Chapter 55: Little Bamboo Peak
Li Yan stood atop the book-shaped flying artifact, gazing at the looming mountain ahead. As the peak grew ever closer, a flicker of anticipation stirred in his heart, though it was tinged with uncertainty. He had no idea what kind of beginning awaited him here.
The mountain gradually revealed its full grandeur, its entire body cloaked in a deep, ink-green hue. It was densely covered in bamboo, but not the lush, jade-green stalks he'd once seen in the Great Qing Mountains. These bamboos bore a hue bordering on black.
Their surfaces shimmered faintly with emerald specks of light, like tiny crystals glowing gently across the bamboo's skin. These luminous dots flowed slowly, as if alive. The sight evoked a sense of calm and depth, and carried an almost dreamlike beauty.
As he watched the slow dance of the glowing specks, a sudden thought struck Li Yan.
"Could these bamboos also harbor gu insects?"
His expression instantly became colorful, his heart skipping a beat at the idea.
Beside him, Li Wuyi glanced over with a smile, as though having read his mind.
"You're wondering whether there might be spirit bugs or gu insects living inside the bamboo, aren't you?"
Li Yan was startled. How did he guess that?
Before he could speak, his senior brother continued with a chuckle.
"Heh… it's an easy guess. Almost every cultivator who visits Little Bamboo Peak after seeing the other three peaks thinks the same. I thought so too, back then.
But rest assured, these bamboos are just bamboos. No spirit bugs live inside. This species is actually a type of spiritual plant and an excellent material for crafting artifacts. I'll explain more when we have time."
As they spoke, the flying magical tool descended, landing on a grassy patch halfway up the mountain.
Li Yan stepped down from the book-like implement and looked ahead. The mountain stretched upward, its dark, towering form piercing the sea of clouds. The ink-hued slopes were swathed in undulating waves of bamboo.
Within the ocean of black bamboo, green lights flickered and flowed intermittently, like glimmers from a dream palace. A narrow path wound upward from their feet, meandering through the bamboo sea and vanishing into its depths.
The air was thick with spiritual energy, each breath bringing vitality rushing into Li Yan's body. It felt as though every pore was singing in delight.
He turned to glance back down the mountain, but from where he stood, there was no visible path downward. Just a sweeping sea of ink-colored bamboo leaves rustling and swaying, at times obscured by drifting mist.
Unlike the other peaks, Little Bamboo Peak had no mountain gate at its base. It seemed people came and went via this mid-mountain path.
"Junior Brother, let's head up the mountain."
Li Wuyi had already put away the magic tool and started walking along the path. Li Yan gathered his thoughts and followed.
The narrow trail was flanked on all sides by the towering black bamboo, forming a tunnel of shadow and flickering green light. The glowing specks drifted and danced around him, making it feel like he was walking through a surreal and fantastical space.
"Once we reach the top," said Li Wuyi from ahead, his robes billowing in the breeze, "we'll find a place for you to wash up first. Then we'll pay respects to Master, and finally arrange your quarters. How does that sound?"
Dots of green light occasionally swept across his face and hair, giving him a strangely enchanting appearance.
"I'll follow Senior Brother's lead," Li Yan replied at once. He knew full well that his current disheveled state was no way to present himself.
"Good. Not far ahead is where the servant disciples reside. Just past there lies the main hall of Little Bamboo Peak. Further up from the hall is where we disciples live and cultivate.
Master should be in the main hall right now. So you'll need to make do and wash up at the servant disciples' place. That alright?"
Li Wuyi gave him a slightly apologetic look.
Li Yan didn't mind at all. He had grown up in a mountain village, and even during his half-year with Strategist Ji, this part of him had never changed.
"Of course, Senior Brother," he answered calmly.
They continued walking through the shimmering bamboo tunnel, the interplay of black and green casting shifting patterns on the path. After about half a cup of tea's time, a flicker of brightness appeared ahead.
A bamboo fence came into view, enclosing a wide courtyard nestled amid the ink-colored bamboo sea. Beyond the fence stood a cluster of modest houses, more than a dozen in all, arranged like a manor's outer quarters. A gravel path cut through the center, leading deeper into the mountain.
Compared to the other peaks with their elegant pavilions, celestial springs, and spiritual birds, this place seemed downright plain. Yet, it exuded a quiet charm and tranquil grace.
Looking back at the dreamlike bamboo tunnel they had just passed through, Li Yan felt as though he had crossed into another realm.
Following Li Wuyi into the fenced courtyard, he saw a dozen or so young men and women going about their tasks.
They all wore yellow garb, the men in fitted, practical outfits, the women in long-sleeved palace dresses. Upon seeing the two of them enter, they quickly came forward to greet them.
"Greetings, Senior Martial Uncle!"
Several of them stole curious glances at Li Yan, their eyes filled with surprise and puzzlement.
"This is your Eighth Martial Uncle. Xiao Yi, take him to wash up a bit."
Li Wuyi introduced Li Yan with a smile, then pointed to a youth of eighteen or nineteen.
The gathered servant disciples were stunned. Many of them had worked here for years, and knew full well that no new disciples had joined in a long time. That this disheveled teenager was now their Martial Uncle left them shocked and curious.
Li Yan's tattered clothes were rather jarring, and his spiritual energy was faint, barely detectable. Some of the servants even sensed more power within themselves than from him. They exchanged subtle glances.
The young man named Xiao Yi stepped forward. He had a gentle, handsome face. Li Wuyi turned to Li Yan and held out his hand.
"Give me your storage pouch."
Li Yan understood immediately. He wanted to retrieve a change of clothes and truth be told, Li Yan was also eager to see how that magical pouch worked.
Li Wuyi took the storage pouch and gave it a gentle tap. With a flash of green light, a set of robes, inner garments, and a pair of boots appeared, floating lightly in midair.
This time, Li Yan could clearly see how items were retrieved from the storage pouch. His eyes sparkled with wonder, though he soon shook his head inwardly, he was woefully ignorant of even the most basic aspects of cultivation. He couldn't begin to grasp the principles behind the simplest of immortal techniques.
The young man named Xiao Yi reached out and plucked the clothes from the air, then gave Li Yan a respectful bow.
"Eighth Martial Uncle, please follow Little Yi."
As he spoke, he turned and began walking toward a nearby dwelling.
Half a cup of tea later, Li Yan stood before Li Wuyi, now dressed in a deep green robe. Li Wuyi gave a small nod of approval. Though Li Yan's features were plain, there was a fresh and youthful aura about him that could not be imitated by those several decades older.
Li Yan was fifteen, but already stood nearly seven chi tall¹, comparable to a full-grown adult.
He found the clothes remarkably comfortable. They fit perfectly, neither too tight nor too loose. The boots especially gave him a curious sensation with every step, as if he was gliding forward on air.
"Heh heh… let's go. This outfit is a basic spirit artifact, it wards off heat and cold, while the boots enhance your movement speed. They also offer some protection against spells below the fourth level of the Qi Condensation stage."
Knowing Li Yan understood none of this, Li Wuyi gave a brief explanation and led him down a gravel path winding between several rows of houses.
The path climbed along the mountainside. Along the way, Li Wuyi occasionally pointed to various things and shared a few words. Li Yan would ask a question here and there. Gradually, a quiet rapport formed between them.
After about half a meal's time, they arrived before a large dark green bamboo house nestled within a grove of bamboo. The entire structure shimmered faintly with emerald light, twinkling like stars in the night.
Clearly, it was built from the very bamboo that grew on this mountain. Without pause, Li Wuyi led Li Yan straight to its entrance.
With his robe fluttering, Li Yan glided silently behind. The two of them, one ahead and one behind, seemed to drift through a starlit wonderland, like beings from an immortal realm.
"Master, the Eighth Junior Brother has arrived," Li Wuyi said with a slight bow outside the door.
"Come in," a gentle, youthful voice replied from within.
Li Yan's brow furrowed slightly at the sound. Li Wuyi didn't notice the brief change in his expression and simply turned his head slightly.
"Let's go in, Junior Brother," he said, leading the way.
Once inside, Li Yan was surprised. The interior was nothing like what he'd imagined. Seeing the bamboo exterior, he had assumed the walls must be full of gaps. He'd even wondered whether such a building would leak in the rain.
But upon entering, he realized how wrong he was.
The hall was vast, easily seventy or eighty zhang across. The walls were smooth and seamless, glowing faintly with a blue-green light, much like the inner surface of green bamboo. The gentle radiance bathed the room in a soft, clean brightness.
Large windows opened in several places, letting in the occasional chirp of birds and lending the hall an air of serene tranquility.
Inside were six people, three men and three women.
At the head sat a young man and woman. The man was slightly plump, with thick brows and large eyes, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Dressed in a deep green robe, he wore a gentle and composed smile, exuding a calm and unhurried demeanor as he looked toward Li Yan and Li Wuyi.
Beside him sat a young woman in white palace robes, just over twenty. Her figure was graceful and curvaceous, with fair, flawless skin that glowed faintly in the light. Her delicate oval face and phoenix eyes held a soft smile.
Her hair was tied low, pinned with a jade phoenix hairpin. She too smiled warmly at the newcomers. Neither of the two displayed the slightest fluctuation of spiritual pressure, and seated as they were, they resembled no more than a wealthy young couple from the mundane world.
Below them sat four others, two men and two women.
Closest was a burly middle-aged man, around forty years old, with thick brows and a wide mouth. Even seated, he was nearly as tall as Li Yan standing. His robust frame stretched his green robe tight, robbing it of elegance and lending him the weighty presence of a mountain. His leopard-like eyes were fixed intently on Li Yan.
Beside him sat a youth of about eighteen or nineteen, also in a green robe. He was lean and wiry, with a long face and small, darting eyes. His skin was tanned, and he stood just slightly taller than Li Yan.
What stood out most about him were his long limbs. His small eyes flitted about ceaselessly, revealing a clever and calculating nature.
Next came two young women, one tall and one short, both around twenty. One wore a pale yellow gown; the other was clad in a sect-green robe.
The girl in yellow had a round face, large eyes, and was slightly shorter. Her jet-black hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and her fair, smooth complexion glowed with youthful vitality. Her big eyes often glanced toward Li Yan, or more precisely, toward Li Wuyi.
Her slender, jade-like hands occasionally rose to brush her bangs aside as she whispered with the taller girl beside her, her cheeks occasionally tinged with a delicate blush.
The tall girl had striking features, bright eyes and neat teeth, wheat-colored skin, and cropped short hair. There was a heroic air about her, but also a hint of aloof coldness.
Her robe fit snugly across her chest, creating a striking silhouette, while the lower half of the robe hung naturally in long, folded strips, accentuating a flat and powerful abdomen. Even seated, her long legs could be felt beneath the robe. The girl in yellow leaned over to speak to her now and then, but she only occasionally responded with a few soft words, maintaining a cool demeanor.
These four exuded powerful spiritual pressure, making it difficult for Li Yan to breathe upon entering the hall.
They all studied him with either curiosity or detachment. The long-limbed youth's eyes spun restlessly, his body shifting in his seat, who knew what thoughts flitted through his mind?
Just as they observed Li Yan, he too was quietly watching them. He didn't yet feel the awe others might; call it boldness or simply ignorance. Later, when he began his cultivation journey, he would realize how reckless he had been this day.
Thankfully, this was his sect. The master had already informed the others of Li Yan's origins. They knew he came from a wild background, ignorant of cultivation etiquette. Otherwise, a single misstep might have cost him his life, and he wouldn't have even known why.
When Li Yan met the gaze of the young man at the head of the room, he finally understood the source of his earlier discomfort. That gentle voice, that kindly expression, it reminded him of one person: Strategist Ji.
"Junior Brother, come! Pay your respects to Master and Mistress!"
A voice at his ear snapped him from his thoughts.
Startled, Li Yan quickly gathered himself. Embarrassed by his lapse, his face flushed. Yet in his heart, he sighed. That first impression had stirred memories of Strategist Ji, gentle and refined on the outside, but cold beneath. Unpleasant memories, best forgotten.
He also wondered, how could his master look so young? He didn't appear much older than Li Wuyi. Was this what a Core Formation cultivator looked like?
Now wasn't the time for questions, though. He quickly gathered his robe and knelt.
"Disciple Li Yan greets Master… and Mistress!"
He nearly forgot, Li Wuyi had mentioned the woman beside the master was the mistress of the sect. He'd focused entirely on the plump man and almost missed it.
"Oh? It seems this little fellow doesn't quite know how to treat his Mistress yet."
The woman in white laughed gently and turned to the plump man beside her, amusement twinkling in her eyes.
(Chapter End)
¹ Chi (尺): A traditional Chinese unit of length, historically around 30–33 centimeters, approx 1 foot. In this context, seven chi is roughly 1.75 meters or 5 feet 9 inches.