章 13: chapter 13 No Prey

Back inside the house, Wang Yan trailed Zhang Jian around the house, especially in the kitchen. She had never done any form of domestic work before for as long as she could remember. This was the first and only time she had ever served a man. So she took the initiative and asked Zhang Jian to leave the dishwashing to her but Zhang Jian would not have it.

"It is already dark, so right now you should be preparing to bed."

Wang Yan put her arms on her waist defiantly;

"Don't look down on me! I am a prodigy!" She then folded sleeves of her dress and began to prepare to clean up.

"My Master ingrained in the fact that every profession carries its honor. Even the maid is valid too!"

She was still talking when she dropped a plate that shattered the stillness of the night.

...

The night descended fully and along with it came animal cries in the clefts of the Mountain. Zhang Jian had donated the fortune Xiao Luo had first given him to the needy at the foot of the mountain. His needs weren't much for he had an abundance of food from his bountiful harvest. But he was still scared that the young girl with him would suffer malnutrition so he decided to go hunting. Wang Yan was cultivating in the bedroom and noticed the abundant Qi in her room. It was so dense that its efficiency compared to Purple Mountain was ten to one. She hadn't expected tonight's session to be a favorable one. It had been an unexpected twist to see that the seemingly regular room was brimming with Qi.

"It's so concentrated!"

It was surreal just how concentrated the Qi was here!

"Master Xiao Luo's foresight is incredible! How could he have foreseen an inconceivable factor like this?"

While she appreciated Xiao Luo's foresight, something shocking happened;

In this realm, a certain law bounded the Qi of heaven and earth; it was to be taken in and absorbed. Yet the Qi here overran her body and her meridians struggled to contain it.

"Ah!"

Zhang Jian was in the loo when he heard her. He rushed and found her perspiring seriously as she clutched her right leg in agony. Cerberus heard the scream and smiled;

"Well, he's a man after all."

Zhang Jian ignored all protocols and massaged her calf. The order of Cultivation was;

External Strength, Internal strength, Prowess Strength, and Natural Strength. (Stages one to four)

These four were the foundation for the rest as the difficult part started at the fifth stage. The rest were; the Qi Condensation Stage, Foundation Establishment Stage, Core Formation Stage, Nascent Soul Stage, Demigod Stage, Void Spirit stage, Synthesis Stage, Immortalization Stage, and Ascension Stage. A special envoy was sent by the Immortal Government to congratulate one who had attained Immortalization Stage. It was usually a euphoric moment. So, spiritual energy (in body) was paramount for cultivation. Qi in the body can't be controlled consciously, only through meditation. The higher the mental energy, the better the control.

If the mental energy isn't enough, they could lose control and easily go mad. Hence, meditation was necessary. Also, to break through to a different stage required a certain type of tribulation. If an outsider interfered with a person's tribulation, it could multiply their distress- if they survived. Wang Yan was on the verge of breaking through the 8th stage to the 9th stage and her tribulation was mental instability. She couldn't handle the Qi. Wang Yan cried out when Zhang Jian held her right leg.

"Don't! It's my trial!"

Zhang Jian drew circles on her feet and massaged the popping blue veins. Her demeanor changed immediately as he comforted her;

"Endure for a while. It will soon be over."

Turned out it was just cramps! She sensed no Qi from him and yet he had disrupted hers so skillfully. Tearfully she apologized;

"Forgive me for getting you involved senior."

Wang Yan was in awe of Zhang Jian for not even her master Xiao Luo could have easily done what he just did. She offered up her gratitude but Zhang Jian remained silent.

"... my trial?" He thought; "So it was a reoccurring theme in her life?"

He assumed it was due to the harsh life she had under Xiao Luo.

"It's okay." He reassured her; "No one is inevitable but me." He was more than determined to take care of her now.

"Inevitable?" she thought as she pondered the meaning. Wang Yan took his words to heart for she knew that he meant them. Also, she probably would have died if he hadn't come through for her.

"Senior, you're so gracious!"

Zhang Jian was stunned. Cramps from malnutrition was a medical anomaly. As the popping blue veins receded, Zhang Jian caught a sneak peek at her clear crystal like smooth skin. His face flushed as he hurriedly made to leave saying;

"It's nothing, I'll excuse myself now."

Wang Yan was surprised at first. But she understood as soon as she looked at herself and blushed. The senior was indeed twisted. Zhang Jian headed towards the loo but turned back at the door and they both remained silent for the rest of the night. The next day, Wang Yan stirred early with the past events in her mind like a dream. She made the bed and proceeded to the kitchen. This was her duty now.

An appetizing smell that healed her internal injury and aroused her appetite assaulted her nose before she got there. On the square table was a plate of hot bread and a bowl of porridge, covered with a see-through lid. And beside it a note that read:

"A good day's work depends on a decent start in the morning. Breakfast isn't much as it's unwise to over eat so early.

Zhang Jian."

Her face flushed with embarrassment as she remembered how she had downed a whole pot of soup. "It was even that much." she mumbled to herself.

After breakfast, she soon began to feel guilty and her maid duties kicked in. As she stood by the well with the intention to use cultivation to draw water, an ancient voice besieged her mind with a warning;

"DO NOT attempt to cultivate here! Do your duty- AS A MAID!"

In the yard, Cerberus' eyes closed off to nap. Wang Yan felt an oppressive spiritual pressure that even kept her from breathing. As she sat by the well, she thought to herself;

"No cultivation? Is this my training?"

She considered further;

"The master has just attained the Immortalization Stage and yet, he still reveres this senior. He's a deep person who might possibly be a powerful being at my master's stage or perhaps at The Ascension stage!"

It was such a frightening thought that the bucket fell into the well. Wang Yan sulked.

Moving an entire hill with her strength having attained Demigod Stage was nothing to her, and yet, it took the whole of her strength just to retrieve the bucket. As she struggled with the well, Zhang Jian crept up on the mountain, (not his mountain which had been tagged Dabie Mountain)

But a mountain called Xiaobie a few miles out. The layout of Mount Dabie was steep and sloped at irregular angles. It was wishful to expect exotic food there. Ecologically, it was balanced. But Zhang Jian enjoyed hunting and fishing in Mt. Xiaobie. Cutting through the bushes, he made his way towards his secret lair there- the only river in Xiaobie Mountain where he fished.

As he fished, a very peculiar bluebird watched him from a treetop. Zhang Jian relaxed by the riverside as he let down his bait.

"Freedom for those who seek it willingly!"

Bluebird struggled to keep his mind intact Zhang Jian's echoed like thunder in the sky in his ears even though he was quite at a distance. It was obscene to even think that he had been spotted as he was an excellent spy. The Bluebird exclaimed as soon as he realized his position had been compromised;

"So this is the genius behind the Purple Sect's victory!"

With that, he gathered his wings and took off to the devildom world, specifically- Yinjie Mountain.

On a magnificent throne sat the Demon Queen Lin Xi as she glared at Bluebird. His report on Xiao Luo disturbed her greatly so she interrupted him rudely;

"So they deceived me? Xiao Luo is alive?!"

Bluebird added cautiously;

"He probably escaped death."

She straightened her crossed legs and rose to her full height gloriously.

"Not only did I fail, but Xiao Luo somehow managed to root out my spies."

"He broke through again ..."

Bluebird masked his feelings for her and said audaciously; "He promised ..."

"Quiet!" she barked as she rammed a powerful surge of powerful Qi him. Her face was twisted in rage.

"I just lost respect!"

Evidently, Xiao Luo's presence was a problem.

"Continue."

Bluebird could not hide his terror as he spoke of Zhang Jian;

"Mistress, he is Purple Mountain's biggest asset! Your loyal vassal thinks this regular looking man may have attained the Immortalization Stage. Maybe even the Ascension Stage."

He thought she would be annoyed but Lin Xi took it quite well;

"Well since that's over now, we might as well have a go at him."

Bluebird didn't like the idea at all but agreed with the beautiful Lin Xi.

As Zhang Jian reclined on the cane chair and glanced at his empty bucket.

"No prey today huh? Maybe..."

He frowned slightly as the fishing rod shook ever so slightly. But Zhang Jian was ready and he struggled with the mysterious fish.

Meanwhile, in the clouds above. Lin Xi glared at the man who was fishing. He was the one she had seen in the landscape painting. His face was veiled but she was sure all the same. Bluebird played dead when Lin Xi's thundering voice ordered him to leave at once;

"When the dance begins, you will not be able to leave."

As he dashed off towards the border, he carelessly forgot to shield his Qi and the ever vigilant Cerberus instantly picked up on it and awakened immediately. Wang Yan was getting ready to clean the yard and then play with Cerberus but he rushed to the open the gate and sped off. With puzzled expression on her cute face, she thought;

"I wonder where he is off to in such a hurry."

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