Immortal Druid

[POV: Nyx]

“It is not just the Underworld,” said Horse-Face. “In fact, most of the spiritual plane will be closing their gates. The Underworld is merely one of the first to do so.”

Nyx's eyes widened. “Most of the spiritual plane?”

Horse-Face nodded. “You came here with your corporeal body, did you not? Then you should leave as soon as you can. Once the gates close, you may find yourself trapped here.”

Nyx glanced toward the enormous gates behind him.

Since she had already been exiled from the Underworld, there was little reason for her to remain in the spiritual plane. She was essentially being told to return to the mortal plane immediately, before the path between worlds was sealed.

Yet she could not comprehend why.

Why would the Underworld take such an extreme measure?

The Underworld had existed for as long as death itself. Souls needed somewhere to go. The dead needed to be judged, reincarnated, punished, or rewarded. Closing its gates was not something that could be done without consequences.

“What could possibly be happening?” Nyx whispered.

Ox-Head finally spoke. “The last time the Underworld was destroyed, it was because something truly terrible was unleashed. It was something so terrible that it threatened to destroy the universe itself. If the Lord Sovereign has decided to close our gates, then there must be a good reason.”

Nyx fell silent.

She did not doubt him.

If even Ox-Head, one of the guardians of the Underworld, believed the Sovereign's decision was necessary, then whatever was happening had to be beyond anything she could imagine.

Ox-Head's attention shifted toward Wo Li.

“The Lord Sovereign has given you a gift.”

Ox-Head reached into his robes and retrieved a scroll.

“The Lord Sovereign has been watching you closely all this time.”

Nyx glanced at Wo Li.

She could not tell what he was thinking, but she noticed the way his fingers tightened around his staff.

Ox-Head held the scroll toward him.

“Inside is a summoning spell. It will allow you to summon the Lord Sovereign for the briefest moment.”

Wo Li stared at the scroll, and then he accepted it with both hands. “I’ll receive it gladly.” He carefully stored it away before looking back at the two guardians. “There is something else.”

Horse-Face raised an eyebrow.

Wo Li hesitated.

“I wasn’t able to retrieve Mab’s soul, but there are others that I wished to take with me. The Lord Sovereign kicked me out before I could ask for them. Please, I ask for your patience. Just... hear me out.”

Horse-Face's expression became slightly more serious. “We’ll see what we can do.”

Wo Li nodded. “I tried to cast my resurrection spell on a couple vengeful spirits, but...”

His voice faltered.

“My memories are blurry, but I don’t think I succeeded in bringing the others back. I succeeded in bringing Roo and Li Qing back, but the others...? They were transformed into vengeful spirits through some artifact. Maybe there’s a way to fix it.”

Nyx instinctively reached for his hand. She held it firmly. She already knew what their answer would be.

Ox-Head's expression softened. “I’m sorry.”

Horse-Face sighed. “I am afraid there is nothing we can do for you. It takes a miracle to bring a vengeful spirit back to life, one that is sane on top of that.”

He paused, his gaze resting on Wo Li.

“By cultivator standards, or even by the standards of gods such as us, the scale of something we call a miracle is something a mortal would hardly be able to fathom.”

His voice became quieter.

“I think you have an idea of what I am talking about.”

Nyx lowered her eyes. She had always been reserved. Quiet. She rarely asserted herself, especially when there were others more powerful or knowledgeable than her. But this time, she felt the need to speak.

“You have work to do.”

Wo Li looked at her. For a brief moment, confusion crossed his face, and then it vanished. A smile appeared on his face. “Yes, I know.”

Nyx squeezed his hand.

She remembered that moment.

The primordial rift had appeared before them, tearing open a wound in reality that should never have existed. None of them knew what waited on the other side. None of them knew whether anything could survive within it.

Wo Li had thrown himself inside anyway. He had disappeared into that impossible darkness. And somehow, he had made it back alive.

Nyx had seen many things throughout her existence. She had witnessed beings of tremendous power perform feats that mortals could only call miracles.

But that moment had been different.

Wo Li had entered a primordial rift and returned alive. If even that was possible, then perhaps there truly was a miracle waiting somewhere beyond the boundaries of what they understood.

“You have to go,” Nyx told Wo Li.

He looked at her.

“How about you?”

“I will find my way back to the Earthly Heart Continent. However, I haven’t given up on looking for Ward. They will be valuable reinforcements for us in the future. I must stay here in the spiritual plane a little longer.”

Wo Li's expression immediately became worried.

“But you are going to be trapped here.”

“I know.”

Nyx gave him a reassuring smile.

“I know a unique path that will allow me to come and go as I please between the spiritual plane and the mortal plane.”

The Dark Cave was more intimately connected to the Underworld than most places, but that connection also made it useful in another way. It could serve as a pathway between the spiritual plane and the mortal plane, allowing her to cross between the two worlds.

“Now, go,” Nyx said.

Wo Li stared at her for a moment before eventually nodding.

“I guess this is goodbye.”

He extended one hand toward her.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Summon: Lesser Treant.”

A faint green light gathered in his palm.

A tiny tree began to grow from his hand, its roots curling around his fingers before its trunk straightened. Two small branches emerged like arms, while a pair of tiny eyes opened upon its bark.

Wo Li smiled faintly.

“I modified it with quintessence. Keep this little thing with you. We should be able to keep in touch with our little friend here.”

Nyx carefully took the tiny tree creature from his hand. It was barely the size of her palm. The little treant looked up at her curiously, its tiny branches shifting as though it were trying to understand who she was.

"It's adorable," she said, her cheeks flushed red.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Go."

Wo Li turned around. He did not look back. He thumped his staff against the ground. In an instant, his figure vanished. The cadavers bearing his likeness that had been scattered around the gates also disappeared with him.

Horse-Face chuckled. “Isn’t that impressive, Ox-Head? He just created life.”

“It is indeed impressive,” Ox-Head replied. His gaze shifted toward the tiny treant in Nyx's hand. “Got a name for the little one?”

Nyx looked down. The tiny creature stared back at her. A mischievous smile slowly appeared on her face.

“I’m going to call him Little Wo Li.”

…

..

.

[POV: Mab]

Hermit Sage Forest was usually peaceful, its ancient trees standing beneath the gentle sunlight while birds nested among their branches and small spiritual beasts wandered through the undergrowth.

Yet, on that particular day, an enormous bamboo suddenly sprouted from one corner of the forest. It grew with astonishing speed, its thick green stalk becoming as wide as a person's torso before rising even higher than the tallest trees surrounding it. For a while, nothing happened. Then, without warning, a deafening crack resounded throughout the forest.

The enormous bamboo split straight down the middle.

With a tremendous crash, both halves fell against the earth, sending leaves and dust flying in every direction. Birds burst from the surrounding trees in a panic, filling the sky with startled cries as the forest trembled beneath the impact. From the hollow center of the shattered bamboo, however, came a much quieter sound.

"Yaaawn..."

A little girl sat up amid the fallen leaves.

She had a small and delicate body, with leafy green hair that curled around her head like fresh sprouts. A few tiny leaves were even scattered among her locks, as though they had grown naturally from her hair. She blinked several times and rubbed her eyes before looking around in confusion.

Where was she?

More importantly, who was she?

The little girl slowly climbed out of the broken bamboo and stood barefoot upon the forest floor. She stared at her hands, turning them over as though expecting them to provide an answer. Nothing came to her. She could not remember where she had been, how she had arrived, or why she had been sleeping inside an enormous bamboo stalk.

When she realized she have no clothes on, she waved her hand and clothing naturally formed around her.

She wandered aimlessly through the forest, searching for something that might awaken her memories. Unfortunately, everything seemed strangely unfamiliar. Even the words she knew felt distant, as though they had been buried somewhere deep inside her mind.

A bird landed on a nearby branch.

The little girl pointed at it.

"Birb."

The bird tilted its head before flying away.

Her eyes widened with fascination.

"Birb fly."

She looked around and spotted another creature walking through the undergrowth. It was considerably larger than the bird she had just seen, with long legs, a tall body, and a strange feathered appearance.

"Big birb."

The creature stopped.

It slowly turned its head toward her.

"Big birb?"

The emu stared at the little girl for several seconds before sighing.

"What are you doing here, child?"

The little girl looked up at her.

"Big birb fly?"

The emu blinked.

"Hm. Depends."

She walked closer and lowered her head until she could properly examine the girl.

"The name is Mumu. And you? A little chick like you is wandering around the forest all alone. Where are your parents? They are going to receive a scolding from me if they left you here!"

The girl only stared at her.

Mumu's expression softened.

"Come. Let me bring you to the city."

The little girl hesitated before following the emu.

She still did not know who she was.

When Mumu asked for her name, the girl tried desperately to remember. She knew she had one. Somewhere within her mind, there was supposed to be a word that belonged to her and her alone. She could almost feel it whenever she searched her memories, yet the moment she tried to grasp it, it slipped away.

"I... have..."

She frowned.

"My..."

Nothing came.

Mumu glanced at her sympathetically before leading her onward.

By the time they reached the city, several people had already gathered around them. A woman approached Mumu and looked over the little girl with concern.

"I understand," the woman said. "Lady Mumu, leave the rest to us. Thank you for your hard work."

Mumu puffed out her chest proudly.

"Oh, don't think too much about it. I will return to my patrol. When you find the little girl's parents, call me so that I can scold them!"

With that, Mumu turned around and marched away. The little girl watched her disappear. She barely had time to wonder where the strange emu was going before several older girls surrounded her.

"Where are you from?"

"Do you remember your parents?"

"Who were you traveling with?"

"Do you have a home?"

"What kind of food do you like?"

"Do you remember your village?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Are you cold?"

"What's your name?"

The questions came one after another until the little girl felt dizzy.

She shook her head helplessly.

"I don't know."

The girls exchanged worried glances.

"She really doesn't remember anything."

"Poor thing."

"Look at her. She's adorable."

"She's probably hungry."

"Let's feed her first."

The interrogation immediately turned into pampering.

One girl brought her steamed buns. Another brought fruit. Someone else placed a bowl of warm soup in front of her. Before long, the little girl found herself surrounded by all sorts of food while several girls fussed over her hair, wiped her face, and praised her whenever she ate.

"Try this."

"It's sweet."

"Here, have another."

"Don't eat too quickly."

"Look at those little leaves! They're so cute!"

The little girl quietly accepted their attention. She had no idea who she was or where she belonged, but she decided that she did not mind staying here for a little longer. Then someone spoke from behind the crowd.

"Huh?"

The girls turned.

A young man stood nearby. He had dark hair and carried a sword at his side, but there was something strange about the weapon's presence. Even without drawing it, the sword seemed to possess a quiet sharpness that made the surrounding air feel subtly different.

The man's eyes remained fixed on the little girl.

"This kid here looks familiar."

He approached slowly.

"Hey, my name's Xing Ning. You?"

The little girl stared at him. For some reason, his gaze made her uncomfortable. She instinctively took a step backward.

Xing Ning raised a hand. "Wait. I just want to ask you something."

The little girl turned around and ran.

"Hey!" Xing Ning hurried after her. "Wait! Don't run! I wasn't trying to scare you!"

The little girl did not stop. She had no idea why she was running. She only knew that something inside her was screaming at her to get away. She darted through the streets until the voices behind her faded. Eventually, she found herself in a quieter part of the forest where several enormous trees stood apart from the city.

One of them caught her attention.

Its trunk was unusually large, and its roots had grown in such a way that they formed something resembling a small house. A narrow entrance led inside, where moss had spread across the floor and formed a surprisingly soft bed.

The little girl peeked inside.

No one was there.

She crawled onto the moss and lay down.

"This is nice."

She rolled around for a while before becoming bored.

Then she noticed several books stacked against one wall. She picked one up and flipped through the pages. The words were strange at first, but she somehow understood them. She read for a little while before losing interest. Then she found something far more interesting.

"Food."

A small pouch sat beside the books. She opened it and discovered roasted nuts inside. The little girl's eyes immediately brightened.

"Food."

She grabbed one and bit into it.

Crunch.

Her cheeks puffed up.

"Mmm!"

She grabbed another.

"Good."

Another followed.

"Really good."

Soon, she was happily sitting on the moss bed with the pouch in her lap, stuffing roasted nuts into her mouth one after another. The entrance suddenly darkened. The little girl froze. A boy stood there. He stared at her. She stared back. His eyes slowly moved toward the pouch in her hands.

The boy's expression changed. "Those are my snacks!"

"No, they are mine!" argued the little girl.

The boy rushed inside. "Who are you!? Give that back!"

The little girl immediately pulled the pouch away. The boy lunged. She leaned backward. He grabbed for the pouch. She moved it to the other side.

"Give it!"

"No."

"Those are mine!"

"No."

The boy reached again, but the little girl slipped beneath his arm and darted to the other side of the tree house.

"Stop moving!"

She giggled.

The boy's face reddened.

"Don't laugh! Give them back!"

He charged again.

The little girl jumped onto the moss bed, bounced off the soft surface, and landed beside the entrance with the pouch still safely clutched in her hands.

The boy spun around. "How are you so fast?!"

She tilted her head. "I fast."

"That's not the point!"

He lunged one final time.

She ducked beneath his arm and slipped past him.

At that exact moment, a voice came from below the tree.

"Wolong'er! How long are you going to stay there?"

The boy immediately looked toward the window.

"I'm coming!"

When he turned back, the little girl was already gone.

"What?!"

He rushed to the entrance and looked outside.

The little girl was sprinting away through the forest.

"Hey! You thief! Give me back my snacks!"

She only ran faster.

"Come back!" The boy cried, clenching his fists. "That little monster! She ran so fast! What kind of legs does she have?!"

The little girl did not look back. She continued running until the tree house disappeared behind her. Eventually, her steps slowed, and she came to a stop before something utterly bizarre.

A strange creature was standing in front of a tree. It was repeatedly kicking the trunk with tremendous force, each impact making the tree shake.

"YOU CAN DO IT, ROO!"

The creature kicked again.

"YOUR FIGHTING SPIRIT IS THE STRONGEST!"

Another kick.

"YOU ARE THE BEST!"

The little girl stared.

The kangaroo's face was covered in tears.

"YOU ARE GOING TO AVENGE YOUR BEST FRIENDS!"

Thud!

The tree shook violently. The creature wiped its tears with one arm before throwing another kick into the trunk. The little girl blinked several times. She had no idea what was happening. She quietly held her pouch of roasted nuts against her chest and watched the strange creature continue its tearful training.

"Want some nuts?" offered the little girl.

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