Chapter 04 - A Little More Parts
Luòchén landed on the vast courtyard of the Tàihéng peak (Grand Equilibrium peak). The tallest mountain of the five peaks that forms the Tiānhé sect. In hurried steps he went to the sect master palace. Ignoring the clearly distressed faces of the inner disciples that are tasked to guard the palace due to the presence of their esteemed guest. He didn't care much about them. None of them can realistically do anything to stop him physically or not. They shouldn't be punished either as they are in no place to even stop him. He held back a cringe of annoyance as he took the first step of the hundreds of steps up towards the palace. If only he didn't need to be polite, he would already fly and barges into the palace as usual. This too is still bearable. The problem however, immediately rears his head as soon as he finishes climbing the stairs.
"Finally learn some humility Luòchén? For you to properly climb the stairs?" The familiar old gravelly voice immediately sounds
In front of him is none other than Elder Chízhèng, the elder of Tàihéng peak. He looks like an old man in his forties. Fashioning a long beard and very elaborate daoist robes. Powerful Qi and protection enchantment thick on the robes. Corruption of the sect's treasury no doubt. But who didn't corrupt some of their own peak's treasury. While the sect leader do reside in this peak, the elder tends the day to day administration and such. He is also a pain in the ass.
"I know humility better than you." Luòchén provoke back
"The Sect Leader demands there will be no disruption." Chízhèng shows disgust but doesn't answer to the provocation this time
"Chízhèng (Upholding Righteousness), you bring shame to your name if you keep borrowing the sect leader's name to do everything." Luòchén strikes again with his word, this time, targeting the very sore spot
"I said…" Elder Chízhèng took a spear, wreathed in fire from his storage ring and slammed the butt of the spear to the ground. The metallic sound echoes the entire mountain.
"There will be no disruption!"
Luòchén holds back a chuckle. He took the bait.
"That's not for you to decide isn't it?" Luòchén asks in a joking manner.
It's true that it is not Chízhèng's place to decide if he is a disruption or not. But the two elders have been butting heads for decades. They could be considered rivals though only one side sees it as such and it definitely not Luòchén which frustrates and angers the other party even more. Elder Chízhèng grits his teeth in rage, readying his spear. Luòchén readies himself too.
"If both of you are done bringing shame to my sect, get over here!" Before both can duke it out as usual, a loud voice booms from inside the palace.
The two elders immediately stopped and bowed to the palace. They eyed each other, this won't be the end of it. The two open the left and right side of the door respectively and enter. Bowing to the sect leader, who somehow looks even younger than both of them. Then towards the old man with white hair hunched towards the table. His back is all the two elders can see.
"Greetings—
"Xuèchén of Xī Xià (West Xia). You regretted your path, too late. Abandoned your sword. Play as a healer. For what reason, do you seek me?" The guest elder from Tiānjī speaks before Luòchén finishes his words. As if he has heard the questions he is about to say a few seconds in the future.
Luòchén tries to control his emotions. It felt disgusting now, being called by his old name. To think he once took pride in his old name. But he swallows his shame as that is not the reason he is here.
"Is it the elixir your friend is trying to make? Or is it the mortal?" The elder speaks again before Luòchén can open his mouth.
The latter question drew raised eyebrows and side glances from both Chízhèng and the sect leader.
"Both." Luòchén dares himself to answer that
Chízhèng kicks the side of Luòchén's leg from the audacity of his answer. Luòchén, slighted, kicks back Chízhèng's side leg too. Then the other kicks back and so on. The sect leader can only place a palm over his eyes over the shameful act of his sect's elders. But it is true that his question is nothing short but audacious. Tiānjī sect only choose which futures they want to foresee. Many cultivators and emperors requested the same but most were denied and here Luòchén demanded not one but two. Then the cackle of an old man stops the leg kicking and all ears now await the elder's answer.
"Why asking for something you already succeeded in? And why be concerned about a mortal that is still alive?" The old man answers both
To this, Luòchén thinks hard. He already succeeded? Then what about the mortal? What does he mean that the mortal is still alive? His disciple have buried the mortal. Then why did the elder answer both of his questions?
As Luòchén blinks, the elder from the Tiānjī sect is already standing in front of him. His eyes look straight at the blind lidless eye of the old wrinkled face of the Tiānjī sect elder.
"The reason is I am more interested in what you are about to do. You will find out about the mortal's grave being empty soon enough. Then, you will head east. Follow the trail and the dead. There you will find a small clearance near the waterfall. Sit there and wait for a week. The first thing you will meet is the mortal again. But you will find him completely unrecognizable. Then, you will have two choices. A choice to fully abandon your old name and resolve the karma of your old name. Or not. You will know when you meet him."
Luòchén commits the elder's every word to memory. He blinks and once more he is outside the palace. The door closed behind him as if it had never opened. Once again he bowed to the direction of the palace. Thanking the elder of Tiānjī sect before leaving. Even if he is left with more questions than before. He takes Zhāoxiá to guide him to the place where she buries the mortal's remains. Only to find the jar within the grave opened and empty. And so he headed east.
—
The Thing stumbles as it tries to halt itself. The glow! The bright glow suddenly vanishes! Panic, uncertainty, and fear immediately took place. Its clawed hand scratches its skull as it tries to think. But thoughts remain out of the grasp of its empty skull. It waits for the voice to appear and give it direction but no voice comes. As if it is also cut off from the glow's sudden disappearance. In shaky, uneasy steps, the Thing tries to go towards the glow's last position. If it remembers it correctly. One thing it notices is that it doesn't crash into more tall and thin things (trees). As if it has been cleared from the surroundings. The Thing goes on for an agonizing amount of time. Not that it knows how long it went but it is longer than it should. That is until he saw a faint purple. The Thing immediately rushes towards the purple color. The Glow always leads it to purple color and the Voice says that purple is good for parts. Whatever parts mean. It is more concerned with trying to get the Voice back if he absorbs this purple. As it rushes forward, the purple thing gets bigger and bigger until it fills its vision. The biggest purple it ever sees. With nothing else to do and nothing to guide it, it absorbs the purple.
In the charred remains of a forest, where an intense battle was fought, a creature, not deer, not wolf, approaches the corpse of a golden serpent. The serpent has the upper body of a human. Attacked midway its ascension to Golden Core stage where it will obtain human form. Like the corpses before, every skin and flesh are burnt clean from its skull. Though there are plenty more burn marks along its serpentine body. The fight is not as clean as before and only its heart is taken from the corpse unlike the wolf. The smell of burnt forest and molten rocks fought against burnt meat should the thing can even smell. The Thing opens its skull jaw wide and begins absorbing the corpse. Bones cracking and flesh reshaped. The serpent has progressed further in obtaining the human body than the wolf, now used as a new frame for the Thing. No longer hunched over, legs straining but finally able to stand straight with its digitrade legs. It stood at three meters tall, with an enormous tail, the golden scale turned black, extending twice its height. Another eye socket appears on its skull, three pairs of purple charred eyes looking around lidless. It's much clearer than before.
Over there
You're back!
The Thing immediately felt joy hearing the Voice returns. Legs kicking, enormous tail wagging.
Yes, yes. Now over there
The Thing immediately followed the direction of the voice and saw a very faint glow. It realizes that it can see farther and much clearer outlines now. So it follows the faint glow dexterously. Not blindly crashing into objects anymore.
—
"Brother system, how long have I been unconscious?"
"Two days." The System faithfully answers
"Damn."
"Indeed."
Zuìshū checks on himself again. The fight is more brutal than expected as the Golden Serpent is already mostly healed. Fortunately, the serpent halts its ascension in favor of healing itself which allows him to ambush it. But still it takes two of his life saving items he got from the system. Just one time he underestimated his situation and he almost died twice. Fortunately he managed to use a healing item before he fell into the river. But still, his effort is not in vain and he has acquired the serpent's heart that is filled with Metal Qi. All that is left is for him to prepare for his own ascension and heavenly tribulation. But first…
"Brother Immortal, must you leave so soon? It's evening already and we are preparing a feast." Asked a young boy with purple eyes, not more than ten.
"I'm sorry little guy, but I really need to leave soon." Zuìshū console the boy
It was this boy and his big sister that fished him out of the river. He doesn't really have anything he can freely give to mortals other than his plenty of food supply in case of emergency and now the village is feasting in thanks. Bunch of wastrel, what he gives is considered an emergency food supply for a reason. But what's important is the boy and his big sister. He never thought that he would meet the main characters of an obscure old novel that he barely remembers. The boy who has yet to obtain his courtesy name will be Jìzhào, his purple eyes will awaken as an eye that can discern truth from lies. While his big sister who is shyly peeking from the side is Sùxīn, who will be the main protagonist and war hero in the war against Xī Xià. He doesn't know much about the rest as he doesn't have much interest then. If only he knows he will be reincarnated here with a system then maybe he will pay more attention. So he knelt to boy's eye level and fish out a fire talisman from his storage ring.
"Listen, you will be a big boy soon. Take care of your big sister for me, yes? Use this, only in an emergency. It will bring down fire that will burn any evil cultivator that brings trouble." Zuìshū handed the boy the talisman
The talisman only effective against Qi Refining cultivators and at most wound a Foundation Establishment. He knows that giving anything more precious will just invite disaster to the village. He doesn't want Sùxīn to die early just because he is feeling generous, after all, the most important thing he remembers about the novel is that Sùxīn will grow up to become gorgeous. So he thinks of this as a future investment for his future wife.
'If she's so important then why not bring her along? You can teach her and her brother in advance.' The system asks in Zuìshū's mind
'Why should I? They are the protagonists, they should have incredible fortune. They will undoubtedly meet great teachers themselves that are better than me. Also, what's better to just get something for free without effort?' Zuìshū answers the system in his mind.
"Take care now." Zuìshū bid goodbye to the boy and his sister as the sun finally sets before using an expensive teleportation talisman to immediately return to his safehouse. He feels naked after losing two life saving items.
The boy and his sister return back to the village where they have already begun feasting. The sound of eating, wooden cups filled, laughter, and performative praise echoes into the night. That is, until all the light within the village suddenly went out. A loud sound of careful big steps echoes. Three sets of purple eyes glow in the dark. The Thing has arrived in the village.
"Parts?"
Chapter 05 - Final Parts
"Another battle here." Said a female cultivator as she examines the remains of the ashen wolves. Though not much could be gleaned as most of the corpses have been picked apart by scavengers. Be they men or beasts.
"The corpse of the pack leader is missing." A buddhist cultivator chimes in. He plants his khakkhara on the ground as he prays for the dead wolves.
"Still thinking it's the mountain guardian that has become demonic?" The sword cultivator asks while folding his arms.
The three of them have tracked the trails of destruction. From the place where the demonic deer crashed to the royal Jin carriage back to the village that worshiped a mountain guardian in the form of a white deer. Then they are now here after following the trails into a clearing with plenty of remains of ashen wolves.
"Could be, it could be chasing after a rogue cultivator. But the remains here are too old to determine if that's the case. We just need to follow its trail of destruction." The female cultivator finished examining.
"Regardless of rogue cultivator or not, we still need to stop the demonic deer. If the demon is the mountain guardian as we suspected, then we will have to be very careful. Spiritual beasts are physically stronger than cultivators of equal level, even more so if the beasts have been worshipped for so long." The buddhist cultivator finished his prayers and immediately follows the trails of broken trees
"There are still three of us and all of us are foundation establishments. Well, whatever it is, I can cut it." The sword cultivator boasts only to find the other two already flying and following the trails. He rolls his eyes and follows the rest.
—
Chaos immediately erupts as the villagers see the thing. Diving over the table, under the table, falling down the chair, and upturned tables. Foods trampled and thrown everywhere as the villagers stumbled in panic. A villager crashed into a huge cooking pot, spilling its boiling content to other villagers. Screams of pain accompany the screams of terror while the thing walks and examines the place.
"The Immortal! Call the Immortal for help!"
"Sùxīn! Where's the Immortal!?"
"Mama!"
Thus the shouts echo and clash with each other. Unfortunately the immortal they helped was already gone. The villager that hides under the table prays to Buddha, spirits, or whatever immortal that is listening. Then he notices that the table covering him is gone. He looks up only to see the thing's head, a deer skull with three pairs of eyes examining him. The size of its jaw, enough to bite a grown man in half.
"Parts?" The thing spoke, stunning the villager
"No parts, no parts." The villager quickly answers for his dear life while shaking his head desperately
"NO?" the thing asks again before moving to examine the other.
To a frightened mother, her daughter in her arms, laying down beside the wall and trying to make themselves smaller.
"PArts?" It asks again
The frightened mother looks around for help. But most villagers have already gone into hiding. Then she saw the villager, who was hiding under the table. Still locked in his last position, unable and unwilling to move in case it attracts the demon's attention again. The villager just shakes his head desperately to the mother, telling her to say no. The thing's head inches ever closer as it examines the mother and daughter.
"N-no parts." The mother finally manages to said as the snout of its skull head are inching closer to her daughter
"No?" The thing tilts its head before moving to examine the others.
The thing moves to other villagers. The one that got burnt by the pot's content, the one hiding in the outhouse, then the family that hides in their house as the thing demolishes the wall and asks the same thing. The thing turns away from all that answer with a no and the villager that hides under the table finally gathers his courage to follow the thing to make sure other villagers also answer no. Another villager, the one that hides in the outhouse, made sure to gather all that has already answered to leave their previous spot and guide them to the village's shrine. For a moment, things seem to be going well.
Then a bright flash appeared. Then a fire explodes on the thing's back. The villager that tails the thing thrown back from the explosion, ears ruptured from the loud explosion sound. The thing burned, but still standing and now it straightens its back from hunching over to examine the villagers. Then it looks back. The villager also looks back on who throws the fire, expecting to see the immortal that the two siblings save. Only to see the younger of the two and his terrified older sister beside him. All color drained from his face as he knows the village is now dead. The younger boy that throws the talisman, also has his confidence immediately gone as the fire puts out and the thing's eyes are now locked on him.
The villager and the thing ran towards the two siblings at the same time. The former nearer after being thrown away by the explosion, blood flowing from his ruptured ears. He doesn't know why he is doing this, his earlier burst of courage upturned into terror as he desperately tries to run faster than ever in his life. The latter, its much longer legs, moves that with a few steps, enough to catch up with the villager's speed. The boy, recognizing his error, at least, tries to run to the side.
In the final stretch, the villager jumps, its hand stretches outward to reach the girl that is terrified into stillness. He prays again like before, to reach her and to save at least one more life. The thing barrels from the side, its sheer momentum throwing everything away. Thrown by the momentum of the thing's charge, the villager manages to catch the girl that is thrown first, pulling her into his body to protect her as both are thrown away. Rolling by the momentum until they crashed into a wall, the villager crushed his left shoulder, but the girl is fine. The young boy however is not as lucky. While he manages to run away in time, the momentum of the thing's charges similarly throws him off the ground. Headfirst into another wall. Instant dead. Sùxīn, noticing his brother's bleeding body, tries to reach him but the villager pulls her tighter. The thing returns, now inspecting the dead boy.
"Why are there parts now?" The thing asks no one in particular
"What do you mean you are not telling?" It asks again as its two hand reaches for the dead boy
The girl screams are immediately muffled by the villager as she sees the thing pull his brother's eyes. His vibrant purple eyes, glowing. Before the thing eats them and they are gone forever. But that is nothing compared to what she saw next. The thing opens its mouth again, inhaling. Then, the bright glow of his brother's soul pulled from his body, into the thing's mouth, and went with the sound of its jaw closing.
—
Its done
What's done?
The Thing is happy now that the voice returns. It follows the dim glow that turns brighter after some time. Then when it is near, the glow immediately gone in an instant. It found a place with plenty of other colors, but all of them are red. It asks the voice for where the parts are. Surprisingly it is not the voice that answers it but the red things that it is inspecting. The voice tells it that red means that they are not good parts so it doesn't need to ask twice when the red thing answers. That is until he felt something hot and tickling pain on its back. It tries to make the thing that hurt it go away and they did. Only then two small purple colors appear. It doesn't understand why the voice doesn't answer it on why there are good parts now but at least the voice returns. More bizarre is when the voice told it to try to pull more purple color from where the two small ones but it works.
Follow me
Where to now?
A comfortable place to sleep
Yay
It follows the voice. Leaving the village behind and the crying girl. Her eyes, always uncertain, finally found its determination and a target for her vengeance.
—
Its close now
The thing shakes its head. Everywhere it looks it's getting more vague and dizzy. The once clear outlines are now gone. So it can only follow the voice. It hears something rushing or falling or both. It thinks it should know what it was but doesn't.
Over here
It followed again and eventually, it felt very exhausted all of the sudden.
Here is the place
Here?
Yes
Felt nice
The thing finally lies down. Then, for the first time since it woke up in the deer's body, it breathes.
When you wake up again, I won't be here
Why?
You don't need to—
What?
You will understand. Or maybe not
Will I understand the colors too?
Definitely for the colors
Can I hear you again later?
Idiot. I am—
What?
One more thing, when you meet the old man, make sure to tell him that it works
What works?
You will know
The Thing wants to ask more questions. Some answers are somehow missing and he can't make sense of it. But the drowsiness won and for the first time since I arrived here, the thing finally sleeps. Slow and steady breathes as his soul settles in his new body.
—
Luòchén sat beside the river from the waterfall. He has been meditating and cultivating here as he waits. The answer from the Elder is cryptic as usual. Most boil down to the fact that he will understand when he meets the mortal, which will be completely recognizable. Regardless, soon he will meet the mortal again and everything will be answered. As the end of his one week wait closes in, rain starts as a storm cloud passes overhead. He doesn't mind the rain, it washes away the blood. Then finally as the time draws near, Luòchén stands up. Then in a flash of thunder, Luòchén saw it. Instead of answers, more questions appear.
The first face, no, the elder said that the first thing he saw will be the mortal again. But in front of him, is what can be considered as a demonic being. Standing three meters tall, its tail twice longer than it is tall trailing behind it, its three pairs of purple eyes all gazing at him. A pair of human eyes, a pair of serpent eyes, and a pair of deer eyes. Then a flash, a vision. Something he knows with certainty and familiarity. The creature in front of him has been or will, kill a lot of people. Then the second thing the elder told him, a choice for him to abandon his old name and resolve his old karma, is to kill him now and prevent whatever the creature will do. But doing so, will have him break his oath, to not kill unless in self defense. Then to break his oath, is to break the only thing he has left.
"What are you?" Luòchén asks the creature, an effort perhaps, to find reason to kill the creature
"Me? I'm a human of course." The creature answers with the same voice as the mortal that fell from the sky. He examines Luòchén with a tilted head.
"Wait, I know you. You are the old man that uses me for drug testing." The creature rudely points at him with its clawed hand
"Ehem, what happens to—
"It works." The creature interrupt
"What?"
"The elixir or whatever, it works as intended." He repeats
"Then-then why did your body liquify and… turn to this?" Luòchén asks, uncertain if his elixir did work properly
"Hmmm. I just woke up after what feels like a very long sleep. I'm sure I will remember tomorrow or so." The creature said then sat on the ground
Even when the creature sat, he was at eye level with Luòchén.
"So, what now?" The creature asks uncertain, eyes looking at him for direction
It will be so easy to kill the creature now. But is it in his hands to kill a creature of things he hasn't committed yet? Even Luòchén himself was not killed before and after all that he regretted. To do so, not only betray his current oath but also his life from before. At loss, with more questions than answers, he recalls what his friend has done and resolves himself.
"Why don't you come with me? You can remember what happens slowly."