It was dumb luck and sheer chance that had washed Serbo au Serbo, a cultivator from the western wastes, onto the shore of the uninhabited isle instead of at the bottom of the yellow river where he rightly belonged.

  It hadn’t been chance, however, that had caused the ship he’d been traveling on to capsize. No, that had been sheer stupidity, the sort of inevitable result you really should expect when hitching a ride with a captain who had no business helming a ship, let alone navigating one through a riverstorm.

  Unfortunately, Serbo au Serbo hadn’t known any better, having never seen the river a day in his life. Or any stream thicker than his own piss for that matter.

  He was a stranger to these indolent lands, lush with green life that had grown fat on the riches of water. His home was elsewhere, a place where only the strong survived and the yellow river was but a dream of a dream. Somewhere far away, beneath a scorching sun that had turned the earth into a cracked and barren wasteland. A place where water was a commodity, and titanic beasts roamed the land, shaking the ground with every step.

  It most certainly wasn’t out here with these, these, these…

  Wetlanders.

  The river and the plants weren’t the only thing full of water out here. The very air itself was full of moisture, as were the men who lived in these places. Sweat, they called it, as if it was normal for a man to simply leak water. Their skin was smooth and supple, and they had a habit of constantly sweating. They reminded him of a child’s nappy, so full of water that it practically poured from their bodies just like the dripping cloths his mother used to pull off his brother.

  Not to mention, the few he’d spoken to had had the intelligence to match.

  The comparison rolled through his head as he stared down at the idiots fumbling their hunt down below.

  Serbo au Serbo could only come to a single conclusion.

  Too much water makes the brain weak.

  He couldn’t help but grunt in disappointment as the wolf howled, unleashing a spiritual attack that cut through all three of the cultivators, dropping them like flies.

  Stupid.

  He might have done a disservice in comparing them with children. Even the smallest in the Serbo tribe knew enough to hone their spirits. After all, if they didn’t, the titans roaming their lands would be all too happy to snatch up their souls.

  He knew knee high children who could’ve taken that attack without blinking. His little brother would have taken it with a smile and struck back even harder.

  A smile crossed his lips at the thought of the little Serbo, only four feet tall but all hellfire and gumption. He’d lead the hunt one day as the chief of the tribe, having formed his foundation at not even half of his brother’s age.

  Serbo au Serbo might be the eldest, but he was the reject of the tribe, replaceable enough to send out into the world to attend some tournament and earn a bit of glory for the Serbo tribe. Something he couldn’t do while stuck on this island.

  After weeks of waiting, it looked like a way off had finally arrived.

  It might have been chance that had washed Serbo au Serbo up onto this island, but it was an entirely different sort of chance that had brought the three young cultivators to an island they should have never visited.

  And that sort of chance was a fickle thing, the result of one small change that had reverberated through time, setting into motion a series of events that should have never occurred.

  A shocking aura flared to life around Serbo au Serbo, erupting for a single brief instant before he tightly restrained it. He pulled the beasthair string back to his ear and a light creak came as the hornbow he held flexed dangerously far.

  Bright blue lights raced across the arrow, crackling with a formidable energy.

  He breathed out.

  The arrow left the string, racing across the intervening space like lightning to strike the black wolf. His hands blurred and two more followed, sending the rest of the wolves scattering in fear.

  Serbo au Serbo let out a snort as he watched them run off into the woods yelping.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Yu Chen pushed himself to his feet as the wolves ran away.

  He had to pause for a second, barely able to keep standing as an intense wave of nausea washed over him. Nope. nope, no- He bent over as the sensation overwhelmed him, vomiting onto the forest floor before raising a trembling hand to wipe his mouth.

  Physically he was fine, mostly so at least. There were some scratches and bites, but the wolves had been unable to penetrate the fine weave of his robes, leaving him covered mostly in bruises. His body simply ached, but his very spirit radiated with pain. He felt as though someone had skinned away the very edge of his being, turning every inch of him raw and sensitive to the slightest change.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  He tapped his spatial pouch, all the movement he could muster, letting out a sigh of relief when the soul-cleansing jade appeared, emitting a soothing energy that spread out around him. The pain dissipated a notch, and he felt as though his spirit had been wrapped in a mother’s warm embrace.

  Once his head finally stopped spinning, he cast a glance down at Sun Yuan. The boy was still bent over, his hands tightly clenched into the soft earth of the forest floor. Yu Chen kneeled down, placing the piece of jade between them, so the other boy would receive some of its healing energies.

  The soft crunching of leaves entered his ears as Yan Ziqi made his way over, collapsing onto the ground beside them. He seemed to have taken the attack a bit better than the other two, but his face was still pale, his nostrils bloody from the backlash of energy he’d received.

  “Damned mutts.” The boy cursed uncharacteristically, as he wiped at his face with the sleeve of his robe.

  “Do you think they’ll return?” Yu Chen asked, after some moments had passed.

  Sun Yuan didn’t respond, or even looked up, continuing to stare at the ground. Between the three of them he’d received the worst of it, having been attacked while his spirit was still in the process of healing.

  “Right now, I’m more concerned with that.” Yan Ziqi said, nodding towards one of the arrows sticking out of the dirt.

  Yu Chen nodded as well, casting a wary glance around the clearing. He could only hope their mysterious benefactor was friendly and hadn’t saved them for some nefarious purpose.

  Not that they’d be able to do much in any case.

  The wolf had done a number on them, possessing not one, but two bloodline abilities. Its red eye had sent it into a berserk state after activating, increasing its strength and speed, while its silver eye had formed a spiritual attack strong enough to harm all three of them and forcibly break Yan Ziqi’s attack.

  It had also left them nearly defenseless.

  A large weight hit the ground nearby, jerking him from his thoughts. Yu Chen turned to see a wild savage standing in the center of the clearing, more beast than man.

  Yu Chen scrambled to his feet, worry shooting through him at the sight of the strange man, but it was tinged with shock as he realized the man met his gaze at eye level.

  The stranger was basically the same height as Yu Chen, and his shoulders had the breadth and depth to match. His arms were massive, corded with dense muscle, and his bare chest was well defined. The skin he kept covered was wrapped in the furs of unknown spirit beasts, giving him a barbarous appearance. He’d shorn his hair close to the scalp, and large hoops of some unknown metal pierced his ears.

  For the first time in a long time, Yu Chen had met a man he couldn’t look down on, and a powerful one at that. Not even the slightest hint of qi escaped from his form, but Yu Chen still recognized the dense aura his body emitted, stronger even than his own.

  Yan Ziqi had jumped up, standing alongside him, and even Sun Yuan struggled to his feet, casting a suspicious glance towards the barbarian.

  The savage looked around at them, small wrinkles appearing around his eyes as his mouth stretched into a smile far wider than it had any right to be.

  “The wolves give you trouble, eh wetlanders?” The man said, his deep voice rolling with rhythmic intonations as he waved his hand in what Yu Chen assumed was intended as a friendly gesture.

  The gesture, like the smile that had revealed a strong set of teeth bookended by sharp canines, did little to make them feel comfortable. It was hard to feel safe when the man was a picture of violence, countless scars crisscrossing skin that shone like burnished copper under the sun.

  Yu Chen didn’t let down his guard, casting a hesitant glance sideways at Yan Ziqi. The older boy regarded the barbarian with a frown, looking as though he were trying to work out a puzzle.

  “That was you then?” Yan Ziqi asked, nodding towards the arrows.

  The barbarian nodded as he began to move around, picking up his arrows.

  “Thank you for coming to our aid, but why did you help us?” Yan Ziqi asked. Although his tone was measured, his eyes were narrowed as he looked towards the strange man.

  "What? You think Serbo au Serbo lets little wetlanders fall to wolves?" The barbarian said, looking aghast as he tugged an arrow out of the dirt.

  “Yes.” Sun Yuan said in a hard voice, clutching at his side as he straightened up. “Frankly, most would.”

  Serbo muttered something under his breath, speaking in a guttural language Yu Chen couldn’t understand. He paused, and when he spoke again it was in the common tongue, his words halting, but full of disgust.

  “This…” He shook his head, exhaling sharply. “If hunt fails, tribe dies. What man not help?” He shook his head in wonder as he held an arrow up, examining it.

  “Wetlanders.” Serbo sighed.

  Sun Yuan grip tightened on his weapon, not buying the words.

  Serbo looked over, frowning at the boy.

  “Ah!” The barbarian said, scratching his head as he looked them over. “You want fight? Serbo au Serbo not recommend.”

  Yu Chen’s face paled as the energy of a Foundation Establishment cultivator crashed over them, far stronger than Yan Ziqi’s.

  “No.” Yu Chen said, his face paling. “I don’t think we do.”

  He nudged Sun Yuan and the other boy dropped his saber, hurrying to agree.

  “Good!” The barbarian said, his aura disappearing as he cast a beaming smile across them. “Come, come, little wetlanders follow, yes? You need rest.”

  “First, heal.” Serbo said as he began to move, waving at them to follow. “Later, you tell Serbo why you come visit island.”

  The three of them exchanged glances, and though they didn’t speak a silent understanding passed between them. They didn’t have much choice but to follow the strange man. After all, they were dead if the wolves decided to return.

  Yu Chen and Yan Ziqi stood, but Sun Yuan was wavering on his feet. He’d be useless in a fight, and while most of his wounds had ceased bleeding, they’d reopen at the slightest exertion. Both his body and spirit were on the edge of collapse.

  Yan Ziqi gave a small nod as the barbarian looked back to see if they followed, seemingly oblivious to their silent conversation.

  “We’ll follow you then,” The artificer said.

  “Good!” Serbo exclaimed. “You feel better soon, after Serbo au Serbo cooks you a meal!"