Immortal Refiner

Green Stone Mountain, Crouching Ox Ridge.

Here nestled a village called Crouching Ox Village, a place so remote and unremarkable that it was easily overlooked even within the vast Maple Country.

The small ridge took its name from a massive boulder resembling a crouching ox. For generations, the villagers here had lived as farmers, their lives undisturbed by the outside world—a true paradise, if left untouched.

But now, within the village, one family was hastily packing their belongings.

”Ah, why did the Marauders have to strike at this moment? My daughter-in-law is barely pregnant,” Old Man Li sighed, his brow furrowed with worry.

Rumors of Marauders’ iron hooves reaching Green Stone Town had spread since the previous days. Now, many villagers in Crouching Ox Village were frantically packing their belongings, preparing to flee the impending war.

”Daniu, you must take good care of your wife on the journey. She’s the only heir of our Old Li Family,” Old Man Li instructed.

Just days ago, they had learned from the Village Chief about a secret passage leading south through the Small Jade Ridge, offering a safe route to the southern regions of the Maple Country. This news had finally convinced the family to join the exodus.

The young man named Li Daniu, who looked honest and simple, nodded and said, ”Father, of course I know about this. You should spend some time comforting Mother. Her face has been off ever since you and the Village Chief burned the ripe fields yesterday.”

For a woman who had farmed the land for generations, watching the fields she had painstakingly tended for a year, finally ripe and ready for harvest, go up in flames was naturally devastating.

In truth, even Father Li’s heart ached, but he still grumbled, ”There’s nothing we can do. This is scorched-earth warfare!”

”The Marauders are coming. We wouldn’t have time to harvest the crops. Better to burn them down than let those damn Marauders get their hands on them!”

”We can plant new fields, but if we lose our lives, we lose everything.”

Old Man Li waved his hand, adopting the air of a general surveying his troops. Then he hung an iron pot on the cart.

”Alright, let’s get ready to leave. The sooner we go, the better. We don’t want the Marauders catching up to us.”

”I’ll go get your mother. Her spirit hasn’t been right since we got word of Er Niu’s death a few years ago.”

As Old Man Li spoke, a tinge of melancholy crossed his face as he turned and left.

He had originally had two sons: Daniu, who stood beside him, and Li Erniu.

When the imperial court conscripted men for the army, Daniu had just become engaged. With no other choice, the Li family sent Er Niu into military service.

Er Niu had been somewhat resistant to this, but he was also remarkably sensible. Knowing he was the only one in the family suitable for military service, he caused little fuss and silently accepted his predetermined fate.

Two years later, news arrived from the Wu Li Army on the border: Er Niu had likely died in a Marauder ambush.

Whenever Father Li thought of this, a wave of grief washed over him.

Er Niu had been too sensible, even refusing a proper meal at home before leaving.

Since Er Niu’s death, Mother Li had fallen ill with a heart ailment and had remained deeply depressed for years.

”We’re almost ready. Let’s prepare to leave.”

At the entrance to Crouching Ox Village, a massive boulder covered in moss stood sentinel. Shaped like a reclining ox, its surface was coated in bluish-green moss that resembled the animal’s fur.

On the day the entire village was preparing to evacuate south, a young man with a straight posture sat cross-legged on the back of a magnificent, multicolored tiger. He arrived at the village entrance, where a massive boulder stood.

Li Qing gazed at the enormous, reclining ox-shaped stone, a hint of nostalgia and melancholy in his eyes.

It’s been so many years since I’ve been back... he thought. This stone hasn’t changed at all.

Left home young, returned old, My accent unchanged, my hair now gray.

For some reason, a sense of near-home trepidation washed over him.

After all, he had lived here for fifteen years, making this his second home.

Li Qing thought as he leaped from the tiger’s broad back and reached out to touch the moss-covered, bluish-green stone.

”Stay in the mountain hollow. If the Marauders attack, shout as loud as you can, understood?” Li Qing instructed Fan Tong.

”Awoo! Awoo!” Fan Tong nudged Li Qing’s hand with its head, signaling its understanding with surprising intelligence.

After giving his instructions, Li Qing entered the village alone.

In this season, the fields that should have been a sea of golden yellow were now charred black, a scene of utter devastation.

If Li Qing hadn’t known the situation, he might have thought Marauders had already ravaged the village.

The fields were filled with an acrid, lingering smell of burning.

Li Qing quickened his pace, quickly entering Crouching Ox Village.

By this point, a significant portion of the villagers had already fled for safety. Only a few families remained, though they seemed to be packing their belongings.

Following familiar paths from memory, Li Qing moved swiftly between the crisscrossing houses, leaving only a blur of motion that went unnoticed by others.

Finally, he stopped beside an old, weathered stone mansion.

With a leap, he activated his Shadow Seeking Footwork, his body landing on the roof like a feather, without a sound.

As an Inner Strength Martial Artist, Li Qing’s keen hearing allowed him to clearly discern the sounds coming from inside.

”Wife, it’s time to go. We can’t delay any longer. Let’s hope we have a chance to return someday.”

”Son, I hear the southern lands are fertile and nourishing. Once we get there, we’ll surely...”

”Those are deep mountains and forests! How could they be better than here?”

”...”

”Who knows when we’ll be back after this journey? It’s so far and dangerous, we might die on the road.”

”Hmph, in my opinion, those fields shouldn’t have been burned down. Let the Marauders take them! They can’t kill everyone. Do they think they won’t need farmers if they rule the world?”

”You! You’re speaking like a woman, utterly ignorant! Those Marauders are ruthless...”

”Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, Teacher—you’re being utterly disrespectful!”

”What Heaven, Earth, Ruler? That old emperor never cared about us! If he hadn’t ordered the conscription, Er Niu wouldn’t have...”

Listening from the eaves, Li Qing’s eyes unknowingly welled up with tears.

From just a few snippets of conversation, the faces of his father, mother, and elder brother resurfaced in his mind with crystal clarity.

Just as Li Qing was about to descend and reveal himself, a deafening tiger roar echoed from a nearby mountain hollow.

”Arooo!”

The earth-shattering roar shook the forest, causing a shower of yellowing leaves to rain down.

The roar was quickly followed by the frantic clamor of gongs and drums.

”The Marauders are coming! The Marauders are attacking!”

”Run! The Marauders are coming! They’ll be in the village any minute!”

In an instant, the remaining villagers of Crouching Ox Village who hadn’t yet fled poured out of their homes like souls fleeing their bodies, running for their lives.

At the edge of the village, the elderly Village Chief shouted repeatedly, ”Over here! Follow me! We’ll escape through the secret passage! Everyone, come this way!”

Meanwhile, on the eaves of a house, Li Qing watched his family of four hastily leave with a cart piled high with luggage.

A single ox pulled the cart, with Father Li urging it forward and Li Qing’s elder brother pushing from behind to speed them up.

Seated on the cart were Li Qing’s mother and another unfamiliar woman, presumably his sister-in-law.

Li Qing watched his family depart, his mouth opening slightly, but he ultimately held back from calling out to them.

”I thought we had two oxen at home,” he murmured to himself. ”Why is only one pulling the cart?”

Li Qing didn’t know that his elder brother had sold one of the oxen to afford his marriage to his sister-in-law.

Without dwelling on it, Li Qing turned resolutely and charged toward the village entrance.

His figure was determined, moving in the opposite direction of the fleeing villagers.

(End of the Chapter)

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