"The Immortal Beasts of the Mountainous Sphere were sent by Xu Lan. This means that she is likely the one put in charge of finding you, Jin Huang." Lu Chen said, somber-faced.
"She is a Lesser God of a lower sphere, but she is still a God of Heaven, nonetheless. However, after that last battle, something shifted in the atmosphere here." Lu Chen looked over to Cho Yanshi.
She took a breath before saying, "I cannot be sure, but I sensed something right after... Han Jianyu... performed that last sword attack."
As she said his name, Cho Yanshi glanced over at the sleeping Han Jianyu.
"It wasn't just Albion. It felt like a change in the entire Realm. On more than just a physical level as well. That might be why the immortals suddenly lost all access to their internal energy."
"But why did they even have access to begin with," Jin Huang asked as he sucked the marrow out of a large hippo bone, barely paying attention.
Hei Shisan smacked the back of his head, "Because of Xu Lan, you idiot! She was probably pulling the strings behind the scenes, somewhere up there," he waved his arms overhead.
Jin Huang rubbed his head as he sucked on the bone.
"Indeed," Cho Yanshi confirmed. "I felt her eyes on us, until I suddenly didn't. I believe the change in the Realm also severed her connection to the Immortals, preventing her influence."
"What that also means," Lu Chen folded his arms, "Is that we may very well be trapped in the Netherworld. At least until we figure out what caused that change. Which brings me to..."
Lu Chen turned, and the others followed his gaze as it landed on...
Han Jianyu.
"You all saw what happened, so I don't need to remind you," Lu Chen breathed. "Before Cho Yanshi and I tell you what we felt, we want to hear your thoughts first."
"What did Han Jianyu's final attack feel like to you all?" Cho Yanshi posed the question that Lu Chen was about to ask.
Shen Wuyou was actually the first to respond, saying, "It felt like a Law. A pure expression of a kind of Dao."
Ruffling the younger man's black and white hair, Hei Shisan nodded his agreement and gave Shen Wuyou a proud look.
Qin Shuyue sighed, "I barely felt anything, aside from a notion of total nothingness. It was so hard to differentiate from actual nothingness, but I felt something for sure."
Cho Yanshi's eyes glistened.
There was a chime, and Lin flew out of Jin Huang's spatial ring, landing softy in their midst.
"I felt resonance! It was like everything about him matched everything about me- not this me- Excalibur!" Lin excited added.
Jin Huang was silent, but wore a thoughtful expression.
"I suspect that Han Jianyu had some kind of encounter in the trial that triggered a change. If not, then he's got more secrets than just his identity as a Chosen of Heaven." Lu Chen shifted, unfolding his arms.
Han Jianyu stirred in his sleep without waking.
Qin Shuyue frowned. "We should talk about that, right? I mean, was him meeting us planned? Was all this planned?"
Pondering, Hei Shisan said, "It's not impossible that this was all part of some larger plan to get us to trust him, but-"
"Trust him? Trust him!? We already know he was keeping things from us. The only one of us dumb enough to trust him is..." Qin Shuyue looked over to a certain yellow-haired individual.
Jin Huang was stroking his imaginary beard in deep contemplation when Qin Shuyue and the others looked at him.
He cleared his throat. "I think that, when he wakes, Han Jianyu should be given the chance to speak. I don't think this was all planned, especially not after that battle."
"He risked his life trying to protect us- to protect me. I don't know about you guys, but that's enough for me to hear him out, at least."
A collective sigh came from the group.
Hei Shisan was the first to lighten up, "You know what? I trust your gut, Huang. If you think this is the way, then I agree."
"Regardless of his allegiances, the fact remains that Xu Lan knows where we are. That means Heaven knows too." Lu Chen sucked his teeth.
"We can't linger on this continent. Our best bet is to just keep moving."
Lin gasped, "Wait. We need to find Merlin first."
All eyes were on him as he explained.
"Before the immortals came down, Han Jianyu asked me about the Sword Path. I think it's likely that he doesn't even understand what's happening to him."
"I recommended that he go see Merlin. If anyone can help him, Merlin can."
Hearing Lin's words, some of them wondered whether it was smart to stay on Albion.
Cho Yanshi took a breath. "Well, if our theory is right, the immortals and Xu Lan won't be able to breach the Realm Wall. We might not have to leave Albion immediately."
"I don't like uncertainty," Lu Chen shook his head with a frown.
"Same here," Shen Wuyou chimed in. "Are we really going to risk Jin Huang's safety for this guy?"
"Not a chance," Qin Shuyue scoffed.
Hei Shisan groaned as he looked between Jin Huang and the others. "Listen, I don't know about you guys, but I trust Jin Huang's intuition here."
"In case you all forgot, he's the Supreme Immortal."
"We haven't forgotten," Qin Shuyue glared. "It's exactly because he's the Supreme Immortal that we can't afford to take chances."
"We met this guy- what? Not even two weeks ago?" Shen Wuyou shook his head. "Regardless, Shisan has a point."
"The dice of all our lives are being tossed about by Jin Huang. We should go with him on this."
Cho Yanshi and Lu Chen both sighed; Qin Shuyue was still unconvinced.
Cho Yanshi shifted her sitting position, her eyes staring into the fire. "It would be so much easier if we could access our internal energy."
"About that," Hei Shisan frowned. "Aren't you guys from this Realm? Why can't you use your energy here?"
"It's a long story," Cho Yanshi took a breath, "but essentially, a lot changed when we left the Realm the first time. We acclimated to the Earthly Realm, and lost a lot of our..."
"Heritage," Lu Chen ended her explanation for her.
"Yeah," Cho Yanshi nodded, going silent.
Hei Shisan got jabbed in the side by both Jin Huang and Qin Shuyue, causing him to cry out lowly.
"Oof... I wasn't aware it was a sensitive topic... my bad."
As they continued with some light conversation, Jin Huang suddenly noticed movement and turned his head.
"We didn't wake you, did we?"
"Huh?" Hei Shisan turned, and was the first to notice who Jin Huang was talking to.
Han Jianyu had woken up, and was slowly sitting. His robe had been draped over him, and as he rose it slid off, revealing his strong, bandaged torso.
"I- agh... I could hear everything you guys were saying. It was strange."
The others watched as Han Jianyu slowly stretched, groaning in pain as he did so.
"I don't blame you for distrusting me. In the same situation, I'd distrust me too." With a wry smile, Han Jianyu looked at Jin Huang.
The moment his eyes met him, a tremor ran through him and his jaw slackened. Thankfully, he remembered himself before long, and closed his mouth.
"I appreciate your willingness to hear me out, Jin Huang."
Jin Huang gave him a thumb's up, "Of course."
As the fire flickered, the night slowly fled from the light of the rising star.
The Lake of Avalon glistened, glowed and glittered, its brightly colored majesty a constant reminder of Albion's magical beauty.
Han Jianyu straightened as best as he could.
"I am indeed a student of the Jade College. All my life, I have resided in the Jade Sphere of Heaven, and was raised into someone who would one day become a prominent figure in Heaven."
"Apart from one day walking the path of the sword to its end, I only ever dreamed of one day making it to the Celestial Court and serving the Realm."
Reminiscing, Han Jianyu sighed emotionally. "That was... everything to me."
Lu Chen's gaze sharpened. "It was? What changed?"
Han Jianyu took a deep, calming breath. "I came to the Netherworld alongside my two classmates and our Master. Something happened- the Netherworld... reacted."
"Disaster struck, and I wound up in Albion where you all found me. From the moment I arrived, everything felt different- and not just because I couldn't feel my divine energy."
"It was almost as if, not being able to feel my energy allowed me to feel everything else for the first time. I felt my sword intent and my sword will on such a deep level... I don't think I'd ever experienced that kind of thing before coming here."
"Not even when I was first enlightened of the sword back in Heaven."
Lu Chen and Cho Yanshi thought deeply about this. Even Qin Shuyue and Shen Wuyou appeared to ponder the subject.
"Did something happen in the sword trial?" Hei Shisan asked.
"Yes," Han Jianyu nodded.
"It was strange. I was taken to some kind of canyon, and attacked by these people that looked like immortal humans. Their leader was either a manly woman, or a womanly man- I don't know."
"They were trying to show something to me, but I kept resisting because I thought they were going to kill me."
"Understandable," Jin Huang nodded.
"Eventually they succeeded, knocking me out. I entered another illusion, or I started dreaming- I don't know. It was all so strange, but I was only able to navigate it when I relied on my sword cultivation."
"Not even my senses were any good. Only my sword will, and my sword intent."
"What did you see?"
Recalling it, Han Jianyu seemed as though he was going through it all again. "It was so strange."
" I saw an empty world of black and white, and in front of me some kind of giant stone stele. There was something else, but it was all so confusing."
As he spoke, Han Jianyu's voice got softer. "I don't remember much else, aside from... the whispers..."
Almost all of them were at a loss. Only Jin Huang nodded along and had something to say.
"Sounds like you had a bit of a trip. I had one of those too, when I was in the trial. I saw some weird shit, believe me. Anyway, I'm just glad you're still with us."
Han Jianyu felt Jin Huang's strong hand on his shoulder, and slowly forgot the sense of unease he felt.
"Yeah. Glad to still be here."
Qin Shuyue, Hei Shisan and Shen Wuyou palmed their faces. Lu Chen and Cho Yanshi gazed at one another and shrugged.
They thought that, maybe, they ought to emulate Jin Huang. Perhaps the simplest way forward was the best.
Jin Huang motioned to Lin, who came around to stand near him.
"So... Jianyu. What's this I hear about you wanting to meet Merlin?"