Volume One: The Dragon Rises in the Wilds Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Burden of Heaven’s Way

In the dark of night, a figure ran with unrelenting speed.

He crossed desolate mountains and wild ridges, vaulted gullies and ravines, forded rivers and streams, then burst out of the woods once more, as frantic as a lone wolf on a moonless night, as desperate as a fugitive in flight.

Gradually, dawn began to break, and ahead of him appeared a small grove.

The instant Yu Ye darted into the trees, he threw himself to the ground and lay there gasping for breath.

After leaping from the cliff yesterday, he had relied on the Heaven Dragon Shield to protect his body and forced his way through the flames into the earth. Yet he had not dared to rest for a single moment. He had dodged and hidden in underground caves, and only after confirming that he had shaken off the danger did he return to the surface. By then night had already fallen. After roughly orienting himself, he had poured all his strength into a mad run. What he feared was not Bu Yi, but the pursuit of the other two Foundation Establishment cultivators.

But little by little, he could no longer hold on.

He had unleashed seven Slaughter Sword Qi strikes in succession, draining eighty percent of the true energy within him. Then came more charging, more killing, more hiding, until little of his cultivation remained. Even after using two Wind-Riding Talismans and swallowing a bottle of pills, after running for several hours he had finally exhausted the last trace of his strength.

And since this place was already far from North Qi Mountain, he might as well rest a while.

Yu Ye slowly pushed himself up, leaned against a tree trunk, sat down, took out a spirit stone, and closed his eyes in weariness.

...

When he opened them again, it was morning three days later.

Sunlight filtered through the treetops and spilled across the ground with a bright, gentle warmth. Two birds chased one another through the woods, their lively chirping ringing on and on.

Yu Ye dropped the spirit stone fragments in his hand and let out a long, murky breath.

Alone in the forest, on a bright spring day, under warm sunlight.

How wonderful!

As he sighed inwardly, he lowered his gaze, and the smile on his face stiffened. The ease and comfort he had just felt vanished without a trace.

His clothes were in tatters, his undergarments and boots riddled with holes, both sleeves gone. His whole body was covered in burn marks. During the struggle and flight, the power of the armor-breaking talisman had been exhausted, and the Heaven Dragon Shield had not been enough to ward off the flames, leaving him scorched by fire. That alone showed how perilous the ordeal had been. Thinking back on it now still left him shaken with lingering fear.

Yu Ye could not help shaking his head.

A lucky escape.

One wrong step yesterday, and everything would have been lost. Yet there had been no way to predict the turn of events; he had only been able to respond as circumstances demanded.

At the time, the changes had come one after another, and danger had lurked at every turn.

Had Bu Yi not left, he would have had no opening; had Nan Shan not botched things and trapped himself in the formation, then suddenly come under assault from more than thirty Daoist disciples, leaving him unable to unleash his divine powers in time; had Yan Chi not detonated the Five Thunder Stone and collapsed the Black Tortoise Pavilion, he would not have been able to launch a surprise attack and break through Nan Shan's protective force; had the Great Marsh Daoist disciples not fought to the death and gravely wounded Nan Shan, he would never have managed to kill that Foundation Establishment expert amid the chaos; and had Zhong Jian, Yan Chi, and all the other sworn brothers not helped him, he alone would have been capable of very little.

It truly had been by sheer luck.

In the end, he had burned North Qi Mountain to the ground and destroyed the so-called immortal sect. Killing Nan Shan had been an unexpected gain besides. Not only had he ruined the schemes of the cultivators from Qi Province, he had also saved the martial world of the Great Marsh, allowing the incense and legacy of the Great Marsh Daoists to continue.

This was his, Yu Ye's, contribution to the Great Marsh, and to Star Origin Valley.

Wait. Had he forgotten two people?

Gan Xing and Bu Yi.

Gan Xing and Bu Yi were his mortal enemies, yet one had pretended not to know him to his face, while the other had allowed him to flee the formation and escape from North Qi Mountain. Why had their behavior been so strange? Could it have been only because they were at odds with Nan Shan?

Thinking of this, Yu Ye rubbed his brow.

Ah, there were too many puzzles in this world, how could he possibly understand them all one by one? The matter of North Qi Mountain was over. He might as well think about the road ahead.

Those cultivators from Qi Province had suffered a heavy loss and would surely seek revenge on him, Yu Ye, to stir up more storms. He could no longer remain in the Great Marsh. The only path left was overseas. For now, he should head to the southern reaches of the Great Marsh and find a chance to set out to sea.

Before that, though, he needed a place to wash and change clothes.

Another thing: after three days of breathing exercises and regulation, he had used up one spirit stone and recovered only half his cultivation. Compared with his previous progress, this was even slower. Perhaps Jiao Ying knew the reason; he could ask her when he returned.

Yu Ye rose from the ground, then suddenly felt cold all over and slightly heavy-headed.

What was this? Had he fallen ill?

Yet with cultivation in his body, he should be immune to heat and cold, and no external邪 force should be able to invade him. How could he get sick? Unless...

Yu Ye could not help shivering. Gradually, heat surged in his lower abdomen, as though flames were burning there, then in an instant it became a storm that swept through his whole body. At once, tearing pain shot through his bones and meridians, and he trembled violently all over, secretly crying out in misery.

Bad!

The jiao poison that had lain quiet for so long had flared up again. And it seemed even more violent, even more frenzied than before!

Panic-stricken, Yu Ye looked around, then left the spot and ran deeper into the grove.

He had to find a hidden place to take cover. Otherwise, once the jiao poison struck, he would lose consciousness, and if his enemies came after him then, the consequences would be unimaginable.

But after only a few steps, his footing had already turned unsteady, his vision swam, and his body alternated between cold and heat. Even the scenery around him began to blur.

There is a saying that when illness comes, it falls like a mountain.

When the jiao poison struck, it was like a mountain crashing down on his head with a thunderous roar, abrupt and brutal, impossible to resist.

No, it was not entirely without warning. A few days ago, the two Tianbao brothers had seen darkness gather between his brows, which had been a sign of the jiao poison's awakening. At the time he had not been able to attend to it, nor had he wanted to delay more important matters. Now it had finally come to pass, and it was far more terrifying than being haunted by a ghost at night.

After several dozen zhang, Yu Ye's legs had gone weak and his steps had become staggering.

Just then, he spotted a pile of hay ahead. Unable to endure any longer, he toppled headlong into it. At once the world spun, and unbearable pain surged together with boundless darkness.

With difficulty, he groaned, "Ah... Jiao Ying..."

Within his sea of consciousness, a sigh sounded.

"Alas, I can't help you either. The longer the interval between attacks of the jiao poison, the greater the suffering. Still, it is not without benefit. Heaven's law bears its own weight; cause and effect bring their own retribution. As the saying goes, if you wish a river to flow far, you must first deepen its spring; if you wish to climb the summit, you must first face its peril. Those who go against heaven must bear the consequences. Those who walk the path of a jiao to become a dragon must endure their trials..."

Yu Ye could not make out what Jiao Ying was saying. He only felt his mind drifting as though his entire body had taken flight, floating through the treetops, across the clouds, and straight up into the firmament...

He looked down upon the earth: mountains and rivers were tiny, the mortal world no more than a scene.

He faced the vault of heaven: constellations shifted, the Milky Way stretched vast, and time itself stood in eternal stillness.

For a moment, he was left dazed and emptied of self, no longer knowing where he had come from, where he stood, or where he was going...

Then the stars turned again, the celestial river shattered like a dream, and his soul plunged downward.

Like an eagle with broken wings, helpless and unable to master himself, like a dragon trapped in shallow waters, struggling without escape, he crashed with a thunderous roar into the depths of the nether abysses, his body consumed by the earth's infernal flames. In an instant his skin tore, his sinews snapped, and he could bear no more...

"Ah—"

Yu Ye groaned and slowly opened his eyes.

He was lying on a bamboo couch covered with a blanket, his body already soaked through with sweat.

"Goodness, he's awake!"

At the sound of a clear voice, several faces appeared before him.

An elderly man with graying hair and beard, a girl of about ten, an old woman with silver hair, two women in their thirties, and two children all smiled brightly, their faces full of delight.

A few more figures stood by the door—some elderly, some women. Though they had not come close, they too looked kind and good-natured.

He was in a thatched hut. Releasing his spiritual sense, he found a haystack behind the hut...

He remembered now. He had fainted beside the haystack before, been seen by a girl, and had someone carry him into the house. This family seemed to be ordinary farmers, so why were there so many of them, more than a dozen men, women, the elderly, and children? They were certainly a prosperous household.

"Hmm, it's good that you've woken."

The old man picked up a clay bowl and said with a smile, "Heh-heh, you must be starving. Have some hot soup. Yingzi..."

The girl's name was Yingzi. She answered and stepped forward to help Yu Ye sit up. She propped a cushion behind his head, then took a wooden spoon, ladled out some hot soup, blew on it, and brought it to his lips, softly urging, "Slowly now..."

Each attack of the jiao poison was agonizing beyond measure, but once it passed, there was no serious harm. Now that he had awakened, though he had not yet fully recovered, he was still far stronger than an ordinary man. Yet here he was, lying on a couch and being cared for by others, and by an elderly man and a girl at that. How could he possibly bear such treatment?

Yu Ye only wanted to sit up, but the spoon had already reached his lips. The earnest gaze and concerned words made it hard to refuse. He steeled himself and took a sip, then quickly reached out and said, "I'll do it..."

But a small hand pressed him down, and that little face, wearing a hint of reproach, scolded him, "Don't move around or you'll spill the fish soup!"

The old man, still holding the bowl, also urged him kindly, "Heh-heh, you've been unconscious for seven days. Listen to Yingzi and drink the fish soup she made to nourish yourself."

Unconscious for seven days?

This jiao poison flare-up had been far worse than before. Fortunately, he had escaped North Qi Mountain, and fortunately, he had met this kind family.

The fish soup was delicious.

Yu Ye could only obediently drink a bowl of fish soup, then shake his head as if too weak to continue. Yingzi used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his face before taking the bowl away and leaving.

Yingzi was only eleven or twelve, innocent and simple in temperament, yet quick-handed and attentive, like a little adult.

"Old sir..."

Yu Ye propped himself up.

The old man shook his head and said with feeling, "Mm, you don't look very old, yet you've been wandering about begging everywhere. What a pitiful child."

Begging?

Clearly, his clothes had been in such disrepair that they had taken him for a little beggar.

The old man went on, "This is Fuxi Bay, with only a dozen or so households, all of the Fu surname. These few here are close neighbors of the same clan. Yingzi's parents went out with the young men from the village to gather firewood in the mountains. Only the two of us, grandfather and granddaughter, are at home. You can stay here without worry, and we'll discuss everything else another day."

The people in the room were not one family but neighbors. Hearing that the village had rescued a young man, they had all come to check on him. Such neighborly affection and such honest village customs arose so naturally.

Yu Ye raised a hand in salute and said, "My name is Yu Ye. Thank you, Uncle Fu, and thank you to all the villagers."

"Heh-heh."

The old man, whom he called Uncle Fu, smiled and waved a hand. "Country folk don't stand on ceremony. Everyone, go back home now."

The women, children, and elders answered with smiles and left one after another.

Uncle Fu then brought over a set of coarse cloth clothes and set them aside, saying, "Child, these are Yingzi's father's clothes. Change into them later. My, look at all that sweat on your head. Don't catch a chill. Lie down quickly."

"Mm."

Yu Ye answered and slowly lay back down. For some reason, his nose felt a little sour.

He closed his eyes heavily.