immortal pagoda

chapter 2: vanished into the mist

Lu Li was horrified to find himself in an unfamiliar space.

The area was small, only ten feet in radius, surrounded by dense white fog that obscured everything beyond. Above him, the sky was a bright blue with scattered white clouds, and sunlight filtered through as if nothing was amiss.

The ground beneath his feet was unusually soft, composed of black soil streaked with faint glimmers of light. At the center of this confined space stood a tender sprout, no taller than four or five inches, shimmering with a strange glow. Lu Li had never seen a plant like it before.

Then, without warning, a suffocating sensation engulfed him.

Panic surged through Lu Li as he instinctively lunged toward the white fog, desperate to escape.

Bang!

What seemed like a misty veil was in fact as solid as steel. The impact knocked him backward, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Where am I?! Let me out!" Lu Li's face turned red as he struggled to his feet, shouting in desperation.

Buzz!

The space trembled violently.

The next instant, Lu Li snapped back to reality—he was underwater, sinking fast. He choked on mouthfuls of river water and frantically kicked toward the surface.

Upon reaching the shore, he collapsed onto his hands and knees, coughing and gasping for air.

"Mud monkey, did you actually almost drown?" Chen Zhong's voice called out as he swam back toward him, noticing something was off.

"D-Don't go back in! Get everyone out of the water now!" Lu Li sputtered, his voice laced with urgency. "There's something in there... something unnatural."

"A ghost?" Chen Zhong frowned, skepticism written all over his face. "Where would a ghost come from in broad daylight?"

"Just listen to me! Call them back, now!" Lu Li's tone was sharp and unwavering. Whatever he had just experienced was too bizarre—he couldn't risk anyone else getting caught up in it.

Seeing Lu Li so shaken, Chen Zhong hesitated for only a moment before calling out to Qin Shouren and Li Xiangyun, who were still in the water.

Qin Shouren raised an eyebrow at Lu Li's pale expression but didn't argue. The four of them quickly gathered their belongings and started back toward Dashi Village.

Chen Zhong and Qin Shouren, always eager to avoid work, lagged behind. It was still early, and they feared they'd be put to work herding cattle if they returned too soon. Lu Li, lost in thought, also walked slowly.

Then, a strange heat prickled his left palm.

A surge of dread coursed through him. He had been so shaken that he had forgotten to check his wound. But when he raised his hand to inspect it, his eyes widened in horror.

A three-layered green tower pattern had appeared on his palm.

Lu Li rubbed at it frantically, but the mark wouldn't fade. It was as if it had been burned into his skin.

"Is this... a curse?"

His mind reeled, and he couldn't shake the eerie memory of what had happened beneath the water. Had he encountered a water ghost? He needed to visit a Taoist priest in town—someone who could tell him what this meant.

"Nihou, what's wrong with you?" Qin Shouren's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "You're staring at your hand like it's going to bite you."

"Nothing..." Lu Li forced a weak smile, but his nerves were far from settled.

Just then, a figure emerged from the forest path ahead—a hunched old man clad in a light blue Taoist robe. He looked ancient, perhaps seventy or eighty years old, his sparse gray hair tangled and his face marked with dark spots. If not for the sword on his back and the whisk in his left hand, Lu Li might have mistaken him for a wandering ghost.

A chill crept up Lu Li's spine.

Qin Shouren and Li Xiangyun instinctively slowed their pace. Chen Zhong swallowed hard and muttered, "Is he... an immortal? Or a ghost?"

The old Taoist squinted in their direction. Chen Zhong flinched and ducked behind Lu Li.

Despite his unease, Lu Li knew the man was no ordinary traveler. Summoning his courage, he stepped forward and bowed. "Greetings, senior."

The Taoist priest peered at him with sharp, clear eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Young man, where are you headed?"

Lu Li lowered his gaze and answered, "We are from Dashi Village. We just participated in Qingyang Sect's awakening ceremony and are returning home."

"Returning?" The old man's eyes glimmered. "None of you succeeded in awakening?"

"No, senior."

"What if I offered you a chance?"

Lu Li frowned. "A chance?"

"The Qingyang Sect is a shadow of its former self. But I can grant you the opportunity to cultivate immortality."

"Cultivate immortality?!" Qin Shouren blurted out in excitement.

The old Taoist gave a small nod. "Indeed. I have my own methods. If you follow me, I will teach you."

"Yes! Yes!" Qin Shouren eagerly nodded, his excitement palpable.

"Very well, then come." The old Taoist turned and started toward the forest path.

"Wait, senior! Can we return home first to inform our families?" Qin Shouren hesitated, glancing back toward the village.

The old Taoist paused. "Fate is fickle. If you leave, the opportunity will be lost. You will never again step through my immortal gate."

A heavy silence fell over the group.

Lu Li, however, remained unmoved. Something about the old man unsettled him, though he couldn't pinpoint why. His mind flickered to the old stories he used to read—tales of demons masquerading as sages, luring children away to feast on their flesh.

His gut screamed at him not to take the risk.

"Senior, while we appreciate your offer, we are not suited for cultivation," Lu Li said firmly. He shot a glance at his friends and subtly gestured for them to follow his lead. "We won't trouble you any further."

The others hesitated but ultimately deferred to Lu Li's judgment. They respectfully bowed and turned to leave.

"Ignorant fools!"

Before they could take another step, the old Taoist flicked his wrist, and a yellow talisman shot toward them.

Thick white mist erupted around them.

Before Lu Li could react, his vision blurred. A wave of dizziness crashed over him, and one by one, they collapsed onto the ground.

The old Taoist didn't spare them a glance. Moments later, a carriage rumbled out of the forest. Hunched over like a scavenger, the old man tossed their unconscious bodies inside, one after another.

Then, without a sound, the carriage vanished into the misty depths of the forest.