Chapter no.41 Zhongli and Jasmine

[ 17 Years Before Present Day ]

[ Immortal Demon Sect - Outer Region ]

The outer region of the Immortal Demon Sect was a place for the outer disciples and rouge cultivators to settle. It was a place of grandeur and mystery, with towering stone structures that seem to scrape the sky. The architecture was a unique one, with intricate carvings and reliefs covering the walls. The buildings were made of large, rough-hewn stone blocks, fitted together with precision and skill. The doorways were tall and narrow, with lintels carved in the shape of snarling beasts and winged creatures. The roofs are flat and made of stone, with wide eaves that offer protection from the sun.

As one walked through the sect, one couldn't help but be impressed by the scale of the structures. The seven monolithic pyramids of pure jade with peaks that reached the sky were places for the talented members of the sect to cultivate in isolation while the temples were all built on a grand scale, with steep steps leading up to the main entrances. The temple was adorned with intricate carvings of the basic cultivation technique of the sect, and had grand courtyards, with fountains and gardens.

One could see that the Immortal Demon sect had great wealth and power as a superpower in the Murim world.

As one moved through the sect, one would see that the streets are wide and well-paved, with stone cobbles set in geometric patterns. The houses were built in the same style as the larger structures, with rough-hewn stone walls and flat roofs. The houses are built closely together, creating a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys. The houses were simple but elegant, with small courtyards and gardens.

But with the prestige of the Immortal Demon Sect came pressure on the younger generation. The talentless were ridiculed, and the powerful were praised as unfathomable pressure to be the best was brought down on everyone when the Immortal Demon Sect declared war on the world. It was considered an honor for a family to die for the sect, creating a much bigger divide between the talentless and the talented for a young Zhongli this pressure was a kind of motivation to become a part of the illustrious inner core but the death of his brother destroyed Zhongli sending him down a spiral from which he couldn't recover as the pressure from his peers and his family became too much.

" Stop it! Please, he is your son."

In the living room of the house, Zhongli's mother glared at her husband as she wrapped her arms around her baby.

" Do you think I want to call this talentless trash my son ?!" Chen Mong shouted before clicking his teeth and leaving.

Chen Li sighed as she looked at her son. Even at such a young age, she could see that the brightness he had in his eyes was gone, the child who couldn't seem like he could stop moving now have off this lethargic feeling as if he had given up after his brother's death.

The grief of Chen Long's death truly affected this home for the worst as the father wanted to push his younger son to become someone who could be better than his brother while the younger Zhongli had essentially given up. He just wanted everything to shut up and leave him. He wanted freedom from this cage.

...

The night was dark and quiet, with only the sound of crickets chirping in the background. The twin moons shone brightly through the window, casting a soft glow in the room of Zhongli's late brother. Zhongli had sneaked into the room with a chest in his hand which was a secret that his brother and he had kept.

As he opened the chest, he was greeted with a variety of items, each one more fascinating than the next. There were intricate carvings on the wooden box, and the smell of sandalwood filled the air. Zhongli carefully picked up each item, examining it closely. He wished that his brother was here with him, his brother was someone who in his father's words liked to collect junk but this junk was all he had of him.

Just as he picked up a broken disk-like artifact, he pricked his finger, dropping a few drops of blood on the artifact. As the blood touched the artifact, an ethereal light began to flow from it, enveloping Zhongli in a warm glow. He felt a strange sensation wash over him, and before he knew it, he was teleported away to an unknown location.

" Zhongli, baby; can you please talk to me ?" Chen Li exclaimed as she knocked on the door with a bowl of Zhongli's favorite dumplings in hand.

As the minutes passed, she felt like something was wrong. Zhongli was never to ignore her request, even with this new change to their lives; the mother and son's connection never broke. She was his protector and why he hadn't given up on life and he was the reason she stayed with Chen Mong, the man that she once loved that was now the reason her life wept. To any mother, her son is her life and Chen Li wasn't any different.

Suddenly Chen Li opened the door, only to find that Zhongli was gone and the chest was empty.

" Weird, if he isn't here then where could he be ?" Chen Li wondered as she began to wander the house, not knowing that this night was the last, she will ever see her son again.

.....

[ Chen Dynasty - Fuzhou ]

The sun began to set on the horizon. The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, casting a warm glow over the city below. A closer look, reveals the intricate details of the city's architecture. Tall pagodas rise into the sky, their wooden beams and tiled roofs glinting in the light. The streets were lined with shops and vendors selling everything from silk fabrics to exotic spices. The people of the city bustled about, dressed in brightly colored robes, their faces etched with the lines of a hardworking life.

Moving through the city, one would come across a grand palace, its walls adorned with intricate carvings and gold leaf. The gate stood open, revealing a courtyard filled with lush gardens and fountains. Servants could be seen moving about the palace, their faces downcast as they go about their duties. Moving closer to the palace, one could see a figure sitting on the throne, his face obscured by a veil of smoke from the incense burning at his feet.

Moving through the city's bustling markets, where merchants haggled over prices and people crowded around food stands, their mouths watering at the delicious smells wafting through the air. It passed by a temple, where people kneel in prayer and the sound of a monk's chant can be heard in the background as they prayed to the Guardian of the Forest; the one-eyed soul elk.

As the sun sets and the sky darkened, the city came alive with lanterns and torches, casting a warm light over the streets.

Jasmine walked through the streets of Fuzhou city, her beautiful curly black hair blowing in the wind. Her amber eyes scanned the bustling crowds, searching for something that would catch her attention. And that's when she saw it, a sudden flash of light in an alleyway that caught her eye like a beacon.

With a smile that dared for adventure, Jasmine ventured down the alley, her heart pounding with excitement.

The light seemed to grow brighter as she got closer, illuminating the narrow passage with a warm glow. And as she reached the end of the alley, she saw the source of the light: a small shop nestled between two tall buildings. The sign above the door was written in Kanji, but Jasmine could make out the characters for "antique" and "treasure."

With a sense of curiosity, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. The shop was small but filled with a dazzling array of ancient artifacts and trinkets. Jasmine's eyes roamed over the displays, taking in the intricate carvings on a jade Buddha, the patina on an old bronze vase, and the delicate workmanship on a porcelain figurine. But it was the display case in the corner that caught her attention. Inside it was a beautiful jade disk, with an intricate array carved into it.

She reached out to touch the disk, and as soon as her fingers touched the cool surface of the jade, she felt a tingling sensation in her fingertips. It was as if the figurine was calling out to her, drawing her in with an irresistible pull.

The shopkeeper, an old man with a kind face, noticed her interest and exclaimed.

" You know, that disk is also known as the emperor's call, it was found in an ancient tomb of a deity even stronger than the soul elk, they say whoever has it, has the power to summon their destined one towards them."

" How much ?"

" Ten silver coins."

Jasmine felt a sting in her heart at the price but she was fascinated by the story and the power that the figurine seemed to possess.

As she left the shop, Jasmine couldn't help but feel like the effect of the disk had seemingly diminished.

She turned around to ask the kind old man but the door to the shop was closed.

Jasmine didn't know why but she felt like she was scammed. Ignoring her weird feeling, Jasmine happily ran off towards the city, not knowing this was the night she would meet a special person.

...

[ Zhongli's POV ]

I felt a strange sensation wash over me. It was as if my body was being pulled in a million different directions at once. I closed my eyes, trying to steady myself, but it was no use. The next thing I knew, I was falling.

I opened my eyes to find myself inside a garbage can. The stench was overwhelming, and I could feel the garbage squishing between my fingers as I tried to push myself out. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I had teleported, and I had ended up in the middle of a pile of trash.

I pulled myself out of the can, my clothes and hair covered in garbage. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was. The backstreet was still there, but it looked different somehow. The buildings were smaller, and the streets were smaller.

I looked down at my hands, still trying to process what had just happened. Did my brother leave behind some kind of artifact for me to escape from that hell?

Could I use that artifact?

Should I visualize or something?

I closed my eyes and concentrated, thinking about the present. But nothing happened. I opened my eyes, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

I was free!

I was Free!

As Zhongli stood on the backstreet, covered in garbage and trying to make sense of what had just happened, he suddenly heard a voice calling out to him. He turned around to see a young woman standing in front of him, her eyes wide with surprise and confusion.

"You're a weird god," she exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like this before. What kind of god are you?"

Zhongli was taken aback. He had no idea what she was talking about. He had never considered himself a god before, and the idea was both intriguing and unsettling.

"I'm not a god," he stammered. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

The woman, who introduced herself as Jasmine, was not convinced. She explained the old man's legend as she showed him the jade disk.

" You know I never heard of a god who appeared in the form of a pile of garbage."

" Look, lady."

" ( ~ Gasp ~ ) "

" What ?"

" Do I look that old to you ?"

" No, you look quite young."

" Awe, thank you; you're making me blush, just call me Jasmine."

Zhongli blinked as he stared at the strange woman in front of him.

" Jasmine, this " Emperor's call " is just a normal jade with a design carved into it."

" What ?! That old man tricked me."

Jasmine shouted before suddenly storming off leaving behind a confused Zhongli who looked left and right.

" What just happened?"

Suddenly Jasmine stormed back towards Zhongli and grabbed him by his collar.

" You're going to help me get my money back."

" What ?"