Immortal Druid

After all of the posturing and grandstanding, Tao Hai departed alongside the representatives of the Ten Great Sects. To their credit, they left without resorting to violence at the last second, which was already more restraint than I had expected from a gathering of powerful cultivators accustomed to having their demands obeyed. Whether they were exercising self-control for the sake of appearances or because they knew more about me than they were willing to reveal remained unclear.

Mab completed a graceful pivot before intercepting one of Nyx's incoming strikes with the back of her hand. The movement flowed naturally into another exchange, the two women moving so smoothly that it resembled a choreographed dance more than martial training.

"It's probably because of the Dark Order incident," Mab said. "When those two immortals attacked the sect, the fight was rather attention-grabbing. News like that doesn't stay hidden for long."

I supposed she had a point. Mab had already recounted the story once before, detailing how two immortals from the Dark Order had launched a sudden invasion against the sect and how she had dealt with them promptly. An event involving immortals was already enough to shake entire regions. An event involving immortals being defeated was the sort of thing that traveled across continents.

Leaning against the trunk of the enormous tree, I continued reading through a collection of historical records concerning the continent. The bark behind me felt warm despite the gentle breeze. Every now and then, leaves rustled overhead as if the tree itself were quietly observing my studies.

Nyx slipped past one of Mab's strikes and delivered a short jab toward her shoulder before asking, "Is there something worrying you?"

I lowered the book slightly and watched the two of them continue their practice. Their movements mirrored one another almost perfectly. Every strike was met with a counter. Every advance was matched by a retreat. Roo sat nearby with wide eyes, completely captivated by the display.

Watching Mab and Nyx together always gave me the feeling that they knew one another far better than either was willing to admit. Mab never had any trouble sharing stories from her past life, yet whenever the topic approached her regression, she became evasive. Nyx was no different. She refused to explain how she had arrived in this world in the first place. As time passed, I became increasingly convinced that she was far more than a simple Shadow Elemental.

Still, everyone carried secrets.

I had my own.

There was no reason to force theirs into the open.

"I have a bad feeling about the state of things," I admitted. "Especially the relationship between the sects and the nations. It feels like the two have begun attaining powers of equal measure."

I reached into my storage ring and retrieved the most recent geopolitical records available to me. The documents were only a few years old, but for a continent this large, that was practically yesterday.

Flipping through the pages, I skimmed reports concerning territorial control, military strength, trade routes, and alliances.

"In the past five hundred years," I said, "the Ten Great Sects and the Four Sovereign Flags each occupied roughly a third of the continent. The remaining territories belonged to neutral powers. But looking at these records now, I have to wonder what changed."

My gaze traveled down the page.

"Most of those neutral forces only maintained their independence because of the Willow Order's backing. Even after the order disappeared, the shadow it left behind remained. Smaller powers used that legacy to protect their agency and avoid bowing to larger umbrellas of power. Without that shadow, they're being slowly swallowed."

The situation became increasingly obvious the more I read. Borders had shifted. Trade agreements had grown more aggressive. Military expenditures had risen sharply. And independent territories were vanishing, one by one.

I turned another page and nearly dropped the book. The words whispered. Not metaphorically. They actually whispered. The sound was faint, like voices carrying through a thick wall. The pages rustled softly, the ink shifted ever so slightly, and tiny voices murmured fragments of recorded history directly into my ears: a king’s declaration, a merchant’s bitter complaint, a chronicler’s careful observation.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. Apparently, my Voice of the World ability was no longer content with letting me hear the thoughts of plants. Now it had taken an interest in books as well.

Wonderful. Exactly what I needed... more voices.

The book seemed almost offended by my reaction.

"I contain valuable information," it complained.

"I know," I muttered.

"Then read faster."

I sighed deeply.

Despite possessing absurd powers, I remained painfully aware of one fact.

I was not an expert on geopolitics.

I was a company man.

My greatest professional achievements involved budgets, reports, and meetings. Nobody had ever trained me to predict continental conflicts between immortal organizations and sovereign nations.

Unfortunately, even someone like me could recognize the warning signs.

"A conflict is coming," I said. "Sooner rather than later."

Mab and Nyx slowed their movements.

"The Ten Great Sects know it too."

I tapped the records in my hand.

"That's why they were so heavy-handed today. They weren't simply demanding a favor. They were trying to secure a strategic asset before the storm arrived. They wanted an immortal-level cultivator resurrected because they expect they'll need every advantage they can get. And if I were included in their circle, that means adding another immortal to their ranks. They have no choice but to accept me in the Ten Great Sects now."

Neither woman interrupted. There was little reason to. The evidence was written plainly across the continent. Power blocs were hardening, neutral territories were shrinking, and old alliances were being tested. All the ingredients for war were already present. The only question was who would strike first.

As for how much the Ten Great Sects knew about me, I preferred assuming the worst.

I had never made a serious effort to conceal my abilities. Resurrections, miracles, impossible acts of cultivation? Those were not the sort of accomplishments one hid beneath a cloak.

The Willow Order had undoubtedly done what it could to suppress information, but there was only so much even they could accomplish. Rumors spread. Witnesses talked. Records accumulated. And power, as always, attracted attention.

If I could already see that a major conflict was approaching, then organizations with thousands of years of experience had almost certainly reached the same conclusion long before I had. That realization bothered me far more than the prospect of war itself.

I lowered the records and looked at everyone gathered beneath the enormous tree.

"Has anyone noticed something weird these past few days?"

The question made Mab and Nyx freeze simultaneously. For a moment, neither of them answered. Then Nyx raised her hand slightly.

"There were a few assassination attempts on your life."

I blinked. "There were what?"

"Several assassination attempts," Nyx repeated. "They happened shortly before the representatives of the Ten Great Sects arrived."

The silence that followed was deafening. I stared at Nyx. She stared back. Mab suddenly became very interested in the clouds overhead, while Roo glanced nervously between us.

Finally, I pointed at Nyx. “Why am I only hearing about this now?”

Nyx lowered her gaze. “I didn’t wish to disturb you.”

I opened my mouth, closed it, then opened it again. “You didn’t wish to disturb me?”

Nyx nodded. “There wasn’t any danger.”

“There wasn’t any danger because somebody tried to assassinate me and failed,” I said flatly.

Nyx looked genuinely confused by my objection.

I asked, feeling a bit pissed. “How did you even know they were assassins?”

Mab answered before Nyx could. “They were trained in stealth arts.” The playful atmosphere vanished from her expression. “They also carried immortal-slaying poison.”

That immediately caught my full attention. “Immortal-slaying poison?”

Mab nodded. “A poison so rare and dangerous that even immortals can die from it.”

This was far more serious than the casual tone everyone had been using. Immortal-slaying poison wasn't the sort of thing one brushed aside as a minor inconvenience.

If Mab's description was accurate, then these weren't ordinary assassins carrying ordinary weapons. They had arrived prepared to kill someone who could survive things that would annihilate most cultivators.

More importantly, they had been willing to expend a resource so rare that entire sects might never see a single dose in their lifetimes. That meant either their backers were extraordinarily powerful, or whoever sent them considered my death important enough to justify the cost. Neither possibility was reassuring.

Under normal circumstances, I would have preferred to question them through conventional means, but the moment immortal-slaying poison entered the conversation, normal circumstances ceased to exist. Still, if resurrection was required to interrogate them, then so be it.

“Bring me to their bodies.”

Nyx visibly flinched. Mab sighed.

“They’ve been reduced to ash.”

“…What?”

Nyx raised her hand again, this time looking nervous. “Did I do something wrong?”

Before I could answer, Mab stepped slightly in front of her. “The decision to dispose of them was mine.” Her voice carried a protective edge. “I instructed Nyx to do it.”

I stared at the two women, taken aback by the unexpected turn. I had genuinely thought Mab hated Nyx. They bickered constantly, competed over everything, and seemed determined to annoy each other at every opportunity. Yet here Mab was, shielding Nyx from blame without hesitation. Apparently, I had misjudged their relationship.

A harsh caw echoed overhead. Old Crow landed on a branch above me and peered downward with one beady eye. “They’re telling the truth.”

I looked up. “You were there?”

“I was.”

The old bird ruffled his feathers.

"The assassins suddenly combusted once they were discovered. It didn't matter whether they were surprised, restrained, or merely knocked unconscious. The moment capture became a possibility, they erupted into flames."

That complicated things a lot. I leaned back against the tree and rubbed my temples, trying to ease the sudden pressure building behind my eyes. Part of me felt genuinely hurt because Mab had been keeping secrets from me. I had trusted her. Perhaps she’d acted with good intentions, believing she was shielding me from unnecessary worries. Even so, the fact that she had chosen not to tell me still stung.

Still, dwelling on it wouldn’t accomplish anything.

I exhaled slowly.

"What can you tell me about these assassins?"

Before anyone could answer, the sound of footsteps approached from between the trees. A familiar figure emerged from the forest. It was Jia Ping. She looked annoyed. More annoyed than usual, which was honestly impressive.

Adjusting her glasses against the bridge of her nose, she walked directly toward us. "I'm done with the forensic examination."

“I asked for her assistance,” said Mab, turning toward me. “And I apologize for acting behind your back. I should have informed you.”

I appreciated the apology, even if I wasn’t entirely happy about the situation.

“What did you find?” I asked, looking at Jia Ping.

“I requested assistance from the Willow Order and relied on the Heavenly Eye to verify our conclusions,” Jia Ping replied. “The assassins used the Soul Incendiary Pill.”

The name alone sounded ominous. “What does it do?” I asked.

“It ignites both the soul and the body at the same time,” she explained. “It’s a suicidal pill frequently used by assassins serving the Purple Flame Sect, one of the Ten Great Sects.”

The atmosphere beneath the tree grew noticeably heavier. I frowned. “Why would they do that?”

Jia Ping answered without hesitation. “Most likely to verify the rumors regarding your abilities. Since every assassin died, they probably took that outcome as confirmation.”

I considered her words for a moment. “Is that all?”

The moment the question left my mouth, Jia Ping’s confidence vanished. I closed the book in my lap and slipped it back into my storage ring along with the stack of records beside me. Then I watched as she nervously exchanged a glance with Mab.

Mab gave her a small nod of encouragement.

Jia Ping sighed. "There is another possibility. Someone may be muddying the waters. Or using a borrowed knife coated in poison to escalate tensions and frame another party."

"Please speak in a manner I'd understand."

"Someone may be trying to make the Purple Flame Sect appear responsible."

"Ah."

That made significantly more sense.

Jia Ping nodded.

"The immortal-slaying poison couldn't have originated from the Ten Great Sects."

"Why not?"

"Because the Willow Order confiscated every known sample. The Ten Great Sects were petty. When the Willow Order confiscated the poison, the Ten Great Sects resisted by destroying such a valuable resource. If they destroyed it, then this poison shouldn't exist anymore. Even what little that remained in our possession had been reduced to small droplets because of repeated usage to deter immortals. Moreover, such poison was heavily guarded in a way that no one could've stolen it. If anything, the poison itself concerns me more than the assassins, since it is completely untraceable, has no odor, and leaves almost no residue. Detecting it requires specialized handling methods."

Jia Ping looked reluctant to continue, but she pushed on.

"The last recorded appearance of this poison came from a secret realm discovered within the territory of one of the Four Sovereign Flags, the Sunblood Dynasty. Official records regarding the poison's existence were buried long ago. But the Willow Order was aware of it."

That was a lot to take in. The Purple Flame Sect might have sent the assassins after me, or perhaps they hadn’t. The Sunblood Dynasty had access to the poison, yet it was entirely possible someone else had obtained it. The more information I gathered, the less certain I became. What worried me most was that the list of possible enemies kept growing longer with every new revelation.

If it wasn't a single nation, then the entirety of the Four Sovereign Flags might have reasons to move against me. At the same time, I couldn't discount the possibility that the Ten Great Sects felt exactly the same way. An immortal capable of resurrection was the sort of variable that disrupted every existing balance of power.

I slowly rose from my seat.

"Everyone, leave."

The group looked at me.

"Except Mab."

No one protested.

Jia Ping gave Mab a lingering glance before departing. Nyx looked hesitant, as though she wanted to say something, but ultimately lowered her head and followed the others. Roo shuffled away reluctantly. Even Old Crow launched himself from his branch and disappeared into the skies.

Within moments, only Mab and I remained beneath the enormous tree.

"Why did you do it?" I asked.

"I am sorry."

The words came out quietly.

"I truly am."

I waited.

"Mab."

She closed her eyes. For a moment, her composure cracked. Her shoulders drew inward as though she were trying to make herself smaller, and her fingers curled tightly against her palms until her knuckles turned pale. The hand resting at her side trembled ever so slightly before she forced it still. Even with her gaze lowered, I could see the strain in her expression, the way her jaw tightened as she fought to keep her emotions contained. The pain in her voice was unmistakable.

"It was what you would've wanted."

That answer caught me off guard, but the fact that she looked away indicated guilt.

"You wanted to isolate yourself from the cultivation world," she said softly. "Every time its politics, its grudges, and its endless struggles reached for you, I saw how tired it made you. You wanted peace. Not power. Not influence. Just peace."

Her fingers tightened slightly.

"You wanted to enjoy your life as it was. To spend your days teaching, reading, laughing with the people around you. To wake up without wondering who wanted something from you or who was plotting against you. You finally had something precious, something that belonged to you."

She lowered her gaze.

"And every time I looked at you, I thought... if I could protect that for one more day, then it would be worth it."

Her voice trembled.

"I know I should have told you. I know I should have trusted you to make your own decisions. But every time another problem appeared, every time another threat emerged, I kept thinking the same thing. 'Just this one. I'll handle just this one.' And then there was another. And another after that."

Her eyes glistened.

"I wasn't trying to deceive you, Wo Li. I wasn't trying to control you. I just..." She paused, struggling to find the words. "I wanted you to have the life you always said you wanted. The life you fought so hard to build."

Her voice became barely more than a whisper.

"So I tried to give you that."

The look in her eyes hurt more than her words.

When she first told me she wanted to win my heart, I hadn’t realized how far she intended to go. I thought she meant spending time together, sharing experiences, and slowly building trust. I hadn’t expected her to shoulder burdens behind my back or to quietly deal with threats so I would never even know they existed.

Mab lowered her gaze.

"I wanted to see you happier for as long as possible."

The confession was almost a whisper.

"I wanted these things to never become your concern."

I immediately raised a hand.

"You can stop."

Mab shook her head.

"There is no need for you to become involved."

Her voice became more insistent.

"You can leave these matters to me."

"There is no need."

"I can handle them."

"There is no need."

Her lips pressed into a thin line.

For a few moments, neither of us spoke. The wind continued blowing through the branches overhead. Eventually, I sighed. I understood what she was trying to do. The problem was that she was trying to protect someone who no longer existed, the Wo Li she remembered in a past life.

I'm someone who wanted nothing but a peaceful life, who wanted to hide from the world, and who wanted no responsibility beyond his immediate surroundings. That version of me had been real, but things had changed.

I don't know much about the other me, but I could see myself becoming him, regardless of what I know or what I don't know.

“I’ve run away long enough. I’ve enjoyed my peace, but the time for idling is over. I have the power, and with it, I carry the responsibility to use it.”

Mab lowered her head.

I stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you."

She looked up.

“Thank you for everything,” I said sincerely. I meant it, for all of it. The protection, the planning, the countless things she had handled when I wasn’t paying attention, the threats she had quietly removed from my path, and the countless decisions she had made simply because she wanted me to be happy. “I appreciate all the care you’ve shown me.”

Her eyes trembled slightly.

"But I've made my decision."

I looked toward the distant sky.

"I want to do something about this world."

The words surprised even me, because I still didn’t know exactly what they meant. I wasn’t some grand visionary with a perfect solution or a master plan hidden away somewhere. What I did know was that the world was broken. The Ten Great Sects and Four Sovereign Flags were drifting toward open conflict, countless smaller powers were being swallowed whole, and ancient threats lurked in the shadows. And somewhere beyond all of that waited the Dark Sun of Misfortune, a calamity capable of ending everything. If I possessed the ability to help and chose not to, I would never be able to live with myself.

Mab studied me carefully. Then she smiled—a small, sad, and proud smile, all at the same time.

"What do we do now?"

I looked back toward her.

"We prepare."

The answer came immediately.

"We prepare as rigorously as we can."

Mab slowly nodded. Of everyone around me, she probably understood the coming future better than anyone else. Not perfectly, perhaps, and not completely, but enough. Looking back, the signs had always been there: the cultivation techniques she had distributed among the sapient beasts, the defensive formations she strengthened, and the hidden preparations she made throughout the sect whenever she thought I wasn’t paying attention. She had been preparing for something, for a future she feared, a war she believed was inevitable, and a disaster she hoped to survive.

Now, for the first time, I intended to stand beside her rather than remain sheltered behind her efforts. My grip tightened around my staff. The uncertainty remained, as did the danger and the fear, but so did my resolve. I looked toward the distant horizon and felt an unfamiliar sense of determination settle firmly into my chest.

"I won't back down. I won't retreat. And I won't run away simply because the road ahead is difficult. I've spent enough time idling and convincing myself that the bare minimum was the wiser choice. Maybe it was, once. But not anymore. If hardship is waiting for us, then I'll face it with my head held high. If conflict comes, I'll meet it with dignity rather than fear. I don't know what the future holds, and I don't know whether we'll succeed, but I refuse to live knowing I turned away when I had the power to make a difference. Whatever lies ahead, I'll face it honestly, and I'll fight for what I believe is right."