Immortal Druid

[POV: Li Qing]

The city of Leafhome stood transformed beneath a sky washed in pale gold, its newly raised walls gleaming with fresh stone and lacquered wood. What had once been a secluded village had grown into something far greater, something that demanded acknowledgment. Banners bearing the sigil of the willow tree fluttered from every tower, their long strands dancing like leaves in the wind. Cultivators, merchants, dignitaries from neighboring sects, and envoys of the local kingdom filled the vast square, their murmurs blending into a restless tide of anticipation.

At the forefront, elevated above the crowd, stood Li Qing.

Her robes flowed in quiet authority, jade-threaded silk catching the light as though woven from the essence of spring itself. Age had not diminished her presence; rather, it had tempered it into something resolute and unyielding. Her gaze swept across the gathered masses, steady and composed, yet carrying the weight of everything that had led to this moment.

She took a step forward, and the murmurs died as if pressed down by an unseen hand.

“What once stood here was a village hidden from the world,” Li Qing began, her voice clear and far-reaching, carried by spiritual force so that every ear within the square heard her without strain. “We lived in seclusion, bound by duty and silence, safeguarding what was entrusted to us by those who came before.”

She let her gaze linger across the people—her people.

“Today, that chapter ends. Leafhome is no longer a forgotten corner of the world. It stands recognized by the great sects and the kingdom alike, a city with its own name, its own will, and its own standing beneath the heavens.”

A ripple of pride stirred through the crowd.

“But let none of you forget the price that brought us here,” she continued, her tone hardening, a quiet steel threading through her words. “Invaders came from beyond our shores, from a distant continent, bringing with them destruction and ruin. They struck not only at our homes, but at our guests, at our honor, and at the very legacy we were sworn to protect. If not for the intervention of Senior Wo Li, this village would have been erased, reduced to nothing more than a footnote in the annals of history. Many among us would have perished that day, their names lost to time.”

Her voice softened, though it did not lose its strength.

“Therefore, I dedicate this inauguration to the one who stood against calamity when we could not, and to all those who would have fallen had he not answered. May this serve as a reminder of what was saved, and what we must never again allow to be lost.”

With a subtle gesture, Li Qing lifted her hand.

The sword floating at her side responded instantly, a streak of light that moved with elegant precision. It flashed forward and severed the ceremonial ribbon in a single, flawless arc.

Behind her, unveiled to the world, stood a towering bronze statue.

The likeness of the Hermit Sage Wo Li had been captured in striking detail, his posture calm yet unyielding, robes etched with flowing patterns that seemed almost alive. It stood at the heart of the city, an unmissable presence that would watch over all who entered.

From this day forth, the square would bear his name.

Woli Square.

Applause surged like thunder, a wave of sound that rolled through the city and beyond its walls. Yet even as the celebration swelled, Li Qing’s thoughts had already moved ahead.

There was too much to be done.

As the newly elected head of the reorganized remnants of the Hidden Village of the Leaf, the burden upon her shoulders was immense. The Willow Order had to be rebuilt, an ancient force that once stood as the protector of the world itself in ages past. When their duty had been fulfilled, the Willow Order had been disbanded, its legacy sealed away. In its aftermath, the Hidden Village of Leaf was created, an organization withdrawn from worldly affairs while safeguarding immovable treasures and the protection of the Shén.

But the world had changed.

The emergence of the Dark Order had shattered the illusion of peace. Their threat could not be ignored, and so the decision had been made. The Willow Order would rise once more.

This city would be its foundation.

That was why she had come in person despite her obligations elsewhere. There were matters of state, of strategy, of cultivation, all demanding her attention. Yet some responsibilities could not be delegated.

Her granddaughter was one of them.

Though letters had passed between them, ink and parchment were poor substitutes for presence. Li Ming was not merely a symbol tied to their order; she was blood, family, a child Li Qing had sworn to guide and protect.

Li Qing was looking forward to seeing her granddaughter again.

Suddenly, the alarm sounded.

A sharp, piercing resonance tore through the city, shattering the fragile calm. Formation arrays flickered to life along the walls, and the crowd erupted into chaos.

“An attack? Are we under attack again?!”

“Not now—how could this happen during the inauguration?!”

“Protect the elders! Get the children inside!”

Panic spread like wildfire, the carefully orchestrated ceremony dissolving into confusion.

A transmission talisman at Li Qing’s waist pulsed with urgency. She activated it without hesitation.

“Reporting to City Head Li Qing,” a firm voice came through, edged with tension. “This is Zhong Zhong, captain of the guards. There is a dragon outside the city walls.”

A dragon.

Li Qing’s blood ran cold for the briefest instant before it surged, boiling with intent. The word alone carried weight, and in this context, it could only mean one thing.

The Dark Order.

Had they truly come so soon?

Her aura sharpened, the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator unfurling like a storm barely contained. She had only recently broken through, ascending from the peak of Core Formation after relentless cultivation. If this were an attack, she would meet it head-on.

Without another word, her figure blurred.

Space folded.

In the next instant, Li Qing stood beyond the city walls.

The wind greeted her first, carrying with it the scent of something ancient and vast. Her gaze lifted and froze.

There was indeed a dragon.

Its immense form coiled with effortless dominance, scales catching the light in shifting hues. Yet it did not radiate hostility. Instead, it hovered with an almost casual presence, as though the city before it was of little concern.

And atop it?

“Is that Senior Wo Li?”

Li Qing’s composure cracked.

A familiar figure waved both arms with unrestrained enthusiasm.

“Grandma!” Li Ming’s voice rang out, bright and clear, utterly devoid of the tension gripping the city. “Grandma, over here!”

“Ming’er!?” uttered Li Qing in surprise.

Perched atop Li Ming’s head was a small owl, its eyes sharp with unmistakable intelligence. It tilted its head, feathers ruffling slightly as it regarded the scene with open displeasure.

“Your people are so rude,” the owl remarked, its tone crisp and distinctly feminine. “Is that how you greet your guests?”

Only then did Li Qing become aware of the tension behind her.

Along the walls, cultivators had already taken positions. Crossbows were drawn, spiritual bolts gleaming with lethal intent. Even the heavy ballistae had been rolled into place, their massive frames creaking as they were aimed squarely at the dragon.

One command would turn the situation disastrous.

Li Qing inhaled once, steadying herself, and then her voice rang out.

“Stand down!”

The pressure of her cultivation bore down upon the defenders, forcing hesitation into their movements.

“These are guests,” she declared, each word carrying unmistakable authority. “Lower your weapons at once.”

…

..

.

There had been a slight misunderstanding at the gates, but it was resolved quickly enough that no blood was spilled and no pride had been irreparably bruised. All things considered, that counted as a success in this world.

Zhen Ai shifted beside me, her massive draconic form folding inward as scales melted into skin and claws softened into slender fingers. By the time we crossed into the city proper, she had already taken on a human shape, slipping into a set of simple mortal clothing with practiced ease. The dragon that had nearly caused a city-wide panic was now just another striking young woman walking at my side.

If only the same could be said about me.

The moment we stepped through the gates, the city erupted.

Cheers, gasps, and whispers that quickly escalated into full-blown shouting rolled over us like a tidal wave. People surged forward, eyes wide, faces flushed with excitement, reverence, and something dangerously close to hysteria.

Willow shifted slightly atop my head, her talons light but firm as she peered over the crowd. “They love you.”

I exhaled slowly, already feeling a headache forming. “You think?”

Zhen Ai glanced at me from the side, her expression tinged with amusement. “Are you not just a master of a forest, but a master of a city, too?”

“No, I’m not,” I replied flatly, refusing to entertain that idea even for a second.

That didn’t stop the crowd.

“Sage Wo Li! Look over here!”

“He’s even more handsome up close!”

“Please, just one glance—just one!”

“Can I have your autograph?!”

“Senior, take me as your wife!”

“Forget that—give me your babies!”

I felt something in my soul recoil.

Internally, I winced as I kept my expression as composed as possible. So this was it. The so-called handsome young master experience, deluxe edition. If there had been a hidden exit, I would have taken it without hesitation. As it stood, I was already contemplating whether returning to my forest camp and pretending none of this ever happened was still a viable life choice.

Unfortunately, the crowd had other plans.

A woman at the peak of Qi Condensation somehow forced her way through the guards, her determination bordering on terrifying. She shoved a parchment and a piece of charcoal toward me with both hands, eyes blazing with fervor.

“Senior! Your autograph! Please, I demand it!”

I stared at the items for a brief moment, then at her, then back at the items.

“I… don’t know how this concept even reached this world,” I muttered under my breath, but I took them anyway.

The charcoal felt crude between my fingers, but I made do. I bent slightly and scribbled out what I thought my name should look like, defaulting to what I knew best. I wrote in cursive, smooth and flowing, entirely out of place in a cultivation world.

When I handed it back, the woman squinted at the parchment.

“What is this scribble?”

I glanced at it myself.

‘Wally.’

Ah.

The woman shrugged almost immediately, clutching it like a treasure. “Probably gonna sell well.”

I said nothing.

A realization settled over me with uncomfortable clarity. I could speak their language flawlessly thanks to the Voice of the World, but writing? Reading? Completely nonexistent. Illiterate. In a world where sect manuals, techniques, and contracts were everything.

I suppressed a sigh.

Great. Another thing to learn.

The guards finally surged in, pulling the woman back into the crowd before anyone else could follow her example.

“Make way! Make way!” one of them barked. “Give space! Let the honored guests pass through!”

Reluctantly, the sea of people parted, though their eyes remained glued to me as if afraid I might vanish if they blinked. We moved forward under heavy escort until a man with a short stubble stepped up beside me, his posture respectful but not overly stiff.

“Sage, I am sorry for the odd welcome,” he said, glancing at Zhen Ai. “We haven’t seen a dragon for a long time. Truth be told, it’s been forever since anyone has. The same goes for the residents. They’re… excited. Many of them were people you saved once. I’m one of them.”

Li Ming, walking just ahead, glanced back with a grin. “Take it easy on Captain Zhong, Senior.”

I gave a small nod. “All’s well.”

The man immediately cupped his fist and bowed deeply.

“Sage, please accept my gratitude,” he said, his voice thick with sincerity. “You may not remember it, but you saved my life. That day, when the invaders came, I was nothing more than a wandering cultivator waiting to die. Then you appeared in the shape of a tiger, a divine beast tearing through our enemies like a storm given form. It’s only recently I learned that it was you!”

He straightened slightly, eyes shining. “Your roar alone scattered them. Your claws—Heavens, your claws split their ranks as if they were paper. I still remember thinking, ‘This is what a legend looks like.’ If I may—”

He inhaled, clearly preparing to continue, perhaps even recite the entire event in poetic detail.

A soft cough from Li Qing cut him off.

Captain Zhong stiffened and immediately bowed his head. “Apologies.”

We continued walking.

Then I saw it.

Or rather, I tried not to see it.

The massive bronze statue stood in the center of the square, impossible to ignore, yet I made a valiant effort anyway by focusing very intently on literally anything else.

Willow, of course, had no such restraint.

“Oh my,” she said, her tone brimming with delight. “Look at that. They captured you rather well.”

Zhen Ai tilted her head, openly admiring it. “It is quite impressive. They even got your posture right.”

“I don’t see anything,” I said, eyes fixed straight ahead.

Neither of them bothered to humor me.

I had a creeping suspicion that Li Qing and Li Ming had deliberately arranged our route just to pass by that thing. Because honestly, with a dragon available, we could have flown anywhere. Instead, here I was, walking past my own larger-than-life likeness like some kind of unwilling celebrity.

Eventually, we arrived at a towering building that dwarfed everything around it. Polished stone, intricate carvings, layers of defensive formations woven so subtly into its structure that they hummed beneath my senses. It was, without question, the most expensive place in the city.

Li Qing came to a stop and turned to me, her expression softening slightly.

“Senior,” she said, “if you would excuse us. Li Ming and I have matters to discuss.”

Li Ming nodded eagerly, though her eyes lingered on me for a moment longer before she turned back to her grandmother.

I waved a hand lightly. “Go ahead. We’ll wait here in the lobby.”

Li Qing inclined her head, then gestured to a nearby attendant.

“Please see to our guests.”

The attendant, a young woman, bowed deeply. “Of course, City Head.”

Li Qing and Li Ming departed without further delay, their figures disappearing into the upper levels of the building.

The guards that had been escorting us melted away just as quickly, their presence fading into the periphery.

Zhong Zhong’s voice drifted back one last time.

“We will remain nearby, Sage. Please, think of us as nothing and make yourselves comfortable.”