Tiger Descends from Mountain

Chapter 1: Tiger descends from the mountain, only to be bullied by wolves. The Violet Mountain Sect could be considered a benevolent overlord to the mortal populace of its immortal world. It did not allow its disciples to run rampant, ensured law and good order through its unspoken connection with the Emperor of the mundane world, and was relatively generous when accepting disciples from the common folk. It could always be seen, the huge mountain it was located on suspended in the violet-hued skies as though it was a nail trying to pierce through the heavens themselves, the base of the mountain concealed by gold-tinted clouds. Streams of ethereal silver light flowed from the peak of the mountain, gently cascading outwards to the edges of the world, leaving trails like silver paint across a violet canvas. This was the physical manifestation of the world’s qi, a mystical substance that would typically be too dispersed for any mortal to lay eyes on. It was this qi that allowed the populace to grow strong and healthy, possess clear skin and strong bodies, as well as live the old age of a hundred years old. These were blessings bestowed by the Violet Mountain Sect, it was because of the sect that Qi surrounded them in such high density, found in the earth they walked on, the food they ate, and the air they breathed. And as if these blessings weren’t enough, every ten years, the Immortals from the Violet Mountain would descend to the ground and begin recruitment, searching the land for young talents, giving them, mere mortals, the opportunity to set foot on the road to immortality!

It was for these reasons that those on the ground were incredibly enthusiastic whenever they saw an Immortal leaving the mountain on a majestic flying treasure. On this day, however, it was a flying treasure they had never seen before. Unlike the usual flying swords, it was an ornately detailed folding fan, so large and its gold engravings so shiny, that its peach blossom patterns could be made out from the ground. It was cruising through the purple skies at a gentle speed unusual for the straightforward and often busy immortals of the sect, who would rush to and fro as they hurriedly completed their missions and assignments.

It was after watching the delicate looking, if not overly large, folding fan meander through the skies for a quarter of an hour that a member of the spectating crowd shouted,

“It’s the Ninth Miss! It must be!”

A collective flash of realization passed through the group as other voices cried out to support the idea. They had heard that the sect leader of the Violet Mountain sect had brought back a disciple ten years ago, a young lady who would be his ninth and final disciple. Since then, rumors had spread about her shocking talent at alchemy, but no one had managed to see her.

In fact, they still couldn’t see her, what with her being so high in the sky, but they were confident it was her simply because they had never seen such as folding fan treasure before. They promptly brought out the gongs, drums, and great big banners to show their enthusiasm to the ‘Ninth Miss’. It was undoubtedly the behavior of a bunch of bootlickers, but to lick the boots of an immortal was a privilege not many had access to.

This was another reason they so zealously memorized the flying treasure of each immortal. Attempting to lick the boots of the irritable and stern ‘First Sir’ who rode on his ugly lump of black iron would only be courting humiliation, he would be quite likely to send thunder and lightning their way as punishment. The boots of the gentle and kind ‘Sixth Miss’, however, were always a pleasure to lick, she quite enjoyed the pomp whenever she left the mountain and would often send down rewards to the most enthusiastic.

The crowd knew they had struck gold when they saw the flying fan stop its movement, and a melodious laugh rang out like the tinkling of a bell.

“I accept your greetings,” A voice resounded, amusement and satisfaction apparent despite the few words spoken. The words seemed like they were spoken from among the crowd, despite the speaker being among the silvery streams following through the sky. A demonstration of voice transmission was nothing new to the experienced bootlickers, however, what followed next was something they would never forget, and a legend that would be passed down for generations to come.

Golden dust that seemed too shiny with the light of the stars began to fall on them from the violet skies above, dispersing across the attendees of the festival-like gathering. The more elderly members of the crowd, those who were nearing their one-hundredth birthday, the limit of longevity for mortals, looked at each other in shock as the wrinkles on their wizened faces began to disappear, and their sickly grey sick regained some of its luster. The crowd was immediately aware, with an intuitive understanding, that they had been granted an extra ten years of life. Such fortune came so quickly that they froze in shocked disbelief, a chance at a longevity pill is something a mortal would climb scale a mountain of knives for, but one this day such fortune was dropped on their heads, literally! The crowd could only fall to their knees and weep, touching their foreheads to the floor in veneration of the Ninth Miss, crying out her title in worship.

Such boundless benevolence! Such boundless grace!

Far up in the violet skies, sitting on her folding fan, this boundlessly benevolent Ninth Miss had a strange expression on her face. Looking as though she just swallowed the most bitter of pills, she groaned to herself, “I threw out the wrong bag…!” (╥﹏╥)

*

The Ninth Miss, otherwise known as Anna, quickly continued her journey, trying to forcibly forget how much money she had just wasted. Her master’s sixth disciple, her sixth senior sister had told her that it would be good for her reputation to bestow some fortune on the mortals below, but she certainly hadn’t intended for this fortune to be quite so large… It could have been worse, however, had she dropped the bag of aphrodisiac pills, the consequences would not have been pretty at all… Using her full efforts to console herself, she managed to shake her head and let it go. After all, ten years ago she had been a mortal just like them, yet now she could accidentally bestow half a millennium worth of lifespan across a crowd of 50. In fact, she had been even worse than them ten years ago, as while they lived within the Violet Mountain Immortal World, rich with qi and all its benefits, she had lived on Earth, a place nearly devoid of the magical substance.

A place she was now returning to.

Anna sprawled out on her folding fan, lying within its folds in surprising comfort, as she raced towards the exit of the world. The crowd from before would be surprised to see their goddess look so slovenly. Smooth legs that seemed to have been sculpted with great care had been casually kicked over one of the folds of the fan, her dainty feet dangling in the air.

Anna was short, only 5’4”, but despite this, her long legs and high, narrow waist gave the impression of her being taller, especially as she threw aside all modestly and sprawled out atop her flying treasure. Despite being 28, her whimsical demeanor and carefree attitude, humming a light-hearted tune as she wiggled her toes gave off the impression of someone younger. In truth, while it had been ten years since she arrived, the decade passed in such a blur that she felt as though only a few months had passed.

Her appearance only reinforced this mistaken belief, her skin clear and free of any signs of age, her curves just as firm, if not firmer than they were before, as her wide hips and bountiful ass seemed to be struggling to escape her disciple's robe. The first pills she concocted when she began to walk the path of alchemy were ‘beauty preservation pills’, tablets capable of maintaining her appearance at the time of consumption until the day her longevity runs out, and so she would remain forever evergreen, never looking older than 18 even as centuries passed.

As the flying fan ripped through the now-familiar violet skies, breaching through space to bring her back to Earth’s blue sky, she grew tense, and her humming stopped.

As light-hearted as she tried to be, and as much as she enjoyed her new life as a disciple of the Violet Mountain sect, returning to the land of her birth brought a feeling of forlorn melancholy, as she realized that the world had kept on spinning during her trip to a magical new world. The purpose of this trip was to see which was stronger, her desire to pursue immortality or her ties to Earth. If, her heart remained stable, even as she looked at her parents, who lost their daughter, or her friends who had graduated into normal life, she would sever her ties and any effect, and be able to pursue the alchemical path wholeheartedly. If not, she could have to cripple her accumulated qi, the fruit of her efforts in pursuing the eternal.

And her heart did remain stable, even as she watched her parents from a distance, hidden from sight. Their hair was greyer than it was when she left, and grief had taken a toll on them, but thankfully, it seemed a senior disciple from the sect had brought them closure, likely through magical means, as they believed her long dead. They still missed her, but they were moving on with life. She left a box of medicinal pills at their doorstep that would ensure health until they passed on and muttered a silent apology for being a failure of a daughter before leaving.

She did not turn back.

Anna then went on to check on old friends, always remaining out of sight, her flying treasure offering an innate concealment from the eyes of mortals. She saw a variety of outcomes, some were happily married, with loving partners. Others had built themselves successful careers. Some had been beaten down by life’s trials and tribulations, living in misery.

Regardless of whether they were happy or sad, however, the hints of aging couldn’t escape her senses. The slightest discoloration of hair, the most subtle smell of youth beginning to decay, bodily failure, and disease starting to claw its way in.

Her heart remained stable. Everyone had their own life to live, and whether it was full of joy or sorrow, no one else could live it for them.

As she had been forbidden to return until a year had passed, she roamed around for the following months, aimlessly soaking in the mortal world, looking for the slightest hint of lingering attachment. The qi, though meager on Earth, was enough to sustain her, meaning she didn’t need to eat or drink. The passing of the sun and moon had no bearing on her, as she witnessed the cycles of the Earth from atop her flying fan. Even the most beautiful places on Earth seemed so mundane compared to the splendor that awaited her in the many immortal worlds.

After much contemplation, Anna found a random town, not dissimilar from her hometown, and descended from her fan.

She bought clothes, dressed in styles both new and old, and drew many eyes as she did so. It was enjoyable, being able to wear whatever she wanted and show off as much skin as she desired. She settled for an old favorite outfit, a pair of tight, denim booty shorts to show off her long, flawless legs and ass. Her navel was left exposed by a white crop top that complimented her breasts, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and then threaded through the back of a red cap, matched by red converse on her feet. The outfit came together to give her a youthful vibe to match her appearance, a great contrast from the traditional-looking robes that were common within the sect.

Step by step she walked through the town, attempting to recapture old thoughts and sentiments with little success. Just about she was about to depart again since the allure of fashion would obviously not restrain someone capable of discarding even familial affection, she stopped.

Anna had arrived, by coincidence, at the gate of a local high school. She felt her heart stir with lingering sentiments and couldn’t help but reminisce how she had put so much effort into her attempts to excel and appear perfect. It seemed so childish now.

On a whim, she decided to start attending. It wasn’t hard to gain admission, not with the many supernatural means at her disposal, and so long as she didn’t blatantly go around exposing the existence of the immortal world, some light abuse of power would always be permitted.

She wanted to see if slipping into her old roles, her old personas, would evoke any lingering attachments. If not, not she would have officially finished severing her mortal ties, and would simply hide away until the year’s end before returning to the sect.

Very quickly Anna fell into a familiar routine, amassing a legion of followers, both guys, and girls alike, this time however with even greater ease than before. She may have been dressed like a mortal and acting like a mortal, but Anna was undeniably post-human. Her very aura seemed to bring forth a subconscious submission from those around her.

It was amusing and enjoyable but reminded her of why she grew so tired of her old life to begin with. Her heart was stable, and it was time to go.

At least, that is what she believed until a stranger appeared at the school.

An incredibly attractive girl, the likes of which she had only ever seen when she looked in the mirror. The stranger matched her height, her style, her glossy skin and hair, and bright eyes. Even her perfect ass, and narrow waist! She thought that her long, smooth, and well-shaped legs were unique to her even across the immortal worlds, but here, in the mortal world she had been looking down on from up high, she had a rival! The girl gave off the impression of being majoritively leg and ass, yet somehow, she appeared sexy and alluring, rather than uneven and disproportionate. The unique advantage she had always held over others was now being held over her, and it didn’t feel good at all.

And as if these similarities weren’t enough, even the girl’s name sounded similar to her own,

‘Emma…’

Anna scoffed, incredibly irked that this unwelcome transfer had ruined the last part of her mortal severing, destroying her tranquillity with her mere presence. Even more offensive, was Emma was just as annoyed at Anna, as Anna was at Emma. She would notice the girl glaring at her and biting her lip in annoyance, and they would often lock eyes in vicious glares, neither deterred by the other’s flawless aura.

Anna had never even considered that mortals could look so good. The girl had no signs of cosmetic surgery, and she couldn’t help but notice, with her senses far beyond that of a normal human, that the girl even smelt amazing, no unpleasant smell of sweat masked by layers of overpowering perfume, just the subtle fragrance of peaches.

'What- Do you wipe yourself down with peaches every morning or something?' Anna couldn’t help but grumble. She quite liked the scent of peaches and had even concocted and consumed fragrance pills that changed her natural scent to that exact smell but seeing her efforts be duplicated by a mere mortal girl wounded her pride. A pride that had unknowingly formed when she had been chosen above all others to enter the Violet Mountain sect, and a pride that had only been reinforced during her travels on Earth since her return.

'Even when I was a mortal, I could call myself number one in high school, so could this bitch possibly be my equal now?!' Anna fumed.

When Anna was truly still 18 and didn’t just look like an 18-year-old, she carved out her place as the number one in her high school based on three points. The first was her astounding grades, the second was her charm and social skills, and the third was obviously her looks. While there may have been taller girls with larger tits, her unique appearance as well as her other strong points put her in an uncontested first. By that logic, even if this girl, Emma, was a perfect match against her physically, the unexpected rival, a mirror image of Anna in all areas except the face, she could still beat push this challenger into the mud using her other, non-physical assets. But there lay the crux of the problem. Anna had transcended what it meant to be mortal, she could calculate as fast and as accurately as a computer, memorize a library’s worth of books, and could break records in whatever field of academia she chose by virtue of the advantages given through cultivating to immortality. How could she heal her bruised pride by defeating Emma when in possessive of so many advantages?

It was similarly the case for using her social skills, and in truth, she hadn’t bothered to memorize any of her new followers' names, and it would truly be debasing herself too much to start fawning over mortals.

This was why Anna had fixated on comparing her appearance to that of her rival’s. She hadn’t altered her body at all, despite having ample opportunity, simply because she had always liked the way she looked. Therefore, this point was the one least affected by her status as an immortal cultivator.

This new ‘rival’ became more and more of a threat as the days passed. Each day Anna would dress her best only to be matched by the other girl. Anna discarded all modesty piece-by-piece, entirely unconcerned about the opinions of those around her, instead focused only on forcing Emma into submission. Yet submission never came. Instead, she found herself devoting more and more attention to the girl, seething and stewing in bitter jealously, falling into alternating emotions of self-loathing and hatred towards the other blonde beauty. Anna was almost glad she had never learned any eye spells or anything of the sort, otherwise, her constant staring would have already taken her rival’s life… Her incredibly acute vision meant that she could compare herself with the other blonde with divine precision, however, which only caused her negative emotions to snowball.

'Same size feet, but surely mine would look better if we directly compared…?'

Devolved into…

'You slut, how much leg do you need to show off? So what if your legs are so perfect, mine could snap yours in half!'

Followed by…

'Fuck! You dare shake your ass at me like that? Take off those pushup shorts and see if your ass can compare to mine!'

Hotpants, mini-skirts, skin-tight leggings, and even slutty spandex shorts, the days flew by as their outfits became more obscene.

Anna's eyes grew bloodshot from the staring, her lips raw from the constant gnawing, and even her palms bloody from digging her nails into her flesh.

'God, fuck this little cunt! How are we so similar?! We could swap bodies from the neck down and no one would notice any difference!'

An annoyance had rapidly turned into a massive threat. The purpose of the moral severing trial was to cut ties from the mortal world, yet Anna had stumbled miserably at the final hurdle.

Her situation could be likened to the saying- Once you ride a tiger, you can’t dismount!

Mindset was of critical importance to immortal cultivators, and keeping one’s heart free of disturbances and doubt let one walk further and faster on the road to immortality. Doubts and demons left unattended in the heart and mind may ‘attack’ at an important moment, causing an individual to go insane or lose all their progress and regress to a mortal. It was to prevent this that the mortal severing was done as early as possible, to rid the individual’s heart of danger before it can rear its head.

These so-called heart-demons are not just limited to the mortal world, they are equally as common in the immortal world too. For example, two life-long martial rivals, who have always been equal, fight. Yet for the first time, there is a clear, unequivocal victor. Unless there is unfairness or foul-play involved, there would be a strong risk of the undefeated party developing a heart-demon from the trauma, that, if left unchecked could take their life in a moment of unguardedness.

The feud between Anna and the equally beautiful, equally sexy Emma had already become a matter of life and death for the Violet Mountain sect’s ninth disciple, and too prideful to simply retreat and ask her more experienced seniors for counsel, she could only press onwards.

Breathing heavily, with her tender cheeks flushed red from agitation, Anna had finally had enough of Emma.

Despite not exchanging a single word between them, her hatred was sky-high and as the bells rang signally the end of the school day, she hid from the sight of her followers before storming quickly to Emma’s classroom.

She was going to slap the arrogant girl unconscious, rip her clothes off, and then properly compare her body with her own. Then, when it was clear that Anna’s body was better, and her rapidly growing heart-demon was destroyed, she could leave and be done with this cursed mortal severing.