Chương 433: Fire and Brimstone (II)

One by one, I watched them all get sucked into the rippling vortex that started picking up speed. Some simply dove in, some were dragged in kicking and screaming, and some stumbled and ragdolled their way through the portal. We endured for a little while longer as I doled out some 'advice'--take precaution, don't antagonize others without reason, try to avoid conflict as much as possible, yada yada.

Pretty sure all those things flew into one ear and out the other, as these gremlins would go in there and wreak absolute havoc. All this was a double precaution on my part, as I didn't know whether we'd end up in the same place or whether we'd be hit by the cliché of separation. In either scenario, it was worthwhile to have a plan--and my plan was simple... everyone was to orient north and go in that broad direction.

I added as a side that, if they spot anything tortoise-shaped, that would be the main meeting point. It was in the midst of my mother-hen lecturing that I felt the final pull--it was somewhat gentle, all things considered, lifting me off my feet and 'carrying' me, as it were, toward the massive behemoth behind us. It wasn't until I almost crossed the threshold that I truly appreciated the sheer size of the damn thing, but I didn't even have the time to admire it as I just... blipped through.

Unlike with the teleportation array, there was no darkness or peeking at the otherworldly phenomenon that the sovereigns of this place declared leviathan, sentient, eldritch creatures; there was no planetary system that made no sense; there was... well, nothing. One moment, I was being sucked up and through, and the next I found myself in a desperately arid place, surrounded on all sides by sand dunes rolling up and down like a floor with flood damage.

I immediately felt the 'sun' above as it was scorching hot (reminded me of traveling through Arizona in mid-July with a broken AC in the car), with the sky's hue being a bit... odd. It was still blue, I think, though the sheen leaned far further into cool green than anywhere I'd seen in this world. I rapidly looked around to see if we were together, temporarily sighing in relief when I saw Xi Zhao, only to realize there was nobody else next to us the next moment.

Just as the anvil pressed into my heart, hairs on the back of my neck stood up as my instincts screamed at me to duck, though before I could, I caught Xi Zhao unsheathing his sword and striking above me. A clang rang out with a massive burst of Qi splattering against my back, though I'd already erected a barrier, displacing most of the shock. I didn't move, though my robes did violently flutter for a moment.

I glanced back and saw the face of my assailant, feeling a bit peeved, annoyed, and quite tired: it was that woman who the system told me to save. She wore an expression of shock as her sword bounced back against Xi Zhao, and she was forced to take a few steps back. The boy's expression, on the other hand, was so distorted that I winced for a second; anger had curled his brows until his eyes were black dots and his lips thin and fading.

I immediately felt him gather Qi toward the tips of his fingers, quickly calling out to him to stop.

"Zhao'er, calm down," I said. The boy shuddered for a moment as his expression mellowed out, glancing at me. The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Master, she tried to assassinate you," he said.

"Please, do not stop me. I must sever her head and present it to you." goddammit, kid. Any other time, I might have even agreed, but if a system explicitly told me that the woman has to live... then even if she did kill me, I'd still have to find a way to come back to life and make sure she lived.

"Even if you could somehow kill her," I said.

"I forbid you. She's far too important."

"But--""--it's alright," I said, putting on a faint smile.

"I'm alive, aren't I?"

"..."

"Who are you?! How did that boy deflect my attack?!" Alright. Just because I have to save you doesn't mean I have to put up with this bullshit in silence.

"Hey," I looked over at her, my expression grim.

"Do you think this is a joke? If the next words out of your mouth aren't an apology for trying to kill me, I'll disfigure that unfortunate thing you call your face even more so, to the point even your mother won't recognize you."

"You--""--careful," I interrupted, my voice chilling further.

"Words spoken in the heat of a moment are temporary, but their consequences are often forever." She paused, her expression twisting ever so slightly, eyes staring into mine as though trying to discern whether I had the ability to kill her. Speaking of which... did I? I mean, probably? Though she was two whole major realms above me, I had so much shit scattered across my rings that at least one of those things will likely allow me to triumph.

And if all else fails, there was always the mirror, two charges still sitting pretty. Do I want to do it? Hell no. I'm bluffing as hard as I can.

"... I'm... sorry..." she squeezed between her teeth as though it was the most difficult thing in the world for her to do. Then again, I am genuinely surprised she actually apologized.

"For what?" I pressed my luck a bit and nearly laughed at her eyebrows twitching.

"For... trying to kill you."

"Hm."

"..."

"Why did you try to kill me, anyway?" I asked.

"Because you're suspicious," she replied.

"Wow. Hear that, Zhao'er? Apparently, there are people in this world who think it's alright to go around murdering suspicious-looking people. You learn something every day."

"..."

"By the way, what constitutes suspicious?" I continued.

"Is anyone you don't like suspicious? Are people who wear different clothes from you suspicious? Is someone barking in the middle of the night because otherwise the curse would turn his toes into fingers suspicious?" Though her expression started grim, it mellowed out toward the end since she realized I was kind of taking a piss with the whole thing.

"No. Just random men who tell me they've come to save me, whom I've never met before in my life," she said.

"Especially ones that call me ugly, as it's clear their eyes cannot be trusted at all." Okay, so she did take an exception to that comment. I just tossed it in there since I've realized cultivators really don't like having their appearance made fun of for some reason, but hey.

"I didn't say ugly."

"No?"

"I said unfortunate-looking."

"What's the difference?"

"Not everyone who is ugly is unfortunate-looking," I said.

"But everyone who is unfortunate-looking--""--I will kill you." I sighed and shrugged as it dawned on me that the three of us are kind of stuck being together now. Worst bit? I... I don't actually know where the 'north' of this place is, and there certainly isn't a single tortoise-looking thing anywhere around.... no, wait. Isn't she a maiden or something of her sect? Can't she point me toward it? No, no, back up further. If she's the maiden and whatnot... why is she in here, too?

"I didn't think your Sect would sacrifice you, too," I tossed out there.

"A protective sheen, I guess, when every other Holy Land comes to ask, 'Hey, why the fuck did all of our Disciples die?'."

"!!!" Her eyebrows shot up as she stared at me even more intently than before.

"You... you know?"

"Ah, forget about it," I said.

"Hey. You don't happen to know the direction the guardian of this place is at, huh?"