Dreamers wander on their tired feet and rejoice at the sight of their beloved dreams, for they are filled with secrets whispered in the wind and stories that have yet to happen, songs of love for nameless countries, and the faces of people they have forgotten long ago.
I dreamed of a beautiful half-finished melody waiting for my input under the light of the purple moon on an autumn night.
The first verse was about a fire that devoured with an endless desire not for satiation, but sinful indulgence.
The whimsical second verse was written in five different languages and narrated the adventures of the southern wind traversing the eastern lands.
The third verse almost tore the music sheet apart with its violent nature, refusing to stay contained inside a mere piece of paper.
The fourth verse was blank, and it was perhaps the most complex of all the verses.
The fifth verse was still writing itself with wet ink, filling the song with new life.
The sixth verse about a fire that...
The song repeated itself over and over as I sat there in silence that wasn't silent. Only then did I realize that I didn't understand what silence was supposed to be.
If silence meant being quiet, avoiding movement, or putting a stop to my voice, what kind of silence should one expect to find in this world that has always been in motion since its birth from dust? Would death be silent or would I hear its steps as it approached me one last time?
Even when I couldn't hear the song anymore, my heart kept loudly beating inside my chest, and my lungs were busy inhaling and exhaling at a leisurely pace. I could hear the rustle of the dry leaves dancing to the rhythm of the wind and the laughter of the mischievous moon.
-"Now, go away. You are too loud. I want silence."-
To think it has taken me this long to finally achieve a moderate understanding of Master Ophis' first lesson.
Existence can't be silent. Everything is in motion; everything is either filled with life or connected to it in a way that only someone as wise as the apex of infinity could hope to comprehend.
All is one and one is all.
In order to fully integrate the element of void into my personal cultivation technique rather than merely using it as a crutch to nourish my still nascent Aureous Core, I must separate myself from the world. I am a Daoist, not one of those Buddhists who are usually scheming for world domination behind the scenes even when that makes no sense due to their beliefs, I must surpass the concept of karmic retribution and become nothing.
The first thing I noticed upon waking up was that I could feel the life energy of every single living creature in the surroundings and the weight of the fate they carried. The severe concussion my opponent gave me during our match must have been the key to this breakthrough.
And despite achieving enlightenment in a way that was usually reserved for MCs, I can't help but feel deeply disappointed.
"Nya ~ Feeling better?" Kuroka's teasing tone felt a bit forced as her yellow eyes carefully inspected my body.
"I believe that I have just gained a lot of insights from a fever dream."
"Of course you did." She sighs, not doubting my claim for even a second. "Why are you looking so miserable then?"
"This Young Master was hoping to wake up with my head resting on my Dao Companion's soft lap." Instead, I woke up on a comfy bed like a plebeian when there was a beautiful fairy in the room. A mere breakthrough isn't enough compensation for this tragedy.
"I did molest you while you were sleeping to help you recover with my life force, if that makes you feel better."
As a matter of fact, that does make me feel better.
"I know that I was promised a song of love once I won this tournament, but I can't help but yearn for a gesture filled with tender affection from my dear Dao Companion "
Kuroka just smiles and playfully pinches my cheeks... the lower ones.
Uh, that actually hurt a little. She must still be angry about the prize thing.
"I guess that I could rock your world as a pity prize instead ~ Nya."
"Tempting, I do love receiving pity when it benefits me. Alas, I would rather aim for the big prize when it comes to you. Anything less than a genuine love confession won't cut it." Everyone knows that sleeping with the femme fatale female lead before earning her heart is asking for trouble in the long run.
As expected, Kuroka merely rolls her eyes in response. It says quite a lot about her that she would rather have me fuck every single one of her holes than let me kiss her. If I weren't aware of my peerless good looks, I would feel insulted.
"Sure, I'll make sure to give you a big, nice kiss on the cheek before that private concert I'm legally obligated to give you for somehow defeating the Longinus user in the finals and-" She pauses, realization suddenly dawning upon her. "Wait! I'm joking; that was a sarcastic joke, not a challenge. And I don't care thatYasaka promised you I would do if you managed to win this tournament, I don't work for her, so forget it. I couldn't give less of a shit about this glorified dick-measuring contest, so don't get stupid ideas. Your regular ideas are already bad enough for my blood pressure."
The Phenex Clan always ensured that all their favorite employees received proper medical coverage, so I know for a fact that her blood pressure is as healthy as it could be.
Despite hearing such a baseless lie, I can't help but smile at this moment.
"Kuroka, thanks." Just that word felt both lacking and perfect at the same time.
These are my honest feelings, which surprise me a little. Our usual flirty banter aside, I didn't expect to end up liking Kuroka as much as I did when I first met her.
This Young Master has a great taste in women. That or I'm thinking with my dick again, which may be case since I'm planning on fighting an MC.
"For acting as your common sense? You can pay back later with a few kitties and some tuna."
I shake my head since she seemed to have misunderstood my gratitude.
"For worrying about me."
I quickly leave the room using my personal form of Qinggong. One can only be so forward with their flirting before becoming a creep, and I'm sure that the nekoshou will appreciate having some time to process my words at her own pace.
Dealing with female leads like her requires patience.
.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.
A few minutes after leaving the hotel in an extremely magnificent manner, the realization that I had nothing to do hit me like a carriage drawn by nine barbaric green thunder dragons from the weakest region of the weakest empire.
Going back to the hotel right now would be the same as losing face, something that a proper Young Master should try to avoid at almost any cost whenever his life isn't in any danger. So, I started wandering aimlessly through those streets teeming with people who kept throwing quick glances filled with hostility and thin-veiled hatred at my gallant self. Giving the literal middle finger after my last match may have been a poor idea, but, in my defense, my still concussed brain didn't particularly care a lot about what those lesser mortals incapable of seeing Mount Tai thought about me.
The lycanthropes in the city appear to have taken a liking to me after beating the shit out of that shaman a few days ago, though. They are very sensible individuals with working eyes.
"Hey, nice to see you here. Does your head still hurt?" A familiar voice calls me as I'm taking a selfie with a cute-looking wolf girl.
Bikou was standing there, laughing at his own jest with an infuriating smile plastered on his face. The cast on his arm and the bandages covering his body didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.
Serves his regeneration-less ass right!
"It seems that there is some fate between us even now, my fellow Daoist," I magnanimously offer him a handshake.
He looks at the cast on his arm and then at me.
"Fine, I walked straight into that one." The inferior Young Master chuckles. "Anyways, that was a nice fight; we should try it again at a later date."
The proper and honorable thing to do right now would be to give some face to my defeated opponent and offer a credible excuse to stay away from Bikou and his masochist tendencies, but since I am fortunately an arrogant, dastardly Young Master, it is perfectly reasonable for me to sneer at his foolish words in disgust.
"What was nice about having cracks in my skull or suffering second-degree burns?"
"It is our duty as Young Supremes to brag about our martial prowess by putting ourselves in combat-related situations where only our strength and cunning can help us. By fighting a fellow Young Supreme, not only can we accomplish that without risking our lives, but we are bound to gain invaluable experience," Bikou nods sagely.
Funny enough, despite it being a blatant manipulation attempt, it is hard to argue against that logic.
"Your insights definitely have some merits." This admission is physically painful. "It would be extremely beneficial for my Junior Brother's development to exchange pointers with someone besides me and the Sword Sovereign."
The point of recruiting an MC like Gasper is to throw him under the bus when the situation requires a scapegoat. The kid should be grateful that I'm giving him a Young Master for him to bully.
"Sword Sovereign?" The monkey tilts his head.
"A hidden expert who probably could punch dragon kings into submission."
I am pretty sure that Elder Strada actually did that in the past if those rumors about the Dragon King Tannin getting drunk with wine in Italy a few decades ago hold some truth in them.
Bikou's eyes began to gleam with childlike wonder, which worries me a little since the guy is probably one of those disgusting battle-junkies.
"The more I speak to you, the more I like you." He leans a bit closer to me. "Psst, I really shouldn't be telling you this, but I happen to know your next opponent. You should consider withdrawing, the guy is—"
"The Longinus user," I finish the sentence for him.
"Did someone tell you? I only know this because he trained with my ancestor for a few months."
Is this a another joke? Surely a Young Master like him should know the answer before even asking.
"He is handsome, Chinese, talented, from the objectively weakest race, and doesn't have loving parents." I roll my eyes. "It is obvious that he is an MC."
"I... I'm not following."
He can't be serious!
This isn't a case of having eyes and not seeing Mount Tai anymore. This is the equivalent of having Mount Tai falling upon his head only for him to fail to notice a thing. No Young Master can be this stupid.
"He is a human MC with a revenge boner against his parents' killers, who are the devils or some other non-human faction. Needless to say, the spear he carries around must be powerful relic from an ancient venerable immortal. And the weapon that fits that description the best is the Longinus." I snort in derision. "Not that it matters since a cultivator above good and evil like me should easily get around that future genocider's advantage. I will fight and win with ease."
Bikou doesn't reply immediately. Instead, he stares at me for a whole fifteen seconds before slowly opening his mouth.
"If you survive this shit, I'm declaring you my sworn brother." He pats my shoulder in a show of camaraderie. "Now, I need some time to process all the...wisdom that you imparted to me. Good luck in your fight."
Without another word, the monkey walked away and got lost in the crowd, the sound of his steps muffled by some moron's uncontrolled laughter.
That went well, I suppose.
Now , should I attempt to poison my opponent before my match?