The Path of Clouds and Solitude

Chapter 18: An Unexpected Encounter

The dust of Liancheng hadn't even settled before Li Yu Shan dragged me back onto the road. The carriage jolted, my stomach churning with nausea—half from the journey, half from the sheer revulsion of being near *him*. Where was he taking me? I watched him press a smooth, warm stone to his forehead, eyes closed in concentration. *What is that?* Curiosity gnawed, but I bit my lip, swallowing the question.

To my surprise, when he lowered the stone, he offered me a smile that was almost… gentle. “Never seen one, sweetie?” His voice dripped with false warmth. “It’s a Spirit Jade. Like an ancient scroll, but you read it with your Inner Sight. Here, try.” His good mood only made me more wary. He pressed the cool stone against my forehead. “Try to send a thread of your Inner Sight into it. Doesn’t need magic.”

My Inner Sight was clumsy, usually reserved for sensing if anyone neared my tiny room. Using it now, exposed before this dangerous man? Fear clenched my heart. But refusal wasn’t an option. Tentatively, I sent out a sliver of awareness, touching the jade—*Boom!* Instantly, my mind was flooded with the image of a vast, serpentine mountain range. Dotted with points of light labeled “Sects,” “Marketplaces”… A breathtaking, terrifying new world unfolded before me.

“Mount Kunwu,” Li Yu Shan retrieved the jade, his voice thick with greedy longing. “The heart of Tianji’s magic. Unique. Elsewhere, magic is scattered. Only here, it flows in the mightiest current. Other places?” He scoffed. “Insignificant.” He turned that poisoned-honey smile on me. “See? Stuck in your mundane little life, what future did you have? With me, cultivating on a true ley line… your progress will be *fast*. Be good,” he dangled the carrot, “and once we reach Kunwu, we’ll find a place to settle. If you behave…” He leaned in slightly, “I might even take you to try joining a sect. Get into a sect, and the future is limitless.”

*Behave?* I sneered inwardly. *Just fattening up your personal Power Source!* My lack of fight yesterday seemed to convince him I was pliable, a victim ripe for slow taming. A compliant Power Source was far more useful than a rebellious one. That look of yearning on his face? It was for power, never for *my* future. He glanced at me, saw my continued silence and blankness, and his face instantly soured. He huffed, turning away as if I were too stupid to appreciate his grand plans.

*Thank the skies.* I breathed an internal sigh of relief. Every moment with him, suppressing rage and terror, was exhausting.

The carriage rumbled on. Li Yu Shan sank into meditation, drawing in the thin ambient magic. In the cramped space, I dared not touch the mysterious glass bead. My gaze fell on the book he’d given me yesterday. The pages felt like supple leather, turning without a sound—another artifact from a world beyond the mundane.

Assured he was deep in his trance, I carefully turned the pages. Many herbs were familiar—ginseng, lingzhi… but here, they needed centuries to become useful “spirit herbs,” and even then, only the lowest grade.

Page after page… My finger stopped.

*Jade Heart Blossom. Ten-year maturity. Ingredient for Soul-Drifting Powder. Pollen causes significant slowing of magic flow. In low-level Mages, can cause temporary complete magic lock.*

My heart stuttered. I snapped my gaze to Li Yu Shan—eyes closed, oblivious. Forcing calm, I read it again. Description only. No antidote. *There has to be a way!* I clung to the hope, flipping pages with renewed desperation. If this book could just tell me how to break this curse…

Suddenly, a violent wave of energy crashed over us! Not the trickle from Li Yu Shan’s meditation, but a chaotic, destructive *collision*. I froze, confused. Li Yu Shan’s eyes flew open, his face alight with near-feral excitement: “A duel! Mages fighting!”

Other cultivators? So soon? And locked in combat? Why was he *excited*? Didn’t he fear getting caught in the crossfire?

“Stop the carriage!” he barked at the driver. Then his hand clamped around my wrist like a vise. “With me! Your magic is locked; only I can protect you now. Understand?” He didn’t wait for an answer, dragging me like a predator drawn to blood, slinking towards the epicenter of the disturbance. I played my part—the terrified, compliant girl. He seemed pleased with the act.

We hadn’t gone far when the sounds became unmistakable: the deep *thud* of raw power clashing, the sharp *shriek* of blades meeting. A blinding streak of fire tore across the sky! Only then did I see them: two figures suspended in mid-air! One robed in deep blue, the other in jade green, their robes billowing like gods… or demons locked in combat.

The searing fireball, controlled by the green-robed mage, roared towards the blue one! The blue mage brought his sword up in a swift block, deflecting the blast in a shower of sparks!

Li Yu Shan’s face drained of color. “Go! Now! This is way above our paygrade!” His voice cracked. He spun, yanking me with brutal force.

The aerial duelists clearly noticed the intruders. The green-robed mage snorted contemptuously. A casual flick of his wrist sent a smaller, no less deadly fireball streaking towards us!

“s**t!” Li Yu Shan cursed, hauling me into a desperate sprint. Pure terror lent wings to my feet. I didn’t dare look back. The fireball screamed past, impacting the ground behind us with a concussive *boom*, the heat searing my back. Li Yu Shan, drenched in cold sweat, didn’t slow until we tumbled back into the carriage, screaming at the driver to flee.

The carriage careened wildly down the road. Only when we were far from that hellscape did Li Yu Shan slump, gasping, his face pale with shock.

“Know what those were?” he rasped.

I shook my head mutely.

“Level-Eight Mages!” Fear still flickered in his eyes, but it was mixed with raw, burning desire. “They could have snuffed us out like bugs! If they hadn’t been so focused on killing each other… we’d be ash right now!” He clenched his fist, that obsessive look returning. “To reach that level… getting into a sect would be *nothing*…”

He fell silent, retreating into a nervous meditation, his eyes darting constantly to the window.

I leaned against the cold carriage wall, my heart still hammering. That devastating power… *If I had that power…* A vivid image flashed: Li Yu Shan beneath my boot, crushed like the insect he was. My nails dug into my palms, the sharp pain a grounding reminder. *Endure, Mo Tian Ge. Survive. Get stronger. Someday…* The vow burned cold and fierce within me. The book containing the secrets of the Jade Heart Blossom lay heavy and promising beside my leg.