The next morning, as the sky began to lighten, a soft knock came from the courtyard gate.
"Young Master Rui, it is time for the morning meal." Zhu Tao's voice was low and deferential.
Lin Rui pushed himself up. His head felt heavy, and the poison's absence did little to mend a body worn down by years of neglect. He had to force each movement. His mind, however, was a different matter. It was sharp, honed by a life he'd left behind. He took a deep breath of the cool morning air, his eyes clear and focused.
In this godsforsaken place, if I want to survive, to uncover the truth of this murder, and to find out why my supposed old man Lin Yuntian disappeared, I need strength.
The fragmented scroll, The Azurewood Heart Art, was his only hope.
After finishing his breakfast and sending Zhu Tao away, Lin Rui retrieved the yellowed beast-hide scroll from his robes, along with the few pages of Lin Yuntian's notes tucked inside.
The script on the scroll was archaic, its characters faded and difficult to decipher in places. He pored over it, using his father's scattered annotations to piece things together.
An outline of The Azurewood Heart Art took shape in his mind.
The art was an unusual mix. It described methods for guiding spiritual energy to refine the body and coalesce something called Alchemical Fire. It also detailed strange breathing postures and included diagrams for fighting techniques that resembled martial arts from his past life, with names like Verdant Vine Bind and Inch-Force Genesis noted beside them.
The more he read, the more the art puzzled him. It was completely different from the mainstream cultivation arts he'd heard about from other disciples. Ordinary arts emphasized the importance of clear meridians and the strength of one's qi sense. But The Azurewood Heart Art began with a core principle: "Mind and spirit as one; guide qi with intent; commune with the vitality of the myriad woods."
Lin Rui's fingertips tapped on the table. It doesn't rely on innate talent?
If that were true, then no matter how poor the original Lin Rui's aptitude was, it was strange that he couldn't even reach the First Level of Arcane Initiation. Unless… unless guiding qi with intent required an exceptionally high level of mental strength.
The one thing this body now possessed was a modern soul. When it came to mental fortitude and focus, he was confident he could stand against anyone.
Nothing to lose. Let's give it a shot.
He sat cross-legged on his bed and cleared his mind. Following the instructions for the Wood Contemplation Art, he imagined himself as a great tree, its roots buried deep in the earth, its branches thick with leaves, feeling the sun and rain, drawing vitality from the world.
The hours passed.
Sweat soaked his robes, and the veins at his temples pulsed. This frail body could barely withstand such prolonged, intense focus. Just as his focus began to fracture, he perceived a cool wisp of energy. It was almost intangible, a single thread drawn from the void.
The wisp carried the subtle fragrance of grass and wood. It was weak, but it was real.
Verdant Vitality.
Excitement shot through him, but he forced it down. He guided the feeble wisp, attempting to circulate it through his body according to the art's instructions. The process was halting and difficult, but the energy was there.
After a long while, he opened his eyes and exhaled, the air leaving him in a slow, controlled rush. His body was drained, but his eyes held a sharp, victorious light.
Ignoring his exhaustion, he reopened the scroll and found the physical exercises that accompanied the breathing techniques. They were a series of strange forms, combining deep stretches with explosive movements. He endured the aching in his body, mimicking each movement, trying to use the wisp of Verdant Vitality to solidify his achievement.
This was the first time since coming to this world that he had touched a power of his own, even if it was just the barest thread.
By the time he finished, it was nearly noon.
Lin Rui collapsed onto his bed, drenched in sweat, his chest working for air. After a single circulation, the wisp of Verdant Vitality was gone, as if it had been an illusion. In his next few attempts, he failed to summon it again.
He showed no frustration.
"Fumbling around in the dark won't work." Lin Rui wiped the sweat from his face. That first success had already proven that The Azurewood Heart Art was viable. The problem now was how to reliably draw in the energy and how to strengthen it.
He decided a trip to the Marketplace was necessary. The Bamboo Cloud Town Marketplace, the core trade district of the old capital, was a chaotic hub. He might find leads on cultivation there, or perhaps some basic herbs to aid his practice. It was better than working blindly.
Lin Rui tidied himself, changed into a clean set of coarse linen clothes, and pushed the door open.
Outside the courtyard, two broad-shouldered clan servants stood waiting. The moment they saw him, they bowed. "Young Master Rui."
Lin Rui said little, heading for the Lin Clan's main gate. Having someone follow him was better than running into trouble alone. Besides, it wasn't as if he were planning anything illicit.
He passed through several courtyards and stepped out of the clan's great vermilion gates. The roar of the crowd and the thick, lively air of the city met him.
The wide, bluestone streets were lined with shops, their wine banners fluttering in the breeze. Pedestrians in all manner of dress crowded the way: cultivators with sword boxes on their backs, merchants hawking wares, and groups of laughing children.
A vendor selling Qi-Infused Tanghulu saw Lin Rui's plain clothes. His eyes darted to the two imposing guards behind him, and he decided against approaching to hawk his goods.
The lively, worldly atmosphere was a familiar sensation from a life left behind, from weaving through the streets and alleys of Los Angeles. The only difference was that the signs here read "Spirit-Profound Armory" and "Thousand-Skill Celestial Pavilion", and the air was filled with the scent of herbs and faint spiritual fluctuations, not exhaust fumes and coffee.
He was taking in the scene when a small figure bumped into his arm. "Oof!"
Lin Rui reached out to steady the person. He looked down and saw a boy of about fifteen or sixteen who had been clutching a grease-paper parcel. The impact had torn it open, sending an assortment of cakes and snacks to the ground. The boy had a round face and large eyes, now fixed on the fallen treats, his expression miserable.
The boy looked up. "Hey, watch where you're going…" He got a clear look at Lin Rui's face, and his own expression changed to surprise. "Huh? Lin Rui?!"
"My name is Lin Baobao. I'm from the clan too, a collateral branch!" The boy's words came in a rush. "Let me tell you, I saw you from a distance at the Green Tea Rite last year, but back then you were… well, anyway, you definitely don't remember me." Lin Baobao ducked his head with a grin, revealing two small canine teeth. "But what happened at the Ancestral Hall yesterday, everyone in the whole clan is talking about it! Lin Rui, you're incredible!"
Hearing the boy's eager tone gave Lin Rui an idea. "What happened at the Ancestral Hall… the whole clan knows?"
"Of course!" Lin Baobao's chin shot up as if he shared in the glory. "Not just the clan! Today all of Bamboo Cloud Town is talking about you, from the tea shop that sells Cloud-Mist Spirit Sprouts to the Wang Clan's blacksmith forge! Even those arrogant disciples from the Wang Clan are whispering about it!"
Great. Lin Rui's thoughts were dry. A tall tree catches the wind. Then again, a tall tree also has many eyes on it. Anyone planning a sneak attack would have to think twice. In that sense, it isn't entirely a bad thing.
"The Marketplace?" At the word, Lin Baobao's face brightened. "Oh, I know the Green Creek Market like the back of my hand! What kind of herbs are you looking for, Lin Rui? I know which Hundred-Herb Hall has the freshest stock, and which Thousand-Skill Pavilion has the shrewdest owner! And if you want to offer incense, the Temple of Blessed Life on East Street has the most worshippers!"
Lin Rui went with the flow. "Then let's go to the Temple of Blessed Life first."
The two of them, one leading and one following, passed through several bustling alleys. Soon, they came to the weathered gates of the temple. Unlike the imposing grandeur of a cultivator clan, the Temple of Blessed Life felt much more approachable. The courtyard walls were made of stacked bluestone, and two immense, gnarled pines stood before the entrance, their branches forming a lush canopy. The temple gates were wide open, incense smoke curling into the air, with a steady stream of people coming and going.
Lin Baobao tugged on Lin Rui's sleeve and lowered his voice. "See him? That's the founding ancestor of our Bamboo Cloud Town, the Perfected One of Green Creek. Legend says he was just a wandering cultivator, but he single-handedly forged the foundations of our town right next to the monster-infested Green Vine Mountains. When his works were complete, he underwent Ascension!"
He looked up at the statue, his eyes filled with reverence, but then his expression soured.
Lin Baobao sighed. "It's a shame that's all from a forgotten age. I heard that ever since the Great Cataclysm, the Spirit-Web has been unstable, and the path to Ascension was severed. For the last thousand years, not a single cultivator in the entire Aethelian Realm has managed to ascend."
So this world has a concept like Ascension. But the path is now closed.
They each bought a bundle of incense from a nearby stall. Lin Rui observed Lin Baobao's movements. First, Lin Baobao lit the incense in the brazier's flames. He then walked before the statue, held the incense in both hands above his head, and bowed three times.
Unlike the simple bows of his past life, the gesture here was a specific hand seal, or mudra. The middle finger and thumb of each hand touched, while the other three fingers were held straight. As he bowed, the mudra swayed, and he murmured a prayer.
Lin Rui copied him, lighting his own incense and mimicking the hand seal as he bowed three times to the statue. He didn't ask for anything grand, repeating a mantra in his mind: Protect my supposed father Lin Yuntian and let him return safely. And let me find the person who murdered this body's original owner.
After offering the incense, Lin Baobao pulled Lin Rui toward a side hall. "They have Daoist masters over there who interpret fortunes, and they sell protective talismans! Lin Rui, want to check it out?"
Lin Rui was about to answer when Lin Baobao stopped with a curious "Huh?" He craned his neck to look toward a corner where tall bookshelves stood against the wall, laden with yellowed scrolls and thread-bound volumes. A slender young man in a dark, scholarly robe stood with his back to them, stretching on his tiptoes to search through a row of scrolls.
Lin Baobao grinned. "Xu Yu!"
The young man turned, revealing a handsome, refined face. "Baobao? What are you doing here?" Surprise flashed in his eyes before his expression settled back into its usual calm.
"I'm with a friend, to offer some incense!" Baobao scurried over and clapped Xu Yu on the shoulder. "What about you? Scouring for some rare secret manuals again?"
Xu Yu gestured toward the bookshelf. "I heard the Temple of Blessed Life acquired a collection of fragments concerning the 'Rites of the Ancestral Soul,' and I wanted to see if there were any clues. Unfortunately, they are mostly incomplete folk tales with little practical use."
Baobao wasted no time with introductions. "Lin Rui, this is Xu Yu, a former classmate of mine from the Lin Clan's academy! He's incredibly knowledgeable; we all call him the 'Walking Encyclopedia'! He loves all this old, strange stuff!" Then he turned back to Xu Yu. "Xu Yu, this is Lin Rui! The one from the Ancestral Hall… you know!"
Seeing the introduction, Lin Rui clasped his hands in a formal greeting. "Brother Xu, a pleasure to meet you."
Xu Yu's calm eyes widened with interest. He walked over to Lin Rui and studied him, his eyes filled with the intense curiosity of a scholar who has just found a new specimen. "Brother Lin, I have heard much about you. I also heard of what occurred at the Ancestral Hall."
He leaned in slightly. "According to The Compendium of Lost Legends, it is written that 'when a spirit possesses a medium, it is often guided by bloodline, or by a great grievance, borrowing the vessel of a descendant to manifest its will.' The Miscellaneous Studies of the Viridian Prefecture also mentions that 'sages of old whose souls do not perish may sometimes sense the sincerity of their descendants and manifest to bless them.' I wonder, Brother Lin, which of these two scenarios more closely matches your experience?"
His tone was level, but his eyes were sharp, searching Lin Rui's face for some kind of runic sigil.
Lin Rui felt a prickle of discomfort. This kid was harder to deal with than Baobao, dropping a topic heavy with scholarly citations at his feet. He forced an awkward smile, unsure how to respond.
"Ahem, Brother Lin was blessed by fate and protected by the ancestors. It's a good thing, a very good thing." Lin Baobao jumped in, seeing Lin Rui's hesitation. He slung an arm over Xu Yu's shoulder and pulled him aside. "Come on, Xu Yu, don't scare him! He's just recovered and can't remember much. Besides, who are we to understand how the ancestors' blessings work?"
Only then did Xu Yu realize his breach of etiquette. A faint blush colored his cheeks as he took a step back and bowed. "It was I who was too abrupt. Brother Lin, please do not take offense. It is just… such phenomena are rarely recorded, even in old texts. I became excited."
Lin Rui waved it off and let out a quiet breath. "Not at all. Brother Xu's knowledge is impressive."
Xu Yu looked at Lin Baobao. "By the way, are you two finished with the incense? Where are you headed next?"
Lin Baobao's enthusiasm returned.
"I was just about to take Lin Rui to the Hundred-Herb Hall! His body is still weak, so we're going to see if there are any suitable medicinal herbs." Lin Baobao grinned. "Besides, they just got a new shipment of 'Dew-Condensing Fruit,' and I have to grab some!"
"The Hundred-Herb Hall?" Xu Yu looked up from his thoughts. "As it happens, I was recently studying the Annotations on the Hundred Herbs Classic and had some questions for Shopkeeper Wang regarding herbs with the 'Qi of Azurewood.' If you would not mind, might I accompany you?"
And so, the trio made their way to the bustling Green Creek Market. The streets were lined with a dense array of stalls, the cries of vendors rising and falling. Lin Baobao darted from one stall to the next, a constant stream of chatter directed at Lin Rui.
"Look, Lin Rui! That's the sign for the Drunken Immortal Tavern! Their Green Plum Brew is unmatched! But it costs a fortune!"
"And over there, the Ice-Spirit Armory! That's the Wang Clan's territory. The magical artifacts inside are beautiful, but you can't afford them. Still fun to look!"
Xu Yu followed, and now and then, when Lin Baobao mentioned some strange anecdote, he would give a slight nod or add a line from a relevant historical text.
Before long, they arrived at a relatively quiet corner where a rich, medicinal aroma filled the air. This was the Hundred-Herb Hall. Inside, the kindly Shopkeeper Wang sat behind the counter, the beads of an abacus clicking under his fingers. When they entered, he looked up, his eyes sweeping over the three of them before landing on Lin Rui with an inquisitive smile.
"Lin Baobao, Xu Yu, what brings you here today? And you've brought a friend."
Lin Baobao stepped forward and bowed. "Shopkeeper Wang, apologies for the intrusion. This is my friend, Lin Rui. He's recovering and is looking for some herbs to nourish his body."
Shopkeeper Wang put down his abacus and stood. "Oh? For recovery, you say? We have plenty. There's well-aged Yellow Essence Reishi, qi-warming Crimson Sun Ginseng, and foundation-stabilizing Nine-Segment Jade Bamboo. All are top-grade spirit herbs. It's just… the prices are not modest."
Lin Rui followed his gesture. The herbs glowed faintly with a spiritual light, but the price tags beside them were just as striking. They were priced in the dozens, even hundreds of spirit stones. A muscle twitched beside his eye. The handful of stones he possessed, scraped together from the clan's pitiful stipend, totaled less than fifty.
He gave an embarrassed smile. "Shopkeeper, these are wonderful, of course, but my funds are limited. I was wondering if you had any mortal-grade herbs with milder properties, and a more agreeable price?"
Shopkeeper Wang studied Lin Rui for a moment, his eyes lingering on the coarse linen clothes and pale complexion. He offered a smile that suggested he understood. He walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled open a few drawers. "I see. No need to feel awkward, young man. On the path of cultivation, one must act within one's means. Look, this is Qingqian Willow Leaf; it clears the mind. And these are Fu Ling Blocks; they calm the spirit. Add a few Licorice Slices to harmonize the properties. Though these are all low-tier mortal herbs, their purity is excellent. Taken over a long period, they will certainly help nourish your body."
Lin Rui relaxed. He glanced at the prices and found them much more approachable. After a moment's thought, he selected a few herbs. The total came to just over twenty low-grade spirit stones, wiping out more than half of his savings.
Shopkeeper Wang wrapped the herbs with practiced hands and handed them to Lin Rui. "Little friend Lin, I wonder, have you ever registered with the Celestial Law Division?"
Lin Rui paused, then shook his head. "I have not. My cultivation is shallow. I have yet to draw qi into my body."
Hearing this, something flickered in Shopkeeper Wang's eyes, but his smile remained warm. "I see. However, little friend Lin, though your complexion is weak, I can see a focused spirit in your eyes. If you do embark upon the path of cultivation, you might consider registering. For one, official status makes it more convenient to travel. And for another…" He paused, lowering his voice. "My Hundred-Herb Hall often has commissions for gathering specific herbs, all posted through the Tianlu Division. If you are registered and find yourself short on funds, you could take on some jobs here. It would be a great benefit to your cultivation."
When they reached a fork in the road, Xu Yu stopped and bowed. "It is getting late, so I will take my leave here. We shall meet again."
After parting ways with Xu Yu, Lin Rui and Lin Baobao continued toward the Lin Clan estate. The setting sun stretched their shadows long across the road.
Lin Rui froze. His eyes locked onto a figure ahead, a form that was at once foreign and unsettling.
It was a young man dressed in moon-white robes. His posture was ramrod straight, his features handsome. Even from a distance, he projected an air of cultivated nobility.
Wang Ruohan!
That name.
It hit him with the force of a memory. The rainy night in Los Angeles. The cold steel of a gun pressed to his side. Wang Ruohan's gentle, lying smile, and his final words, "Rui, don't blame me. Blame yourself for knowing too much."
Son of a bitch, Wang Ruohan! How the hell is he here?
Then the memories of this body rose to meet the first.
This Wang Ruohan was from the Wang Clan of Bamboo Cloud Town, the pride of his clan, the sole son of its current head. They had been childhood companions, inseparable, betrothed from birth. But once the original Lin Rui's "useless" constitution was revealed, the relationship soured. Wang Ruohan's attitude shifted from patient to distant and cold, his eyes holding a faint, barely hidden disdain. The final break came a year after Lin Rui's father disappeared, when the Wang Clan severed the engagement without hesitation.
Lin Rui's lips twisted into a bitter smile.
Well, I'll be damned. A new world, and "Wang Ruohan" is still the same kind of bastard. At least the name is consistent.
One had betrayed him for money, the other abandoned him for weakness.
Two faces, one rotten core.