When I was born, I used to hear. People talking about Immortal cultivation, well, I always think it's the best thing in the world. Being free from worldly constraint, flying through heaven and earth.
As I grew up, I heard more and more immortal tales like: a boy from the street awakened immortal fates and became immortal, or the girl from the brothel learned some forbidden technique and founded the illusory palace.
But this wasn't all that made me interested in immortal cultivation. Instead, I always find these tales too absurd. Well, no matter how absurd it may be, it gave me a small spark of hope in the path to immortality. I have always known it was all fake, but…
Well, in the end, I will say it was all real. I have seen those wonders myself now. This world's stories were never fake; it was just that nothing was real to begin with.
Let me tell you some ancient secrets I found while wandering in this chaotic yet peaceful world.
At the age of 16. I got a chance to join the Fallen Immortal Sect. As the name says, it was really the Fallen Sect. But at that time, it was the only place where I got to know some ancient secrets. Well, the sect hadn't really fallen yet; it was hiding, not from the world, but from the world above this one.
It seems hard to imagine there is a world above this one. I never believed them, until I saw a hand stretching out from the void, crushing the whole sect.
Then I realized maybe I am the one who was living in an illusion. My master, senior brothers and sisters, and even elders were all crushed to death.
The only survivors were me and a girl, whom I always thought of as a servant in the sect, but she was actually the future Sect Leader, carrying all the thousands of years of inheritance from the sect.
At that time, I was so shocked that I wasn't able to accept what happened there for almost a week. And when I recovered from shock, that girl had already left, leaving behind a note.
She told me that we survive because of the legendary twin jade pendant, which hides us from the eyes of those from above, not all the traces, even our destiny, but if the jade is lost, I lose my life too.
From that day, fear struck in my heart. I never used my cultivation, hiding in the small village, even though I still always try to avoid people.
Day after day, this world was becoming more and more scary for me, even when I was completely safe. This fear didn't let me sleep.
Eventually, I let go of everything, married a beautiful woman, and again started enjoying my life.
Maybe I was cursed, like when everything seems fine, a storm takes away everything. A demonic cultivator killed my wife, and after so many years, the cultivation I was scared of used it again, killing that demonic cultivator.
From that day, I again walked the cultivation path, but this time not with sanity but insanity, letting go of the emotional constraints, only wandering with pleasure.
I killed humans, looted shops, and captured women, enjoying my life, no pain or loss, only pleasure.
That was a time I was truly enjoying my life, no matter what people call me. I was living in pleasure.
But as I was becoming more and more demonic and my name spread, a group of cultivators started following, but none of them were good enough to kill me.
As my name continues to become more and more popular, those top-tier sects send their elders after me. When things became dangerous for me.
I was ready to accept my death. I have already enjoyed enough in my life that there is no more reason to live. But before they kill, all of their heads are chopped off by an illusory sword.
When I looked at the person who did that, it was the same girl from the sect. She still looks the same as when we departed. Her strength seems to already be beyond my imagination.
I thought she actually came to save me. But she came here for the jade pendant, leaving me behind.
Once the jade was gone, I felt thousands of eyes locking on me. My every breath seemed to be observed by these eyes. I felt the terror that I had almost forgotten. That night, I waited for that hand to descend the whole night, but nothing happened.
When the morning sun rose, a question emerged in my heart, what I was fearing about, I was ready for death. Then what's with this hand thing?
With these thoughts, I wandered around the world from one continent to another. Looking for why this fear, I don't fear death, then why that hand…
Well, I got my answer from this long journey. I found I wasn't the only one, not my sect, other continents have similar tales. Though if it were my past self, I would have laughed at them. But now I can't laugh even if I want to.
The fear I felt is the part of divinity that makes it sacred, not something anyone can see or touch. And there is no way to deal with it. I have to live with it for my whole life. Until those immortals actively seek to kill me or I kill myself.
Killing myself is the simplest option for me, but those travels gave me hope and lots of stories, which I laugh at sometimes. Maybe the way to freedom is hidden in them, and I want to find it.
Now, I have the direction to walk in and see what is hidden in the clouds…
"Young Master…"
I closed the book and looked at Fatty.
What.
"Young Master, you still haven't registered for the classes, and today is the last day."
I closed the book, throwing it to the side, and walked outside, Fatty leading the way forward, while that girl was also tagging behind silently.
Fatty went through the formal procedure to register for all the classes. All of us took the same subjects. It went pretty easily overall.
Finally, we came back from the teacher's office.
It was so tiring, I'm almost exhausted.
What are you staring at? I saw Fatty staring at me from the side.
"We still have to register for martial arts class and music class."
So, what's the problem? Finish it quickly?
"The music department is closer to us, let's go there first."
Three of us walked towards the music department. When we arrived in front of the building, it was filled with a lot of people.
Fuck
Luckily, I didn't need to do anything; that woman with jade flutes actually came out and invited us inside. Walking inside, I saw all the students staring at me. It didn't bother me anymore. I am already used to it.
We came inside her office. There were 2 more girls and 1 boy around our age standing there, maybe new students.
She sat on her chair before asking me.
"How was the book I suggested? Wasn't it amazing?"
Amazing? It was barely above average.
"Well, you liked it even if it was just above average."
Hmph
"So, tell me which instrument you like."
Hey, I already said I don't have any interest in your musical class. I joined just because of a library pass.
"Um, you should learn some politeness, little guy with this temper. You will definitely be beaten by others one day."
Haha… that was a really funny joke.
Haha…
"Little girl, will you play your flute for me?"
"Hm"
I barely controlled my laughter because of her earlier joke. When that beautiful otherworldly music drifted into my ears.
A mountain range filled with followers and trees appeared; this time, a long river stretched from the mountain top, also emerging, enhancing the scenery to another level.
"This…"
When the music ended, this teacher seemed shocked; she was standing in front of the girl staring at her flute.
"Can, can I touch it?"
"Um…"
That girl was staring at me, asking for my permission. Following her gaze, that woman also turned to me. Before turning back to the girl and saying in a deep voice.
"You should learn to make your own decisions, instead of looking at him."
'Fuck, this bitch is trying to manipulate my own people against me.'
"Teacher, this flute is not mine. Young Master gave it to me."
"Oh, he gave it to you."
"I didn't expect you to really give something valuable to others. Now, it makes sense why they are following you."
Huh, they are following me because of my divine self, not because of these things.
"Your imagination is really something. Well, can I look at the flute?"
Um... You can.
The girl gave her the flute.
When the flute appeared in her hands, her eyes were completely glued to it. She looked at every corner before placing it, not her lips, trying to play something, but it didn't work out.
"Huh... Did it break?"
She casually said, but when I looked at the girl, she was almost about to cry, hearing her words.
Fuck, what the hell are you making a face like that? It's just a flute; even if it broke, I won't mind. But you won't get a new one.
"Sorry, little one, don't cry. I was just joking, this flute really, really… amazing."
'When I heard this teacher's words, now I think I can't let my follower attend her class alone, or they may be in danger.'
It took us some time before we could leave that place.