Three Lives, Three Worlds: Jasmine's Fate [Hiatus]

Reminiscence 13 - "The Torch Dragon Valley"

Between the southern borders of the Ghost and the Celestial Realm lay the vast sand desert they called Zhu Long Gu (Valley of the Torch Dragon). Legend had it the old God Zhu Long took a drunken nap there in his true form for longer than he intended after the Celestial Wedding Celebration of Crown Prince Hao De and Crown Princess Hui Feng. By the time he woke from his nap one month later, his wine infused breath had torched the valley into an unrecognizable desert. Dragon fire was very potent and quite detrimental to the landscape, and thus, little growth had returned to the place since. But that was only a legend. Who knew what had really happened during those days: Records were very scarce, almost nonexistent, so unlike the meticulous record keeping of Star-Lord Si Ming nowadays. When asked about this incident, he usually suggested that the God Zhu Long had been in love with the bride, and the true reason behind his month-long wine-induced slumber had been a badly broken heart.

The Zhu Long Gu had not been under jurisdiction of neither Ghosts nor Celestials since the unfortunate event, seeing how the valley served no advantage to either tribe. What made this place unique was the fluctuation of immortal energy: For the residents, attempting to gain higher cultivation was not a wise choice, given the unpredictable energy concentration. However, it had also become an ideal place for those immortals seeking to engage in shady deals. The black market thrived in the makeshift city with the name Wu Ming Shi (无名市, No Name City), which was filled with red lantern streets, taverns, and shops, containing mainly questionable merchants and customers.

Lou Jun, the 8th Disciple of Kunlun was no stranger to this place, but he preferred a more solitary location with less noise to focus on his work, one of the many things he had in common with his Junior 14th, who had resided here longer than he had at Kunlun. They were staying on the northern edge of Zhu Long Gu, in between high canyons, perfect for hiding from uninvited visitors. After the first Demon and Celestial battle, both tribes were re-evaluating their tactical plans and fighting had come to a halt. With Shifu's permission, 8th and 14th had decided to return to the Valley to check on their weapons resources. They had stayed for two nights before 14th had decided to go gather material for his experiments in the dark alleys of the city.

Lou Jun made use of his time by testing arachnid spinning thread. The producers of this rare weaving material were from the Bai Zhi Zhu Bu Lou (白蜘蛛部落, White Spider Tribe), but their supplies were limited, especially during times of war. The same could also be said for other supplies, like raw ingredients for elixirs or material for weapons. Even food prices had increased, as merchants and middlemen from all over the realms used the opportunity to gain riches in time of crisis.

Lou Jun was still in the process of weaving the spider's thread as a new material for string and ropes, when countless bells set themselves off, bringing endless ringing, extending even to the back of the cave. An uninvited guest had arrived. 8th discontinued his work within the sun-lit cavern and cloud jumped himself to the front. The identity of the intruder was a surprise indeed.

"Zi Lan, what are you doing here?" Lou Jun asked his Junior, who had disappeared for months and was now standing before him at the entrance. How did he even know about the hideout?

"I'm here for you! 14th Senior told me you'd be here, I met him in the Wu Ming Shi earlier. It took some time to track you down, since you were not at the camp."

"How did you pass all the traps?" 8th inquired. 14th had set up multiple traps, to deter uninvited guests, but most importantly, to protect their inventions.

Zi Lan, more vibrant than 8th remembered him, gave a wide smile before he answered, "You mean how I got past the now broken traps, which Senior Yan Wei conveniently failed to mention when he gave me your location. Please tell 14th Senior to redo some of his calculations if he wants to protect his assets."