My headspace was... well, it was crowded, that's for sure, when I exited the summit and emerged at the path where Han Yimu was somewhat anxiously waiting for me. It will take me a while to fully loop around what I'd just learned, and a while longer to continue looking at Long Tao the same.
I'd already kind of written the tale of his life before death, but even in my wildest scopes, it never approached the truth, apparently. I also feel kind of cheated, as the system severely underplayed him, and even continues to underplay. Then again, to be fair to it, its only taking the snapshot of who he is now rather than who he was.
"Is everything alright, Master?" the young man asked me. How was he able to so naturally call me 'Master' despite literally meeting me like an hour and a half ago?
"All's well," I said. "What about you?"
"I'm fine, Master."
"Really? If it were me who underwent that, I'd be weeping and pissing myself in some bush," I said. "You truly are something else, then."
"... I'm sure Master would have done far better than me." I didn't even bother not rolling my eyes, or trying to hide it.
He's a goddamn natural. That's to say, he's a snake.
"It might have occasionally worked elsewhere," I said. "But if you keep yapping like that in front of me... no, none of my threats will work right now. You have to meet the other kids, first. Speaking of," Long Tao was standing like a statue just outside the mountain that I just realized we descended in a flash. Which is to say, it was probably a formation of some sort. "Tao'er."
"Master," he said, glancing at the bird and then at the man next to me. "Who is that?"
"Your new Junior Brother," I said. "He just told me I'd be able to handle having Dao undo my realms."
"..." Long Tao's expression dropped as he looked at the man. "A kiss-ass?"
"Oh, big time."
"He'll fit right in," Long Tao shrugged. "Is everything alright?" he must have noticed me looking at him differently, asking the question I had no truthful answer to.
I mean... of course everything wasn't 'alright'. I'd just learned that you went to a war with practically everyone, and that you had everyone you ever loved either killed or turned against you. And yet, somehow, you've come to trust again. Trust me, trust the kids... honestly, if it were me, I'd be broken forever.
I'd sooner trust a fart after a nice, spicy meal than I'd another person.
"Just had a small conversation with the woman whose name I never learned," I said. "And she's tasked us with something."
"Oh? With what?"
"Remember that guy that you nearly killed on that mountain with that Shuren-or-whatever woman?"
"... just how bad is your memory, Master?"
"It's good enough. Do you remember?"
"I do. We're tasked with killing him?"
"As if," I shrugged. "His master."
"Oh." we slowly started walking to the temporary accommodations. I'd been led about by my nose ever since waking up, and had no idea where anything really was. "It won't be easy."
"Nothing ever is," I said. "It's not as though we have to rush it. We have a standing invitation to go there, and I do need to consult the man about something first. We'll just see about it when we get there."
"My new Junior Brother is rather quiet," Long Tao said, and even I noticed the twitch of the eyebrows. It made sense--though Han Yimu had lost most of his strength, Long Tao did still look like he wasn't even eighteen yet, and, per outward appearances, they were of the same realm.
"Ignore him, Yimu," I said. "Once we have some privacy, you can sort out the pecking order. All that matters is that you remember one very, very important thing."
"What is that, Master?" even Long Tao looked at me curiously.
"When they tell you to cover my eyes," I said. "Don't. If you respect me even the slightest bit, ignore them."
"... huh? What?"
"Pfft." while Han Yimu looked at me inquisitively with a tilted head, Long Tao swallowed a laugh as his shoulders shook.
"You'll know. Just remember it. Promise me."
"Uh... I, I promise."
"Hm."
A few more matters urgently swept through my mind--Han Yimu currently didn't have a cultivation method. I could and will teach him Enduring Eternity, but it's not enough.
Rather, I've been waiting for a moment of calm to finally dedicate some time to create the offshoot of it while keeping the Enduring Eternity as a base. After all, I do have 5,000 points to spend, and I never once considered spending them on anything else but a cultivation method.
I'd deliberated heavily on the path I want to take with it since I feel it's gonna be kind of pivotal. Making it too specialized will limit its uses, and making it too general might limit its capabilities. I won't know until I actually sit my ass down and try, but my instinct is to create a cultivation method equivalent of Xing Feng's weapon. An adaptable, highly utility-driven sort that can be used everywhere.
How feasible it is? Well, we'll see.
We finally reached the round, cylinder-like building where the horde of kids was anxiously waiting for us. I barely opened the doors before--
"--MASTER!!"
"MASTER IS BACK!!"
"WAAAAH!!!"
"Ugh."
I got slammed... everywhere. Dai Xiu slammed my chest, her arms wrapping around my back and at least preventing me from shooting backwards like a goddamn cannonball. Light just jumped on my face. Like, on it. Like a face hugger.
Xing Feng latched onto my right arm. Even Xi Zhao joined in on the action, though he thankfully just patted my shoulder. Wan Lan and Rayce stayed a bit further back, though they both nodded towards me, stifling laughter. Even Lao Shun was here, though he was still seated, drinking something.
... I may grumble and bitch and moan, and I may put on a tired expression, but it's hard not to have my heart swell at this. To be this loved... I don't think there's really anything quite like it in the world.
"Alright, alright, get off, everyone," I said after a few moments. "You're scaring little Naǒ." it wasn't even an excuse--the birdie was genuinely panicking, thinking I was being attacked, and was just about to attack herself before I stopped her.
"Little Naǒ? Who is that, Master?" Dai Xiu asked.
"Our new family member," I said, grabbing Naǒ from the top of my head and letting her sit on my palm as everyone--including Lao Shun--gathered around to stare at her. "If you touch her, she says she'll burn you alive. So, careful~"
"... Master," Lao Shun mumbled. "This may be absolutely insane, but... uh, is, is that a, a phoenix?"
"Yup."
"... huh. Of course it is."
"As expected of Master."
"Even the legendary Divine Beast knows that there is no better place to be than by Master's side."
"Ah, I wish I were that small so I could fit his palm..." okay, Wan Lan. Don't pour oil on the fire.
"Oh, right. There's another," I said, turning around and noticing that Han Yimu was still at the doorway, absentminded. I reached over and yanked him forward by his arm. "Say hello to your new Junior Brother, Han Yimu."
"Ooh, he's handsome!" that was Dai Xiu who immediately shot forward and started 'inspecting' him. "Master, why did you bring someone handsome with us? Don't you know that all handsome men are beasts?!"
"... am I not handsome, Xiu'er?"
"No! Master is divine! There's a difference!" ... alright, that was my bad for asking.
"Tao'er, cook us something," I said, walking over and sitting down while the others continued swarming Han Yimu. The poor guy was stuttering answers that made no sense, but hey... if he was gonna survive with them, he'd have to get used to it. "I'm absolutely exhausted."