Right now I had plenty of techniques at my disposal to deal with the female sword cultivator and the five-star awakened bear beast. That wasn’t mentioning regular combat, which had been raised to a whole new level after my consecutive breakthroughs.

  I let out a chuckle, the bubbles rising slowly through the viscous spiritual water. I’d run to the Jagged Sword Mountains in search of inspiration to bring me to the Qi Gathering Realm and well… I’d certainly gone above and beyond.

  Though that was proving to be nothing special when it came to this second life of mine. Perhaps I was actually favoured by the heavens? No, that was a dangerous line of thought.

  Either way, I’d had enough of being disrespected and disregarded for my lack of strength and my techniques. I was a healer and I no longer cared what others thought of my techniques.

  The bear beast swam fast, which was no surprise. It would reach me first. I already had experience fighting against bears, so I knew a few weaknesses of this furry giant.

  I’d encountered my first bear beast while it was poisoned and it had been sluggish and blinded by pain. It just so happened I had a poison technique I needed to test.

  The bear swiped at me with its huge, razor-sharp claws but I found its movements rather slow and its strikes easy to avoid. My perception of energy flows had improved with my breakthroughs and I could see where its qi gathered and intensified. That knowledge told me when it would strike, making dodging as simple as waving a hand.

  With dozens of qi droplets at my disposal I no longer had to be so stingy with my techniques, able to spare plenty to test the poison technique again. The key seemed to be my intent and unique attributes of my qi from my physique.

  I was still figuring out what exactly that unique attribute was but trial and error was the best way to refine any technique. I weaved around the bear’s claws, the beast growing frustrated as I continued to evade.

  It roared, revealing yellow fangs and spewing a torrent of bubbles outwards, impairing visibility. That only served to hinder the beast itself as I had no problem sensing its qi through the torrent.

  I jabbed my fist into its thick fur, my strike shifting its massive bulk as a stream of qi was injected into its body, shifting from vibrant green to dark, toxic green as it travelled. I pressed the full weight of my mind onto the qi as it left my body, willing it to devour and spread.

  The effect was immediate. The bear clawed at the wound, swiping its claws erratically. I was already gone, preparing to defend against the female sword cultivator.

  She had been using her ice blades sporadically, launching them towards us while we battled. Most missed but a few hit the bear, which ended up helping me. Now though, she had reached me in truth and I was put on the back foot.

  Even with a cultivator’s strength and durable body, it was difficult to fight an opponent with a suitably sharp blade. The disciples of the Soaring Sword Sect were renowned for their skill and the quality of their blades.

  Her ice technique froze the ground and even the spiritual water itself, creating dangerous obstacles as I avoided her truly lethal slashes and thrusts. We fell into a steady rhythm, neither of us making progress.

  She couldn’t cut me but I was also hesitant to strike the first blow. In the end the bear broke the stalemate with a savage roar. Its jaws snapped shut on the sword while it slashed at me with its claws in a vicious attack.

  Its internal qi flows were disrupted. My poison qi was rapidly spreading from the entry wound and its fur and flesh were black and rotten on its stomach. Even against a beast one-star above me, the technique was potent.

  For a brief moment the sword cultivator struggled against the bear’s iron jaws as they squeezed the blade of the sword. Unlike the bear, the sword cultivator was only four-star Qi Gathering, the same small realm as I now was.

  Her sword was a Martial grade treasure, but against the powerful awakened beast it was like a china teapot. It shattered into dozens of shards and all the shards of ice in the water melted.

  It seemed as though her technique was connected with her blade, giving me a perfect opportunity to strike. I didn’t need poison to finish her off.

  The stone bottom of the pond cracked as I kicked against it, a burst of speed carrying me through the water towards her. I delivered three rapid strikes in succession, hitting her in the stomach, chest, and head.

  Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she was knocked out. The bear roared, turning its rage back to me as I stole its prey. However, I hadn’t struggled to avoid its strikes before and it was even slower while affected by my poison.

  I delivered another dose and began to incapacitate its limbs one by one. Since completing my breakthroughs less time had passed than it took to burn a stick of incense, but two enemies had already fallen at my hands.

  I’d carefully ensured they were not dead, only knocked out. Cultivators advocated for pulling trouble out at the roots; eradicating nine generations and ensuring no one lived to seek vengeance.

  That would’ve been the smarter decision, but it was impossible to suppress one’s true nature. I was a healer, but also an ambitious man. Killing someone would stop me practising my healing techniques and advancing my cultivation.

  Taking a few risks was a necessity in order to achieve greatness. The battlefield was chaotic, so even if they eventually woke up they couldn’t attack me again without facing the other cultivators and beasts first.

  I kicked off the ground again, swimming towards the surface. It was time to make my grand debut as a Middle stage Qi Gathering Cultivator.

  My strength was exponentially greater than before and I overestimated the force of my kick. A great torrent of water burst forth as I breached the surface of the spirit pond and soared into the air.

  Unfortunately I couldn’t fly yet, nor had I learnt the Drifting Cloud Steps to Master accomplishment, allowing me to drift on the air currents for a brief moment. If only the former Zhao Dan had been more diligent about copying the sect’s techniques into his personal notes…

  Putting aside my ambitions of striding through the skies like those lofty masters, I cast my gaze around the rocky basin. The battlefield was soaked in blood, the heavy scent of blood and steel slamming into me like a hammer moments after I surfaced.

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  Strangely it was less chaotic than before, with the different factions more clear cut than they had been when I arrived at the summit. There were now just three.

  The Soaring Sword Sect had always moved as one cohesive unit, but they were now diminished. Previously the Cloudy Falls Sect had been split into many warring factions.

  Now however, they were acting with a singular purpose. They slaughtered beasts and struck down their blue-robed rivals with ruthless efficiency.

  As the hellish conflict unfolded I found myself transfixed. A few presences pushed down on me as I emerged, but they felt far less oppressive than they had done prior to my breakthroughs.

  Watching the disregard for life on display, I was disappointed. I understood their motivation, having experienced the power of the Ten Ascensions Lily myself. That didn’t mean I agreed with their methods.

  I felt as though I’d become more decisive since coming to this world, but also more vicious. I had no problem with fighting—it was a great way to settle differences and compete. However, needless death was another matter.

  If I wanted to change this world I needed power. I knew this, but until now I’d never had the power required to make a difference. Until now.

  Granted, there were a few five-star cultivators and even a six-star I could sense, but I had the advantage in my potent techniques. My confidence was absolute.

  There was also two petals worth of energy remaining of the Ten Ascensions Lily I had yet to refine, my qi reserves constantly increasing while I fought and observed. The Soaring Sword Sect’s defeat seemed inevitable, while the beasts were no longer coordinated and gradually being slaughtered or forced to retreat.

  I spotted the flaming spear wielder among the red robed figures, my eyes narrowing as he carved through beasts and cultivators with ease. I was only human; letting go of grudges wasn’t easy.

  For now I decided to assist the disciples of my former sect. I had a few allies among them at least, whereas I had no friends in the Soaring Sword Sect and had already put myself at odds with the local beast population. Beating half of them to the edge of death wasn’t the finest way of forging a positive relationship.

  A sudden gust of wind brushed my cheek. I was still falling through the air towards the edge of the pond, unable to adjust my position. Three sharp blades of qi carved apart the air in their wake as they raced towards me.

  An unassuming man in loose fitting blue robes walked through the battlefield as though he was on an evening stroll through a field of flowers. His blade lazily floated back into his scabbard and his face was relaxed.

  He seemed truly uncaring of the carnage unfolding around him. A red robed disciple stepped into his path, their clothes bloody and torn. They brandished a spear and yelled something incoherent as they thrust it at the peaceful man.

  I threw up my hands to guard my face and chest as the three blades of qi sliced into my skin. My tough skin offered little resistance as the sharp qi carved deep wounds along both forearms and my right side.

  As I dropped my arms and landed heavily on the ground, I looked up and saw the man still walking forwards, with the spear wielder nowhere to be seen.

  No, that was wrong. A single drop of blood was splashed onto his cheek like a falling teardrop, a fresh corpse sliced in two at his feet.

  He had reaped a life like wheat in an instant, even as his sword technique carved my defenses apart like tofu. A six-star Qi Gathering cultivator, likely approaching seven-star.

  This otherwise regular fellow was actually the strongest cultivator present, a deadly threat who had decided to make me his target. That was perfect.

  Taking on an opponent two small realms above me was the fastest way to establish my dominance of the battlefield and test my newfound strength. I exhaled, releasing a breath that rose in a cloud of steam as the spiritual water evaporated from my body.

  Mysterious green energy was released from my lungs in a cloud, filling me with energy as the three wounds left by his sword technique healed in a single breath. The man’s unbothered expression finally broke as he raised a single eyebrow.

  “Impressive,” he drawled, as though the very act of speaking was too exhausting. He suddenly frowned. “I was supposed to claim the lily. Die.”

  I blinked and he disappeared. All that remained in his place were a few falling flower petals. Wind blew against the side of my head and I leapt away.

  He’d missed.

  Or so I thought, until I felt hot moisture dripping down my neck and soaking my collar. Reaching up a hand I touched my ear, only to find half of it missing.

  He stood a few metres away from me, his sword still in the scabbard and his face expressionless. I took a deep breath, the wound healing as I exhaled once more. Not fully—I was far from being able to regrow flesh in moments—but enough to stem the bleeding.

  He sniffed and vanished. I tensed, drowning out all my senses except hearing and touch. A breeze. The scent of flowers.

  I twitched, bending backwards. Cold air buffeted my face as I opened my eyes to see his sword passing over my head.

  His eyes widened and I saw a flower petal falling from the tip of his sword. He stepped backwards and I saw his body blurring, but I was already on the move.

  My fist planted itself square on his jaw, his head snapping to the side with a satisfying crack. I saw him cough blood as his body disappeared.

  He reappeared a few metres away, stumbling and spitting blood. I didn’t want to give up the advantage, so I began closing the distance.

  When he saw that he instantly reacted, stomping on his blood and smearing it across the rocky ground in a fluid motion. He drew his sword from its scabbard while I increased my speed and began twisting and writhing on the spot.

  Just before I reached him I kicked against the ground and my leg exploded outwards like lightning. It smashed into his chest, but the impact felt strange. Soft.

  My strike continued onwards, but not a moment later his body exploded into a cloud of petals. Every petal was like a tiny blade, slicing into my skin.

  I winced as dozens of burning wounds appeared across my body. Every petal left behind a drop of sticky orange sap, which began seeping into my blood.

  He attacked again before I had a chance to examine the sap, slashing across my chest in a wide swing filled with openings. As his sword descended I moved to strike the flat of the blade to parry, but found my joints locking up.

  The steel parted my tough skin like tofu, blood spurting in a crimson fountain in its wake. I staggered on the spot, my movements clunky as my ligaments and joints ignored my mind’s command.

  He wasn’t done yet. Even as I gasped for breath, my right lung partially severed, his hand twisted slowly and his sword swirled back towards me.

  I raised a hand, but it felt as though I was dragging it through honey, failing to stop his blade as it lazily sliced my neck. Streams of blood poured down, joining the waterfall of life escaping my body.

  Even then he gazed upon me with utter disregard. He stepped towards me and his sword curved around a third time. His movements looked sluggish while being paradoxically fast, flashing through the air like lightning.

  He thrust the ornate blade into my heart, delivering the final judgement. At once all of my blood started flowing upwards, crimson streams dancing along the blade’s edge. My heartbeat slowed to a crawl and a powerful scent of orchids crawled under my skin, my vision blurring.

  This was unfair.

  The difference in cultivation was one thing, but his ridiculous technique was another. Against another six-star cultivator, I might have had a chance of victory, but this was an awful matchup.

  I grew dizzy with the scent of orchids and iron, my mouth filled with blood. My heart thumped weakly, a final protest against the blade lodged inside it.

  This kept happening. Against the spirit snake. Before my breakthrough to one-star Qi Gathering at the end of the fire cultivator’s spear. And at my new peak, the most powerful I’d ever been, I’d still lost.

  It stung.

  And that wasn’t just the sap in my wounds, though most of it had been burned away by my qi by now. I’d lost too much blood to move my limbs, despite the joints no longer being jammed.

  Another heady burst of flowers struck me, threatening to tip me over the edge. I was dancing the line between life and death, my performance fast approaching its end.

  I frowned, the small movement sending bursts of pain down my neck. This fresh scent was different to the man’s technique. It was familiar.

  The scent of lilies.