017 The Orthodox Unorthodoxy
We stepped beyond the archway, leaving the arena behind. The energy of the crowd still lingered—cheers, laughter, and the occasional groan from those who had wagered their entire purse on the wrong contender.
Gu Jie held the fishbowl close, her arms wrapped around it as if cradling a sacred relic. Inside, Ren Jingyi swam lazily, unbothered by the festival's commotion.
"Master, shouldn't we collect your winnings?" Gu Jie asked, quickening her pace to match mine.
I sighed. "Apparently, I am not a very good gambler."
She tilted her head. "Eh? You lost?"
There was something amusing about her reaction, as if she had truly expected me to win. Did she think I was some all-knowing sage? Dangerous. But if she wished to believe it, that wasn't my fault. As a paladin, deception was unbecoming—but only if one was caught.
"I had a feeling Feng Yi would lose," I admitted. "Betting on the underdog felt like the right thing to do."
Gu Jie narrowed her eyes. "Master… do you know you have a strange sense of humor?"
I ignored her and changed the subject. "The Isolation Path Sect—what do you know of them?"
She hesitated. "They're called the Orthodox Unorthodoxy. Unlike other righteous sects, their methods are... unconventional."
"Unconventional?"
She nodded. "They wield strange weapons—chains, wheel blades, implements few would call orthodox. Their sect specializes in hunting demons and those who cultivate demonic arts."
"Demon Hunters, then." That explained the chains.
"But that's not all," she added. "Rumor has it they developed a technique that allows them to transpose demonic arts into non-demonic techniques."
That caught my attention. "Refining demonic techniques?"
"Yes. They purify them, reworking the foundations to suit righteous cultivators. But it is only a rumor."
"Hmm… intriguing." I fell into thought.
"Master?"
"Do they possess any sensory techniques? And if so, how refined?"
Gu Jie frowned. "None that I know of. Why?"
"I see…" I crossed my arms. "Fan Shi was able to glimpse a fraction of my strength, you know?"
Gu Jie blinked. "…What?"
"During the welcoming ceremony," I explained, "she nearly singled me out amid the masses of lesser cultivators and mortals." I studied her expression. "Curious, isn't it?"
Her fingers curled tighter around the fishbowl, as if Ren Jingyi might offer some divine revelation.
"Master…" she said carefully, "just who are you?"
I smirked. "A good question."
A question that I often found myself asking when no one was looking.
The festival streets were alive—hawkers shouting over one another, street performers weaving through the crowds, the scent of sizzling meats and roasted nuts thick in the air. My stomach betrayed me with a low growl.
"Master, should we stop for a meal?" Gu Jie asked.
"Yes," I admitted. "Let's find an eatery."
It didn't take long. A modest establishment stood ahead, its open-air dining space covered by a tiled roof. Cultivators and festival-goers filled the tables, the air fragrant with broth and spice. My stomach growled again in approval.
I knew it was psychological at this point, but xianxia spices just hit differently.
We chose a table near the edge, where we had a clear view of the bustling street. Gu Jie carefully placed Ren Jingyi's fishbowl on the table, ensuring it wouldn't tip over. Inside, the little goldfish swam in slow circles, utterly indifferent to the chaos around her.
A waiter approached, ready to take our orders.
Before anything else, I asked, "Do you have anything a goldfish might eat?"
The waiter blinked, clearly caught off guard. "A goldfish, sir?"
I gestured toward the fishbowl. "Yes, something for her."
"Uh… we have lettuce?"
That seemed safe enough. "That will do. And for us, I'll have a bowl of beef noodle soup. Jie?"
"I'll have the same," she said.
The waiter nodded and hurried off.
I leaned back slightly. "When is the next match?"
Gu Jie sat a little straighter. "Later this afternoon."
"And the contenders?"
"Young Master Lu Gao of the Road Clan will face Young Mistress Bai Ai of the White Clan."
I raised a brow. Lu Gao. I had heard his name more than once already I'm tired of hearing it.
The Road Clan was one of the Seven Grand Clans, their influence stretching across vast lands. Lu Gao was their famed young master—bold, overwhelming in battle, and the closest thing the Riverfall Continent have to a super star.
Bai Ai, on the other hand, was an unfamiliar name.
"This should be interesting," I mused. "Or maybe, I am just repeating myself."
Gu Jie nodded. "It will be… interesting. Uuuh… I think?"
Come on, Gu Jie, you could try a little harder. I could use the hype.
I tapped my fingers against the table. "Tell me about the White Clan."
She folded her hands neatly in her lap, tilting her head in thought. "They are exorcists," she finally said. "A rigid and traditional lineage. They do not look kindly upon the Isolation Path Sect."
I arched a brow. "Why?"
"They detest the idea of the Orthodox Unorthodoxy," she explained. "The White Clan believes in absolute purity—righteous and demonic, good and evil, with no room for ambiguity. Meanwhile, the Isolation Path Sect… blurs those lines. They take demonic techniques and refine them into something righteous, a concept the White Clan finds abhorrent."
That tracked. The White Clan seemed like the type to salt the earth just to ensure nothing impure remained.
"And Bai Ai?" I asked.
Gu Jie hesitated. "I know little of her… other than the fact she is called an ice-cold beauty."
I snorted. "Of course."
Just then, the waiter returned. A steaming bowl of beef noodle soup was placed before me, the rich aroma of the broth stirring my appetite. Another bowl was set before Gu Jie, and finally, a small plate of crisp lettuce was placed in front of Ren Jingyi's fishbowl.
Gu Jie immediately reached over, tearing off small bits of lettuce and dropping them into the water. Ren Jingyi nibbled at them, her tiny body giving a pleased little wiggle. A faint softness crossed Gu Jie's expression as she watched.
Meanwhile, I picked up my chopsticks, stirred my soup, and took a slow sip of the broth. The warmth spread through me—deep, savory, with just the right hint of spice. It was the kind of meal that reminded a man that simple food, made with care, could be its own kind of luxury.
For a while, we ate in quiet contentment, the clamor of the festival fading into the background.
It was a bad habit to speak while eating, but watching Gu Jie, I found it difficult to hold my tongue.
I frowned.
She looked thinner than yesterday. To ordinary eyes, there was no difference—but my perception told me otherwise. The slight hollowness in her cheeks, the almost imperceptible sluggishness in her movements, the forced ease with which she carried herself. It was subtle. Too subtle for most to notice.
I set down my chopsticks. This wasn't normal.
"How is your cultivation?" I asked.
"Terrible."
Blunt. Honest. Concerning.
I leaned back, narrowing my eyes. "You're hiding something."
Gu Jie stiffened. A moment later, she lowered her head. "Forgive me, Master. I did not mean to deceive you."
"Then don't." My voice came out sharper than I intended. I gestured at her. "Explain this. You look worse than yesterday. How is that even possible?"
A flicker of hesitation crossed her face before she sighed, as if resigning herself to the inevitable. "The cultivation technique I practice—Delayed Destiny of the Demonic Path—comes at a price. It allows me to suppress my Sixth Sense Misfortune bloodline ability, preventing the worst of the calamities that would have already taken my life."
I did not like where this was going.
"And the cost?"
She gripped her chopsticks a little tighter. "The technique preserves my fate by sacrificing my body. The longer I delay my misfortune, the more my health declines. Originally, it allowed me to misdirect disaster onto my foes by expending qi, but…" She hesitated. "Ever since I fell to the First Realm, I can no longer use it properly. Without sufficient qi, I now pay the price with my life force instead."
I exhaled slowly, rubbing my temple. "So what you're telling me is… even if I heal you, you'll just end up back in this miserable state?"
"Yes."
Damn.
So that was it.
That was why she clung to me.
Not just out of gratitude. Not just for protection. She wasn't merely following me—she was waiting for me to notice.
And that angered me.
Not because she sought my help, but because she never asked. She chose to endure, playing this silent game, hoping I would eventually see through it. What if I hadn't? What if I had simply ignored it?
I tapped my fingers against the table, forcing down my frustration.
Healing her wasn't the problem—healing was easy. But what came after? If her cultivation method continued to devour her, she would inevitably return to this state. Fixing her wasn't just a matter of mending wounds. I needed to break the cycle.
But how?
I picked up my chopsticks again, staring into the broth as if it held the answer.
I'll have to think on this.
For now…
I sighed. "You should have told me sooner, Jie."
She flinched. "I—"
I raised a hand, cutting her off. "We'll figure something out. But first, eat. You need it more than I do."
She blinked, startled. For a brief moment, I saw something flicker across her expression—something close to relief. Then, slowly, she picked up her chopsticks.
I sighed again.
This woman is a handful.
018 Delayed Destiny
A walk after lunch.
The further we went, the quieter the city became. While the festival's main streets still bustled with energy, this forested part of Yellow Dragon City had a more subdued air. Guards patrolled the paths, their armor gleaming in the afternoon sun. Families picnicked beneath the trees, enjoying the festival in their own way. Vendors had set up along the road, selling roasted snacks, carved talismans, and fragrant teas brewed from local herbs.
Gu Jie walked beside me, carrying the fishbowl as if it were a rare treasure. Within, Ren Jingyi swam in slow, lazy circles—either appreciating the scenery or entirely indifferent to it.
I glanced around and let out a low whistle. "Quite the celebration."
Eventually, we arrived at a secluded waterfall. Water cascaded over smooth stone, pooling into a shallow basin before flowing downstream. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and moss. A peaceful retreat—exactly what I needed.
I settled onto a broad, flat rock. Gu Jie, however, remained standing, watching me carefully.
"Master, is something amiss?" she finally asked. "Why have we come here?"
I rested my elbows on my knees and exhaled. "We need to talk."
Gu Jie nodded. "I understand."
I studied her for a moment before getting to the point. "Tell me about the cultivation methods your old master taught you."
She hesitated for only a heartbeat. "There were two. Aside from Delayed Destiny of the Demonic Path, he also passed down the Demonic Worshipping Mantra."
I frowned. "And what does that do?"
"It forces the disciple to revere the one who bestowed the technique upon them. And then… If the disciple practicing the technique is… consumed—"
I blinked. "Wait. Consumed?"
Gu Jie's expression remained placid. "Yes. If the disciple is devoured, the effect multiplies tenfold. If they are refined into a pill, it multiplies twentyfold."
I stared at her. Then I leaned back on my hands. "That escalated quickly."
She continued, unperturbed. "Once one begins cultivating it, they cannot stop. If they do, they will suffer hallucinations."
I inhaled sharply. A technique like that wasn't merely a method of control—it was a trap. A leash that turned the disciple into a resource. The longer they cultivated, the more valuable they became. And when their master deemed it time, they would be harvested—worth more as an elixir than as a person.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Gu Jie."
"Yes, Master?"
"Did you ever practice it?"
She met my gaze without a flicker of hesitation. "Not anymore. I am… luckier than most…."
I held her stare, searching for any sign of uncertainty. There was none.
I exhaled. "Good."
If she had, she would have been shackled in more ways than one.
Gu Jie stepped to the water's edge, gazing down at her reflection. The rippling surface distorted her image, but she paid it no mind.
"I ceased practicing the Demonic Worshipping Mantra the moment I escaped my former master's grasp," she said calmly.
I tilted my head. "Is he dead?"
"Yes. He self-destructed in battle against the righteous sects that hunted him."
I nodded, relieved. At least there would be no old demon master lurking in the shadows, seeking vengeance. The last thing I needed was some lunatic trying to reclaim his wayward disciple—or worse, deciding I'd make a fine addition to the menu.
Gu Jie continued, "Since then, I have lived as a beggar and a bandit—until I met you, Master."
Her voice was steady, but beneath that calm exterior lay years of hardship and struggle. I didn't press. If she wished to share more, she would do so in her own time.
Instead, I asked, "Why do you wish to follow me?"
She turned, blinking as if the answer should have been obvious. "To repay you with my gratitude."
Still not honest with herself. Fine. If she wanted to keep up the act, I wouldn't call her out—yet.
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "Did you have any plans for dealing with your condition?"
Gu Jie's cultivation technique, Delayed Destiny of the Demonic Path, was as fascinating as it was horrifying. It allowed her to redirect misfortune, but at the cost of her own vitality. There was no way someone cultivating such a method hadn't considered an alternative.
She was silent for a moment before answering, "I intended to endure it until my death."
I frowned. "And now?"
Gu Jie met my gaze.
"I have hope."
For the first time since I met her, I saw something different in her expression. It wasn't just obedience or quiet resignation. It was fragile but determined—like an ember refusing to be snuffed out.
I let out a slow breath. "Then let's make sure you don't waste it."
Gu Jie stood by the water's edge, her grip tightening on the fishbowl's handle. The waterfall roared softly behind us, mist cooling the air. She stared at the rushing water as if gathering her thoughts.
"I heard rumors that the Isolation Path Sect would be coming to Yellow Dragon City," she finally said. "So I traveled here. As a last resort, I had hoped they might accept me as a disciple, that they could refine my Delayed Destiny of the Demonic Path to a level I could properly wield."
She let out a quiet, humorless laugh. "More likely, they would have killed me for being a demonic cultivator. Their reputation for exterminating demons is… absolute."
I hummed in thought, picking up a smooth stone from the riverbank. With a flick of my wrist, I sent it skipping across the water—one, two, three, four times before it sank.
Then, without looking at her, I asked, "What do you truly want, Gu Jie?"
Silence stretched between us.
Then, with a deep bow, she said, "Please take me in as your disciple."
I dusted off my hands and stood. "Let's go to the Isolation Path Sect and have them refine your technique."
Gu Jie's breath hitched. "M-Master…"
Disciple? Nah… That was a rather flimsy solution…
What was I even supposed to teach her? How to troll others in PvP? How to complete the main quest in the shortest time possible without the need for any lore knowledge? Just what? Yeah, I thought so… It wasn't like I could ordain her as a paladin here and there.
I glanced at Gu Jie. "Does it have to be the Isolation Path Sect? What about the City Governor? From how people speak of him, he seems to possess profound wisdom. Sounds like a chill dude too…"
Gu Jie blinked, as if I had just suggested we defy the heavens. "S-Surely, you jest, Master."
I knew I was being naive. But after spending the past few days with Gu Jie, I had come to understand what kind of person she truly was.
She disliked greens but still forced herself to eat them. She enjoyed soup, savoring the warmth that spread through her stomach. She never complained about errands, believing that being useful was in both our best interests.
She had been a bandit, yet she was painfully naive.
If she ever attempted scheming, she'd likely think herself cunning—when in reality, she'd just be adorably foolish.
I sighed. I never thought I'd meet someone more naive than myself.
The only reason she had survived this long was her Sixth Sense Misfortune ability. Otherwise, at First Realm, First Star—the lowest of the low—she should have perished long ago.
I stretched my arms, rolled my shoulders, and turned toward her.
"Let's go."
Calling Gu Jie naive was like the pot calling the kettle black.
Still, I was far better off than her. At least I had a plan.
Persevering until death? That wasn't a plan—it was surrender.
Sure, she could gamble on the Isolation Path Sect taking her in, but that was just blind hope. A proper plan required more than deciding and waiting for a result—it required forethought, strategy.
And not to boast about my maxed-out Paladin intelligence, but surely, I could come up with something better.
So, naturally, we went back to the goldfish stall.
The same one where I had fished out Ren Jingyi.
The old man running the stall looked up from his seat, squinting at me. His wrinkled face bore the weight of countless regretful business decisions. I leaned on the counter, flashing him my most winning smile.
"Hey, old man," I said, "can you introduce us to the City Governor? Or better yet, the Isolation Path Sect?"
Gu Jie stiffened, looking like a fish out of water.
The old man looked like he had just swallowed a fishbone.
"Please, do your customer a favor. Come on, old man."
The goldfish stall owner flinched. "Wu-wu-wu-what?"
He was playing dumb. A classic move for someone of his caliber.
"Stop pretending, I knew for some time already," I sighed, shaking my head with exaggerated disappointment. "Was it fun, old man? Toying with my heart, only to suddenly pretend you don't know me after all the time we spent together?"
The old man gawked at me. "What nonsense is this brat spouting?!"
Ignoring Gu Jie's bewildered stare, I leaned in, lowering my voice just enough to make him think I knew more than I actually did. "I get it. Mingling with common folk must be amusing. It keeps you grounded."
The old man tensed—just for a fraction of a second. Then he scowled. "What in the forsaken, goddamned heavens are you talking about? You know what? You're interfering with my business."
And just like that, he started packing up.
Ah. Retreating.
I had to press harder.
"Come on, old man," I said, stepping closer. "After rigging the game for so long, now that you're about to be exposed, you're running away?"
The old man stiffened. "Rigged? I am an honest businessman!"
"Oh yeah? Tell that to my eighty-seven losses. And the eighty-seven times you sabotaged me with qi."
Gu Jie choked on air.
The old man froze.
I couldn't see qi. But with my Perception, Wisdom, and Intelligence maxed out, I could brute-force my way into deducing its existence.
And this old man?
Definitely not some random villager running a goldfish stall.
No, this guy was a big shot.
And he could help us.
The old man regained his composure and huffed. "I don't know what you're talking about."
People were starting to gather. I could hear the whispers.
"What's happening?"
"That's the weird goldfish guy, right?"
"Is he picking a fight with Old Man Jiang?"
Gu Jie tugged at my sleeve, her face flushing red. "Master, let's go… This is… embarrassing."
I ignored her. The old man had already taken the bait.
Realizing the growing audience, he doubled down—and oh, did he go on a mean streak.
"Ah, if anything, this was a skill issue!" he sneered, throwing his hands up dramatically. "You failed eighty-seven times? Are you an idiot? What are you going to do about it? Hit me? Pretend you're a cultivator?"
I exhaled through my nose.
"Come on, come on, try me!" The old man slammed his palm on the stall. "I'll put you in your place, you good-for-nothing! Come on! Hit me!"
The crowd gasped.
Gu Jie's grip on my sleeve tightened.
I just stared at the old man.
He grinned triumphantly. "Hah! Don't blame me if you can't win a simple game! It's your fault, kid! A skill issue! Eh? Eh? What now? Gonna hit me?"
…
Ugh.
This vindictive old man.
019 Phoenix Feather
Jiang Zhen rarely had the chance to slip away from the Sect and enjoy himself.
Most of the time, the Elders would throw a fit—or worse, threaten self-harm.
"Sect Master, if you leave now, I will set myself on fire!"
"Sect Master, if you disappear again, I shall starve myself to death!"
"Sect Master, we are still recovering from last time! What if another demonic beast appears?"
Jiang Zhen sighed.
It wasn't his fault they were so dramatic.
This time, however, he had a decent excuse.
A Sacred Beast, the spirit fish known as Lake Marigold, had succumbed to demonic corruption. As the leader of the Isolation Path Sect, it was his duty to handle it.
Which, of course, he did.
Effortlessly.
With the matter swiftly resolved, Jiang Zhen saw an opportunity. Using a Shapeshifting Technique, he blended into a group of disciples and an Elder headed for Yellow Dragon City under the guise of diplomatic relations.
He knew better.
They were after some treasure at an auction.
Jiang Zhen, however, had no interest in some trivial bauble. The Elders could handle that mess themselves.
His interest lay elsewhere—
Selling goldfish.
More specifically, the offspring of Lake Marigold.
Each fish carried a trace of spirituality, and one in a thousand possessed the potential to awaken their spark. A harmless little experiment. Jiang Zhen wasn't a monster; he didn't force anything upon the fish. If fate deemed one worthy, so be it.
Of course, simply selling them wouldn't be any fun.
So, naturally—
He disguised himself as an ordinary old man.
And thus, his goldfish arcade stall was born.
A little game of chance. A test of destiny.
Purely for research.
Definitely not because he found it amusing.
…
Maybe.
And then, the strange youth arrived.
Jiang Zhen had seen countless cultivators in his time.
But this one?
This one was odd.
At first glance, he almost mistook the young man for a true mortal. The boy's stealth technique was exceptional—nearly on par with Jiang Zhen's own.
Almost.
Unfortunately for the kid, Jiang Zhen wasn't blind.
The boy's frame was compact, refined—deceptively powerful. His muscles weren't those of a mere laborer. There was intent behind their development, the kind honed through rigorous Body-Tempering techniques.
And that was the problem.
Stealth and Body-Tempering did not mix well. Their principles clashed. The Sword Canopy Sect had two renowned techniques—Iron Skin and Sword Body—both of which made their practitioners physically indomitable. But no matter how well one concealed their presence, a trained eye could always discern the signs.
The way he moved.
The way his muscles reacted to the smallest shifts.
The natural stability in his stance.
Jiang Zhen sighed.
The folly of youth.
As a responsible Senior, Jiang Zhen decided to educate the foolish youth who thought he could mix stealth and body refinement.
Well.
"Educate" might be the wrong word.
It was more of a prank.
Each time the young man nearly caught a goldfish, Jiang Zhen flicked a thread of qi, subtly tearing the fragile paper net—freeing the fish at the last moment.
And yet—
The boy kept trying.
Again.
And again.
For two whole days.
Jiang Zhen stared at him in silent disbelief.
What kind of lunatic spends two days playing a rigged game?!
Feeling a twinge of guilt (but mostly curiosity), Jiang Zhen finally offered to sell him a fish outright.
"Thirty copper coins. Simple. Fair."
The boy ignored him.
Utterly.
Jiang Zhen squinted at the strange young man, attempting to discern what, exactly, was wrong with him.
Why waste time here instead of cultivating?
Young people these days… could be so reckless.
Back in his day, fun was only permitted after one became an Immortal.
…
Or.
Maybe after becoming a Sect Master.
Jiang Zhen grudgingly admitted that there were body-tempering techniques compatible with stealth arts. The Isolation Path Sect had a few—methods that refined the body without turning one into a walking fortress.
But this kid's Sect?
Didn't have them.
The contrast was painfully obvious.
His stealth technique was exquisite—his presence melted into the surroundings like an assassin's shadow. It was as if he didn't possess qi at all. Had Jiang Zhen been anyone else, he might've mistaken him for a simple mortal.
But that body refinement…
It stuck out like a sore thumb.
For the briefest moment, Jiang Zhen considered taking him as a disciple—just to fix that contradiction.
A talent like this… if properly trained, he could be an invaluable asset to the Isolation Path Sect.
"A second disciple wouldn't be so bad," Jiang Zhen mused.
Imagine it—a diamond in the rough, polished under his guidance...
And then—
The young man returned to the stall.
Jiang Zhen felt a rare hint of excitement.
…
Until he saw the demonic cultivator beside him.
Jiang Zhen immediately sobered.
He was old, but not senile. His qi sensory was unmatched. The girl standing next to the youth carried the unmistakable taint of demonic cultivation—its stench clung to her soul.
Not the type that could be washed away with repentance.
Jiang Zhen's first instinct was to warn the young man—advise him to tread carefully, to avoid unnecessary trouble—
But then—
The boy opened his mouth.
And exposed him.
Jiang Zhen froze.
A hundred thoughts raced through his mind.
How did this brat figure it out?!
No one—not a single soul—should've been able to recognize him!
For years, Jiang Zhen had perfected his disguise, his mortal facade honed to perfection. He was a master of deception, an expert at blending in.
And yet—
This boy had casually torn off his mask as if it were nothing!
This was bad.
Very bad.
He couldn't let his Sect members find out about this.
Right now, they were in Yellow Dragon City—attending an auction... likely a martial tournament as well.
If word got out that their Sect Master was here—wasting time playing arcade games instead of handling Sect matters—
The Elders would riot.
He needed to retreat.
Jiang Zhen decided to go nuclear.
"Hah! Don't blame me if you can't win a simple arcade game!"
His voice rang out, deliberately loud.
"It's definitely your fault, kid! A skill issue! Eh? Eh? What now? Gonna hit me?!"
Meanwhile—
Beneath his sleeve, qi surged into a hidden talisman.
Not just any talisman.
An Isolation Path Sect life-saving talisman—a technique derived from demonic arts, but refined into something far more specialized.
It was instantaneous. Unstoppable.
The moment it fully charged, it would teleport him directly back to the Sect.
A surefire escape.
He just needed a few more—
"Judgment Severance."
The young man's calm voice cut through the air.
Jiang Zhen's breath hitched.
A golden cross-shaped rupture flashed between them—fleeting, yet absolute.
Then—
Shatter.
Jiang Zhen felt it before he saw it.
The talisman—
It broke.
Like glass.
Tiny, glittering fragments of golden dust slipped through his fingers.
The teleportation never triggered.
Impossible.
His mind reeled. That technique was foolproof! Even an Immortal-level cultivator shouldn't have been able to disrupt it so effortlessly!
He instinctively reached for his face—
And froze.
His disguise was gone.
The frail wrinkles, the carefully crafted appearance of an aging mortal—all erased. His once snow-white hair had regained streaks of black, making him look middle-aged rather than elderly.
Silence.
The bystanders stared.
Jiang Zhen could feel their awe.
Not because he was handsome—though yes, he was absolutely handsome—but because of what his transformation implied.
He had never been one of them.
For days, these people—fellow stall owners, city folk, simple mortals—had chatted with him, shared meals, played games, and treated him as their own.
And now?
They stepped back.
No one spoke.
No one dared to approach.
Jiang Zhen sighed, rubbing the back of his head.
"Sheesh… It was fun while it lasted."
Thankfully, no one recognized him as the Sect Master of the Isolation Path Sect. He rarely showed his face in public, after all. Even within his own Sect, only the Elders regularly saw him.
But still.
The distance between him and the people around him felt palpable.
No matter how well he blended in—
At the end of the day, he was not one of them.
A bitter taste lingered on his tongue.
Jiang Zhen exhaled.
"No point lingering."
His gaze shifted to the infuriating young man who had exposed him.
"Let's talk somewhere else."
Before the youth could respond, Jiang Zhen flickered—
—reappearing atop a distant rooftop in an instant.
And yet—
The moment his feet touched the tiles…
The young man was already beside him.
At the exact same time.
Jiang Zhen's eyes narrowed.
He hadn't felt a single fluctuation of qi.
Unsettling.
Stealth techniques were infamous for concealing a cultivator's true strength. Jiang Zhen himself had long enjoyed this advantage—watching others struggle to fathom his depths.
But now?
He was the one left guessing.
Jiang Zhen sighed.
This kid…
Was no ordinary young man.
Jiang Zhen's voice took on a new edge of curiosity.
"Your stealth technique is impressive… it's as if you have no qi at all."
The mysterious young man faked a cough.
"Ah, don't think too much about it."
Light. Casual. Offhanded.
But underneath it—
Flustered.
Embarrassed, even.
Jiang Zhen narrowed his eyes further.
Now that was interesting.
Jiang Zhen was a blunt man.
"What's your realm?"
The young man tilted his head.
"Guess."
"I don't want to."
The young man smirked.
"We should do introductions first, you know?"
Jiang Zhen almost felt offended.
"You don't know me?"
"Wow, you are such a prick… introductions first, old man. It's nice to put a name to a face."
Jiang Zhen narrowed his eyes.
"You go first."
The young man grinned.
"Da Wei."
Jiang Zhen frowned.
"I don't recognize your name."
"I'd be surprised if you did."
"A foreigner, then."
Da Wei chuckled.
"Heh, don't leave me hanging."
Jiang Zhen crossed his arms.
"I should apologize for leaving you hanging, but I don't want to. Because of you, I think my speech pattern changed in a weird direction."
"Wow, you are so childish."
Jiang Zhen sighed.
"Jiang Zhen. That's my name."
Da Wei furrowed his brows.
"Jangjen? Jamjin? Changcheng?"
Jiang Zhen's eye twitched.
"It is Ji-ang Zh-en."
"Got it, Changcheng."
Jiang Zhen exhaled slowly through his nose. He was suppressing the urge to flick the brat off the rooftop.
"What do you want with the Isolation Path Sect?"
Da Wei rested a hand on his hip.
"It's for my follower. She was forced into discipleship by a demonic cultivator—practically forced to learn a demonic technique that will kill her if she stops practicing it."
Jiang Zhen's gaze flickered toward the girl in question.
A few rooftops away, she stood rigid, shoulders stiff, breath harsh, hugging the fishbowl as if it were a lifeline. She must have strained herself keeping up—and yet, she had still managed to follow them.
Impressive.
His eyes returned to Da Wei.
"And you believe her?"
Da Wei didn't hesitate.
"I heard the Isolation Path Sect has a method to transform demonic techniques into non-demonic ones. If the Isolation Path Sect is as righteous as they claim, they should be able to help her without discrimination, correct?"
Jiang Zhen let out a small chuckle.
"The Isolation Path Sect is very knowledgeable on demonic arts… but why would they help her? Why would I help her?"
"How about a trade?"
Jiang Zhen scoffed.
"As if you have anything I'd want—"
Da Wei reached into his sleeve.
And pulled out—
A single crimson feather.
It pulsed in his grasp, brimming with life force, radiating pure fire qi.
The warmth it emitted wasn't just heat.
It was alive.
Jiang Zhen's words caught in his throat.
His eyes widened. His breath stilled.
This was—
Da Wei tilted his head.
"I'll ask again. How about a trade? A life for a life. Seems fitting, doesn't it?"
Jiang Zhen swallowed, his mind racing.
"What is that?"
Da Wei smirked.
"Phoenix Feather."
020 Three Strikes Again?
Jiang Zhen studied me, his dark eyes deep and unreadable beneath the shadow of his brow. The disguise of a simple goldfish vendor was gone, but he still wore the same earth-toned robes of a common peddler. Yet his presence had changed entirely.
Before, he had seemed like just another old man in the marketplace—eccentric, perhaps, but ultimately unremarkable. Now, he stood like an immovable mountain, exuding an effortless authority honed by years of power.
The white in his hair had receded, streaks of black returning as if time itself bowed before him. A neatly trimmed beard framed his sharp jawline, lending him the air of a reclusive master—one who had long withdrawn from the world, only to resurface when the moment demanded it.
Unfortunately for him, I had ruined his grand reveal with a single skill.
He sighed, rubbing his temples. "So, let me be certain I understand. You wish for me to vouch for this girl—who cultivates a demonic technique—before the Isolation Path Sect. And in return, you offer me a Phoenix Feather."
I inclined my head. "That is the arrangement."
His gaze flickered to Gu Jie. She tensed beneath his scrutiny, clearly unused to such piercing attention—especially from someone who could end her with a mere thought.
Jiang Zhen hummed thoughtfully. "The Sect does possess methods to refine demonic techniques, but such knowledge is not given freely. Even among our own, only a select few may access it."
"Which is why I require your assistance," I said.
A ghost of a smirk touched his lips. "And if I refuse?"
I twirled the Phoenix Feather between my fingers. "Then I will be forced to pursue… other methods."
His eyes narrowed. "Such as?"
I met his gaze without hesitation. "Letting her die and reviving her until we find a solution."
Jiang Zhen blinked. "Is that even possible?" Then, for the first time since our conversation began, he let out a low chuckle. "Hah… you are serious."
I shrugged. "It is not my preferred course of action, but I am not above it. Plan A is your recommendation. Plan B is extreme. Plan C… I cast Divine Word: Life on her every day and hope something changes."
His laughter faded, his gaze now tinged with curiosity. "And you truly believe that will work?"
I did not answer immediately. Instead, I glanced at Gu Jie. She returned my gaze, her expression conflicted—hope warring with apprehension.
"…It must."
Plan A was simple: secure the old man's recommendation. If my reading of Jiang Zhen's strength was accurate, he probably held influence. With an intermediary like him, our chances of convincing the Isolation Path Sect to aid Gu Jie would increase significantly.
Plan B… was far riskier. If the Sect refused or things turned hostile, Gu Jie would have to die—either by my hand or theirs. Then, I'd use the Phoenix Feather on her, hoping it would reset her physique or undo whatever damage had been done. If that failed, I had other means—resurrection techniques, rare artifacts, whatever it took. It would be costly, painful, and require her unwavering resolve, but as long as she was willing to endure death, I would not abandon her.
Kindness was a rare and costly thing, no matter the world.
It was an extreme measure, but sooner or later, it would work.
After all, I possessed a certain absurd item—one created by the game devs as a last resort for players who regretted their class choices. If you died a thousand times, it allowed you to reset your class. A cruel joke, meant to punish the desperate, but in this case? It might just be the key to salvation.
Plan C was the last resort. The one we would turn to if Gu Jie lost her will to continue, or if all else failed.
Plan C was despair incarnate.
It was painfully simple: cast Divine Word: Life on her every single day.
The problem?
I could only invoke Divine Word once per day. Using it on her meant I would forfeit it in any emergency. It would drain my strength, my resources, and, worst of all, it wasn't even guaranteed to work.
Plan C was nothing more than a slow death disguised as hope. A desperate gamble that if she cultivated long enough, her condition would somehow improve. But the truth was cruel—her damaged body would forever shackle her potential. No matter how diligently she trained, she would never reach her past cultivation again.
Plan C was unacceptable.
Jiang Zhen narrowed his eyes, fingers idly stroking his beard as he studied the feather in my grasp. "Hmmm… how many of these do you possess?"
I clenched the Phoenix Feather between my fingers. "Even if I had more, do you think I would part with them so easily?"
Phoenix Feathers weren't exactly the rarest of resurrection items at my level, but they were still valuable. In Lost Legends Online, a Phoenix Feather restored a player at thirty percent health, granted a temporary vitality buff, and infused their attacks with fire for a short time.
Convenient, yet ultimately impractical. A mere halfway measure.
Still, it didn't mean the item was unpopular to players. After all, we had nearly driven the Phoenix to extinction once upon a time.
Most players preferred alternatives—Resurrection Elixirs, Immortal Fire, Ambrosia—each layered with superior healing effects and blessings.
Jiang Zhen's lips curled into a knowing grin, like a cat toying with an oblivious mouse.
"How about this? Three times."
I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"I will give you three chances to strike me. I won't move. If you manage to impress me, then fine—I will arrange a meeting with the Isolation Path Sect for you." His grin widened. "But if you lose? That Phoenix Feather will be mine."
I stared at him, deadpan. Was this divine retribution? Karma? A cosmic joke at my expense?
Because I had pulled this exact same stunt yesterday with a certain arrogant young master.
I sighed. The old bastard was toying with me, squeezing out every last bit of profit from this deal. I could already see where this was going—if I failed, he'd extort another Phoenix Feather or some other treasure before finally making the introduction.
Classic old master nonsense.
Still, the fact that he was so confident meant one of two things: either he was unfathomably strong, or he was an absolute fool. And in a world like this, the latter was unlikely. In the cultivation world, power was everything—hierarchy, status, influence. The strong dictated the rules, and the weak obeyed.
Of course, there was always the slim chance that he was some eccentric recluse, cosplaying as a goldfish vendor for amusement… but my instincts told me otherwise.
I needed confirmation.
"Are you a local?" I asked, watching his reaction carefully.
Jiang Zhen tilted his head, eyes glinting with amusement. "Yes, I am."
Good. That meant he wasn't some wandering hermit with no stake in this city. His word would carry weight here. It would have been troublesome if he were just another rogue cultivator passing through.
I pressed further. "What's your affiliation?"
Jiang Zhen chuckled. "I have nothing to hide," he said smoothly. "But I won't tell you… because I want to see you squirm."
I clicked my tongue. "Of course you do."
Fine. If he wouldn't tell me, I'd find out another way.
I turned to Gu Jie. "Have you heard of Jiang Zhen?"
She blinked, confused, before shaking her head. "No, Master."
At that, Jiang Zhen let out a slow, almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
…Why?
His name wasn't widely known, but he let out such a reaction. Why? That was strange. If he was a major figure, someone like Gu Jie should have at least recognized his name. Yet the moment she denied knowing him, he visibly relaxed.
Suspicious.
But fine. I'd play along."Let's do it your way," I said, rolling my shoulders. "But not here."
Jiang Zhen smirked. "Of course. I'm not an idiot."
Debatable.
I turned to Gu Jie. "No need to follow. Go enjoy the festival."
She bowed. "Yes, Master."
Jiang Zhen tilted his chin in a lazy gesture. "Keep up."
And then he vanished.
I didn't hesitate. Zealot's Stride had cooled down, so I activated it again. A faint golden glow outlined my legs, and radiant footprints trailed behind me before fading into nothingness. I shot forward, matching Jiang Zhen's blinding pace as we left the crowded streets of Yellow Dragon City behind.
The festival lights dimmed in the distance as we pushed past the outskirts, moving beyond civilization and into a wide, dirt-laden expanse between a mountain and a dense forest. The air here was crisp, untouched by city life, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth.
Jiang Zhen finally stopped. I halted a short distance away, planting my feet firmly on the ground.
The old man studied me, stroking his beard in contemplation. "Interesting movement technique," he muttered. "I didn't detect its usage the first time… Hmmm… subdued qi… It resembles a Buddhist technique."
I huffed. "I'm neither a Buddhist nor a monk."
That was mildly amusing. He was interpreting my mana as qi, wasn't he?
I had no idea how this world actually defined qi. Maybe it was just an analog for mana—a different way of conceptualizing the same energy. Or maybe they were entirely distinct forces. Either way, it didn't matter right now.
Still, something nagged at me. A small curiosity I wanted to confirm.
"What do you think my realm is?"
Jiang Zhen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Your qi is murky and subdued, like a mortal's," he admitted. "So I can't see into your cultivation level. But considering you kept up with me… we must be in the same realm."
I noted his careful wording. He was cautious—didn't commit to a direct answer.
But he did confirm something: qi and mana were fundamentally different. Whatever system he used to gauge cultivation levels wasn't picking up on me properly.
That was good.
I rolled my shoulders, loosening up. "Just to set things straight," I said, locking eyes with Jiang Zhen, "if you move even a little, that counts as my win. I can't have you claiming that my performance wasn't impressive enough after forcing you to react. That'd just be petty."
Jiang Zhen chuckled. "I'm not so childish as to do something like that."
I squinted at him. "I don't know about that.."
He ignored me, stroking his beard. "Before we start, mind if I ask a question?"
I sighed. "What is it?"
His expression turned more serious. "When did you see through my stealth technique?"
I arched a brow. "Huh?"
"I take pride in my stealth arts," he clarified. "So when exactly did you figure me out?"
I smirked. "Around the third time I lost your stupid arcade game."
Jiang Zhen blinked. "...How?"
I shrugged. "Because I have eyes."
Silence stretched between us.
Then I added, "And I never fail to get what I want by the third try."
Jiang Zhen rubbed his temples. "You're insufferable."
I grinned. "Shall we begin?"
021 Strongest Strike
What kind of skills would a Paladin lack? Movement techniques. I had two or three that enhanced my speed, but none that could let me flicker through the battlefield like a sword cultivator or an assassin. And in this duel, sheer speed was a fool's gambit—Jiang Zhen's confidence suggested he could be faster.
He smirked. "What are you waiting for? The festival might end before you even make a move."
I ignored his taunts. In Lost Legends Online, skills fell into three categories:
Cooldown Restricted– Limited only by time before they could be used again.Resource Restricted– Dependent on mana, stamina, or other expendable energy.Both + Extra Conditions– Having both cooldowns and resource costs, plus additional limitations.Ultimate Skills like Divine Word and Judgment Severance belonged to the third category—and their restrictions were absurd. They consumed a rare resource called Spell Slots, which were painfully difficult to replenish. I had only three, and once spent, it would take over a day to restore them. Worse still, Judgment Severance had an eight-hour cooldown.
If I had my way, I'd unleash Judgment Severance thrice and pummel this old man into the dirt. But the game devs had been sadistic enough to ensure that wasn't an option. Any veteran knew the value of restraint; hoarding Ultimate Skills was second nature, like a dragon guarding its hoard.
Jiang Zhen yawned, stretching as if waiting for me was an unbearable chore. Arrogant bastard.
I exhaled, calming my mind. My Intelligence and Wisdom—both towering at Level 275—compressed my perception of time, letting me analyze my options with crystal clarity. Yet, rather than anxiety, I felt only curiosity.
This was an opportunity. A lesson.
With a flick of my wrist, I summoned Silver Steel from my Item Box.
Jiang Zhen had granted me the first strike. A foolish display of arrogance—or a calculated test? Either way, I would oblige him. If my attack proved fatal, I had more than enough means to drag him back from the brink.
Lost Legends Online offered dozens of resurrection items. While I didn't have every kind, I carried more than enough to revive him three times over. The only uncertainty was cultivation—if he died, would he lose his realm? If my items failed, I could always resort to a resurrection skill. And if that, too, proved useless?
Then I'd simply chalk it up to fate and move on.
It was heartless, but… I have to be realistic.
Still, I wasn't keen on comitting my first murder.
I shifted my stance, lowering my center of gravity as my grip tightened around Silver Steel. No sense in squandering this opportunity—I would unleash the strongest non-Ultimate skill combination at my disposal.
"Designate Holy Enemy."
A reversed crimson cross shimmered into existence above Jiang Zhen's head, a mark of judgment. This debuff redefined him as impure—undead, fiend, or simply an enemy of the divine. The shift in his expression was immediate. Gone was the careless amusement; in its place, a quiet, assessing sharpness.
"Blessed Weapon."
Golden radiance enveloped Silver Steel, its edge gleaming like a sunbeam honed to a razor's edge.
"Divine Might."
TriDivine was a passive ability with three manifestations:
Divine Might– Strength surged.Divine Speed– Agility refined.Divine Fortitude– Endurance solidified.For this battle, I chose Divine Might, pushing my Strength to rival my second-highest stat.
"Holy Wrath."
Wisps of gold and blue ascended like drifting feathers, their presence a quiet promise of destruction. Holy Wrath imbued my next strike with overwhelming force—twice so against a marked foe. My mana dipped slightly, a minor toll, but a reminder that I was layering blessings upon blessings.
Jiang Zhen's gaze never wavered. His stance remained loose, yet I could sense it—an imperceptible shift in his posture, the gathering of something unseen.
He was taking me seriously.
Good.
"Zealot's Stride."
Golden light erupted beneath my feet as I surged forward, my body infused with divine speed. Agility surged—every fiber of movement honed to its absolute limit. The world blurred, and in an instant, I was upon him.
Inside range.
I swung down with both hands, channeling everything into the most devastating single-strike technique in my arsenal—the one with the cruelest critical multiplier.
"DIVINE SMITE!"
For a moment, I thought space itself had ruptured. Or perhaps it was the clash of my skill against Jiang Zhen's technique, distorting reality in some unfathomable way.
My blade cleaved through him—like cutting through an illusion.
The ground behind him wasn't so lucky. The earth exploded, scorched and torn asunder, leaving behind a deep trench stretching several meters. Dust and embers swirled in the air, the lingering remnants of devastation.
I exhaled, resting Silver Steel on my shoulder with casual ease. "How's that?"
Blood dripped from Jiang Zhen's lips.
Yet the stubborn old goat refused to acknowledge the strike. "Had our terms included impressing me, I might have conceded. But alas, you never even made me move."
His voice carried effortless charm, but I wasn't convinced. He hadn't taken a step back, that much was true… but his face was definitely a shade paler than before.
Wordlessly, I reached into my Item Box, pulled out an Extreme Health Potion, and offered it to him. "Drink."
Jiang Zhen uncorked the vial, took a sniff, then gave me an amused glance. "Hoh~! Such arrogance!" From scent alone, he had already grasped its potency.
"Then don't drink it."
Before I could reclaim it, he tipped the bottle back and emptied it in one gulp.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smirking. "As your senior, I must uphold my responsibilities. A gift should never be refused—it would be rude, after all."
This foolish old man.
I downed an Extreme Mana Potion without hesitation.
Jiang Zhen looked like he wanted to complain but held his tongue—likely remembering that he had just guzzled an Extreme Health Potion himself.
I still had two Spell Slots left. I just used Divine Word on Gu Jie, but I imagined it should be fine to spend a bit more today.
Players hoarded Ultimate Skills for two reasons: versatility or sheer paranoia. Lost Legends Online had cultivated a brutal PvP culture, where resource conservation wasn't just a habit—it was survival. No one wanted to be caught with their strongest techniques on cooldown at the wrong moment.
I took a few steps back, resting Silver Steel on my shoulder as I considered which Ultimate Skill to test.
Jiang Zhen was still marked as a Holy Enemy, and my weapon still carried the blessings of divinity from my Blessed Weapon spell. No need to waste those buffs.
I exhaled, then layered another amplifier. "Holy Wrath."
Brilliant gold and blue feathers drifted upward, divine radiance coalescing around me.
I smirked. "I will show you my single-target strongest attack… You can still refuse."
Jiang Zhen folded his arms. "BRING IT!"
I pointed my sword at him. "Hea—"
The sky darkened.
Thick storm clouds gathered with unnatural speed, their depths flickering with ominous golden lightning.
Jiang Zhen's expression twitched.
"—ven—ly—"
A celestial glow enveloped my blade, suffused with boundless righteous fury.
Jiang Zhen stiffened.
"—Pu-nish—"
That was when he ran.
"YOU WIN, FUCKING SMURF!"
…Smurf?
What?
Had another player fallen into this world before me? That was such a gamer terminology…
I barely had time to process it before completing the incantation.
"—ment."
~HEAVENLY PUNISHMENT~
A colossal sword of divine radiance manifested in the sky, descending like the wrath of a vengeful deity. It honed in on Jiang Zhen, crashing down in a pillar of blinding golden light. The heavens trembled. The air quaked. The earth shattered.
I strode toward the impact site. The ground was scorched black, the lingering embers of divine fire still crackling. A massive trench stretched before me, raw with celestial devastation.
My eyes scanned the wreckage.
No corpse.
No trace of Jiang Zhen.
No way he was disintegrated… right?
That… wasn't something I was used to.
Back in Lost Legends Online, nothing simply vanished. Player characters, NPCs, even monster spawns—everything left a body. Whether to be looted, revived, or mocked in victory, corpses always remained.
Which meant…
"…Ah, shit."
I frowned, cupping my hands. "Old man? Changcheng? Where are you? How am I supposed to resurrect you if there's no corpse?"
A muffled groan answered me.
Jiang Zhen crawled out from the dirt, dragging himself up with a limp.
"It's Jiang Zhen, damn it! Not Changcheng!" he spat, shaking off soil like an enraged mole.
I blinked. Huh. He actually survived.
If I had to guess, his karma value must not have been that bad.
Jiang Zhen wheezed, glaring at me like I'd just kicked his beloved pet. "Were you trying to kill me?! I never thought I'd have to use that stupid Earth-Burying Technique just to save myself!"
I tilted my head. "Well, you said BRING IT with so much emotion. Would've felt bad if I held back, you know?"
"FUCK YOU!"
I waved a hand lazily. "Aren't you supposed to be a sage-like figure? A hidden master? You sure this is how a 'powerful expert' should act?"
Jiang Zhen gritted his teeth, still struggling to stand.
I smirked. "You know what? Let's just void that attempt and do it again. Of course, that'd make it the third try—"
"MOTHERFUCKER, YOU REALLY ARE TRYING TO KILL ME!"
"Whoa, whoa, hold your horses!" I said, raising my hands in mock innocence. "Come on, let's count it as the third attempt. Maybe you'll succeed this time? After all, I did expend a lot of energy just now. Look at it as an opportunity! It'll be fun!"
Jiang Zhen trembled with rage. "FUN? FUN?! WAS IT SO FUN BULLYING AN OLD MAN?!"
I chuckled. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You don't look that old. Middle-aged at best."
Jiang Zhen snapped.
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS! I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST SOME CHUMP!" His finger jabbed toward me, trembling with suppressed fury. "FINE! YOU'LL HAVE YOUR MEETING WITH THE ISOLATION PATH SECT AS REQUESTED!"
I sheathed my sword into the Item Box, satisfied.
"Well, why didn't you say so sooner?"
022 Ash Tasting
I crouched and ran my fingers through the scorched earth where my Heavenly Punishment had struck. The once-solid ground had turned to fine, dark ash, exuding a faint scent of cinder and metal. It reminded me of molten iron in a forge. I scooped up a handful, letting it slip between my fingers. The texture was… too refined, unnatural for mere dirt that had existed moments ago.
Jiang Zhen, ever the meddler, leaned in and took a pinch of the ash. Instead of merely inspecting it, he did the unthinkable—he smeared it on his tongue.
I pointed offhandedly. "If you wish to touch grass, there's plenty over there."
He ignored me, rubbing the ash between his fingers before tasting another pinch. His brows furrowed in thought. "Thunder Sand? Just by technique alone, you refined mundane dirt into a spiritual resource?" He exhaled in disbelief. "Just how deep is your cultivation, fellow Daoist?"
I grimaced. "Yuck… I'd rather you treat me as you used to, Changcheng."
His eye twitched. "I told you, my name is—Never mind. At this point, I should be calling you senior. Perhaps even grand uncle."
I crossed my arms. "I am not your grand uncle. And can you stop eating ash?"
He smacked his lips as if savoring fine wine. "Since you refuse to reveal your cultivation, I'll just have to deduce it from this." Then, to my growing horror, he took an entire mouthful of the ashen dirt and chewed.
I watched in stunned silence.
Jiang Zhen hummed, nodding to himself. "I taste Buddhist principles interwoven with exorcism methods. Interesting… very interesting."
I wished I could taste principles. Perhaps if I had that talent in my past life, I could have devoured a few textbooks and spared myself years of tedious study. But no amount of musing would help me understand how this technique affected my combat style. Clearly, what worked in a game's system didn't necessarily translate into this chaotic world, where reality twisted according to will and enlightenment.
My gaze returned to Jiang Zhen, who was still chewing the ashen remains of my attack as if savoring a rare delicacy. I sighed. "So… how exactly did you evade my Heavenly Punishment?"
Jiang Zhen frowned at the name, his expression turning serious. "What kind of deluded fool names their technique Heavenly Punishment?"
I blinked. "Uh… me?" Correction: the game developers did.
Jiang Zhen clicked his tongue, ready to scold me further—then hesitated. His brows furrowed as he reconsidered. "Hmmm… actually, never mind. That was damn near a heavenly punishment."
"Damn right, it was." I gestured at the wasteland my attack had left behind. "Now stop dodging the question. How did you survive that? You didn't just tank it, did you?"
Jiang Zhen let out a self-satisfied huff. "It was a beginner technique. Every disciple of the Isolation Path Sect learns it."
That was a useful clue. So, he was from the Isolation Path Sect? Perhaps even an Elder?
I waited for the punchline. "…A beginner technique?"
"Yes."
I rubbed my temples. "A beginner technique let you dodge my strongest single-target ultimate skill?"
He shrugged. "It's versatile, easy to learn, and an exceptionally useful life-saving art."
I stared at him harder.
He scratched his cheek, looking a little sheepish. "Though, to be fair, I've never quite used it the way I just did."
"…What do you mean?"
Jiang Zhen cleared his throat. "Well, I… ah… traversed a few kilometers underground to avoid your attack."
I nearly choked on my own breath. "You what?"
He gestured vaguely at the ground. "Once I realized I couldn't evade your technique normally, I burrowed as deep as I could. Kept going until I was certain I was beyond its reach."
I had no words.
Kilometers underground? Just to dodge an attack? That wasn't evasion—that was geological migration!
In Lost Legends Online, no player could pull off something this absurd. Maybe a Geomancer could attempt something similar, but even then, they'd be shackled by mana costs, terrain resistance, and skill limitations.
But here?
This ridiculous burial technique was just a beginner skill.
I exhaled slowly, still struggling to wrap my head around the absurdity of it all. "Alright… so how is this technique normally used?"
Jiang Zhen smirked and held up a finger. "A question for a question."
I rolled my eyes. "Fine."
He nodded, satisfied. "Can I take this Thunder Sand? Some disciples in my sect would find it useful."
The darkened sand still crackled faintly with residual energy, my Heavenly Punishment having refined mundane dirt into something more. I wasn't attached to it, and I certainly wasn't going to eat it.
"Fine. Take it."
Jiang Zhen grinned. Then, to my utter horror, he reached into his mouth and pulled out a storage ring.
I took a step back. "What the hell—"
He slipped the ring onto his finger with practiced ease. "What? You don't store your valuables in your mouth?"
"No, because I'm not insane."
Ignoring me, Jiang Zhen activated his ring. A flash of light—then a shovel appeared in his hands. But instead of using it like a normal person, he did something far more absurd.
He thrust the shovel into the ground—once, cleanly.
And just like that, a chunk of Thunder Sand vanished, as if the world itself had swallowed it whole.
Again. Thrust. Vanish. Thrust. Vanish.
The sand wasn't piling up anywhere. It wasn't being physically shoveled. It simply ceased to exist, likely transported straight into his storage ring.
I crossed my arms. "That's not how shovels work."
Jiang Zhen chuckled. "That's not how reality works either, yet here we are."
I exhaled. "So? How did you do it? Digging?"
Still scooping away, he explained, "The technique isn't widely known, but it's compulsory for disciples of the Isolation Path Sect. Simple to learn, difficult to master."
Another section of Thunder Sand vanished into his ring.
"And what exactly does this beginner technique do?"
"For most, it allows them to burrow, hide underground, move beneath the surface, even entomb their foes." He flicked me a glance. "I used it to escape downward. Quite the zigzag journey, given the varied density of the earth."
That gave me pause. "Wait… you didn't just phase through the ground?"
Jiang Zhen scoffed. "Of course not. I physically traveled downward. Had to navigate past obstacles, too. If anyone else attempted it, they'd likely be crushed between shifting rock, charred in a magma vein, have their qi thrown into disarray in a dragon vein, or suffer any number of unfortunate accidents."
I frowned. "So you're telling me this beginner skill requires advanced terrain awareness just to avoid dying?"
Jiang Zhen grinned. "Naturally. We are the Isolation Path Sect. Surviving what should be certain death is one of our core principles."
That… sounded like a whole lot of not beginner-friendly to me.
To think Heavenly Punishment had such a loophole. If I put it in game terms, Jiang Zhen had basically exploited a bug. Another way to put it—he used gravity to increase his movement speed, phased through the floor, and dragged his hitbox as far away as possible, thus the sniper terrorist in the enemy camp was unable to get him.
"The sect's founder was an undertaker," Jiang Zhen continued, tossing another mouthful of Thunder Sand into his ring. "Took corpses, buried them. The original intent of this technique was for ceremonial funerals."
I blinked. "So the grand life-saving art of your sect… was originally a grave-digging technique?"
"Exactly." Jiang Zhen nodded. "A proper burial is an art, you know."
That was far more information than I expected. Then again, maybe Jiang Zhen was just in a good mood after acquiring so much Thunder Sand.
Jiang Zhen made quick work of the scorched patch of dirt, shoveling away the Thunder Sand like he was born to dig. His movements were precise—almost mechanical—but I could tell he was still paying attention to me.
"What is your realm?" he asked.
I exhaled, resting my sword on my shoulder. "That's… difficult to answer."
Jiang Zhen raised an eyebrow. "Try me, Mr. Foreigner."
Well, this was a golden opportunity. Reading books and asking around had only gotten me so far. Jiang Zhen was clearly a high-level cultivator—knowledgeable, experienced, and not stingy with his words. I might as well take advantage of this impromptu Q&A.
"From what I understand, cultivation has eleven realms, correct?"
Jiang Zhen nodded. "That's the highest recorded in history, but yes."
I continued, "Where I come from, the highest recorded level is 275."
Jiang Zhen stopped digging. Turned to me. Stared.
"…Come again?"
"275."
He scoffed. "You counted the stars, didn't you? No need. Just tell me the major realms."
That was a problem. Lost Legends Online technically had realm divisions, but they were vague and unreliable. Players never really cared about them since our Level Display made progression clear-cut.
I scratched my cheek. "I guess a good analogy would be… we only have minor realms. So the highest record from where I came from is Level 275."
Jiang Zhen gave me a look that could only be described as What in the cosmic fuck?
"…Where are you even from?" he asked.
I waved a hand. "Horribly far away. I can't even think of a way to go home." Then, before he could fire another question, I smirked. "That aside, you asked two consecutive questions. My turn."
Jiang Zhen huffed, clearly unsatisfied. "You didn't even answer my question. What realm are you?"
I sighed. "Like I said, it's complicated. Why don't you educate me on these realms you keep talking about? You know, the ones I'm clearly and painfully unaware of."
He crossed his arms, shovel resting against his shoulder. "Hmph… fine." He eyed me like he was assessing just how clueless I truly was. "How much do you even know?"
I thought back to the scattered bits of information I'd picked up. "Until the Fourth Realm, give or take."
Jiang Zhen nodded. "Then you're in luck. I know up until the Sixth Realm." He dusted off his robe, standing a little taller. "I, myself, am at the Fifth Realm—Soul Recognition."
I blinked. That was… surprisingly open of him. I figured cultivators would be more secretive about their realms, or at least make me work for that kind of information.
Jiang Zhen continued, "It is achieved when one reaches enlightenment and catches a glimpse of the Dao."
I nodded, digesting the information. "A glimpse of the Dao, huh…? Sounds deep."
Jiang Zhen scoffed. "More than deep—it is the foundation of one's future path. Without enlightenment, there is no true progression."
Huh. That's gonna be a problem…
I planned to take on cultivation, but I wasn't exactly the brightest lad… Maybe I could brute-force it with stats? Nah, I'd probably cripple myself by accident.
Jiang Zhen kept digging, his movements precise and practiced. "And then comes the Sixth Realm—Essence Gathering." His shovel struck the dirt, and another portion of Thunder Sand vanished into his storage ring. "The qi, elements, and power here in Riverfall Continent are thin. Most people are stuck at the Fifth Realm."
I frowned. "That bad, huh?"
Jiang Zhen let out a tired sigh. "Bad is an understatement. I was hoping I could find a clue from you—maybe something that could help me advance without leaving the continent." He shook his head. "Knowledge about cultivation beyond the Sixth Realm is scarce here. Because, frankly, Riverfall is a backwater."
I hummed, pretending to think deeply. In reality, I was still trying to wrap my head around how my Level 275 Paladin self fit into their cultivation mold.
Spoiler alert: it didn't.
Obviously, these realms had nothing to do with my old Lost Legends Online power system. If we had some kind of conversion chart, maybe I could've made a guess. But considering I didn't, the best I could do was a vague, half-truth answer.
I shrugged. "I'm probably at the Sixth Realm."
Jiang Zhen finally stopped digging, letting out a satisfied sigh as he dusted off his hands. "You might've just created a spiritual mineral vein."
I blinked, then looked down. The sunken patch of earth he'd excavated pulsed with faint silver veins, slithering like living metal. They shimmered with power, reminding me of mana fissures from Lost Legends Online—except this wasn't a game mechanic. This was real.
I turned back to Jiang Zhen. "You still owe me two questions."
He shrugged. "Better save them for later. We should go. We've caused quite the commotion."
From a distance, I saw cultivators streaking through the sky like shooting stars, flying atop their sword artifacts. Ah… right. That ridiculous light show of an ultimate skill. That definitely wasn't subtle.
Before either of us could move, a familiar figure dropped from the sky, landing with a thunderclap.
Liang Na.
The Chief Enforcer of Yellow Dragon City stood tall in her black and gold robes, radiating authority. Her sharp eyes locked onto me, and she recited something that sounded suspiciously like this world's version of Miranda rights.
"…And for destructive use of Qi-force, you are hereby placed under arrest."
I blinked. "Wait, what?"
I turned to call for the old man—only to realize that Jiang Zhen had vanished.
…That damn old goat always had to get me with his petty mischief.
023 Arrangements
I didn't resist.
I mean, what else could I do? Punch my way out of an arrest? That sounded like a great way to make things worse. So, I just stood there as the glowing band around my wrists tightened, locking me in some spell-infused restraint.
I didn't have much experience with the law—either in my past life or this one—but my gut told me that keeping my mouth shut was the smartest move.
Of course, I had to say something to avoid looking too guilty.
"I invoke my right to remain silent," I said, then added, "And, of course… I want a lawyer."
Liang Na's frown deepened. With a flick of her hand, her flying sword lifted into the air. The next thing I knew, I was being dragged along like a sack of potatoes, my feet barely skimming the ground as she flew ahead.
Other enforcers flanked us, maintaining a tight formation as we soared toward Yellow Dragon City.
This was definitely not how I thought today would go.
A few minutes later, I found myself sitting in a well-furnished room—still bound, but drinking tea.
Across from me sat Ren Jin, the City Governor of Yellow Dragon City.
He looked younger than I expected for someone with such authority. Younger than when I'd seen him from the bleachers. He wasn't some ancient cultivator with a long white beard, nor a middle-aged warrior hardened by countless battles. No, he was young—fairly young for a cultivator—but carried himself with the air of someone who had seen far more than his years should allow.
Dressed in dark imperial robes with golden embroidery, he radiated power. But it wasn't the kind that came from brute strength alone. His gaze was sharp, calculating. Every move he made felt deliberate.
I sipped the tea, letting its earthy bitterness settle on my tongue, and took a moment to process my situation. Arrested, dragged through the sky… and now, a casual tea session with the City Governor?
I set my cup down and got straight to the point.
"So," I said, "what crimes am I here for?"
Ren Jin smiled, raising two fingers. The glowing restraints around my wrists unraveled and vanished.
"Nothing," he said simply.
I rolled my shoulders, enjoying the newfound freedom, then adjusted my seat. "Then how may I be of service to his Lordship?"
Ren Jin chuckled. "It should be me saying that to you, considering the benefit you've brought to my city."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Your fight with Sect Master Jiang Zhen created a spiritual mineral vein of Thunder Sand," he explained, his tone amused. "That alone is a considerable gain for the city. Apologies for the… unceremonious way you were brought here. My Chief Enforcer can be overprotective of me, and you do come off as quite suspicious."
I had a guess or two about why Chief Enforcer Liang Na was wary of me. After all, she was the first cultivator I'd met upon arriving in this world. But something else caught my attention.
I leaned forward slightly. "Sect Master Jiang Zhen?"
Ren Jin nodded. "It seems you were unaware."
I frowned. "Sect Master of what exactly?"
"The Isolation Path Sect."
…
Huh?
That damn old man really played me.
I exhaled through my nose, picking up my tea again to mask my irritation. So he was that important? And yet, he still owed me two questions and a meeting with his sect.
Unbelievable.
This was my second time sitting across from a high-ranking cultivator. Third, if I counted Liang Na. So far, none of them had reacted negatively to my presence. A good sign. I had been paranoid that my mana might be seen as some kind of heretical energy, but maybe that worry was misplaced.
Did they even sense it?
According to Lost Legends Online's lore, mana didn't exist inside a person like qi did. Instead, it represented how much a person could wield through sheer willpower and mental discipline. A theoretical energy, existing in a higher dimension, accessible only to those who attuned themselves to an ideal—a path, a belief, a class.
Or as most NPCs in LLO had called it, a Legacy.
If cultivators relied solely on internal energy, maybe they just couldn't detect mana at all. That would explain why I hadn't been caught and burned at the stake yet.
I set my cup down. No point in wasting time.
"Can I meet Jiang Zhen?"
Ren Jin tilted his head slightly. "You sound quite familiar with him."
"We met at a goldfish stall."
He actually blinked at that. Then, as if deciding it wasn't worth questioning, he gave a small nod. "Unfortunately, the Sect Master has already left. However, he informed me of your arrangement through Qi-speech."
Qi-speech.
According to Gu Jie, it was a communication method available only to cultivators at the Third Realm and above. It let them transmit their voice through qi alone, sending messages over vast distances.
I was a bit envious. I no longer had access to Voice Chat.
…Wait.
That was one game mechanic I hadn't tested yet.
Maybe I should experiment with it sometime.
Ren Jin led the way through the manor, his steps measured, his robes flowing with practiced elegance. Unlike Jiang Zhen, who gave off the air of a grumpy old coot, Ren Jin carried himself with the composed dignity of someone who knew they were important—but wasn't arrogant about it.
The hallways were lined with intricate wooden carvings, golden lanterns casting soft, warm light against the polished floors. I took in the sights with casual interest, but my mind lingered on what he had just revealed.
Sect Master Jiang Zhen.
That old man really played me. No wonder he dodged my questions and bailed the moment Liang Na showed up.
Still, he had promised me a meeting with the Isolation Path Sect. And it seemed he had followed through.
Now I just had to make sure he didn't weasel out of answering my two remaining questions.
We arrived at a guest room.
Inside, two figures waited.
The first was a woman I recognized immediately—Fan Shi, the victor of this morning's match. She carried the same cold, unreadable aura, her Isolation Path robes draped over her form like a shroud. Next to her stood an older gentleman, his expression calm, his sharp eyes studying me like a puzzle to be solved.
Ren Jin stopped at the entrance and gestured toward them. "I shall leave you here."
I gave him a small nod, though inwardly, I felt a twinge of disappointment. I wouldn't be able to watch Lu Gao's fight. That guy was either going to put on a spectacular show… or a spectacular disaster.
Either way, I was going to miss it.
Turning my attention back to the room, I cupped my hands and bowed slightly, following the customs of this world. "Greetings, my name is Da Wei, an… acquaintance of the Isolation Path Sect Master."
Fan Shi's gaze sharpened. "Or so we've heard."
Her tone wasn't just cold—it had an edge to it, like a knife pressed lightly against my skin. I had no idea what I did to offend her, but she was scrutinizing me with the kind of suspicion usually reserved for street peddlers selling 'genuine' immortal pills.
I made a mental note to tread carefully around her.
The older gentleman beside her, however, gave a polite nod. "And I am an Elder of the Isolation Path Sect. My name is Lei Fen." His voice was steady, composed, and entirely lacking the hostility Fan Shi carried. "The Sect Master has informed me of your arrangement with him."
Huh. At least the old man had covered all his bases.
Considering Jiang Zhen had dipped the moment Liang Na arrived, I half-expected him to conveniently 'forget' about our deal. But if even an elder of the Isolation Path Sect was informed, then Jiang Zhen must have passed the message through Qi-Speech.
That was one very convenient ability.
I kept my expression neutral, but inwardly, I wondered just what kind of arrangement the old man had sold them.
The deal was simple—Jiang Zhen would mediate between the Isolation Path Sect and me so they'd help Gu Jie with her misfortune. But now that I was actually here, I had to make sure he hadn't twisted the details to my disadvantage.
I straightened. "Elder Lei Fen, how do you wish to proceed?"
Lei Fen stroked his beard, smiling in that particular way old cultivators did when they were about to say something annoying.
"Just to clarify the terms—" he began, dragging out his words, "—in exchange for helping one of your followers transpose their demonic cultivation, you would pay us a dozen Phoenix Feathers?"
I barely kept my expression in check.
That old bastard.
I said one.
I forced a calm tone. "There seems to be a misunderstanding. I only have one."
Lei Fen chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Ho ho ho, apologies… I must have misremembered."
Did this guy just try to scam me?
If I were some petty immortal, I would have gone full "How dare you court death?!" on him.
But no—I was a Paladin.
And I had more patience than that.
I exhaled through my nose, reigning in my irritation. "I will go fetch my follower."
Fan Shi stepped forward. "Let me come with you, Senior."
I narrowed my eyes slightly. That was not the tone of someone paying respect.
Elder Lei Fen looked vaguely annoyed but kept his diplomatic smile intact. "Please, ignore the disciple. She's just eager to meet someone who was a peer to the Sect Master."
Somehow, I doubted that.
If anything, this lady wanted to cause trouble for me.
I gave a noncommittal nod and immediately activated TriDivine, switching to Divine Speed. The world blurred around me as I shot forward, my body propelled by divine will. Then, with a flicker, I engaged Zealot's Stride and vanished from the manor's interior.
By the time I slowed at the entrance, the guards barely reacted. Their eyes tracked me, carefully memorizing my face, but they didn't raise an alarm.
Finding Gu Jie didn't take long.
A woman in black robes embroidered with crimson serpents, carrying a fishbowl, wasn't exactly inconspicuous—especially to someone with superhuman speed.
She turned just as I appeared beside her.
"Master!" Gu Jie's eyes widened in relief. "I was worried! There was a giant flash of thunder—"
"It's fine," I interrupted. "That was me."
She blinked. "M-Master?"
"Let's go have you fixed." I gestured for her to follow. "The Isolation Path Sect has agreed to help you."
Gu Jie froze. Her grip on the fishbowl tightened, knuckles going white as she stared at me like I had just sprouted a second head.
"What?" she breathed, barely above a whisper.
"The Isolation Path Sect," I repeated. "They've agreed to help you."
Her lips parted, but no words came out. She looked down at Ren Jingyi's bowl, as if searching for some kind of answer from the fish, then back at me.
"You're joking," she said. Her voice was flat—hollow, even. "Master, please tell me I am dreaming…"
I shrugged. "Nope."
She shook her head. "No… No, that can't be right. Master, I…" She swallowed hard. "That kind of thing doesn't just happen. Even if…" Her breath hitched, and her fingers trembled around the bowl. "Even if it they agreed, why would they do it for me?"
I sighed. I had expected some disbelief, but this reaction felt deeper than just doubt.
"Gu Jie." I met her gaze. "I made a deal with Jiang Zhen, and the Isolation Path Sect is holding up their end."
Her eyes shimmered, a storm of emotions flickering through them: hope, fear, and something dangerously close to longing.
She clenched her teeth. "Master, if you're lying to me…" Her voice wavered. "If this is some cruel joke—"
I placed a hand on her shoulder, firm but steady. "Do I look like the type to joke about this?"
She opened her mouth, then closed it. A choked sound escaped her, and then—just like that—she broke.
Tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks, her breath hitching as she squeezed her eyes shut. Her whole body trembled, and she let out a shaky exhale. "I—" She bit her lip. "I wasn't ready for this."
The way her voice cracked made something twist in my chest.
I had never seen Gu Jie cry before.
She always carried herself with that cold, unwavering confidence—sometimes bitter, sometimes sharp, but always firm. This was different. She wasn't just relieved. She was unraveling.
I let her cry for a few seconds, then exhaled through my nose.
"Save your tears," I told her. "For joy or when you're truly in despair. Not for something like this. We aren't even starting…"
Gu Jie choked. Then she guffawed—loud, sudden, and completely unrestrained.
I blinked.
Then she laughed.
Not a soft chuckle or a bitter scoff, but a full-bodied, head-tilted-back, unrestrained laugh. The kind that sounded like it had been bottled up for years and was finally let loose.
I crossed my arms, waiting.
She wiped at her eyes, still laughing as she tried to catch her breath. "Ha… Master, you really know how to kill the mood."
I smirked. "You're welcome."
Gu Jie inhaled deeply, steadying herself. Her eyes were still red, but the storm had passed.
"Alright," she said, voice stronger now. "Let's go."