The Library Hall stood like a gentle giant on the eastern slope of the sect grounds—quiet, graceful, and shrouded in soft swirling light. Vines laced with blue spirit flowers crept across the carved stone walls, and thousands of ancient books hovered mid-air within, organized by invisible formations.
Inside, Elder Jill sat in a lotus posture atop a floating cushion in the central reading chamber. A gentle wind swirled around her, shifting the pages of the scriptures nearby. She was an elegant woman—her long silver-white hair tied in a single braid, her dark emerald robes marked by the sigil of Heavenly Wood, and her eyes… eyes that had seen more centuries than Kent could imagine.
“Kent King,” she greeted, without even looking at him, her voice like a wind chime brushing against pine needles. “You arrived promptly.”
Kent bowed. “Elder.”
“I have been observing your recent progress.” She finally opened her eyes and smiled faintly. “You’ve shown wisdom in combat, restraint with beasts, and talent in cultivation. A rare balance.”
Kent gave a modest nod. “I’m just walking the path that feels right, Elder.”
Elder Jill nodded approvingly and with a wave of her finger, a scroll floated to Kent and gently unrolled in front of him.
It was blank.
He frowned.
“This,” she said calmly, “is not a public mission. It is a direct order. Tomorrow morning, you will accompany me to the Nine Cloud Divine Herb Forest.”
Kent’s brows furrowed. “Divine Herb Forest? That’s in the eastern forbidden sector, is it not? The place with herbs that… grow sentient roots and can teleport when threatened?”
“Precisely,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “And the forest only reveals itself once every five years—when all nine clouds descend to the valley and form a spiritual fog that awakens the Divine Root Matrix.”
Kent stared at her, thoughtful.
“What is it that you’re seeking, Elder? A particular herb?”
Jill paused.
“The true reason will be revealed when the time comes,” she said cryptically. “For now, know this—your talents are required, and your presence has already been granted special approval by the Hall of Elders. Do not decline.”
“I wasn’t planning to,” Kent said with a grin. “Anything that lets me skip sect chores and pick divine herbs sounds like a good deal.”
Elder Jill smirked slightly.
“I suggest you prepare. We depart before sunrise. Bring only what you can carry. The forest… does not welcome greed.”
Kent nodded, his curiosity growing.
“I’ll be ready.”
As he turned to leave, Elder Jill added softly, “Oh, and Kent…”
He paused.
“There are things in the Divine Herb Forest that even core disciples fear. Stay close. And whatever happens, never pick a herb that calls your name.”
Kent gave her a side glance, then walked out of the library into the twilight, the warm air mixing with shadows of nightfall.
Something deeper was stirring in the Immortal Living Pool Sect.
And Kent had just been pulled into it.
—
Immortal Living Pool Moauntain…
Deep within one of the sealed cultivation rooms, Kent’s eyes slowly opened. He inhaled deeply and stood up from the purple stone tablet, his body radiating a subtle warmth from weeks of unbroken cultivation.
He walked over to the center of the chamber and placed his palm on the storage ring. A soft hum echoed, and a large spiritual dome opened within the room. From within it, one by one, over thirty figures stepped out—his loyal companions, his pets, his battle beasts… now his family.
Each of them had grown immensely. Though they were beasts in their true form, they had all developed the ability to shift into humanoid forms, retaining the features of their kind. Scaled arms, feathered hair, tails, horns, glowing eyes—each of them unique, proud, and powerful.
Sparky the Thunderhorn Dragon emerged first, tall and regal, lightning tattoos flickering along his neck. Behind him came the Frost Wolf twins, the Flame-Eyed Leopard, the Three-Tailed Serpent, the Ironclaw Eagle, the Moon Shadow Panther, the Storm Toad Elder, and many others.
Kent stood in silence as they all knelt respectfully.
He cleared his throat. “Everyone… I called you here tonight because tomorrow is an important step.”
The beasts raised their heads, ears twitching, eyes glowing with curiosity.
“I’m going to a sacred place. The Nine Cloud Divine Herb Forest,” he said solemnly. “A place filled with sentient herbs, ancient dangers, and living trials. Elder Jill herself has requested me to accompany her.”
“Will we come with you, Master?” asked the Frost Wolf brother.
“yes,” Kent said. “Not directly. But you will have your own task.”
He paused.
“I want all of you to act on your own and Collect as many herbs as you can—but safely. These herbs are much needed. Some of them will run, some will resist. I don’t want losses. Understood?”
“Yes, Master!” came a unified shout.
Kent raised a hand and pointed to Sparky. “Sparky will be in charge. If anyone gets injured, fall back. No need to show heroism. Bring back what you can, but don’t force what can’t be taken.”
Sparky nodded deeply. “I will lead with care.”
“Good.” Kent tossed out a small jade map, which hovered in the air and marked the surrounding herb zones. “Move like wind. Return before the third sun touches the valley.”
He looked at them with a soft smile.
“This is our chance to gather resources we’ll never get again. Let’s make it count.”
The beasts nodded, some excited, some solemn. Kent dismissed them with a flick of his fingers, and one by one, they vanished into spirit slips or dashed out into the night.
—
The Next Morning
The sect was unusually vibrant.
A golden chariot adorned with vine-etched patterns floated at the base of the main path. Four horned spirit horses, their hooves wrapped in clouds, pulled the cart forward slowly. Inside, the chariot glowed with warm light, cushioned seats, and an inner spiritual barrier to protect its occupants.
Lady servants in white and blue robes moved around it, adjusting the supplies, feeding the horses, polishing jade scrolls, and placing fragrant herbs to freshen the air. Their hands moved swiftly, their eyes respectful.
Kent arrived just as the sun broke the horizon. Dressed in a clean white robe with golden embroidery, his hair tied loosely behind, he stepped up onto the chariot. A servant offered him a cold spiritual fruit drink, but he waved it off with a small smile.
He turned and looked around in silence as the chariot began to move.
The journey had begun.
As they left the sect and headed east, Kent leaned slightly against the window of the chariot. His eyes wandered across the distant hills and lush valleys. But soon, he began to see things that didn’t belong to any realm he had visited before.
He saw a tower that hung upside-down, its roots stretching toward the sky.
A floating island tethered to the ground by chains that pulsed like veins.
A tree with mirrors hanging from its branches—each reflecting a different timeline.
A stone gate that constantly changed its inscriptions with every blink.