Immortal Druid

East of the Earthly Heart Continent, I stood above the endless ocean and drew upon every shred of quintessence I could muster. The sea stretched to the horizon beneath me, calm and majestic, utterly unaware of the violence I intended to inflict upon it.

I extended my senses through the Circle of Aqua and seized control of the countless droplets that composed the ocean. Through hydrokinesis, I accelerated the particles into a frenzy. The water began to boil. Vast columns of steam erupted skyward as the sea roared in protest.

At the same time, I reversed the process.

The energy generated by the boiling water was ripped away and redirected elsewhere. Temperatures plummeted. Sheets of ice spread across the ocean before shattering under the strain of opposing forces. The stolen energy flowed through the Circle of Flame, where it became fuel for pyrokinesis. An ocean of fire blossomed atop an ocean of water. Crimson flames rolled across the surface like a second sea, devouring steam and generating even more heat.

I pushed the cycle back and forth, over and over.

Heat became cold, and cold became heat. Boiling water froze solid in an instant, only for the frozen water to explode violently into vapor. The ocean itself transformed into a battlefield of opposing extremes, a chaotic clash of temperatures and states that defied all natural order.

Without warning, my consciousness suddenly expanded. The Voice of the World awakened within me.

An avalanche of raw emotions flooded my mind with anger, excitement, fury, and joy, all surging forward at once. The ocean was speaking directly to me. It hated what I was doing. It loved what I was doing. These contradictory feelings slammed against one another with brutal force, making my head throb with pain. Countless voices overlapped in a rising cacophony until they merged into one deafening, incomprehensible roar.

"It's not enough."

I clenched my staff and unleashed geokinesis.

The seabed trembled.

Powerful earthquakes erupted beneath the ocean floor as tectonic forces groaned under my command. Massive tsunamis rose from every direction. The already unstable energies generated by my hydrokinesis and pyrokinesis spiraled further out of control. The ocean became a cauldron of destruction.

I raised my staff higher, and the sea split apart.

Molten rock surged upward from beneath the crust.

Using geokinesis and pyrokinesis together, I dragged magma from the depths of the world. Rivers of molten stone burst through the water, instantly vaporizing everything they touched. The surrounding sea hissed violently as fire and water battled for supremacy.

Quintessence poured out of me at a terrifying rate. My breath emerged as curling clouds of frost, and my limbs grew heavy, as though the very life force was being drained from my body. Yet I continued, refusing to stop.

“Control Weather.”

The sky answered immediately. Clouds surged in from every direction, racing across the heavens like an oncoming storm front. The atmosphere darkened rapidly, swallowing what remained of the light.

Storm winds screamed across the ocean as cold currents collided with superheated air. Tornadoes descended from the heavens and connected with the sea below, forming towering pillars that bridged ocean and sky. Black clouds churned overhead while lightning flashed endlessly within their depths.

Then I introduced another force.

Phytokinesis.

Life erupted from death.

A grotesque tree burst from the magma itself.

Its trunk was thicker than mountains, and its branches clawed toward the heavens. Molten sap flowed through its bark like blood through veins. The moment it reached high enough, countless bolts of lightning descended from the storm and struck it repeatedly.

The world descended into utter chaos. Rain lashed down in torrents, only for snow to follow in thick, swirling sheets. Hailstones hammered into patches of boiling water, sending violent bursts of steam rising to obscure entire sections of the ocean.

Warmth trickled down my face. Blood dripped steadily from my nose, and my vision blurred at the edges. The weather had grown far too massive for me to control completely. Even so, I refused to stop.

“Hydrokinesis. Pyrokinesis. Geokinesis. Phytokinesis.”

I united all four forces at once. Every remaining drop of quintessence surged outward in a final, desperate flood. Deep beneath the sea, tectonic plates shifted under my command. The ocean floor rose with a thunderous groan. Mountains clawed their way up from the darkness, stone shattering the surface and climbing higher and higher into the sky.

Nature itself responded. The Voice of the World carried my intent, and the land obeyed. The sea reluctantly retreated.

When the cataclysm finally settled, a colossal island stood where nothing had existed before. I hovered silently above it, gazing down at my creation. The newly born landmass stretched for countless kilometers, its center dominated by jagged, towering mountains. Rivers carved paths through the terrain, fed by the runoff of melting ice, while lingering steam drifted around portions of the rocky coastline.

Any ordinary cultivator would have celebrated such a monumental achievement.

I merely sighed.

"This isn't it."

The island was impressive. It was vast, raw, and undeniably powerful. It represented an achievement far beyond what most cultivators could ever hope to accomplish.

Yet it was not what I sought.

Among the many lessons Mab had taught me, one subject continued to elude me: the creation of an Immortal Art. I could not cultivate according to the conventions of this world, but that did not mean I had to obsess over them to the point that I had to limit myself to them. Everything I had learned, whether from this life or the scattered fragments of knowledge carried over from my previous existence, could serve as the foundation for something entirely new.

Maybe not an Immortal Art, but if I continued working hard on it consistently, I should be able to create something similar. An Immortal Art was not merely a powerful technique. It was an expression of oneself, a manifestation of one’s unique path. So, I don't think I would give up on it that easily, anytime soon.

What I had done today was little more than experimentation. A grand experiment, to be sure… and an expensive one.

I waved my hand and cast Control Weather once more. The dark clouds dispersed obediently, allowing sunlight to gradually return and bathe the ocean in its golden warmth. The violent winds weakened until only a gentle breeze remained, stirring lightly across the newly formed land.

A familiar figure descended from above. Hao Lei floated gracefully beside me.

The sickly cultivator stared at the newly formed island for several moments before finally speaking.

"Every time I think I have some understanding of your capabilities, Sage, you overturn my expectations. To witness an entire island rise from the sea before my eyes... such a feat borders on divine creation itself. If I had not seen it personally, I would never have believed it."

I chuckled softly.

"It wasn't truly created from nothing. Even I don't possess enough quintessence for something like that. I merely persuaded nature to cooperate. Through the Voice of the World, I asked the land beneath the sea to rise. Most of what I used today served as a catalyst. The island was only part of an experiment."

I turned toward Hao Lei.

"How did it look from the outside?"

His expression immediately became awkward.

"I had established an enormous illusion formation before you began. My intention was to conceal everything from distant observers. Unfortunately, I underestimated the scale of the Sage's undertaking."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"The island itself remained hidden. The disturbances around the ocean were largely concealed as well. However..." Hao Lei sighed. "The gathering clouds were beyond my abilities. By the end, the storm covered a region so vast that even my formations could not obscure it. There are limits to what a man can hide when the heavens themselves become involved. I lament my own inadequacy. Had my attainments reached the sky itself, perhaps I could have concealed even that. Sadly, this Hao Lei lacks such skill."

I laughed.

"I think asking someone to hide a storm that big might be setting expectations a little too high."

Hao Lei stared at the newly born island.

Then he slowly nodded.

"Perhaps," said Hao Lei idly. "Though after watching what you just did, Sage, I am beginning to suspect such expectations may not be unreasonable where you are concerned."

"You did a good job, Hao Lei," I said. "There is no need to overthink it. Just keep your ears on the ground."

The sickly cultivator lowered his head respectfully.

"This subordinate understands."

I glanced toward the island below. Fresh cliffs rose from the sea, while rivers carved their paths across the newborn land. It was still raw and untamed, but that would not last for long. In time, this island would become one of many bases of operation under my control.

The ocean was vast.

If the Touch Grass Sect wished to expand its influence beyond the Earthly Heart Continent, then we would need strategic footholds scattered throughout the seas. This island was merely the first step. In the future, I intended to raise more islands in carefully selected locations, creating a network that would dominate important seafaring routes. Trade, transportation, communication, and defense would all benefit from such a system.

As the vision formed in my mind, I turned toward Hao Lei.

"How fares the formation of the intelligence network?"

A hint of pride appeared in his eyes.

"It progresses smoothly, Sage. Just recently, I established a secret organization known as the Ignoble Sect."

I blinked.

"The Ignoble Sect?"

"Indeed."

"That is certainly a name."

Hao Lei coughed into his sleeve before continuing.

"The organization primarily recruits from professions society tends to look down upon. Assassins, courtesans, thieves, vagrants, prostitutes, beggars, smugglers, and various other individuals who dwell at the lowest levels of society."

I frowned slightly.

"Why create such an organization?"

His answer came immediately.

"Because no one pays attention to them."

The conviction in his voice surprised me.

"Cultivators are arrogant by nature," Hao Lei continued. "Most view themselves as beings above mortals. They may spend months investigating a rival sect, but they would never spare a second glance for the beggar sitting beside the road. They will inspect a cultivator's servant but ignore the prostitute who enters their residence every week. They will investigate merchants and officials while overlooking thieves who move through every district of a city."

His eyes gleamed thoughtfully.

"My mastery of illusion arts makes it easy to disguise highly trained personnel among the common populace. Information flows through cities like water through a river. Those at the bottom witness everything, hear everything, and are ignored by nearly everyone."

I considered his reasoning.

It was extremely practical.

"Ignoble, huh?" I muttered. "So not noble?"

A faint smile touched Hao Lei's lips.

"That is one way to interpret it."

I studied him for a moment, searching his expression.

His answer made sense. Too much sense, in fact. Which was precisely why I suspected there was more to it.

"Hao Lei."

"Yes, Sage?"

"What is the personal reason?"

He froze.

I smiled slightly.

"We're family now. I intend to be responsible for you. If there is another reason behind this organization, then tell me."

For several moments, he remained silent.

Eventually, Hao Lei released a long sigh.

"There is."

I waited patiently.

"My mother was a courtesan."

The admission was calm, yet I could feel the weight behind it.

"I spent much of my childhood among people society considered undesirable. Courtesans. Beggars. Laborers. Orphans. The forgotten." His gaze drifted toward the distant horizon. "Many people misunderstand courtesans. They assume every woman who enters that profession does so out of greed or lust. That is not always the case."

I remained silent.

Some stories deserved uninterrupted hearing.

"My mother sold songs, conversation, poetry, companionship, and occasionally her dignity to survive. She endured humiliation that would break most people. Yet despite everything, she remained one of the kindest individuals I have ever known."

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

"Not all courtesans are bad people, like many believe they were, as jealous wives and women often vent their frustration on them. Many are judged before they are ever given the opportunity to speak. Society condemns them while simultaneously seeking their company."

He shook his head.

"The irony has always amused me."

His expression softened.

"Of course, the opposite can also be true. Some commoners admire courtesans greatly. Not because of beauty alone, but because someone listened to them. Because someone made them feel seen. Sometimes merely appearing before a lonely person is enough to inspire feelings they cannot find elsewhere."

For the first time since I had met him, I saw Hao Lei genuinely smile. It wasn’t the polite smile of a subordinate, nor the forced smile of a survivor. This was something different. It was honest, small, and fragile. Yet undeniably real.

After a moment, he looked toward me.

"After getting to know the Sage, even if only a little, I came to understand that you are a righteous person. You see the world from a perspective different from most cultivators. I hoped you would sympathize with them. If my actions displease the Sage, I shall reorganize the organization immediately."

I shook my head. "It is fine. I permit it. However, I have one condition."

Hao Lei immediately straightened. "Please instruct me."

"Do not allow unfairness to fester within your organization. Protect the dignity of your people. If they choose to follow you, then ensure they are treated as human beings rather than tools."

The sickly cultivator stared at me for several moments, and then he lowered himself into a deep bow. "This subordinate thanks the Sage for his generosity."

Before I could respond, a sudden sobbing reached my ears.

It was faint and distant, like a child crying from somewhere far beyond the edge of reality. My body stiffened instinctively. The sound lingered for only an instant before vanishing completely, leaving behind an uneasy silence.

I closed my eyes and drew in a slow, steadying breath. Lately, these disturbances had been happening more and more often from strange voices, eerie cries, and whispers that appeared without warning and disappeared just as suddenly.

I had told no one. Not Mab. Not Nyx. Not anyone.

"Is there a problem, Sage?" Hao Lei asked.

I opened my eyes, and the crying was gone.

"No problem," I said plainly. "Begin building the intelligence network. Use the crows and the Shadow Elementals to assist your people."

Hao Lei nodded. "Understood."

"Pay particular attention to the movements of the Four Sovereign Flags and the Ten Great Sects. I want to know if they so much as sneeze in the wrong direction."

A rare chuckle escaped Hao Lei. "I shall do my utmost."

"Good," I nodded. "Until next time, Hao Lei."

He cupped his fists. "Safe travels, Sage."

Without further delay, I activated Wildshape.

My body transformed in an instant. Bones shifted and reshaped with sharp cracks, while feathers erupted across my skin. Moments later, a massive eagle occupied the space where I had once stood.

I spread my powerful wings and launched myself into the sky. The Touch Grass Sect was not far from here. With the wind beneath my wings and the endless ocean stretching out below, the journey home passed quickly. Soon enough, the familiar lands of my sect appeared on the horizon, waiting for my return.

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