Chapter 159: Pluck the stars from the heavens! & The Source Bamboo Mountain

But the old man wasn't listening. He continued muttering, his eyes fixed on the sky. "I should go and grab a few stars right now. Perhaps they'll be sweet, like nectar from the gods. And the moon… yes, I'll start with the moon. It's so big, it might last me several days."

Ruchir's mouth hung open as he stared at the old man. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You… you're not serious, are you?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

The old man nodded sagely. "Why not? I've traveled the world, seen the highest mountains, and swum in the deepest seas. But never have I thought to taste the stars or the moon. Thank you, young man, for opening my eyes to this possibility."

Ruchir internally cursed himself. What have I done? He thought, This old man's going to end up trying to climb a tree or something and get himself killed because of my dumb joke.

The old man suddenly stretched out his arms, as if he were about to take off into the sky. "Come, my friend! Let us embark on a grand journey to pluck the stars from the heavens!" he declared with enthusiasm.

Ruchir quickly stepped in front of him, trying to contain his panic. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on there, old man! You can't just… I mean, that's not how it works. You can't actually reach the stars!"

The old man tilted his head, confused. "Why not? If the sky is my blanket and the earth my home, then surely the stars are within my reach."

Ruchir sighed heavily. This old man is seriously out of his mind. He thought, trying to find a way to explain it that wouldn't result in the old man trying to fly.

"Look, the stars and the moon are way too far away. You can see them, but you can't actually touch them. They're like… well, like the dreams you have at night. Beautiful, but intangible."

The old man squinted at him, clearly struggling to comprehend. "Intangible? So… they are illusions?"

"Uh, kind of," Ruchir replied, scratching the back of his head. "Think of them as… lights in the sky that guide you, but they're not something you can hold or eat. They're just there to admire, you know?"

The old man seemed to mull this over, his gaze drifting back to the stars. "Hmmm… perhaps you're right, young man."

"Perhaps the stars are like the fireflies I used to chase as a child. Glowing, but impossible to catch." He sighed wistfully, his shoulders slumping a little. "Ah, what a pity. I was really looking forward to tasting one."

Ruchir felt a mixture of relief and amusement. "Well, I'm sure the noodles were a good substitute," he said with a grin, trying to bring the conversation back to reality.

The old man nodded, a small smile returning to his face. "Yes, yes, the noodles were quite satisfying. Perhaps I'll just stick to earthly food from now on… although, I might still try to catch a moonbeam or two if I get the chance."

Ruchir chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "You do that, old man. But maybe try not to hurt yourself in the process, okay?"

As they continued walking, the old man began to hum a tune, seemingly content with his new understanding of the stars.

Ruchir, on the other hand, couldn't help but chuckle to himself. The entire interaction was so bizarre, so utterly ridiculous, that he wondered if anyone would even believe him if he told the story later.

He glanced over at the old man, who was now gazing up at the sky with a look of pure wonder on his face.

Despite everything, Ruchir couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for him. In a world that often felt too harsh and unforgiving, there was something oddly comforting about the old man's whimsical view of life.

Maybe, Ruchir thought, there's a bit of wisdom hidden in all that craziness after all.

___

In the eastern expanse of the Four Great Academies, nestled among the towering peaks, there lay a place of serene yet untamed beauty: the Source Bamboo Mountain. The mountain was shrouded in an eternal sea of bamboo, unlike any other found in the Fallen Dragon Continent.

These bamboos were not the green, slender stalks one might expect, but an awe-inspiring array of colors, each more vivid and otherworldly than the last.

The bamboos here stood in shades of deep indigo, shimmering gold, and radiant crimson, their hues so intense they seemed to pulse with an inner light. Some were so dark they appeared to drink in the sunlight, creating pockets of shadow amidst the brilliance.

The stalks themselves were unnaturally large, some as thick as ancient trees and others as tall as mountains, stretching high into the sky, their tops lost in the clouds. Their surfaces gleamed with a smooth, polished texture, harder than the finest steel, yet flexible as if alive. It was said that the bamboos here were tougher than diamond, able to withstand any force known to man.

The air was thick with the fragrance of countless earthly and heavenly treasures, all nourished by the powerful essence of the mountain.

Spirit herbs with glowing petals, roots that hummed with energy, and fruits that shimmered with divine light grew abundantly, making the mountain a treasure trove coveted by all cultivators. Yet, few dared to venture here, for the mountain's guardians were as fearsome as its beauty.

In the heart of this magnificent landscape, a young man named Sarah stood alone, his thin build contrasting sharply with the weight of his presence.

Despite his slight frame, each step he took seemed heavy, as if the very ground acknowledged the strength of his resolve. In his hand, he wielded a bamboo sword, its blade forged from the same extraordinary material as the surrounding forest.

Yet, as he swung it with all his might, the sword barely made a scratch on the bamboo stalk before him.

Sarah's face was a mask of concentration, sweat dripping down his brow as he focused on his practice.

His movements were precise, honed by years of relentless training, but despite his best efforts, the bamboo before him remained unscathed, save for the lightest of marks—a mere scratch that barely marred its surface.

This was the Source Bamboo, the most resilient material known to man, and Sarah's struggle against it was a testament to its extraordinary nature.

As Sarah paused to catch his breath, an old man emerged from the shadows of the bamboo forest. He was clad in robes the color of the bamboos themselves, a deep, earthy green that blended seamlessly with his surroundings.

His eyes were a piercing brown, sharp and clear, but within them lay the depth of a thousand mountains, an aura so tense and powerful it seemed to weigh down the very air around him.

This was the Mountain Bamboo Sword Grandmaster, a living legend whose mere presence could shake the heavens and earth. His build was strong, his body honed to perfection over centuries of cultivation, and his aura radiated a quiet but overwhelming strength.

It was said that when he walked, mountains crumbled and plains restructured themselves in his wake. He was revered as one of the strongest beings below the Three Ancestors of the Phenomenal Realm, and even the four principals of the great academies would move aside in deference to him.

The Grandmaster approached Sarah with a smile, his expression both kind and knowing. "You've done well, Sarah," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "Your efforts are commendable, but you must understand that strength alone will not be enough to conquer the Source Bamboo."

Sarah looked up at the Grandmaster, his face flushed with a mixture of exhaustion and admiration. "Master, I've been practicing tirelessly, yet I can barely scratch the bamboo. How is it that my sword, which can cut through stone, is so ineffective here?"

The Grandmaster chuckled softly, a sound like the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind. "The Source Bamboo is no ordinary material, my disciple. "

"It is a manifestation of the very essence of this mountain, forged over millennia to be indestructible by mere physical force. But allow me to demonstrate something."

The Grandmaster turned his gaze to a nearby bamboo stalk, its surface smooth and unblemished. He did not raise his hand, nor did he draw a weapon.

Instead, he simply stared at the bamboo, his eyes narrowing slightly as his aura concentrated. For a moment, the air grew still, the energy around him becoming as dense as the core of the earth.

Then, with a barely perceptible flicker in his gaze, the bamboo stalk split cleanly in two, as if cut by the sharpest blade in existence.

Sarah's mouth fell open in shock, his mind struggling to comprehend what he had just witnessed.

His bamboo sword, despite all his efforts, had barely scratched the surface, yet his master had cut through it with nothing more than a glare. It was beyond anything he had ever imagined possible.

The Grandmaster turned back to Sarah, his smile widening at the boy's astonishment. "Do you understand now, Sarah?"

"Power is not just about physical strength or skill with a sword. True power comes from within, from the heart and the soul. "

"It is the will to impose your intent upon the world, to bend reality to your desire."

He placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder, his grip firm but reassuring. "The bamboo resisted you because you were fighting it with your body alone."

"But when you learn to channel the power of your heart, to infuse your every action with your intent, no obstacle will stand in your way."

"You must learn to strike not just with your sword, but with your very being."

Sarah nodded, the weight of his master's words sinking into him like a stone into a deep pond. "I understand, Master. I will work harder, not just on my technique, but on cultivating my heart and soul as well."

The Grandmaster's smile softened, a look of approval in his eyes. "Good. Remember, Sarah, the sword is an extension of the self. It is not just a weapon, but a reflection of your inner state. As you grow stronger within, so too will your sword."

Sarah bowed deeply, his respect for the Grandmaster growing even stronger. He turned back to the bamboo and resumed his practice, but this time, his approach was different.

He moved with a newfound sense of purpose, each swing of his sword imbued with the intent to cut not just the bamboo, but the very essence of the obstacle before him.

For a while, the Grandmaster watched in silence, a look of satisfaction on his face as he observed his disciple's progress. But then, something in the sky caught his attention, a flicker of light that should not have been there. His expression changed instantly, the calm confidence replaced by a rare hint of alarm.

He turned his gaze upward, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the distant stars. For a moment, his deep aura grew even more intense, as if a thousand mountains had suddenly been compressed into a single point.

Then, without another word, he turned and began to walk away, his steps quick and purposeful.

Sarah, sensing the sudden shift in his master's demeanor, paused in his practice and looked up. "Master? Is something wrong?"

The Grandmaster did not turn back, but his voice carried over his shoulder, deep and resonant as ever. "Continue your practice, Sarah. I have… something I must attend to."

And with that, he vanished into the bamboo forest, leaving Sarah standing alone amidst the towering stalks.

The young man watched him go, a mixture of confusion and concern in his eyes. But he did not stop his practice. With renewed determination, he continued to swing his sword, the lessons of his master echoing in his mind.

Unbeknownst to Sarah, the Grandmaster's sudden departure was no ordinary matter. Far above, in the heavens, something had changed—something that had not happened in millennia.

And though the young disciple remained unaware, his master knew all too well the significance of what he had seen. The stars themselves were shifting, and with them, the fate of the entire continent.