Cultivation Nerd (xianxia)

Chapter 193 - A Heavy Step

 

A week had passed since my conversation with Song Song about our plans and since my cousins had left. I had already sent the letter requesting leave, and as Song Song's subordinate, they would certainly approve it. If not, Song Song and I had agreed to act as if she had told me the Sect confirmed my vacation. If anyone asked, we'd pretend she "lied" to me. The worst that could happen would be a slap on the wrist.

Even that would be excessive. Allowing Song Song to be punished for something like this would send a message to the entire Sect—that the Song Clan could be easily reprimanded, even for minor issues. Whether her clan liked Song Song or not was irrelevant; they had to consider the bigger picture in such situations. They couldn't afford to give even an inch to their real enemies. After all, the Song Clan hadn't done much to make friends, and they had made plenty of enemies with their often ruthless behavior.

"C'mon now, big guy, just step on the jade platform," I coaxed Speedy, who eyed the translucent surface warily. He nudged it with his head, testing its texture, and let out a faint whine.

The sky was a soft canvas of clouds, their edges tinged with the fading hues of the setting sun. It was late summer, and the oppressive heat had eased into a gentle warmth. The air was mild, carrying the faint scent of leaves just beginning to think about turning for autumn.

With such good weather, I had no idea what he was complaining about.

"What? Not soft enough for you? Or are you worried it'll break?" I teased. "Don't worry, we'll take it slow once we're away from the Sect. And really, what are you so concerned about? With that tough shell of yours, you could fall from space and be fine."

Speedy whined again, rubbing his cheek against the grass before looking up at me.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

He made a louder sound this time, rubbing his face against a nearby tree before lying down and standing up again.

"Still no idea what you're trying to say," I sighed.

Everything I needed for the journey was already packed in my storage ring. Whether I left this evening or tomorrow morning depended on when Song Song returned with news. She'd have to sneak out with me if she had nothing planned. Though we weren't traveling together—if Song Song got involved, the trip would become a major headache. She had a way of making simple situations far more complicated than necessary. Besides, there was always the chance that a Core Elder might be sent to assassinate us if she left with me. 

"Alright, just get on the thing, and we'll argue later," I muttered, waving my hand to summon some jade puppets to lift Speedy onto the floating platform.

Once settled, Speedy glanced around before resting his head on the jade and falling asleep.

He fell asleep? After all that fuss about the platform being uncomfortable? What was he even complaining about?

I pushed Speedy's antics to the back of my mind and focused on the journey ahead. I had applied for a year or two of leave, but that might stretch further. No one could blame me if I didn't return to the Sect in the middle of a calamity. I was just a Qi Gathering disciple, and nobody important in the general gist of things. 

The jade platform hovered effortlessly beside me, requiring only a sliver of concentration to keep it active. 

I closed my eyes and began practicing my Sky Grade technique. Whenever I used Eight Mind Phantoms, I felt like a leaf. It was impossible for a human mind to truly comprehend what it would feel like to be a leaf. Yet, this technique altered my entire perception of the world. It was a strange sensation. 

I had somewhat mastered the sensory aspect of the technique, which would be invaluable when traveling through lands teeming with monstrous beasts. Some of these predators could conceal themselves almost perfectly in their natural environments, but pinpointing their location with my ability to sense the mental waves they emitted would be easy.

As I was about to practice further, I detected a new presence behind one of the walls. Usually, it was better to let a spy believe they hadn’t been discovered and feed them false information. But this wasn’t a spy.

“You know, if you’re already here, you might as well say so,” I called out.

Song Song leaped over the wall with her usual amused smirk. She acted as casually as ever, seemingly unconcerned that the longer we stayed here, the riskier things could get.

“It’s entertaining to watch you be dumb,” she said, never one to mince words.

By now, I knew better than to argue with her. Letting her get her quips in and moving on was usually the best approach, rather than wasting time on an argument she clearly enjoyed.

“What’s with that rude look in your eyes? Thinking something unpleasant about me?” Song Song frowned.

“No, I’m not angry. Just expressionless,” I replied.

“I didn’t say you were angry. I said you were thinking something rude about me, which you obviously were, judging by your response,” she sighed. “How am I supposed to tell you the good news when you treat me so poorly?”

Song Song often acted like a bored housewife, stirring up drama solely to entertain herself.

“Can we just move on?” I muttered, rubbing my forehead to massage away the growing irritation.

“Fine, spoilsport,” she pouted, though the sad expression quickly vanished as if it had never been there. “Your vacation request was approved. They’ve granted you up to three years, and some elders seem to have high expectations for you. A few were clearly bootlicking, but others appeared genuinely impressed. Or maybe they’re just good actors. Either way, it doesn’t really matter.”

“What about you?” I asked, feeling a pang of uncertainty.

Leaving Song Song alone in the Sect with an assassination plot brewing didn’t sit well with me. As much as I wanted to start my journey, I might have to delay it until we dealt with the situation. Some drastic action might be needed—maybe even revealing one of the Level 5 or 6 arrays to the Sect Leader to force him to shut down the plot personally.

“You should show that worry more often; it makes you look cute. Like a puppy,” she smiled. “But where was I? Oh, yes, my father has arranged for me to enter closed-door cultivation outside the Sect. He’s taking me to the Song Clan ancestral grounds, where I’ll be cultivating for years. The next time you see me, I’ll probably be a peak Foundation Establishment Cultivator.”

Relief washed over me, and I smiled as I sighed. “Good, that’s really good. Make sure no one but your father knows about this.”

“It’ll be boring without you around,” Song Song said, her usual smile fading into a more serious expression.

Right. After this, we were unlikely to see each other for a long time. With everything I had been preparing, I hadn’t thought about how things would play out once we parted.

Song Song could be troublesome—constantly getting us into situations where I had to think on my feet to keep us from dying. She attracted danger like a flame drew moths. But despite that, she had saved my life more than once, and when she wasn’t in a murderous rage, she was actually good company. We sparred together, practiced techniques, and pushed each other to improve. She was like a whetstone, sharpening my blade.

What was I supposed to say to her now? A tearful goodbye? Neither of us was the type for that.

No, I knew exactly what to say.

I smiled, leaning against the jade platform where Speedy rested, and sighed. “Finally, I won’t have to deal with your troublesome self anymore. Do you know how many sleepless nights I spent planning so we wouldn’t end up dead in a ditch? Try not to mess up indoor cultivation, too.”

At first, she frowned, and for a moment, I thought she might get angry. But then, a playful glint lit up her eyes. “Hey, I wasn’t the one whose trouble followed them home.”

“You’re still on about that?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged and began to walk away. “See you later. I have to meet my father. Make sure you leave soon. Without me around, everyone will want a piece of you.”

With that, she disappeared, her figure a blur as she moved at breakneck speed toward the Song Clan compound.

I sighed, and the smile slipped from my face. The familiar courtyard, where I had spent so many quiet days with Song Song cultivating while I tested new arrays on her, suddenly felt distant. Those were good days.

“Well, Speedy, time for our own journey,” I said, pulling a fine white sword from my storage ring.

The sword hovered a few feet above the ground, and I jumped onto it, balancing easily. We soared into the distance with just a thought, Speedy following in his translucent jade cube. Despite it being his first time traveling this way, he napped comfortably.

We only stopped at the inner sect gates. After walking past the guards at the exit, I took off again, flying on my sword.

Should I have told anyone else I was leaving? There were people I was friendly with in the Sect, but none I would risk my neck for. My escape would fall apart if anyone outside my inner circle got wind of my plans. Forget the looming calamity—I’d likely lose my head just for knowing about a period when the Blazing Sun Immortal was at his weakest.

That wasn’t something an inner disciple was supposed to know.

As I flew through the outer Sect, I changed direction, heading toward the tall library pagoda instead of the Sect’s exit.

I still had no idea what the librarian and the old man were planning, and I had no solution to get them out of here.

When I arrived, the library was as busy as ever. A few people lingered outside, and about a dozen more were inside. They all stared at me, wide-eyed, whispering to each other. Some even pointed at the translucent jade box I had Speedy trapped in.

I didn’t care and jumped off my sword before putting it in the storage ring before my feet touched the ground. I simply opened a few breathing holes in the jade for Speedy and left the cube outside. As I entered the library, the familiar scent of incense and old books didn’t relax me like it used to.

The librarian was at his usual place behind the counter, and the old man stood nearby, saying something to him. When he saw me, the old man narrowed his eyes, glanced at my hands, and shook his head.

“What did I tell you? These days, he doesn’t even bother to bring tea. I remember when he used to care,” the old man grumbled.

But this time, I wasn’t here to joke around. Just as I was about to set up a silencing array, the librarian beat me to it. A purple hexagonal barrier sprang up around us in the blink of an eye.

There was no time for pretense. None of us had the luxury for that now. Even with the disciples around, we couldn’t afford to have this talk later. 

"Have you found a way to leave the Sect?" I asked.

Without a word, the librarian removed the silver ring from his pinky and placed it on the desk, sliding it toward me.

"Here. Inside are most of the rare books I've collected over my lifetime. Mostly Level 4 arrays, but also my stash of spirit stones," the librarian said. "I tried to find a way out, but I'm an elder. I manage a library like this and am about to become an inner elder. There's no place for someone like me to just leave the Sect."

"Don't go spending that money, kid. He's just giving it to you for safekeeping," the old man chimed in, his tone more mellow than usual.

My heart sank, and I swallowed the nervous lump forming in my throat.

The old man was softening the truth, but this was essentially the librarian entrusting me with almost everything he had in case something happened to him.

"Then you should just run," I urged.

"Run where?" The librarian's voice was calm, almost detached. "I'd be hunted down and made an example of. No elder has run from this place in hundreds of years. Besides, I was born to be a cultivator. I've never doubted my purpose, and this is all I know."

I realized then that nothing I said would change his mind.

"Don't worry too much, kid," the old man reassured me. "We work in the library. Your teacher hasn't seen combat in half a century."

Shan Sha didn't call me a brat this time, a rarity. Usually, he would seize any opportunity to be petty. His sudden shift to this tempered demeanor scared me even more.

"Is there anything I can say to change your minds?" I asked.

They didn't respond. Their silence was answer enough.

I glanced at the silver ring in front of me. If I accepted it, I'd have two storage rings, but that didn't make me feel any better.

"What about you?" I turned to the old man.

"I've only got a couple of years left, if that," he shrugged. "I wouldn't waste my time bothering you. Besides, someone has to keep your teacher company."

My mind swirled with thoughts, desperate to find something—anything—to convince them otherwise. But the words stuck in my throat.

"I never really got the chance to hear your life stories," I said, trying to prolong the conversation. It was to buy me time to think of something!

"Why're you acting like we're about to die, kid?" the old man snorted. "Besides, you look ready to leave. You sure you've got time for stories?"

"I'll make time."

"As expected of the younger generation. Stubborn and dumb," the old man sighed, though a smirk played on his lips. "I'll keep it short. My life's been boring—just an old man who outlived his children and family."

I frowned. "What-?"

"As for me," the librarian cut in, "my story is the same as any other average cultivator with mediocre talent. Liu Feng, make sure you don't lose that joy you have for the martial way."

"Also," the old man added with a grin, "if you ever become an immortal, try not to be such a nerd. Stop reading so many books."

Typical. Even now, he couldn't help but throw insults. He wouldn't have been the same old goat I knew if he'd been all sentimental.

That was it. Nothing more needed to be said. The meeting was short but felt like an eternity. I'd known them long enough to realize they wouldn't change their minds.

I picked up the storage ring from the counter and turned to leave.

"Oh, yeah, brat. Now that Xin Ma gave you something, I guess I have to, too," the old man said, tossing his broom toward me.

I caught it mid-air, and he smirked arrogantly.

"I've got a premium tea set, but I don't really feel like giving it to you," he shrugged.

I snorted, stifling a chuckle, and walked out of the silencing array, tucking the broom into my storage ring.

Outside, a small crowd of curious outer disciples had gathered around Speedy's jade cube. But when they saw me, they scattered, and I mounted my flying sword again, setting off.

And so, I began my journey to explore this beautiful world—with a heavy heart.

 

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