Chapter 8 ( silence after battle )

  The forest was quiet now.

  Old Bao sat on a flat rock at the edge of a small clearing, the night stretching around him like a well-worn coat. A faint breeze stirred the trees, rustling leaves that whispered secrets too old for his ears. Crickets chirped. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted.

  He squinted up at the stars.

  “Clear skies,” he muttered, rubbing a sore knee. “Means nothing’s coming. Hopefully.”

  Just behind him, the massive ice snake lay curled like a statue, unmoving. Its eyes were glassy, unfocused. Every so often, a gust would drift past it, but the snake didn’t even flinch.

  It hadn’t moved since Adam had… done something to it.

  Bao had seen plenty of beasts, but nothing like that. One moment, the snake was bearing down on him, eyes shining with cold hunger—and the next, it just… stopped. Forgot how to strike. Forgot how to move. Like its brain had been scooped out and left behind.

  Adam had said it would stay like that, that it had forgotten how to move. Old Bao didn’t understand what that meant exactly, but the confidence in the boy’s voice had been strange… too calm. Still, no beasts dared approach. The snake’s presence served like a natural ward. Even the bugs didn’t crawl too close.

  He rubbed his hands together and looked up at the sky. The stars were out, faint but clear.

  It had been a few hours since the fight. He’d heard it all—the crashing, the bursts of light—but it had gone quiet again. Peaceful.

  He shifted on the rock, back aching a little from sitting too long.

  “Should’ve brought a blanket,” he muttered to himself.

  He didn’t know how long he’d be waiting. Adam had said he’d come back, and that was enough.

  Old Bao leaned back slightly, watching the treetops sway with the breeze. The night didn’t feel threatening anymore. Just still.

  He let out a small sigh.

  “Hope it’s soon,” he said softly, then went quiet again.

  The mantis lay still, its shattered body steaming beneath layers of frost and scorched chitin.

  Adam dusted his hands off and stepped forward.

  “I’m Adam,” he said casually, extending a hand toward Mei Lan. “Nice fighting with you.”

  She blinked. Then blinked again.

  He noticed everyone else staring, eyebrows raised, postures stiff.

  No one moved.

  “…What?” Adam asked, hand still outstretched.

  Bo Jin finally leaned closer and whispered, “We bow when we greet. Handshakes are… foreign.”

  A pause. Then Shen Xinyi narrowed her eyes.

  “You’re not from the sect, are you?”

  Adam chuckled awkwardly and lowered his hand. “Well… not exactly.”

  Red yawned beside him and flicked its tail.

  “Otherworlder,” Lian Hua said slowly. “You’re an otherworlder.”

  The word hung in the air like a spell.

  Otherworlder.

  Mei Lan’s gaze sharpened on the clothes Adam was wearing. “You really are one… we’re lucky.”

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  “Lucky?” Adam raised an eyebrow.

  Bo Jin nodded solemnly. “Otherworlders are rare. Some say only one or two ever appear in a generation. They always come with strange customs, stronger potential, or... knowledge that even elders can’t explain.”

  Shen Xinyi crossed her arms. “They’re either monsters in disguise or legends in the making.”

  “And you just casually shook hands,” Lian Hua added with a smirk. “Definitely not from around here.”

  Adam gave a small grin. “Well, I wasn’t exactly given a guidebook on customs when I got here.”

  The group exchanged looks, the tension from the battle slowly melting into something else—curiosity, maybe even a little awe.

  Bo Jin stepped forward, his eyes briefly flicking to Adam's arm where the sword was fused into his flesh. He gave a respectful bow, his tone both welcoming and lighthearted. “Then allow me to formally welcome you to this world. Though, seeing that sword there,” he nodded toward Adam's arm, “I’m not sure if your stay could be more cursed than what you’re already experiencing.”

  Adam scratched his head giving an awkward chuckle.

  Adam glanced toward the direction he’d come from—toward the thick forest, the winding trails, and the beast-infested terrain, the cave he was in.

  “I don’t mean to kill the mood,” he said, “but I’d like to get off this island.”

  Bo Jin’s expression sobered. “That... is a very reasonable request.”

  Zhou Ren nodded “Then let's head back to the ship”

  Adam gave a small nod but didn’t turn just yet. “Before we go, I need to pick up a few things from the caves I’ve been staying in…and an old man asked me to help you all after I saved him from an ice snake just a few minutes before.”

  The disciples exchanged glances, realization dawning across their faces.

  “Old Bao? Right... we almost forgot he was here,” one of them muttered with a hint of guilt.

  They followed Adam back through the overgrown paths. Near the massive, coiled body of the snake beast, Old Bao sat resting against a rock, humming a tune only he seemed to know. His eyes lit up when he saw the cultivators approaching.

  After checking on the old man, the group continued toward the shoreline, making their way to the ship’s safe zone. But Adam and Bo Jin broke off briefly, heading for the cave.

  Inside, the air was cool and still. Bo Jin stepped in, eyes scanning the walls before landing on the large glowing object resting near Adam’s supplies.

  “That’s... a grade 2 spirit crystal,” Bo Jin said, walking up to it. “A light-attribute one at that. Rare stuff.”

  Adam tilted his head. “Why is it rare?”

  Bo Jin crouched beside it, running a hand just above the surface. “Harvesting ambient Qi from the elements isn’t easy. You either need to be in a place overflowing with that element... or use something like this.”

  “Spirit crystals?” Adam asked.

  Bo Jin nodded. “Exactly. They’re found in areas where elemental Qi has been thick for centuries. Over time, the energy condenses into crystals like this one. They replenish slowly—sometimes over decades. The more specialized the element, the harder they are to come by.”

  He glanced at Adam. “Common ones—like fire, water, or earth—are easier to locate. But light and darkness? Those are extremely rare. The demand is high, and they fetch a heavy price in the right circles.”

  Adam looked down at the crystal in his hands, its glow casting soft light across his face. “Good to know,” he said quietly. “Let’s take it with us.”

  Adam looked down at the crystal in his hands. “That was powering an illusion barrier formation for this island,” he said.

  Bo Jin raised a brow, clearly impressed. “No wonder no one’s mapped this place properly. A light-attribute crystal sustaining a concealment formation… That’s not something you just stumble on.”

  He gave Adam a thoughtful glance. “Whoever set that up knew what they were doing. And now you’ve got the core of it in your hands. Someone in the expedition team would pay handsomely for this.”

  Bo Jin crouched beside the glowing chunk of light spirit crystal, examining it one last time before standing. “You sure you want to carry this out in the open?”

  Adam raised a brow. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  Bo Jin chuckled dryly and pulled out a sleek silver ring. “Because that thing is worth more than most people make in five years. Someone’s going to notice—and not everyone plays fair.”

  He tapped the crystal with two fingers, and in a flash of light, the large chunk vanished into his space ring. “Better I hold onto it. Safer that way.”

  Adam narrowed his eyes. “And I’m just supposed to trust you?”

  “You already did when you walked me into your cave,” Bo Jin said, brushing his hands off. “But fine, let’s make it official.”

  He turned to face Adam directly. “You’re an outsider. That means anyone who sees you with something valuable will either try to steal it or scam you into selling it for a fraction of its worth. I’ll find the right buyer for you—someone from the sect who won’t play games.”

  Adam crossed his arms. “And in return?”

  Bo Jin grinned faintly. “Thirty percent. For transport, negotiation, and keeping your glowing prize from getting stolen.”

  Adam let out a low breath through his nose. “You drive a hard bargain.”

  “I drive a fair one,” Bo Jin said, holding out a hand.

  After a moment’s hesitation, Adam clasped it. “Fine. But if you vanish with it, I’ll find you.”

  Bo Jin’s grin didn’t fade. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

  The trip back to the ship was quiet. The only sounds were the rustle of leaves underfoot and the faint crackle of distant beasts echoing from the jungle depths. Adam walked beside Bo Jin, his pack heavier with memories and glowing crystals.

  As they emerged from the treeline, the ship’s silhouette stood like a guardian in the clearing—its hull lined with intricate formations that shimmered faintly under the setting sun. Around it, the temporary camp buzzed with low voices and scattered figures. Some were resting, others were nursing wounds. A few paced near the fire, glancing toward the forest edge with tight jaws and strained eyes.

  Bo Jin waved toward a few familiar faces as they approached. Adam followed him in silence.

  Then, a sudden yell cut through the quiet.

  “No! No, wake up! Please, wake up!”

  Everyone turned.

  A young disciple stumbled into the clearing, dragging a limp, bloodied body across the grass. His robes were torn, caked with dirt and blood, his face streaked with tears. The man he carried—older, broader, and clearly dead—was cradled like a fallen hero.

  “I-I brought him back—I fixed the wound, I stopped the bleeding—just give him a pill! Give him something!”

  A senior disciple rushed forward, knelt down, and checked the pulse with practiced fingers. After a few seconds, his expression hardened. He looked up and shook his head.

  “He’s gone.”

  “No! He’s not—he’s just—he just needs rest—he—he—” the younger disciple choked, his voice breaking as he clutched his brother’s body tighter. “He promised me... he promised we’d leave together.”

  A few others lowered their heads. No one said anything.

  The wind rustled through the clearing, carrying the scent of smoke and steel. Somewhere behind them, another team returned, bloodied and limping, eyes hollow.

  Adam stood at the edge of it all, watching the boy cry into his brother’s shoulder. The weight of the island pressed down harder than before.

  Bo Jin sighed beside him. “This place takes its toll on all of us... even the lucky ones.”

  The air was thick with silence as the final group returned to the campsite. The Foundation Establishment elder stood near the ship, arms crossed, his gaze sweeping over the assembled disciples with sharp calculation.

  “Now that everyone’s returned…” His eyes narrowed as he took in the group Bo Jin stood with—every one of them alive. “Survived the island, did you?”

  There was a flicker of annoyance in his tone. Displeasure, even.

  His gaze stopped on Adam.

  “Who is he?”

  Before Adam could speak, Bo Jin stepped forward. “A survivor we found during the expedition, Elder.”

  “A cultivator who aided us during a fight,” Lian Hua added quickly, her voice calm and composed.

  “He defended me ,” Mei Lan chimed in.

  Zhou Ren gave a low grunt. “If not for him, Mei Lan and I might not be standing here.”

  “He’s not from around here,” Shen Xinyi added, “but he’s earned his place.”

  The elder’s eyes narrowed further, sweeping over each of them. But whatever question lingered on his tongue, he swallowed it. With a quiet scoff, he turned his back.

  “Hmph. Whatever. We depart for the sect now.”

  As the elder moved toward the ship, the six disciples subtly clustered near Adam. Bo Jin leaned in and whispered just loud enough for only him to hear.

  “That’s us repaying the favor.”

  Lian Hua gave him a faint smile. “We’re even now.”

  Zhou Ren clapped a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Welcome to our mess.”

  The others nodded silently before turning to follow the elder toward the ship.