Immortal Druid

Just above my forest, a group of cultivators was making enough noise to disturb half the wildlife beneath them.

There were five of them in total, each standing upon the air with the effortless confidence of Nascent Soul cultivators. Their cultivation alone was enough to intimidate most people. Spirit beasts throughout the surrounding forests had already retreated from their presence, while many cultivators within Freedom City watched nervously from below.

One of the five immediately stood out.

The fellow was dressed so extravagantly that it bordered on offensive. Gold adorned nearly every part of his clothing. Golden rings decorated his fingers. Golden ornaments hung from his belt. Even the sword at his waist possessed a golden scabbard covered in precious gemstones.

If someone had asked me to describe him in a single word, "posh" would have sufficed.

The man stood proudly at the forefront of the group while four Nascent Soul cultivators remained slightly behind him.

"The Touch Grass Sect shall receive a grand task from the Ten Great Sects!" he declared. His voice rolled across the sky with spiritual energy. "Through meritorious service, you shall prove your worth and secure your rightful place among the Ten Great Sects. Such an honor is rarely granted to newly established powers."

The declaration immediately caused a stir throughout the city behind me, with many cultivators looking excited, others appearing confused, and a few seeming worried.

The posh cultivator continued without waiting for a response.

"By decree of the Ten Great Sects, the Touch Grass Sect Leader shall demonstrate the rumored power of resurrection before elders recognized by the prestigious sects under Heaven. If the rumors are true, then the Ten Great Sects wish to establish a positive relationship with the Touch Grass Sect."

A pleasant smile appeared on his face.

"After all, extraordinary talents deserve extraordinary recognition."

His smile widened slightly.

“Of course, should your claims fail to meet expectations, misunderstandings may arise. Heretics have caused considerable harm throughout history. Fortunately, I am certain such concerns are unnecessary, are they not?”

The man was practically spitting in my face while pretending to be polite.

Behind me, both the city and the surrounding spirit beasts had fallen into an uproar, as even those with little political understanding could sense the veiled threat hidden beneath his words: prove yourself or be branded a heretic. I remained seated upon my chair, leaning back against the rest while calmly considering my options.

“I can get rid of them,” Nyx offered sweetly while feeding me a grape. “Just say the word and I’ll make them disappear.”

Mab immediately frowned and pushed another grape toward my mouth.

“There is surely a better solution than murder,” she said. “At least try diplomacy before Nyx starts committing atrocities.”

She pushed her grape closer.

Nyx immediately pushed hers closer.

The two women glared at one another.

I sighed.

Honestly, the Nascent Soul cultivators hovering above my forest bothered me far less than these two who were now competing for my attention. When I looked up again, my gaze met the posh cultivator’s, and it was clear he did not appreciate my lack of enthusiasm.

“Touch Grass Sect Leader,” he said sternly. “You have been addressed by representatives of the Ten Great Sects. It is inappropriate for you to remain seated while your betters are speaking.”

At that moment, Jia Ping stepped behind my chair and bent slightly forward.

Using sound transmission, she whispered directly into my ear.

"The old man in purple is from the Purple Flame Sect. The rotund woman represents the Renewal Sect. The young woman dressed in blue belongs to the Clear Harmony Sect. The middle-aged man in red comes from the Heart Blossom Sect. The gaudy fellow in front is from the Divine Trinity Sect."

"Thank you," I replied through sound transmission.

In the next moment, the posh cultivator vanished as space distorted around him, instantly reappearing before us in a clear display of his superior movement technique. He then folded his hands behind his back and raised his chin slightly. 

“This is too much disrespect!”

“...”

“Don’t you know who I am? I am Tao Hai, the Divine Left of the Divine Trinity Sect,” he declared, lifting his chin even higher as though speaking to someone far beneath him. “Frankly, Touch Grass Sect Leader, your conduct thus far has been rather disappointing. Representatives of the Ten Great Sects have traveled here personally, yet you remain seated, indifferent, and seemingly unaware of the significance of what is being offered to you. Do you have any idea how many sects, clans, and wandering cultivators would beg for a chance such as this? Opportunities like this do not present themselves to everyone. Most would consider it the greatest honor of their lives merely to stand where you are standing now. Yet instead of gratitude, you greet us with apathy. You should consider yourself fortunate that I am willing to overlook such discourtesy, for there are many who would gladly seize the chance you appear so eager to squander.”

He raised a hand, his storage ring flashing brightly as, a moment later, an enormous coffin crashed onto the ground between us. The coffin was nearly as gaudy as its owner, with gold decorations lining every edge and precious gems embedded across its surface, making it look less like a coffin and more like a treasure chest pretending to be one.

Tao Hai gestured toward it.

"The elders of the various sects behind me shall personally witness your abilities," he said. "Should you succeed, they will guarantee your inclusion among the Ten Great Sects. You need only demonstrate the truth of your powers."

I glanced back and forth between the coffin and the man, then at the coffin once more, honestly having no idea why he was acting so overbearing. Maybe it was simply a cultivator thing, or perhaps he genuinely believed everyone should feel grateful just for standing in his presence. Either way, it was becoming increasingly irritating.

Behind me, Jia Ping transmitted her voice once more.

"Should I fetch Lady Li Qing? She would likely know how to handle this."

"Unnecessary," I replied.

I rose from my chair, stretched slightly, and walked toward Tao Hai while the other four Nascent Soul cultivators remained suspended in the sky. Interestingly, none of them came any closer, maintaining a noticeable distance; apparently they had heard enough rumors about me to be cautious. At least they weren’t complete idiots.

I stopped before Tao Hai.

"Why would I?"

His smile faltered slightly.

"Because through this demonstration, I can promise you a place among the Ten Great Sects."

I tilted my head.

"So what?"

For the first time, surprise appeared on his face.

"So what?"

"Yes." I nodded. "So what? Is it only you who can promise that place to me?"

Tao Hai's expression stiffened while the four Nascent Soul cultivators in the distance exchanged uneasy glances.

Meanwhile, I couldn't help remembering my agreement with Li Qing and the promise I had made to maintain a position within the Ten Great Sects. It was a promise that unfortunately relied heavily on the Willow Order handling most of the political work.

Given their recent string of disasters, failures, ambushes, betrayals, and difficulties, my confidence in that arrangement had declined considerably. Still, that did not mean I intended to jump whenever some self-important cultivator snapped his fingers, especially not one carrying a coffin decorated with enough gold to bankrupt a small kingdom.

Here's the continuation in an editable writing block.

“To be honest, Tao Hai, I couldn't care less about a position within the Ten Great Sects,” I confessed plainly. “I sought entry because of an obligation, nothing more. A political voice has its uses. Influence has its uses. Connections have their uses. Beyond that, I simply do not care. Recognition? Prestige? Fame? None of those things interest me.”

During my time in this world, I had learned many things, among them the value of pride. There were times when humility was necessary, when restraint was the wiser choice, and when one needed to lower one's head and endure. But there were also times when allowing oneself to be trampled would only invite more abuse. This was one of those times.

Tao Hai wasn't merely insulting me; he was insulting everyone who stood beside me, from the spirit beasts, the cultivators of Freedom City, and the loyal companions who had chosen to follow me. I could feel their eyes upon us, many of them already annoyed and some outright angry.

Unfortunately, Tao Hai seemed completely oblivious to that fact.

He scoffed.

“Then perhaps you should learn your place.”

The arrogance in his voice caused the surrounding atmosphere to grow colder.

“You stand before representatives of the Ten Great Sects. Whether you acknowledge it or not, your future is determined by powers greater than yourself. A little humility would do you well.”

A low rumble echoed across the heavens as dark clouds began gathering overhead, dimming the sunlight while the winds grew heavier. I frowned slightly, knowing I wasn't the one doing that.

“Sage, this has gone too far.”

The deep voice came from behind me.

Xuanwu stepped forward.

The dark-skinned man with short curly hair looked toward the cultivators above us with an expression that was growing increasingly unpleasant.

“I believe our guests have forgotten where they are.”

His Nascent Soul aura leaked into the surroundings.

The clouds above immediately churned faster.

“I agree.”

A woman's voice followed shortly afterward.

Zhen Ai emerged from the crowd.

The dark-haired dragon woman folded her arms and stared coldly at Tao Hai.

“I believe the guests have overstayed their welcome.”

Her spiritual pressure joined Xuanwu's.

As the storm intensified with thunder rolling across the sky, the Nascent Soul cultivators hovering in the distance visibly tensed. Even my own shadow began stretching unnaturally across the ground as darkness flowed outward, stirring the sleeping Shadow Elementals hidden within from their slumber and darkening the ground beneath our feet. Genuine nervousness appeared in Tao Hai's eyes, only for a moment before he quickly suppressed it.

I ignored him and glanced toward the gaudy coffin.

Through Druidic Insight, I observed something unusual: the existence preserved within was extraordinary, very old, and immensely powerful. The deceased had once been an Immortal, which explained quite a few things, as I had read about such matters before.

Normally, Immortals returned to nature after death, their essence dispersing into the heavens and earth to rejoin the natural cycle once more. However, there were methods to delay that process through powerful formations, ancient artifacts, or forbidden spells. The coffin before me was clearly preserving what should have long since returned to nature.

Tao Hai straightened his posture.

Though his face remained proud, I could sense the tension beneath the surface.

“If you continue this attitude,” he warned, “I can personally guarantee that you will never be recognized by the Ten Great Sects. You may believe yourself important, but the cultivation world is larger than you can imagine. Oppose the Ten Great Sects, and you may find yourself isolated from every major power on the continent.”

His voice hardened.

“In fact, should sufficient concerns arise regarding your conduct and abilities, it would not be difficult to label you a danger to the cultivation world itself. A public enemy.”

The threat hung heavily in the air as my eyes returned to the coffin. I honestly didn't want to do it. Why would I risk my life for this person? Every resurrection carried severe consequences, from the agony of Heavenly Tribulation to the ever-growing Dark Sun of Misfortune that loomed over my fate. The more I learned about the process, the more absurd it seemed: dangerous, stupid, and completely unreasonable. Yet despite knowing all that, I still had a bad habit of helping people. Even so, one question remained: did this person truly deserve it?

I turned back toward Tao Hai.

“The Ten Great Sects are nothing more than an informal gathering of elites.”

Several elders frowned.

I continued anyway.

“There exists no higher authority that legitimizes their existence. No heavenly mandate. No universal law. No governing body. The Ten Great Sects declared themselves the Ten Great Sects, and everyone simply accepted it.”

My gaze swept across the representatives.

“The organization possesses form, but very little substance.”

Tao Hai's face became increasingly ugly.

“The fame associated with your organization means nothing to me.”

I pointed toward the distant horizon.

“The only value I see in the Ten Great Sects is their ability to provide certain factions with a political voice. Beyond that, I have little interest in becoming entangled in your affairs.”

That wasn't an opinion I had formed lightly. I had studied the Ten Great Sects whenever I found spare time, and while they promoted righteousness, justice, order, and stability on the surface, at their core, they were simply powerful elites banding together to monopolize the highest strata of power.

Perhaps there were exceptions, and perhaps some genuinely believed in their ideals, but that didn't change the reality of the system. Frankly, if I became involved with them at all, I preferred it remain limited to the Willow Order's connection and whatever political influence came attached to it. Nothing more, nothing less.

I met Tao Hai's gaze one final time.

“No.”

The single word echoed throughout the area.

“I refuse.”

The storm overhead rumbled violently.

“If the Ten Great Sects choose not to admit me into their circle, then perhaps that is fate.”

My voice remained calm.

“Leave me be, Tao Hai.”

Silence descended across Freedom City as even the thunder seemed to pause. For several long moments, nobody spoke, the only sound the distant rumbling of clouds gathering above a city whose patience was rapidly running out.

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