Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Chapter 1072: The Sick Village

The silver moon hung high in the star filled sky as a cool breeze swept across the grassy hill. Inside the silent boundary of the concealment array, Li Mei finally opened her eyes after sitting in a deep trance for around seven hours. The night had fully claimed the world around them but her internal vision had never been brighter. She took a slow and measured breath while feeling the pristine clarity of her purified spiritual sea.A brilliant silver core shaped like a miniature blade rested firmly within her soul. The Sword Heart pulsed with a gentle yet unyielding light and the three dark shadows that had plagued her mind over her life were entirely gone.

Li Mei lowered her hands to her lap and a sense of happiness washed over her recovering body. She had been stuck at the peak of the Sword Domain realm for over three hundred long and agonizing years. During her early youth she made rapid progress through the foundational stages of the sword path and many elders hailed her as a peerless genius. Even before the moment the heavy mantle of the official heir was placed upon her shoulders, her progress ground to a painful halt.

The political burdens calcified her thoughts and had built thick walls around her comprehension. Over the past century she was forced to sit in silence and watch as other talented youths within her generation of the Li Clan actually surpassed her in regards to the sword path. They did not hold the title of heir but they achieved the Sword Heart while she remained trapped behind an invisible barrier.

The more pressure she felt to break through and prove her worth to the elder council, the worse her mental state became. The anxiety created a vicious cycle that fueled her demonic hearts and pushed the breakthrough even further out of her reach. It was not until the recent days as she sat on this quiet hill and painted a simple sunset with her exiled cousin that she was finally able to let go of her rigid control.

She stood up from the soft grass and turned her gaze toward the edge of the array. Li Yu sat near the boundary with his arms crossed over his chest while keeping a watchful eye on the dark forest below. He had remained standing in that spot for the entire seven hours just to ensure her enlightenment was not disturbed by wandering beasts or rogue cultivators. He would have been eating some food but feared the smells might disturb her concentration so he simply sat there and waited.

"Thank you," Li Mei said with a voice full of gratitude. "Thank you for standing guard and protecting me during this time. I would not have been able to make this breakthrough without your help."

Li Yu turned around and offered a warm smile as he walked back toward the wooden easels. He didn’t quite understand the sword path outside what his father had briefly told him while explaining his own strength but Li Yu knew it was always a major breakthrough at each step on it. "You do not need to thank me for sitting around in the grass. You did the hard work and you achieved this milestone on your own merit. You should be very proud of yourself."

Li Mei felt a surge of energy rush through her veins as her Origin Awakening cultivation responded to her new level of comprehension. She wanted to test the limits of her new foundation so she tapped her foot against the dirt and soared high into the night air. She hovered above the concealment array and drew her pale blue sword from its scabbard.

She did not swing the physical blade but unleashed her full cultivation aura intertwined with her upgraded sword path. A pillar of brilliant silver light erupted from her figure and pierced the dark clouds above. The surrounding air crackled as the invisible pressure of her Sword Heart manifested in the physical world.

Li Yu stood on the ground below and could feel how extremely sharp her aura had become. Even with his robust Karma Severing bodily defenses, the ambient energy pressing against his skin felt like a thousand tiny needles trying to cut him. It was a pure and resolute sharpness that carried the weight of someone who had rediscovered themselves.

Li Mei slowly descended back to the grass and sheathed her weapon with a graceful motion as her eyes sparkled with renewed confidence while the silver light faded from her body.

"That was quite the display," Li Yu praised while clapping his hands together. "We must celebrate this achievement tonight!"

Li Mei let out a bright laugh and shook her head. "You are just trying to find an excuse to eat and drink some more."

"Perhaps," Li Yu replied with a wide grin. "But a major breakthrough on the sword path is still a very valid reason to feast."

She agreed with his logic and the two of them decided to camp out for the rest of the night on the very hill where they had been painting. Li Yu brought out his cooking utensils and a large cut of the Frost Lean Boar they had purchased from the market. He used his natal flame to roast the meat while actively practicing the heat control techniques he had read from the sect jade slips earlier in the day to practice further.

They sat under the starry sky while eating the tender pork and drinking cups of warm wine. Li Mei felt lighter than she had in centuries and the conversation flowed easily between them. They talked about their favorite childhood memories and debated the best types of tea without a single mention of clan politics or hidden agendas.

When the morning sun finally crested the horizon, the two packed up their easels and returned to the sect courtyards. Li Yu and his companions decided it was time to leave the Crest Spine Sect since they had stayed for a long time now. Sect Leader Korren and the elders had been incredibly generous hosts who never bothered them during their stay but Li Yu knew it was not good practice to overstay a welcome in another faction's territory.

They gathered their belongings and bid farewell to Elder Taron and Elder Rhygar at the towering front gates. The dragon kin elders wished them safe travels and reminded Li Yu that he always had a place on their mountain.

Once they were back on the open road, Li Yu looked at a crude map he purchased in town and decided to travel West. The eastern regions were mostly under the control of the dragon kin while the western territories held a diverse mix of different beast races and independent merchant cities that he wished to explore.

They traveled along a wide road for about half a day while enjoying the scenic valleys. As they stopped near a clear stream to relax a bit, a sharp buzzing sound echoed from the token that Li Mei always carried on her.

This content has been unlawfully taken from NovelFire; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

She paused and pulled out a rectangular token that glowed with a frantic red light. It was an emergency communication device directly linked to the elders of the Li Clan that was in this realm. She infused a strand of her Qi into the smooth stone and a stream of urgent information flowed directly into her mind.

Her relaxed expression quickly tightened and the familiar weight of responsibility settled back onto her shoulders but her shoulders felt more relaxed than before. There were several disputes breaking out between the younger Li Clan disciples and local sects. The situation was escalating toward violence and the presiding elders needed the heir to return to mediate the conflict but the main thing was there were also other logistical matters regarding the clan that required her direct oversight.

Li Mei lowered the glowing token and looked toward the western horizon. She surprisingly felt really reluctant to leave the group and return to her duties. For the past week she had enjoyed the freedom of simply being a person rather than a political figurehead. She painted landscapes, ate good food and forged a budding bond with her cousin.

"Is there a problem?" Li Yu asked while looking at her

"The elders are calling me back to the temporary base," Li Mei explained with a quiet sigh. "There are some conflicts that need to be dealt with. I have to go back and handle the fallout."

Li Yu saw the reluctance shining in her eyes and offered a comforting smile. "The work of an heir is never truly finished. But you have a clear mind now and a Sword Heart to cut through the nonsense. Just remember to make some time for yourself and try to paint more often."

"Thank you, Li Yu." Li Mei replied while looking down at the jade token.

"There will be more time to slack off in the future," Li Yu assured her while stepping forward and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "The cosmos is a very large place and the clan cannot keep you locked in a meeting room forever. If you ever need a break from the pressure, just come find me. I will always have extra food and blank canvases waiting."

Li Mei felt a warm feeling spread through her chest at his genuine offer. She knew he meant every word in the kindest way. She offered him a smile and clasped her hands together in a formal bow.

"I will hold you to that promise," Li Mei said with a renewed vigor. "I wish you the best of luck on your journey westward. Try not to cause too much trouble while I am gone."

"I never look for trouble," Li Yu laughed while waving his hand. "Trouble just happens to find me."

Li Mei chuckled one last time before turning around and launching herself into the sky. Her silver sword aura wrapped around her body as she flew back toward the eastern territories to resume her duties as the heir of the Li Clan.

Li Yu watched her disappear over the horizon and felt glad that they were able to mostly fix their broken relationship or at least that’s what it had seemed to Li Yu. He turned back to his two companions and gestured toward the road. Faen and Borum went to either side of him as they continued their trek into the unknown western lands.

They traveled for another two days while passing through dense forests and crossing deep river gorges. The environment gradually shifted from lush green valleys to rugged plains covered in tall yellow grass and scattered oak trees.

As the sun began to dip low in the sky on the second evening, the group ran into a small village nestled at the base of a rocky hill. The settlement was populated by a sturdy race of rhino kin. The villagers possessed thick grey skin that resembled natural armor and prominent horns protruding from the center of their snouts. They were a towering and muscular people who wore simple leather garments and carried heavy farming tools.

Li Yu walked into the village square and noticed that the usual lively atmosphere of a rural town was entirely absent. The rhino kin stood around in small groups with worried expressions on their broad faces. Several women were crying softly near a large wooden barn while a few men argued with a village elder holding a carved wooden staff.

Faen approached a passing villager and asked what was wrong. The tall rhino kin looked at the three travelers with mild suspicion but the heavy Domain King auras radiating from Faen and Borum convinced him to speak politely.

"Our livestock are falling ill," the villager explained while pointing a thick finger toward a series of wooden pens near the edge of the settlement. "We raise iron back pigs to trade with the larger cities in the west. It is our only source of steady income and the primary food source for our families during the winter. But over the last few days, dozens of the pigs have collapsed and nothing we do seems to cure them."

Li Yu heard the explanation and his curiosity was peaked. He thanked the man for the information and asked him if he could take a look. Seeing that these three were much more powerful than anyone else in the village and could just take what they wanted, the man agreed. Li Yu then walked over to the wooden pens to investigate the issue himself.

The smell of sickness hung heavily in the air as he leaned over the wooden fence. The iron back pigs were large beasts covered in coarse black hair and thick skin but they currently looked incredibly frail. Many of the animals were lying on their sides while taking shallow and labored breaths.

Li Yu narrowed his eyes and focused his spiritual sense on the closest pig and he noticed dark purple veins bulging against the pale skin of the animal's underbelly. The flesh surrounding the veins looked as though it was slowly rotting from the inside out while a foul smelling fluid leaked from their snouts.

"Let me see if I can help," Li Yu muttered as he opened the wooden gate and stepped into the muddy pen.

Several rhino kin villagers rushed over to stop him but Borum stepped in front of the gate and crossed his massive arms. The silent golem acted as a deterrent while Li Yu knelt down next to a suffering pig. They didn’t want to have to ask again so Li Yu allowed Borum to be where he was. It was better to get an idea of what was wrong and then speak.

He placed his palm against the side of the beast and pushed a gentle stream of his vibrant Life Qi into the animal's body. The rich green energy flooded the pathways of the pig and acted as a powerful cleansing wave that helped the animal to feel better. Li Yu carefully guided the Life Qi to surround the dark purple veins and slowly forced the toxic substance out through the pores of the beast.

A thick black sludge oozed from the skin of the pig and dripped onto the mud. The animal let out a loud snort as the pain faded away and it scrambled to its feet with a small renewed burst of energy. The watching villagers gasped in shock as the stranger cured their prized livestock in a matter of seconds. The village elder rushed forward and begged Li Yu to heal the rest of the herd.

Li Yu had not used any special healing method or found the cause for the issue. He had manually forced the poison that was inside the pig out of its body using his superior Qi control. He moved through the pen and used his Life Qi to purge the sickness from a few more pigs. The animals recovered quickly and began eating from their wooden troughs as if nothing had happened. However, as Li Yu wiped the black sludge from his hands using a cloth, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

His experience with healing and his recent encounters told him a very clear story. This was not a natural disease or a common plague spreading through the herd. The dark veins and the specific lingering rot were the direct result of a poison that did not seem naturally made.

Obviously something else was going on here but it didn’t seem like a targeted attack either. Not all the pigs were affected and the poison itself didn’t seem that bad. It was more likely they were grazing near a contaminated water source or eating plants that had absorbed the toxin from the soil. This most likely meant the source of the poison was still out there somewhere and could poison the people here or their livestock again.