Stone Village, Beneath the Willow Tree
Shi Yi's inner thoughts had no audience, his silent grievances has no outlet. Unlike Shi Hao, who find joy in hardship, Shi Yi wasn't that Shi Yi. He was a soul from a blue planet, bearing the same name and face but not the same soul.
In his past life, he perished. Reborn as this world's Shi Yi, he basked in wealth and privilege until age six, when memories of his former life awoke. Perhaps the two were always one—parallel versions of the same soul across different timelines, universes, and histories. Otherwise, how could a born saint with double pupils be overtaken by an outsider? Only he could undo himself.
The next day, Shi Yi brushed off Hǔ Niū, Aunt Hǔ daughter, and made his way alone to the base of Liu Shen's willow tree. He had few virtues, but shamelessness was one. Whether he had a purpose or not, he'd cozy up to his "big thigh," chatting about mundane things to build rapport.
Today, strangely, Liu Shen spoke first, before he could open his mouth. It felt like chasing a goddess for a thousand days and finally earning her favor. Not that Shi Yi was a simp—his actions might resemble one, but his core was different. He wouldn't forsake an entire forest for a single tree.
"Shi Yi, do you know why your Kirin Treasure Technique is incomplete?" Liu Shen's voice was calm, laced with a hint of warmth—not for Shi Yi, but a reflection of her good mood.
Moments earlier, she'd sensed her vitality stirring, slowly reviving. Though long teetering on the edge of death, today her essence fully awakened. Endless Life—her unique ability—had preserved a sliver of her origin from the betrayal's. From this day, her power would surge geometrically. Given enough time, perhaps ten thousand years, she could reclaim her Immortal King realm. Only by entering the Primordial Gate and seeking opportunities in the Boundary Sea could she hasten that to within ten thousand years.
What was the Immortal King realm? A single drop of blood could endure epochs, a snap of fingers could shatter a domain, and their mere name could obscure the heavens, sensed by those who spoke it. Unless eroded by equal or greater forces, Immortal Kings were eternal—body indestructible, spirit everlasting.
The Primordial Gate? A portal born with chaos before the heavens split, leading to the Boundary Sea—a vast expanse of countless worlds and universes. Within lay boundless opportunities, coveted even by Immortal Kings, though none knew the darkness lurking at its end.
The Boundary Sea? Known by many names across worlds—Endless Chaos Sea, Infinite Multiverse—here, it was simply the Boundary Sea.
"Because the Qilin true blood I used for my baptism was incomplete?" Shi Yi scratched his head, puzzled. He'd assumed the technique's flaws stemmed from flawed true blood.
"No. Your Qilin Treasure Technique is incomplete because your double pupils only perceived the Qilin Step. It's not the true blood's fault—it's because that fire Qilin's bloodline was impure," Liu Shen explained. "True Qilins are among the Ten Ferocious beast. Shi Yi, beyond archaic beasts, purebloods lie, and above them, the Archaic Vicious Ten. Each Ten Vicious race, when mature, wields power to sunder the heavens and the earth."
Her words broadened Shi Yi's horizons, unveiling secrets unknown to the Lower Realm's eight domains. In the Great Wilderness, beasts were ranked: wild beasts, wild variants, archaic species, and pureblood beasts, each tier crushing the one below. But in the Upper Realm, above pureblood beasts were archaic beasts, and above them, the pureblood Ten Ferocious—a hierarchy bound by insurmountable bloodline barriers.
Archaic beasts and archaic species were essentially the same: hybrid descendants of pureblood Ten Vicious or pureblood beasts. To clarify: pureblood Ten outranked archaic beasts, their mixed-blood progeny. Pureblood beasts surpassed archaic species, their own hybrids. Wild variants outclassed wild beasts, their lesser kin.
Notably, pureblood Ten Vicious, pureblood beasts, and wild variants shared no bloodline connection. A wild beast could never evolve into an Archaic Vicious Ten, at best it can awakening as a wild variant. Archaic species couldn't become Archaic Vicious Ten either. This world had no tales of carp leaping to dragons—strength was strength, weakness was weakness. An ant was fated to remain an ant.
Save for that one woman in later ages, who defied the heavens as a mortal. She was the sole exception in history.
"I understand, Liu Shen. That fire qilin wasn't just a pureblood—it was an archaic beast, a hybrid of the Ten Ferocious. But in its true blood memories, it believed its Qilin Treasure Technique was complete!" Shi Yi said, confused.
"Have you considered that it didn't know what a complete Qilin Treasure Technique looked like? It assumed its inherited technique was whole. Did you ever see it use anything beyond Qilin Step in its true blood memories?" Liu Shen asked, her voice steady.
"No, I didn't," Shi Yi admitted, shaking his head. During his baptism three years ago, the fire kirin's true blood memories showed no techniques beyond Kirin Step.
"The complete Qilin Treasure Technique comprises four arts: Qilin Step, Qilin Fist, Qilin Foot, and Qilin Pattern. What you have is merely a fragment of Qilin Step," Liu Shen said.
"You know the Qilin Treasure Technique, Liu Shen?" Shi Yi asked, eyes brightening.
"The Vicious Ten techniques? I know a bit," she replied lightly.
"Liu Shen, forget the other Ten Ferocious techniques for now—can you tell me more about the Qilin Treasure Technique?" Shi Yi's gaze was eager, almost pleading.
Unbeknownst to others, Shi Yi had a touch of obsession. Though a quarter of the Qilin Treasure Technique—Qilin Step—was formidable, its incompleteness gnawed at him, leaving a lingering regret.
Liu Shen fell silent, and Shi Yi's hope dimmed. Just as disappointment set in, her voice echoed in his mind, offering a brief overview of the Kirin Treasure Technique.
"Qilin Step, also called Qilin Nine Steps, grows stronger with each step. The Ninth steps could shatter the Great Wilderness. With your current strength, two steps are your limit.
Qilin Fist unleashes a blood-soaked punch, overturning heaven and earth, its gusts tearing the sky.
Qilin Foot grants unmatched speed, covering ten thousand miles in an instant, uncatchable to any pursuer.
Qilin Pattern forms an indestructible body, impervious to all techniques, granting innate invincibility."
She paused, noting Shi Yi's eager expression. "You can't expect me to teach you the full Qilin Treasure Technique. I've only outlined its essence. To obtain the complete technique, you must seek it from a pureblood of the Ten Vicious Qilin."
Sensing his restlessness, she added, "Don't ask me where to find one. If fate aligns, you'll encounter a true pureblood Qilin in time."
With fate, there's a chance. Without it, there's none. Liu Shen's words were final, and Shi Yi knew better than to press further. To do so would sour their bond, turning rapport into annoyance.
"Liu Shen, could you briefly manifest your human form?" Shi Yi pivoted, trying a new tack.
"Give me a reason!" Liu Shen's reply was curt, each word precious.
"You've been so kind—guiding me with the Primordial True Explanation, sharing Upper Realm secrets. I, Shi Yi, am not ungrateful. I've always wanted a chance to properly thank you," he said, unabashed, bowing deeply as if rehearsing a marital vow.
"Your heart is enough," Liu Shen said, her voice now carrying a trace of warmth meant solely for him.
As she'd said, she needed no offerings or thanks. The tributes Stone Village faithfully provided held no value to her, but their sincerity touched her. Shi Yi was the same. She guided him, taught him, and shared secrets not out of obligation, but because she found him intriguing and likable.
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