Immortality Starts With Generosity

Chapter 83: This Young Master Has Harmonized

With Phelps settled on his back Chen Haoran sought an answer. Is your Gu really dangerous enough to threaten a Liquid Meridian? It wasnt quite a question that came out of nowhere on Chen Haorans part. Xie Jin had implicitly revealed it when he threatened Jiang Lei, who confirmed it by acceding to his demands. Granted, Jiang Lei seemed to be an easygoing type of character, but being a Black Bone Shaman clearly wasnt something easily trifled with.

It was just hard for him to square away what he had seen of the Gu versus the threat it apparently posed. It was certainly an effective tracker, and its ability to remain unseen and inflict poison made it an extraordinarily effective assassin. Was that enough to make a Liquid Meridian clearly aware of its presence be wary of engaging it? Somehow, he didnt think so.

Xie Jin at least hadnt seemed bothered by his question. We would be dead if he decided to kill us. It would have been a painful decision for him, though.

Vague enough to be useless but implying enough to be a subtle flex. Chen Haoran couldnt help but laugh. It was such a common act in both worlds that he could practically copy-paste old acquaintances over Xie Jins face.

Ill need to start hiding behind your back then, he jokingly said.

Can I ask you something as well? Xie Jin looked hesitant, his eyes roamed over Chen Haorans scabbard.

Of course.

Your sword. Is it some kind of powerful artifact or something?

Chen Haoran hummed as he considered the unsurprising question. Its Profound-rank, he finally said. It used to be a part of a pair, but I lost the other blade, so I cant use its full power now. Something that he would forever be annoyed about. He didnt even like curved swords or dual wielding. The fact he had to do both with the Swiftwind Scimitars was frustrating and only done out of desperate need. Its special effect was all it had going for it. He only still kept the other because he had yet to find another Profound-Rank weapon to replace it. Other than that, there isnt anything particularly special about it.

Xie Jin frowned. Then what was that back at the inn? And at the poachers camp. Even that Liquid Meridian noticed it, I think. He was talking to me, but he was looking at you.

Joy. Just what he needed. Yet another Liquid Meridian Realm becoming unnecessarily interested in him. Jiang Lei had stated hed been observing Wang Xiao at the inn. With his superior senses, he would have understood the threat posed by Chen Haorans Harmonization.

How to answer Xie Jin, though? He absently trailed his fingers across the leather of his scabbard. Should he say he killed Lan Yao and had a moment of realization? A breakthrough in training? A fortuitous encounter? Or learning from a powerful senior? The White Tyrant fit all of those descriptions and more, so it wouldnt even be a lie. He too could be vague.

I cant really describe it, Chen Haoran said, shrugging.

What a weak excuse, Xie Jin groaned.

It wasnt.

It was the truth in fact. If he were to try to explain to himself just what the Harmonization the White Tyrant left to him was he would fail.

It was weird and far beyond anything he knew or was familiar with. Admittedly, something like that seemed par for the course with a cultivator as strong as the White Tyrant. Just how strong was he in his prime that his shade was powerful enough to do such impossible things?

Regardless there was only one real way to give Xie Jin an answer. Would you like me to demonstrate it?

Youd do that? Xie Jin sounded surprised, which in turn surprised Chen Haoran. Had he just accidentally stepped over another cultural norm?

He pressed forward. No use in trying to fix his fumble. Why not?

Xie Jin looked at him strangely. If you say so. "

Perfect. Chen Haoran reached down to grab the hilt of his scimitar when he paused. Hey how much do you care about the trees around us.

Pardon?

Im asking if it's okay for this patch of jungle to become a clearing.

Xie Jin stared. Youre not serious. His words trailed off into the air but never received a reply. He tried again. Right?

Why do you think Ive been so reluctant to draw my sword?

Xie Jin looked at the jungle around him. Perhaps estimating how much damage Chen Haoran would do to it. Chen Haorans self-esteem said it wouldnt be as bad as he thought. His logical side, however, said that the White Tyrant, much less his Harmonization, wouldnt settle for anything less than maximum destruction. Regardless of his thoughts, Xie Jin had come to an answer.

Maybe another time.

The jungles of Zumulu were beautiful and colorful, the same way a poisonous frog was. Its thick growth made traveling through them difficult, even for the people who lived here. Hidden within that dense coverage were the things that would have given nightmares to any invader. Hidden behind a vine could be a fruit or a poisonous lizard. Centipedes stalked between the roots and under layers of fallen leaves. High up in the air were silvery spider webs strung between branches, only visible when the light struck them just right. Chen Haoran watched a colorful bird get caught in one web only to have three different spiders descend to cocoon it and then fight over the body.

The only thing worse than the smaller insects were the larger ones. Xie Jin, damn him, said Zumulu had no more giant spiders. What he neglected to mention were the giant dragonflies that flitted through the trees, searching for prey like living VTOLs. They were harmless to humans, apparently. When one drew near in curiosity, Xie Jin held out his finger in front of the dragonflys bulbous eyes and waved it in a circle, hypnotizing the bug until it settled onto his outstretched arm like he was some kind of falconer.

Chen Haoran marveled at the dragonflys amethyst-purple form and its silk-thin wings. He was sad to see it go when it finally got a hold of its bearings and flew off. He most certainly did not scream when two large scythes shot out of a nearby tree and speared it. A man-sized praying mantis appeared above them and paid them no mind as it devoured the dragonfly.

You really screamed, Xie Jin said, laughing. He wasnt laughing for long when Chen Haoran punched him in the arm.

I did not scream. I was just startled.

Whatever you say, Brother Chen.

Chen Haoran cast wary eyes up at the feasting mantis. Are those things harmless to humans too?

No. If it were hungry, it would drop down on us.

Well, wasnt that a comforting thought? He recited a silent prayer of thanks to the fallen dragonfly.

It wouldnt be that bad even if attacked. Xie Jin proudly patted his chest. You have me here, after all.

Let me guess, you have yet another random skill that will carry us through safely.

Almost correct. Xie Jin waved his hand and let loose his Gu. On the surface, it looked like nothing had happened, but Chen Haoran felt its amorphous qi slightly pulse through his sense. As if by some cue, the praying mantis immediately dropped its meal and leaped away.

It was not the only thing that fled.

The dragonflies scattered in all directions. From the trees flew out beetles and spiders and cicadas. Ants marched out from trunks carrying their queens in royal procession. Centipedes flashed away among dead leaves, and worms burrowed out of the earth. What had to be every insect in the vicinity escaped in a single simultaneous motion that floored Chen Haoran with its intensity. There were a lot more bugs surrounding him than he thought. He looked at his arm and found every single hair raised.

Among the insects, the Gu is king, Xie Jin said as if reciting it. He flashed Chen Haoran a superior smile. Its not enough to let us walk sideways through Zumulu, but with me around, theres nothing to fear.

There was a rustling in the trees. A tree cracked in half and fell over. The horn responsible for cutting it down loomed menacingly over them.

Chen Haoran looked at the massive rhinoceros beetle first, then Xie Jin.

Hey so-

I fucked up, I get it.

Chen Haoran stretched out his sense and found that, like the Gu, he couldnt measure its cultivation level.

He didnt hesitate.

He threw Phelps to Xie Jin, cycled qi to his legs, and shot forward, drawing his scimitar out in the same motion. The world flared white. The vegetation around his feet was chopped to pieces.

When Song Yuelin had first taught him about Harmonization, he had called it a method to become in tune with one's technique and channel it through ones regular actions.

Chen Haoran did not Harmonize with the Canyon Carving Sword.

He swung. Pure white energy flashed instead of blue. What was a coursing stream of energy now became a single cutting line. Instead of a river carving through a canyon, all he could see in his mind was a single white ghost splitting open the clouds.

The horn was sliced off. The rhinoceros beetle moaned a final dying cry as a large gash opened up on its shell and nearly slashed it in two. Around it trees fell down one after another and threw up splinters and sawdust.

Chen Haoran sheathed his shaking scimitar before any more damage could be done and looked behind him to see Xie Jin watching him with wide eyes. He sheepishly shrugged. I did ask you about the trees.