dared to venture, as if they feared something greatly.
In this region too, the peaks were lofty and steep, the primeval forest vast. At the summit of one cloud-piercing mountain peak stood ethereal palaces of jade and crystal. Pavilions and towers stood tall, small bridges crossed flowing streams, and spiritual birds fluttered through the air.
Above the mountainside, year-round clouds and mist swirled, winding among the pavilions and bamboo paths. Within this scene, it felt as if one could reach out and grasp the very wind and clouds.
At the very top of the mountain was a vast platform, spanning around ten thousand zhang. The stone slabs covering the platform were all polished smooth. Standing atop it, a person would appear insignificant, with no end to the platform in sight.
Behind the platform, atop a thousand steps, stood a grand palace. From the upturned eaves and above, it disappeared into the sea of clouds, making it impossible to tell just how high the palace actually extended.
At this moment, inside the palace, two people were conversing.
One sat upon a massive throne in the center of the palace. The backrest and armrests of this throne were densely carved with many strange and unknown ferocious beasts, both large and small.
These beasts had snarling, savage, or sinister expressions. Each one emitted a cold, eerie glow, their features incredibly lifelike, almost as if they were alive.
The man sitting on the throne had three long strands of beard. He appeared to be in his early thirties. His face was as fair as jade, his eyes narrow and long, and he wore a scholar's cap on his head. His long green robe complemented his tall and slender figure, giving off the air of a deeply cultured Confucian scholar.
The other man sat lower down on the left side. He looked to be in his sixties, wearing a dark green robe. He was somewhat thin, his face hawk-like, and his eyes exuded an intensely cold aura. His ten fingers, shriveled like eagle claws, gripped the armrests of his chair.
The two of them sat within the vast palace, appearing extremely small, like two ants standing inside an enormous imperial hall.
"Peak Master," the hawk-faced elder said to the scholar-like man above him. "A subordinate stationed outside dispatched a green hawk falcon to return with information. Around seven hundred thousand li from here, near the outskirts of a suspected cultivator ruin, a pile of bones was discovered."
"Using secret arts to investigate, we confirmed the remains belong to that outer sect disciple who betrayed our peak and fled seven years ago."
The hawk-faced elder spoke with a look of deep hatred on his face, his eyes momentarily flashing with vicious light.
"Oh? A cultivator ruin seven hundred thousand li away?" the robed scholar looked down toward the elder. "Did the law enforcement disciples retrieve what the traitor stole?"
"No. Only a damaged storage pouch was found beside the bones. As for the rest…" the hawk-faced elder responded helplessly, shaking his head by the end.
"This matter has already caused our peak considerable embarrassment in front of the other four peaks. Although what he took was merely our peak's entry-level cultivation technique, it is something that only disciples of our sect can cultivate."
"Especially since it includes a basic body tempering formula. It absolutely must not be leaked. Otherwise, what use is an entry-level technique if anyone can get their hands on it?" the scholar said with a frown.
He thought for a moment, his long fingers lightly tapping his thigh, then continued:
"Do this, dispatch more of our peak's law enforcement disciples to expand the search area."
"You can start with pharmacies, whether they're run by mortals or cultivators in their marketplaces, all must be investigated. Anyone who acquired the cultivation method may attempt to cultivate it. I do not want to see any non-sect Qi Condensation disciples appearing in the outside world."
So said the scholar in green robes.
"Yes, Peak Master! I was thinking the same," the hawk-faced elder responded. "If we discover someone cultivating it, then we'll act according to our Law Enforcement Hall's rules."
"After eliminating them, we'll extract their soul and use it to feed the Soul-Binding Threadworm, trapping them between life and death. Then we'll make a public example of them to warn the other sects."
The elder's eyes gleamed fiercely with murderous light.
...
Outside Great Qing Pass City, within the valley.
With the help of Strategist Ji, Li Yan trained diligently every day, and time passed in such monotonous repetition.
Li Yan gradually began to feel that as his cultivation progressed, his teacher's zither music was increasingly unable to suppress the burning heat inside his body.
Especially in the last two days, he had completed his cultivation sessions in a semi-conscious, dazed state.
He knew that as his cultivation deepened, the effectiveness of the zither music on him was beginning to fade. However, for the Li Yan of today, this would no longer be an issue tomorrow because tomorrow would be the forty-ninth day of his training.
At dawn, with the sky still dim, Li Yan pushed open the door and stepped outside, walking around the valley. The restless agitation in his chest these past few days had made it hard for him to sleep.
Since he would be cultivating at the pond today, he might as well stroll through the valley and breathe in the crisp autumn morning air to help dispel some of the unease in his chest.
After about half an hour, he returned to his room. By then, a woman had already delivered breakfast. He took a few bites but quickly lost his appetite, then sat cross-legged in the room.
Not long after, a few knocks sounded from outside the door, prompting Li Yan to open his eyes.
Outside were Chen An and Li Yin. The two bowed respectfully to him, and Chen An spoke.
"Young Master, the Lord instructed us to place the bronze furnace by the pond."
"Sorry to trouble you two."
Li Yan nodded at them. Since coming into the valley, he had interacted with very few people, mainly the woman who brought meals and these two men.
These people treated him with great respect, which he had found hard to get used to at first. But over time, he gradually grew accustomed to these formalities.
Once the two carried out the bronze furnace, Li Yan followed them out of the room. Before long, Chen An and Li Yin had set the bronze furnace down near the pond.
After adjusting and confirming that the furnace was stable, the two turned and walked toward the second training room of Strategist Ji.
At that moment, the door to the training room was tightly shut, so the two of them stood there silently, waiting without saying a word.
Li Yan stood in front of his own room, not speaking to them either, instead staring blankly at the bronze furnace by the pond.
For some reason, as he looked at the furnace and the pond, he suddenly remembered that senior brother he had never met. If he recalled correctly, that senior brother had died suddenly just over a month after entering the valley.
The phrase "just over a month" repeated itself in Li Yan's mind. "Seven times seven, forty-nine days" not even two full months. Was it merely a coincidence? For a time, he was lost in thought.
"Young Master, Young Master… the Lord is calling you!"
A few calls snapped him out of his daze. He looked up to see Li Yin walking toward him, softly calling out as he approached.
In the distance, Strategist Ji was already standing by the pond at some unknown point in time. Atop the bronze furnace, the now-familiar bronze basin had been placed.
Li Yan didn't even know how long he'd been lost in thought. He gave his head a small shake, as if trying to rid himself of the chaotic thoughts. After steadying his mind, he quickly walked toward the furnace.
Seeing this, Chen An and Li Yin quietly exited the valley.
Strategist Ji stood not far from the furnace, clad in his wide black robe, hands clasped behind his back. He stared blankly at the bronze basin, speaking in a tone that seemed like a murmur to himself, yet also directed at Li Yan:
"The final day… it's the final day. Will you make it?"
Though the words were soft, they rang clearly in the tranquil valley. Without reason, a jolt passed through Li Yan's heart.
But things had come to this point, there was nothing more to say. He stepped forward to the bronze furnace in a few quick strides.
Today, the mist rising from the bronze basin was no longer the dark bluish-green of past days, but a pure black fog, thick to the point of substance, churning and surging nonstop.
Looking into the basin, Li Yan saw the liquid roiling within. The thick fluid resembled boiling ink, and the medicinal herbs within were completely obscured. Only bubbling black blisters continuously rose and burst...
Waves of black vapor followed, then fused upward into the rolling black mist above, making it even more dense...
Then, countless tiny black bubbles surged out of the basin, merging into larger blisters that rose, burst, and emitted smoke in a continuous cycle...
It was clear that the medicinal potency had increased several times over compared to previous days.
Li Yan took a deep breath, stood firm, and stretched both hands into the thick black mist that refused to dissipate. Immediately, ten streams of black energy drilled into his fingers.
But unlike before, these ten streams were no longer thin wisps, they had grown several times thicker, condensed into something like solid rods. They pierced into Li Yan's fingers like iron bars.
Li Yan felt a pain that pierced to the bone for the first time. The pain came crashing in like a surging tide, causing his whole body to tremble violently.
Though he clenched his teeth tightly, guttural groans still escaped his lips. The surging pain spread from his fingers, rushing up his arms, beginning to wreak havoc through every part of his body.
Had he not gone through the training of the past several dozen days, this single wave would likely have knocked him unconscious.
Strategist Ji stood silently nearby, expressionless, though his brows twitched occasionally, betraying his inner unrest. He didn't move, his gaze fixed intently on Li Yan.
Time passed slowly. After roughly the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Li Yan's expression had already dulled. Amidst constant muffled groans, he had slowly retreated several steps, reaching the edge of the pond.
By now, Li Yan's mind was void of thought, even the will to circulate his cultivation technique had faded. Yet the thick streams of black energy seemed no longer to need guidance. They forcibly poured into him, rampaging through his meridians.
His skin had turned pitch black, his face swollen and contorted, with tendrils of black energy snaking across his features, terrifying to behold.
Li Yan felt the energy within him careening wildly. His body felt on the verge of exploding. Countless burning currents seemed intent on reducing his organs to ash.
With great effort, he clung to a sliver of clarity and turned his head toward Strategist Ji, speaking with difficulty:
"Te… tea… teacher… dis… disciple…"
He couldn't finish his words. Another surge of wild energy inside made him writhe in unbearable pain.
Strategist Ji remained motionless in place, his face devoid of expression.
Li Yan's vision blurred. His body swayed, and a few breaths later, he toppled backward, falling straight into the pond behind him.
Yet those ten thick streams of black energy remained firmly latched to his fingers. Even as Li Yan's body sank into the pond, they continued to coil above the water's surface, undulating like living pythons.
As Li Yan hit the water, a wave of cold engulfed him. Then his entire body felt a surge of cold, clearing his mind a little.
His vision was filled with shimmering pond water. Looking up through the surface, he could faintly see the distorted but unmoving figure on the shore.
Li Yan no longer had the strength to swim. He sank deeper into the pond. Even as icy water entered his mouth, it could not extinguish the burning currents raging inside his body.
His consciousness grew ever more faint, and in the final moments of his clarity, Li Yan gave a bitter laugh in his heart:
"So… this is the path Senior Brother walked…"
(Chapter End)