The Sin of Upsiden [BL/YAOI]

Lived To Tell The Tale

The only ones awake in town were the owners of shops and stalls. Their eyes held heavy bags and their shoulders slumped in an invisible weight. Their movements were well practiced getting the morning routine done swiftly.

The only way to know if there was a cart going into the city was through word of mouth. Sin rarely came into town, having settled comfortably in his isolated home with his once love. Here felt foreign as well as familiar having been one of the early zombie workers before stabilizing with his cultivation path.

"Excuse me, ma'am, do you know if anyone is traveling to the city?" Sin has not had the best day and had to work on the enthusiasm to speak even that one sentence. The girl was transferring her apples from the cart to her stall basket. She looked up wiping her hands on a cloth and gave Sin a once over.

"There should be a merchant going there, he resides in the inn and I last saw him packing the goods he didn't sell." She craned her neck in the direction of the only inn in town and Sin gave a grateful bow. 

The inn was basically just around the corner which isn't so hard to believe. Fortunately, the merchant hadn't left yet so he quickly went his way. 

"How much for a ride to the city?" He asked the man feeding his horses. The man didn't look up and just put five fingers up. "five coppers?" Sin assumed but thought the price didn't fit the four hour ride. 

"five silvers," the man's voice was gruff and when he looked up he smiled at him. Sin was silent. What a scammer!

"Two silver," Sin bargained with narrowed eyes. The merchant crossed his arms, shorter when he stood up, and in rehearsal said, "five silvers," with a dung eating grin on his face.

Sin knew he wasn't going to get through to this man. He could only use intimidation but he could feel this fellow was in a higher cultivation than him. It was like trying to overpower a tiger as a commoner. He wished he still had his strength back. That was the only thing going for him anyway. Because of a certain trait, he could only practice martial arts cultivation having nothing else work on him, Sin could create a body that could withstand anything and smash through anything. But unfortunately, he couldn't use his dantian to fly or move things with sheer will, basically, he couldn't become like other immortals, he will forever remain a martial artist immortal.

He was in the sixth stage getting ready to break through the seventh before. The seventh was what Clara was probably worried about, in that stage he could refine his skin to be as tough as steel and a simple sword couldn't pierce through skin tissue. So in a moment of panic Clara killed him using the forbidden spell to salvage what remained. 

Truly a tragedy. 

He won't make that mistake again.

"Fine, five silvers," Sin bitterly handed the coins over. His pocket screamed at this swindler. The man was happily surprised and distractedly told him to get in the back. Sin obliged with a grumble. 

...

The soil was dry and cracked on the bumpy road the wagon traversed on. Having been worn out and used for so long now the path was a level lower than the tall grass that bordered it from unused land. Sin leaned his cheek on the wooden railing looking down at the large scar that continued to be wounded by large wooden wheels on a burn that would forever be rubbed and rubbed, over and over, until a new path will be created to be abused. 

"You don't talk much fellow," the gravelly voice that sounded much like the rocks the wagon kicked had expressed those same words in different wording several times in the past hour. He couldn't ignore the swindler as it would be rude, especially since he's of greater power. Thats just how the world is, the strong rule the weak.

"Yes," Sin dully uttered. 

The short man rubbed his beard and chewed on sunflower seeds, shell and all. "You married?" He voiced casually and shamelessly.

"No." 

The mans eyes shined, eyes curving in a smile, "I could introduce you to my daughter she loves handsome mysterious men." He cackled afterwards before adding, "rich men!" as if the list couldn't get any longer.

Sin didn't respond because if he did he would spout a remark similar to a curse. 

He wished to water the dirt below. The path would make a fine river, perhaps he could flood the town along with it. 

"Hey I get it, my buddy in my trade was as quiet as you when he experienced a disaster!" 

Sin perked his ears but continued to watch the ever so interesting flaky dirt. The man babbled on like the morning birds he had for breakfast.

"He went to a danger zone! Believe it or not he lived to tell the tale but he was never the same again. He whispered of its monsters and only drew them with the shake of his hand. I never seen a man so defeated by the world of the unknown. My daughter tried courting him because of his mystery's and even her charm failed to capture him!"

Sin could only muster a smile of amusement. 

The world was really a puzzle to common folk. The ones brave enough to venture it have only gone so far. There is always something that hasn't been stepped on. Sin had once heard the theory that the world creates new land all the time, there will always be something to adventure. And that the world is the longest living immortal that still cultivates. Whomever said that Sin couldn't remember...

The bumps and rocks began to smooth over, a different sound taking its place. Sin opened his eyes to cobbled path and a city ahead.

[Edited]

A/N- This rewritten story will be more slow paced and detailed so I hope everyone is buckled in for the ride