Chapter 496 - Ripples (III)

Chapter 496

Ripples (III)

I will say this--Deathless Phoenix Sect is quite beautiful.

Though its architecture still primarily displayed the classic terraced pavilions, there were odd dips into somewhat shapely architecture of round domes with terraced corridors rounding them and leading into the central areas.

The majesty of the burning sun being at the center continued, with the wooden bridges connecting over the moats of water. There wasn't a distinct breakdown of 'Here's the important people, here's the super important people, and here's the important people', though after walking around for a while, I picked up on a pattern--tall pavilions housed the super important people, round colosseum-like buildings housed the important people, and the strange, almost oscillating, stumpy pavilions housed the important people.

I was currently standing at a small, open gazebo looming over a stream of water, positioned about a mile south of the burning ball.

... it was annoying.

So. Goddamn. Annoying.

[--Phoenix cries out...]

[--Phoenix demands...]

[--Phoenix pleads...]

[--Phoenix cries...]

Phoenix this, phoenix that. Seriously. For the past day that I've been awake at this place, that thing has spammed me about a thousand goddamn times. Reminds me of when my grandma and grandpa first got on Facebook. The sheer onslaught of notification would have outsiders believe I was some kind of a worldwide celebrity.

Nah.

Just 600 requests for Candy Crush lives per hour.

"Master Lu," a voice startled me out of my thoughts as I glanced back, where I saw a young, unfamiliar woman donning the robes of the Deathless Phoenix Sect standing just outside the gazebo.

"Is everything alright?" I asked.

"Uh, there's, there's a man at our gates who claims to be your Disciple..."

"...?" my Disciple? What the hell? Aren't all--oh. "Is, uh, is he a bit old and a bit more odd?"

"... should we let him through?"

"Hm. It's fine. He's mostly harmless." Indeed, I did kind of forget about him, especially because there were no notifications about him finishing the pills.

"He's with a young woman."

"Let them both in; it's fine," I assured, sitting down as the woman left.

I was alone--well, not really; Eternity was standing right where the woman had been a moment ago, shaped precisely like her except it was fully made out of jade for some reason, while I could sense Long Tao's gaze from somewhere. I couldn't quite pinpoint where, but he was nearby.

The rest of the kids had dispersed across the sect, some seeking to challenge the disciples, some curious about the place, and some probably taking this opportunity to lock themselves up and write some Words. I hadn't shared the rewards with Rayce because it's probably best we remain as inconspicuous as possible while here.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Though the silence was perfect for some introspection, I... couldn't do it. There were a thousand-and-one clouds hanging straight above my head, and I feared if I poked just one, all would come pouring out the fire. It's the same feeling that I had when we first escaped the sect, knowing what we left behind. For now, at least for a bit, I needed silence to just be… silent.

It was about ten minutes later that a familiar--though utterly disheveled--face of Lao Shun appeared from between the nearby set of buildings. His beard had grown considerably, and he looked like he hadn't slept in years; by his side was a woman, looking no older than twenty, in much better shape.

In fact, she sped ahead of him and appeared right in front of me, leaning forward with a faint smile on her face.

"Handsome," she mumbled. "Sharp. Say, that fool's Master, have you ever had your mind shattered by a woman?"

"..." wow. What the fuck did you bring with you, you damned bastard? "Your breath stinks."

"H-huh?"

"Move away a bit." Her breath did actually stink a bit, though nowhere near enough for me to have said anything... if she was normal. But, of course, she wasn't normal. There's no such thing as 'normal' in my life.

"Alright, you had your fun." Lao Shun appeared at last and yanked her by her shoulder but was unable to move her. As his face darkened, I felt him pouring Qi into his hand and stopped him.

"Hey, she's just a kid. Leave her alone."

"Pfft, a kid?" he glanced at me. "Don't let her looks fool you; this grandma is barely younger than me."

"..." wow. I... words escape me, honestly. I mean, I know people in this world keep it tight and whatnot, but she literally looked younger than twenty.

"Hey, you bastard; what did I say about revealing my age to others?" Her 'sweet and delicate' persona cracked like a porcelain bowl as her expression turned twisted. "Do you want me to snap your neck, huh?"

"... is she the assistant you mentioned?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," he said, sighing. "Despite... well, everything else about her, she is remarkably talented. Almost as talented as me, really. If only she had anything above a modicum of interest in alchemy."

"Pah, as if. To lock myself up in some dusty room and sniff herbs and whatnot until I croak of old age... I'd sooner swim through a river of shit to get away from that fate." She certainly was a... character. "And you," she turned toward me. "Are you even a man? How can you tell a divinely beautiful woman that her breath stinks? You deserve to have your manhood chopped and minced for that alone."

I wanted to be angry--honestly--but... there was a mask over her face shaped in the image of a sloth. Just an average sloth. It took all my willpower not to burst into laughter. One of these days, I feel, Eternity really will make me crack a tense moment with an extremely mistimed laugh.

"Yes, yes, I deserve to be chopped into pieces and fed to the dogs for having besmirched your--what'd you call it? Ah, divine beauty and whatnot," I said. "How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't," Lao Shun said. "That devil you call a Disciple told me. I even suspected you were among those who never left since there was absolutely no news from inside. What the hell even happened in there?" By the end, he sat down near me while the woman seemed to have bottled up whatever she wanted to say, sitting next to him, too.

"A crazy old woman teamed up with those life-suckers and tried to sap the entire realm of Life Qi in order to advance, best I can tell."

"... really?" he frowned. "They were even there?"

"Who? Who was there?" the woman asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. "They were using some kind of a weird array to conjure up living dolls to fight. It was all beyond bizarre. The world outside is a mess, huh?"

"A complete mess," he shrugged.

"Hey, who was there--"

"--especially because none of the survivors are saying much. What did you do? Make them all swear an Oath?"

"Truth be told, I passed out for the whole last part of the thing," I shrugged. "I know that some did take an Oath, but as for the rest... maybe they admired my handsomeness so much they can't help themselves?"

"If somebody doesn't--"

"Oh, pipe down," Lao Shun interrupted her. "You don't need to know anything. Your job is just to assist me in pill concocting, take the stones after, and go away. Why are you shoving your nose where it doesn't belong?"

"And what if I choose to just walk away, you wrinkled old ass? Who will assist you then?"

"Go on, then," he said with full confidence. "Walk away. The exit's that way," he pointed--he actually pointed towards it. "Well? Why is your ass still glued to the bench? Is it because you are, as you always were, so broke the only thing your Spatial Rings contain is wind and silence?"

"..."

"Now, that's better. Anyway, I've made all the preparations; if you can kindly ask the Sect Master to loan us an isolated alchemy room... you'll have your pills in a day or two. And that means we won't have to put up with this thing here any longer. So, the faster the better."

... right. Time to suck up to an old man who told me I need to book it from here as quickly as possible.

Haah.

To live is to suffer, I suppose...