Mmm just your average setup chapter
Whoooooosh!
A flaming star shot across the sky. Upon closer look one could see a youth with two mortal girls tucked under his arms. After a short time the flaming wings upon his back began to flicker and sputter like a spent flame. A short while later Lineir landed and deposited the girls on the ground while checking for dangers.
"Whew...I had enough Fire Qi to escape the lake. Those things won't follow me onto land I don't think." He said as he examined the ground with his Divine Sense. As far as he could tell he was well and truly on solid ground and whatever beast had ambushed him was almost certainly water based. It should be safe here...
"Who...who are you?" The older of the girls was holding her little sister in her arms. The smaller girl had fainted after exposure to the shock and harsh forces which their quick escape had imposed on her. Lineir examined her carefully, fair skin, fairly short and skinny, for all the world a girl who would not appear out of place as a merchants daughter in the mortal world.
"Just another cultivator passing by. I happen to be from far away, where is this place?" Lineir said casually. He was very curious where exactly he was.
"Oh, then...senior, the Wei sister's thank you for saving our lives!" She quickly kowtowed on the ground, however since she was still supporting her unconscious younger sister that turned into quite a struggle. Lineir immediately waved his hand, a little bit embarrassed. He was a rogue cultivator and was not in the habit of rescuing mortals so he naturally was not used to their praise either.
"It was but a small thing. But where are we? And what were the two of you doing alone in such a danger zone?" He asked. The older sister was shocked at how casually he spoke. Since Lineir had never grown up in a sect he did not have the natural bias against mortals which many cultivators had. Due to his background he did not consider himself to be above them on a qualitative level, instead considering himself simply lucky. In the Higher Realms this was a strange thing. With so many strong cultivators mortals in the Higher Realms were not tolerated well. It has to be understood that even in the mortal realms mortals were considered inferior by many cultivators. In a place where cultivators were like grass, what were mortals then in the Higher Realms?
"My name is Qing Wei. Little sister and i were picking Star Heart Flowers in the Star Stream Lake. Senior, do you truly not know about this place? It is famed as a place far and wide that only mortals dare tarry in." The older sister answered and Lineir cocked his head. A place that only mortals dared to intrude? What did that mean?
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Well esteemed senior would not know this as he is from afar, but Star Stream Lake is extremely dangerous to most cultivators. The Star Serpents are constantly on the prowl and are extremely sensitive to the auras of cultivators. If they detect one, they will immediately attack as earlier! Fortunately senior is wise and immediately left the area else more and more Star Serpents surely would have come and eventually the Elder Star Serpents would have been alerted. At that time I fear even the greatest cultivators of the Snow God Territory would feel fear. Only mortals can avoid their auras and harvest the Star Heart Flowers which grow atop the Star Stream Lake's ice without fear. However...the Cold Heart Bears and other beasts which roam the area claim many countless numbers of us each year." The mortal girl sighed. How many mortals sought to find a Star Heart Flower to suddenly transform their destiny and live a life of luxury? And how many ended up as naught but frozen bones? Only the desperate would choose such a terrible gamble. However....these two sisters were truly desperate!
"Senior..." Qing Wei began. Her eyes were nervously shifting about and Lineir immediately knew she was uncomfortable. He waved his hands.
"Feel free to speak your mind. I am no demonic path cultivator and I have no designs on you. Why else would I save you?" He said. Qing Wei's eyes widened and she eventually gave up and simply spoke freely. Afterall, while the youth's words contradicted with his demonic presence and evil air, his actions had so far been benevolent and it wasn't as if she had any choice but to trust this strange cultivator who she assumed was a senior. After all, if left here with her unconscious sister the odds of them making it back to their home were quite slim.
"Senior, sister and I are actually here to gather Star Heart Flowers for our master, Snow God's Empress Bing Wei. If we could trouble you to visit master I'm sure she would reward you for your troubles...it's just.." She sighed and Lineir immediately picked up on her troubles, having been in her shoes at all.
"Oh don't worry, I don't require any reward. My Dao heart doesn't allow for such things." He said though it was a blatant lie. He most certainly would have accepted a reward however it was unlikely that the master of these mortals sisters would have any money based on the way the elder sister was acting right now. Regardless, he wouldn't mind bringing these mortal girls to their master. It cost him nothing and he could ask their master about many things which these girls would not know. He quickly inquired where their home was.
"This way..."
When Lineir arrived he had certain expectations of someone named Snow God's Empress. However, his expectations were dashed when he saw the dwelling which the mortal sister's led him to. Such was the difference that he had to ask,
"Is this the right..." He could only ask helplessly upon facing the home of the "Snow God's Empress". It was a little hut, however it had several holes in the roof filled with straw, and looked like the house of a poor farmer in dire straights. The Wei sisters, could only nod their heads ruefully. It truly was quite sad the situation they had fell into.
"Yes...but we are only here because of the accursed bastard who sneak attacked our mistress!"