Page 10

A week had passed since the carriage departed from Qinghe City, carrying its passengers steadily southward toward their distant destination. The well-traveled roads near the city had gradually given way to less maintained paths as they ventured into territories where human settlements grew sparse and wilderness reclaimed its dominance.

The journey had settled into a comfortable rhythm—traveling by day, resting at inns when available, and camping beneath the stars when civilization's comforts could not be found. Tonight was one such occasion, their campsite established in a small clearing within a dense forest that stretched for miles in every direction.

A campfire blazed at the center of their temporary haven, its flames casting dancing shadows across the faces of those gathered around it. The warm glow created a circle of light that pushed back the encroaching darkness, while the crackling wood provided a soothing counterpoint to the night sounds of the forest. Above them, stars glittered like scattered diamonds against the velvet backdrop of the night sky, visible through gaps in the ancient canopy.

Driver Mo had proven himself skilled not only in handling the carriage but also in wilderness survival. He had selected their campsite with a veteran's eye—near enough to a small stream for water, yet elevated enough to avoid nocturnal dampness, with natural features that would help conceal their fire's light from potential observers on the main path.

Spitted over the flames were several pieces of game—pheasants and rabbits that Liang Chen had hunted earlier that day, now slowly roasting to perfection. The aroma of cooking meat mingled with the scent of burning wood, creating an atmosphere that was both primal and comforting.

The travelers sat in a rough circle around the fire, the week of shared travel having softened the initial formality of their interactions without entirely dissolving the careful boundaries each maintained. Ceramic cups of warm rice wine passed from hand to hand, the alcohol providing a pleasant warmth against the evening chill.

"...and then," Liang Nian'er continued, her delicate features animated by the story she was sharing, "just when I thought the bear would surely attack, it simply sat down and watched me! As if it were as curious about me as I was terrified of it!"

Her voice carried the melodic quality that had become familiar to her traveling companions—a sound reminiscent of silver bells that somehow cut through the ambient noises of the forest without seeming loud or harsh.

"What did you do?" Li Meixia asked, her usual composure relaxed slightly by the informal setting and the warm wine.

"At first, nothing—I was too frightened to move," Liang Nian'er admitted with a self-deprecating laugh. "But after what felt like an eternity, I remembered the spirit fruits in my pouch. Very slowly, I took one out and rolled it toward the bear."

She mimicked the careful movement with her hands, her expression so earnest that several of her listeners found themselves smiling in response.

"The bear sniffed it, then ate it in a single bite! And then—you won't believe this—it actually bowed its head to me before wandering back into the forest." She finished her tale with a flourish of her hands, clearly delighted by the memory. "Brother says it must have been a spirit beast with some level of intelligence, but I prefer to think it was simply a friendly forest guardian."

Liang Chen shook his head fondly at his sister's romantic interpretation. "Spirit beast or not, you were fortunate. Most bears are not known for their hospitality toward humans."

The group chuckled at his dry observation, the shared laughter creating a momentary sense of camaraderie that transcended their different backgrounds and purposes.

As the laughter subsided, Li Meixia turned to Wudi Egun, who sat beside her with his usual perfect posture despite the rustic setting. Throughout the evening, he had listened attentively to the others' stories but had offered none of his own.

"Master Wudi," she said, her voice carrying a gentle challenge, "everyone has shared some tale of their past adventures. Perhaps you might favor us with one of yours?"

All eyes turned to the mysterious alchemist, curiosity evident in their expressions. Despite a week of travel together, Wudi Egun remained an enigma to his companions—unfailingly polite yet revealing little of substance about himself or his background.

"I'm afraid I have no stories worth sharing," he replied with that same measured cadence that somehow suggested depths beyond his words. "My life has been primarily devoted to study and practice, with little room for the kind of adventures that make for entertaining tales."

His deflection, though smoothly delivered, did little to discourage his audience. Liang Nian'er leaned forward, her eyes bright with interest. "Surely someone of your abilities must have experienced something worth recounting! Even a small incident during your training, perhaps?"

Wudi Egun shook his head slightly, his expression revealing nothing of his thoughts. "My training was remarkably uneventful. Disciplined practice rarely produces memorable anecdotes."

"Come now," Liang Chen joined his sister's encouragement, his charismatic smile on full display. "A master alchemist who can manifest a Heart Furnace must have at least one tale worth telling. We're not asking for your life's secrets—just a story to pass the evening hours."

Still, Wudi Egun maintained his polite resistance, neither offended by their persistence nor yielding to it. It was a delicate balance—refusing their requests without seeming rude or unnecessarily secretive.

Li Meixia, who had come to know him better than the others during their time together, added her own gentle persuasion.

 "Perhaps," she suggested, her voice softer than before, "if not a story of your own experiences, then one you've heard that left an impression on you?"

Her eyes met his as she spoke, and something passed between them—a silent communication that had developed during their shared journey. Unlike the others' requests, hers carried a different weight, a subtle reminder of the connection that had formed between them.

For a moment, Wudi Egun simply held her gaze, his dark eyes reflecting the dancing flames of the campfire. There was a curious intensity to the exchange, as if they were having an entirely different conversation beneath the surface of the spoken words.

Then, almost imperceptibly, he broke the connection, turning his attention to the fire instead. 

"I do know one story," he conceded finally. "Not my own, but of someone I... encountered during my travels."

The group leaned forward collectively, their interest piqued by this unexpected acquiescence. Even Tong Xin, who typically maintained a detached air, seemed to focus more intently on the alchemist.

What none of them could know was that Wudi Egun had no intention of sharing anything remotely true. The "story" he was about to relate was pure fabrication—a tale borrowed from a novel he had read in his previous life on Earth, before his mysterious transmigration to this world of cultivation and magic.

"There exists a man known as Li Qiye," he began, his voice taking on a storyteller's cadence that none of his companions had heard from him before. "Though he appears to be merely mortal, he has lived for countless eons, serving as the teacher and guide to generations of Immortal Emperors who have ruled over Heaven and Earth."

The claim was so outrageous that it immediately captured everyone's attention. In a world where powerful cultivators could live for centuries or even millennia, the concept of someone existing for "countless eons" was still beyond comprehension.

"This Li Qiye has protected mankind since the earliest eras," Wudi Egun continued, warming to his tale. "His wisdom is boundless, his strategies unfathomable, and his power... beyond what most can conceive."

As he spoke, the campfire seemed to burn more intensely, as if responding to the epic nature of the story being told. Shadows danced across the faces of his listeners, their expressions rapt with attention.

"There was a time," he continued, "when Dark Overlords threatened to consume the world in endless night. These beings of primordial darkness had existed since before the formation of the current heavens, their power so vast that even Immortal Emperors hesitated to confront them directly."

He paused to take a sip of wine, the momentary silence heightening the anticipation of his audience.

"Li Qiye, understanding that these entities could only be defeated if they fully manifested in the mortal realm, devised a strategy of terrible risk. He offered himself as bait—his own flesh and blood, infused with the essence of countless epochs of existence, presented as an irresistible lure to beings that fed on life itself."

Liang Nian'er gasped softly, her eyes wide with a mixture of horror and fascination. Even the usually stoic Tong Xin leaned forward slightly, her perfect features animated by genuine interest.

"When the Dark Overlords emerged from their hidden realm, drawn by this unprecedented offering, Li Qiye was waiting. With weapons forged from the essence of fallen stars and techniques that manipulated the very fabric of reality, he struck. The battle lasted for nine days and nine nights, reshaping mountains and boiling oceans."

Wudi Egun's voice had taken on a hypnotic quality, his usual measured tones replaced by the rhythmic cadence of an experienced storyteller. The tale he wove—completely fictional and borrowed from the novel "Emperor's Domination" that he had read in his previous life—seemed to come alive in the flickering light of the campfire.

"In the end, Li Qiye not only defeated the Dark Overlords but captured their essence, using it to nourish his epoch—extending his existence and strengthening his connection to the fundamental principles that govern all creation."

As he concluded this particular episode, his audience remained silent for several heartbeats, caught in the spell of the narrative.

"How powerful is Li Qiye now?" Liang Chen finally asked, his voice hushed with wonder.

Wudi Egun's lips curved into a slight smile—enigmatic and knowing.

 "As powerful as heaven itself," he replied simply, as if stating an obvious fact rather than an impossible claim.

The response drew gasps and exclamations of amazement from his listeners. In a world where power was measured and categorized with precise terminology, to compare someone's strength to heaven itself was either profound hyperbole or a statement so extraordinary that it transcended conventional understanding.

Li Meixia studied Wudi Egun with new intensity, her mind working rapidly behind her composed expression. The story, fantastic as it was, seemed to offer a potential explanation for the mysterious alchemist's origins and abilities. 

Perhaps he came from some hidden lineage connected to this legendary figure? Or from a realm where such beings were known?

Her speculation, while understandable, could not have been further from the truth. She could never have guessed that Wudi Egun was simply an ordinary man from another world entirely—a place called Earth, where cultivation was fiction rather than reality, and where he had been nothing more remarkable than an average person before his inexplicable transmigration.

The conversation continued around the campfire, with the others asking questions about Li Qiye and his exploits that Wudi Egun answered with carefully crafted vagueness. He provided enough details to satisfy their curiosity while ensuring that nothing he said could be verified or disproven.

Their animated discussion was abruptly interrupted by a subtle change in the forest's ambient sounds. The natural chorus of night insects fell silent in a pattern that spread from the east—a clear indication that something or someone was moving through the undergrowth toward their camp.

The cultivators among them reacted instantly, their relaxed postures transforming into alert readiness. Hands moved to weapons with practiced efficiency—Liang Chen's fingers closing around the hilt of his sword, Tong Xin's hand hovering near the slender blade at her waist, Li Meixia's fingers forming the beginning positions of a defensive technique.

Driver Mo rose silently to his feet, moving to a position where he could better protect the group if necessary. His weathered face revealed nothing, but the subtle shift in his stance spoke volumes about his readiness for conflict.

Only Wudi Egun remained apparently unmoved by the potential threat, continuing to tend to his portion of roasting meat with the same careful attention he had shown before. His lack of reaction might have appeared as foolish complacency to an observer, but those who had witnessed his alchemical demonstration knew better. His calm suggested not obliviousness but absolute confidence—the certainty of one who had already assessed all possible outcomes and found none truly threatening.

The source of the disturbance soon revealed itself as a group of men emerged from the forest into the clearing. There were approximately ten of them, each wearing crude garments fashioned from animal skins and leather. Their appearances were deliberately intimidating—ungroomed beards, scarred faces, and bodies hardened by rough living. They carried an assortment of weapons—axes, clubs, and crude swords that showed signs of frequent use.

Their leader stepped forward, a massive man whose physical presence dominated the clearing almost as effectively as his spiritual pressure. He stood well over six feet tall, his muscular frame suggesting both natural strength and cultivated power. In his hand, he carried a large single-bladed axe that gleamed dully in the firelight, its edge notched from use yet clearly sharp enough for its grim purpose.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, his voice carrying the rough accent of the border regions. "Look at what we've found here. Travelers far from the safety of the main roads."

His eyes moved over the group, lingering with particular attention on the three women. There was no attempt to disguise the nature of his interest—his gaze was nakedly predatory, assessing them as one might evaluate particularly desirable merchandise.

One of his companions, a leaner man with a face marked by a diagonal scar that pulled his left eye into a permanent squint, stepped forward to stand beside his leader. 

"Quite a fortunate discovery, Brother Feng," he remarked, his tone making the innocent words sound obscene. "Three beauties worth... savoring."

The leader—evidently Feng Juechen—grinned, revealing teeth stained by wine and neglect. "Indeed, Brother Han. It seems our hunting expedition has yielded unexpected prizes."

The crude implication hung in the air, deliberately provocative. It was a tactic as old as banditry itself—establish dominance through fear and disgust before any physical confrontation began.

Liang Chen rose to his feet in a single fluid motion, his hand now openly resting on his sword hilt.

 "You are interrupting a private camp," he stated, his voice carrying the natural authority that seemed inherent to his character. "I suggest you continue on your way."

The warning was clear, yet delivered with enough restraint to allow the intruders a dignified retreat if they chose to take it. It was the approach of one who preferred to avoid unnecessary conflict but was fully prepared to engage if required.

Feng Juechen's response was a bark of laughter, echoed by his companions with varying degrees of enthusiasm. "Oh? And who will make us leave? You, pretty boy?"

The man identified as Brother Han—Han Zeming by his full name—stepped forward, his hand resting on a curved blade at his waist.

 "We're reasonable men," he said, his tone suggesting the opposite. "Leave the women behind, and we'll allow you men to depart unharmed. A fair exchange, wouldn't you agree?"

This explicit threat transformed the tension in the clearing from potential to imminent. Li Meixia rose gracefully to her feet, her expression one of cold disdain rather than fear.

 "You overestimate your position," she stated, her voice carrying the authority of one accustomed to command. "And you underestimate those you threaten."

Tong Xin stood as well, her movement so fluid it seemed she simply materialized in a standing position. Unlike Li Meixia's verbal response, she offered only a look of such profound disgust that several of the bandits actually took involuntary steps backward.

Liang Nian'er, despite her delicate appearance, showed no sign of intimidation. She moved to stand beside her brother, her earlier cheerfulness replaced by a focused intensity that transformed her fairy-like features into something altogether more dangerous.

The bandits, momentarily taken aback by the unified response, quickly recovered their bravado. Another of their number, a stocky man with a shaved head and a necklace of what appeared to be human teeth, laughed harshly. "Spirited wenches, aren't they? Breaking that spirit will make the victory all the sweeter."

As the verbal confrontation escalated, both sides were rapidly assessing the other's capabilities. The cultivators in Wudi Egun's group quickly identified the power levels they faced—Feng Juechen radiated the unmistakable aura of a Half-Core Formation practitioner, placing him at a level of cultivation that commanded respect even in established sects.

Han Zeming and another bandit—presumably Qiu Yanzhao based on the deferential way others addressed him—both exhibited the solid foundation and controlled energy flow of Foundation Establishment cultivators. The remaining seven bandits, while less advanced, all showed signs of having reached the Qi Refinement stage, making them far more dangerous than ordinary mortals.

Against this threat, their own group presented a formidable defense. Driver Mo, whose weathered appearance concealed his true capabilities, matched Feng Juechen at the Half-Core Formation level. His calm demeanor suggested complete confidence in his ability to handle the bandit leader if necessary.

Liang Chen's dual cultivation path made him a particularly unpredictable opponent. Having achieved Half-Foundation Establishment in Qi Cultivation while simultaneously reaching the Bone Sculpting realm in Body Cultivation, he represented a rare combination of talents. Such dual cultivators were exceptional throughout the continent—perhaps one in a million cultivators successfully pursued both paths simultaneously.

His sister, Liang Nian'er, had fully established her Foundation, her delicate appearance belying the solid cultivation base she had built. Similarly, Tong Xin had not only reached Foundation Establishment but had already manifested her Sword Intent—a significant achievement that marked her as a prodigy among sword cultivators.

Li Meixia herself stood at the peak of Foundation Establishment, mere steps away from breaking through to Half-Core Formation. Combined with the exceptional techniques passed down through the Li Family lineage, she represented a walking arsenal of combat capabilities despite her elegant demeanor.

Only Wudi Egun, still seated calmly by the fire and turning his skewer of meat to ensure even cooking, presented no cultivator's aura. To spiritual senses, he registered as completely ordinary—a mortal with no cultivation base whatsoever. Yet his absolute lack of concern in the face of potential danger suggested either foolish ignorance or a confidence so profound it transcended normal caution.

The standoff continued, verbal barbs exchanged with increasing hostility. Threats became more explicit, warnings more dire. The bandits, growing impatient with the unexpected resistance, began to spread out around the clearing, attempting to establish tactical advantage through positioning.

Throughout this escalating confrontation, Wudi Egun remained focused on his cooking meat, his apparent disinterest in the dangerous situation a mystery to both his companions and the increasingly agitated bandits. Whether this behavior represented supreme confidence, strategic calculation, or something else entirely remained to be seen.

As tension reached its breaking point and the first moves of actual combat seemed imminent.