The camp grew faster than it thinned. For each group that left for one of the other mountains—Sorrow and Joy—in the morning, two more joined. The more people that joined, the faster others wanted to leave. Hao was one of them. He’d rather get soaked by the cannonball-like rain than wait for lightning, pot-sized falling ice, or sundown. The day was already a rope cut and frayed.

  The tent kept the rain out. But the sound of rain hitting it made having a conversation an uphill battle. There was constant drumming. It seemed each large raindrop wanted to be louder than the last; only twice was there a reprieve from the noise.

  Still, just having a quick meal sitting across from another person made Hao’s shoulder feel a little lighter. Dong Lingli spoke between bites, like he always did. Unaware of Hao’s session of Cultivation or his possession of the Trial pass. He told jokes and gave advice. Even mentioned a few of his intentions, what Lingli wanted to do in the Secret Realm, and more than once he brought up hiding. They did a little trading back and forth. Mostly food for essential items. This sparked jokes about Hao forgetting to bring shoes when he went to go outside.

  Hao was listening to both Lingli and the voices outside. Luckily, severing the memories from the trial pass seemed to kill their will, it was one less voice around him. It just seemed like a story he read on paper now. One he kept and mind but didn’t want to read again. He had heard it enough already.

  Outside, every other voice was talking. Packed shelters, and even some wandering outside. “There is no point in staying here any longer. More groups are coming this way. A big one with a haughty brat at the lead.” They were talking of leaving despite the weather. Tensions were already high, the weather could only worsen moods. No one wanted to be around when someone finally sparked a battle.

  No, I’m sure a few are eager to have bloodshed. Hao’s head fell forward.

  “So, what are your plans after you leave Brother Hao?” Lingli said, pushing his hands close to the fire. His fingers and arms shivered.

  What are my plans… I let myself get distracted. Hao lifted his head, he was not aware that his head was sinking down as he listened to all he could around him. “I’m going to head towards the Mountain to the north. If I’m welcomed, I will take my share of Amethyst. If fate is kind, I’ll steal a few good treasures while I’m at it.”

  The two laughed, but Hao’s chin slowly leaned down again as he went into the thought. I’ve delayed taking the polarity flower for too long. One day was too long. I should have gone to that mountain as soon as possible.

  Hao focused down, letting World Energy travel through his body. Not enough for Lingli, who was still warming his hands to notice. There were one or two voices Hao could easily pick out. They were from the group of Two Rivers Fort muscle heads that took a bold stance for the Polarity flower.

  A few other groups, too, but not all of them. He heard the voice of sword-face’s scout speaking twice throughout their meal, but he never heard sword-face’s voice. It gave Hao a secondary sense of urgency.

  There was a lot on his mind and a lot on his plate he had yet to poke with his fork. He had yet to touch a single Amethyst. As for the trial, the story told, heard, and witnessed about being that truly transcended mortality had a certain allure to it. Even with all the creeping feelings he got from it. A temptation poked at him. He wanted nothing to do with it. Once he decided that, he couldn’t stop thinking of the potential legacy the Immortal and the tree left behind.

  It’s just their right outside. A short walk into the mountain with the pass in my hand. Hao forced the thought away. It made him mimic washing his dry hands. His whole body felt like it was wrapped in spider webs. The one that spun it tugging on him. Perhaps it was better not to know.

  Hao stood, his stomach was full, too full. He wasn’t used to eating, most of his meals were to heal or for company and there was no company in the Secret Realm but Dong Lingli so far. He regretted trying to keep up with the man in terms of food plucked from the fire. But he took the discomfort, for how little long it lasted, a sort of celebration.

  Lingli said nothing as Hao approached one of the tent’s two exits. Both would miss the company.

  Hao alone would miss the shelter, taking a small piece of it as a bandage on his shoulder. But it was not alone in company Hao reveled, he had a certain love for the loneliness that came with his life as a Cultivator. A life he long embraced in cave and cavern.

  At the end of the tent, near the flap that bounced in the wind, he heard the groups outside even clearer. There was no better chance of sneaking out of the camp with little to no suspicion of him when there was a group doing the last of their packing to move on.

  Hao turned back a moment, cupping his hands to Dong Lingli, who stood and performed the gesture back. They didn’t bow to each other, but there was a sign of respect that was earnest. “Brother Lingli. The ocean is deep, but the streams connecting it are shallow. Our paths are not the same, but all paths lead to the same place. We will meet again.”

  It was a long-winded farewell, but it felt appropriate. Hao took out a few things as he left, organizing a repayment for the shelter and the many useful things he learned from the man. Even if the answer he got only caused more questions to grow. A holding bag appeared in Hao’s hand, with a few jars of wine and two-thirds of the rations of the man he killed just a thousand steps from here. And the man’s sword. Lingli probably had a weapon of his own, but a spare blade in a spare holding back could serve him well.

  Lingli didn’t see it, his head turned away, he shook it like he was disappointed. “Brother Hao… I hope you find sugar for your jam before we next meet. And be sure not to forget, I, Dong Lingli…”

  His words stopped short, a small brown satchel hitting his face and landing on top of his cupped hands. Lingli caught it looking up. The flap of the tent moved. A little bit of rain came in, one streak of lightning, a blast of stiff wind. Then, it was silent except for the bustle of people. Hao, the scary young fellow, was gone. Lingli paced in a circle alone.

  Dong Lingli let out a long sigh. He stretched, kicking a piece of wood into the fire. coals scattered, ash floated. Two good days were more than he was expecting since he entered the Secret Realm under his Senior Brother’s request. Lingli turned, finding his large bag, walking to it while he tied the new holding bag to his waist on the inside of his robe, it was ill advised to show off wealth even if the bags were empty they could catch a sour seniors eye.

  “A fascinating person, half-Islander from Drifting Stream. Master would love to hear his story, whatever it may be.” Master… Lingli, alone in the tent, returned to tools and tinkering. His face swelled with determination, behind the determination, almost hidden behind his eyes, a silent worry. Master…

  *

  Hao was a few steps away from the tent, he let out a chuckle. Find sugar… He could still laugh, that was good. The killing the other night and the trail pass made him feel like a different creature altogether.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  He looked up at the sky, he had more reason than just seeking treasure to leave; he wanted a long cultivation session in the lightning to shake off the feeling of ghostly threads that lingered on him.

  It was an opportune time to leave, as well. A few people were gathering at the camp’s edge, the same place he first entered from. They were heading in the same direction as the group that had left the morning prior. Where he was headed, the mountain he now knew as Sorrow.

  The group was standing in an odd formation, taking tent posts and tall sticks to hold up a giant cloth. It created a sort of odd parasol sagging in the middle from gathering water. Hao could see how that would end before they made it to the mountain. Poor fools.

  Hao walked over in a hurry, joining the group. He checked his hair, making sure it was still gray. Even if they learned his face and knew which sect he was from, they wouldn’t know his origins.

  He fit right in at the back of the group. A few looked at him come over, and they didn’t seem to care, looking away after giving him an up and down. Hao could pick apart all their words. They were practically yelling to speak to each other, the sound of the rain was louder under the ‘parasol’ than inside Lingli’s tent.

  Only one other person stood so far back, beside two poor stick holders. A lady, features plucked from the typical Islander kid drawing of a person on land. Pale skin, black hair, and blue eyes, but they were dull, almost gray. She gave Hao the same look as the rest of the people standing up front.

  Hao stood a few steps from her. It was as close as he could get to the front with comfort and far enough away from the two behind him, holding sticks and snarling. All he had to do was mind his business until they were out of the camp and he could get away from them.

  Sneak off and cultivate the storm and find the Polarity Flower. He could ignore Li Tuzai’s advice and do both at the same time. If whatever a Heart Demon Tuzai mentioned before was what he thought it was, it burst forth once already.

  “Alright, let’s get going. We have to beat the ice at the very least.” A man up front yelled.

  One of the men carrying the sticks holding up the cloth, the front right corner, walked before the rest, his stick bent and popped from the cloth. All the water to the last drop sliding down, falling over his head. He was soaked down to the bone. He showed off his vast vocabulary. One by one, he pulled out every swear and slur he knew. He had a few for Islanders, Hao didn’t mind; he was just angry, but his misfortune brought some entertainment.

  Hao laughed a little while they recovered the stick. A new person took that position, and the parasol collected water the same way again.

  “They will laugh at their friend, but they might not take kindly to someone else joining in their fun…” The woman at Hao’s side spoke, her voice matter-of-fact, until she made eye contact with Hao.

  “Are you not with them?” Hao asked, not sure why he spoke up. He was more curious about the face she was making than her relation to the group she was traveling with.

  She seemed surprised looking at him, her whole body spun back twice as fast as when she first turned. “Just be careful.” Her words became formal and tone honeyed.

  Hao took notice of a burn on her hand. She shielded it from the wind, yet to blister but burning red. “Are you hurt?” Hao asked, still unsure for what purpose he was speaking. Perhaps talking to Li Tuzai so much made his lips looser. A bit of his chatter problem was passed to him.

  The lady turned again, just a half turn, holding up her hand. She looked down at it. “Just a burn. A fire inside a tent with wooden supports can be dangerous,” she dismissed it with a chuckle, her eyes shot up to Hao’s face for just a moment.

  Hao turned away from her for a second, his back to her, which was strange enough in the middle of a conversation. He took that white root he used to numb his own pain. He chewed it—not that he would tell her that—mixed with some of the Feline Demonic Beast fat that was still in the cauldron, floating in the Spirit-Holding bag’s space.

  He barely thought of his actions. His mind was occupied with a thought. I’m capable of more than killing. I can do a few good things, like heal. Zhengqi taught me a bit.

  Hao grabbed her wrist the moment he turned, and she tried to pull back for a moment, but she saw the bandages in his hand. He just got a fair amount from Lingli on a trade.

  He spread the ‘ointment’ first, and she flinched, but a refreshed feeling grew over her frown. The bandage didn’t cause her any pain as it was tied off.

  Hao done, raised his head from her hand to her eyes. “There, how is…” he shut up, seeing her bright red face. He stuttered, confused.

  She pulled her hand away, giving him a few glances as she turned her body away. The group was ready to move again, and a few steps were taken.

  Hao caught up to her; scratching his head wasn’t going to do anything. But he didn’t know why she was so angry. “I’m sorry, I…” Why am I sorry? I used a piece of a valuable herb, some of the bandage I had to trade for. He had a lot to say, but she turned and grabbed his outstretched hand with her bandaged hand before he could say anything, which sealed his lips. A tingle went down to his toes.

  “I’m Bai Ling. What’s your name?” She asked, her eyes avoiding Hao.

  Hao couldn’t answer. His mind raced, is this flirting? Meiqi told me about such a custom. It was foreign to Hao. On the Island, a man proved his worth. A marriage was arranged mostly with another island. Husband and Wife coated each other with pearls they found throughout their life. Then the babies were made. Yet here he was stunned. His brain felt like it was being massaged by her scent.

  I could have an entire conversation with Brother Lingli and Brother Yi Shou. For crying out loud, I can talk to Meiqi and Zhengqi just fine, too. They are much prettier than this lady.

  She was good-looking. A few years older than Hao, soft features, thin lips, with sharp eyes. Very pretty. Hao was about to speak; one of Meiqi’s many tasks was improving his etiquette and social skills. He had no ulterior motive. None at all; he was just a teenage Cultivator.

  Just when his lips parted, another voice called out from the front of the parasol. “Hey! Look! They were right; there is another group arriving, and they look like trouble. Blue Robes! Drifting Stream members it looks like! A big group and look at the one in front.”

  Every person under the parasol looked back while walking. Hao joined their curiosity, as did the Bai Ling.

  Just as Hao looked at him, he heard his voice, “Where is he then! He left marks all the way here, and he mysteriously disappears. Wouldn’t he have betrayed us?” Mo Bangcai screamed, near a tantrum as he walked towards the camp. He took the knife out of his leather belt, pointed around with them, put one back, then the other, grabbing a third knife different from the first two.

  The words of the people around him couldn’t be heard over the drum of a parasol, but they looked to be calming him, attempting to anyway.

  All of Hao’s actions froze when he saw the man, the primary culprit. Hao looked at all of them walking in that group, his hand being tugged by the woman still walking. It was not one hunting team but two. One person was missing. A group of nine, one of the ten Hao already killed. Finally, Hao thought.

  “Mo Bangcai…” A growl escaped his throat. He felt a sudden thirst and hunger. He was ravenous, he could paint the camp, kill them all. Would they stand a chance? If I surprised them right now, what would be their cultivation ranks? Each one is right there. All that’s left is to…

  “Is that your name…”

  Hao turned to look at the woman who was speaking, she turned back to look at him. The moment her eyes touched his, her smile melted. The marks of red on her cheeks faded to a pale white. He could feel her fingers, which held tight to his hand, go loose. Her hand ripped from his. The bandage tore as fear consumed her face. She slipped, nearly falling, her back close to slamming into the ground.

  Hao reacted with his world energy for a moment, bursting out as he used the Seven Colored Steps to catch her. He helped her stay up, but that face of fear didn’t fade, not for a while.

  Hao didn’t look back again. He had to keep that part caged for a while longer. His goal was more than getting himself killed.

  “Bai Ling, was it… I hope you leave the Mid-Summer cave safe and rich…” Hao said, waiting for his opportunity to disappear. That reaction right now, that was what he was expecting when she first saw him.

  Bai Ling ran ahead, keeping a few steps ahead of Hao. By the time she turned to speak again, Hao was already gone. Lightning curved through the sky, hitting the parasol. It seemed like he was swallowed by the storm.