"Seconds, please." Hermila raised her empty plate in the air to beckon the villager at the fire pit.
"Another coming right up, dear immortal!" The cook affirmed her request with a bright, happy smile.
"More alcohol here!" Andre waved his mug in the air, following suit.
"One moment, please." A cute girl in pigtails pit-pattered to the storeroom to fetch the village's special liquor, 'pine needle brew'.
"Take it easy, Andre. We have to head to the sect soon." Ouro leaned on Andre with flushed cheeks and glazed-over eyes. Watching the teams enjoy themselves, Illia had a small smile on her face as she lifted the hut's flap open.
"How is he?"
"He is alive, thankfully. We won't know more until we reach the sect. The mounts should be here by sunset." She finished wrapping the bandages around Ibrahim's body and walked over to the entrance for fresh air.
"That is good… But your expression says otherwise, Olivia. What's on your mind?"
"I'm afraid the sect will not use its resources for his recovery. The meridian veins have been torn in such a way that only emperor-grade elixirs can fix them, but with his arm…" She lifted the flap to view the missing right arm and shattered ribs.
"I'm sorry, truly."
"How are the others?"
"They appear fine. My team is still recovering from the shock of that idiot's ploy. Your team seems fine; Hermila is on her fifth plate of drake meat, with Ceren and Marcel sleeping in the hut over there."
"Where is Scientist Soloman? I wish to thank him."
"He's playing a game with the kids and a board game with the elders at the same time."
"That doesn't sound right," she said with a wry smile.
"I know, right? It's like he is playing for two people." Illia shook her head, trying to make sense of him.
"How can we ever make sense of someone who can do what he does? You should rest as well." She was about to walk off but felt Illia grab her shoulder.
"He might be able to help you."
"How do you mean?"
"His missing arm—Soloman might have a solution." Illia looked down as she tried to hold Olivia still.
"… Ms. Illia, much like you, I have been in positions that require us to take on roles that are less than savory for the benefit of the sect. Be clear with your intent." Olivia, as the disciple figurehead for decades, was well acquainted with sect politics. An outsider providing aid without reward or conditions was not realistic in this world, as altruistic creatures like Soloman are rarer than Dao Immortals.
"Very well. Don't release the details of today's events to your sect, and in return, I will have my sect and Soloman do everything we can to help Ibrahim."
"How can you speak for your sect, let alone for him? From what I was able to gather, Scientist Soloman is not an official disciple of yours." She looked over where the children were playing, watching him sprint to and fro from the board game and passing the ball.
"My master is second only to the sect master, and as for Soloman, you are right. He is not tethered to the sect and will leave as soon as he finds what he needs." Illia straightened her shoulders as she spoke, a tinge of loss in her eyes when mentioning Soloman's nature.
"Why not recruit him myself? I can earn a valuable asset without suffering a loss." She smirked as she glanced at Illia's face.
"Untethered doesn't mean disloyal. He will help if you offer him what we—he came for."
"That would be?"
"The catalogue of artifacts and treasures your sect has. He is studying such things; he has a goal I'm not at liberty to say."
"Oh…" Olivia kept a stone face as she pondered possible outcomes.
"Very well, I am not comfortable with lying to my elders… but please save Ibrahim. He lost his arm saving me." Olivia bowed to Illia when requesting aid.
"Thank you, Olivia." Illia reciprocated the bow and then yelled in his direction. "Hey, Soloman, get over here! We need you to look into something!"
Soloman snapped to attention hearing her voice and waved in response.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Hmm~." Viewing the unwrapped wound through his now refurbished Leeuwenhoek microscope turned spectrometer lens and magnifying glass, Soloman started checking different angles and taking measurements.
"Scientist Soloman, how is it?" Olivia leaned over his shoulder in anticipation.
"Treated rank four timber ore silk, three precision-cut rank three sky canyon mandrill joints, and about five by five meters of wailing mouth basilisk skin." He mindlessly listed his thoughts, unaware of the eight people crammed inside the tent.
"Excuse me?" She was confused at his ramblings. "Scientist Soloman, can you explain?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes. I can make a working prosthetic for him." He straightened his back from being hunched over for too long, making cracking sounds that made the people wince.
"That's amazing!" Olivia clasped his hands in relief, tears welling in her eyes.
"What's with the animal parts?" Ouro scrunched his face, trying to apply Soloman's teachings.
"Why do you need the skin?" Sophia cocked her head, looking at the sleeping Ibrahim.
"If you want an arm that is similar to a human's that can feel, move, and look like one, I have to change some parts to compensate. These animals are the closest I can find that can mimic those parameters. At home, we could have just thrown him in a C.A.R.S., a cellular acceleration repair and synthesis device, or attached a normal combat-grade prosthetic, but we can only use what we have here."
"Home?" Ceren looked towards Illia's team for confirmation.
"You have spare arms lying around?" Hermila finished chewing on some jerky, looking in the same direction.
"Of course we don't, he meant to say we have pills and healing chambers at our sect. Hahaha." Andre nervously chuckled.
"You do?" Soloman was genuinely shocked, not having noticed such facilities during his months at the sect. He clenched his fist, lamenting the missed research material, a tear escaping his eye.
"Of course we do. You were just too distracted with Ibrahim's condition, you'd forgotten." Ouro subtly nudged his elbow to play along.
"Yes, that's right. Haha~." Illia backed him up, trying to maintain the ruse.
"… I don't forget things." Soloman said, reading the room and understanding what his team was trying to do.
"Sigh. There's no reason to hide it. Hey, Olivia and crew!"
{Is this wise?} Priscilla's voice echoed in a cautious tone.
"What are you doing?" Ouro whispered, turning sideways to hide his face.
"Telling the truth. You four listen up, I'm from a different world and crash-landed here, literally, on Lotusia by some means of an artifact of this world or a phenomenon in mine. Currently, I am trying to find a way back home, and it was brought to my attention by one of the Swift Gale sect elders that your sect has an encyclopedia of relics that may explain or help me in going back." As he revealed his origins, Illia and the rest buried their faces in their hands, processing the weight and ramifications of his words.
"Currently my world is facing extinction, and I have to return as soon as I can. And full disclaimer, my world focuses on science and technology and does not have any spirits, energy, or qi. I'm currently stuck in an unfamiliar world with such alien creatures and environments that would not be possible in mine. Mister Mùchén of the Swift Gale Sword Sect and others allowed me to stay with them in order to acclimate and survive here, for which I am eternally grateful." Soloman continued with a brief summary of his world's history and culture that left everyone in the tent in shock and wonder. Marcel had to clean up the spilt tea from Ceren's cup that fell as Soloman went on about technology and otherworldly knowledge, while Hermila's jerky fell from her mouth.
Silence fell in the tent, leaving only the cheers and jovial screams from the festival outside to be heard. Illia started muttering under her breath, rubbing her temples, while Ouro followed suit with Andre looking back and forth apprehensively between Soloman and Olivia's team. Sophia calmly sat beside Soloman as he started making sketches for the prosthetic while drinking his special blend of tea along with her. The scratches on parchment were the only noise left after the villagers cleaned up the square until someone finally spoke.
"That does make some sense." Olivia's voice was steady, replaying every interaction she had with Soloman in her mind.
"Indeed." Ceren calmly drank her tea as Marcel refilled the cup.
"If you say so." Hermila blankly accepted his story without much thought.
"Really?!" The other three exclaimed in unison, their voices tinged with disbelief.
"Is that so surprising?" Soloman looked up from his stack of papers, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Yes!" They shouted together, their expressions incredulous.
"Sigh~ What did I tell you about thinking beyond what you are told?"
"We should apply or use the knowledge given." Sophia answered as she was organizing the drawings.
Soloman patted Sophia's head, not seeing the slight blush on her cheeks. "Correct, Sophia. A part of that would mean using the information gathered and applying it across all previously known information and determining if the new information conforms to observable reality."
"What…?" Andre softly whispered to himself, seeing her blushing expression.
"To what capacity?" Illia begrudgingly asked.
"To everything, like Olivia, Ceren, Marcel, and I think Hermila did, maybe." He waited for the eureka moment to hit, but faced only stone faces showing no intention of playing along.
{I think you give them too much credit.} Priscilla's voice was dry.
"That I'm not the first otherworlder in Lotusia." He placed his hand on his forehead in disappointment.
"What?!" Every person in the tent stood up in shock, their synchronized reaction almost comical.
He flinched hearing the sudden outburst. "How are y'all synchronized every time?!"
"Explain clearly, damn it." Veins started popping on Illia's forehead, her patience wearing thin.
{See.} Scoffed as she was flipping through some of Soloman's manga library.
"Olivia, you might be able to explain it better than I can." Soloman, hoping, turned towards her to see she was as equally shocked as the others.
"Nevermind. Oh boy, okay look over here." Soloman lifted the tent flap, showing the village returning to their routine. The able-bodied resumed their farming, gathering, and chores, while the children played and the old folks gathered for discussions.
"What about them?" Ouro strained his eyes trying to find the answer.
"Do you see the differences between each villager?" Soloman pointed out the human children playing around the bakery, the lumberjack using his horns to carry firewood, women using their four arms to hang laundry while cradling infants, and others grooming their coats and molting their scales.
"…"
"… They are just normal people. I don't get it." Ouro and the others gave up trying to discern an answer.
"While that is a great ethical answer, you're missing a crucial detail. How can so many different sentient humanoids exist on a similar evolutionary path at the exact same time? Some of the villagers are so far outside cladistics and phylogenetics to each other that the odds of a common ancestor between them is not possible. Which means at some point in the planet's history there was a mass migration of species from multiple dimensions." He simplified the explanation, hoping to avoid any misunderstandings that might lead to discrimination.
"Along with other evidence, it's enough to prove the unnatural development of this world's ecology. Don't even get me started on hu…" He trailed off, noticing the shocked, broken expressions of the group. Realizing that expanding further might be detrimental to their mental health, he stopped.
"Don't think too hard about that. I'm gonna go get something to eat, anyone want to join?" Sophia tagged along to eat while the rest followed, trying to come to terms with the paradigm-altering information he had shared. They enjoyed the meal, ignoring the blatant stares drilling a hole in his back.
"Everyone in the village is to show themselves!" A deep voice permeated through the land, making it seem like the speaker was right beside them.
The villagers, frightened by the sudden summons, rallied back to the square and immediately prostrated themselves, shivering. The five elders hovered above the village, exuding a dominating presence that none of the villagers dared to look up at. Mothers tried to quell their crying infants. Both teams rushed to the square to greet the elders, with Soloman slowly walking behind, plate in hand.
They kneeled in their presence, cold sweat trickling down their backs. The air was thick with tension, each breath a struggle against the oppressive atmosphere. "We greet the elders!"
"Elder Shufang, where is he? I do not sense him." Sect Master Rodomir directed his question at Olivia, knowing Elder Shufang had followed them during the competition. His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of urgency.
"Responding to the elders! Elder Shufang perished in combat against a mighty beast." She glanced up to see his reaction, her heart pounding in her chest. The weight of her words hung heavily in the air.
He broke away from the other masters and landed softly in front of her. His eyes bore into hers, demanding an explanation. "…How?"
"He was ambushed from under the ground as we were in search of the targets for subjugation. Before he was no longer able to fight or ru-push away the beast, he bequeathed to me his flare knowing the beast could not be handled by normal means." The sweat drenched the back of her robe as she revealed details of what the sect master might consider an embarrassment. She could feel the eyes of the other elders stabbing into her, measuring her every movement and tone.
"Then how did you come to survive an ordeal that even your elder could not, with your level of cultivation?" A soft but venomous voice from the hunched wrinkled woman landed on everyone's ears. Her words were like daggers, cutting through all manner of thoughts and decorum.
"To use the golden flare that has not been of use for two millennia for a mere gaggle of drakes was not an appropriate response. How will you compensate us?" Sect Master Sasuki of the Terra Blossom Sect, floating next to the elderly woman, lit her kiseru smoking pipe as she arrogantly looked down on Rodomir. The smoke curled around her, adding to her intimidating presence.
"To waste our time here when we could be making pills is a hefty price to pay." She smirked with an overbearing attitude, using her sect's reputation to make unreasonable demands. Rodomir ground his teeth, knowing full well he can't do anything to her with his sect relying heavily on her sect's pills. The frustration was evident in his clenched fists and tense posture.
"Indeed, we will discuss the matter once we are finished here. Explain yourself, Inner Disciple Olivia." His jaws clenched as he tried to push through the blatant disrespect presented before his own disciples.
"Oi, you ther' boi. Whut re' you doin'? Why ain' cha kneelin'?" Sect Master Bahlder of Forging Mountain Sect landed next to Soloman without anyone noticing as he rubbed his bearded chin. His sudden appearance startled everyone, adding to the already high tension.
"Having some food, I haven't eaten for a whole day. It's barbecued drake meat with sauce, it's pretty good. Want some?" The sight of someone nonchalantly talking to a Sect Master as equals left everyone on the ground stupified, with those in the air curious. Soloman's casual demeanor was a stark contrast to the fear and reverence shown by the others.
"Dun min' if I do." He waved his smithing hammer in the air and collected the meat on the grill. He took a massive bite as the sauce dripped onto his beard and tattered robe. The sight was almost comical, a brief moment of levity in an otherwise tense situation.
"Tat sum gud qulity meat thar. Hahaha~. Whut ur' name, boi?" He laughed as he sat down next to Soloman without a care in the world.
"Xīn yuè Soloman, consultant for Swift Gale Sect. You?"
"Bahlder of Forgin' Mountain Sect. I like yer attitude. Hahaha." He laughed as he kept slapping Soloman on the shoulder. Each slap was heavy, a reminder of Bahlder's immense strength.
"Ugh~. How uncouth." Sasuki clicked her tongue as she glided down next to the grill and elegantly took a bite herself. Her movements were graceful, almost ethereal, contrasting sharply with Bahlder's boisterous demeanor.
"This is good considering mortals made it. Don't you agree, Mother?" She placed herself next to Bahlder as she continued to nibble on the skewer. Her eyes sparkled with a rare hint of approval.
"Mhm." The elderly woman nodded as she purposely wedged herself between the two, eating a skewer herself uncaring about appearances.
{I want some.} A strand of drool dripped from her mouth.
"Rite! Oi, Brahtma, git down 'ere and try sum." He waved over to the bald, shirtless man surrounded by a golden aura. The aura shimmered, casting a warm benevolent glow around him.
"Amitabha. I cannot partake in the flesh of others. I shall enjoy your company alone. That is enough." He sat at the same table with the rest, wearing a benevolent smile. His presence was calming, and almost unreal to the cruel world of fighting of Lotusia.
"Stiff as evr' I see. Rodomir, quit standin' there slack-jawed." He tapped the empty seat next to him. Rodomir joined the rest at the table with a stunned expression. The sight of powerful immortal cultivators seated together, enjoying food made by mortals, left the shaking villagers in a stupor and silently proud. They continued to kneel, afraid to disobey their command. Seeing this, Soloman whispered in Bahlder's ear.
"Yu bunch, y're free ta go." He waved them off. Hearing his command, they quickly ran back to their homes, not willing to come out again. The relief was evident, their hurried footsteps echoing in the now quiet square.
"Not yu guys. Stay thar und explain." The teams returned to their kneeling position on the hard ground, watching Soloman enjoy his meal with the strongest cultivators on the continent. A glint of envy and resentment was in their eyes, witnessing the disparity. The ground was cold and hard, a stark reminder of their place. Strength and hierarchy determine how the world treats you. Soloman, almost never demonstrating these traits but treated equally, left the kneeling disciples curious and annoyed by the differences in treatment.
"What were we… Oh right. Elder Shufang instructed us to light the flare. The spirit beast that ambushed him and us were Feral Mantle Worms." Olivia had to collect herself after seeing a different side of the strongest cultivators.
"Mantle Worms!"
"Mantl' Wurms!"
"Amitabha. For the world's safety, I shall shed their blood."
"We must put an end to them now!" The five, hearing the name of their natural enemy, shot up into the sky, their bodies blazing with aura at maximum output. Their combined energy surged like a tempest, blowing dust and causing the village huts to creak and moan under the pressure. The sheer force of their power was overwhelming, a vivid testament to their might and resolve.
"They're already dead!" Soloman screamed, shielding his food from the dust. His voice was barely audible through the roars of the wind.
Seeing the elders about to go on a rampage in the canyon, only to find corpses, left the teams fearful. Thinking of how they would react when they found out after the fact from the rage from embarrassment shook them to the core. To avoid that becoming a reality, they collectively flew into the air, leaving Soloman to dust himself off on the ground.
"Sect Masters, PLEASE HOLD YOURSELVES!" They projected their voices with all the qi they could muster, their throats straining against the effort. The sight of the disciples forming a human barricade only fueled the elders' wrath further.
"How dare you interfere! Inner Disciple Olivia, you are an embarrassment to our great sect! You are hereby—"
"They are already dead!" The disciples shouted in unison, bowing mid-air to demonstrate their sincerity. The resolve etched into their faces forced the elders to reconsider, quelling their bloodlust, if only temporarily.
"All of you, explain clearly. And understand what will happen if we find it lacking." Rodomir's glare bore into them, his murderous intent palpable.
"Well~."