Universe in Sleeve

Mo Xiu Yun's cry of alarm echoed at the same moment Wei Yun felt the hemp rope in his hand go slack!

The golden eagle, seeing Wei Yun dodge its strike, cleverly flapped its wings with a sharp whoosh. Razor-sharp feathers sliced through the air, severing the rope in an instant. One end dangled above, the other still clutched in Wei Yun's grip.

In that hair's-breadth moment, Wei Yun hurled away the broken rope, seized the vermilion fruit tree with both hands, and kicked off against a protruding rock on the cliff face, barely steadying himself.

Sparks erupted on the golden eagle's back, but it suffered no harm. Ignoring Mo Xiu Yun on the cliff above, it dove straight for Wei Yun, its gleaming golden eyes burning with unrelenting ferocity—a predator bent on his death.

"Eagle bro... I only picked a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠few of your fruits. Do you really have to go this far?!"

Wei Yun dodged with all his might, evading the eagle's lunge. The clash of metal rang across the cliff, dislodging rocks and dirt that plummeted into the abyss.

He avoided the deadly strike, but his foot slipped. Tumbling downward, he channeled the power of his enchanted shoes to lighten his body and lunged for another stone, clinging desperately.

The golden eagle struck again. Wei Yun slapped out a prepared protective talisman, which bloomed into a translucent shield enveloping him. The eagle's talon raked the barrier; it shattered like thin paper. A fierce whirlwind blasted forth, and at Wei Yun's Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivation, he was tossed like a leaf in the gale, teetering on the brink.

In this dire crisis, Wei Yun grabbed one of the eagle's steel-like talons, saving himself from the fall.

Weighed down, the eagle dipped slightly.

Irritated by the dangling human, it lashed out with its other talon to finish him.

Wei Yun unleashed every protective talisman he had, shielding his body.

Man and eagle twisted in savage combat. The struggle threw the eagle off balance, sending them gliding down the cliff toward the endless abyss below. A plunge there meant certain death—Wei Yun's body wasn't forged of iron.

Yet survival under the eagle's claws seemed equally unlikely.

As they plummeted, Wei Yun spotted a horizontally carved cave in the nearby cliff wall—spacious enough inside.

Steel resolve surged. He pushed off, leaping sideways and snagging a small pine at the cave mouth, halting his descent.

He gasped for breath. Nine deaths, one life!

But the golden eagle screeched shrilly, unrelenting, and lunged once more.

Wei Yun scrambled in panic toward the cave, but too late—a rip sounded ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as the eagle's iron beak pierced his right thigh clean through. Blood sprayed!

"Argh...!" A guttural scream tore from Wei Yun's throat. With his last strength, he crawled deeper inside.

The eagle withdrew its beak, blood dripping from it, and lunged into the cave after him.

"Damn it, this isn't over?!" Wei Yun paled, dragging his mangled body into the depths.

Luckily, the eagle's massive bulk let it squeeze in only halfway; it couldn't advance further, wedged tight. It could only circle outside, waiting for him to emerge.

"Eagle, you've screwed me over big time!" Wei Yun finally reached safety inside.

Up on the cliff, Mo Xiu Yun watched Wei Yun and the eagle vanish into the mists below. Her heart turned to ice. Staring into the bottomless chasm, she collapsed trembling, murmuring, "Junior Brother, Junior Brother... it's over, it's all over..."

After an age, Mo Xiu Yun burst into sobs. "Junior Brother! It's all my fault! I can't face you! We never should have come here..."

Her tears easing the ache somewhat, she departed the cliff, heavy with regret and guilt.

Inside the cave, Wei Yun exhaled in relief, only for agony to crash over him. Eyeing his blood-soaked right thigh, he stripped off his azure robe, binding the wound to staunch the flow.

For now, rest, recover true qi, then escape.

He swallowed a vermilion fruit from his pouch. Best refined into pills, but raw it still replenished qi and blood.

Meditating briefly, his true qi recovered to seventy or eighty percent. Wei Yun stood and explored the dim cave, hands groping the floor until they closed on hard objects—bones!

A chill ran through him. Examining closely, he found a skeleton slumped against the wall.

Wiping cold sweat, he spat on the stone in disgust. Bad luck!

Glancing up, Wei Yun noticed faded characters etched into the wall—barely visible in the gloom. His spit had made them stand out.

Below followed over a thousand words of incantation—the cultivation method for Universe in Sleeve.

Wei Yun's eyes lit up. He'd never heard of Universe in Sleeve, but it sounded potent.

This senior was a Tribulation Transcendence powerhouse—unrivaled below Earth Immortal. His gift wouldn't be shoddy.

Spending half a shichen—an hour—he memorized the incantation.

Then, eager, he began cultivating.

The divine ability was intricate: true qi had to cycle through his meridians in arcane patterns—nine forward revolutions, nine reverse—returning to the arm's yin-yang channels. One misstep meant qi deviation and death. Perilous!

Sunset faded outside, darkness fell, cold winds howled in.

Sweat beaded on Wei Yun's brow. Any distraction now would scatter his mind, rupture his meridians, and kill him.

But fresh from a brush with death, such minor disturbances barely fazed him. The pampered might falter at a mere breeze.

The next day, dawn broke, warmth returning.

By noon, sunlight kissed the cave mouth, a ray warming Wei Yun's face.

"Hah!"

He jolted awake, eyes snapping open. On his left arm gleamed a ring of intertwining black-and-white qi—yin and yang in eternal cycle, wondrous.

With a soft shout, the ring sucked in nearby sand and pebbles. As they neared, they shrank minuscule, absorbed, then expelled at original size.

Ecstatic, Wei Yun dismissed it; the ring became black-white tattoo-like stripes on his wrist.

Universe in Sleeve was no trifle. It forged a pocket space to store anything—dead matter like sand indefinitely. Living things dissolved into blood-water within moments, their essence refining to nourish and empower the ability. Greater power, greater might.

The exertion had erased the wall inscription.

Ignoring it, Wei Yun wrapped Zuo Zhen Yi's bones in his robe and limped to the cave mouth.

Surveying blankly, plotting escape.

An eagle cry pierced the air. The golden eagle swooped from nowhere!

Wei Yun dove back inside, aghast.

The eagle perched at the entrance, patiently awaiting his exit.

"Filthy beast, you think this young master fears you?" Enraged, Wei Yun hurled a stone.

The eagle ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠batted it to dust with a wing.

"Come in if you dare!" Wei Yun bellowed.

The eagle screeched, eyes fixed.

One couldn't leave, the other enter—a standoff.

After ages, Wei Yun swallowed another vermilion fruit. Six left.

"Hey, eagle bro, fancy a deal?" He tossed one playfully. "Say, one fruit for a ride out. Possible? No? Two?"

"Fine, cheapskate—all yours!"

The eagle ignored him. Wei Yun offered all six.

No dice. Wings flapped to sever his arm.

Panicking, Wei Yun retracted while instinctively swinging his left—Universe in Sleeve unleashed! A black ring morphed into a palm-sized vortex, descending on the eagle!

The eagle shrieked, curling into a ball, head under wings—terrified!

Joy surged in Wei Yun. Does Universe in Sleeve counter this bird?

No—newly cultivated, it could barely handle Foundation Establishment foes, let alone this beast.

Realization dawned: Zuo Zhen Yi must have used it before, traumatizing the eagle.

Wei Yun withdrew it hastily, lest the eagle see through him and attack.

"Eagle, no fear—young master won't hurt you." He emerged.

The eagle raised its head, wings folding, landing beside him—no assault.

Instead, it nuzzled his face. Wei Yun blinked, then grinned. Escape!

Stroking its head, he mused, "Eagle, what's your name?"

Golden light flickered in its eyes, flames within. It shook its head, crying out.

"Your feathers are gorgeous. I'll call you 'Xiao Jin'. Like it?"

Another cry—agreement?

Wei Yun petted the golden plumes. "Xiao Jin, I'm your master now. Stick with me, you'll eat well, live large. Oh—first, fly me off this cliff."

Xiao Jin spread wings, inviting him on.

Wei Yun, clutching the bones, clambered aboard unsteadily.

Xiao Jin cried and soared, climbing the cliff.

At the vermilion fruit tree, Wei Yun halted it, harvesting all ripe fruits—twenty total with priors—before flying off.

Soon, they reached Wei Yun's cave abode.

Disciples along the way gawked enviously. Sect pets were mundane—oxen, horses, cranes, deer, cats, dogs, lions, tigers. Xiao Jin was leagues above.

Home, Wei Yun changed clothes, then limped to neighboring Mo Xiu Yun's cave, knocking.

The door opened; her lovely face appeared. Spotting him, eyes widened: "Ghost!" She slammed it shut.

"Senior Sister, what the—?" Wei Yun blocked it, exasperated.

She pinched his cheek, confirming flesh. Sighing relief: "Junior Brother's fine! Great! Yesterday scared me half to death—I thought you were gone, cried buckets. Not dead? Speak up next time!"

"I was as good as dead, but you know my luck's ironclad..."

"Spare me. How'd you get up?"

"Behold..." Wei Yun gestured to Xiao Jin. "My heroism tamed it as master. I refused at first... but I'm soft-hearted. It insisted, so I relented..."

Xiao Jin squawked indignantly.

Mo Xiu Yun marveled, eyeing it. "Such a cute eagle... Can I pet it?"

"Senior Sister, between us? Pet my eagle freely—play as you like."

"Big eagle... nice feel..." She stroked the sleek feathers.

"Oh, right—got the fruits?"

"Yeah." A dark gleam from his palm; ten vermilion fruits tumbled out. "Our haul: twenty total. Half yours."

Joy flashed, then solemnity. "Junior Brother, I did nothing—you risked death. Keep them."

"No, take some. Your idea brought this fortune."

"Fine, five then." She took them.

At the mission hall, they turned in fruits for talisman money. Wei Yun pocketed fifteen first-grade notes—richer than his old master Qing Feng Dao Zhang after mere days.

Task done, Mo Xiu Yun left.

Wei Yun headed to the sect's rear palace—homes of the sect master, four elders, ten true disciples. Off-limits to most.

Guards halted him. "Halt!"

Wei Yun bowed. "Senior Brothers, I seek the sect master. Please announce me."

One frowned. "Joking? See the master whenever?"

"Urgent matter..."

"Out!"

Interrupted, Wei Yun glanced up dazedly, grasping status's weight, and left.

Back home, he penned a note, wrapped Zuo Zhen Yi's bones with it inside his robe, and returned to the rear entrance.

Guards again: "Back?"

"Senior Bones of a Medicine King Sect predecessor, from a hidden place. Please deliver to the sect master!" He handed the bundle.

They exchanged looks, dubiously accepting.

"We'll pass it on. Go."

"Thanks, Brothers."

Mission fulfilled, Wei Yun departed.

The guards delivered to Yao Lao Ren's palace, relaying Wei Yun's words.

Yao Lao Ren took it, unwrapping. His cultivation discerned its extraordinariness—no decay despite ages, faint azure glow within.

Reading the note, he jolted. "Who delivered this?"

"An outer disciple, low cultivation."

"Where?"

"Sent him away."

"Remember his face?"

"...Plain, no real impression..."

Yao Lao Ren's face darkened. "Dismissed."

"Yes, Sect Master!" The guard fled, fearing wrath.

Yao Lao Ren summoned the four elders to the grand hall.

He sat on the golden cushion, Azure robe and skeleton arrayed before.

Elders arrived, seating beside.

Yao Lao Ren's eyes gleamed. Sighing: "Three centuries ago, Senior Brother Zuo vanished. We searched fruitlessly. To think he returns like this!"

Elder Shi Zhu stared. "Senior Brother inherited the founder's true legacy, mastering our sect's supreme divine ability Universe in Sleeve. Unmatched might—yet Tribulation Transcendence eluded him. Tragic."

Elder Su Mu's voice shrilled: "With him gone, Universe in Sleeve is lost. Meant only for successor sect masters—now neither you nor he knows it. Disaster! Word spreads, we're ridiculed."

Elder Bai Shu: "Blame his heavy killing karma. Alas!"

Elder Bai Zhi's brows arched. "Where's the disciple who returned the bones? Find him, question for Universe in Sleeve clues."

Yao Lao Ren nodded, summoning a tall disciple. "Qing Feng, order a search for the bone-returner. Sect rewards await."

Qing Feng, azure-robed and serene, smiled faintly. "Master, rest assured."

Dismissed with a wave.

Qing Feng bowed, then blurred out in afterimages.

Wei Yun returned home. Xiao Jin greeted eagerly; they played briefly before he cultivated.

Main focus: jade pendant's technique. Shui Hong Yao's shelved; Nourishing Qi Art obsolete.

Medicine King Scripture first volume built Azure Wood true qi, plus "Qi Healing Art" for wounds.

New Universe in Sleeve: divine ability, not inner method. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠First layer done; second needed enemy kills, devouring flesh/blood to empower.

A chill hit Wei Yun. Evil, terrifying—not righteous. How'd Medicine King Sect have this?

To rear mountains, sitting amid woods, he grasped wood qi, cultivating Medicine King Scripture first volume.

While he trained, the sect buzzed.

"Heard? Sect master's hunting the bone-deliverer—for rewards, they say."

"Doubt it—punishment more like. Why hide if rewarded? Why the fanfare?"

"True... What crime to warrant the master's hunt?"

...
Half a day later, Wei Yun finished, birthing a strand of Azure Wood true qi. He applied "Qi Healing Art" to his thigh—daily, it'd heal soon.

En route home, gossip swirled. Inquiring, he learned: "reward" twisted to "punishment." No way he'd come forward.

Sect master wants the Universe in Sleeve—or to cripple it. Too shady.

Decision made: deny returning the bones, come hell or high water.