Immortal Druid

[POV: Mab]

Mab remained suspended high within the daytime sky, her silver hair drifting gently in the wind while the world beneath her descended into chaos. The battle had ended too quickly. The two immortals who had attempted to interfere had perished beneath her hand, leaving behind little more than scattered remnants of their existence. Yet Mab had not allowed every trace of them to vanish. Within her palm rested two severed pinky fingers, preserved carefully through arts that few among the current generation even remembered.

With a casual gesture, the fingers vanished into a pocket dimension hidden within her body. It was a simple technique by immortal standards. Once, countless immortals had maintained entire worlds within themselves. After endless millennia of peace and stagnation, however, many had forgotten what they were truly capable of. They had become complacent.

Mab gazed toward the distant horizon where the remnants of battle still scarred the land.

"It is necessary to take risks," she told herself quietly. "If Wo Li is to prepare for what is coming, then I must evaluate these seedlings he has gathered around himself. Strength forged without hardship is worthless. If they cannot endure this much, they will never survive what awaits us."

Her expression remained calm, but her eyes carried memories older than mountains.

In this life, she would do her best to nurture.

Long ago, in another timeline, another history, Wo Li had stood alone against an impossible future. Entire sects had fallen. Allies had perished. In the end, there had only been Wo Li and Mab standing against the darkness.

She remembered those days vividly.

The exhaustion.

The desperation.

The endless battles that chipped away at hope.

Most of all, she remembered how lonely he had been.

A faint sadness crossed her features.

"I will not allow that to happen again."

The wind carried her words away.

Wo Li would fight many battles in the years to come. That much was unavoidable. Yet if he were to stand against the calamity approaching from beyond the boundaries of fate, then he could not stand alone. He needed companions worthy of sharing that burden. He needed allies who could survive when immortals clashed and worlds burned.

That was why she watched and waited.

Far below, lives and destinies were being tested.

Mab folded her arms and observed silently.

For now, she would allow the seedlings to grow.

Only then would she know whether they possessed the qualifications to stand beside him when the heavens themselves began to fall.

…

..

.

[POV: Li Qing]

Li Qing looked back toward the distant horizon and felt her heart sink.

Leafhome was gone.

The city that had vanished in a matter of moments. Even now, while their forces retreated, the aftermath of the immortal battle remained visible. Mountains had collapsed. Forests had been uprooted. Vast scars stretched across the landscape where unimaginable powers had collided.

Not many cultivators truly understood why immortals concealed themselves from the world.

Li Qing believed she finally understood.

Their power was simply too devastating.

Lady Mab had promised to keep the destruction to a minimum. Li Qing did not doubt the immortal's sincerity. Through the Heavenly Eye, however, she had witnessed countless possibilities. Compared to what might have happened, the destruction of Leafhome was merciful. That realization terrified her.

The retreating cultivators continued moving along the road until Li Qing suddenly raised her voice.

"Stop! All of you, stop where you are. I need time to consult the Heavenly Eye."

The cultivators obeyed immediately.

"Understood, Lady Li Qing."

"We shall hold position."

"Take all the time you require."

Li Qing nodded gratefully before settling herself upon a flat stone. She carefully lifted the crystal orb resting within her robes.

The Heavenly Eye.

Only recently had the sacred treasure been unsealed once more after its recovery.

Unfortunately, its visions had not been encouraging.

Again and again, it had revealed possibilities of failure surrounding the attack against the Dark Order's headquarters. Yet powerful illusion arts and ancient formations had obscured much of the future. Even the Heavenly Eye struggled to penetrate the defenses surrounding the enemy stronghold.

Despite that uncertainty, Li Qing still retained faith.

"Sage Wo Li," she murmured softly, "I trust you."

Closing her eyes, she clasped the crystal orb with both hands.

"Honored ancestors," she prayed quietly, "please do not let the Heavenly Eye fail me now."

The orb brightened.

Instantly, countless visions flooded her mind.

The Heavenly Eye's greatest strength was its authority over lands acknowledged as belonging to its bearer. Within such territory, very little could remain hidden. Vision after vision appeared before her. She saw futures where Lady Mab failed to intercept the two immortals.

She saw the continent shattered. She saw oceans boiling. She saw entire domains collapsing into the void. One future showed nearly a quarter of the continent rendered uninhabitable.

Li Qing forcibly suppressed the horrifying images and redirected the Heavenly Eye toward the enemy force currently advancing upon them.

Numbers appeared before her.

Her face immediately darkened.

"There are seventy-four Core Formation cultivators and ten Nascent Soul cultivators scattered around."

A heavy silence followed.

Li Qing looked toward a middle-aged cultivator nearby.

"Captain Zhong, how many Core Formation cultivators do we currently possess?"

Captain Zhong's expression became grim.

"None, Lady Li Qing."

He paused before continuing.

"We still have a dozen guardians under Lady Li Ming's command. If you command it, they shall come running here to reinforce us. As for the rest of our Core Formation experts? They joined the assault against the Dark Order's base."

"Leave the guardians under my granddaughter be. We'll handle things on our own.

The news was even worse than Li Qing had feared. They had committed too much strength to the main offensive. Normally, they would have contacted the Serenity Cliff Sect immediately. Unfortunately, circumstances were rapidly deteriorating.

Li Qing retrieved a communication talisman and tore it apart. However, nothing happened. The talisman failed to ignite. Her pupils narrowed. Slowly, she looked toward the heavens. Only now did she notice faint spiritual threads woven across the sky.

It was a formation net. Specifically, a communication suppression array.

Cold dread crawled down her spine as she recognized the array far too well.

"A Willow Order formation net..."

The realization sent chills throughout her body.

Without hesitation, Li Qing rose to her feet.

"You!" she shouted, pointing toward a young cultivator. "Take your fastest mount and reach the outpost near the teleportation gate. Request reinforcements immediately."

The young cultivator saluted.

"Yes, Lady Li Qing!"

Li Qing pointed toward several others.

"The rest of you will spread the warning. Inform every outpost that we are under attack. If communication talismans fail, use flags and smoke signals. Any cultivator you encounter must be informed."

The runners quickly acknowledged the order before departing. Only after issuing those commands did Li Qing turn toward Captain Zhong. The veteran cultivator stood straight despite the grim circumstances.

"Captain Zhong."

"Lady Li Qing."

"Gather everyone capable of fighting and prepare defensive positions immediately. Anyone at Qi Refinement or below is to join the evacuation route. They will follow the trail established by the runner heading toward the teleportation gate."

Captain Zhong nodded firmly.

"It shall be done."

Li Qing's gaze hardened.

"There is one more thing."

The captain frowned.

"What is it?"

"I will separate from the main force."

The surrounding cultivators stared at her in shock.

Captain Zhong's eyes widened.

"Lady Li Qing, that is far too dangerous."

Li Qing looked toward the approaching enemy forces visible through the Heavenly Eye.

"No."

Her grip tightened around the crystal orb.

"If I remain with the group, they will simply overwhelm us with cultivation."

Determination filled her voice.

"I will draw their attention and engage them one-on-one whenever possible. Every enemy I delay is another chance for our people to survive. If we can buy enough time, perhaps we can convene with Lady Mab and seek her guidance. She understands far more about what is happening than any of us."

Several cultivators exchanged hopeful looks.

Captain Zhong frowned. "Do you believe she would intervene?"

"I do not know," Li Qing admitted honestly. "But she has aided us already, and if there is a way to put an end to this conflict without sacrificing more lives, she would know it."

One of the guardians stepped forward. "Then our objective should be to reach her."

Li Qing nodded.

"Exactly. Right now, information is our greatest weakness. We do not know why the Dark Order is moving against us now of all times, how extensive their preparations are, or whether this attack is merely the beginning of something larger. Lady Mab may possess answers that we lack."

Captain Zhong folded his arms thoughtfully.

"And until then?"

"Until then, we survive," Li Qing said firmly. "We preserve as many lives as possible, maintain our lines of communication, and gather whatever intelligence we can. If an opportunity presents itself to contact Lady Mab, we take it immediately."

The captain studied her for a moment before lowering his head.

"A wise course of action."

Li Qing tightened her grip around the Heavenly Eye.

"Good. Then protect the evacuation and keep moving toward the teleportation gate. If reinforcements arrive, direct them to secure a path for our civilians. I will do everything I can to slow the enemy until we can regroup, seek Lady Mab's counsel, and hopefully bring this nightmare to an end."

…

..

.

[POV: Roo]

A few moments ago...

Roo sat proudly beneath the massive signboard of the Touch Grass Sect, lazily munching on sunflower seeds while fulfilling his important duty as gate guardian. It was a very important duty. Possibly the most important duty. After all, if nobody guarded the gate, who would stop people from stealing the signboard?

The thought alone made him shudder.

Suddenly, a distant explosion rattled the horizon.

Roo's ears twitched.

A second explosion followed, and then a third. Far away, in the direction of Leafhome, enormous waves of spiritual qi erupted into the sky.

Roo nearly dropped his sunflower seeds.

"Oh shit, what was that!?"

He immediately stood upright. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to run toward the explosions and pick a fight. That looked fun. Very fun. Extremely fun. His feet had already taken half a step before he remembered Sage Wo Li's instructions.

Roo froze.

The gate.

The enemies.

The signboard.

His expression became serious. The Sage had told him that enemies gathered around gates. The Sage had also told him to guard this place. Sage Wo Li was wise. Wise people did not lie. Therefore, enemies would definitely come here.

It was simple logic.

Besides, if Roo left, somebody might steal the signboard. That would be terrible. An unforgivable tragedy. So Roo sat back down and continued eating sunflower seeds while waiting. Sure enough, only a short while later, figures appeared from the distant forest.

Roo's eyes lit up.

Enemies!

A whole group of them!

The cultivators wore dark robes and carried thick killing intent. Their cultivation hovered around the Core Formation Realm, making them roughly comparable to Roo himself. The leading cultivator abruptly halted. The entire group stared.

Silence followed.

One of them pointed.

"What in the heavens is that?"

"Is that a giant rabbit?"

"No, it looks like a malformed deer."

"Perhaps a spiritual beast with brain damage."

"It's looking at me funny, so maybe it's indeed brain damage."

Roo frowned.

Another cultivator squinted.

"Why is it guarding a gate?"

"What kind of sect employs a demonic beast as hideous as this?"

Roo's cheeks puffed.

"That's not nice," he complained. "You shouldn't call others with strange names."

The laughter gradually died. The cultivators exchanged glances, and then their expressions became cautious. A spiritual beast capable of speech was rarely ordinary. Without another word, they spread outward and surrounded him.

Roo immediately recognized the movement.

Captain Zhong's soldiers often played formation games with him whenever he became bored. Teacher Ai had also spoken about formations. There were apparently two ways to break them. Or maybe three. Possibly four.

Unfortunately, Roo had forgotten all of them.

He scratched his head.

"Hmm..."

The cultivators finished positioning themselves.

Roo brightened.

"Oh!"

He finally reached a conclusion. He would simply stand here and punch them. That sounded much easier. Roo pointed dramatically.

"NONE SHALL PASS!"

The surrounding cultivators immediately unleashed their spiritual pressure. Power surged between them. One cultivator stepped forward and formed a hand seal.

"Piercing Dragon Formation!"

The others moved in perfect synchronization. Spiritual energy flowed from one cultivator to the next, forming a spiraling chain of power. Momentum accumulated rapidly as each cultivator transferred strength toward the spearhead of the formation.

The leading cultivator's aura exploded.

The ground cracked beneath his feet, and the air shrieked.

Roo's eyes widened.

That looked dangerous.

More importantly, they were getting awfully close to him. Judging by their angle, they might hit the signboard with a wide energy blast and the whole arch structure. Roo glanced upward. The sacred signboard hung above the gate. Were they thinking of stealing it? An idea struck Roo. It was a brilliant idea. A genius idea. The sort of idea only Roo could think of.

If he carried the signboard himself, nobody could steal it.

His eyes sparkled.

"I won't let anyone take my signboard!"

With a mighty leap, Roo shot into the air. His enormous paws wrapped around the massive wooden sign. The arch groaned. The cultivators stared. The arch cracked. The cultivators blinked. Finally, Roo ripped the entire signboard free.

The arch collapsed.

Holding the giant signboard like an oversized club, Roo landed heavily upon the ground. Earth qi surged through his body. Fire qi erupted around him. The wooden signboard ignited with spiritual flames.

The charging cultivator barely had time to scream as Roo swung.

BOOM!

The leading cultivator vanished from the formation.

One moment, he had been there. The next, he became a black-robed comet flying sideways across the battlefield. He crashed into the forest. Immediately, countless Thorn Whips exploded from the surrounding vegetation. The vines wrapped around him with terrifying speed. His horrified screams echoed through the trees.

The Piercing Dragon Formation instantly collapsed.

Roo stared at the signboard in his paws, and his grin widened. This really was clever. Now nobody could steal it. 

The remaining cultivators slowly backed away.

Roo's shadow loomed over them. Flames danced around his body. Earthly qi trembled beneath his feet. The gigantic signboard rested upon one shoulder. Then Roo released a deafening roar.

"FACE THE MIGHT OF THE BOUND SKY STRIDER!"

The forest shook.

The cultivators collectively reconsidered every decision that had led them to this moment.

…

..

.

[POV: Zhen Ai]

Deep within Sage Wo Li's forest stood a beautiful treehouse woven between enormous ancient branches. Inside, peace still lingered.

Tao Wolong sat beside a window, looking anxious.

Across from him sat Zhen Ai.

The young dragon boy stared at his hands before finally voicing the concern that had troubled him for years. "Mother... will the day come when I can transform into a dragon like you?"

Zhen Ai smiled softly. "It will."

Tao Wolong lowered his head. "You always say that."

"Because it's true."

"But I've barely grown at all. It's already been over a hundred years. What if I never grow up? What if I'm stuck like this forever?"

Zhen Ai's expression softened. She reached forward and pulled him into a hug.

Tao Wolong buried his face against her shoulder.

"You'll be fine," she said gently. "Dragons mature differently from humans. Some grow quickly. Some take longer. Don't think too much about it."

"But—"

"You'll be fine."

Her voice carried absolute certainty. Slowly, Tao Wolong relaxed. However, Zhen Ai's expression changed. Her eyes narrowed. Two spiritual pressures had entered her senses just outside her treehouse. They were in the Nascent Soul Realm, and there were two of them.

Zhen Ai immediately rose to her feet.

"Tao Wolong."

The young dragon looked up.

"What is it?"

"Stay here."

Her voice became serious.

"No matter what happens, do not leave this treehouse."

Tao Wolong immediately nodded.

Zhen Ai vanished, causing space to ripple. The next instant, she appeared outside. Two figures stood waiting in a nearby clearing. There was a man and a woman. Both wore dark robes and carried the unmistakable aura of experienced Nascent Soul cultivators.

The male cultivator's eyes immediately brightened.

"Oh? Looks like we got lucky."

He nudged the woman beside him.

"Honey, do you realize what we found?"

The woman smiled.

"A dragon."

"A real dragon."

The man laughed.

"We're rich."

The woman leaned against him flirtatiously.

"Seems this mission is already in the bag."

She smirked.

"After all, how many dragon slayers can boast a record like ours?"

The man grinned.

"Not many."

The two looked completely relaxed as though the battle had already been decided.

Zhen Ai listened patiently, and then she released her spiritual pressure.

BOOM.

The clearing trembled.

The smiles on the couple's faces weakened slightly.

"Judging by your tone," Zhen Ai said calmly, "the two of you seem to be my enemies."

Her golden eyes gleamed.

"So let's skip the prelude and jump directly to the action."

A faint smile appeared.

"Shall we?"

For over a century, Zhen Ai had cultivated without pause, drawing wisdom from the Willow Order, from Lady Mab, and most profoundly from Sage Wo Li, while the forests themselves had become her greatest teachers. Everything she had gathered across those long years now flowed seamlessly through her cultivation. With a steady breath, she raised one hand, and power surged within her.

"Secret Dragon Art: Thousand Dragon Scales."

It was not actually a thousand, but she'd get there.

The sky darkened as seven hundred fifty-two scales erupted upward from the ground, each one a remnant of her former dragon form that had been painstakingly refined through over a century of cultivation. Tiny formations glowed across their metallic surfaces—replenishment arrays, defensive arrays, and spiritual circulation arrays—while the scales floated above the clearing like a swirling metallic storm.

A razor-sharp aura spread through the surroundings, every piece carrying traces of Sage Wo Li’s Raindrop Edge, transforming them into seven hundred fifty-two blades, seven hundred fifty-two killing techniques, and seven hundred fifty-two suspended instruments of death.

The husband and wife’s expressions changed into those of nervousness as the dragon scales slowly rotated overhead, the very air seeming ready to tear apart.

Zhen Ai extended her hand, and hundreds of scales tilted forward in unison, unleashing a terrifying killing intent that descended upon the forest. A cold smile curved her lips. It was not one of warmth, but the predatory smile of a dragon preparing to hunt.

"Let's begin."

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