Chapter 5
3229words
While Xin melancholically admired the view, the young adepts, trembling with fear and intense curiosity, followed their senior brother through the order, whispering among themselves about what this man had done to their junior. Xinyue Xiaoyin was known not to be the most virtuous or pious cultivator, and therefore every action of his was judged and misinterpreted.
The junior adepts had heard about all the sordid deeds of this half-cultivator. When he went into long meditation, the entire order sighed with relief. It seemed that his very presence caused discomfort and animosity. And knowing that he was one of the "most respected" disciples, no one besides Elder Tang Li could influence him. His detached and calm behavior inexplicably troubled the younger disciples, as though a bird was fluttering in a cage, frightened by a creeping snake. It foreshadowed yet another deadly storm.
After descending from the bridge, the adepts slipped into a grove and walked deeper along a stone path. Through the trees, a large residence could be seen, with smaller annexes attached to the main building, and beyond them, small single houses were scattered on the slope. The adepts led Xin further into the forest, almost to the other side of the mountain, before finally stopping at a dilapidated hut covered with moss and last year's leaves.
- Rui lives here. - one of the adepts said.
The weak lights barely illuminated the path, and here, they barely lit the trail, but thanks to the cultivator's abilities, Xin was able to discern the nervous faces of the adepts. The hands of the second one standing nearby were shaking so much that to hide it, he clenched the blue sleeves of his apprentice robes. Xin no longer needed the company. He would find the way to the bridge himself; there, an unwanted private conversation with the head of the order awaited him.
-You're dismissed. - Xin replied sharply. He wrinkled his nose, turned, and kicked open the unlatched door.
The adepts jumped in surprise, shrugged, and ran to their posts, silently praying that they hadn't angered this lunatic. Until dawn, they whispered to each other the stories they had heard about Xinyue Xiaoyin, each time growing more amazed at the actions of this snake.
Xin entered the rather cramped hut and immediately assessed it: the furniture consisted of a wardrobe with a creaky door, a small table, a bed, and a desk with a candle and a stack of light talismans, like those used by Bao Lai and Mo-Lin Hua-Cha on their way here. Despite the catastrophically few belongings, the room looked dismal and neglected.
In fact, the boy was quite fortunate to already have his own little hut, but it was clear he had no idea how to keep his living space clean. It wasn't so much about the condition of the things as it was about how one maintained the space in which they lived: the bedside table hadn't been dusted once, and books were scattered about with crumpled pieces of paper, writing utensils, strange scrolls, and little pouches lying on the floor.
Carefully stepping through the mess, Xin placed the boy on the bed. He looked at Rui, who had closed his eyes and was holding onto the collar of the cultivator’s robes. His face showed a lightness and ease not typical of him when awake. Xin bent down and laid Rui on the bed. Rui, without opening his eyes and still holding onto someone else's clothes, muttered something under his breath. Xin patiently and carefully, without exerting any effort in his new body, uncurled Rui's fists and tucked them under the blanket, pulling it up to his chin and gently smoothing the edges. After a final glance at the peacefully sleeping face, he stepped over the obstacles and left the hut.
Stretching and shaking off the tension, Xin inhaled the fresh, invigorating night air. The day had been quite difficult, continually pushing him into new challenges. And these challenges weren't over yet. Now, he would have to speak with Mo-Lin Hua-Cha, the head of this order.
Walking silently past the huts, Xin reached the bridge, lit by talismans. Now, feeling the qi, he could clearly sense that almost all the man-made structures were filled with it due to the spells placed upon them. For example, along the bridge stood a weak, unremarkable barrier that prevented one from crossing it. For a cultivator, even at the foundational stage, this barrier posed no serious problem but served to prevent absent-minded adepts from falling into the abyss.
At the same place where they had parted earlier, Mo-Lin Hua-Cha was still waiting. The long walk across the bridge had somewhat calmed his restless heart, but a slight irritation surged across Xin's face when he saw the head of the order. Mo-Lin stood, urging Xin forward with his gaze, though he made no step toward him. It had probably been about an hour since they had parted. Did the head really need to speak with him today and right now? When Xin finally approached, Mo-Lin Hua-Cha closed his eyes and said:
- We’ll talk on the way to your master’s peak.
Xin obediently followed him, maintaining the awkward silence. Inside, he was glad that he now had a guide and wouldn't have to wander through the entire order searching for the true residence of Xinyue.
The head of the order seemed preoccupied, hesitant to begin the conversation. Under the weight of his thoughts, he alternated between speeding up and slowing down. Mo-Lin Hua-Cha clasped his hands behind his back, nervously fidgeting with his sleeves. He was clearly anxious and was trying hard to hide it, but something was bothering him so much that his usual composed and noble demeanor was replaced with confusion and concern.
They walked for a while along the peak, until they reached a new bridge. It was illuminated only by the stars, their shimmering reflections rippling on the dark green stonework. On the opposite side rose a high cliff, and it seemed that the bridge led to its base, but the wind rising from the dark depths reminded them that they were already quite high up.
When they reached the middle of the bridge, the head of the order slowed his pace, allowing Xin to catch up and finally broke the silence:
- You’ve been gone for a long time. Have your expectations been fulfilled? Have you been able to improve your cultivation?
Xin paused for a moment, thinking, and then replied:
Such a restrained answer left Mo-Lin Hua-Cha room for thought, it could mean frustration, calm agreement, or something the head knew but Xin had no idea about. In any case, Xin wasn't lying. The system had said that before his transition into Xinyue's body, the latter had been at the final stage of core formation, but now Xin was at the initial stage of spirit birth. And considering Xin's personal progress, he would have been happy to boast about what he had managed to learn.
- That's good... - Mo-Lin responded vaguely. After a moment of silence, he continued the drawn-out conversation. - A lot has changed since you’ve been away. Several peaks were rebuilt during your absence. Additionally, some significant events occurred in the order.
- Cut to the chase, stop dragging it out! - Xin couldn't take it anymore. Mo-Lin Hua-Cha clearly had something important and troubling to say, but he kept beating around the bush like a schoolgirl avoiding confessing her love. This could go on forever and lead nowhere.
The head of the order studied Xinyue’s face. Because he was taller, and nature had given him sharp eyes, a shiver ran down Xin’s spine. Mo-Lin’s gaze darkened suddenly, and he looked away. His throat tightened from the suppressed emotions, and the next words came with great difficulty:
- Your master, Tang Li, died along with all the adepts from the Knowledge Peak when you were in seclusion. My sincere condolences.
That’s why he had been acting like this. It must be hard to deliver news of a master’s and brothers’ death. So many had perished, was there a strong bond between them? Xin didn’t feel anything. He didn’t know those people.
Death was undoubtedly a sad event, but being surprised, confused, crying, and weeping was useless these emotions would be insincere in relation to Xinyue’s true feelings. Mourning every death was foolish, and fearing someone else’s death was pointless, just as fearing one’s own was meaningless. Xin had always believed that fear of death was equivalent to a wasted, thrown-away life. But he had never had anyone who would make him think otherwise. He had no close people whose death would be worse than his own. Xin turned away and started examining the darkness, showing that he no longer wanted to discuss it.
Mo-Lin Hua-Cha had expected a more intense, vivid reaction but was met with silence. Braving a glance at the face of Tang Li’s best disciple, the head of the order saw only a cold mask. Of course... A person like Xin Yue would never show his true emotions to almost anyone. And he had just delivered news of the death of the last person whom he truly trusted. Mo-Lin felt terrible. Such news would likely drain the last of Tang Li’s disciple’s strength, but he had to tell him.
Leading him to the palace at the edge of the cliff, the head mentioned a few final important things and quickly took his leave:
- After Elder Tang Li’s death, the Knowledge Peak has been sealed. And though the barrier to the Wisdom Ladder is weaker, we can only pass it together, but I can’t even get to the top. That’s all for now. I’ll come to check on you later...
As he watched the figure of the head of the order disappear into the darkness, Xin felt a slight sense of attachment. There was a certain care emanating from him. While this wasn’t a tragedy for Xin, if the real Xinyue Xiaoyin had been here, he would have surely appreciated it.
The courtyard the head had led him to ended at a cliff. Pushing open the heavy gates, Xin immediately encountered a golden-red glow that danced across the round stones along the path, casting a bluish light. Before him stood a well-maintained stone platform with something drawn in the center. On the sides, benches sat under sprawling trees, and thick flower bushes bloomed behind them. Ahead, a house with a scaly roof stood, resembling a small palace, decorated with intricate carvings and strange patterns that hinted at fantastical creatures.
Xin walked up to the main entrance and pushed open the door. The glow rushed into the room, scattering its light across the dark space. It paused in the middle of the main hall, inviting him to step inside. Xin hesitantly took a few steps toward it. Immediately, the glowing orb began to hop across the round stones in the room, chasing away even the tiniest shadows. The hall was very spacious, with a high ceiling, but at this moment, it didn’t seem important to focus on. Xin continued down the corridor with the light following him. The red ethereal blob darted around, like a dog wagging its tail after a long separation. Though Xin was hesitant to touch it, he didn’t sense any threat from it.
The building was huge. The first floor contained frequently used rooms and the quarters for junior adepts. The second floor held rooms for cultivators, filled with books, seals, and various ingredients, as well as a reception area for important guests. The third floor contained the elder’s office and his personal quarters. This was where Xin decided to stay. He didn’t know how long the peak had been sealed, but all the rooms were almost in perfect order, not even dust had accumulated.
Exploring the palace slightly tired him. It was interesting to study it, but it was too quiet and empty. The realization that so many students could have lived here troubled him. What could have happened that so many cultivators perished? Was the disaster limited only to the Knowledge Peak?
Today, Xin had learned that there was also a Medicine Peak and a peak for the newcomers. If their purposes were clear, what about the Knowledge Peak?
Tang Li, Xinyue Xiaoyin’s master, kept scrolls and books, or did he engage in investigation and espionage? Or was it a strategic planning point for the order? In any case, being assigned to the Knowledge Peak must have caused many problems. People in any world would fight for information, so the destruction of the elder of the Knowledge Peak would give an advantage to the enemies of the Heavenly Summit. Does that mean that, as the only survivor, Xinyue became the primary target?
Xin Yijie was overcome with emotional exhaustion. If it had been up to him, he would have stayed in seclusion under the mountain. Not wanting to torment himself with heavy thoughts before sleep, he lay down on the large bed, pulled the semi-transparent canopy, and covered himself with a thin blanket. The red ethereal blob flared brightly above a round stone on the table, extinguishing all its lights in the room, and shrank into a small, glowing blue flicker.
Xin tossed and turned in bed, pulling off the blanket one moment and hugging it the next, but he still couldn’t sleep. How could he!? The cultivator’s body, saturated with qi down to the very tips of the hair, still buzzed with power and energy. Apparently, the long journey from one mountain to another over the course of a whole day hadn’t been tiring enough for a cultivator-in-training!
Whenever Xin emotionally burned out, he would either go to sleep or relax by reading books, but now even that wasn’t possible—there was no internet! Xinyue had a strong feeling he would have to endure a long struggle with this new body. Speaking of which, he didn’t even know what this Xinyue looked like.
Deciding to distract himself a little, Xin examined the full-length mirror in the room and approached it. The silver frame, inlaid with stones, felt like an important and expensive item for its owner, and there were still traces of faint qi left on it. The red ethereal blob jumped onto the round stone by the screen, fully illuminating Xin.
In the mirror stood a young cultivator with neat facial features, wide eyebrows, a high forehead, and penetrating eyes. The muted light dimmed the amber irises, casting shadows from his long lashes. The black hair of this cultivator cascaded down his tall, slender figure and slightly tangled at the ends.
Xin didn’t want to admit it, but Xinyue was quite attractive, yet at the same time, he looked untamed, judgmental, and perceptive, thanks to his burning gaze and serious face. Just looking at him, Xin felt a rebellious and untamable nature that couldn’t help but reflect the character of this person. Xin himself didn’t look anything like that. From just his appearance, one could tell he often didn’t eat enough, which made him short and slight for his small frame.
His fingers traced the lines of his face: the eyebrows, nose, cheeks, chin, and then slid down his neck and clavicles. Xin’s ears turned red with embarrassment. His pale skin flushed. Thoughts tangled, and he couldn’t bring himself to say a word. While all rational words fought for the chance to be spoken, he could only whisper:
And what about washing? How could he take off his clothes? He couldn’t look at himself! It was someone else’s body, and he... He just couldn’t stand there and casually examine it!
His hands trembled, and he found it hard to breathe as his face flushed with heat. His gaze involuntarily fell. Everything blurred in his eyes. Out of embarrassment and shame, Xin covered his face with his hands, not allowing himself to look anymore or think any further.
Honestly, it didn’t help. The moment he thought about what he would have to see, his throat dried up, and the heat spread through his body.
The fact that this wasn’t his body really hindered any further investigation. Xin had never touched himself more than necessary; his body didn’t need warmth or affection. Practically, all these things seemed repulsive and dirty. Compared to the beautifully described sentimental and tender love in novels, everything beyond the book's lines was unbearable, immoral, and unethical.
Just think he, a twenty six year old man, was embarrassed about such things! How could he come to terms with being in someone else’s body? It was immoral! He simply wasn’t used to touching other people, not even himself.
Suddenly, Xin boldly removed his hands from his face and, with sparks in his eyes, slid his palm behind his robe’s collar, but immediately jerked back.
- No-no-no! I can’t do this!
Cooling his head, Xin answered his own question: would his body change affect anything? In fact, no. So why the torment? It was perfectly normal to see himself in a new body, naked. He’d have to do it eventually. Moreover, to save energy on such internal conflicts, he would have to accept his new body sooner rather than later.
Pulling off his upper garment, a slim, toned body with a narrow waist was revealed in the mirror. Xin walked his hand across the muscles with a frown and a red face. They weren’t particularly defined, but still impressive. This time, Xin had to admit Xinyue excelled in every aspect. This body was truly beautiful and strong.
Suddenly, shamelessness and curiosity took over. He removed his upper garments, untied his pants’ belt, and, pulling them slightly forward, lowered his gaze. His unseemly behavior made Xin dizzy. It was absurd. How could he live with this now?
The excited sparks in his eyes shattered the indifference to the male body he had tried to conceal. Yes, he was very curious about what this body felt like! With open curiosity, he continued observing it. And of course, Xin naively hoped that Xinyue’s body would be obedient and that no unforeseen situations would arise!
After a good look, Xin wanted to avert his gaze when a drop fell to the floor and shattered into a red puddle. He raised his head, confused. In the mirror, Xin saw the blood from his nose tracing a path to his lips, dripping from his chin and staining his white clothes.
Xin laughed awkwardly. This was the first time he’d had a nosebleed from excitement. Throwing his robe over his shoulders, he found nothing better to do than cover his nose with the sleeve.
K. Ray: Thank you for reading "The Serpent and the Raven"! If you enjoy the novella, please leave a rating and a comment. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I'll respond in the comments or in the next chapter
