Chapter 11: The Old One

    ~~~

    Poison Fang Canyon has changed little in the past year.

    The thought runs through Liu Jin''s mind as he ducks under a branch he wouldn''t have needed to avoid one year ago. Although he is still not as tall as Xiao Fangsomething that annoys him more than he cares to admitLiu Jin has grown taller over the past year. Even though Liu Jin has been drinking poisons every day, it has not negatively affected his body. If anything, the Liu Jin of now looks much healthier than the Liu Jin of one year ago, probably due to continually purging his body of toxins.

    Poison Fang Canyon, however, remains the same. Liu Jin has visited this place once every two months since he was but a small child and witnessed its permanence. The canyon has been there throughout his childhood, and it has been there long before he was born. Xiao Nan once told him Poison Fang Canyon has existed for at least a thousand years.

    Yet, Liu Jin is certain no person has seen the innermost parts of the canyon in all that time.

    "Are you ready?" His master asks. The two have already made their way deep into the outer canyon. The poisonous mists of the inner canyon await just a few meters away. It is a curious characteristic of the canyon. No matter how much time passes, the mists never disperse. They never spread to the outer parts of the canyon. They just stay in place, blocking the path of all who wish to enter.

    More skilled cultivators than Liu Jin have died trying to pass. That is not remotely in question. However, Liu Jin has dealt with many dangerous poisons during the past year. In that, at least, he''ll allow himself to take some pride.

    "I am ready, master," Liu Jin says after only a moment''s worth of consideration. Old Jiang does not say anything back. He merely walks in.

    Liu Jin follows.

    The poison hits him the moment he steps into the mist. He feels it entering through his nose and filtering through his pores. One year ago, he would have definitely died within the first five steps. No, that is a too kind assessment. He would have certainly died in the first step. However, he is not the same as he was one year ago. Now, Liu Jin knows exactly what to do. With every breath he takes, the poison enters his body, and with every breath he takes, he expels it just as easily.

    Step.

    Inhale the poison.

    Expel the poison.

    Step.

    Liu Jin repeats the process again and again as he walks beside his master, gaining more skill with each step. By the tenth step, he only needs to devote 50% of his focus to the process. By the fiftieth step, it merely takes 10% of his focus, leaving most of his faculties free enough to appreciate the scenery.

    The poison mists are dense but not so much that Liu Jin cannot see the many types of plants all around him. They are all plants that do not grow in the outer canyon. Part of Liu Jin wishes he could stay to gather herbs. However, he knows gathering herbs is not why his master brought him here.

    No Spirit Beasts cross their path. It only makes sense. Old Jiang flared his aura once when they walked into the canyon, and once again when they walked into the poison mists. The Earth Realm Dragon from last time was an exception, not the rule. The number of Spirit Beasts that would want to challenge an Emperor are not many.

    Of course, just as Liu Jin finishes that thought, a Spirit Beast bursts through the trees.

    Liu Jin does not quite realize what happens at first. The sound of trees breaking reaches his ears. Suddenly, Old Jiang is not at his side anymore. That is when Liu Jin sees it. A white beast the size of a house. A lion covered in scales. Its roar alone forces him to take a step back. Its fangs are bigger than his head. Red mist comes out of its mouth every time it breathes.

    Then it is dead. Old Jiang is standing over its fallen corpse.

    Before Liu Jin can even open his mouth, the corpse is gone.

    Liu Jin does not know what is up or down anymore. He cannot even see the exit. Indeed, he can barely see beyond the tip of his nose. Seeing his situation, one would normally think he has walked deep inside the cave, but that is not the case.

    Liu Jin has not taken more than two steps.

    The exit should still be within sight. There is no reason why light should be so scarce, yet it is. Because of that, Liu Jin realizes something important. He knows. He understands. No matter how outlandish it may sound, he''s not in Poison Fang Canyon anymore.

    "What is this place?"

    "An alternate space," his master''s voice replies, and it is only then that Liu Jin realizes his master has been at his side all along. "A different spatial realm. This entire place is removed from reality as you know it. Not many are capable of understanding the fabric of reality enough for such a feat. Very few people will see a place like this within their lifetimes. Consider yourself blessed."

    Liu Jin can understand the individual words his master speaks, but their actual meaning is too big. It''s way too complicated for a mere child like him. It''s like someone who has only seen ponds suddenly being put in front of the ocean. Dozens of questions pop up in his mind one after the other. Who created this place? Who has enough power to create their own reality and why do so?

    Fortunately and unfortunately for Liu Jin, the answer to his questions soon announces his presence.

    "Who comes before me and awakens me from slumber? Who has braved the poison mists and survived for the first time in four thousand years?"

    The voice that echoes across the realm is definitely not his master''s. There is power in that voice. Just listening to it is enough to make Liu Jin feel a great pressure that is similar yet entirely different to what he felt when Old Jiang first woke up in his father''s clinic. It is strong yet unmistakably and unimaginably distant.

    Liu Jin looks around to find the owner of the voice but sees no one. There is only darkness.

    "Ho, you should be looking up, my disciple," his master whispers. Confused, Liu does as his master says. He looks up.

    And up.

    And up.

    Ah.

    "Who stands before the Nine-Headed Snake God?"

    Liu Jin drops to his knees just as his master bows. In Liu Jin''s case, the action is not born from respect. His legs simply forget how to hold up the rest of his body. Thoughts of comparing himself to Xiao Fang and Yun Han seem so distant now, so petty and small. He was wrong. He has been wrong from the moment he entered this cave. This place is not dark. It isnt even a cave at all.

    He has just been standing in his shadow!

    Liu Jin can see the truth now. Scales as black as midnight. A body larger than the entirety of Poison Fang Canyon. Nine heads each higher than the highest peak. Eighteen eyes that burn like suns and nine mouths that could swallow entire cities in one gulp. A multitude of fangs that could each be used to make a billion billion blades.

    All this time.

    Liu Jin has been standing in front of such a beast all this time and didn''t notice.

    In front of the Nine-Headed Snake God, Liu Jin knows terror for the first time in his life.

    ~~~