Cherreads

Chapter 5 - Chapter 5

"You speak freely in many tongues, yet you are not even a cultivator?" The gemstones regarded him with the cool, inhuman intelligence of the Stone Giant Realm, but only briefly. "I lack materials, but I am a stone shaper. I could create something from myself, if I knew what she required."

"There is a dense black stone..." Chen Tian wracked his brain but couldn't recall the details. "I don't remember the name in your language, but it resembles obsidian except slightly translucent. What I need is a thin plate to cover the eyes, as dense as possible."

"I may know the substance you describe, but it exceeds my ability."

"Can you approximate? Any dense stone would help."

"Approximation..." The Stone Giant grumbled but raised one blocky arm and began working. In contrast to its massive frame and crude movements, the rock flowed from its body gracefully. It rapidly darkened, resembling obsidian and taking the form he had suggested. When finished, the stone separated from the Stone Giant's body and fell lifeless.

Chen Tian caught it. He didn't know the appropriate greetings for the Stone Giant Realm, but he knew that lowering himself was respectful, so he went to one knee. "Thank you, this will suffice."

"I dislike this crude approximation. If you can provide better specifications, I will craft a superior shield against this light for her."

"You have my gratitude. I am fortunate to have another realm traveler with me."

"I had never left the Stone Giant Realm before today. I have merely read of these things."

That was right, Chen Tian had forgotten, but the Stone Giant Realm had a reputation for scholarship. Its rocky, ponderous inhabitants lived longer than most, giving them centuries to pursue their studies. Chen Tian set that aside for now and walked back to Li Yuyue, wrapping the obsidian in silk.

By the time he arrived, he had a blindfold with the stone plate fixed within it. The edges might not fit perfectly, but it would be superior to just his robe. Or so he hoped.

Fortunately, nothing had gone wrong in his absence. The people of the Peaceful Earth Realm might be overly friendly and somewhat simple, but they weren't complete fools. They had observed his actions and offered Li Yuyue food and water by leaving them at a distance, some even mimicking the words he had used. Their offers seemed disconcerting to Li Yuyue, but now that she was not traumatized by her sudden arrival, she could accept them with bewilderment.

Chen Tian approached to within several steps, then whistled the tones again. Li Yuyue's attention immediately fixed on him, or at least her robe-bundled head shifted in his direction. "You need not greet me in that manner, Zhang Kai. I understand where I am now."

"I am glad you feel better." Chen Tian stepped forward and placed the improvised mask before her. "I have something else that might help."

"I will try it later." Li Yuyue ignored the mask and instead shifted the robe wrapping enough to push a piece of bread inside, presumably reaching her mouth eventually. He felt a surge of annoyance that she disregarded his work, but swallowed it as unreasonable. She was likely surrounded by more people than she usually encountered in a year, unless she lived in one of the cavern cities, which he thought unlikely.

"I spent only brief time in the Moonless Dark Realm," Chen Tian said as he moved closer. He would have preferred to speak with her without all the Earth Guards listening, but privacy was difficult to find in the Peaceful Earth Realm. "May I ask where you cultivate? Perhaps the Broad Dark?"

Li Yuyue slowly ate another piece before eventually answering. "I have never set foot on that continent. I cultivate in the Inner Moonscape."

"I have never visited there, but that speaks well of your abilities." In fact, it was somewhat intimidating, since he thought of the Moonscape regions as highly dangerous places where one needed to be at least Foundation Establishment to survive. He doubted she would lie about such a thing, and interrogating her would create the wrong impression.

Instead Chen Tian turned to smile at the Earth Guards, who all eagerly smiled in return. "You mentioned having a plan to return us to our homes," he said. "What did you have in mind?"

"We will do everything possible, naturally." The lead Earth Guard bobbed his head cheerfully. "For those guests who come from the Silver Moon Realm or Fire Crystal Realm, we will escort them to permanent gates. Do not worry, they are only a month's journey away."

"You have no realm keys?" Li Yuyue asked. Though her face was covered, her voice held naked concern.

"Only Land Guards can use realm keys, and we are but humble Earth Guards." The leader frowned as if this breach of hospitality pained him personally. "The nearest Land Guards are many months away, and even if they arrived, I do not believe they possess realm keys for your world, miss."

Li Yuyue shrank back in disappointment, but Chen Tian wasn't surprised. Moving between the Nine Sacred Realms wasn't easy, even for cultivators, so most needed permanent gates. With extremely rare objects called realm keys, someone could travel to a specific realm at will, but only a Nascent Soul cultivator could survive using them. That was laughably beyond his current position, but unlike everyone else, he wasn't trying to get home.

"Do not worry." One of the female Earth Guards moved beside Li Yuyue, mindlessly touching her back and receiving a flinch in return. "We do not know of a gate to your realm, but we will find a way. Until then, you will be given a temporary home with us."

"No. I will remain here." Li Yuyue shifted further from the Peaceful Earth cultivators and folded her hands in her lap. "My master will come for me."

More Chapters