Immortality Starts With Generosity

Lan Fen had told him of four realms of cultivation: Qi, Liquid Meridian, Crystal Transformation, and Star Core. He was told of the Nine Layers each realm required one to ascend. He had felt for himself the difference between those Layers.

Now he felt the difference between realms.

Chen Haoran accelerated the qi in his legs and shot forward, kicking up the liquid shadow that coated the ground. Song Yuelin stood proud and smiling; one hand behind his back. Chen Haoran would make him regret that. He held the Mysterious Watersteel Sword low to the shadows, obscuring its tip. When he closed in it flashed blue with the power of the Canyon Carving Sword and he swung upwards with all his might. Song Yuelin fearlessly stepped into the swing and punched down sharply. Although he had limited his strength to only the peak of the Qi realm Chen Haoran was still the David to his Goliath. His fist would connect before Chen Haoran could finish the technique.

Which was why he let it explode instead.

Song Yuelin was blinded twice over. First by the flash of the weak explosion, then by the liquid shadow stirred up by its force. Song Yuelin was quick to react and launched a vicious right hook through the shadows that would have floored Chen Haoran had he not rolled to Song Yuelin’s defenseless left.

Chen Haoran had no time to use the Canyon Carving Sword so he stabbed instead. Within his meridians, the last vestiges of the Canyon Carving Sword seemed to react to his thrust. For a brief moment, he felt like the river carving the canyon.

Then Song Yuelin accelerated faster than the eye could see and backhanded Chen Haoran across the face.

Like a skipping stone across water, Chen Haoran flew across the training field dragging up liquid shadow and dirt with every bounce. Inertia finally halted him with a painful landing that knocked the breath out of his lungs. Song Yuelin leaned over his fallen form, the smile never leaving his face.

“A good attempt Young Master Chen, shall we call it here?” Song Yuelin offered a hand to help him up.

Chen Haoran batted the offending limb away. “You said you wouldn’t use your Liquid Meridian realm strength.”

“I suppose I did. It seems it’s my loss once again Young Master Chen.”

“You said that the last 13 times.”

“A testament to your sheer skill I assure you.”

Chen Haoran ignored the boldfaced lie and picked himself up. He was sore and bruised but otherwise fine thanks to the enhancement of the Stygian Flower. It helped that Song Yuelin hadn’t struck him with the full force he could bring to bear either. The bastard did however take great joy in discovering just how hard he could hit Chen Haoran. The last blow had been the strongest so far.

“Did you really have to slap me?” Chen Haoran cradled his stinging jaw. He had felt that backhand to his bones.

“No, I did not.”

Was this how Song Yuelin intended to get answers? Aggravate Chen Haoran to death until he fessed up and begged him to leave? Whatever the case despite Song Yuelin being a lying bastard he was more useful than Lan Fen as a sparring partner. Chen Haoran looked around at the liquid shadow Song Yuelin used to cover the training field. It was almost like air in how easily he moved through it, but whenever Chen Haoran used the Canyon Carving Sword it completely absorbed the after-effects and preserved the training field. Just being able to train the Canyon Carving Sword without worrying about wrecking the environment was worth Song Yuelin slapping him around.

He also had a much clearer idea of the chasm that existed between the realms. Just relying on his Liquid Meridian realm cultivation Song Yuelin was faster than he could react and stronger than his ability to defend. The physical parameters alone made it a hopeless fight one-on-one and that was before taking any techniques into account. It put into stark relief the level of the enemy Lan Fen was plotting against.

“Is this something every Liquid Meridian realm can do?” Chen Haoran motioned to the field. He remembered the supervisor at the auction catching the gold taels with liquid energy as well.

Song Yuelin sat cross-legged on the ground. The liquid shadow curled up over his lap and he trailed his fingers through it. “Yes, releasing the liquid qi that floods in their body is something every Liquid Meridian realm can do.”

“And the reason it’s so shadow-like is because of Harmonization?”

Song Yuelin laughed. “A good guess Young Master Chen. Unfortunately, I’m not capable of such a thing. My qi looks the way it does because of my cultivation method. Once you cultivate to the Liquid Meridian realm the properties of your qi can become enhanced as a result of the sheer density.”

Properties of the qi? Did the yellow dragon he sometimes saw while cultivating count? His qi didn’t feel particularly dragon-like but Chen Haoran wouldn’t say no to potentially summoning a dragon in the future.

“Oh? What are you thinking about Young Master? Are you wondering what your own qi would look like in the Liquid Meridian realm? I recommend focusing on less difficult subjects, it’s not good for your health to hope for too much.”

Chen Haoran quickly schooled his features. He couldn’t help biting back though. “What about you? You were so proud showing off your Harmonization before and now all of a sudden you’re not capable?”

“I’m simply aware of my limits. Perhaps you could learn from me?”

Chen Haoran ignored Song Yuelin’s needling. He was getting curious now. “Is there a difference between Harmonizing a martial technique versus a cultivation method?”

Song Yuelin leaned back as he considered the question. His gaze turned upward as if looking at something far in the sky. “I told you before that Harmonization is infusing your very being with the essence of your technique. For martial techniques that means your fighting style but, despite strong opinions otherwise, fighting isn’t a cultivator’s whole being.”

“Not like a cultivation method is.”

Song Yuelin smiled and nodded. “Yes, not like a cultivation method is.” His gaze had not left the sky. “A cultivation method is the foundation for everything a cultivator is, to Harmonize with it is to express its essence through everything you are. Unlike Harmonizing with a martial technique it is a fundamental change. Thus the difficulty is so high as to be out of reach for the majority of cultivators.”

“And for those who could reach it?” Chen Haoran was spellbound by the quiet air Song Yuelin took on as he lectured.

“I would call them monsters.” Song Yuelin closed his eyes. “Let alone a multiplier I imagine it would be more accurate to call it a whole new world.”

“Enough to make you use two hands?”

Song Yuelin was startled and his eyes fell from Heaven back to Chen Haoran. He huffed a laugh, his somberness dispelled. “Not even close.” He laughed.

Song Yuelin seemed to have some history behind him. Although Chen Haoran would have liked to know more he knew the annoying bastard wouldn’t share it so easily. What he learned was more than enough for him to stew over anyway. Chen Haoran didn’t hold out any hope of ever Harmonizing with the Yellow Dragon River Refinement like that but it was enough to know the possibility was there. Perhaps his Gifting power would give him an opportunity one day.

Song Yuelin perked up. “Before I forget there was a guest who came earlier looking for you, Young Master Chen. He said his name was Lan Junjie, I was told he’s an acquaintance of yours.”

Chen Haoran’s eyes narrowed. Someone from the Lan family came looking for him. No doubt it was about Lan Fen’s matter, the Lan family might have started to finally catch on to something. If Chen Haoran had to guess it was probably due to the cultivation supplements he had Manager Lin purchase. He avoided Lan Junjie today but he needed to prepare himself for meeting them in the future.

“You did well turning him away Song Yuelin,” he said. “Just ignore whatever messengers they send for now.”

“I didn’t turn him away though?” Song Yuelin blinked at him. Innocent as a newborn lamb.

“What?” Chen Haoran felt his heart stop.

“Since you were friends I had him wait in the receiving room.” Song Yuelin stood up and cracked his back.

“You mean he’s here right now?” he demanded.

“No.”

Chen Haoran let out a sigh of relief.

“He’s been here for 2 hours.”

“Chen Haoran!” A rage-filled voice sounded in the distance. A white-haired youth, face red with rage and eyes promising murder barreled towards them.

Chen Haoran cursed. “Song Yue-”

Song Yuelin was gone. In his momentary distraction Song Yuelin cleared the field of his shadow qi and disappeared.

“You dare make a fool out of this Lan Junjie! Chen Haoran!”

He was going to kill Song Yuelin.