One Day, I'll Pluck Every Feather off You

On a steep mountain cliff, a lone figure climbed over the rocks toward the summit.

Ye Han's hands were already covered in bloody wounds, leaving bloodstained prints on the rocks as he climbed. His shoes had worn through, and his feet were covered in injuries too.

He gritted his teeth and struggled upward.

"This is my only chance. I will succeed!"

Ye Han muttered with determination in his eyes and kept climbing.

Suddenly.

Crack...

The rock beneath his foot suddenly came loose. His heart sank as his body slid downward, but fortunately, he grabbed a protruding tree and steadied himself.

Cold sweat poured off him, and his calves trembled. He had nearly met his end.

Three days earlier, Teacher Lan Qing had shown him a clear path forward, telling him that joining an immortal cultivation sect was the fastest way to cultivate and attain the Dao.

Teacher Lan Qing had told him plainly that cultivation required immortal arts, pills, and all manner of resources. He was only a rogue cultivator, with barely enough resources for his own cultivation, and could not provide those things for Ye Han.

So he had devised a plan to help Ye Han join an immortal sect smoothly. His payment was the cloth wrapping Ye Han had dug out of that monster.

The next day, Ye Han had woken up at the inn to find Teacher Lan Qing gone. All he had left was a note saying that he had departed, and that they would meet again if fate allowed.

Ye Han had bought some dry provisions and set out. After walking for three days, he had finally reached the outskirts of this immortal mountain. He needed to climb to the summit and light the talisman Teacher Lan Qing had given him.

Otherwise, he would not even be able to enter the cultivation sect's mountain gate.

"Either I die, or I climb to the top."

Ye Han glanced back. The cliff was still dozens of yards high. Ignoring the pain in his hands and feet, he gritted his teeth and climbed upward...

His hands and feet were already mottled with blood, hurting so badly that they were almost numb. But if he returned to Green Ox Village or the city now, he would still be that same Er Wazi, tending cattle for others or getting crippled by beggars...

I want everyone to call me Ye Han, not Er Wazi.

Ye Han gritted his teeth and hauled himself upward with all his strength...

By nearly noon, Ye Han finally reached the summit. The blood on his hands and feet had dried, leaving them covered in bloody marks...

He rested for a moment and looked around. It was just as Teacher Lan Qing had told him.

Several moss-covered stone pillars stood on the summit, with a stone basin between them.

He took a talisman from inside his robe, lit it, and placed it in the stone basin.

As soon as the burning talisman entered the basin, it flared fiercely. The surrounding stone pillars shuddered, and azure light pulsed across them. Strange written characters lit up on their surfaces, gathered and merged in the air, then transformed into a little azure bird that flew into the sky.

The light from the pillars and basin vanished in an instant.

This was the Messaging Talisman Teacher Lan Qing had given him, used by outsiders visiting the Azure Profound Sect. He only needed to light it and wait.

Ye Han sat before the stone basin and waited patiently.

Less than half a quarter of an hour passed.

Chirp...

A clear, ringing birdcall came from afar.

Ye Han paused and turned toward the sound, only to stare in astonishment.

An enormous white bird flew out from the distant mountains. Its outstretched wings spanned six or seven yards, and its body was as large as a young cow.

"What a huge bird!" Ye Han could not help exclaiming. In all his life, he had never seen a bird this large.

Looking closer, he saw that a young man in azure robes was actually sitting on its back.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

The enormous white bird whipped up a fierce wind. Broken twigs and dead leaves swirled across the summit, and the gusts forced Ye Han's eyes shut.

Chirp...

With a clear, ringing cry, the enormous white bird landed on the summit. The azure-robed youth climbed off its back and fixed his gaze on Ye Han.

"Were you the one who lit the Messaging Talisman?" the azure-robed youth asked coldly.

As he spoke, he sized Ye Han up. This boy was dressed like a beggar, with wounds all over his hands and feet.

Most importantly, there was not the slightest trace of spiritual energy about him.

Could this boy be nothing more than a mortal?

Ye Han felt a piercing aura envelop him and replied respectfully, "Immortal, I was the one who burned the talisman."

The youth gave a cold snort and demanded sharply, "You there, mortal! Who brought you up here? What are your intentions in coming to our Azure Profound Sect?"

At once, a suffocating aura swept toward Ye Han.

This mountain was almost sheer. How could this insignificant mortal boy have climbed it through his own strength alone?

Ye Han immediately felt a terrifying aura bear down on his body. He could barely stand upright, and his trembling legs nearly buckled beneath him.

Both his legs shook as he said angrily, "I have a letter of recommendation from an immortal! You can't treat me like this!"

As he spoke, he took a weighty sealed letter from inside his robe.

"A recommendation?" The azure-robed youth froze at those words. He glanced at the envelope, then abruptly jerked his head aside, his face contorted with pain.

The envelope actually contained an unimaginably terrifying divine sense that even he could not withstand. This was certainly not something an ordinary cultivator could possess.

The azure-robed youth stared at Ye Han in shock. This boy was only a mortal. How could he be carrying something so powerful?

And had he really climbed such a high mountain all by himself?

The azure-robed youth demanded, "Where did a mortal like you get a letter of recommendation?"

Ye Han replied gravely, "Immortal, I can only discuss this after meeting the sect master."

Teacher Lan Qing had taught him that, as a mortal, he would face far more peril than promise if he simply took that token straight to the Azure Profound Sect. He had to handle things cautiously. Having Ye Han risk climbing this cliff himself served a particular purpose, and sealing the token inside an envelope kept others from seeing it and spared him unnecessary trouble.

After speaking, he calmly looked at the azure-robed youth.

The azure-robed youth took a deep breath. The azure light around his palm vanished, and a smile spread across his face. "In that case, climb aboard!"

Besides, he had been ordered to come and receive whoever had burned the Messaging Talisman. Although the other party was a mortal, he possessed both the Messaging Talisman and this letter. If he had a powerful backer, things could become troublesome.

"Thank you, Immortal!" Ye Han said evenly. He walked over to the enormous bird and frowned. It stood more than half again as tall as he did. How was he supposed to get onto its back?

It seemed he could only climb up by grabbing its feathers.

Chirp, chirp...

The enormous white bird gave Ye Han a disdainful look, then chirped and moved away.

This mortal was filthy all over, and he had no magical power either. How could he possibly be allowed onto its back?

"Looks like White Snow doesn't like you!" The azure-robed youth laughed mockingly.

Ye Han glared at the damned bird. One day, I'll pluck every last feather off you...

"Go!" The azure-robed youth said nothing more and patted the enormous white bird.

The enormous white bird spread its massive wings and beat them, rising into the air. It circled once overhead, then reached down toward Ye Han with its huge talons.

Ye Han felt as though his body had been clamped in pincers. The enormous white bird carried him toward the mountains, fierce gusts forcing their way into his mouth and nose.

He clenched his teeth, refusing to let himself cry out...

You damned bird! One day, I'll pluck every last feather off you!