~~~


    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 Fang–something that annoys him more than he cares to admit–Liu 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.


    "Where..." Liu Jin starts asking, but his master replies before he can finish forming the question.


    "I stored it," Old Jiang says, holding up his spatial pouch. "There will be time to properly harvest its body later. We have more important things to do."


    Dazed, Liu Jin follows.


    The whole thing is over in an instant. To Liu Jin, it is a brutal reminder of how strong his master is and of his own weakness. Liu Jin has to remind himself that his goal is not to be a great warrior. His goal is to be a great doctor. Even so, thoughts of his own inadequacies still linger.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    A year ago, he was helpless in front of Yun Han. Even though he has grown stronger, Liu Jin has no illusions. If they met again, Yun Han would still be able to kill him. The strong can do what they want, and the weak have no choice but to endure. That is merely the way the world works.


    "Do not let your mind become clouded!" His master''s voice stops his thoughts from taking a darker turn. "As my student, you have an important task to do here. That should be your only focus right now."


    "Yes, master!" Liu Jin says, forcefully shoving those depressing thoughts to the back of his mind. That''s right. He will have time to worry about those things later. Right now, Liu Jin cannot let his master down.


    Old Jiang and Liu Jin keep walking further into Poison Fang Canyon. Along the way, they are attacked three more times by Spirit Beasts who refuse to be intimidated by Old Jiang''s aura. All of them belong to the Earth Realm. None lasts more than a few seconds. Such is his master''s power that all fights end before Liu Jin can even see them. Spirit Beasts in the Earth Realm are simply no match for Old Jiang. The poison mists grow stronger as the two make their way, but it is nothing Liu Jin cannot deal with.


    All things considered, their journey is almost impossibly peaceful.


    "This is the place," his master says once they reach a cave. The entrance to the cave is rather small, and it is so dark Liu Jin cannot see what lies inside. He would have missed the place for sure had his master not motioned him to stop.


    Yet, now that Liu Jin knows it is there, he can feel the foreboding energy rolling in waves from it. There is something powerful inside. It is power so deep, Liu Jin feels that if he lowers his guard for an instant, he will be swallowed whole.


    "This will be your final chance to turn back," Old Jiang says. He looks as serious as Liu Jin has ever seen him. "We can return to the city. You can live the rest of your days in peace. You will never reach the heights your father once did, but you will suffer less. It is not a bad fate. It is probably something your father wishes for you."


    "And if I go in? What will I find there, master?" Liu Jin asks, staring at the dark depths of the cave.


    "I do not know exactly what lies in this cave, but I have lived long enough to have a good idea. If you go in, you will be tested. Since you are my disciple and your father''s child, you will most certainly succeed. However, success has a price. The road to excellence is not something one can abandon easily. If you go in, you will suffer. That, I promise you."


    Liu Jin stares at the void. Old Jiang''s words repeat themselves over and over in his head. He understands Old Jiang is talking about something beyond becoming a good doctor. If Liu Jin goes into the cave, he will be stepping onto a path he would have never reached otherwise.


    Liu Jin does not wish to become a hero. That is still true.


    However, Liu Jin does not wish to become mediocre.


    Old Jiang is right. There is probably a part of his father that would be at ease if he were to become just a good doctor. As much as it pains Liu Jin, he cannot grant his father that peace. Liu Jin cannot betray himself like that. He wants to follow the path his father walked on. He wants to reach the same heights his father reached.


    "Master, from the beginning, there was only one choice for this disciple."


    Liu Jin takes a step inside the cave and the world changes.


    ~~~


    There is darkness all around him.


    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 isn’t 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.


    ~~~