Immortality Starts With Generosity

Chen Haoran pumped as much qi as his legs could bear and put as much distance between himself and the Garrison as he could. He crashed through trees and deadly leaf rain, the damn archer groaning as Chen Haoran had no hesitation in using his body to do the breaking. He was a Liquid Meridian. He could take it.

Chen Haoran eventually stopped when he realized just how much blood and liquid qi the archer was bleeding. He released his chokehold and threw him against a tree hard enough to crack it. The tree immediately dropped its whole canopy of knife leaves. Chen Haoran waved his sword and the leaves and top half of the tree evaporated into white light, along with the tops of several other trees around them. When he brought his sword back down, the arc threw out a ghost-white aura that carved a trench into the earth behind him, extending back from where he came and swallowing more trees.

He’d held off using the White Tyrant’s Harmonization for the longest now for lack of a good weapon and a worry that it would be too destructive. His concern was justified. Chen Haoran had theorized before that he was the one holding back the power of the Harmonization. He could confidently confirm now that his theory was correct. It was less that the Harmonization grew stronger and more that Chen Haoran was more worthy of wielding its power. Only barely, however. Even now, he had to keep a firm grip on the hilt lest his sword be bucked out of his hand by the energies flowing through it. He was grateful the Hundred-Thousand Refinement Iron Essence Sword focused on toughness above all else. He would be worried it might crack within a few uses otherwise.

The archer groaned again and drooped forward. Chen Haoran harshly grabbed his head and yanked it up so that they locked eyes. He clicked his tongue in annoyance when he found the archer’s eyes dilated and unfocused. It was a good thing he had personal experience with this. Chen Haoran’s hand glowed with yellow qi and sank into the archer’s head. Clarity returned to his eyes, and Chen Haoran watched them fill with shock, confusion, fear, and anger.

The archer let out a wordless howl, raised his amputated wrists toward Chen Haoran, and blasted liquid qi from them like water cannons. The Yellow Dragon roared. Liquid qi burst from Chen Haoran’s chest to block the attack while the roar traveled through Chen Haoran’s arm and into the archer’s skull. The archer lost control of his qi, and his eyes rolled up into his head. He was lucky Chen Haoran still needed answers and had the Yellow Dragon tone itself down. It could have been worse otherwise. Chen Haoran flexed his qi and raked it across the qi in the archer’s head, bringing him back to consciousness through the searing pain it caused.

“What’s your plan for if the Garrison escapes the trial,” Chen Haoran demanded.

Pale and sweating, the archer spat blood in his face. “Rot in the Green Hell.”

Chen Haoran didn’t react to the insult or the blood. He could see he wouldn’t have long to ask questions. He needed something that would get the archer to start talking. A quick judge of the archer’s qi revealed it was Profound-Rank. Not the best, but given he still nearly killed Chen Haoran, it wasn’t the worst either. With a Seventh-Layer cultivation base on top of that, he couldn’t be that unimportant.

“Does Xi Wangmu know what you’re doing?” Chen Haoran coldly asked. “Do you even know who you were shooting, you dumb bastard?”

The archer’s eyes went wide. “How do you know that name?”

Chen Haoran sneered. “Because I just had a meeting with her last week. This fucker. Of all the people here, you just had to shoot me. Were you told nothing?”

“No,” the archer mumbled. He was shaking now. “No, you’re lying! If she sent you here, then everything would be in the palm of her hands!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Chen Haoran asked. Genuinely. What the hell was he talking about? “This whole rebellion is led by Xi Wangmu. It’s all in her hands.”

It was the archer’s turn to sneer. “There are more rivers in Zumulu than the Peachwine.”

Chen Haoran shook him. “Forget that nonsense. How do you plan to escape from this mess? You couldn’t have made all these plans just to throw your life away.”

The archer laughed. Chen Haoran could feel his fading pulse through his grip. “That’s what you and the Queen Bitch will never understand. The both of you can…. go to hell…. everything…. for Zumulu.”

Chen Haoran stepped back in disgust as the light left the archer’s eyes. His body exploded in a torrent of liquid qi a scant second later. His armor fed off it and deformed into a grasping mass of vines. Chen Haoran slashed his sword and a scythe of metal-white energy tore through the vines and annihilated both it and the jungle before him.

Chen Haoran let out a long breath. He hadn’t learned what he wanted, and what he did learn was a problem. From the archer’s words, Xi Wangmu didn’t know anything about what was happening here. Was that really true? She was clearly involved with the Rattan Armor Soldiers if her learning about the operation here would be a problem. The whole trap involved who knew how much time of work and setup, plus the involvement of Garrison officials with enough pull to have almost the entire Reservoir Town officer corps be lured into it. It was a massive operation on every level down. One that would, at minimum, put the Garrison on high alert if not completely expose whatever veil of secrecy the rebellion had been operating under, along with the extent of their infiltration into the highest levels of the government and military. Could Xi Wangmu truly be unaware of such a massive operation? Or were the planners so careful that it was even hidden from her?

Chen Haoran sighed. “Factionalism and revolution. Name a more iconic combo.” He dragged a hand across his face to wipe off the blood and came away with strips of skin. He stared at it, stupefied, until the adrenaline died, and he realized his face felt weird. A quick sweep of his sense revealed his Human-Skin Mask was in tatters and next to useless. The arrow to the head he’d taken must’ve damaged it. He tore off the mask with a sound of frustration. “Damnit.”

A distant squeal came from the air. Chen Haoran looked up in relief to see Phelps floating down. Suddenly Phelps accelerated his descent and fell into the jungle. Chen Haoran narrowed his eyes as his sense picked up Phelps and a peach-colored qi that wasn’t there before rapidly approaching. The Peachblood Soldier Jiang sprinted into the clearing Chen Haoran created with a growling Phelps chasing him. He skidded to a stop when he saw Chen Haoran. He cast a worried glance behind him at Phelps, practically drooling liquid qi, the back to an expressionless Chen Haoran.

Soldier Jiang held up his hands. “Sir… Song Yuelin?”

“How long have you been there?” Chen Haoran asked. A white shadow split off from his sword and opened another trench within the trench he made.

“In Peach Blossom Valley there is a peach blossom cottage,” Soldier Jiang said.

What? Chen Haoran turned the random sentence over in his head, trying to make sense of it. Unfortunately, there was no sense to be found in it. Some poem, maybe? Chen Haoran flicked his sword. A shadow of energy flew above Soldier Jiang’s head and took off the tops of twenty trees behind him. “I don’t have the energy or the care to play twenty passwords with you. If you’re with Xi Wangmu, then speak before I bury you here.”

“I am, I am,” Soldier Jiang hastily said.

Chen Haoran sheathed his sword and motioned Phelps to be at ease. “Do you know what’s going on here then?”

Soldier Jiang cautiously lowered his hands. “I’m afraid I don’t…. sir. May I know what your position is?”

Chen Haoran took one look at Soldier Jiang’s reserved appearance and mentally sighed. “Jiang, was it? Are you related to Jiang Lei at all, or do you just have similar names?”

A look of joy crossed Soldier Jiang’s face, and he visibly relaxed. “You know, Senior Brother Jiang?”

“We became acquainted,” Chen Haoran said. “I take it your not family then.”

“Oh no, we’re both part of the Jiang Generation of Peach River Swords, so we just happen to share a name.” He clasped his hands and bowed. “I apologize for my earlier rudeness, sir. My name is Jiang Aiguo.”

Chen Haoran waved off his apology. “Don’t worry about it. You really don’t know anything?”

Jiang Aiguo shook his head. “I’m as clueless as you are, sir. I received no orders about this. My best guess is that certain factions decided to…. take matters into their own hands.”

Chen Haoran snorted. Understatement much?

“Well, that’s just peachy,” Chen Haoran said. Phelps floated over to him, and he tucked the sloth into his arm and turned to leave. “Well, best of luck. Hopefully, we can make it out of here alive.”

“Sir? Where are you going?”

“Away. I’m going to hide until this barrier comes down, then go find my people. If you happen to run across two Black Bone Shamans, make sure you protect them. They’re very important.”

“Excuse me, sir, but do you think all of the independent cultivators in this trial won’t be detained and investigated after the exit is triggered? If you help, you’ll have less suspicion directed toward you.”

Chen Haoran paused and looked back at a serious Jiang Aiguo. “Are you implying the Garrison will actually get out of here?”

“The best talents in the entire Garrison are gathered here,” Jiang Aiguo said. “From what I’ve seen so far, I can’t say the best of the Rattan Armor Army has been sent here. If they planned to rely on superior numbers and preparation to win, then the Garrison has a real chance to turn things around once they rally together.”

“Do you really think talent alone is enough to make up for the disadvantage they’re at?” Chen Haoran asked.

“With all due respect, sir, are you yourself not an example of that?”

That brought Chen Haoran up short. Was he? He didn’t think so. What he was doing couldn’t really be called talent. He was just souped up on magical super steroids. If it weren’t for the Gifting Power, then he would have never made it as far as he had.

“At the very least,” Jiang Aiguo continued. “Captain Pan is a student of the Palace School. He absolutely has cards he hasn’t played yet, and I know Captain Lu has a treasure that can ward off Crystal Transformations for a short time.”

“Aren’t you part of the rebellion?” Chen Haoran asked. “Why do you seem so deadset on helping the Garrison now?”

“Ah, well.” Jiang Aiguo rubbed his neck. “Sure, I’d give my life for my home, but I’d like for it to have some meaning, you know? I feel like I can still be of service as an informant anyway. My scouting skills are valued by several Captains. Plus, I don’t really want to take my chances on switching sides and trusting that a rogue element that’s already proven unreliable won’t kill me.”

Chen Haoran…. couldn’t say he wasn’t moved by Jiang Aiguo’s words. Sure, technically, he and the rebels were on the same side, but going with them would make it inevitable that he’d run into someone who recognized him and ran the risk of the Chen Family getting word of his whereabouts. Helping the Garrison ruin their plan wasn’t a good look either, however, if he were unlucky enough to run into Xi Wangmu again. Or was it? He could potentially turn it around into Xi Wangmu’s lacking leadership that saw him attacked by her own people. He just really, really didn’t want to get close to anything or anyone connected to the Chen Family.

“That sounds good and all,” Chen Haoran slowly said. “But there’s still the issue of…. this.” He motioned to his face.

“No one will be too surprised that you were wearing a Human-Skin Mask.” Jiang Aiguo said. “It’s not uncommon for these sorts of places.”

“No, I mean my face,” Chen Haoran corrected. “They’ll recognize my face.”

As soon as Chen Haoran saw the look of perplexion on Jiang Aiguo’s face, he knew something was wrong.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I’ve never seen you before.” Jiang Aiguo actually sounded embarrassed as he said it. “Is there a reason the Garrison would recognize you?”

“Is there no wanted poster for me?” Chen Haoran said. “No details of my description or my pets? No orders to watch the roads leaving Zumulu?”

Jiang Aiguo shook his head. “I’m a jungle patroller, and I’m friends with many who patrol the Peachwine and the official road. I’ve never heard about any warrant like that.”

“Nothing?” Chen Haoran asked again. “Not from the higher-ups to be on the lookout for a fugitive with a Heaven-Ranked Technique? Not anything from— what were their names?” Chen Haoran snapped his fingers repeatedly. “Commanders Lu and Han! Nothing from them or their subordinates?”

Jiang Aiguo looked at Chen Haoran strangely. “Sir, Commander Lu is stationed in Stonebridge, and Commander Han is even farther away in Piranha Lake. Reservoir Town is beyond their remit. Commander Lu’s son is here, but that’s because he’s a captain attached to Headquarters. If they tried to do anything like that, then the Garrison Commander would be the first person demanding an explanation.”

Chen Haoran…. didn’t know how to process that. Could it be that Jiang Aiguo just hadn’t noticed it? It didn’t sound like he was lying, though. If there were a search being done around Reservoir Town, then surely the soldiers stationed there would have heard about it. If he was telling the truth, however, then just what were those Commanders doing? What had he been running and hiding from all this time? Surely they were hunting the Heaven-Rank technique. Did they take it upon themselves to personally search for it? No, that didn’t make sense either. That would probably be even more noticeable than just having their subordinates do it. Was the search just centered in the area near Stonebridge? Maybe? But then again, he didn’t remember the security being particularly tight or stringent when he returned.

Chen Haoran pressed a hand to his suddenly throbbing forehead. “Were they even looking to begin with?”contemporary romance

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