“Thank you again for looking out for me,” Yang Heng said and bowed towards me quite deeply.
“It was the least I could do. We are peers now, so good acquaintances, friends at least,” I said to Yang Heng.
“If anything, your status is above mine, with your connections. You sure you don’t want company?” he asked me. I shook my head. I had taken enough of his time chatting about the past and stuff I had done. I didn’t reveal the truly interesting pieces of information, but talking about the Great World where he had fallen into a coma had filled up the time before my departure.
“Thank you, but no. Take care Yang Heng,” I said.
“You too, Yuan Zhou,” he replied as a servant guided me towards the cylinder ship that the Heavenly Alliance used to connect the Forever City to the continents. I could have insisted on using a vessel, but that would have been rude. The continents and other such locations were kept as secret as possible to avoid sabotage. Taking my vessel that the Heavenly Alliance was gifting me, would have disrupted thing.
“This is your cabin. Do you require anything immortal?” the servant asked. It was a richly decorated cabin, far better than the steerage I had come to the Forever City in. It felt good to rise up to the top.
“No,” I said. I didn’t need to eat or drink. My body didn’t even need to sleep anymore. I was an immortal. My home continent would be the first stop since I was a VIP passenger. Such a minor thing the Heavenly Alliance was more than happy to adjust to show respect towards me and Senior.
It didn’t take long to arrive at my home continent. As I got off the Cylinder Ship, I noted several cultivators waiting to board. An old woman looked kind of familiar as they all bowed deeply towards me.
“You, what is your name?” I asked one old looking woman. She wasn’t even an immortal, but the way she carried herself and her arrogant face made me stop and inquire who she was.
“Esteemed immortal, this junior is Han Xingjuan,” she said. While I tried to remember why she seemed familiar, I could see that see was nearing the end of her lifespan. Going to the Forever City was probably a gamble to beg and scrape for some kind of a future.
Then I remembered. She was the so called Princess who had acted haughty in the past. It was hard to recall exactly what she was so worked up about. But I just knew she had annoyed me. I considered killing her on the spot. But that would just create problems, even minor ones I didn’t want to deal with. She wasn’t even that strong. Living would be far worse for her. Going to the Forever City with how weak she was and shaky her cultivation was after the first bottleneck, showed she had no future, just misery.
“Greeting Senior Immortal Yuan Zhou,” I looked over at Wandering Immortal Gongong. He had given me advice so long ago as my senior, now he was bowing his head. It wasn’t the best advice, but I wasn’t about to make him suffer either. There was only one person I was going to kill, Aoyin. Clearly the Heavenly Alliance had told him to roll out the red carpet for me. I noted that Han Xingjuan had stiffened in her bow towards me. She hadn’t forgotten me either. Now I was so far above her, she couldn’t even see the peak of the mountain I stood upon.
“I am merely coming back to reminisce about my past. No need to concern yourself with my movements. However, there is one person I would like to know about. The demonic cultivator Aoyin,” I declared.
“Senior Immortal, he broke through a while ago to the rank of Immortal and fled the continent into the Firmament,” Gongong declared. That was disappointing. It would have been nice to get revenge, but that meant Aoyin was most likely dead. A lone cultivator running around in the Firmament, even if an immortal was nothing.
He would anger the wrong person or make a mistake and would be dead. A shame, since I would have enjoyed killing him myself for revenge. But people weren’t just going to wait around for me unfortunately.
“Where did he go?” I asked.
“The Forever City. He snuck on one of the Cylinder Ships wearing the body of someone else and hiding his cultivation,” Gongong said.
“A hunt then, for when I return to the Forever City.” I smiled at that. While we both might be immortals I was confident that I had the better techniques and backing. With the leader of the Heavenly Alliance bowing his head towards me, I would eventually find Aoyin in the Forever City. It was just a question of effort. He had no escape. Running to the wider Firmament would have been more dangerous, but it might have let him live longer since I wouldn’t bother trying to hunt him down if he had done that.
“Do you wish me to inform people?” Gongong asked.
“If it is simple to locate him and inform me, I will have no complaints,” I replied, and he nodded. I was telling him to pass on the message that if any group took action, I would compensate them at a small amount, not a large one. That would basically cut off any easy path for Aoyin. There was nothing left for me to do here. It was time for me to return home.
I focused and swiped my hand through the air. My energy shifted around me. I lifted off the ground. I then flew away. The storm clouds seemed quaint in comparison to the hell that was the Gu Container as I flew down from the mountain.
Back when I had been a young cultivator, everything had seemed so big and impressive. Now even a super organization was just another cabbage on the side of the road. The Forever City was nothing overly special, just a hub of a super organization. My horizons were vast, vaster than anything this continent could hold.
As I flew towards Half Moon City and the Cloudy Moon Sect, I didn’t know what I would find. Probably people and organizations that had moved on without me. My peer Han Xingjuan had become an old woman, struggling to move forward. Her body and soul failing her.
Looking at the motes of energy, I could only shake my head in amusement. It was clearly something that the faction controlling this place, or the Heavenly Alliance had set up to make cultivaton easier. They probably never believed a success like me would emerge. But they were clearly happy, since I had come from their super organization and had the recognition of Senior. The energy was clumped togeather to make it easier to see and control.
The continued existence of a cultivator is solitary, I recalled one of my cultivation truths. But that didn’t mean progression couldn’t come in the form of a helping hand from one’s seniors. The Heavenly Alliance had set up the right conditions for me to grow and while they were manipulating everyone for benefits and services, I didn’t mind. That was the way the Firmament worked. Perhaps a new truth would come to me in time, I had as much as I needed.
Flying was so much nicer than running over the ground. Fighting beasts and other cultivators. My first stop was the Cloudy Moon Sect. They had been destroyed when I had departed, but I had a debt to repay.
I saw the mountain rapidly approaching and slowed down. I could land in the middle of the sect, but that would be rude. I landed in the forest a distance away from the staircase leading to the top. Ah, that was a long staircase when I had been child size. Now it was nothing. With a swing of my blade, I could split this mountain in two and fly above the mountain if I desired.
Approaching the base of the mountain, I noticed two young cultivators standing around. I wasn’t that skilled in hiding my strength, but skilled enough. “Greetings senior, how can the Cloudy Moon Sect help you?” one of the cultivators asked.
“Call the cultivators. Call the elders. Call the sect master. For Immortal Yuan Zhou of the Cloudy Moon Sect has returned to pay his respects to the sect,” I declared imperiously. Their eyes went wide.
“Of course, one moment, while I inform them,” a cultivator said and rushed off leaving his companion behind who was clearly nervous and wasn’t sure what to do.
“My apologies senior immortal for not recognizing the enormity of your presence,” he said while getting on his knees and pressing his head into the ground.
“You raise your head. I am suppressing my strength,” I replied while also suppressing my grin. “Let us ascend up the steps I used to climb as a junior.” They were nothing for me now. When I had the body of a child, this had been hell to climb. Now it was a joke. While I could have flown, I had come to pay my respects to my old sect.
I didn’t rush either, since I could feel the sect stirring up like a shook beehive above me. There were only three or four immortals on the continent here. It was hard to remember or things might have changed. A hidden bottleneck of energy. That made sense. As for the other immortals on the continent, that didn’t matter, since the only thing that mattered was that I was an immortal and I was returning to the Cloudy Moon Sect.
As I climbed, I saw the gardens on the sides of the mountain. I didn’t say anything as I slowly climbed the steps, thinking back to the struggles I had at the start of my cultivation journey. I slowly released the suppression I had, leaking energy into the air. If I had just shown up there would have been a panic, instead of a celebration.
Climbing the last few steps, I saw the entire sect had come out to greet with me the elders and current Sect Leader standing at the forefront. They all knelt as I stepped on the plateau with the lower ranked cultivators pressing their heads into the ground. This reminded me of the scene of Senior showing up at the Heavenly Alliance. It made my heart feel lighter and more at ease. It was nice to have recognition of all my hard work.
“Sect Leader Song, greets Immortal Yuan Zhou,” the old man deeply bowed his head. While it might appear he was rank 8 based on the old cultivation system I knew, he was far away from becoming an immortal. The amount of energy needed to cross over that second bottleneck or level 3 to level 4 was immense. The ranks that were used, were nothing serious, just a structured method to clear bottlenecks and not enough to climb up to level 4.
“You may all rise and lift your heads. After all the Cloudy Moon Sect was once my home,” I replied. Everyone got up and brought up their heads. “Song. That name seems familiar.”
“I drove a carriage for you across the continent, long ago esteemed immortal,” Song replied. I nodded at this. It really was a long time ago. Such a memory was like a distant haze. I had returned from the Astral Plane. I wasn’t going back there to see whatever that eye was. I knew enough, that doing so would mean my death against something like that. I had gotten incredibly lucky, it hadn’t breathed and killed me instantly, instead of sending me home.
“I see the Sect has prospered. That is good to see,” I replied while looking at all the nervous juniors.
“It was difficult for a while after the attack by the Demonic Blood Sect, but we have recovered since then. While we might not be one of the great sects of the continent, we have not fallen either or disgraced you immortal,” he replied.
This place was so poor, so ignorant. Even if I gave them a piece of the metal I collected from the Gu Container, it would become a treasure this sect could not afford to have. All those young hopeful faces. I thought of the Sect Leader who had done so much for me, Jiang Fengge. All he asked was that if I made it, to help this sect.
“I will speak on cultivation and the knowledge I have gained to the entire sect. I will also give the sect a gift. Finally, prepare your eight most promising cultivators. I will consider taking one as a personal disciple,” I declared. That was more than enough to pay the debt I had to the sect.
“Of course. Give us a day to prepare. I will personally arrange everything for you to speak to the entire sect and select a personal disciple,” Sect Leader Song said. I could tell everyone was excited. An immortal had come from this sect and was about to give personal insights and take on a disciple. The status of this sect soared to the very top in this single moment.
I got shown to one of the best rooms in the Sect Leader’s mansion in the center of the Cloudy Moon Sect. I lay on the bed thinking about what I was doing, but it was easy for me to lift the sect up and give them a picture of the wider world. I then got up and rang a bell. The Sect Leader showed up instead of a servant and I requested writing materials. I wrote rapidly all night and into the morning.
The following day, an amphitheater had been set up. As the Sect Leader personally escorted me, the entire Sect had gathered. Even the people who had been in secluded cultivation. To miss a lecture from an immortal would be sacrilege.
Taking my position, I looked out at all the hopeful and attentive faces. “The truths and knowledge I will share, are realizations I have come to across my journey in pursuit of immortality. For those of you who don’t know me, I am Immortal Yuan Zhou, a former junior of the Cloudy Moon Sect.” Everyone looked proud at that and sat up a bit straighter.
Taken from NovelBin, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
As I was about to reveal the truth of the Firmament and my personal understanding of cultivation, I realized such knowledge would be depressing. Telling them that the only thing true cultivators traded in was death and that the only thing they valued was power wouldn’t be appropriate. Too much knowledge at an early stage would distort the thinking needed to advance.
I adjusted what I was going to say. I wasn’t trying to crush the mood of the Cloudy Moon Sect. “The only thing cultivators should fear is mental instability. Becoming unbalanced by knowledge or by the journey ahead of you shows that you must temper your mind more. Becoming an immortal cultivator is not easy or simple.”
“The steps you take to build your foundation are the most important. But time is also against everyone as well. If you truly wish to reach immortality and not just live a long life, then be prepared to struggle. You must look beyond this continent for resources and opportunities. It is likely you will die horribly if you leave, but it is the only way. To reach immortality an immense amount of energy is needed. Far larger than one can imagine,” I explained.
“That is why you must create a stable foundation and then struggle to get resources. For those looking to break through the first bottleneck. Do not worry. Push through, advance without fear. As for copying my path, it might be possible but incredibly difficult,” I said.
“I have written what I did for my cultivation in depth. The knowledge, the struggle, the resources I had to gather. Perhaps it will inspire future generations. I ask the Sect Leader to make it easily accessible to all,” I said and pulled out what I had written during the night. It contained everything up until I had left the Forever City.
He carefully took the pages from me. “Yes, Immortal Yuan Zhou. I will ensure copies are made and it is required reading for the sect,” he replied. I nodded at this.
“My path may not be for everyone. Reaching immortality from this sect is near impossible, but near impossible, doesn’t mean impossible. As for what lies beyond the continent, it is something you will have to learn and experience. As a senior told me, too much knowledge is not always a good thing. Finally, I will leave some minor metal I collected. Feel free to trade it or make it a treasure,” I said and waved my hand. Three pieces of metal appeared, and I focused a bit to make them float.
Their quality would be above rank 8. Ix The Unending used the good stuff when building the massive formation for his Gu. They floated over to the Sect Leader who carefully put each of them away in his spatial storage.
“Now. I will select a personal disciple,” I declared. The Sect Leader quickly nodded, and six young men and two young women quickly hurried out and knelt in front of me.
“These are the most promising juniors we have recently taken in. They are all finalizing their cultivation plans and still on mote collection,” the Sect Leader said. I nodded at his statement, but none of them were impressive in my eyes. They didn’t come close to the madness of what I had done as a young cultivator.
I shook my head as everyone was deathly quiet. “All equally uninspired, but I will accept them all as my disciples. Trade this piece of metal with the Imperial Sect for spirit stones and eight swords of high quality. I want to see a much better cultivation plan from each of you and how you will progress up to the first bottleneck for each of the stages Qi Gathering, Foundation Establish, Meridian Attunement, and Core Formation. I won’t be providing any more direct assistance in the form of resources. But I will take you all with me when I leave this continent. Death or a worse fate is likely. But it is a chance to seize immortality and the resources needed. As for the swords, make sure each of them is etched with the phrase of my first master, Yi Rong who came from this sect. One Swing To Separate Heaven And Earth. I will return in a year. I expect impressive results by then,” I said and looked over at the Sect Leader.
“The Sect is more than happy to cover the expenses of your disciples until we sell the metal to the Imperial Sect,” Sect Leader Song said. I nodded at this.
“Once I return, make sure you have gathered enough motes as well. Say your goodbyes as well. For we will depart after that. I do not know when I will return if ever. If you survive, then maybe you will return to the Cloudy Moon Sect like I have today, to pass on kindness to the sect and your juniors. Just as I gave you all a chance, don’t forget the kindness this sect has given you by welcoming you within its walls. I will be leaving for Half Moon City, and spending time there,” I declared. No one dared to argue with me as I lifted off the ground.
It was impulsive to take on eight instead of one, but it didn’t make much of a difference. They would be a herd of little baby cultivators learning under me. It would be nice to have minions. Perhaps this was how super organizations came to be in the past. With the support of the Heavenly Alliance, such a thing might be possible. I would think more on this once I returned to the Forever City.
I took far longer than I needed to fly the short distance to Half Moon City. Before it would be days in a carriage to make the trip. Now I could fly the distance in minutes if I wanted. I took hours instead, thinking about what I would find. Would the Yuan family even be around still?
Flying over the outer wall I saw the various farms. I then flew over the main city and landed outside the Yuan family compound. The guards at the entrance quickly knelt with their heads pressed to the ground and didn’t dare breathe loudly.
“Which family lives in this estate?” I asked. Not entirely sure if I wanted to know the answer.
“This is the Yuan family estate, honored cultivator,” one of the guards quickly said. I felt some of the tension leave me.
“I am going to the family shrine,” I said. I entered the estate. I made my way to the family shrine, honoring all those who had died in the past, the family’s ancestors. I had never needed to visit this place before.
Entering the family shrine, there was a stick of incense that had been lit and portrait of the previous Zhou patriarch. They were countless generations separated from me. I went to the family records and began slowly going through them, further and further back, flipping the pages that had grown slightly colored with age.
Patriarch Yuan Chen was listed there along with his children and their mothers. So long ago, the page was quite old. One of the last remnants of the family I once had. Fourth concubine Yuan Wen who had two children. Yuan Zhou the eldest son who joined the esteemed Cloudy Moon Sect. Fate unknown after departing the sect.
Fate unknown, just a single line detailing what had happened. I then looked at another name, Yuan Chuntao, married into the Yao family specifically to Yao Yang, son of their patriarch Yao Guiren. Only two children, a son, Yao Zhou and a daughter Yao Lan. There was nothing further listed. She had married into another family and family lines were tracked through one’s husbands. There was more information about the rest of my family, but none of it mattered. They had long since died, something I always knew.
“Greetings esteemed cultivator. I am Patriarch Yuan Bei,” the old man said while bowing towards me. I slowly closed the ancestry book.
“Tell me, what has become of the Yao family?” I asked.
“They are an esteemed family of Half Moon City, honored cultivator,” the Patriarch said.
“Does their family or the Zhou family have any trouble?” I asked.
“Not recently. But about a century or so ago, a merchant guild greatly threatened us and our position. We had a letter from one of our ancestors from the Cloudy Moon Sect. Thankfully, the situation was resolved. But since then things have been fairly calm. As for the Yao family, I have not heard of any difficult situations that would require your intervention. May I ask who you are honored cultivator?”
“Some things are far beyond you. But you can consider me your ancestor. I am the Immortal Yuan Zhou,” I calmly replied. The Patriarch didn’t hesitate to slam his head onto the floor before he could take a single breath and dared not move or breathe loudly.
“It is good to see that the Yuan family has continued, even after all this time,” I said.
“Thank you supreme immortal. You honor us with your association,” the patriarch replied without daring to lift his head. I could only shake my head a bit at his actions, but they were understandable. With a single thought, I could end the Yuan family or elevate it to new heights.
But it was a simple family, in a simple city, next to a simple sect, on a backwater continent, controlled by a faction of a super organization. “Father, I just heard we had an honored visitor,” a young boy rushed into the family shrine. He looked at his father with his head pressed to the ground me. He was probably only around 6 years old, so young, fragile, and full of potential.
“Um,” he said, clearly confused. His father reached up to slam his head down on the ground, but I casually stepped over and stopped him.
“It is fine. You can stand. I am your ancestor. The Immortal Yuan Zhou,” I said.
“Is that like a cultivator?” the young boy asked me. His father who had just stood up had turned deathly pale at what could be perceived as a grave insult.
“Something like that. Come, let us have some tea. I grew up here like you long ago,” I said.
“You don’t look old,” the boy replied.
“That’s because I have become an immortal. A very powerful cultivator,” I replied with a smile as the boys eyes got very wide.
“Forgive my son, bow your head and thank the Immortal for his kindness and mercy,” the Patriarch said.
“Thank you, immortal,” the boy said, and his father bowed his head as well.
“Why don’t you arrange for tea. Spare no expense. Your son can keep me company until then,” I said.
“Of course, honored immortal, I will see to everything personally,” the Patriarch replied and rushed off.
“Can you fly?” the young boy hesitantly asked.
“Of course,” I said and lifted off the ground slightly. The boy was speechless as I set back down. “Come, show me a place where I can sit while your father arranges tea. Tell me about the Yuan family.”
“The main courtyard has the best fish,” he said, and I followed the young boy as servants quickly rushed over with chairs. I took my seat on a patio looking at the fish swim in the pond. The young boy took a seat as well after I gestured at the servants to bring another seat over.
“Are you staying long?” he asked.
“I thought I would stay longer, but after having some tea, I will depart. While you are distant relatives of mine, too much time has passed. I have moved on, while this place has remained peaceful,” I said. There was nothing left for me here. Time had washed everything that familiar away, both in my memory and of the people who once lived here.
“You must have had some great battles!” the young boy said, clearly losing his earlier fear.
“Not as many as you would think, but some. Let me tell you of my first journey to the Astral Plane,” I said. I talked about my adventure as the young boy listened in. Servants set up a table with a tea set nearby. I waved them off from preparing the tea.
Once my story was finished, I went over and took a seat at the table. Several people were watching, but I ignored them. I slowly prepared the tea myself. It was nothing compared to what Senior had served me. There were no unique properties, no imbued energy, it was just regular tea.
I carefully took my time. I paused right before I began pouring. I pulled out a picture I had kept all this time over the countless years. It had somehow survived, which was as much of a miracle as me making it back here. I carefully set the picture frame on the table and I could tell that several people were staring at in confusion.
It was a drawing with four stick figures. Of my family from so long ago. Cultivation was a solitary path, one that could not be achieved so easily. I didn’t regret leaving, but there was a sadness in my heart.
“The legendary artist drew this picture. The greatest drawing that I have seen. Drawn by Yuan Chuntao, who later married into the Yao family. Daughter of Patriarch Yuan Chen and Yuan Wen. Sister to myself, Immortal Yuan Zhou, pour this cup of tea in her honor,” I said and poured a cup of tea. There were some quiet gasps.
I then lifted the cup of tea and drank it. Goodbye my family. I have succeeded. Thank you for believing in me even at a young age. The tea was bland and uninspiring, but that didn’t matter. It was time to fulfill the promises I had made.
“To my first master Yi Rong of the Cloudy Moon Sect. You failed on your path but held out hopes for me. I have succeeded in a greater way than you can ever imagine. Your blade, gifted so long ago, saved me, this continent, the Heavenly Alliance, and much more. One slice did up end up separating me from reaching such lofty heights,” I said and poured another cup of tea.
I had been naïve and foolish back then. But that was what gave me the courage to push forward. I still didn’t know what to think about the time loop or what the original Yuan Zhou might have done, but it didn’t matter. I had reached this point, and I would thank those that had supported me on this impossible journey.
“To my second master, Sect Leader of the Cloudy Moon Sect Jiang Fengge. You believed in me and helped me onto a greater path. Opening my eyes while protecting me. Your death will not go unavenged. The demonic cultivator Aoyin will be slain, if he dares to reveal himself,” I said.
Since he went to the Forever City, it was only a matter of time to hunt such a demonic cultivator down. While advancing like I had might have made my cultivation unstable, I feared no regular immortal. I would cut them down without hesitation and the Heavenly Alliance would aid me thanks to Senior. Aoyin’s death was a foregone conclusion.
“To my guide through the Forever City, Bones. A displaced immortal. While you used me for your own ends, you helped keep me alive. For that, wherever you are, I hope you are doing well,” I said.
I had no idea where Bones ended up, but that did not matter. Their help had been quite useful for surviving that yellow hellscape as a weak cultivator. Those were some of the worst days, but I had managed to keep going thanks to Bones’ support.
I poured a fourth cup of tea. “To Qiang You of the TripleX faction. While you cast me out, in truth I now know the Temporal Hunter was real. You were looking out for me. You helped me through the first bottleneck,” I said and drank the cup of tea in his honor. I might not like him, but he had greatly helped me. His fear was not unfounded but incorrect.
“To Yang Heng of the Heavenly Alliance. While you still live and would be considered my junior, thank you for supporting me through the Mechanical Layer. Your insights inspired me,” I said.
While I thought he was a garden flower, he had helped me. Now I had surpassed him. A garden flower might be beautiful, but it will struggle against adversity. Where I had only reached new heights, he remained trapped beneath the hierarchy of the Heavenly Alliance.
“To Cultivator Nianzu of the Soaring Star Society. I only knew you for a moment, but your help allowed me to soar to even greater heights. I drink this cup of tea in your honor in the hopes that you find peace,” I said.
The Great World and the Infinite Ring Complex had revealed many things to me. It was also a tempering of my mind and a chance to grow. Plus the hyper compressed energy had allowed me to get my start at the Free Port and with my cultivation.
While I didn’t know what the future held, I had made it this far. “Cultivation is an endless journey,” I said, realizing an important truth. As an immortal I had time. While my rush to strengthen myself had helped in the past, drinking tea also made me realize that it had also put me in a lot of difficult situations.
The Firmament was vast and the dangers immense, but that just meant opportunities. All the recent havoc caused by the Gu Container and Ix, Chaos consuming the Free Port, and other events made this a prime chance to find some opportunities.
There were other people who had fallen along my path. But they were teammates, not mentors or beings who had gone out of their way to help me. I looked at the picture once more. It was cute and amusing. I would keep it to remind myself of what I had given up and what I had chosen to pursue.
There had been low points, countless low points. But I hadn’t let anything stop me, not even an overpowered demonic cultivator and his Gu Container. That did remind me, I had to investigate into getting a powerful war machine as my mount. Another impossible task, but I had already done the impossible once. Doing it a second time would just require some hard work and effort. The thought brought a small smile to my face.
I hesitated but decided to be respectful. To get where I was now, countless people had fallen and given me resources. While their names were discarded into the dustbin of history, their contribution would live on with me. “To everyone else who perished on the path of me reaching this point. Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
END