Following the fall of the Chinese empire, the gods ascended into the heavens, and the Dragon Throne, which had served as the tie between the mortal and immortal worlds, sat empty for many decades. The world was far from perfect, but life continued o...
Liang was kicked out of a very pleasant dream by a physical kick to his ribs.
"Get up," Jia said, aiming another kick at him. "We overslept."
Liang rolled out of the way and glared at her. "Excuse me for being exhausted."
Jia had already turned away and was staring at the mountains, rising above the trees before them. "You are excused."
Sam wandered out from the tree line with dark circles around his eyes. His shoulders were slumped with exhaustion. He looked like he hadn't slept at all. "I found the start of the path. There are a lot of trails, so it took me a while, but it cuts through the valley, just like the dragon said."
"How do you know you found the right one?" Jia asked.
Sam shrugged. "It was marked by a pillar made out of stacked bi-shaped stones. I'm pretty sure it's the right path."
"If we had more time, I would explore every inch of this island," Jia murmured. "One of the trails has to lead up Mount Penglai itself."
"Also, jewel-bearing trees," Aiden said with a hungry smile. "I'd like to take a sapling back home. For academic purposes, of course."
"Another time," Liang said. "I just wish we had something to eat. I have not had a full meal since we left."
Aiden patted his stomach. "It's the starvation diet. Approved by physicians everywhere."
"We have no choice but to get started. The sooner we get to the shrine and retrieve the Jade Bi, the sooner we can go home," Jia said. Aiden and Sam nodded in agreement.
Liang gripped the shaft of his ji and used it like a staff to pull himself up. He looked at Sam. "Take us to the path. It only gets easier from here."
Oups ! Cette image n'est pas conforme à nos directives de contenu. Afin de continuer la publication, veuillez la retirer ou télécharger une autre image.
It only got harder from there. Liang was in pretty good shape, but his legs were burning from exertion. The heat of the island was oppressive. The farther inland they went, the more intent the sun was on searing the skin from their backs and shoulders.
Even if he'd had a good meal in his belly, the journey still would've been arduous. The path cut through the largest of the valleys, but then it took a sweeping turn and began to twist its way up the side of the mountain. The path was plenty wide, so there was little danger of falling. It was the ceaseless incline that made the trek so tortuous. His muscles were hammered raw.
The others were not in much better shape. Jia insisted on taking the lead, but she was taking in gulps of air like a fish on land. A gentle breeze swept downwind of her every so often, leading Liang to believe that she was using the wind to cool her face and maybe even carry her feet a little faster. That would explain why he could never seem to catch up with her.
Aiden had taken to using his guandao as a walking staff, leaning against it, so that he wouldn't collapse on his hands and knees. Sam fared the best out of them all, but there was not a single square inch of dry fabric on his back. His sword was clearly weighing him down, having become a cumbersome burden.
