Liuxiang sensed the familiar rumblings of Heavenly Qi pulsate through the air around him. Glancing vaguely upwards through the dark cavern, he wondered if Lu Jie was up to his madness once more.
Unlike when at Granny Lang’s place, it would be nearly impossible to hide the tribulation from the sect no matter what, and Lu Jie should know that.
“No, it isn’t Lu Jie. It’s the child. La Bi,” Zhi Zhu muttered in Liuxiang’s mind, reaching outwards with her senses.
Liuxiang paused in his steps, trying to sense the heavenly tribulation for himself. But if there was some way to tell who it was, then he could not.
“Isn’t she merely in the second realm? Not even at the peak of it,” Liuxiang asked, surprised at the calm in his voice.
“Yes. Insanity. The boy and all his spirits love to defy all common sense,” Zhi Zhu said, and Liuxiang smiled at his spirit's words.
“They certainly do,” Liuxiang said, shaking his head. He was unsure about what was going on, but there was little time to worry over others. He had his own trial to focus on.
Liuxiang walked through the paved caverns, into the thick overgrowth. It was an odd sight, of nature mingling in with the work of civilisation. He had arrived at this place just once before. Back when he had been a mere child, he had been taken to visit the line that separates the spirit realm from the mortal realm.
“Zhi Zhu remembers it. Liuxiang was much more fragile back then.”
“I would be surprised if Zhi Zhu did not remember. We had first met here after all,” Liuxiang said, as he glanced around through the forest pathways. The scent of poison Qi lurked within these shrubs, and he knew the potent poison that filled each plant, and creature that lived within this place.
Memories passed through Liuxiang’s mind, as he walked through the paved path beneath him, avoiding the worst shrubs that could cause damage even to him.
“Does Zhi Zhu wish to meet her sisters?” Liuxiang asked. He could sense the colony of spiders that lived in the tall trees west of this place.
“If Liuxiang wants Zhi Zhu to give him some space, he merely needs to say so. No need for such games.”
“No, this one means it.Your kin may not share the bonds humans do, but family is still family. If Zhi Zhu wishes to pay them a visit, then she should,” Liuxiang replied, waiting for his spirit to reply.
Zhi Zhu remained silent as Liuxiang trekked through the bushes. Silver needle swiftly piercing any mindless critter that came too close to him.
A threatening hiss broke out of Liuxiang’s mouth when a scorpion tried to jump him. The creature froze at the sound, before curling up on the ground. Liuxiang raised a hand to his mouth, surprised at his impulsive behavior.
He could not do that normally.
“The shedding draws closer. And Liuxiang’s nature seems to be reverting back to what it once had been.”
“No, that can’t be,” Liuxiang said out loud. Yet a part of him couldn’t help but notice the changes for himself. His Qi had shifted back to be more Yin, and he had opened up the eyes of the Shie as well.
“Zhi Zhu thinks Liuxiang knows the answer to that.”
Liuxiang remained silent. They proceeded through the mist, following the paved path deeper into the forest. Dense fog began to fill the area as they walked. Liuxiang recognised the area, and the familiar aura of poison lurking within the area.
“It has been a while since Zhi Zhu met the eldest.”
“It has been a while indeed. I had wished I wouldn’t have to do so until I’d obtained the rank of an elder,” Liuxiang said, walking towards an altar that was barely visible through the dense fog, at the end of the path.
“Not much has changed about you, has it, child?” a voice hissing rippled through the air. There was power carried in the words, sending a slight tremor through the ground.
“This one greets the great spirit,” Liuxiang bowed his head in respect.
“Zhi Zhu greets the eldest.”
A snake hissed, sliding through the ground and coiling around itself as it moved its head forward from the altar it slept on. The body of the spirit escaped the altar, and went through the ground, coiling large trees and hills across the massive realm all of them currently stood in.
Liuxiang kept his calm, as the giant serpent shifted its face closer, its massive tongue flicking outwards with a hiss. “We accept your greetings.”
Raising his head, Liuxiang regarded the ancestral beast whose grandmother had started their clan, and entire bloodline. The origin of the Shie, and poison Qi.
“We seek wisdom, Eldest. A trial has brought us to you in the spirit realm,” Zhi Zhu spoke, manifesting upon Liuxiang’s shoulder from his dantian.
The snake's massive eye turned towards the spider, a single slit reflecting the two of them within it. Mist gathered around the snake, accompanied by a wave of Qi that flowed towards the massive creature.
Liuxiang cycled his Qi, struggling to hold his ground against the pouring winds that flowed in. He watched as the serpent was soon covered entirely in a green fog.
With a sudden pulse, the green mist collapsed towards the ground, the serpent's body disappearing.
“It has been decades since we had to take this form,” a woman’s voice spoke, sending a chilling wave of cold through her surroundings.
Liuxiang watched a beautiful cultivator walk through the mist. Skin whiter than snow itself, with eyes a pale yellow and emerald green. Her clothes seemed to be made of pure Qi silk, refined and arranged in beautiful patterns of coiling serpents that moved all across her body.
“We’re honored to witness it, Eldest,” Zhi Zhu said, lowering her head slightly.
“No need for such excessive courtesy here, my child. You should be well aware that the spirit world does not follow the pointless courtesies of the mortal realm. Merely tolerates it,” the woman spoke, as a frigid smile hung on her black lips.
Liuxiang felt a strange attraction to the woman, as if he wanted to settle into her arms forever. He pushed the emotion down, finding his repulsion growing. He was well aware of the other uses of the Shie poison, and he found it utterly distasteful.
“If the great spirit would show us a method to solve our current trial, we would be eternally grateful,” Liuxiang said, looking at the serpent woman walking closer.
“You keep referring to me as great spirit. Is this what one calls their great-grandmother?” the spirit asked, as she stepped closer. Her aura brushed upon him. It was a murky thing, like the sickening smell of death, and the frigid cold of a lifeless winter intermingled together.
“It would be disrespectful,” Liuxiang replied back, trying not to show any agitation.
The woman stood in front of Liuxiang, her presence completely still and collected. The awareness that this spirit could end his life within a moment if she so wished lurked upon his mind. He had sensed the power of the great spirit before. Beings so beyond comprehension and strength that he couldn't even fathom their capabilities.
“You hide your nature beneath layers of skin. You cling to the yang aspect of your Qi, hoping it would further push you away from your true identity. Tell me child, do you truly hate our blood so much?”
Liuxiang sucked in a breath, looking up to meet the woman’s eyes. Five rings of immense power reflected back through the narrow slits, almost blinding his senses as he got to peer into the woman’s soul.
The eleventh realm. She’s reached Transcendence.
“As you wish… grandmother,” Liuxiang replied, bowing his head to the woman.
A smile reflected upon the woman’s face, when he looked back up to meet her eyes. “We are pleased, child. It would not do for you to refer to us as great spirit in front of the emperor.”
“The emperor?” Liuxiang asked, looking up at the spirit.
“The emperor. The Jade court shall throw a celebratory feast upon our Ascension into the ranks of Divinity. It had been a century coming, since the passing of our mother, and finally, the Shie clan have reclaimed their rightful place,” the woman said, turning around.
Liuxiang stared at her back, before walking behind her. “Forgive me great— grandmother. But… this one is not accepted as a part of the clan,” Liuxiang replied, finding his nerves worsening.
The woman paused in her step, as she glanced back. “Your father is a fool, and our bloodline shall not be squandered for his weeping. He had been convinced that you would be incapable of awakening the heirloom abilities of our blood and he has been proven wrong,” the woman said, her intense gaze stuck on Liuxiang.
A moment later, a kind smile snuck upon her face as she turned to face him. “We had been waiting for you, to reach the fourth realm and realize your nature. But there is little time left, and we are tired of waiting,” the woman said.
A moment later, she appeared right in front of Liuxiang, a black nail pressed directly against his face as a cold smile hung on the woman’s face. Liuxiang tried to move his body but found it unwilling to listen to his commands.
“It is time for you to stop running from your bloodline, child. That is the trial which brings you here. We will have to thank the sect elder for his service. We would’ve found it far more difficult to come fetch you ourselves,” the woman said, as a bright light began to light up on her finger tips, right on Liuxiang's forehead.
Qi flowed in towards the finger in a swirling torrent, as the world began to twist under the words of the woman.
“Eldest, Zhi Zhu—”
The woman raised a finger, and Zhi Zhu froze. “Shh, we will not harm her. She merely needs to remember who she is,” the woman whispered to Zhi Zhu.
Liuxiang gasped, his body frozen against his will, as the Qi poured into his soul. Darkness encroached upon his vision, as he felt the poison in his body stir.
“Sleep my child. And then rise anew. It is time for our clan to reclaim our rightful place.”
A blinding light consumed Liuxiang, and his world turned white.