Immortal Druid

I returned to the Touch Grass Sect feeling slightly miffed. The operation against the Dark Order had been successful, but that did not mean I was in a good mood. A large part of that was because Nyx refused to leave me alone. I pushed her face away for what felt like the hundredth time, only for her to immediately close the distance again. Her hand remained firmly attached to my arm as though she had been glued there.

"Nyx, stop this inappropriate behavior."

She blinked innocently. "What inappropriate behavior?"

"This!" I shook my arm, causing her to sway with it. "Physical contact like this is invading my personal space."

Nyx tilted her head and looked up at me as if I had said something ridiculous. "But I am your shadow. Since I am your shadow, this should be fine."

"No, it should not be fine."

"Why not?"

"Because you're still a person."

"I am your shadow person."

My eye twitched.

Beneath my feet, the shadow connected to the shadow elementals. The darkness rippled and bubbled excitedly. Tiny Shadow Elementals emerged from the black surface before sinking back into it, clearly sharing their mistress's mood.

Above us, a flock of crows circled overhead.

"Caw! Unfaithful son of a bitch!"

"Caw! Betrayer!"

"Caw! Shame!"

I pointed my staff toward the sky. "Hey! I'm not even married yet, or sumshit!"

The crows scattered while cackling among themselves.

Despite my protest, I did feel a little guilty regarding Mab. Still, guilt and romance were entirely different matters. Between the Touch Grass Sect, the Dark Order, and whatever new disaster the world intended to throw at me next week, a relationship sat very low on my list of priorities.

Fortunately, the entrance to the sect soon came into view. Unfortunately, Roo was standing there.

The kangaroo spotted me from afar and waved enthusiastically.

"Oi, Sage! I knew you'd arrived the moment the sky started getting darker!"

I narrowed my eyes at him. Something immediately felt wrong.

"Roo."

"Yeah?"

"Where did the signboard go?"

The smile on his face somehow became even wider. I slowly looked upward. The wooden archway stood proudly above the entrance as it always had. The problem was that the large sign bearing the words Touch Grass Sect was completely missing.

There was only empty space.

Roo coughed, then he hopped behind the archway and returned, dragging a large piece of wood. It was the missing signboard. There were dents across its surface. The edges were chipped. Faint traces of dried blood stained the wood.

I stared.

Roo proudly held it above his head.

"Behold! The ultimate fighting weapon!"

"..."

"I've tested it extensively. It works as a shield, a club, a projectile, and an emotional support weapon."

"..."

Roo pointed dramatically at me.

"Sage Wo Li! I challenge you to an awesome duel! Don't forget our agreement! The loser gives up their firstborn!"

"BULLSHIT!" I roared. "I DIDN'T AGREE TO ANY SHIT!"

Roo immediately turned around and ran.

I chased after him.

The local beasts wisely evacuated the area.

My staff swung through the air repeatedly as I attempted to beat some sense into the marsupial menace. Roo had apparently learned a few tricks while I was away. He used the sect signboard like a shield, parrying my strikes with surprising skill.

"See?!" Roo shouted. "Practical application! The signboard has evolved!"

"It wasn't supposed to evolve!"

"It chose violence!"

"It is a signboard!"

The chase continued across the courtyard until a blur of darkness suddenly shot forward. Nyx appeared beside Roo. Before he could react, she kicked the signboard out of his hands.

The wooden board flew through the air and embedded itself in a distant wall.

Roo froze.

A dozen shadow tendrils erupted from the ground and wrapped around him. The kangaroo found himself hanging upside down.

Nyx crossed her arms and looked extremely pleased with herself.

I immediately gave her a thumbs-up.

"Excellent work."

She smiled brightly.

Then I resumed hitting Roo.

"Ow!"

"That is for stealing the signboard."

"Ow!"

"That is for using sect property as a weapon."

"Ow!"

"That is for inventing fake agreements involving firstborn children."

Roo grunted through the barrage.

"You know, Sage, this is actually incredible endurance training."

I stopped.

"What?"

"My pain tolerance is improving."

I hit him again.

"Character development!"

Another hit.

"Physical growth!"

Another hit.

"Mental fortitude!"

Eventually, I grew tired.

It was not because Roo surrendered, but because he genuinely seemed to believe the beating was helping him improve. There were some enemies in this world that simply could not be defeated.

Roo was one of them.

...

..

.

[POV: Jia Ping]

Jia Ping sat inside her workshop, surrounded by half-finished projects and spiritual tools. The aftermath of the Dark Order conflict still lingered in her thoughts. Although victory had been achieved, the battle had reminded her how long it had been since she had participated in a true fight.

The sound of footsteps interrupted her work.

She looked up and immediately stood.

"Sage Wo Li. Welcome back. How did the operation go?"

Wo Li's expression darkened. "Ask your elders."

Jia Ping blinked. That answer alone told her the operation had not gone smoothly. Without further explanation, Wo Li removed a storage ring and handed it over. She accepted it carefully.

"Can you find a way to purify the bodies?" he asked. "If you discover anything useful, come back to me immediately."

"I understand."

Wo Li then produced a small crystal vial filled with shimmering liquid. Quintessence flowed from his fingers into the container before he casually tossed it toward her.

Jia Ping nearly fumbled it as she barely managed to catch it before it hit the ground.

Wo Li nodded toward the vial. "You might find that useful. If you need more, ask me. Also, keep me updated regarding the purification research."

"I will."

Satisfied, Wo Li turned and left.

The workshop became quiet once more.

Jia Ping looked down at the storage ring in her hand. Curious and slightly apprehensive, she extended her spiritual senses into it. The moment she perceived the contents, her expression froze. The ring contained bodies. Hundreds of bodies.

The sheer number alone was horrifying.

Silently, she began examining them one by one. Most bore signs of corruption from dark energies. Others carried wounds from fierce battles. As she continued her inspection, familiar robes began appearing among the dead.

Green. White. Silver.

They were the colors of the Willow Order.

Jia Ping's movements slowed as she recognized some faces. Others she knew only by reputation. Yet every one of them had met the same fate. Her shoulders sagged. "So many..."

The words escaped as little more than a whisper. "The Willow Order suffered this much..."

The workshop felt colder than before.

Jia Ping carefully closed the storage ring and held it against her chest.

For a long moment, she simply stood there in silence, mourning the fallen cultivators whose journey had ended far from home.

...

..

.

[POV: Li Qing]

Li Qing opened her eyes and slowly exhaled. The spiritual energy circulating through her meridians settled as she concluded her cultivation session for the day. Rising from her meditation cushion, she made her way toward the city entrance.

By her estimates, the operation against the Dark Order should have concluded by now. She expected to see returning cultivators, perhaps exhausted but triumphant. The Willow Order had committed many of its finest members to the campaign. Though the enemy was dangerous, they had also been supported by Sage Wo Li and several allied sects.

Instead, only a single figure approached.

It was Consul Chen Lin.

Li Qing immediately frowned.

"Chen Lin, what happened?"

Chen Lin stopped before her. The woman looked exhausted. Her eyes were gaunt, her face pale, and a deep sense of remorse lingered around her like a shadow.

Li Qing's heart sank.

Whatever news she carried, it was not good.

She glanced at the surrounding disciples.

"Come with me. Everyone else is dismissed."

The gathered cultivators bowed and quickly withdrew. Neither woman spoke as they walked through the city grounds. The atmosphere grew heavier with every step until they finally arrived at Li Qing's office.

The door closed behind them.

Li Qing turned sharply.

"Explain."

Without hesitation, Chen Lin cupped her fist and bowed deeply.

"This subordinate confesses her incompetence. Of all the cultivators who joined the operation, only Lady Xing Mei, Lord Guo Yupin, Kang Wen, and I survived."

The room became deathly quiet.

Chen Lin continued.

"Lady Xing Mei and Lord Guo Yupin have already departed for their respective sects. They intend to personally inform the families and sects of those who perished during the operation."

Her voice grew even quieter.

"The Serenity Cliff Sect Leader also fell during the battle."

A look of terror appeared in Li Qing's eyes. For a moment, she thought she had misheard. The Serenity Cliff Sect Leader was dead? A sect leader? Someone of that stature had actually died?

"What happened?" she whispered.

Chen Lin closed her eyes. "The battle escalated beyond anything we anticipated."

Li Qing slowly sank into her chair. Her fingers tightened around the armrests. "What about Kang Wen?"

Chen Lin straightened slightly. "He remained behind."

"Behind?"

"He is currently acting as a liaison between our forces and the remnants of the Dark Order."

Li Qing stared, since the sentence made no sense. "The remnants of the Dark Order?" she asked. "Clarify."

Chen Lin nodded. "Members of the Dark Order betrayed their own organization. They placed themselves under the leadership of an immortal named Hao Lei. Negotiations were conducted between Immortal Hao Lei and Sage Wo Li. Certain agreements were reached. The defectors are no longer considered hostile."

Li Qing felt her thoughts spinning.

Every new revelation sounded more unbelievable than the last.

The room seemed smaller.

The air felt heavier.

Then Chen Lin spoke the words that hurt the most.

"Our greatest loss was not the casualties."

Li Qing slowly looked up.

Chen Lin's eyes were filled with guilt.

"Our greatest loss was losing the trust of the Sage."

Li Qing froze.

"We underestimated the power of an immortal," Chen Lin said bitterly. "We believed ourselves prepared. We believed numbers, planning, and experience would be enough."

Her hands trembled.

"We were wrong."

The remorse in her voice was impossible to miss.

"We are paying dearly for that mistake."

Li Qing could not find words to respond.

Chen Lin laughed weakly.

The sound held no joy whatsoever.

"Perhaps we no longer have the right to call ourselves the Willow Order."

"Chen Lin..."

"We stopped being the Willow Order a long time ago."

The woman's shoulders slumped.

"The founders of our order stood against impossible odds. They endured hardship after hardship and still protected humanity. What are we now? We are a shadow of our former glory, no smaller than one cast by a dying candle. We may even be inferior to the days when the Hidden Village system still existed."

Li Qing felt her heart sink. She wanted to refute the statement and argue against Chen Lin's bleak assessment, yet after hearing of the casualties and failures of the operation, the words would not come, and doubt began creeping into her heart as she feared for the future of the Willow Order.

...

..

.

[POV: Mab]

"Bitch! FUCKING BITCH! HOW DARE SHE LAY HER HANDS ON THE SAGE!"

Mab silently screamed inside her mind as she glared at the dark-haired woman attached to Wo Li’s arm. Hidden among the trees, she watched the pair travel through the Touch Grass Sect, and the more she watched, the more furious she became.

Nyx simply would not let go. At first, Mab had thought the woman would eventually release her lord, but she was very wrong. The shameless woman remained glued to him, and even worse, she looked perfectly happy about it.

Mab melded into the surrounding trees and swiftly followed them through the forest.

The pair visited the treehouse where Zhen Ai and her son resided, then moved on to Jia Ping’s workshop, followed by the chieftain beasts and finally Xuanwu. The entire time, Nyx remained shamelessly attached to Wo Li’s arm, and Mab’s eye twitched violently as her jealousy and rage continued to boil.

When the two of them eventually found themselves alone beneath a grove of ancient trees, Mab became increasingly nervous as she watched from concealment, biting her nails with growing anxiety, while Nyx looked up at Wo Li, her voice ringing out innocent, pure, and sweet.

Unfortunately, Mab recognized evil when she saw it.

"I like spending time with you," Nyx said softly. "I feel happy whenever I am near you."

Wo Li nodded. "That's good."

Nyx blinked. "I want to stay close to you forever."

"That sounds inconvenient."

Mab nearly burst into laughter.

Nyx paused before trying again. "If I remained beside you forever, would you mind?"

Wo Li considered the question. "As long as you don't cause trouble."

Nyx stared.

Mab almost cried tears of joy.

The Sage had completely missed it, again and again and again. Wo Li possessed many talents, but understanding romance was not one of them. A small part of Mab felt disappointed, yet another part felt incredibly happy; that bitch deserved every bit of it.

Unfortunately, Nyx was persistent; the shadow woman moved even closer and then pressed herself firmly against Wo Li's arm. Mab's eyes widened in disbelief—No, no, no, ENOUGH!—before she exploded from the trees, leaves scattering everywhere as she descended from above, landing on one knee before Wo Li and lowering her head respectfully.

"This servant greets Sage Wo Li."

Wo Li blinked.

"Oh. There you are."

Mab immediately looked up.

"There I am?"

"I've been looking for you."

The words struck her harder than any heavenly treasure. Joy exploded inside her chest. Her lord had been looking for her.

Looking.

For.

Her.

Mab fought desperately to keep a straight face. Unfortunately, a ridiculous smile still appeared. However, there were more important matters to address. She slowly turned toward Nyx. Then back toward Wo Li.

"Lord Sage, may I have permission to speak with Lady Nyx?"

Wo Li immediately narrowed his eyes.

"Are you planning something bad?"

Mab froze as a visible look of hurt appeared on her face.

"Lord Sage!"

Without hesitation, she grabbed his other arm and clung to it.

"I would never do such a thing to a guest of my lord."

Wo Li looked unconvinced.

Mab pressed a hand against her chest.

"I am deeply wounded by such accusations."

Wo Li raised an eyebrow.

"Mab."

"Yes, Lord Sage?"

"Do you remember that training session where you dropped a mountain on me?"

"..."

Mab became speechless. Of course, she remembered. The memory remained crystal clear. And it may have been caused by a slight feeling of resentment because of how much the sage had been rejecting her advances.

Wo Li continued.

"Twice."

"..."

"The second mountain was larger than the first."

"..."

"It was still attached to another mountain."

"..."

Mab lowered her head. Her defense had completely collapsed.

Meanwhile, Nyx looked between them before innocently asking, "Was that considered something bad?"

Mab felt another vein bulge on her forehead. This woman truly was her natural enemy.

Wo Li turned to Mab with a gentle, oblivious smile. “We’ll leave you two girls to get to know each other,” he said warmly, before the Sage escaped the embrace of the two women in one fluid motion, vanishing into the trees with Nature’s Stride.

Mab double-checked the surroundings, her senses stretching through the ancient grove until she was certain the Sage was truly gone. Only then did she whirl on Nyx, unleashing all her pent-up hostility. “It wasn’t your turn yet…”

The innocent facade melted away from Nyx’s face like morning mist, replaced by a haughty, knowing smirk. “Who decided that? Ah, apologies, old hag—I ought to respect my elders more.”

Mab’s fist clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white, fury boiling just beneath the surface. “It’s not your turn yet.”

“Like I said… Who decided that? You?” Nyx shot back, her voice laced with venom. “This is unfair, Mab. You know it. You’ve hidden him from us long enough. Just because you have the blessing of time doesn’t mean you can abuse it.”

Mab felt her chest tighten with agitation. Nyx was more than a rival or an enemy. She was part of her in the deepest sense. The two of them, along with one other, were the same entity split by destiny: three aspects representing past, present, and future. On a grander scale, they embodied the three worlds themselves. If Mab stood for the destiny of the present, then Nyx embodied the destiny of the past.

Nyx’s eyes flashed with long-suppressed rage. “Do you have any idea how it feels to remember everything from that rewound past? All those shattered lives and endless suffering you caused with your selfishness? In the end, this is still the war of the three worlds, Mab.”

The victory condition for this hidden war was brutally simple: winning Wo Li’s heart. Between the Spiritual Plane, the Mortal Plane, and the Godly Plane, Nyx represented the Spiritual Plane.

Mab drew in a steadying breath, forcing her voice to remain firm. “Our purpose is not to pick sides, Nyx. We are here to help the Sage bring harmony between the three worlds and not to fight over him like this.”

Nyx scoffed, crossing her arms with a look of utter disdain. “Still so childish. You really can’t see the reality right in front of you, can you? In the end, this isn’t about Wo Li or even about us. It’s about the future of this world.”

“...You don’t know that.”

They glared at each other, their discussion slowly cooling down as Wo Li returned.

“Uhm… Did I return at a bad time?”

“No, my lord,” said Mab.

“We’re just getting to know each other,” added Nyx. “That’s all.”