Chương 12: The Wandering "Immortal"

Rowan The sword flew out of his hand. Rowan fell back onto the dirt of the training field, rubbing his backside. A figure loomed over him.

"Your form and your instincts are passable, but you desperately lack practical experience. Any kind of sneak attack totally catches you off guard," Cavern Lady Dawnshard said, crowing with glee. This Qi Refining master looked far too pleased to be beating on a mere Qi Condensation child into the dirt. A flying sword - a red blade thin as a butterfly's wing - tapped against the side of his knee.

"I know the Righteous Mountain Sect prefers their classrooms and droning lectures, but surely they send their disciples to be tempered in real battle every once in a while? Your sect is right across from the Southern Continent." After destroying the restaurant yesterday, Cavern Lady Dawnshard had sent her five disciples to kneel all night at their local seasnake shrine. Without any students, it seemed the lady quickly got bored. She had sought out Rowan to give him some pointers.

Rowan was glad for the opportunity to be personally tested by a person of her status. However, he also didn't have much of a choice. His carriage was still being repaired, and his 'faithful' servant Gugio had fled without a trace. That brought a thread of coldness to his heart. Chasing after the man would be a waste of time and resources, but if they ever crossed paths again, Rowan wouldn't spare him a second time. He was also glad to vent some of his frustration through exercise.

The senior in the stone's words had haunted him all night. Cultivation might be difficult for him, but he was good with the sword. And he was determined to prove the stone wrong, anyway.

"Our sect is also by the Wilds. We're mostly tasked to keep any beasts from Righteous Mountain City–""The Wilds." She snorted.

"Your sect has the lowest mortality rate in the entirety of the Kyrr Peninsula - now I know why! They keep you safe like plump hens in a coop." Rowan opened his mouth to refute that, but it was true. Before the Formidable Five's violent demise, it had been years since anyone had died like that. Sure, an accident at the alchemy lab might happen, or someone might encounter a demonic cultivator on the road, but as a whole, nobody seemed too worried about dying.

"Senior, my sect is small and poor compared to most, and not very prestigious," he said.

"If a single disciple perished, it would be a huge blow." He thought of the inter-sect competitions which happened every five years, and all the other ways sects jostled and suppressed each other to gain a higher ranking in the hierarchy. It was a vicious dance. Righteous Mountain Sect was considered the lowest of mid-tier sects in their state - above the small monasteries and local organizations - but below Blackscale Sect, and far below behemoths like the Heavenly Skies Sect.

If Righteous Mountain Sect lost its standing as a mid-tier sect, it would lose it's spot in the Alliance of Earthly Harmony. With that, countless benefits and connections would be gone as well. To Righteous Mountain Sect, the hesitance to send forces to the Southern Continent was self-preservation. To someone like Cavern Lady Dawnshard, it was cowardice. Dawnshard shrugged.

"This season of peace has reigned for a decade. But that could turn in a flash. I've seen it before. If you want advice, I suggest you train hard regardless of the minimum requirements of your sect. Anything to increase your chances of survival is a good thing." Dawnshard squinted.

"And I think you would benefit from practice a lot more than most. Your Qi Sea doesn't seem to be refilling at the normal rate. Perhaps you have a problem with your spirit root?" She sighed.

"I do think I'm overstepping. I'm not asking you to show me your medical records, just to show me your best moves!"

"Yes, senior!" She smiled at him. With the sun behind her, she was but a dark silhouette, yet her teeth flashed white.

"Now, get up. I want to see your forward strike!" After the sword practice - which, strangely felt like something he didn't actually learn anything and was more like a test - he left the sect to check on how the repairs on his carriage were going. He had no choice but to send the bill to his family by falcon. That meant, if Uncle Bael was behind the attack, he would definitely learn of it. Rowan still felt unsettled by the attack. He didn't want it to be his uncle.

The man was a snake and a scumbag, but he was also Ash's father. If Rowan was drawn into a blood feud with Uncle Bael… what would happen to his relationship with Ash? The mastermind could've also easily been Jan Shuman, the leader of the retinue. Not only was he Uncle Bael's right-hand man, but also his brother-in-law. And a mortal. This could've been a ploy by Jan to kill Rowan out of a misplaced sense of loyalty, or to gain favor. Or, maybe it was someone else entirely.

Maybe someone wanted to pry open the rift between nephew and uncle, causing irreparable damage. Whoever it was, Rowan couldn't be rash. To kill a direct descendant of the family - they had guts, if nothing else. He wandered through the city as he waited for the finishing touches on his carriage to conclude. As his feet moved, he thought about the bloodstone. The senior within it. Rowan should get rid of it.

Now that he knew it was a living qi artifact, one with the power to access his mind and send messages into it, he would be the biggest fool in the world to keep it. Especially after how his father died. Rowan had a lifelong enmity with the demonic faction. He should turn it in right away. It was dangerous. The selfish desire to keep such a thing was a classic scenario for how people started down the demonic path. A mortal finding a strange scripture written in ink that wriggled and bled resentment?

A man with heavy debt and no prospects realizing he could turn the lifeblood of his village into a Human Pill? A heartbroken widow, feeling something strange trying to claw out from her husband's coffin, going over for a look… Along with all these classics, there was, of course, the demon trapped in an object who spoke words of honey. Though, his demon hadn't quite understood that last bit. It had tried to leave his possession at the first possible opportunity after evaluating him. That increased his hesitance too.

Maybe it wasn't a demon, but an artifact spirit. Some powerful objects gained sentience after a while. Rowan would be equally the fool to throw away his big fortune because it had a personality. Lost in thought, he stiffened, realizing he'd entered a poorer, more ramshackle district. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The alley was lined with beggars. His eyes went to a girl, dressed in dirty sack cloth, with a wide straw hat covering her lowered head.

As people passed through, she shook a jingling cup. Most ignored her. After a moment, a well-dressed child doubled back from his parents, tossing a silver tael into her cup. She grabbed his arm before he could leave. Her grip was sturdy, unrelenting. The boy stood there in shock.

"Good child," she rasped out.

"Take this blessing - don't share it with anyone. It is yours and yours alone." The boy was no longer being gripped. In a flash, he now held a small booklet in his hand. He gaped at the empty spot where she had just been, then grasped the booklet like his life depended on it.

"Immortal," he whispered reverently as he dropped to his knees. Rowan narrowed his eyes. The little boy may have lost track of her, but he knew while the boy had been distracted she'd just moved further up the alley. She held out the cup again to passersby. Clink. The girl slowly looked up at Rowan, a coin falling into her cup. Silver eyes met his own. The crescent moon on her forehead radiated profound mystery.

"Oh. It's you," she said.

"Don't you think you should at least be in Qi Refining before playing at being a mysterious wandering immortal?" he asked, voice dry enough to wither a forest. From the spiritual pressure she exerted, he could tell that her Qi Sea was denser and more powerful than his, but she was still within the same realm as him. If he had to make an educated guess, he would place her at layer five or six of Qi Condensation. She dropped the posture of a helpless beggar, leaning back on her arms languidly.

"I wander, and I'm a cultivator. And, I'm very mysterious, thank you very much. I think I meet the qualifications." Although she grinned - and her canines seemed strangely sharp - Rowan thought her voice held a shade of embarrassment at getting caught.

"Besides, even scraps from a Qi Condensation cultivator are priceless. We should reward those with pure hearts, showing them the path of the dao!" Rowan shook his head in amusement.

"Hell, forget mortals - if you have any more scraps, I'll take them."

"But how do I know if you're pure of heart or not?"

"I gave you a coin, didn't I?"

"Thought that was just repayment for ruining my meal. One copper doesn't cover the bill, by the way." She stood up and brushed dirt from her sack-dress. Even in the ugly piece of clothing, she looked beautiful. She twirled in place, and suddenly the outfit was replaced by her usual high-quality black robes. The straw hat remained on her head.

"My name is Blaise, daoist name Dark Raven. Independent cultivator. I prefer my given name."

"You do?"

"Dark Raven doesn't sound nearly mysterious enough. I chose it when I was young and uncultured. Now I'm stuck with it." Rowan didn't see how she could be 'stuck' with a name as an independent cultivator, but he doubted that she was. Independent cultivators were usually very poor. If Blaise was anything, it was clearly wealthy. Especially for her age and realm. That wasn't even to mention how she hadn't given him a surname. He decided not to press. It wasn't his business.

"I'm Rowan Helsing," he introduced.

"Mm? Helsing?" She put a finger to her chin in thought.

"I may have heard that name before. No daoist title?"

"I just formed my Qi Sea two days ago. Wouldn't giving myself a title already be a little presumptuous?"

"I've met mortals with daoist names." She laughed, the sound like silver bells. It was a little cruel.

"Nevermind that - congratulations on forming your Qi Sea, and taking your first step on the path to immortality. It's a big accomplishment." Blaise sounded utterly sincere. Rowan was taken aback for a second, realizing this was the first congratulations he'd gotten. Usually, upon forming a Qi Sea, a big celebration would be held and the kid would receive a mountain of gifts.

Rowan, who was already behind, and without parents left to hold a party for him, doubted he would receive so much as a muttered 'finally' from anyone. Thus, he was even more shocked when she handed him a scroll. She winked.

"Your first-step present." An art? Perhaps a portrait that could help with focus? It was more likely to be an itemized bill from the restaurant. He unscrolled it, finding that it was a map of Deepwhale Pier and the surrounding area. Not the entire peninsula, but at the bottom, it even showed Righteous Mountain. A certain location between the two spots had been circled.

"I've heard rumor of a secret cave. The inheritance of a powerful cultivator from a past era," said Blaise.

"It's said to be guarded by a legendary demonic beast, though it's likely dead by now. You can have the honor of accompanying me. If there are any benefits, we can split them. How about it?" A pause. Rowan lifted a hand to run through his hair, remembering halfway that he'd put it up with a white ribbon.

"I'm sorry. I don't have time for an adventure." His lips thinned.

"I appreciate the offer, though." An inheritance ground from a past era? Is she crazy? I know I'm nothing special, but she shouldn't overestimate herself either. Also - can this information even be trusted? This girl doesn't seem to have too much common sense… His reluctance was obvious. She merely shrugged, turning away.

"You're a bit of a stick in the mud, aren't you? Well, I can't force good fortune upon you. See you around, Rowan Helsing. Or not." He watched her go, disappearing around a corner.

"Rowan!" Ash's voice called out in a panic.

"Brother," said Rowan pleasantly, turning.

"What are you—""Who was that girl you were just talking to? That absolutely gorgeous one-of-a-kind beauty? I only caught a glimpse of her face underneath her straw hat… what on earth did she want with you?"

"We just bumped into each other. She told me about a treasure spot she was going to." Rowan showed Ash the map. The young man's eyebrows pinched.

"That's Blackscale Cove. Are you sure she said she was going there?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, there were a bunch of treasures in there, but my sect cleared it out ages ago. I guess it's not public information." He paused.

"It's extremely dangerous. A great loach made its home there. A few years ago, a group of ten Qi Refining masters from my sect went back to scout the cave to look for hidden chambers they might've missed the first time. They made a small misstep and were all slaughtered by it." All the color drained from Rowan's face.

"So that deadly beast she mentioned is definitely still alive. I should warn her." Ash laughed a little.

"What did you say to me earlier? Beautiful girls aren't worth it, they bring trouble?" Rowan grabbed the map back from Ash.

"I was just trying to make you feel better."

"Hey! I thought that was genuine advice!" Ash sighed softly.

"But, seriously, be careful. I don't care how beautiful she is - if you don't find her in the city or on the road, let it go. Going into that cave is a death sentence. And I treasure my little cousin over any pretty girl."

"How touching, Ash," he muttered. With a flick of his fingers, he tossed over the rank-four jade slip.

"Don't say anything. I looked it over for a few hours - I don't need a month to figure out if I have any compatibility with it. I have no affinity for it at all. Prolonging this and letting you waste weeks of time you could've spent cultivating would be pointless." Ash looked down at the jade slip.

"If you have a child one day who is compatible, I'll teach it to him myself. It belongs to you. I'm just borrowing it." With a nod, Rowan ran off to look for Blaise - the crowds and the large, winding streets - but couldn't find her. He wasn't attached to her or anything. A few chance encounters didn't mean much. And, unlike what his cousin thought, he wasn't bewitched by her looks. She was pretty, yes. But she had congratulated him and given him a present for his first-step.

And even if she was crazy, she had been sincere. The least he could do was pass on a warning.