Immortality Starts With Generosity

She made her through the silent always of the Chen Manor and reached the large entrance doors.

“Will this be the last one?” Chen Haoran called out to her. He was waiting in the shadows of a corner by the dark doors. His presence was not an unwelcome surprise. He had asked to see her off and she had agreed.

“Yes,” Lan Fen replied. “After tonight I will focus on preparing for the Palace Exams.”

“What if you meet a Liquid Meridian realm?” She could hear the worry in his voice.

It was a valid concern. The Lan family would have to make a strong showing if they wished to regain their face. It would be obvious that a Liquid Meridian realm would be dispatched to obliterate whoever had been pillaging their industries. Obvious on the outside at least.

“Do not worry,” she smiled. “I would be elated if they sent a Liquid Meridian.”

Chen Haoran hummed in acceptance. He left the corner he placed himself in and walked past her. “Song Yuelin,” he called. “Let’s go for a drink.”

The hall was silent. Lan Fen had to admire how casually Chen Haoran called out the name of the stronger cultivator. It was flagrant disrespect and yet Song Yuelin allowed it. Nothing about the man fit with her impressions of how a dignified higher realm comported themselves.

“He’s over there,” The White Tyrant drawled, pointing to the very same corner Chen Haoran vacated. “Can this bastard hurry up? Being a sneaky fuck is only so funny for so long.”

She supposed that made two poor examples now.

She carefully did not turn to look at the corner. Her patience was rewarded when Song Yuelin finally emerged from the shadows. “Drinking so late at night isn’t very healthy, Young Master Chen.”

“We never finished our drink from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion,” said Chen Haoran, looking over his shoulder. “You still owe me your travel stories.” He left the entrance hall without saying another word.

Song Yuelin sighed and followed him. “Safe hunting, Lady Fen.” The man smiled at her as he passed.

Chen Haoran did her a favor in tying up Song Yuelin. While he could not hide from the eyes of the White Tyrant, Lan Fen was still forced to act carefully lest he noticed something. For all that he professed his loyalty as a servant, Chen Haoran’s paranoia was not unfounded.

“Can we go now?” The White Tyrant groaned. “It was bad enough watching your little lover’s spat. At least show me some blood.”

Lan Fen sighed. It would be a long night.

The Lan family had a storied history, tracing their roots to the powerful cultivators of the Shattered Era. The Lan family of Clearsprings City lacked this ancient greatness, the only holdover being their signature features. Despite this, the foundation they had created for themselves in Clearsprings City was nothing to scoff at. With the variety of industries and resources they possessed Lan Fen’s actions had not caused any real damage to the family’s vitality so far.

Her current target was a medicine garden located in one of the numerous valleys within the Clearsprings Mountains. A scattering of small workers’ huts was situated at the opposite end of the valley entrance. Various small creeks feed qi-infused water into the valley, filling pools that had been converted into paddies for growing Golden Glass Rice. The plant was a nourishing herb in its own right and consuming enough of would aid a cultivator in digesting the energies of other pills and supplements. This garden alone provided for the Lan family’s Liquid Meridian realms and upper elite.

“Twenty ants. Two Ninth-Layer ants on opposite ends of the valley. The rest are Sixth to Eighth-Layer.” The White Tyrant groaned. “Another boring night.”

This particular garden, while valuable, would never host two Ninth-Layers at the same time. They were prepared for her it seemed. She carefully noted the location of every guard as The White Tyrant pointed them out.

“And the workers?” she asked.

“Oh come on, don’t tell me your taking after that moron now.”

“I need to know their locations,” she coldly retorted.

The White Tyrant snorted in disdain. “There aren’t any workers. Just guards.”

“Observers?”

“The shadow bastard isn’t here, the moron is useful for that much at least, but the Ninth-Layers have spread their sense across the entire valley”

Lan Fen considered her options. With the White Tyrant’s aid she could hide her qi, but she lacked techniques to hide her physical presence. She had no way to slay a guard without being discovered. Then again, Song Yuelin was not here. She could afford a more direct approach.

Tyrant’s Progress

Her legs flashed with white lightning and she burst through the valley entrance. The startled cries of the guards quickly roused the rest to action. The Ninth-Layer guarding this end of the valley had quick reflexes and sent a scythe of vicious wind at her. With a lightning-quick speed, she avoided the attack and slashed her sword through the necks of two guards unfortunate enough to be in her way.

Through her sense, she could feel the guards at the end of the valley rush over while the ones she passed moved to block off her escape.

She would not make it easy for them. She skipped over the paddies and came down like a torrent on a nearby guard, carving through his armor-like cloth. He went down in a spurt of blood and Lan Fen quickly leapt after the weaker Sixth and Seventh Layers before they had the time to regroup. Unfortunately, she was only able to kill two more before the other Ninth-Layer cultivator roared and bull rushed her with glowing green palms. White lightning flashed at her legs and she deftly avoided the blow and landed in the valley’s center.

The guards finally had their wits about them and encircled her.

The two Ninth-Layers flanked her. She recognized one as family, the other lacked the characteristic Lan look.

“Your arrogance will be your undoing you rat,” growled the Lan family cultivator. “I will rip that mask off your face and mount your head on the gates of the Lan Estate.”

“There is no need to be rude,” she called out. “If you wanted to see my face all you had to do was ask.” She removed her mask and shook off her black hood to let her hair flow free. “Hello, Uncle.”

“What-” her Uncles eyes grew wide. “How could it be you!?”

He was a large man, muscular, and heavily scarred. His long white hair flowed freely down his back. She remembered those scars. The stories they held had fascinated her when she first began her training.

“Have you missed me?” she teased.

“You were crippled,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

“I recovered.”

Realization dawned on him. “These attacks have all your doing.” He purpled with rage. “You little bitch, you dare betray your family!”

He startled back when Lan Fen appeared before him with the lightning-quick flash of her movement technique.

“Who betrayed who,” she coldly said. Without letting him respond she slapped a hand against his chest and dragged him into the Silver Ring.

“Sir!” cried the other Ninth-Layer. He flinched when Lan Fen looked at him but gritted his teeth. “Attack, she’s only Fifth-Layer!” he ordered.

Lan Fen jumped back and the startled guards behind her broke ranks and allowed her through. With encirclement failing the Ninth-Layer barked a harsh command and they instead arrayed themselves in front of her and sought to press her in against the valley wall.

She smiled.

Heaven-Splitting Claw

The unfortunate Ninth-Layer had enough time to realize his mistake before he and the rest of the guards were rent apart by vicious claws of metal-aspected qi. Water scattered as long furrows raked themselves across the paddies, disturbing careful soilwork and destroying precious spirit herbs.

“And that is why I tolerate you,” the White Tyrant said.

Lan Fen ignored the ghost and checked her qi. A fair chunk had been consumed by the multiple Heaven-rank techniques she had used. She flexed her fingers. It would be enough to deal with her Uncle.

With a thought, she summoned him from the Silver Ring. He appeared in front of her and she slammed her fist into his gut. The blow sent him flying into a ruined paddy. He sputtered and flailed in the muddy water as she approached.

“You really did find a treasure in those ruins,” he said, rising from the water. “That little girl wasn’t making up nonsense.”

“Make sure you pay your respects to my father, dear Uncle.”

“Have you forgotten who trained you!” he growled. “You’re forty years too early if you want to face me!” His arms glowed green with the Scattering Petal Palm and he leapt at her with a rain of skull-shattering blows.

When she had been a young girl she had been envious of those who had the privilege of practicing the technique. Her Uncle screamed in pain. Lan Fen’s sword pierced through his palm. She slammed her fist down on his collarbone in a brutal hammer blow and heard a sickening crack. Her Uncle collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.

“Forty years is not enough to make you my equal.” She raised her foot.

Her Uncle looked up with wide eyes manic with fear. “Lan Fen wait-”

She cycled qi to her leg and smashed her foot into his skull, caving in his face and cutting off his begging.

“Finally, some good fucking combat,” the White Tyrant said, sounding exasperated. “For an ant,” he added, as an afterthought.

Lan Fen sighed.