Dao of the World Walker (Xianxia) Book 2

The next day, Yang found himself waiting ready for Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao for the alchemy competition, where both Senior Brother Liu Te and Senior Brother Lin Yi were taking part in the middle stage Foundation Establishment pill refining event, so it would be up to Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao to pick him up today.

His mind went back to a few hours ago in the morning.

Yang had woken up and performed all his morning tasks, watered the plants, and had just cleaned himself up and was preparing himself for a round of cultivation with a pot of tea ready next to him when he felt a fluttering at the edge of his consciousness.

On leaving the cave entrance, he found that it was one of those flying crane messages, only instead of a flying crane, it was in the shape of a sword. Yang had to wonder about the specifics of folding paper into a tiny flying sword.

Once it was in his hand, it retained its shape unlike the crane he had received previously, and he had to manually unfold the origami sword to read the message.

It took him a moment to unfold the paper without tearing it so that he could read it. When he did, he almost wished he hadn’t.

To Chen Yang,

Junior brother, Lin Yi, tells me you got someone to play flying mule for you. Don’t bother going to the event with them today. Lin Yi had already informed me of your need for a ride today, before all this mule drama, so wait for me, I will be there twenty minutes before the competition to pick you up.

You can use that person for your other competitions.

No need to reply to this note.

Jiang Zhen Hao

Core Disciple, Lingyun Peak

White Cloud Sect

He had been about to contact Senior Brother Wu Nai. That option was now gone. He had no choice but to wait and be ready on time. However, he did wonder how Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao calculated travel time, given that the competition arena had taken Senior Brother Lin Yi forty minutes to reach.

Maybe today’s event was being held in another place, Yang wondered.

He was still standing outside when he heard the sound, or rather felt it before he heard it, a displacement of air that arrived almost at the same moment as the sword itself, stopping in front of him with sudden abruptness.

It appears that Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao did not believe in deceleration.

”Junior Brother Yang, climb on,” came Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao’s cheerful voice.

Yang eyed the flying sword warily as he was suddenly reminded of Ye Xuan’s haunted expression when speaking of the ride Senior Brother Zhen Hao had given him and his friend last time.

Yang had never been into extreme sports. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that in all his lives, he had rather been a bit of a nerd.

”Junior Brother, no need to fear. I didn’t know you were so timid. I assure you, I am a much better flyer than Brother Lin Yi.” Senior Brother Zhen Hao was clearly going for reassuring, but it came across as purely boastful.

Yang took a deep breath since he didn’t have any choice and climbed on, praying to every deity in existence to have mercy on him.

They didn’t.

There was no gentle takeoff. No rising into the air, no gradual increase in speed. Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao’s sword did not fly. It was launched. Yang felt the air leave his lungs as they shot forward, and he grabbed the back of Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao’s robes because there was nothing else to hold. The wind hit his face like a cold slap. He could not see anything clearly. He heard a loud laugh from somewhere ahead of him.

It only took a few seconds.

The sword stopped with the same violence it had started, and Yang swayed as he stepped off, sank to his knees, and focused on breathing. He heard Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao asking something behind him, but could not respond because he knew with complete certainty that if he opened his mouth, he would vomit. He stayed where he was until the world somewhat stabilised and then climbed to his feet.

He looked around.

It was the same peak where the beginner Foundation Establishment pill refining event had been held. Yunhuo Peak. The same distance he had already travelled once before on a normal sword.

He turned to look at Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao with an expression of shock.

”Junior Brother Yang, are you alright?” Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao looked genuinely worried, which reduced Yang’s ire by perhaps ten percent.

”Don’t worry, it will only take a few more rides before you are used to it.”

The remaining ninety percent returned.

Flying. What flying. He would rather crawl to his destination than take another ride on Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao’s sword. He had never been in such physical discomfort, and he had already died before. Twice.

An amused voice came from behind him.

”Brother Zhen Hao. I see you took Junior Brother Yang on a sword ride.”

Yang was still not fully there yet and didn’t immediately recognise the voice so he slowly turned around and saw that it was Senior Sister Xing Fei, an amused smile on her face, with Senior Sister Shen Yue next to her.

”Ah, Xing Fei. Poor Junior Brother Yang isn’t used to sword flight yet. No need to make fun of him.” Senior Brother Zhen Hao said with complete sincerity as Senior Sister Xing Fei let out a delicate snort, and Senior Sister Shen Yue and Yang turned to him incredulously. Surely he wasn’t ignorant of his own flying style.

”Here, Junior Brother, take this and keep it in your mouth until it dissolves. It will help with your... with the effects of flying on Zhen Hao’s sword,” Senior Sister Shen Yue said, passing him a pill.

Yang thanked her, took the pill, and placed it on the left side of his mouth. It tasted like mint. Within a few seconds he began to feel better.

He straightened up and bowed to Senior Sister Shen Yue. ”Thank you, Senior Sister, for the pill.”

”No need, Junior Brother, you went through a traumatic experience,” Senior Sister comforted him.

”Traumatic, Shen Yue, aren’t you coddling Junior Brother Yang too much? He is strong; he will be fine once he gets used to it.” Senior Brother Zhen Hao scoffed as he placed one of his hands on Yang’s shoulder in a friendly gesture.

”Coddling? Are you out of your mind, Zhen Hao? He is in the second stage of Qi Condensation. He is not going to get used to it. Even cultivators of your own realm dare not share a flying sword with you,” Senior Sister Shen Yue said as she began walking.

Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao followed, and Yang had to follow next to him as he still had Senior Brother’s hand on his shoulder.

Senior Sister Xing Fei came next to him as she walked on his other side. She gave a mischievous smile as they watched Senior Brother Zhen Hao and Senior Sister Shen Yue argue as they made their way towards their seats.

According to Senior Brother, all those who feared his sword riding were cowards, and he would not let Yang become one of them.

”Junior Brother, don’t worry. I will make a good sword flier out of you. Once you have established your Foundation, I will teach you how to ride a sword,” Senior Brother comforted him.

Yang smiled weakly. Senior Brother, he thought, please do not say things like that. You will give me a heart demon. I will never be able to establish my Foundation if I spend the next several years afraid that you are going to come and take me on another sword ride.

He kept this to himself.

”You will teach him? You? You yourself don’t know the art of sword flying. You shoot off your sword like an arrow released from a bow. What qualification do you have to teach someone to fly a sword?” Senior Sister Shen Yue scoffed.

”What qualification? You must be joking, Shen Yue. My master said I am the best sword flier the sect has seen since he himself was a disciple. Even my shixiong aren’t as good fliers as myself. Who better than me to guide fledgling cultivators to spread their metaphorical wings to the horizons of the sky than myself?” Senior Brother really thought highly of himself.

Senior Sister went quiet as Senior Brother Zhen Hao’s master was brought up, clearly unwilling to disregard a peak master’s word, especially in front of his disciple.

But Yang really had to wonder what that peak master was on to consider Senior Brother Zhen Hao a great flier, and wondered if he would be willing to share, because he needed all the help he could get after that ride, not to mention the horrific thought of having to repeat that particular experience.

They soon reached their seats, where Senior Brother Xu Kai was already sitting.

Yang greeted Senior Brother Xu Kai and tried to get a seat away from Senior Brother Jiang Zhen Hao, but luck was not on his side as the Senior Brother’s hand was still on his shoulder, and he himself settled next to Senior Brother Xu Kai, having Yang sit on his other side.

With Senior Sister Shen Yue and Senior Sister Xing Fei on Yang’s other side.

His face must still have looked horrible because he did see himself receiving a few pitying looks from Senior Brother Xu Kai from the corner of his eye.

Yang took a deep breath, the pill in his mouth helping him, and looked toward the stage.

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