Silver Fox & The Western Hero: Warrior Reborn: A LitRPG/Wuxia Novel - Book 1

by M. H. Johnson

  “Glorious!”

  The fox chuckled softly, Alex now pulled utterly free of slumber, heart racing in terror he hadn’t felt those final moments of existence where a sky black with hideous abominations disintegrated in endless light, and he felt the gaze of a Duke of Hell promising eternal vengeance, even as that incarnation was wiped from existence.

  "Oh yes, my boy. You gained a powerful enemy that day. No longer today, mind you, as there are no days where we are, but not so far off as that, though time does pass quickly. Fortunately, you are awake now, and time need not pass at all."

  The fox's gentle gaze hardened, brilliant orbs of jade and silver peering into Alex’s own, pinning him in place, such that he couldn’t bear to look away, for all that he suddenly sensed himself lost in a sea of blackness, a thousand thousand bobbing candle lights drifting all around him, countless spirits drifting through this realm between realms, preparing themselves for their next incarnation.

  As he himself had been, having perished utterly and completely in his glorious conversion from living boy to explosive blast of demon-cleansing Wu Wei.

  “Your act was beyond noble, Alex. Technically you shouldn't even be here, your spirit both consumed and transcended by your noble act. You should be the warm sunlight drifting across the Golden Realms every day, at one with every tree, plant, and rock, having achieved a karmic balance so high that the remnants of your soul would have been rewarded, though you should have been extinguished utterly."

  The fox smiled as Alex felt a cold shiver racing up his nonexistent spine.

  For a second, he thought he had heard the ripple and bob of a river far less metaphysical than the one he was on right now.

  Certain of it, in fact; the cold chill permeating his nonexistent flesh.

  “But somehow, you weren’t. And how fascinating is that?”

  Alex groaned, struck by pain and exhaustion he should be utterly unable to feel.

  Wondering if he wasn’t bobbing along the river of souls at all, but floating along another river entirely.

  “Grandfather Zheng Yi was so impressed by your feat, having played such a crucial role in getting rid of that boil of cultivators, so many dark schemes lost in shadows only coming to fruition that day in what had been intended as the vanguard to the darkest invasions, that he wanted to offer you a second chance, Alex.”

  Alex’s eyes widened. “You mean a second chance to be reborn as a prince, the first of seven lucky lives?”

  The fox—or was it the inspector?—dipped his head. “Precisely. And so long as you hold tight to the spiritual raft you are on right now, the lingering impressions you have of a body bruised and broken will slowly fade. The icy chill coursing through you will be replaced by comforting warmth once more, and the River of Souls will carry you free of the river your broken body floats upon even now, off to your next life, never having to think of what could have been, had you dared to roll the dice once more and embrace the glorious adventure you dared embark the minute you spit caustic venom into the eyes of the first pirate to cross you, claiming his potential for yourself.”

  Alex blinked at this, hating to disappoint the fox, but at that moment…

  “Of course, before you go, I think you should take a look at what happens to the people you would leave behind.”

  And before Alex could blink or protest, WiFu's eyes became windows to the soul. Not his own divine soul, but the souls of Liu Jian and most especially Liu Li, and the horrific fate awaiting them, them and everyone within Baidushi, the capital city his friends were heading to even now. A vision so horrific, Alex's scream could be heard all along the endless expanse of the river between worlds he now bobbed upon.

  “They’re going to… the whole city… no!” He tried desperately to close his eyes, but he was unable to escape the screams of terror, the sea of blood, the skies opening up to reveal hideous floating fortresses of twisted flesh and brimstone, massive bleeding eyes rupturing forth from those citadels to gaze down upon a doomed city as all the demons of hell poured forth, millions of shrieking souls devoured by a storm of horror and death as the entire city was bathed in crimson light before vanishing forever more.

  And somehow, Alex knew it had been torn free of the Golden Realms altogether, cast into a realm of unimaginable horror, agony, and despair.

  “That’s right,” WiFu whispered. “An entire city of near twenty million souls, torn free of life’s eternal cycle, doomed to spend an eternity as the playthings of living nightmare, consumed by torments without end.”

  Alex shuddered and coughed, suddenly gasping and wheezing as his lungs filled with liquid, having allowed his head to slip under the log he was holding, hacking up brackish water as he pulled himself free once more, exhausted limbs trembling, feeling so weak he could barely move.

  “How do we stop them?” Alex wheezed in his delirium.

  Silver Fox flashed a mischievous smile, gazing back at Alex from the River of Souls. “I haven’t the faintest idea, Alex. And there is no guarantee that you can do a thing. I can only tell you this: If you allow yourself to slip back into slumber before you make it to shore, the only friends you ever made in this world will be doomed to an eternity of torment.

  “So do your best to live, Alex. No matter how deep the wounds you suffered to body and soul with your glorious folly. Live, make it to Baidushi, and do what you do best.”

  "What is it I do best?" he wheezed, fighting for the strength just to hold on to his makeshift raft, terrified he'd sink back into delirium and exhaustion if he didn't keep talking, even if it was to his own delusion, no one to be seen in the depths of night, save the brilliant starry sky above him, bobbing as he was in the middle of a very real and not at all mystical river.

  His imaginary patron chuckled within his mind. “What you always do, Alex. Antagonize the most powerful foes you can, and somehow survive to tell the tale.”

  Alex frowned. “But wait, it’s not like I actually try to...” Then he spluttered, coughing and wheezing, having almost slipped under again.

  Fully awake and more exhausted than he could ever recall being, save in the days just after chemo, a lifetime ago.

  Or maybe it was now two lifetimes ago.

  He forced his shaking hands to hold tight to the ancient mossy log that he had somehow found himself floating upon, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim light before struggling with weakened kicks towards the riverbank he could just barely make out.

  And after what felt like an eternity, he felt the log grind to a halt at the river’s edge, his nostrils hit with the glorious earthy scents of a rich and vibrant forest, hearing the rustle of countless trees overhead, though it was too dark to see any detail, and he too exhausted to lift up his head.

  And he almost didn’t make it, stumbling desperately to find purchase on the root-covered bank, desperate fingers and toes clawing to safety at last, before collapsing in utter exhaustion upon the river’s edge.

  Praying no predators would find him, he immediately fell into an exhausted slumber.

  Only to wake up, groaning in agony when he felt a fierce sharp kick to his ribs, harsh sunlight spearing his eyes as metal both icy cold and burning hot snapped about his neck.

  Before he could think or act, his forearms were locked in a grip as hard as steel as he was yanked to his exhausted feet, forced to gaze into the cruel countenance of a muscular man peering back at him with beady black eyes, greasy hair cut short, with a scar running from his brow down his left cheek.

  His mocking laughter made Alex’s blood run cold. He would have stumbled back if powerful arms weren’t holding him up from behind.

  “Well, look at what we have here. A Ruidian sleeping like a babe in the woods. We’ll get good coin for those pretty blue eyes when we find a buyer with a taste for the exotic.” His cold smile turned to a sneer. A powerful fist slammed into Alex’s gut. He crumpled with a cry, though his shoulders screamed in protest, the slaver behind him still holding him up.

  �
��Where’s your master, slave? Is he a merchant who fell prey to Blackfin River? Did your ship capsize? Were there valuables aboard? Talk, fool! Lest you want Zeng Zeng to snap your limbs, you best tell me everything you know!”

  Alex screamed. He couldn’t help it, the man behind him twisting Alex’s arm so hard he feared his shoulder would pop right out of its socket.

  “Talk!”

  “Sir, I know nothing, I swear! It’s just me. Just me!”

  He cried out and crumpled to the ground as his tormentor kicked him in the gut.

  “What do you mean it’s just you? A lone Ruidian surviving out in the wilderness? Impossible!”

  "It's true, sir! My old master was an alchemist, but he got in over his head. Armed men were trying to kill us! I don't know what happened to him, but we were separated! Somehow, I managed to jump free of danger, and I landed in the river! I remember only waking up enough to drag myself to shore before I drowned!"

  The frowning man turned to a wizened gnome-like man dressed in a crimson robe with a burgundy sash and boots. A figure who even in his nauseated, weakened state, Alex could sense radiating a potent fiery Qi. “Tang Dan?”

  Hot red eyes glared into Alex’s own. He shrunk back from the blazing Qi the man radiated, and somehow Alex knew that man was responsible for the weight he now felt around his neck.

  “The boy doesn’t lie.” He tilted his head. “His words were true, though he holds something back. I taste that much. Though what exactly it is, I do not know.”

  Alex groaned as he was kicked once more. “Well, runt? Master Tang wants an answer!”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know what you want to hear! I am exhausted, alone, and now I am your captive. What more is there to say?”

  The scarred man chuckled coldly. “You’re not a captive, boy.”

  Alex blinked. “I’m not?”

  The man’s smile widened, revealing blackened teeth. “You’re a slave.”

  Alex lurched into the arms of the man behind him, before crying out as he was clouted on the back of his head.

  “You feel that collar around your neck, slave?”

  Alex grimaced but nodded.

  "Good. It's Master Tang's specialty. If you try to run or flee or refuse to follow orders, he will send Qi surging into the artifact, and you will burst into flame.”

  Alex was gripped by sudden icy fear, the burning weight of the collar pressing against his neck.

  “Do you understand, slave?”

  Alex forced himself to nod.

  “Good. Then move your feet, fool. I’ve wasted too much time feeding and watering you worthless husks as it stands. Yidushi awaits, and then you’re no longer my problem.”

  Tang Dan cackled. “You’ll be gold in our pocket, boy. And won’t you be glad to be free of my collar then!” His smile turned evil. “Though once you see what your new owners will have planned for you, you’ll wish you could have been old Tang’s pet while you had the chance!”

  The scarred slaver lashed out with his armored boot, an exhausted Alex stumbling to the forest floor. "Move, slave! The High Road's just ahead, and if we don't make it to Yidushi by month's end, it's coming out of your hide!"

  And a stunned Alex, with a slave collar around his neck, could do naught but obey.

  From hero to slave in the blink of an eye, and he was expected to somehow save millions of people from an inconceivably terrible threat that might be months, years, or days away.

  He could just imagine the ghost of WiFu laughing inside his head.

  --- End of Book One ---

  The adventure will continue in Silver Fox & The Western Hero, Book Two: Warrior Redeemed, soon to be released!

  In the meantime, if you’re interested in checking out a LitRPG series about a young former soldier making his way in a world filled with blades, blasters, spells, spaceships, and level-ups, here is a link to Endless Online: Oblivion’s Blade. Five books out so far, more to come!

  And because free is good, here is a link to my novel First Blood, a story about a girl with a talking cat and a knack for killing who ends up facing down dark gods by the end of the eight book series. It’s not Wuxia or LitRPG, but it is a fun high action fantasy series. Check it out and tell me what you think!

  If you would like to sign up for my mailing list, I’ll let you know when my next book comes out. And if you have any feedback you’d like to share with me, you can always reach me at MHbooks@mail.com

  Thank You

  Thanks again for checking out my series. Without the interest and support of readers like yourself, there’s no way I could do what I do, and I’m grateful for each day that I have the opportunity to write for you. That being said, I know finding the next great novel is a passion for many of us, and I thought I’d share a few of my favorite authors, assuring you plenty of great cultivation stories to enjoy!

  Curious to see just how deadly a cultivator you can become with the aid of a magic brush? Then I highly recommend Painting the Mists by Patrick Laplante. Packed with adventure, intrigue, strong friendships, and plenty of character advancement and skill progression, it’s a wonderful series with six books out so far!

  Riluo City by Tinalynge is the start of an epic 8 book series about a young man who sacrifices his life to save his best friend, but instead of oblivion, he finds himself reborn in a world where cultivation is real, and the opportunities for young cultivators who are able to refine and distill their Qi is virtually unlimited! This series has a great school arc and doesn’t stint on character development. If you enjoy series devoted to character progression, then I highly recommend giving it a shot!

  Tao Wong, in addition to writing some wonderful LitRPG with his System Apocalypse series, has also written the first two novels of an epic cultivation tale filled with challenging adversaries, solid character progression, exciting breakthroughs, and some epic fight scenes! If you like visceral combat, well written sword duels, and earning every step of your growth, then check out A Thousand Li: The First Step.

  Cultivating Chaos by William D Arand is another favorite of mine. It’s a novel about a young would-be cultivator with his memories of Earth intact, struggling to find his place in a ruthless world. When good fortune comes his way, he’s savvy enough to take advantage of the opportunities before him and take the first steps along a cultivation path that may one day set him head and shoulders above all those that would see him fall. If you enjoy great combat scenes, heroic power progression, and a healthy dose of passion, then I recommend giving this series a try.

  Finally, for fans of LitRPG / Cultivation hybrid novels who enjoy fast-paced character progression, unique abilities, and high intensity battle scenes, I highly recommend checking out Darren Hultberg’s Edge of Eons!

  If you’re interested in chatting with other fans of Cultivation novels, you might want to check out the Facebook group Cultivation novels where you can meet fellow fans and get some great Wuxia and Xianxia recommendations.

  Another great option for finding your next cultivation read would be the Facebook group Western Cultivation Stories.

  And for those of you interested in connecting with other GameLit readers and writers, I’d like to recommend the Facebook group GameLit Society where I pop by regularly.

  Several additional LitRPG Facebook groups I also like to hang out in include:

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPG.books

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/litrpgforum

  Additional Links

  To learn more about LitRPG, talk to authors including myself, and just have an awesome time, please join the LitRPG Group at www.facebook.com

 

 

 
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