Immortal Druid

When I arrived at the Touch Grass Sect, the first thing I noticed was Roo standing proudly outside the entrance.

The second thing I noticed was that he was arguing with a lone cultivator.

The woman appeared to be in the Core Formation realm. She wore the robes of a sect disciple and held a rolled parchment tightly in her hands. Judging by the frustration on her face, she had been dealing with Roo for quite some time.

"I have already told you," the cultivator said through gritted teeth. "I carry an official declaration addressed to your master, sent directly by the Ten Great Sects. These are matters of great importance. Please step aside and allow me entry."

Roo crossed his muscular arms. "I'll only let you in if we have a passionate duel first."

The cultivator stared at him. "What?"

"A duel!" Roo declared enthusiastically. "A glorious battle between warriors! Fists! Spirit arts! Determination! Friendship! Rivalry! The whole package!"

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose. "I do not have time for this nonsense."

Roo looked genuinely disappointed.

I sighed. "What is this about?"

Both of them turned toward me.

The moment the cultivator saw me, her body stiffened. 

Her eyes widened slightly before she hurriedly straightened herself. 

Without wasting any time, she unrolled the parchment and began reading.

"By decree of the Ten Great Sects, this messenger has come bearing a formal declaration. The elders and leaders of the Great Sects recognize the bravery, accomplishments, and contributions of the Touch Grass Sect Leader. As such, the Touch Grass Sect is hereby acknowledged as one of the Ten Great Sects. We welcome the Touch Grass Sect with open arms and extend this declaration as a sign of friendship and mutual respect. We look forward to a future of shared prosperity and cooperation between our sects."

Silence followed.

I stared at her. She stared back at me. Roo stared at both of us.

Now, what kind of bullshit was this?

Just recently they had been throwing their weight around, full of threats, pressure, political maneuvering, and open suspicion. Now they suddenly wanted friendship? The abrupt shift made every instinct in my body scream that something was very wrong.

I accepted the parchment and rolled it shut. “I will think about it. You may return to the Great Sects. I shall write a letter of response after I have made my decision."

"Understood, Sect Leader," remarked the cultivator, looking nervous.

My thoughts immediately drifted toward Li Qing. I needed reliable information. There was no way the Great Sects would suddenly become this friendly without an underlying reason, and whatever was happening behind the scenes, I intended to uncover it.

Then the parchment started sobbing.

I nearly dropped it as a plaintive wail echoed inside my head.

“Please accept the offer!” the parchment cried. “The person who wrote me was really pitiful! She spent forever rewriting every sentence! She was so desperate for this to work!”

I winced.

Not again.

“The Ten Great Sects might be screwed!” it continued dramatically. “Things are looking really bad! Everyone is stressed! Everyone is panicking! Please help!”

My eyelid twitched.

I still wasn’t sure how I felt about the Voice of the World. Sometimes it was useful. Sometimes it was enlightening. Other times, I found myself listening to emotionally unstable stationery. 

"Also," the parchment continued excitedly, "the Sect Leader who wrote on me is really pretty! Her sect is filled with beautiful gals! If you help them, maybe they'll lavish you with affection!"

I stared blankly ahead.

The parchment wasn’t done.

"And you're really handsome, by the way."

I grimaced.

"Your ears are very elegant."

What?

"Your hair is magnificent."

Please stop.

"You have strong heroic energy."

I physically cringed.

The messenger shifted uncomfortably. "Um..." she said carefully. "Is there a problem, Touch Grass Sect Leader?"

I forced a smile. "No."

The parchment was still talking. "Those cheekbones are—"

"No," I repeated firmly. "There is no problem."

The parchment finally quieted down. Thank heavens.

The messenger looked unconvinced but wisely chose not to pursue the matter. She bowed respectfully. "Please look favorably upon this agreement. Recognition from the Ten Great Sects is an opportunity few sects could ever dream of obtaining. With their acknowledgment, the Touch Grass Sect's name would spread across the entire cultivation world, opening doors to alliances, trade, resources, and influence that might otherwise take centuries to build. The elders sincerely hope you will consider it."

"Please return to the Great Sects. I will have a response prepared soon."

"Understood," the woman replied.

As she lowered her head, I found myself wondering if the Ten Great Sects should start preparing for a name change. At the rate things were going, they might soon become the Nine Great Sects.

None of this inspired confidence. Not the sudden friendliness, not the desperation hidden inside the letter, and certainly not the fact that a piece of parchment sounded more worried than the messenger carrying it.

Before leaving, the woman cupped her fists respectfully. “This disciple has yet to introduce herself. My name is Wan Fu. I am a disciple of the True Origin Sect.”

I nodded thoughtfully. So she was from the True Origin Sect. The fact that she had recognized me immediately meant my appearance had already circulated among the upper levels of the cultivation world. Then again, it wasn’t particularly difficult to identify me. There weren’t many elves walking the Earthly Heart Continent. Combined with everything else people likely knew, confusion was unlikely.

What interested me more was her behavior. She had been extremely respectful, almost excessively so. Considering the typical arrogance displayed by cultivators, especially those from the Great Sects, her attitude revealed quite a bit. The Ten Great Sects truly must have found themselves in dire straits. Otherwise, they would never have lowered themselves this much.

“I shall remember the name of your sect,” I said.

Wan Fu’s eyes brightened slightly. “Thank you, Sect Leader.”

I nodded. “Safe travels.”

She bowed deeply one final time before rising into the air and departing toward the distant horizon. I watched her leave, then lowered my gaze to the parchment still resting in my hand.

"You are so cute," said the parchment. "Hold me close."

"..."

After thinking about it more carefully, I decided to head directly toward Leafhome City.

The city had continued growing in my absence. New buildings had appeared, roads had expanded, and the steady flow of merchants moving through the streets spoke volumes about its prosperity. It was strange seeing how much had changed in such a short period of time.

Before long, I arrived at Li Qing's office.

I knocked once before entering.

The elderly woman was seated behind a desk piled high with documents. Despite her advanced age, her posture remained straight and dignified. The moment she noticed me, she immediately set aside the scroll she had been reading and rose from her seat.

"Sage," Li Qing greeted respectfully. "It is good to see you again."

I nodded.

"It is good to see you as well."

Without wasting time, I took a seat opposite her.

The situation was too important for pleasantries.

The Ten Great Sects currently consisted of the Divine Trinity Sect, the True Origin Sect, the Isolation Path Sect, the Cloudy Mist Sect, the Heart Blossom Sect, the Silver Soul Sect, the Purple Flame Sect, the Renewal Sect, the Clear Harmony Sect, and most recently, the Serenity Cliff Sect. The latter had since been deemed unfit to continue its representation among their ranks.

If I accepted their recognition, the Touch Grass Sect would effectively take the Serenity Cliff Sect's place, becoming one of the Ten Great Sects. If I rejected it, however, the Ten Great Sects would simply become the Nine Great Sects.

After everything that had happened, I wasn’t particularly inclined to accept.

So I told Li Qing everything: the declaration, the messenger, the sudden friendliness, and the obvious desperation hidden beneath the formal language. By the time I finished, she had fallen into thoughtful silence.

Eventually, Li Qing released a weary sigh.

“Sage, you are free to do as you please.”

I blinked. That was not the response I had expected.

She lowered her head, her voice growing heavier. “There is also another matter. I wish to withdraw the agreement between the Willow Order and the Sage.”

The words landed like a weight. She bowed her head even deeper.

“For that, I offer my sincerest apologies. This old woman has proven incompetent. While recent events may have strained our relationship, please understand that the Willow Order does not think differently of you. We shall always regard the Sage as our benefactor.”

I rested a hand against my chin. Her tone wasn’t hostile, yet the phrasing still felt awkward. Sensing this, the elderly woman hurriedly continued.

“With the agreement dissolved, the Willow Order will no longer be able to provide pills according to the original arrangement. That said, the Sage remains free to access our records and accumulated knowledge through Chronicler Jia Ping. The libraries shall remain open to you. As compensation for nullifying our agreement, I wish to repay the debt at a later date, if such a thing is possible.”

Li Qing looked genuinely remorseful, as if the words were difficult for her to speak.

“The Willow Order still possesses considerable wealth. We have spirit stones, treasures, cultivation resources, and relics accumulated throughout generations. The vaults of the Willow Order are not empty.”

She cupped her fists and bowed deeply.

“Sage, please forgive us. The Willow Order has failed to live up to its history, and perhaps we have also failed to live up to your expectations.”

I shook my head. “There is no need to ask for forgiveness. Misfortune strikes without warning. There is nobody to blame but circumstance and bad luck during the attack on the Dark Order. Even I have my own failings.”

That operation still lingered in my mind, because of the deaths. Looking back, I wished I had simply attacked the Dark Order’s stronghold alone. Perhaps fewer people would have died. Perhaps things would have unfolded differently. The past could not be changed, yet that did not mean I had to like it. The thought still irritated me.

Li Qing observed my expression for a moment before lowering her head once more. “Thank you for your magnanimity, Sage.”

I waved dismissively. Then a new thought crossed my mind. “Is there going to be a war?”

Li Qing froze, if only for a fraction of a second. Most people would have missed it, but I didn’t. The surprise vanished almost immediately, buried beneath decades of discipline. Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t the only thing reacting.

The room itself had grown nervous. The desk trembled anxiously. The stacked papers whispered worries to one another. The teacup nearby practically vibrated with concern. The Voice of the World carried all of it straight into my mind from fear, uncertainty, and dread. That alone was enough to confirm my suspicions.

Li Qing eventually exhaled. “Sage’s insight is truly remarkable.”

So I had guessed correctly.

“All signs point toward the possibility of war,” she admitted. “A conflict large enough to embroil the entire Earthly Heart Continent.” Her expression grew grave. “The Willow Order has already begun making preparations.”

Everything suddenly made sense from the pills, the annulment of the agreement, the promise for resources, and the debt.

Li Qing continued, “That is why I wished to delay payment. It is also why we can no longer continue providing pills under the original arrangement.” She paused, her gaze steady. “Depending on the outcome of the coming conflict… and if the Willow Order survives… then we intend to continue supplying pills according to the earlier agreement as part of the compensation.”

I shook my head. “That is fine. The important thing is for the Willow Order to survive.”

Li Qing looked surprised, but a faint smile soon appeared on her face. “Thank you, Sage.”

I leaned back in my chair. Truthfully, another concern occupied my thoughts. Willow. I wondered how that little owl was doing. The troublemaker had a tendency to find herself in dangerous situations, and the possibility of war only made that worry sharper. Of course, she wasn't always a troublemaker, but after hearing Xuanwu's story of her, the little owl was making me feel nervous.

After a moment, I spoke again. “I intend to involve myself in this war.”

Li Qing’s eyes widened. For the second time during our conversation, genuine surprise broke through her composure. “You do?”

I nodded.

The elderly woman studied me carefully, her brow furrowing. “Forgive my curiosity, Sage, but what made you change your mind? From everything I observed, you seemed intent on distancing yourself from the cultivation world.”

She was right. I had spent considerable effort doing exactly that. There were many reasons as to why I've decided to involve myself now, from the people I cared about, the Touch Grass Sect, the Four Sovereign Flags, the Great Sects, the Dark Order, the growing unease across the continent, the strange sobbing voices, the desperate letter, the worried parchment, and even Willow. Trying to isolate a single reason felt impossible.

So after considering it for a moment, I simply shrugged. “Peace of mind, I guess.”

The answer sounded almost absurdly simple, yet it was probably the most honest one I could give. Because if the continent truly descended into war and I stood aside while everything burned, I knew I would regret it.

And I was getting very tired of regrets.

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