Where Immortals Once Walked

He Lingchuan helped Wu Shaoyi onto the crocodile’s back, then went to the stony bank to retrieve the long spear—only to find it gone.

“Let’s go.”

The Crocodile God sank slowly into the water. The two men held their breath and clung tight to the jagged ridges along its spine.

Fortunately, the underwater route was short, and the beast swam swiftly. Barely a dozen breaths later, it broke the surface, no longer forcing them to cling tightly beneath the water.

Both men exhaled in relief.

The turtle’s nest was, in fact, quite close to Immortal Spirit Village. He Lingchuan guessed that Lu Yao and his team were still hacking at ice along the western mountain road. To avoid their notice, he specifically asked the Crocodile God to circle around and dock at the eastern side of the village.

For a monster of its size, it was no more than a few extra swishes of the tail. It hauled itself ashore with ease.

However, he had not expected to run into one of Lu Yao’s subordinates wandering here. Seeing commotion by the lakeside, the man rushed over at once.

At first, trees and undergrowth blocked his view. All he saw was two figures emerging, limping and disheveled, and he thought they were villagers hiding in the brush, easy prey for a quick robbery.

Then he caught sight of the massive creature behind them. His eyes bulged.

“C-C-Crocodile God!” he shouted, spinning on his heel to flee.

He Lingchuan was not about to just let him go. So, he stretched out his arm when Wu Shaoyi suddenly rasped, “I want him alive.”

He Lingchuan drew his broken saber, then remembered his own poor aim. “Uh... I’m not very accurate when it comes to throwing things.”

“...”

Wu Shaoyi gave a helpless sigh, then somehow produced that missing spear, hefting it like a javelin.

Swish!

The weapon whistled through the air and pinned the brigand by the trouser leg to the dirt road.

He Lingchuan rushed over. The man had just drawn his blade when a sharp palm strike to the back of the neck dropped him unconscious.

He glanced at the spear. It was perfectly placed such that it pierced only the man’s clothes without so much as grazing his flesh.

Instinctively, his gaze shifted back to Wu Shaoyi. The man’s face was ghastly pale, on the verge of collapse, yet in the moment of action, his strength and precision had been flawless.

Even at death’s door, a centipede could continue moving.

Such a man could never be taken lightly, not at any moment.

Of course, Wu Shaoyi’s choice not to kill had nothing to do with mercy. Gasping for breath, he said, “That man... can save... my life!”

Still, that throw just now had torn open half his wounds yet again.

Just then, more footsteps sounded from the road. The brigand’s earlier cry had clearly drawn unwanted attention. He Lingchuan pulled a dagger, slipped behind a tree, and prepared to ambush the newcomers.

But before he could strike, the bushes rustled and something darted out, latching onto the fallen brigand.

It moved with astonishing speed. The man barely registered a blur before his left eye exploded in pain. He screamed, flailing wildly.

He Lingchuan seized the chance, driving his dagger into the man’s back.

The world then fell silent.

As He Lingchuan turned his head, he saw something small and nimble scurrying across the ground. Its body was hidden in shadow, hard to make out, but two tiny green eyes glowed faintly in the dark.

What in the world is that?

He Lingchuan twirled his dagger, but before he could act, Wu Shaoyi’s voice rang out behind him, “Briquette, come here!”

The shadowy creature bounded away with a squeak and leapt straight into Wu Shaoyi’s arms.

Turning back, He Lingchuan finally got a clear look at what it was. It was a sable, and its back was so dark that it looked as if a pot of ink had been spilled across it. Briquette was a fitting name indeed.

The sable scampered across Wu Shaoyi’s body, careful to avoid his wounds, then lifted its head to regard He Lingchuan, tilting it slightly to the side.

“This man saved my life from the crocodile’s jaws,” Wu Shaoyi murmured, stroking its head. “Where are the others?”

“After believing that you’d died, they all scattered,” the sable spoke suddenly. With the Crocodile God having spoken earlier, He Lingchuan was hardly surprised. “Some were lured away by Lu Yao, but most of them just fled. They can’t have gone far. I can go check.”

“Round them up.” But right after saying that, Wu Shaoyi paused, then he changed his mind and added, “No, wait two quarters of an hour first.”

He Lingchuan gave him a sidelong glance. How cautious. Even when it comes to men who have followed him day and night for who knows how long, he would still rather not let them see him in this weakened state.

The sun shone bright. A few giant crocodiles sprawled lazily on the east bank of the lake, basking with mouths wide open.

He Lingchuan made a quick sweep of the eastern side of the village. He caught sight of not a single soul, only a few scrawny chickens wandering about. It seemed Lu Yao had left only two brigands behind to plunder and watch over Immortal Spirit Village.

Clearly, the brigands had been living hard, grasping at even a poor village’s scraps.

He found a spacious house, carried Wu Shaoyi and the unconscious brigand inside, and asked, “So what do you intend to do with him?”

“Exchange injuries.” Wu Shaoyi’s voice was labored. “I learned a secret spell that can transfer wounds to animals or humans. But the conditions are quite strict. Ideally, the birth dates must align. Hrm, this man doesn’t quite match, but it should be possible to carry it out with the help of one of your turtle pearls.”

Exchange injuries? He Lingchuan was intrigued. “Is this secret spell difficult to master?”

“Hm, not too difficult. However, I only have enough materials for a single attempt, and the consequences can be severe.” Wu Shaoyi gave a wry smile. “But at this point, what other choice do I have? Survival comes first.”

“Can you handle it yourself then?” He Lingchuan stretched, already thinking of leaving. “I still have to catch up with my people.”

He was not about to let himself be guilt-tripped. They were neither kin nor allies. In fact, they were enemies, if anything. He had already dragged Wu Shaoyi out of certain death. Was that not kindness enough?

And now he was supposed to part with a turtle pearl? A treasure that sounded priceless?

“I can’t do it without you.” Seeing him turn to go, Wu Shaoyi grabbed his sleeve, then pointed at the long spear beside him. “This spear is called Rising Dragon. It once belonged to the renowned general of Xuan, Liao Mozhao. Its tip is forged of blackgold[1] alloyed with meteoric iron, and its shaft is cut from seven-hundred-year-old twin vines. Do you know of the twin vines?”

He Lingchuan shook his head honestly.

“It refers to two vines that grow entwined on an immortal disk tree, strangling each other as they fight for the tree’s lifeblood. Over the years, both grow stronger from the struggle. But even thirty-meter immortal disk trees are sometimes choked to death in the process. A spear shaft made from such vine—well, you’ve already seen how tough it is.”

Indeed, this was the weapon that had been clamped in the crocodile’s jaws without snapping. Though the monster’s rotting teeth had played their part, the spear’s durability had left a deep impression on He Lingchuan.

“These days, immortal disk trees are rare, found only in remote mountains and marshes. And twin vines? Well, those are practically extinct.” Wu Shaoyi sighed. “In any case, I can no longer wield a spear. Take it, it’s yours.”

He Lingchuan ran his hand along the shaft. “I cure you, and when your comrades arrive, you’ll turn against me.”

As fine as this Rising Dragon spear was, it was hardly fair payment.

He knew well enough that he was Wu Shaoyi’s only chance at survival.

This man was no good soul. Wu Shaoyi knew it too, and so he could only brace himself for negotiation. Facing the Crocodile God, he had courted death with no fear. But once back on solid ground, breathing the scent of earth and water, his desire to cling to life burned fiercely.

1. The word used for this sounds similar to what I had previously translated as Wu Metal, but they aren’t written the same. I’ve translated this one differently under the assumption that they’re different materials. ☜