When Immortal Ascension Fails Time Travel to Try Again

We quickly arrived behind the first aid tents closest to the sect. Vengeful Siren set me down. It seemed like he was about to leave, so he could fight the enemy Nascent Soul elders.

There was one thing I had to do before he left. This was the only time since there was always a chance we'd never see each other again.

I clasped my hands and bowed to him. "Thank you for protecting me and my flying band, Elder."

"No need to thank me. I only did what was best for the sect."

The woman from earlier, who screamed the spear away, appeared next to Siren after leaving her opponent to someone else. She leaned toward me. Her blue eyes looked at me as if she could see through to my soul.

Actually, as a Nascent Soul equivalent beast, she probably could, just not past my seal.

"…"

"This is my contracted beast partner, Mi Mi."

"I don't like you." She said it without much heat.

"Mi Mi!" Vengeful Siren chided.

She ignored him, tilted her head, and narrowed her eyes at me. "Why don't I like you?"

Siren sighed as if there was nothing he could do about her. "I apologize on her behalf."

I grinned. "No need. I hear that a lot. Actually, Senior Mi Mi, you have remarkable self-control."

She snorted. "Only a spirit beast with their mediocre bloodline would treat this external anger as their own."

Ah ha! I knew she was a mystical beast of some kind. Probably a mermaid or something similar.

She began to circle me.

I reflexively stepped back.

"But I should like you. You helped Vengeful Siren and the sect he loves. Yet, your existence is very odd."

And she was a weird-ass beast! Which wasn't something I could say to her face since she had the ability to kill my underpowered ass.

I clasped my hands behind my back and stood straight like the master I was. "All beasts hate me. I have several hypotheses, but no way to test them." As a joke, I said, "At this point, I'm willing to believe that I angered the deity of beasts in my past life."

Actually, my current leading hypothesis was that beasts smelled my original universe on me and treated me as an invading parasite.

"Oh. That makes sense. You must have truly frustrated them. What a terrible curse!"

"It's been very hard dealing with it, Senior." Okay, so she wasn't the brightest of Mystical Beasts, after all. "I'm glad you have enough self-control to not tear my throat out."

She smiled prettily. "Even though I have the urge to sing your body into a billion pieces, I hope you survive. If you die, that would make Vengeful Siren sad, and that would make me very angry."

She was definitely the reason for his Daoist title.

A bright light made the surrounding area look like it had been hit with a flashbang from my past-past life. A boom sounded that echoed through the mountains.

The two peered off toward the front and frowned.

"Mi Mi! We can't waste any more time here."

She floated up into the air and smiled, showing off her long, white, needle teeth. "I'm looking forward to my next meal."

"Stay safe, Elder Linlin," Siren said before flying back to the frontline while lecturing his beast partner.

Now that they'd left, I planned to replenish my energy and use my expertise to help out at the first aid tent until it was time for our little treasures to be useful.

"Elder Linlin!"

I turned toward the familiar voice. Little Spring ran at me using Continuous Step. He didn't slow down when I expected him to.

"Shit." I held out my arms as he ran into me.

He gave me a big hug as we skidded backward several yards. If I hadn't had the same body cultivation as he did, that would have hurt. ::Sister Lin! Do you have any idea how terrified I was when I saw that spear almost hit you?!::

"Relax. I'm fine." I thought he would let go, but he hugged me tighter. The kid must have been so scared during the war.

"How is Xiao Bai?"

"I see how it is. You only care about your puppy."

He scowled adorably at my teasing.

"He's been behind me the whole time." I used my divine sense to scan him. He was still asleep with no signs that he'd wake up anytime soon. The not-dog had curled into a tight ball, which made my armor bulge outward around my waist. "He's fine. His condition hasn't changed. Now tell me how things went on your end. Did that rat girl cause problems?"

He finally let go and grimaced. "Well…"

Something had definitely happened with her.

"I knew it!"

"It's as bad as you're thinking."

"Just explain the situation. I especially want to know how you got into that mess with the Blast Off Quad."

"Then I'll need to start at the beginning."

***

Little Spring's POV...

While Lin was performing with her flying band, my team of beast tamers darted through the mass of people pushing forward toward the front lines.

I shoved a few disciples out of my way to keep up with her pace. It was getting harder and harder to do, to the point that I wanted to jump over their heads. Unfortunately, I had to blend in.

The closer we came to the fighting, the more the coppery scent of blood hit my enhanced sense of smell. It almost drowned out the stench of sweat, dirt, and beast musk.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Every second, someone either retreated or died. I couldn't keep track of everything like I was used to doing in smaller fights. Even trying to use my divine sense overloaded my head with too much information, so I just used my mundane senses.

Each of my taggers moved into position with their assigned buddy. Little Teasing Mouse had partnered up with a large girl named Destitute Fire Fang. She constantly complained about being broke as if her Daoist title were a hex and not given to her because she grumbled about it all the time.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end when I saw the two together. I had a feeling they'd get themselves into trouble if I didn't watch them extra carefully.

I used my sword to deflect a few stray sound Qi attacks that almost hit me. The front moved closer to us, making our location more dangerous.

Sister Lin needed to hurry up, or I'd have to fall back more, and that wouldn't be ideal for the mission.

As I blocked a spiritual energy attack, the drumbeat vibrated through my bones. Many voices rang out with a throaty yell, "Sleep!"

An illusory sheep herd formed above us. They looked similar to the ones Xiao Bai and I herded a couple of years ago, but more majestic and cloud-like. The power that radiated off them made my eyelids droop, and I wasn't even their target!

I shook my head to clear away the fatigue.

They charged forward and rammed into the front line.

The unlucky cultivators of the Harmonious Sound sect passed out. Many of the Irrepressible Beast Blood sect's fighters joined them. The disciples on both sides pulled them back. I had to push my way through the retreating warriors to get close to the action. I even punched a few people who wouldn't move out of my way fast enough.

I finally reached the front. For a second, I stood there, stunned at the devastation my martial sister inflicted on everyone while still keeping them alive. Thousands of bodies had fallen. The red dirt below them made the scene look like a horrible massacre.

Several people who hadn't retreated killed their closest unconscious enemies and looted their corpses.

The smarter ones noticed that the enemies who hadn't passed out had gathered together and were charging forward, just like Fairy Lin predicted they would. The Irrepressible Beast Blood Sect stopped retreating and threw out long-ranged attacks. This worked in our favor since dodging spiritual energy was easier than dodging miles of angry feet and claws.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dagger grabbed my shoulder, jolting me out of my shock. Right! I was the leader here. We needed to get moving, or his subordinates couldn't do their part.

::Tagging Team! We practiced this a thousand times. Go! Go! Go!::

"Bork!" Xiao Bai agreed.

Each of my team members placed an obfuscation talisman on their mouse or wolf and sent them forward. They nervously followed their partner's progress, keeping pace with them while hiding behind others.

The treasure-seeking mice flew through the unconscious people, scent-marking those with amazing treasures. Then the wolves pulled ‌a different talisman from the harnesses they wore and placed it on top of the scent-marked bodies.

We'd hired some of the sect's few spiritual leather crafters to make the harnesses. I'd helped design them using my knowledge of the canine form and Lin's spiritual tool teachings. It was something I was very proud of that I'd have to show off to Sister Lin once we made it out of this war.

Crouching Tiger struck at a blade of sound Qi that had been aimed at my face, so I didn't have to dodge.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."

"You would have gotten that."

True. "Come on, we have to move, or they'll get ahead of us."

He nodded, and we started pushing our way through the crowd together. My unit was nearing the back of Lin's illusory herd, but we weren't close enough for my liking.

"If only your team were faster, then mine would already be done here."

Was he trying to start a fight? ::My tagging team only works at the speed it can locate the next target.::

"Unfortunately, not all of your team's treasure-seeking mice are as good as that girl's Little Gray."

As much as I hated that fact, he was right. Teasing Mouse had an incredible pet. It probably had some special bloodline of some kind.

A large tide of beasts suddenly stampeded forward, getting in our way. They pushed the frontline forward.

"Bork!" Xiao Bai barked demandingly.

The group split, leaving a small opening we could pass through. Several of our team members took this opportunity to move past them.

"…" Crouching Tiger's eyes widened briefly. "Let's move."

We ran forward, passing a few of our team members.

One of Crouching Tiger's puppet masters appeared in front of him with sweat falling down their forehead. They nodded to each other, then he ran toward the front line while vanishing.

"The first of our treasures has been safely stored... There are not as many as I'd hoped."

::We still have a whole other sect to get through. It will be enough. It has to be.::

Lin's sheep finished running down the line. Thanks to Little Gray, our taggers were just behind them. I prepared to have us scatter and regroup when Teasing Mouse sent me a secret sound transmission. "Team Leader! My Little Gray has smelled someone with a very valuable treasure, but he's not asleep. What should I do?"

Oh, no. If they had a really good tool on them, they were probably important to a bigshot. We needed them, even if it meant taking extra risks.

Her sudden high-pitched scream was like a beacon for everyone who knew her.

I nodded to Crouching Tiger, and we ran toward her together.

::What happened?::

"Team Leader, I can't lose him!"

::just calm down and tell me what's happening::

"He grabbed my Little Gray!"

When we reached Little Teasing Mouse, we found her holding a whip and furiously attacking a tall man with a feminine face. He radiated power and elegance with every twang of his battle zither. Amazingly, he played while keeping the small rodent trapped under his arm. It squeaked in distress. Its little paw reached out for help.

While Little Teasing Mouse's defensive tools blocked most of his sound Qi attacks, one broke through. It sliced through her sleeve and carved a long gash into her upper arm. She coughed up three mouthfuls of blood and clutched her wound. Blood ran down her arm and dripped into the mud.

The Shadow Team leader pulled out his dagger and called four of his tiger puppets over. They flanked the musician and swiped at him with their massive claws.

I blocked a dozen sharp sound Qi attacks from hitting us and then sent a Ten Cuts at him, forcing him to jump out of the way.

Xiao Bai ran up to him while yipping in a rhythm that broke his concentration.

Little Teasing Mouse pulled out a very expensive healing pill that must have been gifted to her by one of her poison master followers, and took it.

"…"

She was definitely the person with the most protection on this whole battlefield. Despite that, she still got into this situation.

Crouching Tiger vanished. He appeared next to the tall musician, grabbed the guy's head, and spat into his face the same way he'd done to Sister Lin. The poison pill landed on his forehead.

Our target's eyes widened. He threw Crouching Tiger off him and produced an antidote pill.

Thinking fast, I sent a Ten Cuts at it, slicing it into powder before it could reach his mouth. His eyes rolled up, and he collapsed.

Little Gray fell from his limp arms. It landed on the ground, bounced, and then darted into Little Teasing Mouse's embrace.

My heart was beating too quickly. This was crazy!

"My treasure! I'm so glad you're safe!"

I placed one of our new talismans on the unconscious man. His tiger puppets vanished from sight while dragging the now invisible sleeping man behind them.

Xiao Bai ran over to me, and I gave him a treat for his work. "Good boy!"

"Bork!"

::Alright, everyone scatter and meet me at the rendezvous point on the other end of the battlefield.::

"Yes, team leader!"

Crouching Tiger nodded to me before running after his puppets and joining back up with his subordinates.

"Little Teasing Mouse, where is your buddy?"

She grimaced sheepishly. "She got distracted when she was stealing treasures off our enemies and wound up in the first aid tent."

"…" How many times had I told her not to do that herself? Damn it! "I guess you're with me for now."

I tugged on Little Teasing Mouse's unbroken sleeve and pulled her through the mass of fighting cultivators. She set her mouse down to walk next to my puppy as we pushed our way through the crowd.

When we were in the middle of crossing the battlefield, we got caught up in a huge push forward, which brought us closer to the front line than I wanted.

Xiao Bai whined. When I glanced down, he stumbled into Little Gray and fell down. Someone's foot was about to step on his adorable little face. I lunged forward to grab him and missed.

Feminine arms wearing the black and red of the Leashed Claws sect snatched him before I could. Another pair, this time more masculine, reached for Little Gray. The rodent dashed away and onto Teasing Mouse's shoulder. It hissed.

"Don't let that mouse get away! Goldie says it had a special bloodline," the woman with reddish purple hair said to her partner.

Oh, no! Spirit beast thieves?! Here? And they were in Golden Core! How the hell was I going to deal with these two and still help my martial sister?!

"Take Little Gray and run!" We couldn't let her pet get stolen, too. We needed it for our next run-through.

I struck out with Sword Qi and ended up blocking the dagger attacks from the lavender-haired man.

Teasing Mouse grabbed my sleeve. "What about you?"

"Go! I'll never leave without Xiao Bai."

The disciples in the crowd who recognized Little Teasing Mouse pulled her away from me. "We'll look after her!"

With her eyes wide, she vanished into the sea of people. "Wait! I need to help my team leader!"

For once, her fans didn't listen to her.

Several of the cultivators near me who'd come to protect her stepped forward to prevent the snake, cat, and rock crab pets from going after her. Unfortunately, their cultivation bases were too low in comparison. They quickly fell under the beast's attacks.

If nothing changes, I might join them.

There was one person I could rely on.

I called for Sister Lin.